Greetings Steeler Nation!
I've been reading these boards since the days of the AZ Cardinals Board and all the iterations in the decades since (I can't really remember the name before it became a Steelers Site). I've enjoyed this site and all of you for years and this is typically my first stop any time I'm online. So I guess first I'd like to say thank you for letting me lurk and for all the information/entertainment you all have provided over the years. This is truly a great site!
I apologize for the length of this post, but since it's the offseason I figured I'd give this internet posting thing a shot.
I'm kind of an old dude at this point and have been a Steelers Fan since I knew what football was. I think my first real football memory was the first Dallas Superbowl in 76? I live in upstate NY so obviously I was in the minority in terms of Steeler fans. But hey, I was like 7, and it was the Steelers or the Cowboys and it sure as hell wasn't going to be the Cowboys.
I've thought about posting this a few times, and may have even tried too once, but I feel likes its pertinent and it still kind of bothers me to this day. A few seasons ago I made the trip to Pittsburgh for the first time to see the Steelers play at home. I've been to Buffalo and the Meadowlands a few times, but this was a pretty big deal for me. It was the Bengals game and they got spanked, but I kinda didn't care. I was almost emotional watching Cam Heyward run out of the tunnel waving The Terrible Towel and listening to the crowd roar - it was surreal. Even though it was ugly I got to see Big Ben play one last time. I saw all I could see in Pittsburgh, and just thoroughly enjoyed everything - it was freaking AWESOME! What a great city!
I guess here I should mention I played - blah blah blah, but as an adult I became coach for my boys in every sport available for years - including football (definitely the most fun but I admit I'm biased). We won a few chips with both kids, and to me I don't know if I've ever enjoyed anything in life as much as taking a bunch of kids "no one wanted" (with my youngest's age group) and beating the snot out of anything in our path en route to a league title. For those with kids you may be able relate to the political side of youth sports, but I digress.
I know, I know, it's youth sports. But here's the thing for me, any team I was ever on or coached that had any success, we were disciplined and practiced hard. Practice like you play, end of story. I mean, I grew up watching (reading about) Chuck Noll - duh. I also had a few coaches that were vets and tough as nails and demanded respect. Hard work and discipline were basic expectations, can't do that, can't play. And everyone wants to play - right?
My point is (Finally), the wife and I showed up to the game early and went in to see the sites and watch the teams warm up. When we got to our seats, the teams came out, the Bengals lined up and started stretching by positional units. Then, as they were prepared, they started running positional drills, then eventually got to running skeleton plays etc. Pretty impressive group.
The Steelers came out, and to this day I don't think I can use any other term except "complete clusterf*ck". I watched in disbelief, literally. This is a professional sports team, MY team... The entire team was basically just hanging out (TJ Watt was injured - he gets a pass, and I did see Cam/Ben stretching on their own). There were 5-6 dudes throwing passes to the WR's and DB's. The lines kind of got aligned a few times - right in the middle of where "routes were being run"... I can't state enough how much chaos was happening right before my very eyes. I just sat there... I wanted to scream "What the f*ck are you guys doing, for the love of god who the f*ck is in charge of this sh*t show?" Still, two years later just thinking about it I can feel my blood pressure go up. And I'm typically a pretty chill dude, for real, I may be just a tad competitive?
I looked at my wife and said "This is going to be bad", she is barely a casual fan and was like... "What?" I told her to look at the two teams and what does she see? It took her less than 5 seconds to look at me and say "Practice like you play". I just shook my head and said "I hope I'm wrong". I was not wrong...
I've given up on Coach Tomlin, he's probably a great guy and the players love him, most likely because they can do whatever they want. I think he may have trade value, but he's going nowhere. If I'm Rooney, I'm loving Kahn/Wiedl and keeping that in tact as long as possible. Make THEM force Mr. Tomlin to hire competent coordinators that promote discipline and teamwork (Don't do it for him, make him do it, they must have veto power right?). Let your GM team draft capable kids that can "run themselves" and become your team leaders - I can state with 100% certainty, when the players hold each other accountable, that's when you change the culture. At this point the players have to do it themselves because the coaching will not.
It sucks, but in my humble opinion, at this point it's the Steelers only hope for more success than what I've seen the last two decades. Whatever it is 17-18 years in now, you know what you have - a cheerleader (Bradshaw is right). But he can be successful if given the proper tools and knowing his limitations. It appears we as fans are stuck with him, and he'll probably get another extension at some point, so if possible that would be part of my plan moving forward.
For what it's worth - If possible contract wise I'd dump Trubisky and I'd sign/ride with Mason next year at least and get Pickett reps whenever possible. I'd trade back and try to get future picks, and draft the positions you all basically agree on. I hold on to everyone I can unless there's a trade I can't resist, but I don't see anyone on the roster I would extend, yet. Basically, try to get draft capital and see what materializes next season and save $$$, especially if there is no coaching extension. (Obviously I'm hoping for another solid draft from the Kahn artist)
I feel like this team could be really competitive if they could maintain any consistency, but I just don't see that happening until the coach is replaced, and I don't see the coach being replaced. I'm not a Tomlin hater, but definitely not a fan either, I think I'm a realist and I know I'm a Steeler fan. Every year I hope he improves and there has been some very, very minimal improvement in coaching off and on over the years which gave me a tiny glimmer of hope... But, nope... I guess it just is what it is. I'm always going to root for the Steelers whoever the coach is, I made it through the 80's and hopefully I'll see this era through as well.
Again I apologize for the length of this post - it was super therapeutic to release that angst... Thank you! Next game I show up 20 minutes before kick off several cocktails in and hope for the best!
Go Steelers!