--An asteroid has been named for Myron Cope, the beloved Steelers broadcaster who died Feb. 27. Like the diminutive Cope, it's a small one. The asteroid is named 7835 Myroncope and it's located between Mars and Jupiter. The name was proposed by Dr. Eric Mamajek of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass.
--Santonio Holmes wants a chance to return punts and he will get it, said coach Mike Tomlin, who would not allow Holmes to return last season.
"The judgment we made in regards to that last year really was more about his development as a receiver," Tomlin said. "He was a second-year player ... He's a year older, seemingly a year wiser. We'll see if he can handle it. If he can, we'll explore it."
Other candidates to return punts and/or kickoffs are Mewelde Moore, Rashard Mendenhall, Jeremy Bloom and Willie Reid.
--The Steelers will have their shortest training camp, perhaps ever, when coach Mike Tomlin takes them to Latrobe July 27 for three weeks at Saint Vincent College. Tomlin could have opened camp three days earlier but decided to keep it short because the roster is limited to 80 players this year. Without NFL Europe, there are no more exemptions for players from that league on NFL camp rosters, which had as many as 86 players.
"I think you have to approach it differently from that standpoint," Tomlin said. "We are a veteran team in some areas; we have to approach it differently because of that."
--Linebacker James Farrior wore the helmet with the radio transmitter the final couple days of OTAs to get used to it. Farrior, who stays on the field at all times on defense, will wear the helmet during the season.
"Really, we're just making sure we're comfortable with the technology," Tomlin said.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not going to talk about guys who are not here. It's voluntary and I'm going to leave it at that." - Coach Mike Tomlin when asked why Pro Bowl NT Casey Hampton was missing much of the time.
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