Time is a wonderful thing.
It gives us a chance to think, a chance to reflect. It also can give us clarity, and a chance to re-evaluate things.
Time also gives us the gift of perspective, which could be applied in the case of the Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount situation this past week.
My journalism teacher in college once told the class that "doctor's mistakes end up in coffins, and writer's mistakes end up on the front page." Last night, in the midst of the Steelers 31-21 loss to the Eagles, I wrote a story blasting Bell, Blount, Tomlin, and the Steelers for playing the two running backs a day after they were charged for marijuana possession. Bell was also arrested for a possible DUI. I wrote that I was "disgusted" watching them play last night and even went as far as comparing them to Bam Morris, another Steelers running back that had a run in with the law in regards to pot.
The past day has given me perspective in regards to the situation. I never should have compared them to Morris. As a Steelers fan reminded me via e-mail, Morris also possessed cocaine at the time of his arrest. That was a cheap shot that shouldn't have fired.
I also challenged Mike Tomlin's ability to discipline his team. That was also wrong, especially given the fact that I have been very impressed with how he has handled similar situations regarding players in the past.
In hindsight, Tomlin having Bell and Blount play was probably the tougher thing for the two running backs to do. By not playing last night, the two could have had the chance to lay low while everything blows over and gets replaced on ESPN by the next thing Johnny Manziel does (I'm just waiting for the day ESPN does a feature on what he eats for breakfast). Instead, Tomlin didn't just make them play, he made them play the entire game. Here's Bell, fresh off a year in which he eclipsed Franco Harris' rookie record for yards from scrimmage for a running back, trying to bang out yards late in a pre season game against guys hard pressed to make the regular season roster. Tomlin taught the two a valuable lesson in accepting responsibility for your actions: you have to own them and deal with it head on. To their credit, Bell and Blount did that last night. Making them play last night was the right thing to do.
I recently watched "Roll Tide/War Eagle", the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about the epic college football rivalry between Alabama and Auburn. There's a quote in the documentary from a diehard Tide fan who said "I guess I just have too much 'Bama in me." Last night, the Pittsburgh in me came out and lashed out at a team I have spent most of my life cheering for. Being a Steelers fan is different; it's been engrained in most of us since birth. Most of us got that love of the team from our parents, who inherited it from their parents. It's a family affair, something we talk about during family reunions or to fill up those awkward moments with people (that we assume are Steelers fans) when we don't know what to talk about. It's just a part of us.
It is OK to be upset at Bell and Blount for their actions? Absolutely. We hold these guys up in high regard as Steelers and representatives of a city most of us love. But, it's important to also have perspective, to wait until you've had time to digest things before reacting, and to trust that those in charge of the situation to make the right decisions. The Steelers are known for doing the right thing. Let's have faith that they will once again.