http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburgh...s/s_518684.html</p> Steelers guard Alan Faneca weighed 313 pounds on the first day of training camp at St. Vincent College, only a few pounds over last year's playing weight. He laughed easily with fellow guard Kendall Simmons during stretching exercises, and he easily completed 14 110-yard runs as part of a conditioning test administered by new coach Mike Tomlin. </p> Coming off his sixth Pro Bowl appearance, it isn't a stretch to say that Faneca, 30, is in the prime of his career. </p> "That's what I like to say," Faneca said Monday. </p> Here's what else Faneca had to say: </p>• He doesn't regret criticizing management during the team's May minicamp for not making him a competitive contract offer, nor did he back down from his promise that this will be his last season with the Steelers. "I stand by what I said and how I said it," Faneca told reporters following the conditioning test. "Some things might have got taken a different way than maybe what I wanted to say. But I don't take anything back." </p> • Given everything that's taken place in recent months, Faneca said he may not be as anxious to play with injuries as he's done previously. </p> "There's definitely times in the past when I probably shouldn't have been on the field at all," said Faneca, who has started 80 consecutive games at left guard. "Situations like that will make me think about it this time around." </p> Faneca didn't deny that he still resents the way his contract negotiations were handled -- "I still feel the same way. I just have faded a little bit, I guess." -- but admitted that time has enabled him to move past the most frustrating experience of his NFL career. </p> "I'm here to play football," Faneca said. </p> He said he's happy to be reunited with his teammates, and happy for safety Troy Polamalu, who signed a four-year contract extension yesterday, a deal that Faneca has been unable to secure. </p> "I'm happy for Troy. That's the way it works. Troy deserves it," Faneca said. </p> Entering the final year of his contract, Faneca believes he also deserves an extension. </p> He didn't rule out returning to play for the Steelers in 2008, but there wasn't much conviction in his voice. </p> "The door's open; it's always open. But I don't think we're in the right building," Faneca said. "I think it's a matter of finding the door." </p> </p>
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburgh...s/s_519799.html</p> </p><p class="headline">Steelers' O-line issues resolving themselves</p> </p> </p> <span class="boldgrey"> By Mike Prisuta TRIBUNE-REVIEW </span> <span class="greytext">Tuesday, July 31, 2007</span> </p> He didn't have as far to go this time, which may explain why Alan Faneca took it upon himself to block two guys. Defensive end Brett Keisel and linebacker Larry Foote felt Faneca's wrath in succession during a goal-line drill on Sunday. </p> Running back Willie Parker jogged into the end zone. </p> So much for Faneca's being disgruntled over his contract status becoming a distraction. </p>"I just happened to catch those two guys," Faneca said. "I think Keisel had somebody actually hanging on him a little bit, so he probably wasn't even worried about me." Keisel might also have been more than a little bit surprised to see Faneca heading in the direction he was heading. </p> For years, the Steelers have pulled Faneca from left to right in such situations. </p> They used to have so much faith in a play called "Boss 38" (the "Boss" standing for "back on strong safety" in honor of Jerome Bettis) that they once moved Faneca from left tackle to left guard for a critical two-point conversion in Denver. So convinced were the Steelers that Faneca would get The Bus into the end zone that they apparently didn't care if the Broncos knew what was coming. </p> Now, the Steelers are becoming adept at running to either side (running behind Faneca remains the constant). </p> It's all a part of a training camp that has been characterized in part by an offensive line that's "doing a great job," in Keisel's estimation. </p> "He's being generous," Faneca said. "But we're probably starting out a little better than we have in the past. Normally, it takes a little time before we start to mesh." </p> Cohesion has been quickly achieved, at least in part because of consistency. </p> The center, right guard and right tackle positions were considered up for grabs when camp began. </p> But once again on Monday the starting five remained unchanged. </p> Head coach Mike Tomlin continues to maintain that the Steelers will experiment eventually. </p> But unless something changes drastically in the exhibition games, the questions have been all but answered. </p> Max Starks, a mess in minicamp, has slimmed down, stepped up and is going to be difficult if not impossible for Willie Colon to move from right tackle. Colon's having a good camp, but Starks is having a better one. </p> At right guard, Kendall Simmons is resurrecting his game and Chris Kemoeatu isn't offering much of a challenge. </p> Even if free-agent addition Sean Mahan eventually wrestles the starting center position away from Chukky Okobi as expected, the offensive line will experience a transition rather than an upheaval. </p> Once center is settled, the only lingering issue will involve whether Faneca will make good on his threat to "think about" playing through injuries he's played through previously. </p> When healthy, Big Red is still motivated enough to get 'em blocked two at a time. </p> </p>
