Note to Bruce Arians: There is no "I" in "team"
by Alba on Sep 8, 2009 3:28 PM EDT
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I'm not a fan of Bruce Arians -- miss the Whiz and all that. Also, I'm an academic and tend to parse words. So maybe I'm reading too much into how Bruce Arians speaks when he says:
I don't have a fullback. There's no fullback in my offense, there's never going to be one.
I have several problems with this quote:
1) We don't have a fullback. Our main running back wants one, and last month Bring Back Dan Kreider's post convinced me we run better with a fullback, so I think it's reasonable to question Arians' judgment. However, this isn't actually my main complaint, because as bad as Bruce Arians is, he has more football knowledge in his little pinky than I do in my entire body. And I'd need to recommend someone to come off the 53-man roster so that we can have a fullback, and this post isn't about the roster: it's about Bruce Arians.
2) He said: I don't have a fullback. Not: we don't have a fullback, our offense doesn't have a fullback, or the team doesn't have a fullback. And he said: my offense. To me this suggests that Arians, on some basic emotional level, doesn't work well with others. If I were reading this ungenerously, I'd say he's an egomaniac.
3) He said: there's never going to be one. To me this displays a distinct lack of flexibility in his thinking, the same lack of flexibility we see in his situational play calling. Never? Really? Even if the best available player when we draft happens to be someone we think would make a great fullback?
Now maybe BA is getting sensitive about people questioning his judgment, so he wants to emphasize that this is his team, not the reporter's, and by saying never he hopes to shut down further inquiry. But I can't imagine Tomlin or Lebeau talking about the team in the same way (if anything, Tomlin is overly fond of using "we"). If BA can't take some public criticism or if he is unwilling to admit when he has made mistakes, how will this offense improve?
By the way, the quote in context can be found here.
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Sigh
If he really means what he says, it just confirmed my dislike of him even more. If he pulls his head out of his ass he’ll run the ball more often then he did in the preseason, and more often on first downs.
"That Troy Polamaga guy looks like Predator"-A keen observation during Superbowl 43. Thanks to Walterfootball.
by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Sep 8, 2009 3:54 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I guess
But I seem to remember a lot of passing plays on 1st and 10 last year, too many. The point of passing on 1st is to throw the defense off, especially with us being historically a run-first team. I know Arians is a far-more qualified person than I am, and in his defense our running game took big injury hits last year, but it’s not easy to get a class act like Willie Parker to complain about the offensive gameplan.I just wanna see more of it plain and simple.
"That Troy Polamaga guy looks like Predator"-A keen observation during Superbowl 43. Thanks to Walterfootball.
by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Sep 8, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Its hard to be a pass first team
Without a good line.
Then again, its hard to be a run-first team with a bad line.
by John Stephens on Sep 8, 2009 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions
If that's the case
And as much as I’d hate to say it, Ben probably doesn’t see 10 seasons. I mean the guy’s great, but he benefit’s both statistically and physically from a heavy running game. That’s not to say he can’t perform at a high-level in a high-passing attack, but the hits and beatings he takes, no matter how tough a guy he is, will add up. Even with an outstanding O-line, he’d still take more hits then he ought to, due to his style of holding the ball for as long as he does-which can be devastatingly effective or horribly disastrous, and that’s not something he’s going to modify too much. Even if he does maintain a relatively clean bill of health, he and the offense would be much more consistent statistically. A lot of heat would be off Ben’s back, and the run-oriented attack would give Defenses hell defending against a dual-threat offensive gameplan, opening up a lot more options with the play fake, and just on passing plays in general. 2007 would be my case and point, when Arians did run the ball: Parker ran like a mad man until “the wheels came off”, and Ben had his best statistical year of his career (also had to do with red-zone running struggles). Now keeping in mind that Faneca was still with the team in ‘07, it won’t be as productive as that season, but even a top-15 rushing attack improvement would do wonders for the offense and their consistency. It’ll be interesting to see if BA goes back to that philosophy if the RB’s remain healthy.
"That Troy Polamaga guy looks like Predator"-A keen observation during Superbowl 43. Thanks to Walterfootball.
by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Sep 8, 2009 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Rec'd
My thoughts exactly. Obviously, Arians knows a lot more about football than we do to be where he is. However, there are certain obvious things that would help or should at least try. A fullback is one of them.
I can’t wait to see the news that Arians has been fired. Follow that up with a Max Starks release and I’m good.
When I say who dey, you say we dey.
Follow me @Sn0w13allz
Although...
…the question isn’t whether Arians knows more about football than us, it’s whether Arians knows more about football than anyone else we would hire to replace him?
by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Sep 8, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions
"But There Is An I In Wiin!"
No relevance to your post but I love Michael Jordan’s retort when a coach told MJ “There is no I in team Mike!” to which MJ responded “there is in win!”
In reference to your post, “Right On Alba!” Interesting take. I have to believe Arians knows more than me too. But I just can’t figure him out sometime. From blowing a 24-7 3rd quarter lead to the Steelers in a playoff game when he coached at Cleveland to his 2nd and 3rd down play calls against Jax in the 07 playoffs he makes me wonder. Arians even had John Madden calling him out against the Eagles for having no game plan.
Probably my biggest problem with Arians is he seems stubborn. He has behemoth OL yet he wants to run a zone blocking scheme. He will NEVER use a FB even though FWP is a 1500 yard rusher with one. Starks should sit on the bench after winning a ring at RT and make 8 million so Arians can play anyone but Starks on OL. Hope the Steelers win another Lombardi and get him a job and title with Al Davis.
When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen
In reality, it IS his offense.
To say otherwise would undermine his authority, and nobody would respect or listen to him at all. In the end, even Mike “The God” Tomlin trusts the Rooney’s decision to keep BA.
Granted, I don’t think much of anyone in Steeler Nation respects or even likes BA, but we don’t have any kind of say in the selection of our favorite teams offensive coordinator.
I say that with this very un-Steeler like comment he made to the PG, hopefully, our commander-in-chief realizes BA’s style is counter intuitive to the pound-it-down-your-throat way we were used to with the Whiz, and personified in Tricky Dick. Dick L. lets his D do his smack talking for him. He doesn’t need to run his mouth about “his” D. THAT’S why Tricky Dick is Loki to Tomlin’s Odin (or Coyote to Tomlin’s Eagle, if you want to go Native with the metaphors).
Thank you drive through...
If you want responsibility then
here you go, Bruce. “Your” offense sucks.
charity standing orders
by BadMaafala on Sep 8, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Is this..
.. the same article where he points out that “tank” is more explosive without the ball in his hands than he is with the ball and that he’s a terrific blocker who hit the hole with violence and that runners behind his blocks are going to be very successful this season before going off into a rant about not having a fullback in his offense.
Geeezzz! what a gopher.
by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Sep 8, 2009 4:14 PM EDT reply actions
That would be the one...
Which makes that statement all the more confusing…
I think he prefers the term H-back…
Either way, regardless of what the quote says, we’ll be lining up with a lead blocker in the backfield pretty regularly this season IMO.
That is really scary
This really dims my hope that the offensive unit will make positive steps. I am far from being a football expert, but the comments on Colon being among the best at his position, his analysis on the cause of the sacks last year and now this makes me question his credibility as a person. I think we could use the same kind of leadership on offence that our defence enjoys.
I think BA might be getting just a bit touchy, especially when you consider how much he gets dumped on (deservedly so). He might chafe under the love that his fellow coordinator, Dick LeBeau gets. Think of this… Arians can tell most of the fans hate him, but we all love LeBeau. He might be just a bit jealous of how much we’ve taken Dick into our hearts.
Arians is also very inflexible. This is why he’s never been an NFL head coach. Head coaches need to have a creative spark. Hell, even Ron Erhardt had a certain flair as our offensive coordinator. Remember everyone talking about Air Erhardt? How he had changed his offense to suit the pass friendly 94 and 95 teams. Ken Whisenhunt was superb. He has creativity to spare which is why he’s turned into being a pretty good head coach. Arians doesn’t have that. His football mind, to say the least, is bland, uncreative and downright poor.
He might be just a bit jealous of how much we’ve taken Dick into our hearts.
…
charity standing orders
by BadMaafala on Sep 8, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
As soon as i read that I knew someone would quote it below and sure enough. Lol
Bring a towel to the game. Black or gold or yellow. If you don't have one buy one, If you can't buy one, dye one!!!
by SoCalSteelerFan on Sep 9, 2009 3:29 AM EDT up reply actions
40%
Been away for a few days and I apologize if I’m posting old news….but did you see the Peter King story in the new SI in which Ben says that he calls as much as 40% of his own plays??
The quotes from Ben also suggested that Arians will frequently advise Ben on play calls without specifically calling a play.
That surprised me and it kind of made me see Arians in a different light. Still not a fan, but it makes me appreciate his relationship with Ben and how they work together to direct the offense.
by Steelers in XLIV on Sep 8, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions
But there is an M and an E and that spells ME.
I just wish Arians would ask ME if they need a fullback.
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile - Albert Einstein.
by fanofsteel on Sep 8, 2009 6:29 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I took the comments to mean
that the front office won’t give him a true fullback to work with. Maybe even some spite there.
I’ll never forgive his performance in the 07 playoff game, but I don’t hate Arians. He was on board for the best season of football I’ve ever seen (give or take a few games). He helped us win a Superbowl and he is a Steeler. That said, I want improve or his head this year. One or the other.
"It was an attrition football game and you know we like that."
Settle down...
I’ve been interviewed for articles a few times. (Nothing related to football.) Writers frequently screw up the exact wording of quotes. They usually get the gist of it, but 2 journalists went 0-3 with their quotes after interviewing me over the phone. One of them asked if I minded be taped, so I can’t figure how she screwed it up.
If "I" was the OC
I would be calling it MY offense too. Nothing wrong with that at all. And if I was running an offense with out a full back I would not let on that it might be negotiable, therefore stating that there “Never” will be one is exactly what I’d say.
If you don’t like the guy (popular sentiment on this site) just be clear about it and find some legit reasons. I don’t see anything wrong with his statements, this is really a stretch. You think he doesn’t work well with others because of this……..c’mon.
nothing wrong with taking ownership
I find myself doing it at my job too. But not all the time: I use “our” and “we” much more than “I” and “me.” And, assuming he was quoted correctly, there’s definitely a difference between the way Arians is expressing himself here and the quotes I’ve seen from Tomlin and LeBeau.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons not to like Arians for the team. We’ve seen them hashed out plenty of times on this site, including the comments for this post. Examining his language is just a way of seeing him in a new light, because I otherwise don’t know much about him. I didn’t know, for example, that he’s battling cancer (according to RickVa’s recent post). That news makes me feel sympathy for the guy, though it doesn’t change the fact that I wish we had an OC who was less obstinate. That guy can be named Bruce Arians, I wouldn’t mind — in fact, all the better, since he looks to have a solid rapport with Big Ben.
Is my argument a stretch? Yes, because this is a single incident. If this is the way he habitually talks and thinks about the team, I maintain it reveals something about his character.
Bill Beeelichick proved that in America it’s okay to cheat, as long as you cheat your way to the top. – Eric Cartman
Sniff....Sniff
“nothing wrong with taking ownership.” I smell corporate indoctrination. Tsk Tsk :)
by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Sep 9, 2009 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Not at all
As I said, I’m an academic, so my indoctrination is of a different sort. For me the phrase refers to “taking ownership of your education” and also connotes “owning up.”
Time to recalibrate the sniffer.
Bill Beeelichick proved that in America it’s okay to cheat, as long as you cheat your way to the top. – Eric Cartman
The quote in context
“There’s not a fullback on the roster,” Arians said. “There’s a running back who plays fullback, a tight end who plays fullback. I don’t have a fullback. There’s no fullback in my offense, there’s never going to be one.”
In other words, Arians feels he has two players who can do what a fullback needs to do in his offense. Alba, that’s a very interesting take on Arians. It’s speculative but you’re right, the words that people use can be revealing and, really, they should be revealing. How can you trust a person who gives nothing of themselves in what they say? People may not like it but that’s their problem.
I watched a great college game last weekend, BYU upsetting Oklahoma. There are a lot of similar elements to the kind of offense BYU runs and the kind of offense Arians is now in his third year trying to implement here. That game helped me realize how difficult it is to make a transition from one offensive style to another, and unlike the BYU head coach Arians was not in position to immediately recruit the kind of talent he needs. Arians’ style first and foremost depends on having the right skill position people in place. Skill position depth, the versatility to run or pass and a quarterback who can think quickly are key elements. When he took over the job there was no depth in the backfield or tight end, no running back who could catch outside of the immortal Dookie, only one veteran receiver who knew what he was doing and a quarterback who had not been given any opportunity to make his own decisions under Whisenhunt. It’s the kind of offense that does not need great athletes on the offensive line, but they do need to have some smarts and be able to work together.
I’ve been an Arians critic throughout and I understand why people still are. I am too. He’s tried to pound a system down the throat of a team that wasn’t equipped for it and is still lacking the intelligence and cohesiveness and to some extent the talent up front that it needs. But he now has a smarter quarterback, a deeper backfield with guys who can catch, a better tight end group and now two experienced wide receivers along with some talented depth. And while Arians’ use of “My offense” is irritating, the fact is that offensive game-planning is a collaborative process with the QB and the other coaches, most importantly MT. Tomlin may have given Arians a long leash because of his lack of experience on offense, but after watching him stew on the sidelines last year while his quarterback and running backs were hammered in the backfield, and see an offense that needed to be restructured partway through the year because of poor preparation and coaching, I think that leash is a lot shorter and the offense will have a more focused emphasis on what can work. I’m optimistic things are on the right track.
by steeler.lifer on Sep 8, 2009 7:53 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
+1
We can only hope you’re correct. If “I” was Tomlin, I would tell Arians to put up(some points) or shut up.
Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
Napoleon Bonaparte
by LV Steelers Fan on Sep 8, 2009 8:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
or look for work elsewhere. I want Shanahan for 10’!
Bring a towel to the game. Black or gold or yellow. If you don't have one buy one, If you can't buy one, dye one!!!
by SoCalSteelerFan on Sep 9, 2009 3:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Mariucci for Steelers' OC
if/when BA leaves.
I think Mooch would be an excellent mentor to Ben, would communicate well with him and Tomlin and the rest of the offense. Mariucci always talks BB up, and says over and over how much he’d love to have him as a QB. Mooch also has a long history of successful offenses and high-performance QBs.
If Pittsburgh could get him out of the booth, i say it’d be a match made in heaven.
Also- i’m not sure Mike Shanahan would be willing to be a coordinator- he’s too good a HC. But, i could be wrong. He’d be a nice fit too, if he’d take the job.
Overall, i’m willing to see how BA works it this year before really deciding for or against him. With a good showing this year, and a strong draft in ‘10, BA might finally have the tools he wants. I think he’s striving for a high-octane, big-play dominant offense to match our defensive prowess. If he gets that- look out!
That’s a big “if”, though…..
+1
Well said… I share in our concern. On the plus side, his last call coming into this year was the game-winning Super Bowl TD pass to Holmes in the corner of the endzone. That play immediately followed one in which the ball glanced off the hands of a fairly open Holmes in the endzone.
I'm also optimistic
I’m still miffed about the call v. Jaguars in the playoff game…a QB draw???…but I really think if the OL can stay healthy and continue its cohesiveness we’ll be a dam good offense.
Personally, I couldn’t care less about using a FB. I have no desire to become a smash-mouth running team simply b/c we were that in the past.
New era. Big Bens era. We ride on his shoulders. Yes, we need to run the ball effectively but just to open up the passing lanes. We need to run the ball, but make no mistake, it’s BB and the passing game that will be counted on in crucial game situations.
If Limas and Wallace can develop and produce this year…wow…what talent we have in the passing game. Nines, Holmes, Limas, Wallace, and throw in Heath for good measure…wow, that’s some serious talent. They could easily be our best collective group of WR’s/TE in our illustrious history.
So, forget all this fullback stuff or the longing for the days of the “Bus”…those were good days, winning days, but we needed a Championship QB to bring home the SB’s. Now that we have a future HOF QB, I’m content with giving him the ball, letting him call his own plays, and saying “it’s all you BB, we trust you.”
by SteelerMike on Sep 8, 2009 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Well said
Of all of those seasons the Steelers ran first to set up pass blah blah blah, how may times did they get to the promised-land? ZERO. Ben gets to the Burgh and, at the end of the Bettis era, now has two rings.
Make now mistake, I’d like to see much more originality in the play calling. If Ben is truly calling 40% of the plays already, perhaps that will increase this year? I’d like to see Ben call as many plays as possible. Seems to do pretty damn well with the two-minute/no-huddle style offense.
I am not, however, a particular advocate of changing OCs. Can’t really stand BA but, the advantages of the coaching/FO stability have been proven and cannot be understated. I read that repeatedly on this site and agree with it 100%. Why would that not apply to the OC? What would happen if a new OC came in completely changing everything, as they are wont to do? How many years of Ben do the Steelers have left and why waste any of them trying to have a team adjust to a new system? The time to win is NOW. The core is intact for potentially a coupl of more years. Can the Steelers win 2-3 more rings in the meantime? Well, if it aint broke .. .. ..
The only managing Ben does is he manages to WIN games
by chewiesteeler on Sep 9, 2009 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
This pretty much pisses me off, but...
I will make my usual observation that while some fullbacks play violent football, you do not need a fullback to play football violently.
I’ll save my complaining for at least the 2nd game.
BA Track Record...
Speaks for itself. He also ran this type of Offense, sans fullback, when he was the Head Coach at Temple. Lot of good that did him then…guess he didn’t learn the lesson too well.
Great post Alba, and I especially liked your pick up of his being inflexible. Nailed that one.
Right on target dawgs re: inflexible
It is so effing frustrating to see Arians do the same thing over and over with the same results. Isn’t that the definition of being crazy? Let Ben call his own plays, Bradshaw did.
No "i" in team...But there is a Mattea.
.
Sorta. That was something of a non-sequitur actually. But I was feeling left out… She is sad though.
By the way, enjoy your new avatar!
I really like tight ends though...
.
and the way they run over DBs for YAC. Yeah, that’s all I got.
By the way, enjoy your new avatar!
Yeah, there ain't no we in it either
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
As was mentioned earlier in this thread, and bears repeating, is that Arians has a good relationship with Big Ben.
I think Big Ben likes Arians more than he did Whisenhut. If you remember back in 2007, Whiz made some comments about Ben having come back too early from injury in ‘06 and Ben took exception to them. In an interview around that same time, Ben also subtly suggested that Whisenhut used to yell instead of teach. Given the way our organization operates, it is likely that these sorts of friendships/feuds between players and coaches are going to be strictly behind closed doors. The respect and admiration of the players is vital for a successful coach. Perhaps this is one key element in Arians’ favor that we are unable to directly observe (given the private nature of our organization). All we can see are BA’s fetishes for tight ends and bunch formations.
+1
BA isn’t going anywhere. The relationship between a QB and OC is more important than the relationship between a QB and head coach. Ben likes BA and the two have a good chemistry. Some fans simply want BA to go away, but Ben likes the guy, and so, he’s going to be around for a while.
by SteelerMike on Sep 10, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
are you....
….suggesting that Arians is the only person Big Ben is capable of having a good relationship with as an O.C. ?
by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Sep 11, 2009 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
There's no "I" in "team"...
but there is an “M” and “E”!
But "team" spelled backwards
is “meat”!
/not knowing what i’m talking about
and-
“poop” spells “poop” any way you put it :-)
/still clueless
unless..
..you flip it, then it’s “boob”
by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Sep 11, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Just a Note on the Play Calling Tonight:
It functioned like a one legged donkey running up a muddy hill in a downpour when Arians was calling the plays.
We won the game when Arians was replaced as O.C. by Roethlisberger (by Ben’s account, he calls about 40% or more of the hurry up offense’s plays).
A + B + Ben felt the game far more intuitively than Arians. Does this mean Arians’ perceived lack of flexibility (as pointed out by this OP in reference to B.A.’s quote) was the culprit? Is he less than capable of shifting on the fly, and switching directions; being FLEXIBLE? Just a question.
But while I was watching, people who aren’t even familiar with the Steeler Nations love/hate relationship with Arians were asking me questions:
“Why are they still running?”
“Wait, now theey’re passing, and it’s working well, so why did they justtry 2 runs in a row…to the same spot?”
“I thought you used the pass to set up the run, or…is it the other way around?”
That’s just it. Arians wasn’t calling a good game, it was far too vanilla, and granted, he isn’t the one sucking at getting downfield push on the D-Line, but come on.
I saw this quote myself, the day he said it. It was in a piece somewhere online, and I just cringed. He sounded like he was pissed that so many people were asking all the time. Well, I seem to think that your team takes on your countenance, and Coach, with all due respect, you seem to be cracking, and I want MY team to have none of that attitude. MY team doesn’t crack. So take “YOUR” offense, and either acknowledge inwardly the flames you are feeling on your ass and start calling good plays & stop taking credit for Ben’s 4th quarter two minute drills, or leave.
I’m usually pretty patient, but I’m getting a little frustrated over this.
A house divided against itself cannot stand…and Tomlin’s ideas about “ownership” and Arians’ I believe, from this quote, may be different.
"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." -- #58
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