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Volunteers not hostages

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Blast Furnace, May 6, 2022.

  1. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Then they had no backup running back when they needed one in the playoffs while at the same time handing the Patriots the starter they needed, one who helped them reach the Super Bowl.

    Yeah, it is so much fun to be suckered into helping the Patriots win.
     
  2. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    The league didn't really need a salary cap before that. They had Plan B free agency, but full free agency didn't come until around the time they put the salary cap in place.
     
  3. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Bell's behavior was his own fault, not Blount's. That moron actually thought he couldn't get a DUI for being high from marijuana.
     
  4. strummerfan

    strummerfan Well-Known Member

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    Oooohhh how mellow-dramatic of you.
     
  5. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    It really wasn't that hard to see it coming. They had a serious problem at running back that season. Blount fixed it for him.

    The solution was simple. Suspend him without cutting him. Once it was clear he wasn't going anywhere, maybe he straightens out and they actually have him when they need him in the playoffs. If not, at least they don't allow him to help the opposition.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  6. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    So Blount is a cancer because he didn't stop a teammate from lighting up? Um, okay. :facepalm:

    (Yeah, he was a bad guy. That's why you suspend him rather than giving him his wish by cutting him, which can come back to bite the Steelers in the ass as it did that year.)
     
  7. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    The Patriots made him a starter. Blount wanted more than a few touches per game, but yes, Tomlin messed that up by not using both backs.
     
  8. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Rewarding poor behavior is how you lose credibility. The Steelers did exactly that when they cut Blount loose. The correct response would have been to suspend him, show the team that there will be consequences for such behavior.
     
  9. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    His touches were decreasing, from 10 Week 9 against the Ravens to five Week 10 against the Jets to zero in that game against the Titans. Of course, there was good reason for that. He averaged 2.3 yards per carry against the Ravens and gained zero yards on five attempts against the Jets. This was when Bell was emerging as a star.
     
  10. Rel

    Rel Well-Known Member

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    They wouldn't have had one anyways. He was causing problems off the field, therefore he wouldn't have been there to back anyone up.
     
  11. Rel

    Rel Well-Known Member

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    Steelers were 7-4 at that point in the season but where 4-1 during the stretch that Blount wanted out. It's Tomlin's job to win games, not give players snaps so their feelings aren't hurt.

    Maybe players need to be adults and earn the playing time.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  12. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    They do, but if a guy wants to walk away, the way to discipline him is not to give him what he wants. Sure, if the player sucks, you cut him. That wasn't the case with Blount.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  13. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    :facepalm:
     
  14. Rel

    Rel Well-Known Member

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    So force him to stay on the roster if he doesn't want to be there and let him become a distraction?
     
  15. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Was it distracting watching him help the Patriots reach the Super Bowl?

    Yes, you suspend him, but you don't let him go help an opposing team. That, more than any example, demonstrated that players who want out of Pittsburgh can just act like assholes until the team caves.

    Also, players on the Patriots later bragged about recruiting Blount before he was even cut. Do you really think players don't notice when a team gets punked the way the Steelers were in that instance? Do you think that might be on the mind of a free agent or two? Spend a little time around the sort of alpha male mentality you will find among football players and tell me that doesn't matter.
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2022
    • Winner Winner x 1
  16. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    had a repeat with ingram too.:cool:
     
    • Winner Winner x 1
  17. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Make them ride the pine

    Inactive them

    Don’t reward them

    Never reward bad behavior
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Agree Agree x 1
  18. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Yup. I think at least part of that was the history. Ingram had to know other players had forced their way out of town that way.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
  19. hmmmmm

    hmmmmm Well-Known Member

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    How many seasons was Bell healthy for ALL the playoff games or playoffs period. What about the season when we played Denver and the 3rd string RB fumbled the ball because he couldn’t remember what the football looked like. Hmmm
     
  20. forgotten1

    forgotten1 Well-Known Member

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    Put him in some gray sweatpants
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 2
  21. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    F791F73A-BF6C-4CBF-8DB9-5A3EEE9BA4E1.jpeg
     
    • Like Like x 1
  22. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    • Like Like x 1
  23. KnoxVegasSteel

    KnoxVegasSteel Well-Known Member

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    Don't take this as a sign that I'm shifting my stance on Tomlin. In fact fire Mike Tomlin immediately! Lol. But I do love this quote from Tomlin and have used it at work quite a bit lately as we've gone through the great resignation and now the great reshuffling.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  24. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    You know Your a fan of His....no need 2 hide it. LoL .
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 2

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