It is interesting that with so many of the discussions and debates we have here on BTSC, invariably something will be posted to the effect that:
"They know what they are doing...They do this 24/7 for a living...Hey, we've been in three Super Bowls in six years... In (blank) we trust"
Let me be the first to step forward and claim that I am guilty of at least thinking, if not writing, comments along those lines. I am especially vulnerable when the Bruce Arians lynching takes its normal course, but I don't want to digress here. I think the interesting caveat is the old adage that "you stand where you sit." In other words, if you initiate the criticism, or agree with someone else's, then you feel the freedom to talk about the situation. If you disagree, then the instinct is to sometimes end the debate by simply claiming that we can't know as much as, or be as smart as, the inner sanctum. How can a banker from Richmond, or whatever it is we all do, have enough insight to criticize people who spend their entire existence on this stuff?
The truth is, if we take that position, there would be no need to ever engage in any discussions or debates. There would be no need for BTSC. Why should we even talk about the Draft? Kevin Colbert knows more than we do, so let's just go about our lives and wait for April 28, and then trust what he does. Let us never question Dick LeBeau or Bruce Arians or Mike Tomlin about anything. They are in the film room and at practice 18 hours a day. Who are we to think we can possibly be more accurate than they? The In-Blank-We-Trust card is the ultimate trump card. It ends all debate.
To the contrary, I like to pretend that I am the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I want to ask questions. I want to throw out my opinions and ideas and I want feedback. I don't know as much detail as the people I hire - if I did I wouldn't need to hire them in the first place. So I will let them explain things and then I will be convinced or not convinced. But under no circumstances am I going to simply live with the mantra that "They must know more than I, so I'll just stop thinking about everything."
I want to know why and why not. As a follow-up to our fearless leader's astute column about Thaddeus Gibson, I want to know why we have enough linebackers to defeat a third-world country, while our secondary can't defend top-quality quarterbacks. Did we over-do this BPA thing, like Mr. Bean alluded to? Was Gibson just a Draft mistake or is he potentially a good player that was low man on a very large totem pole - either of which is bad. As the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I sign all the paychecks. You need to convince me, Kevin, why our secondary is going to be better this year, or I can assure you, we won't be taking any linebackers early in this Draft, and I don't care how good they are (Martez Wilson). Thaddeus Gibson might be good too, but we're never going to reap that fourth-round seed, are we? And we're not going to stop Manning, Brady, Brees or Rodgers unless we improve the defensive weaponry to cover their targets.
No matter how good Kevin Colbert is, or Mike Tomlin, or Dick LeBeau, or Bruce Arians, they are like the rest of us - they make mistakes. These mistakes are indisputable and well-documented. And as long as they make mistakes, they are vulnerable to being questioned. I own this team, maybe just as a fan and in my own mind, but I have an emotional investment in the Pittsburgh Steelers that I am not going to apologize for. I want to share my thoughts and hear yours on this web site. I want discussion and debate. I want you to convince me when I'm wrong. And along this journey, I will try very hard not to trump debate by saying, "In the Steelers we trust; they know what they are doing; their success is proven; so they must be right."