I’m sure there must be another time worn cliche or two out there you can add to the soup.

What was the point of this indulgence? Are you waiting for someone to come along and say that what the team needs is more prima donnas who are only concerned about themselves? That if you spell it a certain way there is an “I” in TEIM!

May sound like a cliche, but only gets mentioned a lot because it is true. Football in particular depends on the team working as a whole. On offense, players worried about their own stats inevitably are a detriment to the team. Likewise, on D, if a player is constantly trying to get individual stats, like sacks, while neglecting their responsibility to stuff a running lane, leads to a bad defense. So, here’s to hoping the Steelers individuals coalesce into a TEAM all working together. and then eating together, as it were.

Agree with the premise behind all your points, but I don’t think there is a lot of cause for concern.

If you’re in it for the personal glory and that comes from individual achievement, then yes, this is a potential problem. But Pittsburgh’s team culture, both before and during the Tomlin era is not, and has never been about that. Players that need that (think Plaxico Burress) eventually leave. (But I bet after a few years in the wilderness, and after experiencing a championship, he would fit in better now than he did then). Willie gets it. He knows that Bettis didn’t have to do a damn thing to help him. But without both of them a world championship probably wasn’t possible. Hines, in spite of his alleged problems with Ben wanting a big receiver, gets it. His helping out Sweed was not just PR. I watched him do the same at St Vincent with Santonio when Tone was a rookie; staying after practice so that Tone got extra work. Besides, Hines place in history is assured. With all the team records and a SB MVP this guy is almost assured a place in Canton. But Hines is a lot like Michael Jordan, he needs perceived slights to motivate him. Another guy I saw putting extra time helping others at St Vincent was Troy. When your stars set the tone like that, who has the nerve, veteran or rookie to behave otherwise. That is why it’ll be a cold day in Hell when you see narcissists like Chad Johnson and TO in the Black and Gold. The culture here simply won’t tolerate their bullsh*t. Even if it is in ‘fun’. And at this rate neither one will make Canton, even with their gaudy stats. I don’t think that Mendenhall and Sweed were blowing smoke to the media when they mentioned the level of help and cooperation they experienced from the veteran players. Nor do I think it was because of their draft status that they were treated this way. This is an organization that is in pursuit of championships. They have some proven formulas as to how to get that done and they have no intention of deviating.

I also agree that we need to use every single weapon, fire every single bullet that we’ve got in order to be successful. I have been reading with interest the developing notion that we’ve gone from being rather dangerously thin at running back to being top heavy at that position. A question for our experts; when was the last time that all of our running backs were healthy for the entire season? I don’t have the answer, but I do know you that it hasn’t been true for at least the last five years. And while it is undoubtedly true that we wouldn’t have taken Moore, and perhaps he would not have wanted to come if it was known that Mendenhall would fall in our laps, I don’ t think the situation for Moore is identical to that which he left in Minnesota. If Arians does successfully install a two back system then Moore will probably get as much playing time as he would if the number two guy were Davenport or Russell.

The more important question it seems to me is not if the individual players get the idea of together we all eat, but if the offensive leadership, specifically, Arians and Ben understand that as well. When Kordell Stewart was functioning as Slash, one of the most important contributions he made to the team is that opponents were forced to spend extra time preparing for how to offset him. That’s what we want to accomplish this year and beyond. Make them have to worry about FWP AND Mendenhall AND Moore AND Russell. Focus on shutting down Hines? Fine let Tone kill you. Stop Tone? Then what are you gonna do about Sweed? Shut down those three? Have Nate cut their throats. Stop Miller? Damn, forgot about Spaeth. However, (and this is a big however) the offensive coordinator has to be creative enough both in his individual play calling, and how he sets up the defense to make this work. He has to think like a boxer; when to jab, when to throw combinations, when to go to the body, when to go to the head. You also need Ben to understand that he may have history with Hines and Miller is his roommate, but if he spreads the wealth around everyone benefits in the long haul.

If they figure out how to do that, then we could have an extraordinarily successful season with different heroes on a weekly basis. Might mean fewer people going to the Pro Bowl, but if you win a ring, who cares? The only thing I’m concerned about is that there aren’t enough roster spots. We’re going to have to give up some talent we ordinarily might not want to part with. Nice problem though.

This draft in particular, Kevin Colbert has focussed on drafting players without character concerns. Mendenhall seems remarkably level headed for a 20 year old college football star. Sweed looks like a solid citizen as well, particularly as far as WR are concerned. Bruce Davis brings some charisma and swagger, but doesn’t seem like a risk to go outside the law as Joey Porter was. Tony Hills was a team captain at Texas. Dennis Dixon is working on an advanced degree in addition to his football accomplishments. Same for Mike Humpal, a perennial All Academic selection at Iowa, and Ryan Mundy, who finished his degree at Michigan before transferring and taking post grad courses. Most of the free agents they brought in are off the charts as student athletes.

But Tomlin is no Mensa candidate. His aphorisms are painfully simplistic. I imagine there is a lot of eye rolling in the room when he starts to pontificate. The coaches he hired are not much better, aside from Ken Anderson. Larry Zierlien is the old school porn hound, and Bruce Ariens is emminently unlikable, in my books. I blame it on the Rooneys, particularly old Art, who has grasped onto misguided political correctness in his muddled old age. He seems to be reaching for bland, insipid, shallow “redemption” as personified by his selection of Tomlin and his support of Barack Obama politically.

You are the one who has smeared the blog with race comments. I don’t regard Obama as being a “black man”, particularly. As far as I know he was born half black, half white, and raised by the white side of his family. As for Tomlin, I don’t know his biological background, nor do I particularly care about it. I just hate the bland, nonsensical, smarm that comes out of the mouths of both of them.

Though not as much as I hate the jackass computer tough guy innuendo and threats that come out of yours. No attempts will be made to “endear” myself to the resident racist “sheriff” of this blog, you can count on that. Hopefully you’re not representative of the general population here.

“But Tomlin is no Mensa candidate. His aphorisms are painfully simplistic. I imagine there is a lot of eye rolling in the room when he starts to pontificate.”
The same could be said for Tomlin’s predecessor,one William Laird Cowher;and he didn’t have a bad career.

All coaches speak in simplistic aphorisms. Tomlin’s use of them doesn’t mean he isn’t a very smart guy. Look at the fact that he graduated from William & Mary, which is consistently ranked as one of the top 30 or so colleges in the country. Read what other coaches he’s worked with and players he’s coached have to say about him—here are the words used to describe him: intelligent, bright, confidence, character, integrity.

I for one am quite happy that Mike Tomlin is the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I look forward to the day when he proves all the doubters and haters wrong by bringing another Lombardi trophy home.