The title “My Worthless 2 Cents” that I came up with isn’t one I feel I can take full credit for, but is a story in itself, so here it is. I was in the 8th grade at the time, and found myself tagging along with my older sister (a senior in high school), as she was a part of the high school theatre group who would work as ushers for local community theatre productions. Working as an usher at a production of “Harvey”, the dad for one of my baseball friends came up to me at intermission and handed me two pennies and asked me to go back to the dressing area and find the lead actor in the play. I was to give him the pennies and tell him “this is from the guy with the big nostrils, giving you his two cents worth”. I thought this was funny so I agreed to do it, especially since I knew the two were friends. I go to the dressing room and deliver the message and the “gift”. The response I was given was even better. The actor told me to return the pennies and I was to “tell the guy with the big nostrils to take his worthless 2 cents and shove the right up those big nostrils”. So that’s it. This is my 2 cents after sitting on the latest Steelers draft for a bit. You might tell me to take my worthless two cents and shove them up my nostrils, and that’s okay, because we are friends and I don’t look at it as personal.

I am going to break things down into three categories: One, something I feel stronger about. Two, something I have softened on a bit. Three, something that didn’t really change.

SOMETHING I FEEL STRONGER ABOUT

The trenches. How could I not feel stronger about the trenches? After years of neglect during the draft, the Steelers finally spend back-to-back drafts focusing on the big boys up front. All the skill position players in the world never reach their full potential if the guys up front are constantly getting blown off the ball. The Steeles have now spent 3 out of 5 of their round one and two picks in the draft this year and last on improving the offensive line. If this investment pays off, the Steelers could be in excellent shape for the next 5-10 years.  Will this work out? There is no way to know right now, but I like the thought process behind it. Is this philosophy due to Andy Weidl, Omar Khan, Coach Tomlin, or a combination of the three? This question doesn’t matter to me that much, but I know a lot of fans might want to know so they can place blame if doesn’t work out perfectly for the Steelers. I am just glad to see the Steelers looking at the areas that should allow them to get back to playing “Steeler Football”. That is physically dominating and wearing teams down.

SOMETHING I’VE SOFTENED ON

Watching the draft. There is too much “fluff and stuff” during the draft. Is there a reason every single player has to be analyzed and a 2-3 minute cut of tape played for them? I get it for the first round, but it seems like it has to be done for everyone now or their feelings will be hurt. I now realize why I had gotten to a point of not watching the draft and just waiting to hear who the Steelers picks were. Day 1 is fun, but days 2 and 3 just seem to drag on forever. I guess I should be thankful that the draft is currently 7 rounds, and not the 17 rounds that happened back in the Steelers famous 1974 draft. It boggles my mind that after 17 rounds of the NFL draft in 1974 that the Steelers were still able to sign an UDFA that went on to become a Hall of Famer (Donnie Shell). I know I am going to have to put up with the draft, as the NFL wants to make it a big party atmosphere, and drawing it out as long as they can just means more money for the league. I will tolerate it, but it doesn’t mean I will ever like it.

SOMETHING THAT HASN’T CHANGED

Concern for the wide receiver room. Ever since the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to Carolina I have been waiting for the Steelers to do make a move that will make me feel like they have replaced the DJ production on the field. I have yet to think that move has actually happened. Sure, the Steelers drafted Roman Wilson in the 3rd round of the draft, and have signed some “lower level” free agents, but I don’t feel like they’ve addressed the loss of DJ’s production.  Do I trust that the Steelers as an organization have a plan? Yes I do! Do I wish I knew what that plan was right now? ABSOLUTELY!!!! If I were to guess, none of us will get to know the Steelers final plan when it come to the wide receiver room until they want us to, and that might not be until after the preseason. I expect this to be the one area that keeps fans on edge for the time being, with lots of speculating and trade projections by armchair GM’s out there. I will be watching closely, like an Osprey hovering over a clear mountain lake looking for fish (yes, I have been doing some fishing lately) but I will be doing just that……watching. I trust Omar Khan that if a move is still needed that he will pull yet another trick out of his hat and make it happen.

There you have it. My worthless 2 cents. Maybe you liked it, maybe you didn’t. Maybe you want to tell me to shove my worthless two cents up my big nostrils. Maybe you have your own worthless 2 cents you would like to share. If so please feel free to share it in the comments below, I might look at it and tell you to shove it up your big nostrils…but that’s okay, because we are still friends.