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PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Pittsburgh Steelers took a calculated risk last spring when they opted not to re-sign quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with two years remaining on his current deal, opting instead to focus on bolstering the roster elsewhere.Its going to cost them, and president Art Rooney II knows it. Then again, there are worse positions than negotiating with a player coming off the best statistical season of an already remarkable career.Ill take that problem, Rooney said with a laugh Wednesday.It may be one of the easiest ones to solve over the next few months for the AFC North champions. Pittsburgh returned to the playoffs in 2014 after a two-year absence, going 11-5 and riding a dynamic offence and a perfect December to its first division title since 2010. While Rooney called it a good season with a lot of positives the Steelers last Super Bowl appearance is becoming an ever smaller speck in the rearview mirror.Obviously we didnt achieve our ultimate goal, Rooney said.Maybe, but Pittsburgh looked closer than in consecutive 8-8 seasons in 2012 and 2013. Rebuilding is nearly complete, at least on offence. The Steelers set franchise records for points and yards behind Roethlisberger, All-Pro running back LeVeon Bell and All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown. Press Rooney on if this means the franchises identity has shifted away from its roots on the other side of the ball and he politely disagrees.Id say we still strive for a team with a strong defence and thats something well always try to have, he said while adding the offence was fun to watch.The goal is to make it just as enjoyable when the defence takes the field. That part might be tricky. The Steelers finished 18th in yards allowed, their worst performance since 1991. Hall of Fame defensive co-ordinator Dick LeBeau resigned earlier this month and the status of longtime fixtures Brett Keisel, Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and James Harrison is uncertain. Rooney said it will be a few weeks before any decision is made on who to bring back and who to let walk. Keisel and Polamalu both have a year remaining on their current deals while Taylor and Harrison are free agents, though Harrison didnt rule out one more season after occasionally brilliant play at age 36.Whoever returns out of that group would be short-term investments at best, and likely a relatively inexpensive one. Thats not the case with free agent linebacker Jason Worilds. The team placed the transition tag on Worilds last spring, and he responded with 7.5 sacks. With little established depth at outside linebacker — where former first-round pick Jarvis Jones has struggled to stay out of the training room — Worilds provides some stability.To retain him, the Steelers will need to pay him like hes one of the elite at his position even if Worilds has yet to make a Pro Bowl. Rooney declined to put Worilds in any particular category, saying only the team would like to have him return in part because his specialty happens to be the current groups biggest weakness.Weve got to get more sacks and put more pressure on the quarterback and I think in the games we were successful, we were able to do that, Rooney said. Thats a key piece of the puzzle that we have to look at as we build this defence going into next year.While Rooney doesnt believe new defensive co-ordinator Keith Butler — promoted after more than a decade as an assistant — will make drastic changes from the 3-4 scheme favoured by LeBeau, he does expect Butler to offer more than tweaks. Finding new and creative ways to become disruptive in the backfield is a must.It is a challenge now for a defensive co-ordinator to keep up with these high-powered offences, Rooney said.And it will be Butlers responsibility to build around a core that includes defensive end Cam Heyward and linebacker Lawrence Timmons. There is a significant need for help in the secondary, especially if Taylor and Polamalu do not return. Rooney lauded the play of converted special teamers like Antwon Blake but understands defensive back will be a major need when the draft comes. The Steelers havent taken a cornerback in the first round since Chad Scott in 1997.That may have to change if Pittsburgh wants to get serious about returning to leagues upper echelon. Rooney anticipates having a bit of money to spend in free agency, though the team rarely splurges on high-priced veterans.If theres an opportunity to sign somebody like that, well look at it, he said. I wouldnt rule that out at this point but it kind of depends on whats available to us and what were able to do at that point in time.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Scarpe Asics In Offerta . Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act. Scarpe Asics Scontate . Maricopa County spokeswoman Cari Gerchick says thats the finding from an autopsy conducted Thursday by the county Medical Examiners Office. http://www.asicsscontate.it/. On Tuesday, the star questioned whether that was still the case. Speaking to reporters at a charity event, Johnson said: "I just kind of wonder sometimes: Is this still the place for me?" Johnsons comments came after he was asked why he recently skipped a voluntary minicamp. Scarpe Asics Italia . The 23-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., defeated Germanys Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday in the fourth round of the Sony Open in just 89 minutes. Scarpe Running Asics Outlet . -- The guys in green raced off the court and into the locker room where they danced and sang, compared whose shot was most likely to end up featured on "One Shining Moment," and checked Twitter to see who was giving them a shoutout.NEW YORK -- With a handful of boppers in their new-look lineup, these Miami Marlins are a legitimate comeback threat. Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered leading off the 10th inning, Giancarlo Stanton also went deep and Miami rallied from four runs down to beat the New York Mets 7-6 on Saturday night. Stanton hit a two-run shot and Miami climbed out of a 5-1 hole with a five-run sixth capped by pinch-hitter Reed Johnsons two-run double. Stantons seventh home run of the season gave him 29 RBIs, most in the majors. "There wasnt any point we thought we were out of this game," Saltalamacchia said. "With our lineup, theres no doubt were going to put up runs." Bobby Abreu hit his first major league homer since 2012 and Lucas Duda had a two-run single for the Mets, who had won three straight and five of six. New York was trying to move four games over .500 for the first time since July 14, 2012. Mike Dunn (2-3) struck out four in two hitless innings and Steve Cishek earned his fifth save, one night after coughing up a ninth-inning lead for his first blown save since June 4, 2013. Cishek had converted a team-record 33 straight chances before Friday. "These guys have a lot of fight in them. I wasnt worried that they were going to get down on themselves," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "Definitely something to build off of tonight." Saltalamacchia, who hit a tying homer Friday, sent a 2-2 pitch from Kyle Farnsworth (0-1) off a railing just above the left-centre fence. The ball caromed back onto the field and Saltalamacchia initially stopped at second base, but the umpires quickly waved him home without looking at a replay. "It was supposed to be a fastball away, came over the middle," Farnsworth said. "If Im going to get beat, Im going to get beat with my best pitch and he put a good swing on it, went opposite field." "Hes trying to do one thing -- hit the ball out of the park. Im looking to be aggressive," the reliever added. "Just one of those cases of old-fashioned hardball." Miami is 2-9 on the road and 3-11 against NL East opponents. But the offence is certainly dangerous; the previously punchless Marlins began the day third in the NL in runs and batting average. Mets starter Jenrry Mejia, backed by two outstanding plays from shortstop Omar Quintanilla, took a 5-1 lead into the sixth, when the first tthree Marlins batters swung at the first pitch and hit the ball hard.dddddddddddd. "It caught me by surprise, thats for sure," Mets catcher Travis dArnaud said. Marcell Ozuna doubled, Stanton homered to right-centre and Casey McGehee singled as rain began to fall. Two outs later, Adeiny Hechavarria chased Mejia with an RBI single. Johnson went after Carlos Torres first pitch and sliced a high fly that landed just fair in the right-field corner to give Miami a 6-5 advantage. "We saw what we can do in one inning. We have to keep that confidence up tomorrow," Stanton said. Mejia was charged with six runs and eight hits. New York starters had gone straight 11 games without allowing more than three runs. Saltalamacchias passed ball and Hechavarrias throwing error from shortstop let the Mets tie it in the bottom half. Five hitters in New Yorks lineup entered batting .375 or better with at least one home run against Marlins starter Kevin Slowey. One of those was the 40-year-old Abreu, who made his second start for the Mets since getting called up Monday from Triple-A Las Vegas. Abreu, who didnt play in the majors last season, hit a two-run shot in the first inning to give New York a 3-0 lead. It was his first big league homer since Sept. 28, 2012, with the Los Angeles Dodgers against Colorado. "Feels good, man. A relief, Id say, after one year off," Abreu said. Shoddy defence by the Marlins led to New Yorks first run, on David Wrights sacrifice fly. Derek Dietrich hit an RBI single in the second, snapping Mejias scoreless streak at a career-best 14 2-3 innings. NOTES: Sloweys previous outing at Citi Field was a memorable one. He struck out eight over seven shutout innings, setting club records for strikeouts and innings in a relief appearance, to earn the win in Miamis 20-inning victory last June 8. ... New York native Tom Koehler (2-1, 2.13 ERA) faces Mets RHP Dillon Gee (1-1, 3.58 ERA) in the series finale Sunday. ... Abreu is 8 for 20 (.400) with four home runs against Slowey. ... Mets manager Terry Collins won a replay challenge in the top of the ninth after Christian Yelich was called safe at first on a bunt. The ruling was overturned following a review that lasted 2 minutes, 8 seconds. ... Mets 2B Daniel Murphy was ejected by plate umpire Seth Buckminster for protesting a called third strike in the bottom of the 10th. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '