By RON COOK, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward was among the last players to leave the locker room Sunday in New England. As he zipped his travel bag closed, a wise guy asked a very loaded question: "Hey, Hines, do you have a gun in there?"
OK, not so funny on this NFL weekend.

There is no truth to the rumor that Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt took time from his busy, short-week preparations for the Philadelphia Eagles game Thanksgiving night to be measured for a statue outside University of Phoenix Stadium.
There are no plans for a Whisenhunt statue.
Not yet, anyway.

PITTSBURGH -- The scoreboard said Marvin Lewis was a loser again, his Cincinnati Bengals on the wrong end of a 27-10 score against the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday night at Heinz Field. As they've often done in this miserable season, the Bengals fought the good fight but came up short. They are 1-9-1. Bottom line: They stink.

LANDOVER, Md. -- One minute Monday night, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was celebrating a touchdown plunge late in the second quarter that gave the Steelers a 10-6 lead against the Washington Redskins after one of the worst halves of offensive football that you'll ever see. It was a good sign, maybe of better things to come.

To no one's surprise, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin did not invite guests for his meeting with wide receiver Santonio Holmes on Monday.

"Mewelde Moore," someone said to running back Willie Parker in the happy Pittsburgh Steelers' locker room as Sunday night turned into Monday morning, "looked just like you out there.""Now that's high praise," Parker said, grinning.Deserved praise, too.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley surely will get AFC defensive player of the week consideration for their marvelous play in the 23-20 overtime win against the Baltimore Ravens Monday night.

This might come as a surprise to you, but the Cleveland football fans weren't exactly friendly to their visitors from Pittsburgh Sunday night. "We saw a lot of middle fingers and heard a lot of f-bombs," Steelers linebacker Larry Foote said.Imagine that? How rude!Pittsburgh fans would never be so obnoxious.Of course they wouldn't.

After one day of training camp, it seems obvious the Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot going against them. Casey Hampton is too fat. Troy Polamalu and Chris Kemoeatu are too lame. The offensive line could be too weak. The defensive line could be too old. The schedule is too tough. The Cleveland Browns could be too strong.