Steelers to meet President Obama at the White House Thursday

...President reportedly interested in James Harrison taking over as head of homeland security.

All seriousness, the Steelers have OTA's scheduled that day but a team spokesman says the trip to the White House will take priority. It will also be a homecoming of sorts for Nate Washington, Larry Foote, and Bryant McFadden.

5 months ago syrsteelerfan 41 comments 0 recs |

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This post could get shut down in like ten minutes...

Nothing like opening the lines for a little politcal discussion.

by NYSteelersFan4 on May 15, 2009 2:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

well, i hope everyone restrains themselves

It’s not political – the Super Bowl winners meet with the president of the United States regardless of party. That said, we’ll shut it down if need be.

by syrsteelerfan on May 15, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Harrison has cheated on his taxes

He’s got that job sewn up.

"The team that scores the most points wins."
John Madden
(Master of the obvious)

by PixburghArn on May 15, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

On the plus side

Harrison may unite Democrats and Republicans by offering the perfect solution for new interrogation methods.

Just bring him in the room and have him stare down suspects until they start crying and spill the beans.

by SteelerBuddha on May 15, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks for finding another post game stogie pic

I never thought I’d enjoy pictures of the Steelers D in bath robes so much, but these pics are probably the best ones from the SB for me.

"It was an attrition football game and you know we like that."

by showtime on May 16, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

u know you are intimidating when

you scare people in ya bath robe!!! yikes

by tannofsteel84 on May 16, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Non-political comment.

My wife works for the IRS, and what’s funny is the IRS does not share information without a subpoena. Even the FBI has to subpoena records from the IRS.
So they can’t check the tax records of candidates without a court order, which doesn’t get granted in these cases.

The candidates have to tell you whether or not they paid their taxes.

Just goes to show how difficult it is to get anything done politically.

Sure he can score goals, but can he cook?

by Phantaskippy on May 15, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great idea!!!!

And we could have Willie Colon hold the prisoner while Deebo stares him down!!

by Homer J. on May 15, 2009 3:59 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Just another example of DC interferring with everyday life.

by steelerstyle on May 15, 2009 4:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not a good idea to have Willie Colon help Deebo with the interrogation

He’d probably false start or whiff on his assignment.

by datruth4life on May 15, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's champion tradition

The Steelers will meet with the preaident of the U.S.A. It’s an honor and a privledge matters not who holds the office. I’m sure the Penguins will be doing that in the months to come.

Sea Bee

by Heckers on May 15, 2009 4:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hate to say it

but i’m from raleigh so i’m pullin for the canes, i think we got this one :)

by tannofsteel84 on May 16, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good to see you believe in your team.

But for Car to win this one either the Pens fall apart or both Ward and Eric Staal have monster series.

Sure he can score goals, but can he cook?

by Phantaskippy on May 16, 2009 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

anyone know?

Is a player required to go to the white house?

by supersteelers68 on May 15, 2009 5:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Generally, no one is required to go....

…but as Heckers pointed out, it is an honor and priviledge to be invited to the White House and be honored by the President of the United States. Period. It’s also a team activity.

Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ambassador to Ireland might fly across the pond to be at the event. And no Steeler would want to miss that.

As far as boycotting, I recall golfer Paul Azinger refusing to meet President Clinton at a PGA event at the White House. Azinger, who has earned more than 14-million dollars on the tour, didn’t like the three percent tax increase that Clinton imposed on the top bracket of earners. He also didn’t like the fact that Clinton had a zipper problem, and Zinger is a deeply religious fellow with high standards. The event went on without him.

This is America. Even if the President invites you, you are free to decline. Of course, many Steelers are outspoken Obama supporters, and I would be surprised if any of the Black and Gold don’t show up. I would also expect to see a towel or two.

by Homer J. on May 16, 2009 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Harrison isn't going.

He also didn’t go the last time, either. Go figure!

by SteelersVT on May 16, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would give him mad props

if he would just say something stupid like, I’ll go when it’s the Black and Gold House, or he didn’t want to mess up his workout routine.

Either way if the man doesn’t want to go to the White House, whatever.

Sure he can score goals, but can he cook?

by Phantaskippy on May 16, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think he's dumb for not going

he reasoning is they are only inviting him because he was on the winning team & they arent inviting the steelers just cuz they’re the steelers.

by t1mmy10 on May 16, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why is he dumb?

I’ve heard criticism of Harrison on many boards and I don’t get it. It is an honor to be invited to meet the president, but it is also an honor to meet the super bowl champions. The president is at the top of his profession as are the Steelers. It is a meeting of equals in their respective professions.

My take on this is that Deebo doesn’t care about politics the same as a lot of us don’t care about figure skating. This is a political/public relations event and he just doesn’t care. I like that he sees the president as just another person.

This could also be seen as the president jumping on the bandwagon every year.

by solid_space on May 17, 2009 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

holllld on.

I love football as much as anyone else. But the leader of the free world in now way compares to a football player. That simple.

It’s one thing to not like politics. It’s quite another to turn down a presidential invitation. He has the right to turn it down, but I have a right to think what I want to about it. And I think it is rude and arrogant.

"...Said he couldn't go on the American way"

by Jux on May 17, 2009 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i just think he's being foolish

the pres is doing it as an honor to the “best football team in the world” and doesnt imply that last years winners are his new fav team. plus, it doesnt cheapen the invite just cuz obama likes the bears more than the steelers.

its not like i dislike harrison now and frankly it doesnt matter his reasoning, i just think its foolish to miss an opportunity to meet a nation’s leader (particularly yours) when you don’t normally have that opportunity.

and no way (i dont care if you dont like the president or not) can you compare a guy who goes out and plays a game for a living as being as important as the leader US. period.

by t1mmy10 on May 18, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this is a team event

I’m a bit perturbed about this turn of events. I think Harrison’s stated reason for not going is silly, but whatever, you can lead a silverback to water but you can’t make him drink.

Probably just interferes with his training schedule.

"It was an attrition football game and you know we like that."

by showtime on May 17, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/sports/19477962/detail.html

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by drinkyourmilkshake on May 16, 2009 10:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

All Players are invited?

Including Guys that were realesed and the 2009 draft picks?

by SalgadoLord on May 16, 2009 10:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HAHAHA

Good for Deebo !

by supersteelers68 on May 16, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Homer

I do not think its an honor and a privilege. I myself do not like obama bin laden or what he stands for. So why would i think its a honor. if I were a Steeler i would not go even if there was a fine.

by supersteelers68 on May 16, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey Super Steeler

Chill my friend. You don’t have to like Obama, but calling him Bin Laden makes you sound foolish.

We try to steer clear of the politics and create a little bit of bi-partisan pro-Steeler love on this site.

And BTW Deebo didn’t go in 2006 either. I am not sure why he doesn’t want to go to the White House, but it doesn’t seem to be a protest against either Bush or Obama. More likely its either:

A. Deebo does NOTHING but train in the offseason
B. He’s afraid that one of the secret service men might be a Browns fan and he will be forced to body slam him.

by SteelerBuddha on May 16, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

I think about 20 minutes in with all the pomp and security checkpoints Deebo would just flip out and start Power bombing people.

Sure he can score goals, but can he cook?

by Phantaskippy on May 16, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it almost as if supersteeler68 read the thing about no politics........

and decided to do the exact opposite in an attempt to shut down the thread for no apparent reason…..

by shleeve on May 16, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What Super Steeler said....

We try to keep it clear of politics here.

And I just want to point out I said it is an honor to be invited to the White House and honored by the “President of the United States.” That means the President, no matter who he might be or what his political party might be. We don’t have a King or Queen here to symbolize the nation, so in events like this, the President symbolizes the nation in doing honor to the Champions. It’s not political.

Every time I’ve had a chance to attend an event at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I’ve taken advantage of it. From Nixon to Bush 43. Doesn’t matter who’s in office down there. I respect the White House and the office of the President, just as I revere the flag.

Doesn’t mean I can’t disagree with or even personally despise the person who sits in the Oval Office. Hope you understand the difference.

by Homer J. on May 16, 2009 3:22 PM EDT reply actions 8 recs

Nailed it Homer J.

Well said, and I couldn’t have said it better

Sea Bee

by Heckers on May 17, 2009 8:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

homer J

Personifying exactly why BTSC is so damn lucky as a community. Lots of really wise, important, and wonderfully self actualized and solid people. w00t. We’re blessed to have each other’s perspectives.

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Blitzburgh on May 19, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fair's fair.

He ditched the last event (because of his views of Bush?), so maybe he wanted to avoid impropriety by not going this time either. Not a bad move.

Who knew?

by Concomitandt on May 17, 2009 9:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Silverback doesn’t care about politics….politics care about silverback

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by drinkyourmilkshake on May 17, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Elegantly put.

Sure he can score goals, but can he cook?

by Phantaskippy on May 17, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

politics

I did not know the no politics allowed. I was just stating my view. Not in a rude or menacing way. I now know and i am sorry for bringing up polititcs, I didnt mean any trouble.

by supersteelers68 on May 17, 2009 1:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You may not have not known about "no politics"

but don’t pretend that referring to the President as a terrorist isn’t rude or offensive.

by Desroko on May 17, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My view

I am stating my thoughts. If you find it rude than it doesnt match yours. To others that agree with me it isnt offensive. Alot of people make comments on Bush. To others that dont like Bush those comments were not rude or offensive. Now you are bringing up the politics that I was ripped for. And now back to Steeler football talk.

by supersteelers68 on May 17, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

huh?

by shleeve on May 17, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually I think that the point applies to civility

both in our discussion of politics and our discussion of football. It’s always a fine line. One mans joke may offend another. We may not like a certain player or coach, and there has been a ton of hyperbole on this site both about Steelers players and opponents.

I for one think that for the most part we do better as a site when we try to elevate the discussion as oppose to scoring cheap shots. Do we always adhere to that. No. But we aspire.

Your shot at Obama didn’t bug me because you are anti-obama. It bugged me because you are equating the guy to a murderer/terrorist. It also bugged me because it played in to a an anti-arab/muslim overtone. I am not saying that was your intention. It may not have been. But it’s certainly easy to look at that way.

Our discussion – about football on this site (and politics on other sites) should be open and honest. But we can all do better than the cheap shots that come to us so easily.

by SteelerBuddha on May 17, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs