Bill Cowher: 8-8 won't trigger Steelers panic

Yeah I remember Jack Lambert saying once how he would never help another guy up or pat him on the helmet and tell him what a great play he just made and all that. He was all about intimidation and that is lost in today's politically correct nonsense. Remember how Jack Lambert said "maybe we oughtta let 'em wear skirts"? Well now we even have the President of the United States saying that we might have to make some changes for "safety" and we need to examine our "conscience" as fans and that he would have to "think long and hard about letting his son play football". I told someone the other day that I will NOT have to think long and hard about letting my son play. I will tell him "if you are gonna play you go out there and hit anything that moves with extreme prejudice" and we both laughed and he said he would tell his son the same thing. I sure wish we could find another Lambert. I'd love to have a guy that would be willing to go out there and just destroy people all for the glory of the black and gold and that every time they put their pads on they were hoping to bring even more prestige to this great organization. A guy can dream right???

 

Yeah and these same idiots that said Swann was "soft" have to forever live knowing that even though they tried to do dirty things and knocked him out of that game he went on to be the first WR to win the Super Bowl MVP. Yeah he's "soft". LOLOLOLOL!

 

Thanks for posting that, TTF. That still sends chills down my spine when I watch footage of that rivalry, which I believe was the greatest (and nastiest) in NFL history. Some of the crap the Raiders pulled back then would result in a lifetime ban in today's NFL. Noll was right, Atkinson was a CRIMINAL! But I'll tell you this much, Swann was not intimidated by either Atkinson or Tatum or any of the other Raider thugs. A lot of people think Swann was all finesse and grace, but he was also a fearless receiver who was not afraid to go over the middle and take a hit back in the day it was GUARANTEED to be helmet to helmet! And Lambert's quote there is one for the ages and one that he was fully serious about. One last observation, Atkinson was so pre-occupied with taking Swann out on that cheap shot of his that Harris went blowing by him for a big gain. Atkinson was such a PUNK!!!

 

WHEN IN DANGER, OR IN DOUBT, RUN IN CIRCLES SCREAM AND SHOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

one things for sure, in those days our offense was as mean as our defense. i hate the raiders to this day.

 

I love the way they used to tape their whole arms up like that. I suppose now that would be illegal wouldn't it? I mean can you imagine them having their arms taped up like that and then they smack you in the head coming off the line? Dang they played rough.

 

Personally, I"m pulling for Baltimore (and I effin' hate Baltimore). I pulled for Baltimore last week against New England (because there isn't a team in the history of this league that I've disliked more than Belichik's Patriots). I'm ONLY pulling for Baltimore in the Super Bowl because I don't want to see SF tie us for the standard at 6 titles. Also, like most people in America, I loathe Jim Harbaugh. I don't care much for John either, but Jim is just awful.

Truth be told, I probably won't even watch the game. I could care less who wins.

Another reason I'm pulling for Baltimore: I actually like Ray Lewis. I respect the hell out of him. I think he should have been a Steeler. He's a warrior. And he's always respected our organization and its players. When Ben was going through his Milledgeville stuff, Ray reached out. He's a players player. A man amongst men. He doesn't play dirty. He plays with pride and character. I'm hoping they send him out on top like we did with Jerome. Don't get me wrong, if Baltimore was playing AANNNNY other NFC team I'd be hoping the Ravens would get embarrassed beyond belief. But, all things considered, I'd rather that we stay alone as the measuring stick for success in the Super Bowl era.

Go Bal . . . I can't say it. I'll just say I hope the 49ers don't win.

 

What if Colbert was right and the talent level just doesn't exist any more?

I attended nine games this season and I can tell you this: during the pre-game warmups, the players looked PUMPED UP! Ready to play!! Not sure that I ever thought they looked "lifeless" until, of course, they were getting beat. I remember watching the pregame routine before San Diego thinking, "Damn! These guys are ready to play today!!" Then I sat in the rain watching some of the worst football I can ever recall this team playing (with the exception of the game at Cleveland a few weeks earlier).

It's easy to say the players look unenthused win they're losing. But, again, what if it isn't about effort, what if it's about lack of execution directly attributed to a decline in talent?

I always remember the NFL films episode about the Steelers where Andy Russell or Joe Greene was talking about how Chuck Noll took over the team and said something like, "It's not for lack of effort. You guys are trying really hard. You're just not very good. Most of you won't be here next year."

Isn't that what Colbert basically just said?

 

Steelers score on the side of their ring??!! Wow, HA HA!!!!

 

The attitude of the players in all sports these days is completely different than 'back in the day.'

We can thank Curt Flood for that.

Free agency created a market, as the popularity of the sports increased, endorsement deals increased, television contracts increased, player salaries went through the roof, etc . . . 'for love of the game' disappeared and was replaced with 'show me the money.' Marching bands playing fight songs were replaced with hip-hop artists boasting about getting rich. These players treat this game as a business these days. There is less concern about loyalty, rivalry, and competition on the field of play and more concern with how they are being compensated financially.

My alma mater lost a four-star recruit from a local high school recently because he wanted to attend school in Southern California because it had a "bigger media market" and it would help him to better "brand" himself.

I long for the days when the rivalries existed. Nowadays you need to turn to college sports to find them. The purity still exists there since the kids don't get paid (unless you go to Auburn).

 

I'm not even close to getting rid of Tomlin either. The ones carrying the pitchforks and lanterns are probably the same yo-yos calling for Arians to be dismissed (then witnessing his meteoric rise to a head coaching position of his own). Probably laid in their cribs while their parents and grandparents booed Bradshaw and fired up a Hanratty chant at Three Rivers. Must be in the DNA.

It's almost laughable to see that these people attribute Tomlin's Super Bowl win (and second appearance) to playing with Cowher's players yet condemn Tomlin for going 8-8 when those same players retire and/or lose a step because Tomlin has done a poor job in April drafting their replacements. As if it's easy to replace the talent level we've been losing in recent years. As if he was personally responsible for instantly replacing a roster full of borderline hall of famers and pro bowlers whose careers all seemed to simultaneously come to a close within a few years of each other (Bettis, Hines, Faneca, Porter, Aaron Smith, Farrior, Hampton, Keisel, Harrison, Polamalu, etc). As if Cowher mastered the draft (forgetting second-round picks like Scott Shields, Alonzo Jackson, Ricardo Colclough, et al). Of course, it's proably easier to land a marquee player when you go 6-10 and need a quarterback during a qb-heavy draft. Master of the obvious says it's generally much more difficult to find studs when you're consistently drafting close to the bottom of the first round because you're always WINNING (playing in the post-season). In hindsight, perhaps our two most important seasons of the past decade were struggling in '02 and '03 so we could draft Polamalu and Roethlisberger.

I don't envy Tomlin's position. Has he ever really had the opportunity to lead this coaching staff? I mean, he steps in and there's Dick Lebau running the defense. A God in Pittsburgh. A legend in the coaching ranks. People felt he should have gone into Canton as much for his zone blitzing scheme as his playing days. His 3-4 blitzing defense revered in the Burgh. And Tomlin is supposed to just come in and change things? To his credit, he has let Lebau do his thing. And, again, here we sit with the #1 defense. Kudos to Mike for not forcing his 4-3 system on the organization. Or did he even have a choice?

The only real change occured when Art decided to intervene, chase that lousy offensive clown Arians away (hindsight is pretty crazy on this one, eh?!) and bring in a guy that our franchise quarterback clearly doesn't want so that we can get back to the running game (which, of course, Haley is exempt from blame while Tomlin is criticized for not being able to choose one back because, after all, nobody can find their rhythm with that sort of rotation -- damn Tomlin!). Yep, our owner undermines our coach (PUBLICLY, I might add), replaces a coach the entire offense seems to love with one they apparently all, well . . . don't. Leaving our coach to shrug his shoulders with a "he's the boss" kind of attitude and, again . . . Tomlin takes the blame.

Thank God Dan Rooney put his Gaelic-speaking arse on a plane and came racing back to save the franchise. Art took the keys and is driving this thing on the shoulder and dangerously close to the wall. Please tell me Dan has the keys now and Art is in the back seat strapped into a child seat so Tomlin can do his thing and lead us back to ANOTHER Super Bowl . . . AGAIN.

 

I will third the notion.

 

Panic? Why would the Steelers (in other words the Rooney's ) panic? That money train keeps on rolling at 8-8 the same as 12-4. Besides pride what do they care what the record is as long as those seats in the stadium are getting filled?

 

Yep. I've been a fan since Bradshaw, so I've seen the dry spells and know better than to get involved in fan panic right now.

 

This reads like something a trolll would write.

I don't think very few Steelers fans are going to accuse the Rooneys of being disinterested in winning as long as they were turning a profit.

The days of The Chief just being happy to make payroll in a fledgling league are long over.

 

What is it that you like about the Steelers?

 

art was one of the scouts that helped them win the first 4 SB's, so running him in the ground as knowing nothing kinda goes against what you said. i remember chuck pulling bradshaw alot for hanratty because he could stink up the joint at times and it made him better for doing it. nowdays if ben can drag a dangling leg onto the field he plays and plays bad but we stay with it. noll got the most out of his players to make them that good. big difference.

 

Hey Jack, look back at my post that made every one go all GORILLA DIC* on me. If we can't win it I root for the AFC, if that team is in the AFC North I root for them. As I stated before, it gives you 2 maybe 3 chances to beat the champs next year, on our way back to the SB

 

art will continue to run the show. his dad is still part of it too along with dan. dan and the front office told BA and MT that they wanted to run the ball more effectively the year pryor. it didn't happen and i think they thought they had to take matters in their own hands. he is a very young head coach and learning to be one. i'm glad they let him do his thing but don't want to let it get away either. they also wanted their franchise qb to stay healthy in his golden years and that didn't improve under BA. they again didn't want it to get out of hand and made a decision. they do own this team. tomlin has some learning to do yet, and i'm glad they are helping that process along.

 

I still don't get it.

 

we don't know how much of it was kevin colbert getting leaned on about it either. it could have been his recommendation. i think the rooney's will do what's right for their product whether we like some things or not. their vote of confidence in MT was giving him extensions. he didn't have to accept them.