Vrabel...

Remember him? He couldn't break bread around here but goes on to have a HOF career with the Pats. Bad coaching on our part? Or good coaching on theirs? Maybe we just gave up too soon? Or am I just remembering it all wrong. Fortunately there has not been hardly any other situations of the nature to compare otherwise we'd get to the answer quicker. Now letting people go, is a whole other basket.

I only ask this, because of the Lebeau talk and his scheme or our coaches inability to coach players up and get the most juice for their squeeze out of em.

 

I think Cowher cut him waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy to soon.

 

I don't think Lebeau had anything to do with Vrabel. He wasn't back yet.

I do agree if the point the organization is keeping Lebeau 2 years too long might be a valid debate. Aging stops for no man.

 

Vrabel turned into a good player, but not the type we look for as a OLB.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VrabMi20.htm

If our OLBs get 4 or 5 sacks, we're flipping our lids.

 

True... Hadn't thought of it like that. Still would've been a gamer I think but not the HOF guy he became. Don't like belicheat, but he knows how to get the most out of his guys even if he sees the need in playing them situationally both ways.

 

Yeah could be, if we would've/could've used him right.

 

Couldnt remember if Dick was back or not... Too many beers ago.

 

Unless Vrabel buys a ticket, he ain't ever getting in the HoF. He made 1 pro bowl.

 

DL arrived the same year as Ben.

 

If I had a vote to give, he'd get it. On ass busting merit alone. Too many people that busted their asses, or were legends, getting stiffed by divas and premature selections these days. But that's just me.

 

Kuhn is another we tossed way too early... Must've been the offensive scheme getting away from the FB. Still pisses me off

 

All I can say is he was where he was meant to be. Penguins in a similar story drafted a guy by the name of Matt Moulson, he ends up to be a consistent 30 goal scorer.

He is being kept too long and I feel the root of our problem is here we are going into year 7 under Tomlin and he isn't putting his own imprint on this team (hiring a DC that runs his defensive philosophies). Then again I'm not sure he is capable of that since all I seen is him riding Arians and Lebeaus coattail in the beginning.

 

you're definitely remembering it all wrong.......... vrabel was a victim of the numbers game at a time when our defensive roster was stacked nearly everywhere...... back in those days, next man up actually meant something

 

Could be, I was in my partying mode and punk band days. Just remember being pissed that we let him go. I've matured some since then hahahahaha.

 

Viable was not cut. He was signed away as a free agent.

He played more of a rush DE for us. We were stacked at OLB at the time.

it was good drafting. A problem we used to have. Had to let good ball players go.

 

Yeah this here.

Off the top of my head, he was in Pittsburgh about the time they had Kirkland, Lloyd, Greene, and Gildon. (I know Im probably not totally right about the guys in front of him and someone will correct me, but he was buried behind some pretty solid talent)

 

Ok, I looked it up. The entire time he was in Pittsburgh Kirkland and Earl Holmes were the inside guys. And the outside guys were Gildon and Lloyd in 97, Gildon and Emmons in 98&99, and Gildon and Porter in 2000.

 

And yet people are ready to give up On Jarvis Jones already!
SMH

 

Boom haha nicely done Glenn, you're absolutely right. Sometimes around here we bash the Steelers (Tomlin, DL, whoever) for giving up too soon, then the next day we bash them for holding on too long. Ya just can't win lol

 

If I remember, he had a pretty key sack in that thrilling 7-6 playoff game vs the Pats. My lord was that a stinker of a game, with Kordel scoring on a long run on the first drive, then they never scored again. To ink I drove 9 hours each way and paid $300 for my ticket...well, at least they won...

 

Spot on.

 

With the exception of Emmons that is a very tough line up to crack.

 

I think the Steelers RARELY let someone walk that is a truly great player. Kevin Greene and Rod Woodson are about the only ones I can honestly think of. I'm talking in terms of letting a guy go that has a lot left in the tank. I say Vrabel or no Vrabel we have the same amount of trophies we would have had. I still really liked him as a player though. Guys like him are fun to watch.

 

Kind of what's I was saying/ searching out In this post.