PITTSBURGH - Rashard Mendenhall won't be ready to play when the Pittsburgh Steelers open the NFL season in September.
That information was revealed by Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert on Monday.
Colbert explained that it usually takes a player a full year to recover from the kind of complete knee surgery that Mendenhall had in January.
Colbert also said that doesn't mean the Steelers are necessarily looking to add a running back.
Let's hope that part was just gamesmanship.
Isaac Redman did some good things last year, but there isn't much behind him.
If Mendenhall won't be ready, the Steelers need to add running back to their list of offseason needs.
Great escape
West Virginia University is free and clear of the Big East conference.
The Mountaineers will join the Big 12 in time for this football season.
WVU announced a 12-game 2012 football schedule that doesn't include Pitt among its three non-conference games.
Pitt remains in the Big East despite announcing its plans to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Pitt's move is scheduled for 2014, although the Big East has hinted Pitt may be able to leave a year earlier.
Pitt could probably advance the timetable with a big check.
It is estimated West Virginia paid $20 million to get an early release from its Big East commitment.
Like most things in college sports, there's a price point that can make things happen.
If Pitt can fork over the kind of payment that WVU did, it can likely get out of the Big East.
Pitt wants out and wants to get started in the ACC. Truth be told, the Big East doesn't want to hold a school that doesn't want to be part of its conference.
But they'll stick to the letter of the law until someone greases the process with some money.
If Pitt isn't raising money to facilitate the escape, it should be.
Going to the dogs
Even if you're not a dog lover, the annual Westminster Kennel Club show is entertaining television for a winter's evening.
It's far more interesting than the NFL's low-intensity Pro Bowl was.
Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com
