Being cursed and taking responsibility

I try not to blame individuals for outcomes of football games, especially from a spectators point of view. We rarely know what was supposed to happen on a play (what were blocking assignments, what route was supposed to be run, who was responsible for covering who, etc.), so I try to look at the big picture and overall themes. I see two.

1. The Steelers are cursed. In addition to what seems like an extraordinary number of injuries, there just have been too many bizarre plays that have gone against the team. There was the fumble earlier in the year that squirted forward and gave the opponent a first down rather than a turnover. I have never seen a false start by a kicker on a field goal attempt. And having a touchdown overturned because a helmet flew off? I know I am a homer, but these types of things don't happen to a team unless there is a black cloud or evil genie hovering over the team. I am surprised we haven't had a winning field goal attempt clang off an upright or winning TD overturned on some weird technicality.

2. Ben and Tomlin keep saying they take responsibility for our losses, but in the immortal words of Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means". When someone takes responsibility for a car accident, they have to pay. When someone takes responsibility for a crime, they have to pay. When someone takes responsibility for child support, they have to pay. When a samurai takes responsibility for failure, they fall on their sword. I don't see Tomlin or Ben handing over their game check when they "take responsibility". There are no repercussions for failing, at least in the short term (we'll see after the season if the Rooneys help them "take responsibility"). So please stop using that word. It is beginning to make you look stoopid.

 

Maybe the Browns, Lions, Cardinals, Panthers, Vikings, Bills, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Seahawks, and Cardinals blame the refs, the fans, the league, the College teams, Bush, MLB, NHL, NBA, and squirrels rather than themselves. Last time I checked, none of them have won a Superbowl. They take responsibility rather than pass the buck. Usually, that is a character trait you want your team to have.

 

I've never really been one to believe in curses. Also I think they are more of a baseball thing. As far as taking responsibility for stuff a lot of that is just lip service. Guys do it all across the league though. Tom Brady can make a perfect throw that gets dropped at a critical time and then say "I should have made a better throw on that one. It's my fault." I think Tomlin literally says after every loss that he takes responsibility for it. William Faulkner called it "sound and fury signifying nothing" and I think that's about right across the whole NFL. About the only useful thing you get from a Tomlin presser is an injury report. That's pretty much true across the board I would say.

 

Wikipedia definition of curse

The main thing that jumps out at me is hex or magic related.
Magic doesn't exist.

What you are describing about the Steelers in your first bullet, can be explained by lack of preparation and execution. Essentially "You don't know what you don't know". The coaching and game plan under Tomlin has been ill prepared for years. These last 2 you years really exposes all of a Tomlin coached team. However, you can go back 2-5 years and find the same problems, just on a smaller scale. Its not really "unlucky" that our kicker false started, the team clearly isn't on the same level of prep or execution as other professional teams. As far as bad bounces and reversal of calls, this happens all over the NFL every week. Usually more so to the bad teams, see the 0-16 Detroit Lions, and just the Lions in General.

I could write a book on the coaching problems with this team but others on the board have already hit on this point. I just wanted to point out that is better to recognize that these are actual people who are just failing at their job (and should be held accountable, your second point) rather than magic curses and hexes dooming the team.

 

I take responsibility for wearing my Steelers beanie the first half
I put it back into the closet at halftime

that 2pt conversion gave me the same feeling as those 3 yards in '94

ARRGGHH and the rug burn on my belbow when I fell to the ground in agony

plus the loss of a few dollars


WE STILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!! DAMMIT

 

I don't buy a curse for a second. **** happens.

As for Ben and MT giving up a paycheck, would you?

 

I don't think a team that's 6-2 in the only game that matters is cursed. Now, the Chargers? They're cursed. I know because I'm the one who cursed them back in '72.

 

Yeah I don't buy into the curse thing.
I kinda understand what he's saying with the "taking responsibility" thing though, it's just becoming lip service at this point.

 

No, not cursed, but your point is well taken. The Steelers have been involved in what seems to be a disproportionate amount of weirdness over the years (or maybe it only SEEMS disporportionate because they're the only team I routinely follow). Some of the weirdness is self inflicted (false-starting on a field goal?, that bizarre God Awful fake field goal attempt against I think the Giants last year? Plaxico Burress getting up after a reception and spiking the ball without being touched, Antonio Brown running in open field who inexplicably fumbles with no defender close by, clock management extraordinaire), some is inflicted upon you ('heads-tails?' 3 times the league apologized to Cowher in a single year for mistakes made at the end of football games that could have impacted the outcome, 11-10 against the Chargers instead of 17?, Polamalu's 'non-interception' against the Colts leading up to SB XL), and some stuff just happens (is it just me or does it seem like there's drama around every score we make since Super Bowl XLIII? Even in SB XLIII it seems like every score we have requires an in-depth long review. Now, we get to the 1 and it's like giving birth to get a guy with 2 feet down inside the goal line or his knee not touching just before the ball hits the goal line, we DO it but it feels like a major event when it occurs.... a guy approaches the first down marker and you just pray he doesn't slip under his own power before reaching the marker).

I suspect if you followed another team closely, you could probably point to similar things. The Immaculate Reception comes to mind, the first victim of the 'Leaping' penalty, Hey Diddle Diddle...why the hell can't you tackle Ray Rice?, but all of the weirdness over the years, the good times and bad, have made watching the Steelers an experience that is both maddening and one I wouldn't trade for anything.

I've had similar observations about the word 'responsibility.' It would only take about 2 or 3 admissions about 'responsibility' for screwups in my own workplace where I'd soon be on the unemployment line. The first time people may look upon it positively....after that, people wouldn't want there to be a NEED to hear about it anymore. But it's a cliche like most other things coaches say. Like taking one game at a time....(but then having guys like Ryan Clark predicting the playoffs after an 0-4 start. Er...win a game first there, okay?)

Not giving up hope this year. We've still got lots of potential for further gut-wrenching memories!

 

Stop being disgusting.

Whatever a belbow is...

 

I fell to the floor on both of those plays and got a rugburn on my ELBOW

I know you're just messing with me tho'

 

Leaders take responsibility for the team's failure. Ben and MT are saying what they are supposed to say.

 

OK, I really don't believe in the curse, unless the curse's name is Tomlin. I fear that Tomlin strolling the sideline looking clueless is the icon for the season. The head coach not knowing where he is on the field is probably symbolic of the lack of awareness and discipline for the entire team. But I am sure he will take responsibility.

What I really wish is that the team comes out the next four games and kicks everyone's butt, and Ben and Tomlin then say "I take full responsibility for that whooping we put on people".

 

of course Tomlin's clueless on the sidelines
that's how he was in the way on that play

funny

how he didn't have his typical "deer in headlamps" look

 

There is no doubt in my mind that Tomlin knew exactly where he was.

 

yep and I have zero problem with it

proof he made adjustments

 

There's a universal axiom that explains all - "CHANCE FAVORS THE PREPARED MIND!" Followed closely by: "No such thing as luck - it is instead preparation meeting opportunity"

I truly believe these two rules explain every bit of success and failure the Steelers (and anyone else for that matter) have ever experienced. Hence - no curses, no black clouds, no snake-bitten, no God's smiling down, no luck o' the Irish etc etc

 

Adjustment?

 

... I just wonder how long it took him to realize he gave the Rooneys some ammo?? LOL