From time to time we will run “The Watch Tower” a series of posts that review the press coverage of the Steelers with a critical eye. Sometimes that will be negative, sometimes that will be positive, sometimes it will just be analytical.
Today’s focus is Alan Fanaca. The press seems unanimous in their opinion that he has played his last game for the Steelers. Sadly, given that no big name free agent other than Jerome Bettis has ever reached free agency and then decided to stick with the Steelers, they’re probably right.
Without the benefit of the time to go back and review the archives of the PG and the Trib. Review, let me just say that the general tone of the coverage during training camp was “Fanaca is waiting for a fair offer. His gripes about being hurt and insulted are just posturing. The Steelers should do something to sign him.”
That seemed to be the party line until about two months ago. Ed Bouchette wrote a very interesting, if little noticed comment in one of his Sunday columns…. He went on record, without citing a source, reporting that Kevin Colbert had personally sat down with Faneca to see if a deal could be worked out, but left empty handed.
In the “Q/A” section of the PG I asked Ed if he’d known about this in September, but had not published by agreement with his source, or if it was new information. He did not accept the question.
While it does not change the fact that the Steelers are losing their only All-Pro offensive lineman, more insight into this leak would be interesting.
Was it at preemptive PR damage control move by the Steelers? Was Fanaca’s agent sending signals to the other 31 teams to open their wallets? Or did Ed just come about it through good, old fashioned digging? Likewise, was Ed or the PG withholding this information, and if so, why?
It would be interesting to know.
