TOMLIN

We're going to find out a bit more about Tomlin this week depending on how the game against Balt goes.

Especially if we don't have Superman back.

 

Agreed. I can take a loss to Baltimore if Ben isn't back full-strength, but another performance like yesterday would be unacceptable.

 

I don't even want to entertain the thought of being swept by baltimore again.

We joke about the bodies starting to pile up after yesterday, imagine if we lose this next game.

It won't be pretty.

But, like we say, we'll learn alot about our coach.

 

I don't want to entertain the thought either - but the reality is there. If Baltimore actually beats the Steelers - I can swallow it - especially if we have to go with Batch again. The Steelers beat themselves yesterday and there's no excuse for that. IMO - the loss is not on the coach. However, if they perform with the same intensity and ineptitude on Sunday - it's on Tomlin.

 

We may see a major beat down come Sunday!

 

Oh yeah!!!!! and have you seen the Cardinals records of late????? maybe you should check it out they suck!!!!!!!!

 

Exactly....placing a ton of importance on what the man says directly following an embarrassing loss is dumb. He was pissed- as he should be. The real test will be this week and the product that shows up on Sunday.

 

we can't pin all our hopes on ben. of course he's important, but the rest of this offense should be able to put a game together much better than they did sunday with or without ben. yea,yea, third string qb. well everyone wanted him as our #2, but does it matter? he had a qb rating of 38. that's 38. very close to his age. yea, he won before when ben was down. thats almost 3 years ago now. tomlin dropped the ball by not having another qb in here two weeks ago. that would have given them 3 weeks of practice by next weeks game. that's almost training camp. they would have been up to speed by then. terrible move by the colbert and tomlin. we should have had a guy on the PS also learning at least 2 weeks ago. MT is the most stubburn coach i have ever seen. to loyal to old has beens for too long. bad planning, equates to bad coaching. he owns that too.

 

Yeah I mean Ben is by far our most important piece to the offensive puzzle but it's like NONE of the other guys stepped up to carry the load in his absence. I feel like Sanders came to play and of course Heath did. Other than that you can give a little bit of props to Rainey. But mostly the offense from the line to the qb to the receivers looked like absolute garbage. But since we couldn't throw they couldn't open up running lanes. It was painfully obvious yesterday that Batch can't stretch the field so I don't even think Barry Sanders could have ran yesterday. But we couldn't even get a screen game going! It was just pathetic on every front except for D.

 

Please point to where I am criticizing Tomlin for the what he does or doesn't say to his players or where I blame him for the seven turnovers or where I say anything about the game that points to me being upset about the loss. I don't think I even said there was anything wrong with his coaching style. What I did say was that he(Tomlin) does not view himself as a vocal leader on the his team, he doesn't feel that is his role. He is there to guide his men on a journey.

Here is Tomlin on his team before the Giants game.

Tomlin's views on leadership

Again a very "zen" approach to how he does things. He is there to provide the tools and guide them. I have never said it was wrong or a bad way to go about it just that it isn't his way to pick a couple of guys and say you are team leaders now go out and motivate the team.

I stated that with Ward, Smith and Farrior gone there is a void in the team leadership department.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzybdYNCHvE

Now you are correct Mike is very vocal on the sidelines I acknowledged that earlier in the year when he was caught on camera being very pumped up after a play I never stated otherwise and again you are right I haven't a clue what is and isn't said on the sideline but I can't really see anyone on the roster who is going to be that guy to step up and say "hey get it out of your head and make a play" or to tell Tomlin " don't worry coach we will get them ready, that drop or fumble wont be a problem." Ben is the type of leader who goes Don't worry guys we are a band of brothers, follow me I will get you there." Which is fine they need that type of leader but they also need the guy who will challenge a guy to play better, who can fire up the whole team, who can lift the level of play of those around them.

 

The Rooney's should have Tomlin in there office chewing his ass out, for the crap his team put out on the field yesturday. Its time he steps up and takes some responsablity. For some reason i dont think he has had his ass chewed since he has been here.

 

If you don't have a clue as to what's said on the sidelines or in the locker room it undermines the idea that "I can't really see anyone on the roster who is going to be the guys to step up and say, "hey get it out of your head and make a play"

I am not going to sit here speculate what type of leadership takes place on this team because I have no clue. Based on the product that's put out on the field it appears the leadership must be pretty good because the team competes just about every week. Players know they need to rally around whatever player losses and adversity that take place. Show me a leadership on earth that's good enough to overcome 7 turnovers to win a game. This team had enough fight in it to cause a turnover near the end of the game the refs blew. That turnover would had given the team a chance to win the game.

I believe the aspect of people that can "fire up the whole team" is kind of an overrated(maybe not the right adjective) aspect of the game. Fire only lasts a hot second in the context of playing the game. Player's can't ride fire/emotion for an entire game. I believe that fundamentals and preparation are more important then fire. Fundamentals and preparation allow players to execute on a higher level on a more consistent basis.

 

Still didn't answer the question. Where am I making things up? Where am I criticizing Tomlin or his coaching techniques? Where am I in any way talking about yesterday's game and losing it? Where am I showing anything resembling being upset about the loss? I have an opinion same as you.

 

this conversation is superfluous, Tomlin will be our coach for a while to come.

 

True but he's still grinding everyone's gears in the meantime.

 

I believe Cowher had already checked out the year they went 8-8. and yea TOMLIN won a SB with COWHERS team. TOMLIN is not half the coach COWHER was,......so spin it any way u want,

 

Coaching matters but coaches don't usually make that much of a difference unless their players are good enough.

 

I'm not sure if I like the comparison to Cowher.

God knows I love me some fish face but the two are different coaches with seemingly widely different coaching styles.

The Steeler way would indicate Tomlin gets more time to earn his place.

 

"Here is the just one of the main problems. Leadership. Now yes Tomlin does provide some sort of leadership but for the most part he is cut of the Tony Dungy "zen" mode of coaching. This means he doesn't see himself as the leader of this team nor does he think he should help appoint one."
Based on your statement you seem to believe that one of the "main problems" with the team is Tomlin's philosophy on coaching/leadership. Stating it's a "main problem" is a direct assault on Tomlin and his leadership and coaching style. Tomlin stated, "Leadership is giving those who follow what they need to excel. It’s a lot of things." which could mean he takes many different approaches in his role as a leader/coach. I believe that coaching and leadership go hand in hand.

The "made up" part is when you stated, "Yes Ben is a great leader but he is one who says hey guys follow me I will get you there, he isn't someone who is on the sidelines saying to the Rb's "forget that one and get back out there and make a play" he isn't telling Wallace to go up and fight for a ball and getting in his face, He isn't talking to Charlie and telling him hey you can get them to bite on a fake if you do this." Again, you don't know what's taking place down on the sidelines.

The fact that you bring this issue up after a loss seems to speak to your opinion as to why this team loss the game. I was pointing out that turnovers played the biggest role in the loss. The loss had nothing to do with the leadership on this team. If anything, the leadership has proven to be strong as ever on this team based on the adversity the team's had to face this season.

 

Tomlin is a joke. He has squeezed by to this point off of Cowher's personnel. The ONLY thing Tomlin has done that makes sense to me was to bring in Haley...and he was pretty much forced to do so by the Rooney's.

Cowher did so much more with less. If Cowher had this team we would have won 2 additional superbowls or more since 2007. Ben is a dream QB that Cowher never had (in his prime anyway). You put Ben on Cowhers teams in the late 90's/early 00's and we would have 10 SB rings now....Cowher did what he did with Neil ODonnel and Kordell Stewart.

Cowher had less talent (on offense for sure) and did more. Tomlin has more talent and has only been successful because he was handed the keys to a cadillac. That cadillac hasn't had its oil changed since 2007 and its starting to show. I think I saw yesterday the future of this team when Ben leaves....and it doesn't look good.