Quote:
Originally Posted by yourchoice
I'm sorry Scott, but I think "the Rooney family setting the highest standards" is hogwash. They've done a good job painting that picture, but their actions don't match their words. Some examples:
Najeh Davenport - charged with child endangerment and unlawful restraint. He was cut (Way to go Rooney!!!). But when the Steelers needed help at RB 3 months later...well, let's bring him back (He's reformed!!!!).
Cedric Wilson vs. James Harrison - within 1 1/2 weeks of each other, both were charged with domestic abuse. One was cut the other retained. Double standard?
Santonio Holmes - was permitted three or four strikes before he was traded.
Jeff Reed - First charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, and later on a seperate instance, charged with resisting arrest, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness. Grounds for cutting, or at least not resigning? No, he kicked the ball well at Heinz field, so they slapped the franchise tag on him and paid him close to $3M after those incendents.
Ben Rothlesberger - don't even have to go there.
Most of this is all since 2008...3+ years! "Highest Standard" my ass.
And this is all of the off-field stuff. It's the way they play that makes me call them dirty. All teams have off the field issues, but the Rooney family shouldn't act like they hold their players to a higher standard when their actions clearly show they don't.
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Joel, if you take a look at what's happened and is happening in the front office and the ownership of the Steelers since July of 2008, you'll understand exactly why that kind of bullshit has happened, and continues to happen.
You'll also find that Art Rooney II has been heading up day to day since then (or thereabouts) and it was Dan Rooney prior to him who didn't put up with any nonsense.
You'll also find that Art Jr. was fired by Dan in the past. They bump heads because Art Jr. is a dick.
So with all the insquabbling and politicing and major money, disinterested owners, half the family bailing out, the Steelers are now a business instead of a family operation, or more aptly a business trying to look like they are a family operation to maximze the price of the team until the sale all shakes out.
So I'll take one for instance. Harrison vs. Wilson.
Wilson got dumped to make a statement, but Harrison's business value was greater and overrode the committment to "not tolerating domestic violence".
I guess, after looking at the whole picture, you got me.
I should have said "The Rooney Family
used to set the highest standards". They certainly haven't done things the way they used to over the last few years.
One last thing, Joel...
Why they slapped the franchise tag on Skippy instead of running him out of town, only to cut him , it's a complete mystery to me. I never chased down the reasons, but it had to boil down to money.
Does one single iota of that situation make any sense to you? Me neither. Add to that he was drunk all the time and he sucked. Sofaman and I talked hours on Skippy and have yet to shed any kind of sensible light on that whole thing. It's just nuts.