Tree of Life

05 May

Fantasy Football Rookies

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 – 11:59 am

Jeff Erickson of Rotowire joins Junker and Laird to talk about the rookies from the NFL Draft that will have a fantasy impact.

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JESSE JAMES
Tight End – Penn State
5th Round – 160th Overall

Can you talk about being drafted by your hometown team?
I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s a great fit. Being from Pittsburgh, I’m happy to go there. I couldn’t be more excited to get there and get to work.

What impressed you from your visit with the Steelers?
Just the way I felt in the building and talking to coaches. It was a great experience for me to get to speak with some of those coaches a little bit and get a good feel for them. I’m excited to get back there and start to get to work for them.

Do you think your receiving skills have largely gone untapped?
Yes. Definitely I agree with that. In the system we ran, I didn’t have a chance to show how athletic I am. I’ll have a shot to do that in the future, being able to show exactly what I can do in the receiving aspect of the game.

Re: James Daniel saying that he can be a red zone threat with his height:
Yeah. I think it’s just the way I can move my body and my size. The red zone is an area where you want a guy with my measurables to help execute those red zone targets.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

05 May

Ike on the Steelers Draft

published in category: Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 – 10:24 am

The Ike Taylor Show is brought to you by Dunkin Donuts, the Preferred Coffee of the Ike Taylor Show and also sponsored by White Deer Run, Cove Forge Treatment Centers. NFL Draft Recap, the pick was predicted on Ike Taylor Show.

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The Steelers have agreed to terms with 12 rookie free agents, the team announced today. All rookies will participate in the team’s rookie min-camp next weekend, which runs Friday through Sunday, May 8-10.

The 12 rookie free agents include, nine offensive and three defensive players:

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2015 ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

Player Pos. Ht. Wt. College
Cameron Clear TE 6-5 277 Texas A&M
Nigel Crawford-Kinney DT 6-5 300 Saint Augustine’s
Dominique Davis DE 6-5 285 Liberty
Miles Dieffenbach G 6-3 303 Penn State
Reese Dismukes G 6-3 296 Auburn
B.J. Finney C 6-4 318 Kansas State
Tyler Murphy WR 6-2 213 Boston College
Bradon Prate DE 6-4 285 Illinois State
Collin Rahrig G 6-2 285 Indiana
Eli Rogers WR 5-10 180 Louisville
Ross Scheuerman RB 6-0 204 Lafayette (Pa.)
Kevin Whimpey T 6-5 295 Utah State

Posted in Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

04 May

Steelers add offensive weapons

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, May 4th, 2015 – 2:28 pm

Auburn Offensive Coordinator Rhett Lashlee joins us to talk about Steelers draft pick Sammie Coates.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

04 May

Steelers focus on defense in draft

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, May 4th, 2015 – 11:37 am

Ole Miss Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach Jason Jones joins us to talk about Steelers second round pick Senquez Golson.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

04 May

Riverhounds drop a close one

published in category: Riverhounds on Monday, May 4th, 2015 – 11:13 am

A goal line clearance from on-loan New York Red Bulls defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste prevented the Pittsburgh Riverhounds from snatching a dramatic late point against the Red Bulls II franchise at Red Bull Arena Sunday.

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Drew Russell looked set to mark his Hounds debut with a goal after rounding goalkeeper Santiago Castano in the final seconds of injury time. Jean-Baptiste hooked Russell’s shot off the line to seal New York’s 3-2 win.

English midfielder Rob Vincent had twice leveled for the Hounds before Red Bulls captain Anthony Wallace fired in a 20-yard volley deep into stoppage time to settle the game in the hosts’ favor.

The Hounds remain fifth in the USL’s Eastern Conference with eight points from six games (2-2-2).

Riverhounds head coach Mark Steffens made one change to the team that beat Toronto F.C. II last weekend. Fejiro Okiomah returned in central defense alongside Anthony Arena after recovering from a strained quad muscle. Sterling Flunder dropped to the substitutes’ bench.

Okiomah’s comeback was quickly marked by misfortune. The 24-year-old Texan slipped while backtracking to his 6-yard line to cut out Manolo Sanchez’s cross. He sliced the ball past Ryan Thompson and into the Hounds’ net.

It took fewer than two minutes for Pittsburgh to tie the game via a familiar source. Vincent punished New York’s slack marking by volleying home his fifth goal of the season from 12 yards. Kevin Kerr fed in a pinpoint cross from the right wing after being released down the line by Matt Dallman’s long ball.

Dallman’s season debut against Toronto lasted for 23 minutes before he succumbed to a twisted ankle. He was fortunate to survive beyond the half-hour mark this week after hauling down Dan Bedoya on the edge of the penalty area. Referee Ernie Constantine judged that Dallman did not prevent a clear goalscoring opportunity despite appearing to be the last defender.

New York took the lead again on 66 minutes when Manolo Sanchez was left unattended on the 6-yard line to nod home a right-wing cross from Shawn McLaws.

The Hounds fought back to level terms once again with six minutes remaining. Captain Danny Earls won a crunching tackle inside New York’s defensive third to send the ball to Kerr’s feet. The Scotsman found Vincent at the edge of the penalty area and the Liverpudlain walloped an unerring shot low into Castano’s bottom left corner.

That looked to be enough to edge the Hounds above Louisville City and into fourth place until the Red Bulls threw bodies forward into one last attack. Jean-Baptiste hooked a high punt toward the penalty area that was not effectively cleared.

Once-capped United States national team defender Wallace controlled the ball on the left edge of the box before sending a blistering shot high into Thompson’s far corner.

The Hounds go back on the road next weekend for a tough trip to the undefeated Charleston Battery (4-0-2, 14 points). Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Fans will be able to watch the game at the Highmark Stadium sports bar or live via Riverhounds.com.

Tickets for this month’s home games against the Richmond Kickers on May 16 and the Harrisburg City Islanders on May 30 are still available. Visit Riverhounds.com for details or call the Highmark Stadium box office on (412) 325-7241 to speak to a ticket representative.

Posted in Riverhounds

 

02 May

Vikings draft TJ Clemmings

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 – 8:31 pm

Pitt offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings was selected in the NFL Draft’s fourth round on Saturday by the Minnesota Vikings.

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Clemmings was the 110th overall pick in the draft. Initially projected as a first-round prospect, he fell to the fourth round after being recently diagnosed with a foot stress fracture.

With his selection, Pitt has now had at least one player chosen in 14 of the last 16 drafts. Clemmings is the first Pitt player in 25 years to be drafted by Minnesota. Defensive back Alonzo Hampton was a fourth-round pick of the Vikings in 1990.

A relative newcomer to the game, Clemmings played only two seasons of high school football at New Jersey’s Paterson Catholic. At Pitt, he began his career as a defensive end before moving to offensive tackle prior to his junior season.

Following a year of adjustment, Clemmings enjoyed an exceptional senior season. His 2014 postseason accolades included first team All-ACC, second team All-America (Phil Steele and the Football Writers Association of America) and selection to the prestigious Senior Bowl.

“Everyone at Pitt is incredibly proud of T.J.,” first-year Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “We know he is going to be a great asset for the Vikings, on and off the field. I can remember recruiting him when he was in high school. It has been really great reconnecting with him at Pitt these past few months. He is a tremendous player and person.”

In its pre-draft evaluation, NFL.com wrote that Clemmings has “elite change-of-direction talent and knee bend” and owns “the talent to make any block asked of him in the running game.” The analysis added that he “moves like a tight end in space with an ability to zero in on targets and finish them in the screen game.”

Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

02 May

Steelers draft WR in 3rd Rd.

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 – 10:11 am

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SAMMIE COATES
Wide Receiver
Auburn Tigers
6-1, 212
Leroy, Alabama
Leroy High School
3rd Round – 87th Overall

CAREER NOTES
A three-year starter, finished with a 19-game reception streak…tabbed second-team All-SEC…finished 10th in career receiving at Auburn (1,757 yards) with seven career 100-yard games…hauled in 13 career touchdown catches.

2014 SEASON
Started seven of 12 games played, catching 34 passes for 741 yards and four touchdowns…tallied 144 yards on four catches vs. LSU, with a 56-yard touchdown…gained 122 receiving yards on five catches at Ole Miss, with a 57-yard scoring grab…Auburn Iron Bowl-record 206 yards receiving at Alabama on five catches, with touchdowns of 34 and 68 yards.

2013 SEASON
Made 12 starts in 14 games played, totaling 42 catches for 902 yards and seven touchdown receptions…ranked third in nation in yards per catch (21.5) and averaged 54.1 yards per touchdown catch…had 14 receptions of 30+ yards…68-yard touchdown catch vs. Arkansas State was a career long, and the first 60+ yard pass play for Auburn since 2010…had 139 yards on four catches at LSU, with long gains of 42 and 52 yards…104 yards on five catches at Texas A&M, including a 43-yard touchdown … gained 113 yards on just three catches vs. Florida Atlantic, with touchdowns of 67 and 36 yard…88-yard touchdown reception at Arkansas was third longest pass play in AU history; had 102 yards receiving vs. Arkansas, his third consecutive 100-yard game…had two of AU’s three receptions in Tennessee win…four catches in Georgia win, including a 39-yard fourth-quarter touchdown to tie the game with 0:32 remaining was one of two catches in win over Alabama…94 yards receiving, 38-yard touchdown catch in SEC championship game vs. Missouri…four receptions for 61 yards in the BCS title game.

2012 SEASON
Part of the wide receiver rotation as a redshirt freshman…saw first collegiate action vs. Clemson…first career touchdown was a leaping grab of a 33-yard Hail Mary in the endzone on the last play of first half vs. ULM…caught a nine-yard touchdown against Alabama A&M.

2011 SEASON
Did not play after suffering a preseason injury.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

01 May

Steelers Draft DB in 2nd Round

published in category: Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, May 1st, 2015 – 10:31 pm

SENQUEZ GOLSON
Cornerback
Ole Miss Rebels
5-9, 176
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula High School
2nd Round – 56th Overall

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CAREER NOTES
Started 33-of-49 games played, recording 136 tackles (90 solo) and 16 interceptions…his 16 interceptions were tops among NCAA active leaders and tied for third-most in school history.

2014 SEASON
Unanimous All America first team (Walter Camp, FWAA, AP, AFCA, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, ESPN.com, CBS Sports, Scout.com, Athlon, Phil Steele, College Sports Madness, Sports on Earth)…school’s first consensus and unanimous All-America first teamer since Michael Oher in 2008…one of five finalists for Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the national defensive player of the year…CFPA Elite Defensive Back Trophy winner…SEC Defensive Player of the Year (Scout.com, College Sports Madness)…All-SEC first team (AP, Coaches, ESPN.com, Athlon, Phil Steele, College Sports Madness)…invited to play in the Senior Bowl…led SEC and ranked second nationally with 10 interceptions, which tied Bobby Wilson’s school record set in 1949…tied for SEC lead and tied for fourth nationally with 18 passes defended…finished with 43 tackles (33 solo), 3.0 TFLs, 0.5 sack and two QB hurries…started every game at field cornerback…vs. Boise State (8/28/14): Tied a career high with eight stops and had a TFL and interception…vs. UL-Lafayette (9/13/14): Made two tackles and had his second career two-INT game, returning one 59 yards for his first career TD…vs. #1 Alabama (10/4/14): Had four tackles (three solo) and a game-saving INT in the end zone with 37 seconds left to seal the Rebels’ 23-17 win…vs. #3 Auburn (11/1/14): Picked off a pass for the fifth straight game and added five tackles (four solo) and two pass break-ups…Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. #6 TCU (12/31): Had two solo tackles and returned an interception 36 yards.

2013 SEASON
Played in 12 games with 10 starts at corner finishing eighth on the team with 41 tackles…also recorded 2.5 TFLs, two interceptions and three pass break-ups…Music City Bowl vs. Georgia Tech (12/30/13): Had five tackles, 0.5 TFL, a pass breakup and an INT in start.

2012 SEASON
Played in 12 games with six starts at cornerback…ranked ninth on the team with 36 tackles…aded three interceptions and six total passes defended…tied for ninth in the SEC with 0.25 interceptions/game…at #7 LSU (11/17): Posted three tackles (two solo) and two interceptions for a total of 36 return yards, including a return of 21 yards that set up a score…BBVA Compass Bowl vs. Pitt (1/5): Made four solo stops and had an interception that he returned 19 yards.

2011 SEASON
Played in 12 games with four starts at cornerback…tallied 16 total stops and had an interception…vs. Louisiana Tech (11/12): Started second game of the season at corner, recording two solo tackles and his first career interception deep in Rebel territory…vs. LSU (11/19): Racked up a career-high eight tackles (six solo).

HIGH SCHOOL
A SuperPrep All-America selection and rated the No. 8 player in Mississippi…participated in the Offense Defense All-American Game…named to The Clarion-Ledger’s Top 25 Recruits list and the Dandy Dozen squad… a second team Class 6A All-State pick by the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior…rated the No. 10 player in Mississippi and the No. 33 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com…named the No. 25 cornerback in the nation and No. 271 player overall by Scout.com…a PrepStar All-Region selection…recorded 3 INTs and scored 5 TDs as a senior…coached in high school by Scott Sission…also named to The Clarion-Ledger’s Baseball Dandy Dozen.

PERSONAL
Son of Anthony and Tarsha Golson…major is criminal justice…selected in the eighth round of the 2011 MLB Draft by Boston with the 262nd overall pick as a center fielder.

Posted in Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers

 



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