BTSC Steelers Daily Six Pack- Polamalu Is Wicked Smart Edition

by drinkyourmilkshake on Jul 2, 2009 2:49 PM EDT Comment 31 comments

IX- According the the players of the AFC North the smartest player in the division is non other than the Tasmanian Devil himself, Troy Polamalu. Ravens safety Ed Reed was overwhelmingly chosen as the all around best player in the division with James Harrison and Polamalu tied for second. If you don't think the AFC North is a defensively driven division, consider that no offensive player received a vote for best player from the 32 AFC North players surveyed.

X-ESPN the magazine did a feature on the Ultimate Franchise. The L.A. Angles came in first place, but the Pittsburgh Steelers were the only NFL team to make the top ten, coming in third. The rankings take into account multiple areas including ticket prices, coaching, ownership, players, and titles won, among other factors. It's a pretty cool little concept and worth a read.

XIII-Bill Cowher is...Sgt. Slaughter.

XIV-- Here's a pod-cast on the Steelers for you to feast your ears upon. Fact: I have not listened to the pod-cast so I cannot actually comment if it is any good or not, so please don't blast me if it stinks.

XL-- One for the Other Thumb has lots of information and apparently a love for Kindergarten Cop as much as I. He points you in the direction of a link about Mike Tomlin calling out Ravens' rookie Michael Oher, who stated earlier in the offseason that he wanted to do everything in his power to beat the Steelers.

XLIII-;Another outlook on the Steelers for the 2009 season, this time courtesy of The Sporting News. I'm bored with these, when the hell does the season start?

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good post

but:

If you don’t think the AFC North is a defensively driven division, consider than no offensive player received a vote for best player from the 32 AFC North players surveyed.

Although your conclusion is very very true, WR/returner Cribbs did receive a vote…although i’m sure it was due to his special teams play and not as a wr, so maybe that’s what you were implying.

by t1mmy10 on Jul 2, 2009 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ya,

kinda overlooked him but i certainly don’t think he is a wide-out of any sort. He had 2 receptions all of last year….TWO

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

by drinkyourmilkshake on Jul 2, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol i know. no doubt he got the vote due to his special teams play

by t1mmy10 on Jul 2, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know its a little biased from both our sides

But can someone tell me why Troy got smartest player over Reed? Not to stir up things, but curious what exactly you all think he does better then Reed when it comes to smarts. I know the voting was 14-11 Troy in that category, so I just want to know what Troy’s edge is. It definitely has nothing to do with interceptions because no one does it better then Reed. But is it with his tackling and awareness on each play?

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 3:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

he knows how not to get smashed by hines ward!

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

by drinkyourmilkshake on Jul 2, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Exactly the type of comment I was not looking for. Thanks

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it may have more to do with his perceived intellect. He’s very bookish, quiet speaking, reverent, and intelligent. Not a particularly common combination when you’re talking about football players, especially those with numbers over 15.

Guns don't kill people. Lamar Woodley kills people.

by BostonWahoo on Jul 2, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just to further my point

If it was “football smarts” I would have no problem at all with Reed winning it. Nobody reads the ball better.

Guns don't kill people. Lamar Woodley kills people.

by BostonWahoo on Jul 2, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only half the game

Ed Reed isn’t too great at playing the run. Troy always seems to know where the play is, run or pass. My guess is that is what the players were thinking voting for Troy. But what the hell do I know?

by CarlWeathersMustache on Jul 2, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

That is a SS job. The strong safety is like the 4th or 5th linebacker out there. Reed is a FS, so he is not supposed to be playing the run as much as Troy does. That is Dawan Landry’s job.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

An excelent example of that

was A Smith against NE in 2007 I believe.

by SNW on Jul 2, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He was a scrub

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I want to punch him in the face

Bleeding Black and Gold since 1989 baby, Blitzburgh is back, time for a repeat!

by Steeler_ on Jul 3, 2009 6:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that and

since he seems to be moved around to different places on the field (such as right on the line of scrimmage) he not only has to have the physical skills to play there but also the mental ability to able to be good basically different positions.

i dont think reed is moved around quite as much (granted the only ravens games i watch is when the play the steelers so maybe he is)

by t1mmy10 on Jul 2, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thats what I thought

Troy comes off as that low profile, wise player who is all over the field. Reed comes off as the loud mouth, in your face player who will snatch the ball away at any time. Its whatever though, cause both these guys are insane.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Little confused, too

Had I been in the poll, I probably would have voted those two the other way around.

By virtue of his versatility, I think Troy should win the Best All-Around Player. He’s a terrific ball-hawk, he’s fast, he hits like a hammer, he can jump, he reads plays, he brings people down with his shoulders, arms, hands, fingertips, and force of will, plus he’s always in place to make a play. There’s nothing he cannot do.

Reed, on the other hand, seems like the more cerebral player. Lord knows, he’s got skills. Troy isn’t the only physically gifted player around. I just think Reed is even better at reading opposing players and knowing how to bamboozle them. That’s why he’s able to pick the ball out of the air and it’s the same reason he can turn around and return it for 6. He knows what to look for, what’s going to happen next, and what needs to be done to make the most of it. That’s smarts.

As for why the AFC believes otherwise, I think the only clue is in the quote about Troy never being out of position. There’s gotta be a reason why Walker selected that quote and followed it with a remark about risk-taking.

by Varmint on Jul 2, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

curious what exactly you all think he does better then Reed

win games, win AFC title games, win Superbowls

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

by showtime on Jul 2, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ryan Clark has done that to

So does that mean he is a better FS then Reed?

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Clark is the enforcer. Troy is the one who ices huge games. Reed is the one who tries too hard to get picks, whiffs, and lets receivers like Ward get huge YAC

Troy also jumps over the top of the line on 4th and inches to grab QB’s neck and stop them from getting the first down.

I could go on. What I meant was that Troy makes huge plays when they matter most. Reed is good, but he hasn’t pushed the ravens over the top.

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

by showtime on Jul 3, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The ravens defense is very good at pushing offenses to the brink and not letting their foot of the neck. Reed is a huge part of that, and is often the one that puts an offense in a whole they can’t get out of…I think you’re wrong on that point.

The only managing Ben does is that he manages to win games. - chewiesteeler

by steelguy99 on Jul 3, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was mostly referring to a specific play from reed, I believe in the AFC title game, but I've seen it plenty of times

Bottom line is my reasoning is logical. Troy saved a trip to the Superbowl. I rate that play VERY highly when thinking about who is a better, smarter, impact football player.

I have respect for Reed and begrudgingly the ravens as a team, but the ravens fan comes and asks who’s smarter and I’m gonna tell him my opinion.

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

by showtime on Jul 4, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My Vote

If I were voting on football smarts alone I’d have to go with either Hines Ward, or (unfortunately Ray Ray). Hines knows the entire field really well and plays amazingly smart against defenses. He also knows exactly how to play the other team into penalties or get them out of position.

Ray ray… Well that man flows to the ball amazingly well. He diagnoses plays as well as any defensive player I’ve seen. I was watching one NFL Network thing where he changed the play call from the DC because he was sure he knew the play and he was right. He clearly studies the game and makes good instant decisions.

by Chicago Steeler on Jul 2, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh no you didnt

Everyone here will tell you that they rather have James Farrior then Ray Lewis and that he has played better over the last 5 years.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 2, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

James is a solid rock

Ray Ray is a beast…

Got a problem with Harrison, why not take it up with him? Oh you know why!

by SoCalSteelerFan on Jul 2, 2009 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In the system...

In the system of the steelers I’ll take James. I think his versatility at this point of his career is better. Ray 5 years ago was clearly the best defensive player in the league. Now I think James Farrior has a slight edge physically.

by Chicago Steeler on Jul 4, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs