Apples and oranges. Cowher may have gone 8-8 in 2006 but there were still 22 of his players on Shades' 2008 SB team, 17 on the 2010 SB team, and almost the whole coaching staff. Also 2006 was the year his QB was almost killed in a motorcycle crash and as soon as he was recovered from that he had a burst appendix.
I love schooling the Tomlin nuthuggers on FB when they want to play "Tomlin Inherited An 8-8 team" with "OKay, how come Tomlin's 2008 SB team went 9-7 in 2009 and missed the playoffs?"
Fact is that Shades won everything of consequence with Cowher's core of players and staff and since the team has been all his for 12 years now he has not accomplished jack ****.
Tomlin has accomplished nothing on his own. Tomlin will never accomplish anything on his own. We've had 12 years to see that he simply isn't that good.
3 playoff wins in 12 years and I assure you that if he's here another 12 years he will have at most another 3 playoff wins.
Until he proves he can win on his own, he will always be Mediocre Mike to me.