The heat brings ‘food for thought’

Here’s a little food for thought to help you kick off the new week and the return of the summer heat:

• I was in attendance at Friday’s latest chapter of the Charleroi-Monessen football rivalry and I came away with a few takes on the game.

1. Tyvaughn Kershaw is even better than his press clippings. The kid is pure excitement on two very, very fast and elusive feet. He, alone, is worth the price of admission.

On his two kickoff returns for touchdowns he was never touched. His play reminds me so much of Devin Whitlock.

2. Although the Cougars were outmanned in both numbers and talent, they fought valiantly and might want to consider using more of that passing game as the season goes on. They could have something there.

3. Monessen’s Rodney Johnson is an absolute two-way beast. He has soft hands for a receiver, is a real pain in the neck to tackle and a monster when he hits a ball carrier on defense.

I really like his game. 4. The Greyhounds rolled to the easy rout over their cross-river rivals. But if they plan on competing in the rugged Black Hills Conference they better shore up that pass defense in a hurry. There were too many open receivers and not enough pressure up front against Charleroi.

But that’s what early season games are for – to iron out the bugs.

• I saw a preseason Top 10 ranking for Class 4A in the WPIAL and two things raised my eyebrows immediately.

One is that Belle Vernon Area was ranked only No. 7, which I thought was low. Being two-time state champs in 3A would have garnered a little more love, I assumed.

The other was West Mifflin snuck in at No. 10. I did not expect that.

Then the Titans went out and beat Elizabeth Forward in Week 0 to show they mean business.

As for BVA, we should get a good idea of where the Leopards are in the new classification Friday when they take on everybody’s No. 1, Aliquippa.

• I could almost feel the mass exhale of Steelers fans Saturday afternoon after Russell Wilson and Justin Fields both engineered scoring drives to start the final preseason game against Detroit.

Maybe folks will relax a little now and give Arthur Smith’s offense a chance.

But I still would like to see the team obtain another threat at wide receiver.

• Add Steelers: One stat that I hadn’t thought much about that popped up during the game is this is TJ Watt’s eighth year in the NFL.

It is amazing he has been tormenting opposing offenses for that long already.

Even more amazing is that he has never been part of a playoff victory in his pro career.

• I still shake my head in disgust with the way Derek Shelton puts together his lineup on a daily basis. Especially when it comes to Oneil Cruz’s spot in the order.

Cruz is considered the most talented player on the roster, yet Shelton always knocks him down in the lineup against left-handed pitchers. If Cruz, a lefty batter, is truly going to be a star, his spot in the batting order should be entrenched regardless of the pitcher.

Can anyone imagine Jim Leyland moving Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds down in the lineup against lefties?

How about Chuck Tanner moving Willie Stargell from fourth to sixth or seventh when his teams faced a southpaw?

Now, those were REAL baseball managers.

• Whatever happened to Ed Alford?

• I know, I know. Everybody is tired of the soap opera “As the Aiyuk Turns.” The whole hold-in/trade fiasco involving the San Francisco wide receiver has gone on too long.

However, I’m going to offer my take on the disgruntled player and it probably won’t be a popular one. Most experts have him staying with the 49ers. I don’t think so.

I think if the 49ers really wanted him that bad, a contract would have been worked out at least before the last exhibition game and probably sooner than that.

I have a gut feeling the 49ers have just held off on trading him to the Steelers hoping that the receiver-strapped Steelers would sweeten the offer at the last minute.

Who knows? Maybe GM Omar Khan might blink and sweeten the pot a little more. In the end, I think Aiyuk gets dealt to the Steelers … unless the Washington Commanders get involved in the fray. Aiyuk has gone on record as saying the only two teams would accept a trade to (and sign a deal) are the Steelers and Washington.

The Commanders trading receiver Jahan Dotson last week seems more than just coincidental to me.

Of course, I have been wrong before.

Anyone with any thoughts, opposing views or comments on this column can reach Jeff Oliver by emailing justjto@verizon.net.