Rooney brothers agree on price for Steelers

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1 Rooney brothers agree on price for Steelers Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Rooney brothers agree on price for Steelers Dan Rooney would retain control; hope to finalize deal soon Saturday, November 15, 2008 By Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press Steelers President Art Rooney II, left, and his father, Chairman Dan Rooney, right, shown celebrating with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during their last Super Bowl run, may soon have controlling interest in the franchise. The four Rooney brothers who are seeking to sell their shares in the Steelers franchise have agreed on a sale price of $800 million with team chairman and oldest brother Dan Rooney, but some minor issues still need to be resolved and the deal has not been completed. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned that both sides have agreed on a franchise value of $800 million, a price that would then determine the amount for each share of stock. It is not known if the four brothers intend to sell a portion or all of their 64 percent shares to Dan Rooney and his son, Art II, the team president. Each brother would receive about $128 million if he sold his entire 16 percent share, a total that is expected to be paid over a number of years. However, some of the brothers may retain a small percentage of ownership and would not sell all their shares to Dan Rooney, lowering the amount they would receive. Neither Dan Rooney nor Art II has been informed that the deal has been finalized. The Post-Gazette reported Tuesday that the four brothers had decided to sell their shares to Dan Rooney -- the only suitor remaining -- and were working on details of the agreement. The brothers were trying to expedite the sale process and hoped to have approval from the National Football League by the end of the year. But to do so, they would have to present an agreement to the league's finance committee, which would consider the agreement and then send it to the league owners meeting, scheduled for Dec. 17 in Dallas, for approval. In an to the Post-Gazette, Tim Rooney, one of the brothers seeking to sell his share, said: "There are more than a few loose ends to be solved but are or should be doable. It is very important to solve the problem before the end of the year because of taxes." It appears that process is getting closer to realization. Art Rooney Jr. said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is in the process of calling each Rooney brother to give a "pep talk" and encourage them that a deal will be finalized. From all indications, the deal with Dan Rooney will be for less money than the deal that was being offered several months ago by New York hedge-fund billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller, who sought majority stock control and offered to buy all 64 percent shares in the franchise for $537 million. Mr. Druckenmiller's enterprise value of the franchise was $840 million, a figure that included stocks, not assets.

2 Rooney brothers agree on price for Steelers Page 2 of 2 Dan Rooney's offer to buy the shares from his brothers was lower than the one offered by Mr. Druckenmiller. At one point, when his brothers asked him if he would increase his offer to match Mr. Druckenmiller, Dan Rooney declined. When the four brothers rejected his bid, Mr. Druckenmiller withdrew his offer and no other suitors emerged -- not surprising given the instability of the economy and the financial collapses on Wall Street. The only offer remaining to be considered was from Dan Rooney. Dan Rooney and his son have not yet identified any potential investors who would help purchase the shares from the Rooney brothers. Because of that, it is unclear how much Dan Rooney would have to finance through PNC Bank, one of the banks retained to handle the purchase. Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com or Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com. First published on November 15, 2008 at 2:49 am Buy Steelers Jersey Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey On Sale. Home & Away. Only $ Rules for Stomach Fat Obey these 2 Easy Rules & Drop 9 lbs every 11 Days Effortless

3 Rooneys to keep Steelers in family - Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 Rooneys to keep Steelers in family By Carl Prine TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, November 15, 2008 Four sons of deceased Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. have apparently agreed to sell a controlling stake of the team to their brother, Hall of Famer and chairman Dan Rooney, and his son, Art II. The deal could pay brothers Art Jr., Patrick, Timothy and John Rooney a total of $750 million after business debt is subtracted. The brothers hope to complete the deal before a meeting in December. "We have a board meeting in December, but we hope that's just a formality and everything is out of the way by then," Art Jr. said. Wall Street has estimated the value of the team at $800 million to $1.2 billion. Word of the imminent deal came from brothers Patrick and Art Rooney Jr. They confirmed that rumors leaking out of the NFL are true: About $280 million of the deal will come from loans arranged by PNC Bank in Pittsburgh, and Dan Rooney will need to bring in an unknown number of equity partners he has yet to name. The money will be paid out over a period of years still be negotiated. The team itself will act as the collateral for the loans. National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell is analyzing the deal, and owners are willing to OK it as long as the Steelers remain in the Rooney family. Dan Rooney declined to comment. Each of the five Rooney brothers controls a 16 percent stake in the team, with their relatives, the McGinley clan, holding the remaining 20 percent. The franchise was founded in 1933 by Art Rooney Sr. with $2,500 he won at a horse race. The much-admired NFL owner and community icon died in "It's a good deal. I'm happy for Dan. I'm happy for the rest of the family. I think young Art, Dan's son, will do a fine job," said Patrick, who left town in 1963 to found a string of successful horse- and dog-racing venues that provide much of the family's wealth. "I think we're doing the right thing."

4 Rooneys to keep Steelers in family - Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 Art Jr., the scouting genius who helped construct the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s, said he would try to retain a small number of shares so that he can remain a part of the team. He wants to meet Dan Rooney's equity partners, but he believes they're outstanding people. "The outside investors, those are now going to be Dan's concern," added brother Patrick. In September, New York hedge fund titan and philanthropist Stanley Druckenmiller yanked an $820 million cash offer after the Rooney brothers failed to reach a consensus on selling the team. The brothers felt they were being prodded to sell by two gathering storms: NFL bylaws that demanded they divest from increasingly lucrative casino gambling operations in Florida and New York; and the increasingly likely November election of Democrat Barack Obama, who has suggested that as president he might work to hike estate and capital gains taxes. "It was a struggle to get all of this back on track," Art Jr. said. "But everyone has been talking to each other, and it seems we're all moving in the right direction. It's been like you're in the service, and you're on a long march through the sand -- three steps forward, then two steps back." Druckenmiller has had nothing but good things to say about Dan Rooney and his brothers. He declined to comment about the impending sale of the team he loves. Spokesmen for PNC and the NFL also declined to comment. Carl Prine can be reached at cprine@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

5 Report: Steelers staying in the family Buzz up! Like this story? Share it with Yahoo! Buzz After months of speculation, it appears the Pittsburgh Steelers will remain in the control of the Rooney family. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Hall of Fame chairman Dan Rooney and his son, Art II, will acquire control of the team from Dan's four brothers, who are sons of Art Rooney, the man who founded the team in Hedge fund guru Stanley Druckenmiller made a bid to acquire the team in September, but no deal was struck. Each of the five brothers -- Dan, Arthur Jr., Patrick, Timothy and John own 16% of the franchise -- but only Dan and Art II are major players in the operation of the team, and they wished to remain with the team in some capacity even as the other brothers looked to unload their stakes. The four brothers stand to make up $750 million upon completion of the sale, which could be consummated next month. "We have a board meeting in December, but we hope that's just a formality and everything is out of the way by then," Art Jr. told the Tribune-Review. Dan Rooney, who is held in high regard by fellow NFL owners and at the top echelons of league management, did not comment. He has tried to keep the ongoing negotiations out of the public eye and prevent it from becoming a distraction to the Pittsburgh players and coaches. The Steelers (6-3) are currently tied for first place in the AFC North and host the San Diego Chargers at Heinz Field on Sunday.

6 ESPN.com - Report: Dan Rooney, son will own 80 percent of Steelers after brothers sell Page 1 of 1 ESPN.com: NFL [Print without images] Friday, November 14, 2008 Report: Dan Rooney, son will own 80 percent of Steelers after brothers sell Associated Press PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney's four brothers have agreed to sell a controlling stake of the team to him and his son, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. Patrick and Art Rooney Jr. confirmed the deal in a story posted on the paper's Web site Friday night. They and their other two brothers -- Timothy and John -- could get a total of $750 million after debt is taken out, according to the report. Art Rooney Jr. said the brothers hope to get the deal wrapped up before a board meeting in December. Both sides want to get a deal done by then because they are worried about possible higher taxes once the Obama administration is in office. "It's a good deal. I'm happy for Dan. I'm happy for the rest of the family. I think young Art, Dan's son, will do a fine job," Patrick Rooney told the paper. "I think we're doing the right thing." Art Rooney II, Dan's son, is the team president. Each brother owns 16 percent of the team, adding up to 80 percent, with another Pittsburgh family, the McGinleys, owning 20 percent. Those shares are not being sold. The Rooneys' father, Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr., bought the franchise in 1933 for $2,500. Several brothers wanted to focus their business efforts on racetracks and other non-football interests. The family owns racetracks in New York and Florida and has added forms of gaming that are inconsistent with NFL gambling policy, but Dan Rooney has no interests in the racing industry. The Rooney family has owned the team since its inception, except for a brief period in 1941 when Art Rooney Sr. sold the team to Alexis Thompson and bought into the Philadelphia Eagles. Rooney regained control of his hometown Steelers in less than a year. ESPN.com: Help PR Media Kit Sales Media Kit Report a Bug Contact Us News Archive Site Map ESPN Shop Jobs at ESPN Supplier Information 2008 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved.

7 Steelers: Life won't imitate art on field tomorrow Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers: Life won't imitate art on field tomorrow Saturday, November 15, 2008 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Matt Freed/Post-Gazette Troy Polamalu, seen here taking down the Colts' Anthony Gonzalez, will face the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson tomorrow for the first time since the two filmed a Nike commercial together. If the situation arises, Troy Polamalu will do more than come up on Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and not make the tackle on a toss play. He will do more than just eye Tomlinson the way a Doberman eyes a soup bone -- hair flying, sweat dripping -- then not even touch the five-time Pro Bowl running back when they converge near the sideline. Oh, Tomlinson might get up and pat Polamalu, a four-time Pro Bowl safety, on the helmet after the play. And there will be plenty of "action" on the set. But this time, there will be no pulling back. This time, there will be contact. There will be no stand-ins, no body doubles. This time it will be the real thing when the San Diego Chargers (4-5) come to Heinz Field to play the Steelers (6-3) at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow. It won't be a Nike commercial. "I'd probably get run over in real life," Polamalu said. Hardly. Polamalu and Tomlinson will meet for the first time since they filmed the commercial at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego in the summer, several weeks before the start of training camp. The commercial -- entitled "Leave Nothing" -- traces the players from childhood to high school to college and ends with them meeting on the field in a "game" between the Chargers and Steelers on a play in which Polamalu tackles Tomlinson near the sidelines. "I thought it was pretty cool," Polamalu said. "One of the best commercials I've ever seen," said linebacker Lawrence Timmons. "I got it on my computer." "Sweet," said inside linebacker James Farrior. "That's a cool little commercial," cornerback Ike Taylor said.

8 Steelers: Life won't imitate art on field tomorrow Page 2 of 2 The same collision could occur at Heinz Field. Tomlinson is the player who will command the attention of the defense, which ranks No. 1 in total defense and No. 2 against the run in the NFL. Polamalu called Tomlinson "maybe the greatest [running back] to ever play the game." This time, if he has to tackle Tomlinson on a toss play, Polamalu won't pull up and run past him, as they were instructed to do in the commercial. This time, his body double -- former Texas A&M running back Sir Parker -- won't be the one making the tackle. "I had to run and do all that stuff," Polamalu said. "They had a whole Steelers football team and a whole San Diego football team out there. The extras are amazing. They're actually ex-football players. The stand-ins probably hit each other 30 times, and the other guys ran the whole play, blocking, cutting, they probably did it 70 to 80 times. "They ran a toss play and we were in cover-2 and we kept running past each other. Then they would show his extra running and my extra running and we sat back and watched them hit each other about 50 times full speed. They were getting beat up." Polamalu and Tomlinson weren't involved in any contact scenes. The only time it was really Polamalu, he said, is when they showed his face. Like, when he was sitting on the team bus, riding to the game. Otherwise, it was Parker who played his role, including the scene where Polamalu -- ponytail bouncing behind him -- is shown running the stadium steps as part of his training regimen. "I was supposed to do that, but I missed that part," Polamalu said. The commercial was directed by David Fincher, who also has directed such movies as "Se7en" and "The Game." It began with a sonogram of a fetus and showed the evolution of life with the two NFL superstars, beginning with Tomlinson walking in diapers and running and weaving through the halls at grade school and a youthful Polamalu jumping through water sprinklers and leaping on -- and collapsing -- a coffee table at home. "I was pretty bad then," Polamalu said, grinning. Life gets a chance to imitate art tomorrow when the Steelers hope to leave nothing behind against Tomlinson and the Chargers. "I was kind of upset that Troy doesn't really knock him on his butt," Farrior said. "It was kind of, like, even." Next up Game: Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers. When: 4:15 p.m. tomorrow. Where: Heinz Field. TV: KDKA. Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com. First published on November 15, 2008 at 12:00 am Buy Steelers Jersey Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey On Sale. Home & Away. Only $ Average Steelers' IQ=126 Are You Smarter Than a Steelers Player? Take a Real IQ Test Now!

9 Steelers Notebook: William Gay to make first NFL start tomorrow Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers Notebook: William Gay to make first NFL start tomorrow Saturday, November 15, 2008 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette First, it was outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley. Then, inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons. After that, guard Darnell Stapleton and tight end Matt Spaeth. The Steelers have watched a lot of second-year players emerge this season, some based strictly on performance, others because of injuries. They get another chance tomorrow when cornerback William Gay, a fifth-round pick in 2007, makes his first NFL start against the San Diego Chargers, replacing injured Deshea Townsend. "I'm not concerned, [I'm] excited," coach Mike Tomlin said. "We've had a bunch of second-year players who had opportunities to step up. It's just his turn. We put a lot of pressure on our second-year players to step up and be contributors. We're excited for him." The Steelers will have to go with something of a patchwork secondary against the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers, who leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes and is second in passer rating (106.2). In addition to Gay, cornerback Anthony Madison probably will begin the game as the nickel back, even though the Steelers signed veteran cornerback Fernando Bryant this week because of injuries to Townsend and Bryant McFadden (broken forearm). "He is a veteran player; that's one of the things that attracted him to us," Tomlin said. "We didn't bring him in to be a specialteams standout. This guy is a veteran who has started over 100 games. We brought him in to help us on defense." One of the toughest Justin Hartwig thinks Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers is the toughest player he has ever had to block. But coming in a close second might be Chargers nose tackle Jamal Williams, a player who dominated the Steelers' offensive line the most recent time the two teams met in the regular season. Hartwig was not with the Steelers in 2006 when they lost to the Chargers in San Diego, But he faced Williams once before when Hartwig was with the Carolina Panthers, and he knows the 348-pound Williams is capable of manhandling centers and disrupting running games, just like Rogers. "They're both very similar; they're right up there with the best in the league," Hartwig said. "It's hard to differentiate. Jamal comes off the ball really hard. If you get leaning one way, he'll come back and club you. He's clubbing guys to the ground. When he gets a full head of steam, he's running right through guys. I've seen it on film." Hartwig is in his first season with the Steelers, a player who was signed because the coaches wanted a center who can handle the big nose tackles in the AFC. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said Hartwig has been the team's most consistent offensive lineman. "He's been playing outstanding," Arians said. Still, the Steelers won't expect Hartwig to handle Williams by himself. "Very few people block him one-on-one," Tomlin said of Williams. "We won't ask Justin to do that." Enough already Wide receiver Hines Ward is tired of hearing complaints about the third-and-2 play from the Steelers 16 in which Ben Roethlisberger's pass for Santonio Holmes was intercepted, leading to a Colts' touchdown near the end of the first half. To illustrate his point that there is no pleasing everyone, Ward even went back to a play in the AFC playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars when Roethlisberger, on third-and-6 from his 26, ran to his left for a 1-yard gain with 2:56 remaining. The Steelers were leading

10 Steelers Notebook: William Gay to make first NFL start tomorrow Page 2 of 2 "You guys said it was too conservative," Ward said. "Now you put the ball in Ben's hands [against the Colts] and everybody is in an uproar." It was Ward's way of defending Arians and the play-calling. "We're 6-3, I don't see what the problem is," Ward said. "We're first in our division. We could easily be 8-1. He calls the plays; we have to execute. It's not his fault. Everybody is in an uproar about it. "We're 6-3, fellas. Let's worry if something catastrophic happens and we're not in first place." Taking the blame Guard Chris Kemoeatu admitted he was at fault on the back-to-back goal line plays in the fourth quarter in which running back Mewelde Moore failed to score against the Colts. On each play, Moore was tackled by Colts defensive tackle Eric Foster, who weighs 264 pounds, nearly 70 pounds lighter than Kemoeatu. "I was trying to get up more on the [linebacker] the first time we did the goal-line play," Kemoeatu said. "I should have come down on him, but [Foster] crawled, so it was pretty hard to block that. I should have stayed [on him]. I think that was my mistake. We've got to fix that. I know what to do to fix it now." The Steelers ran the same play on each attempt, which were the same plays in which Moore twice scored on 1-yard runs earlier in the game. The Colts were even in the same defense. "It's 33 Blast, a common play we run," Kemoeatu said. "They were in the same defense. It was my bad on that play. "That's one of the things that defines our offensive linemen, as far as being physical and trying to mash and pound the ball. We've got to get down there and try to be more physical." First published on November 15, 2008 at 12:00 am Skinny For Thanksgiving Obey these 2 Easy Rules & Drop 9 lbs every 11 Days Effortless "How To Lose Stomach Fat" Finally, A Diet That Really Works! As Seen On CNN, NBC, CBS & Fox News

11 NFL Notebook: Hard-hitting safety Lynch to retire Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL NFL Notebook: Hard-hitting safety Lynch to retire Saturday, November 15, 2008 By The Associated Press Big-hitting safety John Lynch's crunching collisions are over. Lynch, 37 and a nine-time Pro Bowler for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has decided to retire and officially will end his career with a news conference Monday in Tampa, Fla. He finished with 1,277 tackles, 100 pass breakups and 26 interceptions in 224 regular-season games. Lynch departed Denver on good terms in July after being bumped from his starting role and signed with the New England Patriots, but he was cut two weeks later and has been out of the game since. "Just everything you'd want in a player," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said yesterday after hearing about Lynch's retirement. "He set an example on how to be a pro." Lynch made it known that there was a price to pay for coming over the middle -- a painful pounding. "Lynch played 11 years in Tampa Bay, winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in the 2002 season. But he struggled with neck injuries in his final season there and eventually needed surgery to remove bone spurs. Rams St. Louis' star running back, Steven Jackson, will not play tomorrow against the San Francisco 49ers because of his injured right thigh, and coach Jim Haslett said he won't make the trip. By sitting out tomorrow, he will have missed three of the struggling Rams' past four games. Antonio Pittman and Travis Minor will be the running backs. Giants New York offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie was charged with drunken driving after a traffic stop Thursday night in Little Falls, N.J. A Breathalyzer test found Mc-Kenzie's blood-alcohol level was above New Jersey's legal limit of He was taken to police headquarters and released later that night. Redskins Washington running back Clinton Portis (sprained knee), the league's second-leading rusher, did not practice again yesterday and will be used only "in a limited fashion" if he is able to play tomorrow night against Dallas. Portis' backup, Ladell Betts, is probable after missing three games with a sprained knee. If neither Portis nor Betts can play, midseason signing and former league MVP Shaun Alexander would make his first Redskins start. Seahawks Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is expected to start tomorrow in a seemingly must-win home game for the Seahawks against Arizona after being out with injuries for most of the past six games. Wide receiver Deion Branch will try to play his first full game since January. Bills Buffalo starting defensive end Aaron Schobel (foot) will miss his fifth game, while No. 2 receiver Josh Reed (ankle) likely won't play for a third game in a row Monday night when the Bills entertain the Cleveland Browns. Starting strong safety Donte Whitner (separated shoulder) hopes to play despite being listed as questionable. Bears Quarterback Kyle Orton was listed as probable for Chicago's game tomorrow at Green Bay after he missed the loss to Tennessee last week with a sprained right ankle. If Orton can't go against the Packers, Rex Grossman likely will make his

12 NFL Notebook: Hard-hitting safety Lynch to retire Page 2 of 2 second consecutive start. First published on November 15, 2008 at 4:24 am Skinny For Thanksgiving Obey these 2 Easy Rules & Drop 9 lbs every 11 Days Effortless Retire in Costa Rica Buy a Beach House in Costa Rica It is easy. Get Free Info Now.

13 Parker gives Steelers 1-2 punch - Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 Parker's return gives Steelers a 1-2 punch By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, November 15, 2008 In theory, a two-headed running back attack featuring Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore seemed like a good idea. Parker would provide the lightning around the edges and an occasional push up the middle. Moore would be the change-of-pace back, utilized on third-down passing situations while giving Parker a rest periodically. Parker returns to the lineup for Sunday's 4:15 p.m. game against the San Diego Chargers after sitting out last week with a shoulder injury. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Parker was missed but that Moore's contributions in his absence kept the ground game afloat. "We did miss him, but it seems like you're taking something away from what Mewelde's done," Roethlisberger said. "Mo's done a great job of filling in for Willie, but it's going to be nice to have hin back because it will be a good 1-2 punch." In the four games that Parker and Moore have been healthy enough to play together, Parker has averaged 21.8 carries. Moore has totaled only five carries in those four games; in two games he didn't have a single carry. Only when Parker suffered injuries that forced him to miss five games has Moore been able to show flashes as a runner. "Mo's doing a tremendous job for us, but Willie has that explosiveness that we're looking for," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. Not counting the Baltimore Ravens game, in which rookie Rashard Mendenhall was given his only start before he was lost for the season with a shoulder injury, Moore has averaged 20 carries as a starter. Perhaps this will be the week when the Steelers divide the carries between the two players. "A running back is a running back," Moore said. "You understand there's times and places where you have to be a consummate professional. You have to always be ready for any situation that arises." For the season, Parker's and Moore's numbers are remarkably similar.

14 Parker gives Steelers 1-2 punch - Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 Moore leads the team with 377 yards on 93 carries for a 4.1 yard average. He also has a team-high five rushing touchdowns. Parker has rushed for 333 yards on 87 carries for a 3.8 yard average with four touchdowns. As a receiver, Moore ranks third on the team with 22 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown. Parker doesn't have a catch this season. Parker's return to the lineup should result in increased productivity for Parker and fewer touches for Moore. "I'm only pleased with wins. That's the most important thing to me," Moore said. "I'm happy with my role, whatever it is." John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

15 Prisuta: The play's the thing - Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 The play's the thing for Steelers By Mike Prisuta TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, November 15, 2008 The 6-3 Steelers rank 26th in total offense, which explains why so many Steelers fans want the head of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. That ranking is just behind Kansas City (No. 25) and just ahead of Cleveland (No. 27). It's not where the Steelers aspire to be this late in a season, but Arians has more significant concerns. "I don't care where we're ranked," Arians said. "Six and three - that's the only (stat) that matters. "You do what you can to help the team win." The Steelers were 17th in total offense a year ago, Arians' first in charge of the unit. The significant development then was the inclusion of Ben Roethlisberger in the game-planning process and the freedom afforded the quarterback to apply his craft. The result was Roethlisberger setting franchise records for touchdown passes (32) and passer rating (104.1), making his first trip to the Pro Bowl, and, more significantly, making that symbolic transition to "franchise quarterback" with an appropriate upgrade in pay. You ask me, that was some pretty good offensive coordination. But that was then, and this is now. And the natives are restless. They're restless because they hate the play-calling. And they hate the play-calling because they're missing the point. The point is it isn't necessarily a bad play just because it didn't work. That third-and-2 pass from Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes from the Steelers' 16 with 1:30 left in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts was an example of such a call, even though the pass was intercepted. In defending it,

16 Prisuta: The play's the thing - Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 we won't even consider Mike Tomlin's acknowledgement that there was concern about the snap-punt process with a new snapper and new punter - an explanation we actually buy. When they win, the Steelers are going to rely on significant doses of Roethlisberger to Holmes. The consecutive goal-to-go runs in the fourth quarter also were good calls, even though both got stuffed. When they win, the Steelers will make a yard in such situations. It was reasonable to expect a 50-percent success rate against Indianapolis. One other aspect of play-calling that's worth noting: About 30 percent of the Steelers' plays are run-pass options. The flanker screen from Roethlisberger to Holmes on first-and-10 from the Steelers' 28 with 6:13 remaining was such a play. Nine guys ran a running play, which, as it turned out was blocked exceptionally well. Roethlisberger and Holmes made a sight-adjustment based off where a safety was creeping, as is their option. It lost 3 yards, and two plays later, the Steelers lost the ball. But that doesn't mean it's time to reel in Roethlisberger. Bad calls happen in the NFL. But most of those involve running Michael Robinson from the 2 rather than Frank Gore, as the San Francisco 49ers did against the Arizona Cardinals, or throwing to a backup defensive tackle from the 1 rather than trying to get the ball to Clinton Portis or Chris Cooley, as the Washington Redskins did against the Steelers. Most of the rest really does come down to execution. Along those lines, Arians' play-calling ought to be a lot sharper when Willie Parker is carrying the ball against San Diego. And the embattled offensive coordinator will get even smarter once the quarterback gets healthier, and once tight end Heath Miller makes it back into the lineup. Mike Prisuta can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

17 McFadden back with Steelers - Tribune-Review Page 1 of 1 McFadden back in fold for Steelers By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, November 15, 2008 Cornerback Bryant McFadden practiced Friday for the first time since suffering a broken right forearm Oct. 19 against the Cincinnati Bengals. McFadden, who won't play Sunday against San Diego at Heinz Field, participated in most drills but did not engage in contact. "It felt pretty good," he said. "Most people said I would miss 6-8 weeks. This is the fourth week." McFadden wants to play in Thursday night's home game against the Bengals. Cornerback Ike Taylor spent time in front of teammate William Gay's locker on the other side of the Steelers locker room before and after Thursday's practice. Gay will make his first NFL start against the Chargers. Taylor will start opposite Gay. "Right now, I think Ike is playing at a very high level," free safety Ryan Clark said. "We're going to have to lean on him a lot to shut down some areas of the field (that will) allow us to play coverage (on Gay's side)." Center Justin Hartwig, who signed as a free agent, has been the Steelers' most consistent offensive lineman this season. Hartwig will be matched against San Diego nose tackle Jamal Williams, who has been named to three consecutive Pro Bowls. "Very few people block him 1-on-1," coach Mike Tomlin said of Williams. "We won't ask Justin to do a bunch of that. He's going to have help like everyone else that plays Jamal Williams." Cornerbacks Deshea Townsend (hamstring) and McFadden (arm), tackle Marvel Smith (back) and tight end Heath Miller (ankle) are out for Sunday's game. John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

18 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 1 Print Page SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2008 :: Last modified: Saturday, November 15, :22 AM EST Roethlisberger not on Steelers injury list By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff PITTSBURGH Ben Roethlisberger had such a good week of practice that he didn t even make the official injury list for Sunday s game against the San Diego Chargers. Apparently the shoulder sprain that s bothered him since the Sept. 7 season opener has recovered to the point that he took part in every practice this week. On Friday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn t list his quarterback or running back Willie Parker on his injury report. Parker sat out last week s loss against the Indianapolis Colts with a shoulder injury. So Roethlisberger, Parker and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley will start against the Chargers. Woodley sat out last week s game with a strained calf. Ruled out were tight end Heath Miller (ankle), tackle Marvel Smith (back), cornerback Deshea Townsend (hamstring) and cornerback Bryant McFadden, who s still recovering from a broken arm.

19 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 2 Print Page SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2008 :: Last modified: Saturday, November 15, :22 AM EST Steelers' Parker: It's me versus L.T. By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff PITTSBURGH Willie Parker is ready for the game within the game. It s the Steelers versus the Chargers, he said. But at the same time, I m always competing against the other running back. So it s me versus L.T. On Sunday when the Steelers (6-3) host San Diego (4-5) in a game of huge importance, both teams will feature primary ball carriers with remarkable résumés. LaDainian Tomlinson, or L.T. as he s known, is a superstar. Over the past seven years, he s rushed for more yards than any other NFL back. He s been to four straight Pro Bowls and five in all. Parker, who s racked up three straight 1,000 yards season, was selected for the past two Pro Bowls. But so far this year, injuries have prevented Parker from playing all-star caliber football. He s only played in four games. A sprained knee kept him out of four games and a shoulder injury forced him to miss another. That s why he s so excited about Sunday s game. Even though he has to wear a shoulder harness, he ll be back in the starting lineup. I want to play. I love to play, he said. I m a competitor, and not being able to play you know, I don t even want to talk about that. It was so frustrating. I ll just say that the second half of the season will be a lot better. After rushing for 138 and 105 yards in wins over the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns, Parker injured his knee in a 15-6 loss in Philadelphia. Against the Eagles, he gained only 20 yards on 13 carries and sprained his knee doing it. Two weeks ago in a 23-6 win over the Washington Redskins, Parker rushed for 70 yards but hurt his shoulder. After sitting out last week s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Parker is back albeit with a shoulder harness. He s looking to spark a Steelers offense that s been inconsistent. We did miss him, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. And that s not taking anything away from what Mewelde (Moore) has done. Mo has done a great job of filling in for Willie. But it s great to have Willie back and have a good one-two punch. Moore, who s started four games, leads the Steelers with 377 rushing yards.

20 .: Print Version :. Page 2 of 2 With 333 yards, Parker must average 95.3 in each of the Steelers last seven games to surpass 1,000 again. I m just ready to get back in there, Parker said. I missed way too many games this year. I know it, the team knows it. I just want to help the team out. He also wants to out-rush Tomlinson. I got to know L.T. from going to the Pro Bowl, Parker said. He s a good guy. He s taught me a few things, especially when it comes to training and conditioning. So I m hoping to play well Sunday. Like I said, I always see myself competing against the other team s running back. Mike Bires can be reached online at mbires@timesonline.com

21 Rivera utilizing subtle changes in schemes Page 1 of 3 Rivera utilizing subtle changes in schemes Kevin Acee (Contact) Friday, November 14, 2008 At first glance, and even on a second and third viewing, the Chargers defense in its debut under the direction of Ron Rivera did not seem all that different in the way it was orchestrated than under Ted Cottrell. We're not trying to reinvent anything, defensive end Luis Castillo said this week. However, when comparing the way the Chargers lined up and tried to pressure and confound the quarterback against New Orleans (Cottrell's final game before being fired) and against Kansas City (in Rivera's first game since being elevated from inside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator), some interesting differences and similarities emerged. Both quarterbacks dropped back 40 times, which does not count two passes near the goal line for the Chiefs and one for the Saints. On pass plays against the Saints, the Chargers rushed three players three times, four 24 times, five 11 times and six twice. On plays the Chiefs dropped to pass, the Chargers never rushed three or six, rushed four 30 times and five 10 times. Outside linebacker Shaun Phillips was in coverage or dropped back into coverage 15 times against New Orleans, 14 times against Kansas City. Stephen Cooper blitzed twice as many times against the Chiefs as he did against the Saints. Eric Weddle did not blitz at all against New Orleans and twice against the Chiefs. Rivera sent more people from more places, disguised more. Cottrell played less zone coverage and mixed up his coverage more. Saints quarterback Drew Brees dropped more often and deeper and had more time than the Chiefs' Tyler Thigpen, who was in shotgun for 38 of his 41 passes.

22 Rivera utilizing subtle changes in schemes Page 2 of 3 By some measures, the Chargers were more aggressive under Cottrell. By some, more under Rivera. In all, it was something of a wash and certainly less of a change than expected or desired from the outside. You come in and you can't make wholesale changes, Rivera said, pointing out the defense practiced for a year-and-a-half under Cottrell's guidance and scheme and 10 days under his. You have to pick and choose what we do. All that said, there were blocks on which to build this past Sunday, not the least being the Chargers won and the defense emerged with confidence in its leader and confidence in itself. Even Phillips, clearly not pleased with how much he is being dropped into coverage, said: We won. If we lose the game, then I'm going to say blitz me every play, and I'm (angry) I'll do whatever it takes to win. Stats are great, productivity is great, but I'll set it aside for a win. I'm still a believer of the game plan. We have to play in the system. We have 10 other guys. It's not about me. The Chargers' only sack against the Chiefs their only sack in three-plus games came when Thigpen ran out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage. They knocked Thigpen down only once, but they did have five hurries against a quarterback getting rid of the ball extremely quickly. People say we didn't get pressure, Cooper said. But a lot of time we did get pressure. We were getting in his face. But Rivera was far from pleased with how often his pass rushers won their one-on-one battles. Still, they played well against the Chiefs. Save for the opening and closing drives, the Chargers' defense pretty much shut down the Chiefs allowing 201 yards and a touchdown on the eight middle drives. On their first five possessions of the second half, the Chiefs had just 18 plays. The Chiefs had fewer plays (60) than any Chargers opponent this season, and the 339 total yards allowed were the fourth-fewest this season and fewer than in the previous two games. They did this while playing about as vanilla a defense as they have in five years, rarely varying from the 3-4 and in the second half rarely disguising and playing almost exclusively zone defense. Some of the things we're trying to adapt and change is the way we play our base defense, Rivera said. We're trying to incorporate one of the sub packages where we bring in three extra rushers as opposed to two. We're trying to expand what we do. We had a little bit this week, and we have a little bit more coming up. There was enough different more pre-snap disguising, varied blitzes to indicate this defense will evolve, based on the opponent. We had a good mixture, Castillo said. We didn't try to do too much. We will add some things We'll do some new things, but the goal right now is to get really good at what we do best. Kevin Acee: (619) ; kevin.acee@uniontrib.com

23 Rivera utilizing subtle changes in schemes Page 3 of 3 Find this article at: Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2007 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. A Copley Newspaper Site

24 Giants Stadium Doubleheader Isn t Doable - NYTimes.com Page 1 of 2 November 15, 2008 Forget It, Football Fans; Doubleheader Isn t Doable By LYNN ZINSER With the Giants and the Jets sitting in first place in their respective divisions, their success has prompted the N.F.L. to begin considering a potential problem: What happens if two teams that share a stadium were to host conference championship games? The N.F.C. and A.F.C. championship games are scheduled for Jan. 18. One is an afternoon kickoff, the other would be in the early evening. If the Giants (8-1) and the Jets (7-3) advanced to their conference s championship game, and were the higher-seeded team, Giants Stadium would be needed for both games. Logistically impossible is how the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates Giants Stadium, described the possibility of playing two games on one day in one stadium. You would have to empty it, clean it, get 80,000 out of the parking lot and get another 80,000 people in, said John Samerjan, spokesman for the sports authority. The N.F.L. would have to do something. A day after the Jets victory over New England vaulted them to the top of the A.F.C. East, the stadium subject became a topic of conversation in the N.F.L. offices. But it is not yet a real enough possibility to develop anything resembling a plan. The answer is, we would evaluate all the options and make a decision at the appropriate time, said Greg Aiello, the spokesman for the N.F.L. We are not ready to discuss what those options are. Clearly, one of the games would have to be moved. The options would be to play it on Saturday or on Monday night. The problem is, the league will not know if that will be necessary until the Sunday before, when the divisional games are played. The bigger problem might be placating the network whose game is moved to Saturday or Monday, less desirable broadcasting spots for a game. Fox will televise the N.F.C. championship game, and CBS has the rights to the A.F.C. game. According to Neal Pilson, a former president of CBS Sports, a network might prefer the game be moved to Monday night because ratings would be better than on Saturday, but it might make more economic sense to move the game to Saturday. That is because the network would be pre-empting less valuable regular programming. He said a Monday night game would replace perhaps $3 million to $5 million worth of programming and Saturday s programming might be worth half that number. Of course, how you make the decision of which network s game to move, that might be something as unique as a coin flip, Pilson said.

25 Giants Stadium Doubleheader Isn t Doable - NYTimes.com Page 2 of 2 But the N.F.L. would also take into consideration whether an earlier or later game would affect the competitive balance, whether one team would have not enough days or too many between the divisional game and the conference championship. Samerjan said it would not be unusual to stage games on consecutive days, and it would not be an unmanageable turnaround from Saturday to Sunday or Sunday to Monday. And it would be fun, he said. What a delightful problem to have, Samerjan said. It would be wonderful for the local market. It would then raise the next issue: a potential Giants-Jets Super Bowl. Of course, that would be played in Tampa, Fla. Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company Privacy Policy Search Corrections RSS First Look Help Contact Us Work for Us Site Map

26 Ex-Buc John Lynch will retire Monday in Tampa - USATODAY.com Page 1 of 1 Powered by Ex-Buc John Lynch will retire Monday in Tampa ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) John Lynch, a nine-time Pro Bowler with the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will announce his retirement on Monday in Tampa. Advertisement The hard-hitting safety had 1,277 tackles and 26 interceptions in 224 regular season games. Lynch played 11 seasons with Tampa Bay, winning a Super Bowl title with the Buccaneers during the 2002 season. He signed with the Broncos in 2004 and left in July after being bumped from his starting role. He signed with Patriots in August but was cut two weeks later. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Find this article at: Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.