Former Steeler Great Harrison Retiring

100x $59,000 is $5.9Million. He could do events, auographs, public appearances (something which clearly fits his personality) from now till he was 120 yrs old, and he wouldn't make anywhere near that kind of scratch.

 

He could have been the Steelers strength coach the next day and eventually linebacker coach. That's 100-200k per a year with benefits. His wife is a successful lawyer in Pittsburgh. It wasn't about money but spite.

 

I've little doubt it was a bit spiteful but it was more about the guy wanting to PLAY the game he loved (and he worked damn hard for the privilege to do so). I would feel a bit spiteful too if I knew in my heart I had something to contribute but wasn't be allowed to do so. Winners want the ball... isn't that the way the line goes? Could he have made more money as you say SDOT? Sure... but maybe that's not as important to him as was the chance to play some meaningful football during his last season.

 

It’s a business.

Nope, apparently I couldn’t do it.

 

We can all go on and on as a lot of us have and still never get this situation satisfied across the board. Some of that is what makes this place a blast even with all of the fist shaking that goes on.

I'll personally never understand why James wasn't used more. Football is a game of chess and there were absolutely times that he could've been inserted to stop some of the run gashing going on, on his side of the ball. It would require an adjustment made and those are sparse at times it seems with this team I know, but it could've been attempted notably so against Jax and chi. Chick got mauled I think in the bears game if memory serves me and it was embarrassing that it was not attempted. He also might've made for some good help for tuitt on the other side when bud was faltering.

I've said it over the years, mainly with Ben and most recently with Mitchell regarding players being injured or just having an off day. Many times Ben should not have seen the field or been yanked just out of necessary preservation, but they refuse to do it. I get that Ben's a gamer and has done some miraculous **** over the years, but sometimes their best isn't good enough when their no where near their best for whatever reason and a smart coach will try anything to find a spark or stop the bleeding... Not just a have to because option A is a no go.

If somebody or some thing ain't working on any particular day, you gotta make a move. Guys aren't on the sidelines for just injury subs. Get them some work, give them a blow... Find a spark. Or just drive folks into the turf and take the L not living in your fears I guess.

 

I'll never be able to prove it but I just feel this in my gut. Joey Porter was jealous of James Harrison and I believe he was at least partially responsible for his mishandling. Two ultra-alpha males with petty mindsets are inevitably going to have issues.

 

Ok so now we finally got the it's a business and he needed the money nonsense out the way. Now we are talking about playing 4 games so bad to ruin 13 years in Pittsburgh and his legacy/retirement. Horrible decision he has to live with for the rest of his life.

 

Well apparently he called Joey Porter about advice on if he should go to the Patriots and still did it. So you might be onto something.

 

Going to another team is one thing, but I don't like some of the stories of how he acted on the Southside during team meetings. That was bad form in my opinion.

As good as James was I'd take another Joey Porter, who was more of a galvanizer in addition to being a badass. So many leaders on that defense. Keisel/Porter/Farrior/Clark I miss those days already.

 

"live with"? As you say.... he's made his "F U" money... he wanted to show the Steelers he could still play... I think he did that so I would hope he gained some satisfaction out of proving something to himself and the organization. I could easily see a fellow competitor like JPeazy telling him to follow his heart... that if the pats were going to give him playing time and that's what's important to him, then he should do that. We all know how he feels about "participation trophies" and riding the pine is even worse.

At the risk of dispensing "fortune cookie wisdom"... it's often better to regret something you did than something you didn't do. He would have had to live with not getting play when he felt he had skills.

 

Towards the end of the movie "Bull Durham", Annie had an internal monologue (after Crash was cut) about respecting a player who is just trying to finish a season.

 

I sure didn't like the way it ended with him leaving the Steelers and going to the Pats last year, but I loved having him as a Steeler.

 

Agreed. Then add on top he did all that during a year honoring Mr Rooney and his fellow LB is in the hospital and can't walk. Makes him look very selfish and a **** human being but we already knew this.

60k is F U money? He played 4 games and didn't get a contract for this year because he's done like the Steelers said. He didn't really prove anything. He had 60 snaps in the Super Bowl and 1 tackle and 1 assist. He proved the Steelers right if anything.

 

I don't even give his time with the Pats a second thought when I consider the great plays he made in black n gold.

Watching him blow people up and put some fear and intimidation into his opponents.

If the ref's would have called even half the holding penalties every time he was put in a choke hold by a beaten left tackle he could of had 125 sacks.

His play in the Super bowl has to be one of if not the greatest plays ever.

We should all watch that play over and over and see if you can still hate him or even dislike him after remembering how much joy and excitement we all felt as it happened.

 

Good for Harrison. I don't care that he signed with the Patriots last year. He is always a Steeler to me! He is one of the Steeler greats and has not tarnished his image. I'm not sure why some feel he had to seek approval or there was a list of teams that were off the table for him. Him signing with the Patriots was not against Steeler Nation. For him it was a bittersweet "gotcha" to the coaches who said he didn't have enough in the tank, didn't dress him. He felt disrespected and I can completely empathize with him on that.

 

Steelers played him and we got ran all over. In 3 playoff games.. He had 7 tackles, 1 assist, and 0 sacks. What exactly did he prove? That he could run around and be there? We knew that. He didn't get PT over Watt because he's a shell of his former self which he proved. He proved the Steelers right if anything with his little stunt.

 

"It's about showing the coaches he's still got it" First thing he did was run and take a picture with Brady and post in on social media



Here he is basically telling Steelers fans to unfollow him. He doesn't want us.



Here he post "Still going.. " To rub it in the Steelers face because we lost



Here he is posting some fake instagram for sympathy and to make Pittsburgh look bad when Boston is the most racist city in the US.





If it was "strictly business" He would have just shut up and put his head down and played but for somebody that rarely uses social media except to post lifting videos. He was real active during his little stint with the Patriots. I see right thru his bull****. His plan failed and he's trying to run back to us with his tail between his legs and I'm not going to allow it.

 

Talking about the money he made over his career. He was trying to get his last reps on the field... not to get another contract IMO. He played and was moderately effective (which is what I think we was trying to prove). I am *not* suggesting that he should have been put in over, say, Watt... not at all.

My bottom line is: the guy worked his ass off to get a chance to play the game for as long as he could. When he wasn't given the chance to play where he wanted to, he went where ever he would be allowed to (and he had a shot at another ring too... one that he contributed to). Was it the most team oriented thing? Of course not... it was an aging athlete trying to get one last chance at seeing the field of battle.

Now the point you make about the social media stuff... yeah sure that was probably spiteful... don't see where he came back to the team with his tail between his legs. Anyway.... i get the hard feelings but, having "riden the pine" myself in my chosen sport when I felt I could contribute and moving to a different team where I could... I've no problem with the guy going to NE... does it irk me as a Steelers fan? Sure!! Do I resent him for it (and even the social media BS)... I can't without being hypocritical.

 

Just look at his history: He has always been fueled by hatred. That move was perfectly normal behavior for him, but, Tomlin did seem like he lied to him.

 

^^^ My name is WinTheNorth and I endorse this message

 

Actually, he offered NE a little more than "nothing." He had a sack or two and forced some plays into failing from being near. I bet given equal opportunity, he would still produce more than Dupree, who resembles a straight up stiff if you ask me.

 

But they want to push Dupree to see what they have.

 

Bringing up stats from a meaningless game against the Jets with a back-up QB. I was providing stats from the playoffs.

 

I’m sensing a lot of internal tension in some of Yinz n’ at.