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Question: I'm tired of seeing our players talk trash after most plays, especially when they are not getting the job done on the field. Is this affecting the outcome of the games or is it insignificant, and just something that we can expect to see in today's NFL?

Ron Hefner, Winston-Salem, NC

BOUCHETTE: Last season, it affected the outcome of the games in a good way for them. This season, it's affecting the outcome of the games in a bad way. Yes, there seems to be much more trash talking throughout the NFL these days as opposed to what they did 20 and 30 years ago. The Steelers seem to have had some good trash talkers throughout Bill Cowher's tenure and, for the most part, their teams have been pretty good during that time. I don't think the trash talking has much of an affect, although it may have helped them win a Super Bowl when Seattle tight end Jerramy Stevens seemed to take Joey Porter's comments to heart.