Traitors

Hey Everyone.

I have been thinking about this for awhile now. So, if the list that I provided below is longer than what I have put down, then let me now. Also, it seems to me that we are the only team out there with this issue of players “whining” to get out of a contract with us. These men have no pride or sense of commitment in “honoring” the original contracts that they signed with us.

• LaGarrette Blount: New England (won a Super Bowl.)
  
  
• Antonio Brown: Tampa Bay (won a Super Bowl.)
  
  
• Le’Veon Bell: Jets (ended up with Tampa Bay this season. they lost yesterday as we know.)
  
  
• Melvin Ingram: Kansas City (to be determined.)

*James Harrison: New England (lost in Super Bowl.)

Now, of the five listed above, I am giving James Harrison “a pass” per se as Coach Tomlin totally mismanaged his situation IMO. He convinced Mr. Harrison to come out of retirement where he seemed content. Tomlin, seemingly “promised” him way more playing time than he ever received. All the man wanted to do was work. I cannot fault a man for that. Again, he could have stayed retired but opted to come back to help us. So, I do not view his situation in the same light as the four bozos above his name on this list. I realize that Brown and Bell had other stops along the way before their last destinations but again, they too are part of the overall main idea of this Thread which is “whining” to get out of Pittsburgh.

This all makes the Rooneys, and the Pittsburgh Steelers as an organization, look “weak”. This is not an ideal pattern, for any business, to engage in as much as the Steelers have done over the past few years.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Can you blame these "traitors"? Most of them landed on better teams that have a much better shot at a Super Bowl than the Steelers going forward.

 

I would not say the steelers are the only franchise and 1 of those guys is crazy and the other I don't think wanted out just thought he deserved more money. OBJ just did it this past year. Ramsey wanted out of jacksonville. Julio jones wanted out of atlanta. I'm sure there are countless others and we don't really know the ins and outs of all these guys wanting out, but I'm sure if we closely followed the teams they wanted out of we would be able to rattle off multiple guys.

 

Didn't Minkah want out of Miami in order to come here?

Does that count for anything?

 

Does it happen around the league or just the Steelers?

It feel like we are dealing with this every 4-5 years.

 

Bell got cut just before the Rams game

 

Harrison asked for a release early in the year and didn't get it from Tomlin. He had to get it from ARII. He went into detail on Undisputed the way Tomlin played games and never gave him a direct answer on playing time or his role.

I do put the games played surrounding the release on Tomlin.

I don't blame Tomlin for not playing Harrison. Harrison should have known Tomlin starts 1sts and keeps them their whole contract regardless of production.

Harrison should have left when he had to split time with Jarvis Jones. That's on him.

If Harrison had started at LOLB instead of Dupree the Steelers beat Jacksonville in the playoffs. No doubt about it. I can't put into words how soft in run defense Dupree was. Dupree got pancaked by a tight end on the 21 yard TD run.

 

Harrison didn't come out of retirement.

 

Yep.

He basically disgruntled his way out of Miami just like Ingram did here.

Tough to give him a pass based on the OP's character test.

I don't have any animosity toward Le'Veon. His was a pure and simple business decision and he wasn't under contract, iirc. He never signed his offer and decided to sit out. Now it didn't turn out well for him, but he fulfilled his contractual obligations.

 

On one hand you have playing for a team your whole career. You get to make life long friends and build relationships. You become part of a community. Then maybe just maybe you get a shot at being a world champion but even more important than that you get to see hundreds of people wearing your jersey and cheering for you.

On the other hand you’re a merc, you hire your gun out to the highest bidder. You make lots of money and get a better chance at that championship. But you don't have guys that have your back, fans will cheer you but talk about how you sold out to get a championship. You hang around trying to earn that brotherhood back but you still want to chase a championship again and so it starts over.

Or it's all poetic nonsense and ppl just come to work do their job and go home.

 

Yes he did don't you remember the Steelers had injuries at outside linebacker and Kiesel, not Tomlin called him and said we need you suit up. Harrison had said he was done and was going to spend more time with his boys and had to ask them.

 

Ok so I misread it as he is like talking about retirement vs coming back one more season where Tomlin said the keep the wrapper on him.

 

Blount wanted some carries. I think he would have been happy with roughly 10 touches a game. No matter how much we were down or if we had a big lead Tomlin refused to use him. He got tired of it. I blame Tomlin for that. The Ingram situation I feel could have been handled if the coaching staff any good. I personally feel he could have been used even if it was out of his normal spot and put him at ILB.

 

Let's not forget, Harrison was pissed because he said Tomlin lied to him about playing time. I would of been pissed too, but probably would not have done what Harrison did or say.

 

I wonder if Joe Haden ever wishes he was a Chief.

 

You'll change your mind when he is a Rap star.

 

Thanks Blast.

I was going off of what I thought I remembered how it all went down. Given that, I still do not like the way that Coach Tomlin handled the situation with Mr. Harrison. Was it wrong for him to sleep through meetings and be disgruntled? "Yes" I say. However, there are usually two sides to every story. Again, Mr. Harrison was asked to return, he did and was given false hopes of playing time via a basic "Gentlemen's Agreement" as I see it.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

imo, you ride out on the horse that you came in on. You have to earn a shot at the Super Bowl, again IMO, with who you started the "race" with. Do not jump ship when the regular season is about over or a good portion of it is and then go play for a team that you know is going to the playoffs. It is called "honoring" your contract which coincides with the concept of "integrity". I had to deal with it at a job. First, I let my boss know that I was not happy, then I put my smiley face on each day and finished out the contract.

Now, if specific points are outlined in such contract, such as a guaranteed number of snaps and that is not "fulfilled" per se then, yes, the player, IMO, has a right to be disgruntled and try to work things out but again man to man. Not this whining and letting the entire World know about your problems at the job. Unprofessional.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Good Point Ward.

That is why I asked everyone here to chime in with other players and as you pointed out it works both ways.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Hey BGP.

Bell has embarrassed and disgraced himself IMO for the chasing of the "Dollar". Yes, his decision to sit-out was a business decision and yes, he did not owe us anything as he dangled us along with the notion that he was going to sign his contract any week back then. He had it made here in Pittsburgh as did AB. Both were to blind by their own greed as well as other "internal" issues to see just how good they had it to work for such a Prestigious Organization (or at least it used to feel prestigious not too long ago, frown).

Both had Hall of Fame waiting for them IMO. Oh well, everyone plays/works for different reasons but again this thread is about honor and integrity.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Hey jrompola.

Thank you for "the others" that you mentioned. Yes, I know that it happens with other players from other teams. I really do not follow other teams like that though. Yes, OBJ, I knew about. He is another "self-serving" individual IMO. How many teams has he been through now, especially within the past few years or so?



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Hey Blast.

This is what I was talking about regarding Harrison and Retirement.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid