2012 Pittsburgh Steelers Offseason Thread. Gone Fishin

• thavoice

  BR1986FB;1070299 wrote:The problem is Polamalu is becoming one of those "old" guys too. He's a gambler and when a gambler on defense loses a step, they are in trouble. Polamalu always looks good out of the gate, while he's fresh, but as the season wears on, the injuries surface and his effectiveness dwindles.

  TP doesnt come back from injuries too quickly, that is for sure. I think he can be very good for 2-3 more seasons. He does his own off season workout thing with his own special people so who knows if that will help him in th elong run, as from what I hear it is a little bit unorthadox.
  
  He has had way too many head injuries, and he seems like the type of guy who does have a good head on his shoulders and would be able to make it on the outside world so I could see him up and retiring if he gets another head injury. MOST guys in the NFL they are 'told' that they cannot play and should retire, and others retire before they have to and could still play. I could see TP being the latter.
• BR1986FB

  Polamalu is the one Steeler that I can say I actually "like." You have to like the way he plays the game and he just comes across as likeable. Head & Shoulders commercials are funny as Hell. Now don't take that as me being a "sympathizer." :laugh:
• thavoice

  BR1986FB;1070315 wrote:Polamalu is the one Steeler that I can say I actually "like." You have to like the way he plays the game and he just comes across as likeable. Head & Shoulders commercials are funny as Hell. Now don't take that as me being a "sympathizer." :laugh:

  You being a browns fan you may appreciate it. In the Sporting News 125th year special edition a few months ago they had a quote from Jim Brown. He mentioned how 'he hates the players that dance, shake their butts, make fools out of themselves like OchoStinko. For some many years we (black players) have tried to shake the stereotypes and guys like him and others take us back 20 years. I ike guys like Troy Polamalue. He makes a great play. Gets up, goes back to the huddle, and does it again'.
  
  Now...he did say he likes Merriman as well for that same reason. I kinda was taken back by taht one as he would do his "lights out" sack dance and also got suspended for drugs.
• BR1986FB

  thavoice;1070330 wrote:You being a browns fan you may appreciate it. In the Sporting News 125th year special edition a few months ago they had a quote from Jim Brown. He mentioned how 'he hates the players that dance, shake their butts, make fools out of themselves like OchoStinko. For some many years we (black players) have tried to shake the stereotypes and guys like him and others take us back 20 years. I ike guys like Troy Polamalue. He makes a great play. Gets up, goes back to the huddle, and does it again'.
  
  Now...he did say he likes Merriman as well for that same reason. I kinda was taken back by taht one as he would do his "lights out" sack dance and also got suspended for drugs.

  Jim Brown was a great player but far from a role model himself. He should just be seen and not heard.
• thavoice

  BR1986FB;1070342 wrote:Jim Brown was a great player but far from a role model himself. He should just be seen and not heard.

  Yeah....I agree...that was about the only thing I ever heard that was 'good' that he had said...but then praised merriman as well so that perplexed me!
• Pick6

  

  In the same boat as some of you. Love Polamalu, hate the Steelers.
• killer_ewok

  

  Only caught a little bit of the discussion on 93.7 The Fan today but it sounds like the Steelers interviewed Todd Haley for the OC position today.
• thavoice

  killer_ewok;1071507 wrote:Only caught a little bit of the discussion on 93.7 The Fan today but it sounds like the Steelers interviewed Todd Haley for the OC position today.

  As long as BR is an integral part of forming the new offense then I think they wiill be just fine. He took a step fwd under Arians but they pretty much maxed out what they were gonna do with him..
• BearBoy69

  

  Our D-line is fine. Maybe a new Nose Guard to train under Hampton for a year or two. We have Ziggy Hood and Heyward as backups. So the future is looking solid there.
  We need a few holes in the o-line. We need some tackles and some solid back ups.
  The biggest need IMO is another corner to compliment Ike Taylor. William Gay gives up a lot of catches. He made Jordy Nelson look like Jerry Rice in the Super Bowl. He also gave up the TD pass against the Broncos in the playoffs. I can honestly say i HATE William Gay. I wish we'd release him
• thavoice

  Wonder if they stalled in their OC search until BR got back from the SB. I think maybe they were a bit takent back at his anger and comments and since they didnt consult him on the firing, maybe they would do so in the search for a new OC.
  
  SI had a blurb that the steelers had like the second best TOP, one of the top two in drives lasting over 4 minutes and also in drive length.
  
  
  BUT....only 21st in scoring and that is what separated this team from being elite. The offense doesnt need an overhaul, it just needs a little bit of tweaking and it will be humming right along. They have the receivers, QB, and I think solid RB's to put up some record steeler numbers. The OL needs alot of work and I think a tweaked scheme will do wonders.
  
  
  Hampton is due 8 million, and we are 25 mill over. He doesnt come to camp ready to play when he is Healthy so I dont expect him to come to camp ready to play....OR...OR...maybe with this surgery and his mandatory rehab he will be forced to come into camp in better shape? In the offseason he usually was on his own, but now maybe with this surgery and rehab that will force it to be diff.
• gerb131

  

  Rod Woodson to coach Bengals secondary maybe?
• thavoice

  Heard that as well. He is my all time favorite steeler. He was with the raiders last correct? Been a fan of his every since he was at Ft Wayne Snider HS as a two sport stud athlete and then at Purdue.
  
  I had always hoped he would get back to the steelers. WHen he left there didnt seem to be much ill will. Steelers offered him a fair deal for an older guy who was coming off of major knee surgery and he just found himself a home elsewhere. I think he was the only guy that I really rooted for to do well when he left the steelers....most of the others I hoped to flop
• gerb131

  

  I do believe he was only with Oak for 1 yr but due to his playing knowledge I think he could be a great help in Cinci.
• thavoice

  Ya never know how being a great player will translate into coaching. Sometimes the best have such great natural ability but dont find themselves as a good teacher of the game. I have seen some guys who were OK players but very good coaches, and very good players who just didnt have that knack of getting points across to players. Many times it is that guy who had to work hard and struggle for his PT, one who was on the sideline and learned the intricasies of a spot and how to coach it but just didnt have the ability to do well make better coaches.
  
  Of course...there are some great players who are great coaches as well but it always isnt a guarentee
• killer_ewok

  

  Todd Haley will be announced as the Steelers new OC soon.
• thavoice

  BR and Arians were pretty tight, was said to be like an uncle Arians to him and he was mad to see him go.
  
  That is good, to a point, but I also can see how it would be a hinderance to BR. I think if TH has a good scheme that uses what BR does best, and is there to PUSH BR instead of coddling him, that this offense could really take off. I want to see a little of the fire between the two instead of the good ole buddy buddy thing.
• thavoice

  Read an interview in the PPG from Mean Joe Greene and I agree 100%
  
  
  "[LEFT]Greene said his complaint with the offense did not lie in the ratio of runs to passes but in the lack of commitment to run, especially in obvious situations.
  "Look at the teams that are here,'' Greene said of the Super Bowl matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Giants. "There is a method to their madness, there is a system, you can see what they're trying to do.
  "When New England played the [Baltimore] Ravens [in the AFC championship game], had they continued trying to throw the football, they would have lost it. They decided they had to run it, but they couldn't line up and show you they were going to run it, they had to look like they were going to throw the pass, and that's when they ran the ball on them. And that allowed them to score a couple touchdowns.
  
  
  Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12035/1208112-66-0.stm#ixzz1lodkZMlZ
  
  
  I agree with what he says totally. It isnt the number of runs/passes..it is the commitment to it. Also, he basically said Arians telegraphed when they were gonna run it and I agree. It is almost like he just threw in token runs to make some people happy, but the actual run scheme was so bad that he could say 'well, i tried and it isnt working' and then go to the pass.[/LEFT]
• GoPens

  

  The cuts begin. The Steelers release Bryant McFadden and Arnez Battle today.
  
  http://post-gazette.com/pg/12039/1208965-100.stm
• BearBoy69

  

  Heard Hines Ward is coming back, Steelers or not, any truth to this? Good or bad thing?
• THE4RINGZ

  

  BearBoy69;1080510 wrote:Heard Hines Ward is coming back, Steelers or not, any truth to this? Good or bad thing?

  
  Good thing. Keep him in Pittsburgh until he is done. He deserves that. Let him continue to play a limited role, and mentor the young studs.
• BearBoy69

  

  THE4RINGZ;1080512 wrote:Good thing. Keep him in Pittsburgh until he is done. He deserves that. Let him continue to play a limited role, and mentor the young studs.

  I was def expecting him to retire this year. He is still tough, but just not what he once was. He'll be like Charlie Batch next year. Everybody loves them (including me) So they'll get paid to dress and be overpaid position coaches
• thavoice

  I was a McFaddy fan the first time he was here. He was in the nickel and always seemed to be around the action and make things happen. He was a disapointment in Ariz and also when he came back.
  
  
  Ward wants to come back, and has lobbied to come back as well. I think a vet of his stature has to make around a million bucks if he would agree to take that big of a cut. I hope he stays. One of my fav steelers of all time. I dont know if h ewill b back tho.....26 million over the cap so alot of space has to be made. I just hope this doesnt get messy. We all love the cap, but it is times like this where it kinda hurts where ya cannot allow an aging vet to stick around and contribute with a decent salary. I woudnt be opposed to some sort of exemption to the cap rules that state vets who have been with the same team for 10 years or more can sign extensions and only a % goes toward the cap. Now I dont want the cap to be like in the NBA where there as many loopholes as the tax code, but I think one for 10 yr vets with the same team seems fair.
• BearBoy69

  

  GoPens;1080152 wrote:The cuts begin. The Steelers release Bryant McFadden and Arnez Battle today.
  
  http://post-gazette.com/pg/12039/1208965-100.stm

  so in other words nobody important?
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Saw this, figured some of you might not see this elsewhere:
  Pittsburgh Steelers' problems? Did president Art Rooney II ignore coach Mike Tomlin's wishes in switch of offensive coordinators? | cleveland.com
  http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2012/02/pittsburgh_steelers_problems_d.html
  
  CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns' fans, here is a brief history of your team's "rivalry" with the Pittsburgh Steelers:
  Beginning in 1950, with the Browns' entry into the NFL, Cleveland won 32 of its first 41 games against the Steelers.
  
  Pittsburgh's domination of its turnpike rival in the 1970s and a Cleveland rally in the mid- to late-80s proceeded the Browns' move to Baltimore following the 1995 season. By then, the teams had played 93 times. The Browns had won 52 games; the Steelers, 41, including a playoff contest.
  
  Following its return to the NFL as a franchise in 1999, Cleveland actually won two of its first three meetings with Pittsburgh. Since then, it's been a disaster. The Steelers have won 22 of the last 24 games, including one in the playoffs. Pittsburgh is 16-1 against the Browns since the teams' second meeting of the 2003 season.
  
  (Cleveland.com's Browns history database features Plain Dealer stories on every Browns regular season and playoff game from 1946 through 2010. This is the first of five pages of links to stories on the Browns' games against the Steelers)
  
  The best way for the Browns to someday catch up with their AFC North rival? Maybe to have the Steelers collapse from within?
  
  Gerry Dulac writes for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Todd Haley was introduced today as the Steelers' new offensive coordinator.
  
  Haley replaces Bruce Arians, whom Pittsburgh let walk after his contract expired at the end of the past season. Arians, the Browns' offensive coordinator from 2001-03, was the Steelers' wide receivers coach from 2004-06 before taking charge of the entire offense in 2007. He was part of Pittsburgh's Super Bowl winning teams in the 2005 and 2008 seasons. Arians was named the Indianapolis Colts' offensive coordinator on Jan. 28.
  
  Now, where Browns' fans may find hope that the Steelers will become their own worst enemies -- the speculation that Pittsburgh president Art Rooney II ignored coach Mike Tomlin's wishes that Arians stay on as the offensive architect.
  
  Ron Cook, writing today for the Post-Gazette about the Steelers' offensive coordinator intrigue, refers to a Jan. 21 report by his colleague, Gerry Dulac.
  
  And, Cook wrote earlier today, anticipating how Tomlin would handle questions about the change in offensive coordinators:
  
  No one at Steelers headquarters has disputed the report by the Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac that Tomlin told Arians right after the season that he wanted him back and told staff members that Arians would be back. No one, including team president Art Rooney II, has disputed Dulac's report that Rooney II trumped Tomlin and forced out Arians.
  
  The way Arians' exit was handled made Tomlin look weak. How does Tomlin put a positive spin on that?
  
  Certainly by now, Tomlin has a better grip on the company line. He'll put on a smile -- real or otherwise -- when Haley steps to the lectern today. By the time he finally sits down with the media again -- it hasn't happened since the day after the playoff loss against the Denver Broncos -- he probably will make Haley sound like the second coming of Bill Walsh.
  Cook also wrote:
  
  I'm guessing Tomlin will have the chance to be here for a long time. I'm just not so sure anymore that he wants to stay.
  
  We're not going to have to wait long to find out.
  
  Steelers.com has reported Tomlin's contract runs through next season with an option for 2013.
  
  Browns' fans see enough problems with their own team, but they might be curious to see how the situation plays out in Pittsburgh.
• thavoice

  I liked it better when the steelers owner really never was talking about. They were never making comments about the team and what he thinks they should do on the field, but RooneyII has done that over the last couple of years and I am not a fan of it.
  
  I am glad that Arians is gone though. I posted a link to what Joe Greene said about the offense and Arians and I agreed 100% and I think so do many others.
  
  I think the offense was about as good as it was gonna get with arians as the OC. Is Haley the answer? We will wait and see, but I was never a fan of Arians' offense. When the best part of the offensive scheme is when the QB scrambles around to make plays then there is just something wrong.
  
  The one thing I find interesting is that the last 3 OC that the steelers hired from the outside.......have sucked.
  I think here is alot of talent on the offensive side....Arians did all he could and now it is up to Haley to bring them to the next level.