Monday Thoughts....

• While the Steelers are a good team, pardon me if I don't think they are a very good team. When they have played good teams they have lost to the Saints, Patriots, Jets, split with the Ravens, beaten the Falcons in OT in the first game of the season, and beaten the Dolphins thanks to an absolute gift from the zebras. With a 10-4 record and games remaining with the pathetic Panthers and the Browns, a 12-4 record and first round bye is not inconceivable, but I don't see more than one win, maybe, in the playoffs.
• Of course, maybe someone upsets New England in second round, and the Steelers get a home game in the AFC Championship against someone like San Diego or the Jets.
• Yes, despite what I said above, I think the Steelers would beat the Jets if they get another crack at them.
• Do you really see anyone upsetting New England? I don't.
• Welcome to Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh, Mike Haywood. I can't believe the overwhelming negativity and downright viciousness to which this coaching hire has been met, and that much of it is coming from the very people who were calling for Dave Wannstedt to be fired a mere three weeks ago.
• Now, if you are among those who felt that Wannstedt should NOT have been fired, then your ire should be directed at Steve Pedersen and Mark Nordenberg. Don't blame Haywood for that. Give the guy a chance, will ya?
• I also think that Pitt fans have an overinflated sense of what the "Pitt program" is. In my lifetime, Pitt has been an "elite" program from during what I will call the Tony Dorsett-Hugh Green-Dan Marino/Johnny Majors-Jackie Sherrill era, a period that lasted about six or seven seasons. Prior to that, I suppose you would have to go back to the days of Jock Sutherland to count Pitt as one of the elite teams in the nation.
• If you want to argue that Pitt should be dominating and winning a mediocre Big East Conference, fine, but Pitt is not Florida, Texas, Southern California, Ohio State, Oklahoma or any team or program of that ilk. Don't kid yourselves into thinking otherwise.
• Pitt is also suffering by comparison, according to many, to the move that West Virginia made with the Dana Holgorson Coach-in-Waiting hire. Not sure how effective a lame duck Bill Stewart will be with his successor standing next to him in practice and on the sidelines every day. I can't understand why WVU just didn't kick Stewart upstairs and put Holgorson in place right now.
• Right after the Pirates finalize the deal that brings Kevin Correia to the team for two seasons, the Central Division, comparable size market Milwaukee Brewers swing a trade with the Royals for Zack Greinke. Need I comment any further?
• Did anyone catch all or part of Larry King's farewell show on CNN the other night? What an exercise in psycophantery (not sure if that is a real word, but you get the drift). Donald Trump, Dr. Phil, Ryan Seacrest....yoi! No Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan??? And then he drags out his wife and kids. Isn't this the wife (#7) that was talking about divorcing him because he was having an affair with her sister? I saw about 12 minutes of the show, which was about 11 minutes too many.
• I wonder if during any part of that farewell show Larry bemoaned the fact that Dodgers left Brooklyn. That was always a staple of his.