Football, hockey strange mix
Steelers’ Moats has fun with injured Penguins
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Two injured hockey players and a football player are standing around a hockey rink in a football stadium on a February afternoon that flirted with 70 degrees … never mind.
Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary and Arthur Moats took questions Wednesday at Heinz Field in advance of the Penguins’ Stadium Series game Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. All three have the same chance of playing Saturday — zilch — but that didn’t detract from a fun 15 minutes.
The highlights
• Injuries: Rust and Sheary have them. Of the upper-body variety, as Steelers coach Mike Tomlin might say. Doesn’t mean they were in the mood to talk about them. “We’re taking it day by day,” Sheary said. “I’m a little bit further in to my rehab. We’ll see what happens here coming up.”
More telling: The two played a game of catch afterward. Neither used his left arm. Look for Sheary back next week, Rust toward the end of the regular season, if then.
• James Harrison, 38 years old going on 24: For one, Moats thinks he’ll be back next season. “Absolutely. We all want him to be back. He wants to be back. You saw the reports that said the organization wants him back. I feel like it’s a perfect match.”
Moats also believes Harrison would make a good goalie. Or, at minimum, a ridiculously scary one. “He could be out there no mask, no stick,” Moats said. “Soon as he [growls], nobody’s going to shoot on him. They’re going to turn around and go the other way.”
• Stick to football, Moats: Moats said he has ice skated once. Later, he said he skated “one and a half times.”
Perhaps his work showing a “jab step” counted as the half. He actually called his ability on the ice “evolutionary,” whatever that means.
“The fact that they’re flying around, taking the hits, all with the hand-eye coordination as well, I feel like it definitely shows their skill set,” Moats said of hockey players.
If you need an enforcer … Moats is down. “I love the fighting [in hockey],” he said. “In football, we can’t fight. You push a guy too much, they throw a flag. In hockey, we don’t have to hear about how tough you are. We can actually prove it.”
Rust and Sheary like football, but don’t have much experience playing the sport. Unless, of course, you consider Rust’s middle school career, when he spent time on the offensive line. That didn’t stop Rust from striking an impressive Heisman pose. “I’ve watched enough football over the years to take some notes,” he said.
Another popular topic was how the optics of a football stadium versus a hockey rink are much different. “The stadium looks a lot bigger from down here,” Sheary said.
Could the bright yellow background be an issue? “It’s definitely a little bit different,” Rust said. “Your depth perception is a little bit off maybe at first. You adapt pretty quickly.”
No matter what, Rust said, the Penguins are excited. “It doesn’t matter how old a guy is or how long he’s played in the league,” he said, “it just brings a level of excitement to get back to your roots and play good, fun outdoor game.”
Rust and Sheary actually played outdoor hockey in college and said they could impart some nuggets of wisdom. “Try to take in as many of the sights and sounds in warmups as you can,” Rust said. “Then, when it comes to game time, try to focus more on the game.”
Moats said Le’Veon Bell would be his pick for a winger alongside Sidney Crosby, should neither Sheary nor Rust make it back. (They will. And even if they don’t, here’s an educated guess Bell would have trouble earning an NHL contract.) Moats also believes Antonio Brown would celebrate a goal … well, like you’d probably think Antonio Brown would celebrate a goal. “He would definitely dance,” Moats said. “Definitely a twerk. You’re not going to get a fine for that in hockey. You’re good.”
• Foodies take note: Aramark, the food and beverage partner at PPG Paints Arena and Wells Fargo Center, is holding a Fry Stak Face-Off for Saturday’s game. Customers can choose between the Philly Chicken & Waffle Fry Stak and the Steel City Pot Roast Stak.
Philly Chicken & Waffle Fry Stak: Crisscut fries topped with breaded chicken bites, smoked gouda gravy, maple glazed bacon and green onions.
Steel City Pot Roast Stak: Bowl of fries topped with house braised pot roast, gravy and a blend of colby and cheddar cheeses.