Kovacevic: T.J. backs Bud, Archer's bobble, Geno vs. Borts ☕

May 30, 2019 • 2:31 pm

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Bud Dupree couldn't care less what anyone thinks of him.

T.J. Watt, the Steelers' infinitely more beloved outside linebacker, couldn't care less what anyone thinks of Bud, either. And not just because he and Bud are buds.

"My favorite thing about Bud," Watt was telling me at the Steelers' OTAs at Rooney Complex, "is that he really doesn't pay attention to what everybody else says about him. He's so confident. And I think that's what we expect of each other, to be that confident in what we're both doing. If you're not confident at the outside linebacker position -- and I mean practice, games, wherever -- then you're not going to make those splash plays you need to make."

Wait, "splash?"

From the same Bud whose first four NFL seasons have seen him total 20 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception? The same Bud who's never topped six sacks or 40 tackles in a single season?

"Bud's improving in that area, each and every day," Watt proceeded, possibly after noticing my left eyebrow raised. "It's tough, man ... if you go back and look at Bud's work last season, he was so close so many times. And finishing plays is a big thing, but he's very special. Trust me, the things he does out there are very special."

OK, this was where I out-loud stopped Watt. What does "special" mean in this context?

"If you watch him take off ... if Bud and I ran in a straight line, Bud would blow me away. He's so fast, so big, so strong ... his legs are the size of tree trunks. He's a freak of nature. I'm telling you, he can do things out there that I can't do."

And if that sounds like Watt was selling, there's a reason for it: He's heard you. He's heard me. He's heard others who've criticized Dupree for his lack of concrete tangibles. But just to be sure, I brought it up myself with Watt, including that fans love him only a billion times more than Dupree, undoubtedly in large part because Watt's been delivering splash since his debut.

"I get that, but there's a lot more to game than the finish. Bud makes me a better player. The push, the pressure he creates, that benefits me, benefits all of us as a defense. But yeah, the position's about the finish. And I think he's going to have a really big year. I see the work he puts in every day. I see the commitment, the love of football, the love he has for his teammates, the desire to improve. I'm really excited for him, to be honest."

We'll see.

I appreciate Watt's stance. I really do. He's one of the straightest shooters on the team, and he swears by Dupree's impact on his own. There've been times after games where Watt's laid out for me a situation where it was Dupree causing chaos that created a weakness Watt was able to exploit. He'll get even more specific about such a situation later in the week after a chance to digest film.

And yet, the 2019 season will be different. It almost has to be. The Steelers picked up Dupree's $9.2 million fifth-year option because, as Kevin Colbert explained somewhat defensively at the time, most NFL teams would deploy him as a starter based on his results when more closely examined.

But sorry, $9.2 million isn't exactly the pay scale for supporting cast. The statistics by which Dupree should be fairly judged can't be Watt's anymore. They've got to be his own.

I brought this up with Bud himself, of course. And he began by saying simple, "13 ... that's what I should've had."

Sacks, he meant. Instead of 5.5.

"We went through the film, me and the coaches, and I left a lot of plays out there, missing by just a second. They told me I did a great job just getting back there, but that's not enough."

Here's more from our talk:

I like Bud. I've never hidden that. He's got all the requisite fire, but he's also fun, easygoing. And on those couple of occasions where he's gotten himself into thick soup on social media, or when he stunningly ripped James Harrison on the way out, it's come from a good place. He's not mean. He's not remotely capable of creating meaningful drama, if only because no one around would take it seriously.

But he's got to play better. I've heard all of the above from him before, and he's still stayed stuck with the supporting cast. Can't happen again.

• James Conner kept almost entirely mum all through 2018 about Le'Veon Bell's absence. That's James being James. He's the consummate teammate.

In that context, here's what he had to say yesterday about the current state of the Steelers' chemistry: “Really we’re a tight-knit group. That locker room is incredible. With all the guys in there, the camaraderie, everybody loves each other, really. People might think it’s chaos, but it’s not like that at all.”

It isn't now.

One clown was gone a year ago. The other was gone earlier this year. Keep piecing comments like this together, and you'll keep hearing what I was hearing -- off the record -- all through last season.

• There's a subsection of the fan base that embraces when the Steelers lose because, in their eyes, Mike Tomlin's a step closer to being fired. There's also a subsection of the fan base that embraces any chance to blow anything that might be perceived as drama. Imagine the overlap on that Venn diagram.

• For all the righteous furor over the Chris Archer trade -- and it's taking the form of a fireable offense -- there's still an awful lot of good that would come from Archer simply being the best version of himself. He hasn't come close to that. He's got a 1-5 record, a 5.75 ERA, and he's served up eight home runs in as many starts. Among all National League pitchers with 40-plus innings, the only two with higher ERASs are the Rockies' Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela, both hurt by altitude.

This team is maddening. It's embarrassed one day, blowing someone out the next. It's also had 22 different players on Major League Baseball's injury list, not least of whom are the top two starters, Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams.

Archer's healthy. He's popping four-seamers at 96 mph. He's got no excuses, no reason whatsoever for all the Kris Benson/Kip Wells nibbling we've witnessed.

He doesn't need to compensate for whatever magic's being created by Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and/or Shane Baz, and the conversations I have with him suggest somewhat he might feel such pressure. That's silly. He didn't make the trade. He didn't authorize the trade. That was Neal Huntington, Frank Coonelly and Bob Nutting. All Archer needs to do is stop being the worst pitcher in his league, and he'd be a big boost to these Pirates in the here and now.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

• Yes, Saturday is Archer's bobblehead day at PNC Park. No, it's not true that you have to give it back after five innings.

• The Brewers, tonight's opponent at PNC, emailed their season-ticket holders yesterday to announce that their June 9 game against the Pirates at Miller Park is completely sold out. They'll give out a bobblehead that day, too, a model of 21-home-run superstar Christian Yelich, and more than 50,000 fans will crowd every inch of the place.

The Milwaukee market is two-thirds the size of Pittsburgh. The Brewers are trying on and off the field, which is why probably nobody makes jokes about their bobbleheads.

• In a dozen years as controlling owner, Nutting has made one major personnel move: He fired Dave Littlefield months into that tenure, citing two complaints above all:

1. The Latin American system had crumbled

2. The Matt Morris trade that inexplicably added a washed-up veteran at a massive cost

No one has to work too hard to find parallels with the current front office, except that they've been multiplied many times over.

• Worst thing that transpired this week in Cincinnati: Nick Kingham and Steven Brault performed competently enough to justify management keeping them in the rotation another turn. Both of those will be losses.

• What a sizzling showcase for the best of the NHL's brand last night in Boston. High-octane, highly creative hockey all through the Blues' 3-2 overtime equalizer for this Stanley Cup Final.

I'm sticking by St. Louis in seven. But after that outright dominance in OT, I'm open to shortening the timeline.

• Robert Bortuzzo didn't make any new friends in Pittsburgh with his late-season crosscheck that hurt Evgeni Malkin, but the Penguins' room, I can tell you, never lost respect for him. He's too close, still, to too many of them.

If anything, Malkin showed a bunch of respect to both the Blues and Bortuzzo upon returning in late March and saying this: “He’s always played like this. He played here so many games. I know he can block shots. He’s not a goal-scoring defenseman. He’s a tough defenseman. I’m surprised because I did not see him. He came to my side, but I think it should be a penalty for sure. I know it’s a long time to go and I'll forget it, but I hope to see him in the Final.”

Oh, my.

Only part Geno got wrong was the goal-scoring: