Tracking the Preaux Career of Ike Taylor

[NewsCopy]

Pittsburgh Steeler Ike Taylor says he might not be the most elegantly dressed man in town, but spectators who watch him at the team's annual charity fashion show should be impressed.

"I'm a sweats guy, with sneakers and a T-shirt," says the cornerback, who plans to wear a stylish suit at the show. "Hopefully, I can surprise some people."

Taylor, 24, is one of at least 25 players -- including wide receivers Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El, and linebacker Joey Porter -- who will model outfits in Steelers Style 2004. The fashion show will feature Steelers -- sometimes with wives, children and girlfriends -- and 12 professional female models wearing outfits on the runway that fall into four categories: contemporary sportswear, cocktail, bundle-up and funky.

Although the professional models will wear outfits from several Pittsburgh boutiques, most of the Steelers will wear outfits from their own closets, says Gabrielle Leahy, co-coordinator of the show.

The rest of the story


By Kellie B. Gormly
TRIBUNE-REVIEW

[Cajun1997]

Nice bio, LINK

[NewsCopy]

PITTSBURGH - Nobody talked to David Allen after the last game. It's unlikely reporters even knew Allen, the new punt returner for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But he was the guy over in the corner with the train tracks etched upon his body. He's the guy Ike Taylor jacked up.

In the middle of the third quarter, with the Pittsburgh Steelers leading 14-10, Chris Gardocki punted to Allen. Mere nanoseconds after Allen fielded the punt, he fielded Taylor - full-on.

Taylor looked around after the blast. He could've been looking for Allen's head.

"I was looking for flags," Taylor said. "You know, when I hit him, I blacked out for a split second. I was coming full speed. My eyes got big when his eyes got big so I knew the ball was about to drop. I didn't know exactly when, but once I saw his eyes I just hit him."

Did Taylor time it perfectly? Or did he just get lucky?

"A little bit of both," he said with a laugh. "I saw it come down and I wasn't stopping. That's what I told myself, that I won't stop. Sunday night football? Basically, football to me is like playing a role in a play on a big stage. The stage was national television. Plus, I got jacked up in the Dallas game."

ESPN's "Jacked Up" feature, done on Monday nights, counts down the top hits of the previous day. After Taylor was flattened by a Dallas kick coverer, he was the butt of hit No. 5 that particular weekend. Taylor's hit on Allen last Sunday night also checked in at No. 5.

"I should've been at least No. 2," Taylor said.

Actually, Taylor's just glad someone noticed. The coaching staff certainly noticed. They also noticed the hit he made on Troy Edwards on a third-and-4 play. Taylor hit Edwards to jar the ball loose. Out came the Jaguars' field-goal kicker, who promptly missed. Taylor saved three points, at least, in the Steelers' 17-16 win, and took another step out of the doghouse.

"I wasn't in the doghouse," Taylor corrected. "It was just a situation I was put in."

Good thing Taylor isn't relying on semantics to get back on the playing field.

He was a surprising rookie last season who came on at the end of the year and forced the Steelers to believe they'd found a big, fast, physical cornerback in the fourth round of that year's draft.

The rest of the story

The Herald Standard
By Jim Wexell,

[NewsCopy]

Third-year corner Ike Taylor drew the starting assignment this week in place of Deshea Townsend, and Taylor also responded with a great week - and a quiet one - of work.

A cocky Taylor was scolded publicly by Cowher last training camp, but Taylor could become an interesting player in the competition of what's become a deep crop of cornerbacks.

"The competition will be good in training camp," said LeBeau.

"We feel good about what we have. We think we can get better and that's our goal." LINK

[RaginFan]

I LIKE IKE

great to see UL churning out pro atheletes.

[studentfan]

I LIKE IKE

great to see UL churning out pro atheletes.

Before he returned the kickoff they said a little about him.

[Corndog308]

I watched it too!!! He looks pretty good. They couldn't catch that Cajun!!

[cjr3888]

the other returner is a burner. he passed everyone up and had to slow down so he wouldnt pass up ike

[Turbine]

At Louisiana he was with the Steelers he is

A couple of disclaimers. I missed the beginning and sorry there is no audio.

Will move back to preaux late Tuesday. Moving video vault . . . later

[RaginFan]

Turbine,

now that't what I call a quick turnaround!

[NewsCopy]

If Ike Taylor's Web site gets nearly as many hits as he gives, it might end up being a cash cow for the third-year Steelers cornerback. That's because the former Louisiana-La. star is tied with linebacker James Farrior for the lead among Steelers tacklers with 30 in three games. His 23 unassisted hits top the charts for the league's 19th-ranked defense. And, as for his Web site, http://www.facemeike.com the hits keep coming from the "I like Ike" posse, a group that includes tailback Willie Parker. "He caught my attention when I first got here last year," said Parker, the leading rusher in the AFC. "I saw him in 7-on-7 drills at practice, and he had all these veins in his little calf muscles. I was like, 'This cat must be able to play.' " In his first season as a starter, Taylor is playing at a high level. He's provides a physical presence to the Steelers cornerback position, which isn't surprising given his periodic talks with former Steelers great Mel Blount. Taylor said he patterns his style after the imposing Blount, and, at 6-foot-1, 191 pounds, he can rattle a few bones, like Blount did three decades earlier. Last Sunday against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Taylor had his best game as a pro, with 12 tackles, including 10 unassisted, and a pass breakup in a 23-20 loss at Heinz Field. His biggest play occurred late in the fourth quarter when Patriots running back Kevin Faulk took a screen pass on a third-and-5 play at the Steelers 20 and appeared to have daylight in full view. Taylor, though, quickly intervened. He stretched his arm and flipped Faulk to the ground, holding the shifty back to only three yards and the Patriots to a field goal, which pushed their lead to 20-13 with 3:19 remaining. Had Taylor failed to make the stop, the Pats might have put the game away -- and the ensuing drama that occurred at Heinz Field never would have materialized. New England ultimately won the game in pulsating fashion, on a 43-yard field goal with a second remaining. "Ike comes up and he hits you, he comes to play" nose tackle Casey Hampton said. Asked if it was a good thing to have a cornerback leading the team in tackles, Hampton said it depends. "He's making plays in run support, so that's part of his job," Hampton said of Taylor, who had 10 tackles in the opener against Tennessee and eight a week later at Houston. "It's not like he's back there getting beat deep. He's stepping up and making tackles for us, he's making plays." The rest of the story By Joe Bendel TRIBUNE-REVIEW joecbendel@aol.com (412) 320-7811

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Former Ragin Cajun and current Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor, had nine tackles, a pass defensed, a fumble recovery and an interception to seal the win.