Tuesday, April 30, 2019

CROSBY, KUCHEROV AND MCDAVID FINISH TOP-THREE IN HART VOTING – WHO WINS AND WHO WAS SNUBBED?


April 29, 2019
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Get ready for another debate about the importance of the playoffs.
On Sunday, the NHL announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid have been voted as the top-three for the Hart Trophy, presented annually “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.” As it has been in recent years, though, how to measure such value is going to be argued to such a length that you might consider making like Vincent van Gogh and slicing off your ear, at which point you’ll surely realize earplugs would have been more effective.
The reason for that, of course, has little to do with Crosby’s or Kucherov’s candidacy. The former led his team in scoring and propelled Pittsburgh to the post-season. The latter won the Art Ross Trophy and set a post-lockout era record for single-season scoring. McDavid, however, failed to get his team within so much as a whiff of the playoffs despite his personal offensive successes, and therein lies the problem. Some believe a player’s performance during the regular season is rendered moot if his team doesn’t make the playoffs. Others are of the mind that value, particularly in a team sport that hardly allows for a single skater to influence the overall performance of an organization, cannot be weighted on a playoffs-or-bust scale.
On which side of the debate you fall is for you and you alone to determine. But with that said, we present to you the Hart cases for Crosby, Kucherov and McDavid:
THE CASE FOR CROSBY
In the past, and by that we mean the early years of his career, Crosby was a perennial Hart candidate whose candidacy largely centered on his offensive ability. From his rookie season on through to his 2013-14 Hart victory, Crosby was, when healthy, among the league’s top scorers, winning the Art Ross twice, the Rocket Richard Trophy once and earning the Ted Lindsay/Lester B. Pearson Award three times. It has been five years, however, since Crosby’s last Hart victory, and though he’s added another Rocket, two Conn Smythe Trophies, two Stanley Cups and finished second in MVP voting twice, the spot on his mantle reserved for a third Hart hasn’t been filled.
Offensively, his case to change that is cut and dried. His 35 goals and 100 points were among the best totals of any player, marks that saw Crosby tie for 22nd and fifth, respectively. He also led the Penguins in scoring by a wide margin, as he finished 18 points clear of Pittsburgh’s next-highest scorer, Phil Kessel, who ended the season with 82 points. By doing so, Crosby powered the Penguins’ offense, especially through some difficult times earlier in the campaign and helped keep the NHL’s longest active streak of post-season appearances alive.
Unlike those early years, though, offense isn’t the primary reason Crosby finds himself in the Hart conversation, and what likely cemented Crosby’s place in the top-three in voting was his two-way play, as the Penguins captain turned in a season that was worth Selke Trophy consideration. Some will even assert that Crosby’s absence from the top-three in voting for the defensive forward award was one of the biggest snubs of awards season. He finished with the best 5-on-5 goals for percentage, 65.6, of any 1,000-minute player in the NHL, possessing among the best scoring chance and high-danger rates of any skater at 5-on-5, not to mention possession rates that were leaps and bounds ahead of those of his teammates.
The value Crosby provided at both ends of the ice was unparalleled this season, even by those who finished atop the Selke race. He was the most impactful two-way player in the NHL.
THE CASE FOR KUCHEROV
No one could catch Kucherov in the Art Ross race. As outlined in our breakdown of the top-three in Lindsay voting, Kucherov worked his way to the top of the scoring race shortly after the holiday break – Dec. 27, to be exact – and didn’t relinquish first place for the remainder of the season. All told, he topped the scoring race for nearly 55 percent of the campaign, and he did so without a single hiccup once he moved to the head of the pack. He led the league in scoring with 128 points, the most of any player in the entire post-lockout era, and paired his overall scoring success with 41 goals, which tied for the sixth-most in the NHL.
Contextualization of his output gives him the best shot at winning, though, as Kucherov paced the most lethal attack the league has seen in the current era and was a centerpiece on one of the greatest regular season teams in NHL history. Tampa Bay led the NHL with 319 goals, the most of any team since the 1995-95 season, and the Lightning’s 62 wins matched the record for most in a single season, finishing even with the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings. (Coincidentally, neither team won the Stanley Cup.)
One has to reach to find knocks against Kucherov, too. For example, it could be said that his offense was undoubtedly boosted by playing on a team that was so offensively overwhelming. He spent the majority of his ice time with Brayden Point, who scored 41 goals and 92 points this season. Kucherov also saw a lot of minutes with Steven Stamkos, who scored 45 goals and 98 points this season. And given Kucherov led the league in non-primary points – he had 34 secondary assists – there was some inflation of his point total, and he actually finished second in primary scoring behind McDavid. The other argument would be that Kucherov’s five-a-side scoring was only modestly better than others. He finished with 69 points at 5-on-5, only three better than Kane, five better than McDavid and eight better than Crosby. And when scoring is limited to primary points, Kucherov’s 50 tie for fourth with Crosby, with the Bolts star staring up at Kane (51), McDavid (52) and Mitch Marner (52).
THE CASE FOR McDAVID
No player had a greater offensive impact on his team this season than McDavid, and the numbers back it up. Beginning with his base statistics, the Oilers captain finished tied for sixth in the NHL with 41 goals and ended the campaign second in scoring with 116 points. His 33 power play points tied for 12th in the NHL, he had another two shorthanded points and only Kessel scored more game-winning goals than McDavid, whose nine tied for second with Brad Marchand and Gabriel Landeskog. Furthermore, McDavid’s 22:50 ice time average was tops among all forwards, which highlights how heavily Edmonton leaned on their superstar.
But as with his case for the Lindsay, the best argument for McDavid to win the Hart comes by way of a look at the percentage of the Oilers’ offense that came from No. 97, because it’s quite frankly jarring.
Of the 229 goals the Oilers scored this season, McDavid’s 41-tally campaign means he was the triggerman for 17.9 percent of Edmonton’s goals, which ranks fourth among all players. Furthermore, McDavid had a point on 50.7 percent of the Oilers’ goals this season, which gives him the greatest share of points-to-team goals of any player in the league, nearly five percent clear of teammate Leon Draisaitl, who finished second, and nine percent higher than Patrick Kane, who finished third. If that’s not enough, though, it should be said that McDavid led the league with 98 primary points. He was a one-man attack, and when you exclude secondary points, McDavid was either the one scoring or directly setting up 42.8 of Edmonton’s goals this season. That’s not only tops in the NHL, it’s an absolutely absurd level of individual contribution.
It’s the case against McDavid that will get more press leading up to the awards ceremony, though. Despite his offensive output, the Oilers finished 11 points out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, and the crowd that weights a post-season appearance heavily will likely have McDavid far enough down their ballot that he could be primed for a third-place finish in voting.
WHO WAS SNUBBED?
Patrick Kane was mentioned three times in the outlining of the cases for the top-three vote-getters, yet he did not finish in the top-three in voting. In all likelihood, voters made a choice when filling out their ballots that cost Kane his spot, and that choice was between the Chicago Blackhawks’ superstar and McDavid’s otherworldly performance. Who should have earned that final spot – assuming McDavid finishes third behind Crosby and Kucherov, who led their outfits to the post-season – is up for debate. McDavid had the individual output and team-based percentages, but Kane was up there in each category and helped Chicago stay in the playoff race until late in the season and the Blackhawks even snuck into a wild-card position briefly. It’s of little consequence, however. Neither McDavid or Kane is winning.
One can’t help but wonder how much consideration Nathan MacKinnon received, as well. His recent playoff performance puts him in the spotlight, so maybe recency bias is creeping in for what is ultimately a regular season award, but MacKinnon was spectacular for the Avalanche, who needed every ounce of his talent to squeak into the post-season. MacKinnon was awesome down the stretch, too, scoring 11 goals and 22 points in his final 21 games. And when it was really crunch time, MacKinnon churned out four goals and eight points in Colorado’s final seven games.
Finally – and knowing full well there are arguments for others to land on this list – how about some love for Mark Giordano? It’s been nearly 20 years since Chris Pronger won the Hart, his win in 1999-00 the most recent by a defenseman, but it feels like Calgary Flames captain Giordano should be up there in Hart voting. Say what you will for Johnny Gaudreau or Sean Monahan or even Elias Lindholm, Giordano was the best blueliner in the NHL this season on a team that was among the best play-driving outfits, finished with the ninth-best goals-against total, second-best goals-for total and second-most points in the league.
Honorable mentions include Gaudreau, Point, Ryan O’Reilly, Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop. There’s a case for dozens of players, truly.
WHO WINS?
The Hart is Kucherov’s to lose. He has finished sixth and eighth in voting in the past two seasons, respectively, but his offensive output on a historically dominant team should put him ahead of the rest. The voting breakdown for this one will be especially interesting, however.
(All advanced statistics via NaturalStatTrick)
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Penguins trading Evgeni Malkin is a very real possibility


By Mark Madden
https://triblive.com/sports/mark-madden-penguins-trading-evgeni-malkin-is-a-very-real-possibility/
April 29, 2019


Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins handles then puck in front of Scott Mayfield #24 of the New York Islanders in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena on April 14, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

Last week, GM Jim Rutherford would not commit to keeping Evgeni Malkin in a Penguins uniform for the rest of his NHL career.
It’s not a bluff. It’s not fake news. The Penguins are willing to trade Malkin. That’s for two reasons:
• The Penguins are very unhappy with Malkin’s performance this past season and with his attitude.
Malkin averaged more than a point per game but was a team-worst minus-25 , made a team-high 84 turnovers and had a team-most 89 penalty minutes. He too often dangled pointlessly and frequently made mistakes at both blue lines. Malkin scored just 21 goals, his fewest in a nonlockout year besides 2010-11, when a knee injury ended his season after 43 games (and 15 goals).
Malkin was insubordinate to Coach Mike Sullivan on one documented occasion. He shows zero inclination to fix his errors. Malkin wants to play as he likes.
• The Penguins feel that return gained by trading Malkin could be the cornerstone of a mini-rebuild around Sidney Crosby.
Crosby, 31, got 100 points this past season and is a Hart Trophy (NHL MVP) finalist at 31. He is closer to the top of his game than Malkin and a better bet to remain there longer. Crosby plays 200 feet. Malkin doesn’t. Gathering youth and speed around Crosby might lead to another good run for the Penguins in a few years.
If the Penguins choose instead to stick with the current core for old time’s sake, they could hit a wall like Chicago and Los Angeles after their Stanley Cup seasons. (That may be happening already and may be inevitable.)
So the Penguins are willing to investigate trading Malkin, if not outright shop him around.
But two factors likely will prevent a deal:
• Malkin has a full no-movement clause and shows no inclination to leave Pittsburgh. When he does depart, it likely would be to finish his playing days in his native Russia.
• Return offered for Malkin — coming off a disappointing year and who will be 33 at the start of the 2019-20 campaign — probably will not be enough for the Penguins to make such a major move. It’s not like Malkin’s age and recent subpar play are a secret.
The Penguins must be careful about attempting to trade Malkin. Once the topic is broached with Malkin because of his no-movement clause, the relationship between team and player might fracture. If Malkin declines to be dealt, or the Penguins can’t make the swap they want, what is Malkin’s attitude like? It’s already not great.
The Penguins may well rethink this. Executing a deal like this would not be easy nor popular. (But make no mistake, Crosby sells the tickets. Not Malkin.)
It would be better if Malkin fixed his game and performed better. But the Penguins hardly are convinced that will happen.
If the Penguins adopt more structure, which might be the best bet for improvement if they stick with a lineup that’s slowing down, Malkin surely would balk mightily.
How this plays out seems utterly up in the air. Perhaps Rutherford can finagle what adjustments he desires through other means.
At one time, the Penguins would have hesitated to deal a superstar because of the damage the franchise sustained when Jaromir Jagr was traded to Washington in 2001. But the Penguins do not feel the current situation with Malkin is comparable.
Categories: Sports | Penguins | Mark Madden Columns

Monday, April 29, 2019

The Best of Zach Gentry: 2018 Mid-Season Highlights | Michigan | Big Ten Football

Gentry happy to go to Steelers, “team that wanted me”


By Steve Virgen
https://www.abqjournal.com/1308040/gentry-taken-by-team-that-wanted-me.html
April 27, 2019

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On the final day of the NFL Draft, former Eldorado standout Zach Gentry proved to be unassuming.
He sat at home in Albuquerque watching the draft coverage on TV with his dad, Tom, mom, Kris, and brother, Sam.
“I kept it low key,” Gentry said on Saturday. “I’m not a big party guy.”
That’s just some of what the Pittsburgh Steelers will be getting after they made Gentry, a 6-foot-8, 265-pound tight end, their fifth-round pick, No. 141 overall.
The other part of what the Steelers will be getting is what most know: a raw and athletic tight end who had converted from quarterback early on at Michigan.
“He’s a good football player,” Pittsburgh tight ends coach James Daniel said to the media. “Long frame. He’s a guy that we’re excited about getting in here and getting to work with.”
Gentry said he is excited, too. He also said he felt good about leaving Michigan a year early.
“This is kind of where I thought I would be picked for the last few months, fourth or fifth round,” Gentry said. “I’m happy about it. I got to a team that wanted me. It feels good to get this process over with and know where I stand and move on.
“As far back as I can remember, the only thing I wanted to do was play in the NFL. Knowing now that I will play for a team, it’s just an unbelievable feeling.”
Growing up in Albuquerque, Gentry said he really didn’t have an NFL team that he followed. He had always been a big Brett Favre fan and wanted to be a quarterback. He first committed to Texas, but later became Jim Harbaugh’s first quarterback recruit for the Wolverines in 2015.
It wasn’t too long after that Gentry was converted to a tight end.
In 2017, he caught 17 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he had a career-best 32 receptions for 514 yards and two touchdowns.
Gentry said he had good feeling about the Steelers throughout the past few months but wasn’t totally sure they would pick him.
Daniel said he saw Gentry at the NFL rookie combine and had dinner with him before the Michigan pro day.
Daniel brought up former Steelers tight end Heath Miller during his press conference on Saturday as a reminder that Miller also went to college, Virginia, as a quarterback, was converted to tight end, and that it helped him become better at that position.
“He’s a quarterback, so I’d say he’s more adept at the receiving end of it,” Daniel said of Gentry. “He has some adjusting to do to become a good blocker. But the kid is excited about it and willing.”

Pittsburgh Steelers fans, meet fourth-round NFL draft pick Benny Snell


By Jon Hale
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2019/04/27/nfl-draft-pittsburgh-steelers-fourth-round-pick-benny-snell-scouting-report/3593694002/
April 27, 2019

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky legend Benny Snell has been here before.

Overlooked as a recruit by home town Ohio State in high school, Snell used that snub as motivation to carve out one of the most productive college careers in recent memory. Now, the chip on his shoulder has likely only grown after falling to the fourth round of the NFL draft, where he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Snell was the 10th running back selected in the 2019 NFL draft.

"That is Benny," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said earlier this week. "Benny is no different right now then the day he walked in in many ways. You guys remember back to that first year Benny was here and me chuckling about, 'Hey dude, we are going to tackle you and going to hit you' and him being so mad because he wanted every yard.

"That is a beautiful quality because he is the exact same way now. He is competitive and driven and it is hard to put a measure on that heart." 

Despite being rated as a middling, three-star prospect out of Westerville Central High School, less than 20 miles from Ohio State's campus, Snell shined from day one at Kentucky.

As a freshman, he split carries with incumbent starter Boom Williams but still earned Freshman All-American honors with the first of three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. The next two seasons, Kentucky shifted its offense to a run-heavy attack built around Snell's bone-crushing rushing style and a strong offensive line.

In his final game as a Wildcat, the 2019 Citrus Bowl, Snell broke the program's career rushing yards record (3,873). He owns outright or shares 14 total UK records, including total touchdowns (48) and 100-yard games (19).

"I would say I bring a lot of power to the game, a lot of smart decisions," Snell said at the NFL combine in February. "When you need me in critical times, I make things happen. I usually make something out of nothing. I just see myself as a productive player, a real passionate player. You can’t measure a person’s heart."

What you can measure is a player's speed, and Snell has faced questions about his since high school.

At the combine, Snell ran a 4.66-second 40-yard dash, 19th best among the running backs represented. His 16 reps on the bench press tied for 20th among running backs, less than one might expect for a player with a reputation as a short-yardage power back.

Those were the same doubts that dogged Snell as a high school recruit though, leading Ohio State to ask him if he was interested in playing outside linebacker despite his 1,826 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior. 

The Buckeyes loss turned out to be Kentucky's gain as Snell committed to the program as a junior thanks to early interest from Ohio recruiting ace Vince Marrow. He rewarded that loyalty with 737 rushing attempts across three years. As a senior, he ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards (1,449).

"Benny is going to be successful because that is just the way he is wired and he is going to work really hard," Stoops said. "That is a great mentality to have because those yards are tough to come by in the SEC -- and look at the success he has had -- and they are hard to come by in the NFL. You need a player like that."

Now Snell, who gave up his final year of college eligibility to enter the draft, is left to prove doubters wrong again.

"You can just say, ‘Benny, you’re not good enough. You can’t do it, you can’t do it,'" Snell said at the combine. "It’s like, 'No, I can, and I’m going to show you I can do it.' So, I feel like whatever situation I’m put in, the time will tell when it’s my time. And whenever my time presents itself I’m going to make sure I take it."

Jon Hale: jahale@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @JonHale_CJ. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jonh.

Best RB in Kentucky Football History || Kentucky RB Benny Snell 2018 Highlights ᴴᴰ

Most Explosive Player in the MAC || Toledo WR Diontae Johnson Career Highlights ᴴᴰ

Pittsburgh Steelers' 2019 draft: Analysis for every pick


By Jeremy Fowler
http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers
April 27, 2019

Breaking down the Pittsburgh Steelers' class in the 2019 NFL draft.
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Round 1, No. 10 overall: Devin Bush, ILB, Michigan

My take: The Steelers went bold to solve an obvious need at inside linebacker by trading up 10 spots for one of the best overall players in the draft. At 234 pounds, Bush is versatile, instinctive, has 4.4 speed and loves to hit. Replacing Ryan Shazier in the middle of the defense required a normally conservative franchise to get aggressive, and the move should pay off.
Within limits: General manager Kevin Colbert felt comfortable making the Bush deal because of the caliber of the player and what he had to give up to get him. Parting with a second-round pick was reasonable enough. But Colbert had a clear criterion: He wanted two Day 2 picks in 2019 for roster improvement. So, the Steelers threw in a third-rounder for next year and keep their two third-round picks for Friday. "Giving up the two, that's what you pay for," Colbert said.
Doing it all: The Steelers coveted Bush for all the boxes he checked, and the ones he refused to leave blank. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called Bush an "all-situations player" who doesn't have to leave the field. The coach added the staff is "equally fired up" about Bush's intangibles. Bush's father, Devin Bush Sr., was an NFL safety for eight seasons. Bush believes his speed from sideline to sideline is suited for today's NFL. "I can cover. I can blitz. I can play the run, play the pass," Bush said.
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Round 3, No. 66 overall: Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo

My take: The Steelers use the pick from the Antonio Brown trade to select a player with shades of Brown. Johnson is 5-10, played in the MAC, can line up anywhere on the field and is a "naturally gifted" pass-catcher, Pittsburgh receivers coach Darryl Drake said. Sound familiar? "He can make people miss in open space," Drake said. On paper, this might be a reach -- Johnson said he expected to go in the late third or early fourth rounds -- but Johnson and Drake both insist he's quicker on the field than his 4.53 40 time suggests. "Once I put the pads on and get the ball in my hands, I'm faster," said Johnson, who visited the Steelers in the pre-draft process.
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Round 3, No. 83 overall: Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State

My take: The Steelers get a big, physical outside corner to develop alongside veteran starters Joe Haden and Steven Nelson. Many projected Layne to go in the second round because of his frame (6-foot-2, 192 pounds) and willingness to compete at the line of scrimmage. "I didn't think he'd be around this long," Pittsburgh assistant Teryl Austin said. With Layne and inside linebacker Devin Bush, the Steelers fill two defensive needs with proven Big Ten talent. And Layne, who can begin on special teams, is eager to prove himself after a Day 2 slide. "They are gonna feel me," he said.
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Round 4, No. 122 overall: Benny Snell Jr., RB, Kentucky

My take: This is a prototypical Steelers pick -- a hard-nosed, between-the-tackles runner to complement James Conner. You have to love his pedigree. His great uncle, Matt Snell, rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown in the Jets' Super Bowl III upset of the Colts. His father, Benny Sr., spent time with the Ravens and played in the XFL. Snell Jr. left Kentucky as the school's all-time rushing leader despite pedestrian speed (4.7 in the 40). -- Rob Demovsky
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Round 5, No. 141 overall: Zach Gentry, TE, Michigan

My take: A former quarterback prospect, Gentry is a monster target at 6-foot-8, but many felt he struggled to get off blocks at the collegiate level. Still, Gentry has the potential and natural athleticism to possibly develop into an offensive weapon, but it could take time. Selecting a tight end -- even a developmental one -- makes sense for Pittsburgh. The Steelers are searching for additional tight end help behind Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble-- Jeff Dickerson
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Round 6, No. 175 overall: Sutton Smith, OLB, Northern Illinois

My take:Smith was one of the most productive pass-rushers in college football. He was one of two players to finish with at least 10 sacks in each of the past two seasons (first-round pick Montez Sweat was the other). There are questions whether he has the size to be a rush linebacker in the NFL. His immediate impact probably will come on special teams. -- Jamison Hensley
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Round 6, No. 192 overall: Isaiah Buggs, DT, Alabama

My take: Nicknamed "Big Pooh," he played some defensive end in college but is likely to become a defensive tackle in the NFL at 6-foot-3, 306 pounds. He has a good base and is strong on the lower half of his body that should help him in the middle of the Steelers' defensive line. This, though, will be a project for Pittsburgh. -- Michael Rothstein

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Round 6, No. 207 overall: Ulysees Gilbert III, ILB, Akron

My take: Gilbert was a tackling machine at Akron, amassing 359 in 51 career games. The Steelers' effort to build out their linebacker corps has been well-documented, starting with the first-round trade that landed Bush. At this point in the draft, it's best to consider Gilbert a special teams player who might develop into a defensive contributor at some point. -- Kevin Seifert
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Round 7, No. 219 overall: Derwin Gray, OT, Maryland

My take: Gray, who started at left tackle for Maryland, possesses good size at 6 feet 4, 320 pounds, but he may end up at guard in Pittsburgh. The Steelers likely view Gray as a swing player on their offensive line, which not only increases Gray’s overall value, but also increases the likelihood he’s active on game day. Gray projects to be a backup/special teams contributor as a rookie – granted he makes the team and is on the 46-man roster on Sundays.

BEST Linebacker in the Big 10 || Devin Bush Michigan Highlights

Blend of football IQ, aggressive play defines Steelers’ top pick Devin Bush


By Jerry DiPaola
https://triblive.com/sports/blend-of-football-iq-aggressive-play-defines-steelers-top-pick-devin-bush/
April 26, 2019

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(Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review)

Albert Guzzo, the athletic director at Charles W. Flanagan High School, was standing near his team’s bench during the Florida Class 8A state championship game against Osceola.
During a break, the referee approached Guzzo with a question.
“Do you have Osceola’s playbook?” he said.
Guzzo tried not to be offended when he said, “ ‘No, what’s going on?’ ”
“Well,” the ref said, “your linebacker is calling out the plays before they’re running them.”
The linebacker was Devin Bush, who only 3½ years later, is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round draft choice.
Reminded of the story Friday afternoon at his introductory news conference, the former Michigan linebacker and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year allowed himself a modest smile. How did he know so much about the opponent?
“Just studying film,” he said. “l’m a big film rat. I just love to watch film of football — especially if I’m playing against an opponent — to see what advantage I could take.
“Anytime,I wasn’t playing football or doing homework, I was on my phone watching film.”
But it’s more than a cerebral approach Bush brings to the game. He plays with clear passion, especially when his coach —and the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin might be one of them — allows him to blitz.
“I feel like that is what I do best,” he said. “I can run. I can cover. I can blitz. I can do everything. It’s just fun to freely go and destroy something.”
His sense of family and loyalty is also something he isn’t afraid to display.
Before the Michigan State game last year in East Lansing, a group of Spartans marched arm-in-arm through some Michigan players who were going through warmup drills.
Harsh words were exchanged, and Bush took out his frustration by running to the middle of the field and ripping apart the Spartans logo with his cleats. Workers used spray paint to restore it before kickoff.
“That was just me,” Bush said. “That was me representing my team and not letting another team feel like they can come in there and intimidate us and we were just going to take it.
“I was sticking up for my team, and I know they would do the same for me.”
Bush’s loyalty comes to him naturally from his father, former NFL safety Devin Bush, who was also his head coach at Flanagan.
“We believe in one another,” he said of his family that includes two sisters, one of whom is Florida State softball player Deja Bush.
“We always push each other no matter what it was, athletics, anything, through the hard times, through the best times.
“Just being able to represent my last name, my family’s last name, is a testament to my family and the support they have for me.”
But it wasn’t always slaps on the back and smiles.
“I’m not going to say it was a luxury,” he said of playing for his dad.
His father, who was a first-round draft choice of the Atlanta Falcons in 1995 and won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams, pushed his son hard, Bush said.
“Sometimes, he was really, really hard on me. I didn’t understand why sometimes,” he said. “I felt like I didn’t want to play football anymore.
“As I got older and I understood what he put me through, I knew it got me ready for moments like this.”
Bush made it clear he isn’t afraid to set high goals. He was reminded that the past two times the Steelers traded up in the first round, they drafted a future Hall of Famer (Troy Polamalu) and a Super Bowl MVP (Santonio Holmes).
Without blinking, Bush said, “I want to be both of those.”
Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email atjdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Sports | Steelers

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Big Ben gets 2-year extension; deal worth $68M


By Jeremy Fowler
http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers
April 24, 2019


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PITTSBURGH -- The last Killer B left will guide the Steelers into a new era.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has signed a contract extension, tying him to Pittsburgh through the 2021 season, the Steelers announced Wednesday. The deal is a two-year extension to go with the one year he had left on his contract, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The two-year extension is worth $68 million and includes a $37.5 million signing bonus and a $30 million injury guarantee, a source told Schefter. Roethlisberger had one year at $12 million left, meaning he will make $80 million total over the next three seasons.
The extension all but guarantees Big Ben ends his career with the same franchise that drafted him in 2004.
"I am grateful to the Rooneys and the Steelers organization for continuing to believe in me," Roethlisberger said in a statement announcing the deal. "It has always been a goal to play my entire career in Pittsburgh. This is home for me and my family, and we love this city. I am as excited to be a Steeler in year 16 as I was when they drafted me. They will get my absolute best."
Roethlisberger, who turned 37 on March 2, had one year left on a four-year, $87.6 million extension he signed in 2015.
With Le'Veon Bell leaving in free agency after a yearlong holdout and Antonio Brown forcing a trade to the Oakland Raiders, Roethlisberger is essential in guiding Pittsburgh past a drama-filled offseason.
The Steelers began discussing a new deal for Roethlisberger after the 2018 season, but the sides hadn't agreed to terms in time for the new league year. Complicating matters is a ballooning quarterback market: Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson became the highest-paid player in the NFL when he signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension last week.
Since the Steelers typically don't guarantee their contracts beyond the signing bonus, Roethlisberger's deal is likely to include multiple roster bonuses.
Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl victories and ranks sixth all time in passing yards (56,194) and seventh in touchdowns (363). He led the NFL in passing yards in 2018 with 5,129. The Steelers have never had a losing season with him at quarterback, and he is among the franchise leaders in career games played, with 216.
The quarterback has been the subject of public criticism for his dealings with Brown, who had six straight 100-catch seasons before leaving Pittsburgh. Brown wasn't happy when Roethlisberger criticized the receiver's route running on a radio show after a Week 12 loss to the Denver Broncos. Brown later tweeted that Roethlisberger has an "owner mentality" by calling out coaches and teammates who are afraid to question him.
Brown later told ESPN's Jeff Darlington in an on-camera interview that he got mixed messages from his quarterback.
"If I'm your guy, make me know I'm your guy, but don't say I'm your guy and point fingers," Brown said. "Don't say I'm your guy and then don't throw me the ball the whole first quarter."
General manager Kevin Colbert defended Roethlisberger during a media session in mid-February but created more heat when he said the QB had "52 kids" under him. Colbert later specified on NFL Network that he was trying to convey that Roethlisberger has more experience than his teammates, along with a Super Bowl pedigree.
"Ben is the unquestioned leader of this group," Colbert said Feb. 20. "He's the elder statesmen and the [only] Super Bowl winner [remaining on the roster]. If our players were smart, they'd listen to him because he's been there, he's done it. He can tell them, 'No, guys, what you're doing is or is not good enough.' And I honestly believe that can be a burden on him more often than he may like to admit, because he has to ... he's got 52 kids under him, quite honestly. I want them to step up and say, 'Hey, Ben, what do I have to do? Can I do this better? What do we have to do to win a Super Bowl?'
"I think that once you win it, you've got 53 guys who can say what it took, but right now, he's the only one, so I have no problem with him. He can call me out, and that's fine."
In 2019, Roethlisberger will be tasked with leading an increasingly young locker room and lifting a passing game that lost two major talents in as many years. The team is giving him multiple years to do just that.