Article: Thoughts on Arians & Lebeau Returning in 2012

This was a great read. It has so much truth in it with things that have been said before and more. One very important thing the author said in the article was: Yet as a fan and human being with critical thinking skills, I still have the right to question specific moves that are made by the franchise for better or worse

http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/01/11/le ... more-11777

Lets hope the Steelers organization does the right thing and not bring you know who back!

 

I wish more people on here would understand that true fans also question moves the team makes. I have bashed Ben and Ariens on here and have gotten ripped by more than a few people. I've been told I have insecurity issues because I don't like Ben as a person or a player, I've been told I'm not a true fan, etc, etc, etc. Some people need to read that quote and understand it.

 

I disagree with a few points here and there, but otherwise a really good article... too bad we'll be subject to the exact same thing next year as we saw this year...

 

Just out of curiosity, which points did you disagree with?

 

Sounds just like I wrote it.....LOL......We will just have to accept it because BA will not be leaving.....As crazy as this sounds if they Keep BA we probly would play better if Ben went down for about the 1st. 15 games of the season.....The reason I say that is BA will game plan for the other QB'S and he will play ball control and the field position game....

So I think we could win more games that way get a better seed and go in the Post Season with a healthy Ben....I am affraid BA will allow Ben to be hurt and play the entire season next year and under BA a non mobile Ben is a bad QB let's face it.....Under a real OC they would be teaching him to read the D ,design quicker routes and make him get the ball out faster more often....If Ben would learn those things he would have a better chance to win when he is banged up.....

So we could see the perfect Storm brew again next year....A OC who refuses to Protect or Coach the QB,,,,and a QB who refuses to learn how to protect himself and learn the game.....

 

Haha, I knew someone was going to ask and I wouldn't remember. Off the top of my head his criticism of Lebeau for the 38 points the rats put up. When the offense turns the ball over 7 times it's difficult to fault the D, especially when the rats used the off season to build the "anti-steelers".

 

First of all, shaner82, you have the right to state your opinion as you feel, and not worry about what people say or think. I have stated my opinion about Bruce Arians starting back on the old message board, and I don't care what people think or say. It is no secret. There are more people in Steeler Nation who feel like I do about Arians then there are people who support him. Like the author of the article stated: "Bruce Arians gets the most criticism from everybody in Steeler Nation not named William Gay." So, say whats on your mind and let your feelings be known. Maybe somebody will get the message within the Steelers organization and do something about it.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. BA has certainly underperformed given the offensive weapons that he has at his disposal. The red zone ineptitude is INEXCUSABLE. Sooner or later, we need to talk about Mike Tomlin's unwillingness to pull the trigger and do something different at the OC position. Tomlin just reminds me of a deer caught in the headlights when it comes to making key coaching decisions and when it comes to making decisions during the game. He looks half scared to death at most games and appears to me to be nothing more than a spectator. If he wants to go down with BA, then so be it. It's his decision. As for Lebeau, I think he has run his course as well and in case no one's noticed, the zone blitzing scheme has been figured out.

In my opinion, the Steelers should be making a change at both OC and DC and here's what they should do:
FIRE BRUCE ARIANS IMMEDIATELY AND REPLACE HIM WITH TODD HALEY. HALEY DID A NICE JOB AS OC OF THE CARDS AND HAS PITTSBURGH CONNECTIONS.
ALLOW DICK LEBEAU TO RETIRE (ALTHOUGH HE MAY NEED TO BE "ENCOURAGED") AND BRING IN STEVE SPAGNOLA AS THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

There you have it. Those are my suggestions not that anyone is listening.

 

I'm listening JackAttack. You make some very good cases. Both of your replacement Coordinators would be great candidates for the job. I also think Tom Clements from the Green Bay packers could be a great candidate for the OC job. But, whoever it is it has to be somebody who can coach and teach Ben. He needs to be brought back down to earth. Nobody ever saids anything to him for whatever bone headed mistakes he makes. Remember what happen to Brady in the Redskins game when he thru that interception in the end zone. The OC jumped all over him! Tomlin, Arians and nobody else ever saids anything to Ben. He does whatever he wants, even to the point of telling them when he is going to play when hurt.

If BA comes back, I don't see the offense getting any better. That will be his downfall, if the season turns out like this pass season, which I can't see getting any better. He is incapable of improving this offense, even with the crrent players.

 

If Keith Butler doesn't get the DC spot would we lose him altogether? That would be a tough blow.

 

I wonder how long Keith Bulter is willing to hang around. I know he's passed up offers already.

 

FBAI

FDLI

FMTI

Well, guess that's not happening. For an off year, they did lead the Steelers to a 12-4 record and a wildcard playoff. Just think, Steelers' nation is disappointed; the Bengals and Lions are tickled pink about their seasons. Interesting point about the Bengals though, they've kept Lewis as coach for a while now. Perhaps they are hoping to emulate some of the consistency the Rooney's have shown as a formula for success.

Then again, the Raiders fired their coach, again. Maybe that's what the Steelers should become, an organization that is so committed to the win that they get rid of inferior coaches. What has consistency ever done for this organization?

Let's all say it in unison, FBAI! FDLI! FMTI! And become the Raiders, or the Rams, or the Dolphins, or the whoever else doesn't keep their coaches around and don't have success.

 

Few people want Tomlin, Ariens and Lebeau gone in the same year. That's simply not necessary and would be excessive no matter the problems we had this year. I get what you're saying, and I agree with it, consistency is important and has resulted in success for our franchise since the 70's. With that said, past success of our franchise isn't a reason to keep a crappy coordinator or even a crappy head coach. I'm not saying Tomlin is crappy, just making a point. Lets say they hired some crappy coach instead of Tomlin, would you support keeping him on for the long term just because that's what we've done in the past?

The fact is, consistency isn't the reason we were successful, we were successful because it just so happens we had guys like Noll and Cowher who were hall of fame coaches. That's also the reason we were consistent, because our coaches were so successful. If Cowher had stunk it up, believe me, the Rooney's would have replaced him. BA is stinking it up and has for 4 out of 5 years, and arguably 5 out of 5 seasons. In 2009 our offence was pretty good if you look at the season wide numbers, but from a game to game basis, we were inconsistent. It also goes to show you that this teams success isn't due to our offence, as we missed the playoffs in 2009 when the defence had a down year, and in fact, we win despite our offensive deficiencies.

I want consistency as much as you do, but BA needs to be replaced. He's had 5 years and our offence has been below average. How many more years does he get to prove himself? This offence has had a ton of potential for years now, at what point is it on the OC to make potential become reality?

 

As much as I enjoy partaking in this debate it is a no win situation, you have some people comparing the Steelers franchise to the Bengals and Lions,lol. This BA- anti BA argument is a microcosm of the world we live in today, where more often then not no one is held accountable for their actions. The guy has done nothing to justify keeping his job yet people blindly support him.I'm really not looking to insult anyone but if you can't see that there is something wrong with the way we go about it offensively with the talent that we have, then your not looking at it objectively. There is so much room for improvement and he has been given more than enough time to make this offense respectable.(D.R.B.A.I.)

 

As funny as it sounds BA and DL are too conservative. It might be due to there age but I don't think being conservative is the answer here. We have asked for a youth movement on this team for several years concerning the players now might be the time to look for a youth movement in the coaching ranks. I couple of fearless younger guys that will take some chances and put a spark back in this team. This team didn't have the spark this year and I really missed it!

 

For Lebeau, you only need a 50 year old coach for the youth movement. It will still be a 20 year age difference...

 

We can do better, and should, BA should have been fired years ago.
And Dick Lebeau needs to get on with his lifes work. Its really that simple.
Mike Tomlin was suppose to be this great defensive mind, why doesn't he take
more control of the defense? Big talker no action!

 

I understand that, but when has a situation where an assistant coach has been "groomed" to take over ever worked out?

 

For the Steelers or league wide? It doesn't work for the Steelers only because we have had very, very little turnover among our coaching staff. Assistants come up the ranks and successfully take over all the time though, if you're talking league wide.

 

I wasn't comparing the Steelers to the Lions and Bengals, I was making a contrast. There is a difference. My point was, now that the organization has said that BA and DL are returning, let's swallow hard and accept it and not turn every thread into a FBA thread! I love the Steelers, which is why I come to this board to discuss, banter, joke, and entertain. But I get so tired of reading every thread move to a FBA discussion that I close the browser and find something else to do. The coaches are who they are. Sure there's a time to be critical, but why must it consume every discussion we ever have?

 

Bring them back if you must...................But Like some movie I watched where the Old Folks Played kick the Can.....Fresh Young Minds...............

LOL....Anyone know the Movie??/

 

Yeah the organization didn't say that though. In fact about the only thing that was said was Tomlin saying he expects them to be there and Lebeau telling the players to get rested up because next year they have a SB to win. Nothing from BA, Nothing from the FO and nothing definitive quite yet although it does appear that they will be back. Here is a quote from an article on the Steeler's homepage that is about the players are not happy that changes are coming.

“There’s always going to be changes,” said Tomlin. “There are changes every year. I am not going to sit here and pretend like there’s not going to be changes. To what extent, at this point I am not ready to address. That’s why I enjoy these journeys. They are precious. At the end of this thing, the wheels do continue to turn.

This is the type of ambiguous statement Tomlin likes to make since he could just be talking about changes in players, maybe scheme, maybe the approach to training , maybe coaching, who knows but until there is an official press release stating contract extensions for Lebeau and Arians nothing is for sure.

 

Then I stand corrected. I thought I had read an article that said they would be returning. If it was just speculation, then FBAI, hehe