Is everyone else sick of....

The media constantly making it out like Ben and Todd Haley hate eachother? I just read a story on nfl.com that was saying how something is "not right" in Pittsburgh. It was talking about how Ben is struggling to learn Haley's system and basically like Ben is being a total baby about it. But it got me to thinking and maybe someone on here could help me out but does anyone remember how Ben felt about BA's new system? Were there constant stories talking about how Ben was "struggling" and "frustrated"? In this article they actually go so far as to question if the Rooneys know what they are doing! I mean that is just ridiculous! Am I the only one that is totally sick of all this Haley hate?

 

Don't worry about it too much. If they can exaggerate and stretch the truth a little or a lot for more attention, best believe they will. Anyone who has paid any attention to it at all could tell you it's not a big deal and certainly not story worthy, but to the uninformed masses? It's just Ben being a douche in their eyes. That's what they want to see and so that's what they see. Ben seems to be a magnet for bad press anyways, am I right?

 

Boy have YOU come to the wrong place.

But yes, the media does always seem to be a step behind. The fans mostly had that freakout when he was first hired and then got over it. Now we are just waiting and seeing. I was blown away by that ESPN special in which all three "experts" had us placing third in the division and missing the playoffs. And here I thought we had greatly improved ourselves from a year ago! All they see is stuff like the loss of Aaron Smith, James Farrior, Hines Ward, Chris Hoke... I love all those guys, but we were winning games without all them last season. Yes we have some questions, like ILB and CB, but those were questions last year too. Farrior already sat out half the time and Gay wasn't that good. What have we lost? Leadership and history, absolutely. Production on the field? I'm not seeing the dropoff, considering what those guys were doing during our last 12-4 season.

What I do see when talking about production on the field is a revamped and more talented offensive line (by far our biggest trouble spot since 2007), a better offensive coordinator, and another year of maturity for a lot of young up-and-comers. We seem like a team on the rise to me.

Back to the topic... yes, it's super annoying. Doesn't help that Ben keeps fanning the flames by saying stuff that he knows will be taken this way. The way they didn't meet... Then someone asks how his first day is with Haley's offense and his first word is "Frustrating," there's going to be tons of talk and complaints, no matter how justified it is. If they don't give a crap about it, fine, but if they wanted to prevent all the talk, they could have by making an effort. They didn't.

 

Yes I'm tired of it and I refuse to watch, read or listen to anything to do with it.

And to comment on your question about BA's "system" and Ben having issues with it and such. You have to remember BA was promoted from within he was already the QB coach for the Steelers. And then the stories about them going through this HUGE existing playbook and slimming it down to what they liked/etc. So basically it wasn't anything new for him then (though I'm sure BA might have added a few things) and Ben probably had a good bit of input as to what stayed and what went (unlike now).

 

I clearly remember being worried about our promising young QB with a ridiculous winning percentage and how far he might be set back with a new offense to learn.

Well, I also clearly remember Cower being asked this and his answer. I need to paraphrase a bit, but not too much. He had said the playbook was huge and hadn't been edited all the way back to the Erhardt days (I believe). I have a vague recollection of something being said like it was 300 pages. Now, that could have been an exaggeration or a close guess and maybe it had the defensive plays too, I don't know.

Cower went on to say they were going to keep the same offense, but just edit and refine it quite a bit. That's what I remember. So, Ben didn't have to learn a whole new system and it's probably one of the reasons for his/our success. I think Mr. Chin learned a lot from trying to bend Kordell instead of bending the system to the player.

I haven't read this NFL.com article, but we know reporters can spin and inflate, no doubt. But, not if this fool doesn't give them fire to first fuel and fan. If this gets out of control I won't be excited to read the fans who keep carrying Ben's water for him. Almost boasting about his NOT keeping the dirty laundry in house or using the term "political correctness" wrong and enjoying his honesty (gaffs). I don't see the up side. Sometimes keeping your mouth shut is the smart thing to do and to not cause undo locker room strife. People (players) tend to fall on one side of an issue or another and they might keep it under their hats if it's not common conversation. Ben bringing it to the medias attention makes it easy to draw battle lines in the locker room. The organization doesn't like undo drama, that's why they claim they will never do "Hard Knocks". No upside. They better nip this in the bud quick.

We have all the potential in the world with the new changes going on. I hope this is all :bs: fluff or Ben's pouting could really rearrange our smiles . :bps:

Why can't this dude just get good off-season press for once. And please don't mention the convenient marriage that seems to have been designed by hollywood press agent. I can't doubt their affections for each other, but the timing...?

Please make it all go away and straighten out quick.

 

My understanding is that the WR's, RB's and some Oline personnel including Ben's boy Big Willie likes the stuff Haley is doing. They like the hands on approach he is bringing, something that seemed lacking under Arians who concerned himself mostly with Ben. Now as I am sure it will be pointed out by one poster in particular there are many different ways to coach which is true. However I am happy to hear that Haley is more involved whether it is because it is his first year with the team, installing the new O or what have you, in my view it allows you to get to know your key players and their strengths and weaknesses. As far as I have read the only negative if you want to call it that has been Ben and I don't know the context of the comments. Is he frustrated with his play? Is it frustration with himself or the system. The one article that they all seem to point to about Ben being unhappy just says he is frustrated and not much more so I take it witha grain of salt.

 

His marriage: Not to appease us, but possibly to deflect. People get married for all kinds of bad reasons in real life AND celebrity life. Why can't he be in this category. It seems his word is the only word you trust. Idolizing too much?

Yup, it's like he keeps brushing up against a wound that's trying to heal. But it can't, and not because of natural biochemic and mental efforts to try and do so (you seem to not take me at my word, oh well). Maybe I am hyper sensitive to it now and maybe not. Yes, this is NOT positive off season press. That's a fact.

Just look at the comments and answers the other players are saying VS. his and tell me you don't hear a different level of commitment, cohesion and team spirit. Or would you rather honesty and drama? I don't think it helps this team one bit. He's a vocal distraction and not a vocal leader in this respect. You might like it, but I'm def in the camp that doesn't.

Unless as the poster who above you said the "frustrating" statement is more about his personal inability to wrap his head around the system right now rather than his opinion of the system and it's direction. That I can totally understand since he has arguably the most to learn and I give him a pass there (it's your choice to believe me or not). I guess I shouldn't hope that in his 8th season he wouldn't be able to master clarity about such things that can misconstrued. Or learn to clarify and re-phrase a comment once/if it's been spun.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... hot_topics

Article on Haley and Ben. There is one thing I dont like that seems like Ben is pulling away from the offense.
"I'm going to put in extra work to learn his offense and try to get there."

Probably nit picking but its "His" offense, not ours, or The new offense, my offense.
Seems like he is trying to create and keep distance from Haley and the Offense to me.

 

I think you're reading into it too much.

 

Reading way too much into it.

Everything I've heard seems like Ben wants to get it down, so that he can then help teach the rest of the team. I read that Ben has taken "mental rep" days in practice where he doesn't suit but just follows Haley around the field, and the two of them watch and work on the offense together... Sounds like a great plan to me.

 

To me, sports news is like a big slice of cheesecake. I know it's bad for me but I can't stop partaking in it. It's worse now more than ever. Because of the internet, you now have thousands of writers who reach a worldwide audience--not just beat writers for a local paper and local audience. The result? Sensationalism and exaggeration in order to get a new angle on stories.

 

What a terrible article, written by someone who clearly knows about as much about the Steelers as one can learn from one of those NFL Network top 10 lists.

 

In reading the article, like someone said points 1 and 2 about what went down in PGH w/Arians leaving seemed pretty dead on - but as fans we already knew that. Points 3 and 4 are just hearsay. Nobody really knows whether the Steelers are going to be run oriented and implying that the Steelers have taken a massive risk by hiring Haley is really an unknown. Personally I think Haley has tried to fit the system more to his players thus a very pass happy one in AZ centered on an experienced QB who could read defenses and had to get the ball out of his hands fast because he is not mobile and in KC a team w/a less experienced QB who was a bit of an unknown who needed run support and conveniently they found a homerun hitter in Charles. I like the idea of Haley taking an interest in the rest of the offense, not just Ben.

As far as Ben goes, I have defended the idea he is an elite QB, a gamer, a winner, a leader in the crunch and I have felt that he may be a complete doosh, but the episodes in GA bordered on a ridiculous witch hunt which then lead to an effort to portray him as an a-hole in every other aspect of his life, which probably wasn't fair.

With that said, the guy has no tact with how he speaks with the press. I mean in response to the press - wouldn't it be a hell of a lot smarter and easier to say something like "I or we got alot to learn, but I see a lot of possibilities with where this offense can go and I am going to work to get there." Why the frustration, why is it "his" i.e. Haley's offense - like if things go bad it's his fault not mine. Most of us despise NE and Brady as a prima donna, but honestly it always seems like Brady is professional with those type of questions. He always says something like "each year is a new year and you have to work to improve and find ways to come together as a team." It may be boring - but boring can be good.

 

To answer your question, yes, Ben is adding to the flame by his stupid comments like its Rosetta Stone, it’s frustrating, It gets frustrating at times and how he is struggling with learning the new play book! How stupid of him. Everyone one else is thrilled with what Haley has brought to the table. Manny sanders said that he is excited about what Haley is doing. As was stated by someone earlier in the article, the WR's, RB's and some O-linemen personnel including Ben's boy, Big Willie likes the stuff Haley is doing. They like the hands on approach he is bringing, something that was lacking under Arians.

So it seems like Ben is still a little sore about Arians not being rehired. He needs to let it go and get on board. I don’t think Haley really cares about what Ben thinks. He has not said one thing since he was hired. Ben has done all the talking. All Haley had done is put his offense together and present it to the team. Ben has said all the negative things that you would think he wouldn’t say if he was a team player or excepting of the change. I haven’t heard one negative comment from any other player but Rothlisberger.

And you know what the most irritating thing is about all this, Tomlin hasn’t said a thing or hasn’t pulled Rothlisberger in on the carpet and told him to stop with all the negative comments stuff. Tomlin could have killed Ben’s negative attitude from the beginning. Another example of Ben just having his way at all cost. Seems like to me he would want to get the show on the right way and move on. However he is just showing how much of a drama queen he is!

 

I don't know, I think history repeats it's self and there is a pattern developing.

I don't think Ben's a dolt (he's an NFL QB, he can't be). He's calculating and seems to be carving a line in the sand. First the non-meeting (or introduction) then leaving the open ended frustrating thing out there and now his offense. Yeah, they are just words to be distorted, but call it a hunch based on the not so distant past. More to come :bs:

 

Yes but as soon as it starts being taught it become the teams' offense. It would be refreshing to hear Ben and others to start referring to the offense as "our offense" rather than "his offense". And TTF,I have to disagree, pronouns are important. For instance the quote "there is no i in Team" is all about the use of a pronoun.

 

Yeah TTF, and if you still don't believe it, why don't you tell James Harrison you think she plays soft?

 

Antonio Brown - “It’s been really fun. It was great to get out and start to run some of the plays. It’s going to be great when guys get on the same page and start executing it.”

Emmanuel Sanders - “I am loving the offense right now. It’s based off of play action. We have a lot more of the offense to put in, but right now we are heading in the right direction.”

Issaic Redman - “For me, being in the league a couple of years now, I am picking it up faster than the younger guys,”

Baron Batch - “It’s a learning process, but everyone is getting the hang of it and it almost flows easily as far as the no-huddle calls and just the way the numbering system works and the way the plays are called,” (the the's don't have a his)

Willie Colon - “He brings a great sense of balance and is going to feed to both of our strengths so it’s going to be exciting.” (Willie's riding the fence here, he can't decide to go with his old pal or the team. Smartly played Mr. Colon)



I guess I'm reaching. There is zero % of a coincidence in their choices and his or him being divisive?

 

Oh that's rich... :-D

 

Hate to drop a truth bomb on everybody here, but I believe "the" is technically in the adjective family.