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Footbahlin with Cowher

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by THREE RIVER SHIVER, May 8, 2023.

  1. THREE RIVER SHIVER

    THREE RIVER SHIVER Well-Known Member

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    Oct 24, 2017
    Do yourself a favor and catch the newest episode of footbahlin with Ben and Cowher. Some great insight and some funny stories. Definitely worth a watch.
     
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  2. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    I just came on to show this:thumbs_up:
     
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  3. steelersrock151

    steelersrock151 Well-Known Member

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    Pretty good explanation by Cowher of the "he wanted to take a tackle instead of Ben" rumor. He wanted to take a tackle because he didn't believe any of the big 3 qbs were going to be there. After meeting with Ben and rewatching all his films, there was no question when he fell to them.
     
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  4. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    Great conversation, enjoyed it.
     
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  5. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    I think I laughed more at this episode than all the others.
     
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  6. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Not a rumor, that came from Dan Rooney himself so Cowher is basically calling Dan a liar by saying Dan is embellishing. But in interviews I have read, Cowher and Colbert didn’t feel Ben interviewed well, they had him back in a second time and felt a little better about him. That’s not how he told it in the Footballin segment other than saying he had a big chip on his shoulder.

    We’ll never know for sure, Lebeau just chimed in with an interview and said he was the only coach that felt Ben was the best in the class. They had Rivers higher on their board which is consistent with everything I have heard and Bill said as much in this segment.

    We need Colbert to weigh in on it, I don’t believe he ever has and probably has no desire to.

    I don’t believe Ben and Cowher had the best relationship in their time together either but that’s just perception on my part. Clearly they have a good relationship now but Ben isnt the same person anymore either.

    I tend to believe Rooneys version.
     
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  7. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Oct 26, 2011
    This is correct and contrary to the conspiracy theorists who think otherwise and twist what Mr Rooney actually said

    But people want to believe what fits their agenda
     
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  8. forgotten1

    forgotten1 Well-Known Member

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    how old is Cowher?
    don't ask Ben
     
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  9. GoldBurgh

    GoldBurgh Well-Known Member

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    Dec 31, 2022
    That was bad.
     
  10. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    “When our turn came, I couldn’t bear the thought of passing on another great quarterback prospect the way we had passed on Dan Marino in 1983, so I steered the conversation around to Roethlisberger. After some more talk, we came to a consensus and picked Roethlisberger,” Rooney said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

    Mr Rooneys words for you, Jeh.
     
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  11. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    They almost took a Razorback...WPS.....Shawn Andrews(crazy that I didn't want Him) over Ben, and I wanted Robert Gallery . LoL......So whomever is responsible for taking Ben.....Good Freaking Job:thumbs_up:
     
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  12. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Exactly this.
     
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  13. dobbler-33

    dobbler-33 Well-Known Member

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    Nov 13, 2011
    Enjoyable watch.
     
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  14. oldschool

    oldschool Well-Known Member

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    Oct 19, 2011
    Good episode. I sense they are both happy with each others success over time and they are letting the water run under the bridge. A few past bumps and they genuinely enjoyed the catch up. Gently transparent about their time together.
     
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  15. JAD

    JAD Well-Known Member

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    Really enjoyed watching this, Cowher is so Pittsburgh thru and thru, you got to love him.
     
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  16. troybellringer55

    troybellringer55 Well-Known Member

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    If you enjoyed watching this I would suggest reading the book Heart and Steel by Coach Cowher, its a very good book and very good read.

    When I was 11 years old back in training Camp in 1996 Bill signed my Steelers hat, and I still have it today in my basement "Man Cave"

    Almost 27 years later
     
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  17. troybellringer55

    troybellringer55 Well-Known Member

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    Everybody wants to take credit when things go right, its when things go wrong they point the fingers.
     
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  18. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    Youngster.. LoL :thumbs_up:
     
  19. Thiefery

    Thiefery Well-Known Member

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    yeah I believe the rumor too.. back when this draft was happening I used to post on a site called Stillers.. Throughout the month leading into the draft we all though Rivers was going to fall to us.. we knew Eli was going to be the top pick but we thought Ben was above Rivers and that's who would end up doing the swap for Eli. So as the draft unfolded we were shocked Ben wasn't picked and we were all worried about the Steelers passing on Ben because it was no secret that Cowher LOVED shawn andrews and he also liked the oregon st RB (went to the Rams)..

    We all celebrated because we knew Ben was going to be great..especially compared to the QBs we've had starting for us since the bradshaw days.

    Later in the week those rumors were leaking about Shawn and the Oregon St RB.. and that Bill got veto'd. I also believe this because as you can see on the pod.. Ben and Bill were oil/water.. Ben played the QB position in almost every way Bill despised in a QB.. He even talked about how he would be yelling at Ben AFTER a win with no turnovers.. he called it street ball but it was just the times were changing and kudos to Bill to know when it was time to leave.

    I also found it interesting that Ben said although he loves Mike.. he wishes he could have played more seasons under Bill.. I do believe that we have another ring had he stayed another 5 seasons (in addition to the one in 2008)

    I used to have a hard on for Bill..how his teams were so predictable in the playoffs.. I spent so much money to see them lose to the Pats in 2002 and they came out flat as usual in a AFCCG (little did i know that their script had been recorded by the pats that week). But as time has moved on and I see where he left this team as to what it is now.. it's not just the players..But Bill KNEW how to put together a staff and he had coaches on his staff that got HC jobs elsewhere.

    It was a terrific listen
     
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  20. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I know the reason Bill left was family related but I also think Bill didn’t want the struggle of coaching a QB like Ben and that could have helped him make his decision to call it quits.

    It’s too bad because I agree, I think Ben would have had more SB’s had he stayed. It’s no coincidence that as soon as Bill got a QB he won a SB.
     
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  21. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    Cowher explained three points that I think are relevant to “what really happened”. First, Cowher said they were all impressed by all 3 QBs but didn’t expect the other 2 to be available to them. In fact, he didn’t expect Ben to still be around. Second, if there were no QB available at 11, they would take an OL. Third, they weren’t willing to move up to get a QB.

    The third point is key to understanding how it all went down. Yes Rooney wanted a QB. But not so much so that he forced them to work out a deal to move up. Bill said he would go with whichever QB was available, but didn’t expect either one to be there. So, he wasn’t emotionally invested in drafting a QB. Too often we’ve seen teams take a QB way too high for the type of player they actually are, think Johnny Manzel and Tim Tebow. So, Bill was trying to be a realist. As good fortune came to the Steelers, teams like the Browns passed on Ben. Rooney got what he wanted. I don’t think that means Cowher didn’t.
     
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  22. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    The hole in his story is Rooney said he steered the conversation around to Ben, why would he have to do that if they were going to take a QB if one was still there.

    IMO it’s because they liked Rivers and Eli better and were hesitant to take Ben, especially when he didn’t interview well. They were probably also hesitant to take a QB at pick 11 that they didn’t feel could start right away. Andrews would have helped them quicker than Ben according to what they believed at the time. Of course Ben proved he could play right away but that’s not what they believed.
     
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  23. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    This correct

    Contrary to the fake conspiracy
     
  24. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Nope
     
  25. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Nope

    Not in the least
     

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