PITTSBURGH -- Since Jerome Bettis retired after the 2005 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have searched for a big, bruising running back in his mould. The list of hopefuls has been long, if not particularly distinguished. Verron Haynes, Najee Davenport, Carey Davis, Gary Russell, Frank Summers, Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman all failed to consistently provide production in short-yardage and goal line situations. Enter LeGarrette Blount. The 6-foot, 250-pound veteran certainly looks the part. And while he has a long way to go to be mentioned with the likes of Bettis, there have been plenty of flashes during his four seasons in the league. Blount averaged 5.0 yards per carry while splitting time with Stevan Ridley in New England last season, and gashed the Indianapolis Colts for 166 yards and four touchdowns in the playoffs. Though second-year back LeVeon Bell remains the starter, Blount is confident he can make an impact no matter what situation. "I know they brought me in here to run the football, so I hope there are plenty of carries to go around," Blount said Wednesday. "I know that LeVeon is going to get his fair share, so I hope theres enough for all of us." Bell, last years second-round pick, missed the opening three games while recovering from a preseason foot injury. But he still played nearly 700 snaps, a heavy workload the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Bell managed with ease. Still, the Steelers will find opportunities to go from the patient and pragmatic Bell to the bruising Blount, with the emphasis on bruising. "Thats my running style," Blount said. "Thats how I run the football, and I feel like (Bell) is also a big, tough running back, too. So, thats just how this team is built, with a physical running game, and I think thats what theyre trying to get back to. So, hopefully, we can do that." Blount noted a balanced offence is needed to make a run to the Super Bowl such as the ones by Seattle and Denver last year. The champion Seahawks had Marshawn Lynch running the ball and Russell Wilson throwing it, while the Broncos ran the ball with Knowshon Moreno when Peyton Manning wasnt breaking NFL passing records. "I think its huge for us to (sign Blount), because Ive always said that we need to be a balanced offence," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "So, we need to run the ball. We need to be great at running the ball, and weve got guys that want to be great at running the ball. So, hopefully, we can do it and do it successfully." Blount added that while his body type and size make him an ideal power back, he has a variety of skill sets, such as catching the football and running away from defenders in the open field. But he certainly has proven he can run over them as well. Those attributes, combined with Bells slashing style, should give the Steelers a solid one-two punch. "I think we have a really good mix of running backs," Blount said. "(But) Ive seen the NFL Network, and they have these top 10 or top five running back duos in the NFL. I noticed that were not one of them, and I dont like it. In all honesty, I believe theyre downgrading the skill level that we have in our backfield. . I think thats kind of disrespectful." Does that mean Blount and Bell have something to prove? "Were not going to go out here and go on about how were not in that group," Blount said. "But were going to go out there and show that we belong there with our performance." NOTES: RB Dri Archer has missed the opening two OTAs, just like linebacker Jordan Zumwalt from UCLA, because his school is on the quarters system and their class has not yet graduated. . OTAs continue Thursday and also run Tuesday through Thursday next week. Drew Pomeranz Jersey .com) - The Grand Slam season will get underway Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, where a new champion will be crowned this year. Brewers Jerseys 2019 . Sources tell TSN that union executives travelled to select CFL cities Monday to open dialogue with players and answer questions. After the tentative deal was reached Saturday night, several players posted messages of frustration and disappointment on social media - and that carried over into Sunday on both the web and the field. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/1779y-hank-...ey-brewers.html. It was my fifth straight year attending and, as always, there are many interesting matters discussed as it pertains to the use of statistics in sports. Chase Anderson Jersey . He managed to save par, and went on to put together his best opening round of the year. Calcavecchia and Wes Short Jr. Taylor Williams Brewers Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla.MELBOURNE, Australia -- All Blacks flyhalf Tom Taylor kicked six penalties and hooker Ben Funnell scored the only try for the Crusaders as the New Zealand side laboured past the Melbourne Rebels 25-19 in Super Rugby on Friday. The seven-time champion Crusaders led 12-9 at halftime, all penalties, and the Rebels scored their only try with two minutes remaining through flanker Scott Fuglistaller, giving them a bonus point for losing by fewer than seven points. After starting with two losses, the Crusaders have won two straight heading into a bye next weekend. Taylor, playing outside recalled flyhalf Colin Slade, kicked the Crusaders to their halftime lead while fullback Jason Woodward provided all of the Rebels points. The first try of the match came in the 56th minute with the Rebels, with one win and two losses on the season, trying to hold out waves of attack before they were caught short when Kieran Read gave Funnell a free run into the right corner. The conversion and another penalty from Taylor pushed the lead to 13 points. Fuglistaller crossed late after the forwards mauled the ball. Bryce Hegarty added the conversion to ensure the bonus point. The Rebels, beaten 32-7 by the Western Force in the previous round, reinstated the lineup which easily defeated the Cheetahs in their season-opener and weree stronger defensively as they tried for a fifth consecutive win at home.dddddddddddd But persistent infringing, particularly at the scrum, enabled the Crusaders to take the lead from Taylors boot. Melbourne skipper Scott Higginbotham was frustrated with the penalty count. "We pride ourselves on our defence and how tough we are at the breakdown, and it was disappointing to give away that many penalties," Higginbotham said. Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder described the match as "ugly." "Off the back of not having a potent attack tonight, we defended with our hearts and it probably made the difference in the end," Blackadder said. "We can go into the bye in pretty good nick and we need to put a lot of work into our attack. There are a few things we can do which will certainly improve our game." Rebels coach Tony McGahan said the Crusaders experience proved to be the difference. "They were just a bit cuter than us in certain aspects and they controlled things really well," McGahan said. "We kept coming back and they kept slipping away." ------ Scores: Crusaders 25 (Ben Funnell try; Tom Taylor conversion, 6 penalties), Melbourne 19 (Scott Fuglistaller try; Bryce Hegarty conversion penalty, Jason Woodward 3 penalties). HT: 12-9. ' ' '