STEELERS WILL VISIT WHITE HOUSE SANS SILVERBACK

As per the tradition, the NFL Champion is going to visit the White House. And as per another tradition, James Harrison will not be attending.

You see, the talented yet sometimes puzzling linebacker skipped the team's last White House visit in 2006 with Dubya, and it looks like once again, he's prepared to sit on the sidelines:

"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won," said Harrison.

I'm pretty sure that these visits aren't arranged for the current President's favorite team to stop by on a whim, which means Harrison is absolutely right - without his touchdown, or Santonio's, Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald would be shaking hands and posing for photos with President Obama next week.

In a strange twist, Harrison is the second Steeler linebacker in as many White House trips to make headlines before the visit. In 2006, it was Joey Porter who famously said, "Yeah, I got something to say to Bush, I'm going to have a swagger when I walk in there, too," Porter said, laughing loudly. "I'm looking forward to it. I have something to tell him, too. I don't like the way things are running right now. I feel like he has to give me some of my money back, so I got something to tell Bush."

In the end, Porter put on his finest Kanye West-style shades and quietly remained on his best behavior. Regardless of the outcome, Porter dealt with some level of criticism for his words. And judging from the 100+ comments in four hours on a PFT thread, it looks like Harrison's comments aren't exactly being received well, either.

NObama: Steelers' Harrison Says He'll Skip White House Visit [WTAE]

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NEWS AND NOTES

--Stiller injury update: Keisel, Marvel, and Townsend are all out. Parker and McFadden are questionable. Holmes is good to go. Ernster is gone. [Trib]

--Quick, name one of the nation's top five safe havens for real estate. Time's up. It's PITTSBURGH. [Yahoo! Real Estate]

--The trailer for Adventureland, the Kennywood-filmed comedy featuring Twlight's Kristen Stewart and Ryan "Husband of Scarlett Johansson" Reynolds, is up and running. Enjoy.


--FSN Pittsburgh will be re-airing some classic Pens games from the 2007-08 season on Thanksgiving day, including the Winter Classic and the triple-OT Game Five of the Stanley Cup Finals. Sure, we know the outcomes of the games, but it's still better than watching the Lions. [Pittsburghpenguins.com]

--Steelers are #4 in the latest ESPN Power Rankings, which puts them in either the Orange or Fiesta Bowl if the season ended today. [ESPN]

--Hot on the heels of the recent news that Cam Bonifay has found gainful employment with the Cincinnati Reds, former Bucco skipper Jim Tracy will be the bench coach of the Colorado Rockies. And the final piece to a World Series return is now in place. [Bleacher Report]

--Mike Florio calls for an investigation of Gerald Poindexter, based on some wildly inappropriate behavior that you'll have to click to read more about. [PFT]

--Browns owner Randy Lerner admits that he is envious of the Steelers. And well he should be. When we have an e-mail scandal, it's with a position coach and not the GM of the franchise. [ESPN]

--Purely for the reader once known as "Louis Lipps is My Homeboy", here's an interview with the real Louis Lipps. [Pittsburgh Magazine]

--Looks like Warren Sapp and Derek Hough mixed it up on the Dancing with the Stars set. Wait a minute...this is the same guy that called out Keyshawn for appearing on an interior decorating show, right? [TMZ, Fanhouse]

--Here's the full list of George W. Bush's 14 pardons. Michael Vick did not make the cut. [Yahoo!]

--Satellite radio is dead? I'm sure Howard Stern will read this article on the air...when he comes back from vacation, that is. [Datamation]

--Cool table on where IQs fall in relation to jobs. Can this be translated to Wonderlic scores? [Neatorama]

--And here's 10 video games to keep away from your kids. I don't know, Left 4 Dead sounds like good, clean family fun. [Yahoo! Games]

Send your news, tips, and links to Mondesishouse@gmail.com.

THE NEWS

Here's what's happening in the world other than Koz stirring everyone up with his claim that Pavel Bure was the greatest pure goal scorer of our lifetime.

--Big win in PA for Hill-Rod (her name, not mine) yesterday.

--Anyone catch President Bush on Deal or No Deal? It actually resulted in low ratings.

--ESPN is having a live fake draft today. You'll have to tell me how it goes.

--Even though the Pirates were being one-hit by Ricky Nolasco (who?) through five innings, they got back on the winning side with a 3-2 win over Florida.

--Nate McLouth's hit streak finally ended at 19 games with an 0-for-2, two walk performance. Luckily, three of the Pirates' nine starters (not counting the pitcher, which would've made FOUR) had batting averages of .194 or lower going into the game, so the slack was easily picked up. Or not. They were a combined 0-for-9.

--Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez visited with the Steelers and Mike Tomlin earlier on Tuesday. Mel Kiper has him projected as a late-round pick at best.

--In addition to their MLB-worst pitching and fielding, the Pirates are now last in the league in attendance too. All we need now is to drop a few spots in the batting category and we'll have the quadruple crown of failure.

--Here's video of a sad, sad Capital fan pelting Flyer Jeff Carter in the head with a bottle last night. I'd feel bad for Carter, but he is a Flyer.

--The Ottawa Senators refuse to panic despite trailing four-games-to-none.

--The Sporting News says Pitt will be nasty in 2008. I agree.

--What links draftee-to-be Chris Long and Jared "Subway" Fogel? I don't even want to imagine.

--Hooray! The NFL finally has an agreement in place with Matt Walsh!

--Gary Roberts might not play on Friday.

--The Steelers are looking at backfield depth in this year's draft.

--Highly-touted Luca Caputi was signed to a three-year entry level contract by the Penguins.

--Penn State RB Austin Scott (whose charges were dropped last Friday) is hoping to get drafted this weekend.
--What's a mouthy Chad Johnson worth?

--Joe Frazier's fight-worn robe from the Thrilla in Manila is up for auction.

--Your Spelling Bee broadcast update: Mike and Mike are out, Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews are in.

--Huey Richardson was ranked by ESPN as #15 on the list of biggest busts ever. 1989 #1 pick Tim "Taser" Worley checks in at #25. Penn State was represented by #20 Curtis Enis (Bears, 1998), #22 Blair Thomas (Jets, 1990), #24 Tony Sacca (Cardinals, 1992), #29 Todd Blackledge (Chiefs, 1983), and #32 Andre Johnson (Redskins, 1996). West Virginia's Reggie Rembert was ranked #41 (Bengals, 1990).

--In the list of Top 50 draft steals: L.C. Greenwood, 8th; John Stallworth, 16th; Mike Webster, 22nd; Hardy Nickerson, 27th; Hines Ward, 33rd; and Greg Lloyd, 37th.

--OJ Simpson wants to join the cast of The Apprentice.

--I erroneously identified a referee in last week's Steeler basketball game as local wrestler Bill "Powerhouse" Hughes, when his name was actually Mark Mizerak. My apologies.

Just to further clarify who Powerhouse Hughes is, you can visit the CWF website and meet Bill and the rest of the CWF Superstars. Their next event will be at The Brownson House in Washington, PA on Saturday, May 10th.

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The News

--George W. made a quick stop through the Burgh last night, raising up to $1 million at a Sewickley Heights fundraiser.

--Xavier, guided by head coach and former Pitt Panther Sean Miller, knocked out Huggy Bear's WVU Mountaineers in overtime, 79-75.

--The Pirates made final tuneups to their championship 2008 roster: P Sean Burnett was sent to Indy; 2B Freddy Sanchez will open the season on the roster despite an inflamed shoulder; relievers Franquelis Osoria, Phil Dumatrait and Rule 5 draft pick Evan Meek made the team; Casey Fossum and Turd Ferguson (aka Jaret Wright) were unconditionally released.

--The Steelers re-signed Nick Eason, meaning that the Booger McFarland ship has probably sailed.

--Five more collegians met with the Steelers: Boston College OT Gosder Chrilus, Texas A&M DL Red Bryant, Kansas fullback Brandon McAnderson, Michigan State RB Jehuu Caulcrick and Hampton DE Kendall Langford.

--The Pacman Jones to Dallas trade is just about done.

--The Browns didn't want him, but LB Clark Haggans found a home with the Pittsburgh West Cardinals.

--Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo: secretly married?

--Deadspin shows The One Lonely UCLA Fan

--Big Mo the tortoise, the Pittsburgh Zoo's oldest resident, dies at 75.

--Brooks & Dunn and ZZ Top are coming to Burgettstown.

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