NFL's new safety policy

[Mikey202]

Originally Posted by yachties23

James Harrison continues to be the NFLs model citizen....

Hey...he said he was sorry to Colt a couple of plays later.

[yachties23]

Maybe thats why I'll never understand Steeler fans. I wouldn't even joke about a guy on my team who has a history of blatant dirty cheap shots with intent to cause injury, or support a QB who has a shady off field history at best.

Its hysterical that they always talk about the ownership as classy and a first rate organization, yet look at the product on the field.

Originally Posted by Mikey202

Hey...he said he was sorry to Colt a couple of plays later.

[yourchoice]

Steelers = Dirtiest team in the NFL, IMHO. It's like they teach their players to NOT wrap their arms.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by yachties23

Maybe thats why I'll never understand Steeler fans. I wouldn't even joke about a guy on my team who has a history of blatant dirty cheap shots with intent to cause injury, or support a QB who has a shady off field history at best.

Its hysterical that they always talk about the ownership as classy and a first rate organization, yet look at the product on the field.

I went back and forth and read your statements you've made, and have seen that what you consider to be true and what actually is true don't necessarily have anything at all to do with each other, but I'll let you know what the Steeler Nation thought about Big Ben.

There's not a single Steeler fan who wasn't shocked when he hit the field this year. The fans almost unanimously expected (and wanted) to see him gone. The fact that he's still there attests to the Rooney family. The fans trust them because they have taken care of us, and have set the highest standards in the NFL for generations. I can trust that they left no stone unturned and know the full truth of all Ben's transgressions. I can assure you there are many more you haven't heard about, and that the organization has since reigned him in. Despite that, he remains on thin ice.
If the Rooney's kept him and are willing to vouch for him and work with him to make an outstanding human out of him, I've got to be behind them.

So far as Harrison goes, he doesn't have a lot of fans among Steeler followers. He's an asshole. He's got a big mouth, no respect, and isn't getting any love whatsoever.
The hit on Colt McCoy was inexcusable. I think a game's suspension is too light, and if he was gone for the rest of the year, it'd suit me fine. I'm hoping he's dealt away in the offseason, but I don't think he will be. I think he's going to be approached the same way Ben was. He'll fall in line, clean up his act, or they'll see to it that he's gone. He won't be the first top-notch linebacker with a bad attitude we've dealt away.

If you actually knew anything about what Steeler fans think, you'd know these things. And you'd understand what's behind a joke if someone makes a joke (and I'm not sure what the "joke" reference was).
If you knew anything about Harrison, you'd laugh at yourself about the HGH assertion. It doesn't even remotely make sense.

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by shilala

The fact that he's still there attests to the Rooney family. The fans trust them because they have taken care of us, and have set the highest standards in the NFL for generations. I can trust that they left no stone unturned and know the full truth of all Ben's transgressions. I can assure you there are many more you haven't heard about, and that the organization has since reigned him in. Despite that, he remains on thin ice.
If the Rooney's kept him and are willing to vouch for him and work with him to make an outstanding human out of him, I've got to be behind them.

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.

[shilala]

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.

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.

Originally Posted by shilala

but I'll let you know what the Steeler Nation thought about Big Ben.

There's not a single Steeler fan who wasn't shocked when he hit the field this year. .

Sorry Scott, but all you have to do to see that that statement is not true is go read the Steeler thread right here on CA.

Without even going back and looking I can think of at least Loki on this forum and Mikey too I believe who defended Rothlisberger through hell and high water, regardless of the evidence of the things he's done off the field.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Sorry Scott, but all you have to do to see that that statement is not true is go read the Steeler thread right here on CA.

Without even going back and looking I can think of at least Loki on this forum and Mikey too I believe who defended Rothlisberger through hell and high water, regardless of the evidence of the things he's done off the field.

You make me cry, Vic.
As with everything, there's nothing black and white. It's good you guys took up for him. I sure didn't. I still don't. Everyone I know still says stuff like "the raper had a nice game today". He certainly isn't loved like he used to be. You can hear him referred to as the raper on the radio even now.
My statements do convey the sentiments of the biggest percentage of the population of Steelers fans in Burgh and outside of Burgh. I get it from reading every single day and listening to the radio every day.
My stepdaughter's last boyfriend helped throw Ben off their golf course for pissing on the green. Small world, ya know? I guess I hear a lot more of it from being right in it (even though I've been in Cleveland for a year). There's nothing that happens with the players that doesn't get spread far and wide REAL fast.

I've been trying to think of one single person here, back home, or down in Burgh that took up for Ben the last time he got in trouble, and the whole time I've been typing I still came up with no one. Except you traitors.

[Mikey202]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Sorry Scott, but all you have to do to see that that statement is not true is go read the Steeler thread right here on CA.

Without even going back and looking I can think of at least Loki on this forum and Mikey too I believe who defended Rothlisberger through hell and high water, regardless of the evidence of the things he's done off the field.

As far as joking about Harrisons hit, I wasn't. If you watched the game, he did go over to McCoy and say he was sorry, or my bad, whatever.

As far as, "defending" Rothlisberger, I come from the position of a realist.

Big Ben was at a party with women over the age of 18. These women, according to the article that I read in Sports Illustrated, were walking around with R.T.F. name badges on,( If you don't know what that means it means Ready To Fuc*). It's not like he was in some alleyway, scoping out women. What happened is what happened. I don't condone rape, rapists or sexual deviants.Evidence? If it was factual than why is he not in jail? Someone got paid off. NFL players go to jail don't they? And is he the first to not go when there was "evidence". Won't even start on Ray Lewis's case.

IMHO, he is stupid to put himself in that situation, again, and again. He was never charged with a crime. If he commited a crime and paid people off, then what are you going to do about it? Money is power. There are bad people in the world.

I would think that if this happened to one of my daughters, I wouldn't take all the money in the world to keep quiet. If people where paid off, then shame on them, for selling their daughters off like pimps.

My final statement on Big Ben is this, based on people that I have personally talked with. Those people being a life long friend who is a veteran Pittsburgh Police /SWAT Sniper, and from 2 hour conversation I had 4 summers ago with the Pittsburgh Steeler events coordinator, standing outside Hienz Field.
Big Ben as a person is very suspect, and an arrogant azzhole.
He likes to party, he likes to do things his way. They paid him alot of money, and to pay him that money, they took money from alot of people in the front office, and office staff salaries. So he's not very popular. He seems to have matured or changed. Don't know. I don't hang out with him.
I wanted him to be traded, they didn't. So being that, I want him to win football games for my football team.
When he retires, he can take his Motorcycle and drive it into a bridge support at 220 mph for all I care.

As for James Harrison, he plays with the same attitude as some of the Great defensive players now in the Hall of Fame. If you don't think that players like Deacon Jones, Jack Lambert, Mean Joe Greene, Lawence Taylor, Dick Butkus, Ronnie Lott, Ray Nitschke, ect. didn't play with the attitude, of outright hurting the guy on the other side of the ball and enjoyed playing that way, then do yourself a huge favor, before you watch another football game. Go and read or watch some of the interviews with these players.

The game is changing. Coach Tomlin even said Harrison has to change, or he won't play.

I worked with a guy who's brother played Offensive line in the NFL back in the day. He said,It was a standing order from the coaching staff, that when they played against Lyle Alzado, they where to try and blow his knee out. And they had no problem trying to complete that mission.

Football his a violent sport, played by people. And guess what, some of those people are bad human beings. And another fact is not all of them, play or have played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The latest being, wannabe Scarface, Sam Hurd.

IMHO the helmet to helmet/ concussion / player safety issue was never a big deal until the family of Mike Webster, ( God forbid,a HOF Steeler) sued the NFL on the basis players, were being used and abused for the game/profit/$$$ and the NFL basically not giving a sh*t, about them in thier later years and the players union got involved, also.Somone correct me if I'm mistaken. The NFL is more worried about liability. If they weren't, this would have been and issue decades ago.

For the record, I don't want to see anyone disabled, hurt for life. I'm not apologizing for being a Steeler fan , and supporting the players who play for my team.
As for the insinuation that I'm morally inept, for doing so. Well, ya'll can get down off your moral high-horse and kiss my Black and Gold azz.

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by Mikey202

As for James Harrison, he plays with the same attitude as some of the Great defensive players now in the Hall of Fame. If you don't think that players like Deacon Jones, Jack Lambert, Mean Joe Greene, Lawence Taylor, Dick Butkus, Ronnie Lott, Ray Nitschke, ect. didn't play with the attitude, of outright hurting the guy on the other side of the ball and enjoyed playing that way, then do yourself a huge favor, before you watch another football game. Go and read or watch some of the interviews with these players.

Playing with attitude is great. I wish more Eagles did! I just think the consistent lack of form tackling makes him...and many other players (many Steelers, but certainly not just Steelers) seem like cheap shot artists. Wrap your friggin' arms, and you won't look like you're trying to spear and injure every damn player you tackle! Here's three photos...see the difference?

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by shilala

I went back and forth and read your statements you've made, and have seen that what you consider to be true and what actually is true don't necessarily have anything at all to do with each other, but I'll let you know what the Steeler Nation thought about Big Ben.

There's not a single Steeler fan who wasn't shocked when he hit the field this year. The fans almost unanimously expected (and wanted) to see him gone. The fact that he's still there attests to the Rooney family. The fans trust them because they have taken care of us, and have set the highest standards in the NFL for generations. I can trust that they left no stone unturned and know the full truth of all Ben's transgressions. I can assure you there are many more you haven't heard about, and that the organization has since reigned him in. Despite that, he remains on thin ice.
If the Rooney's kept him and are willing to vouch for him and work with him to make an outstanding human out of him, I've got to be behind them.

But if you're a Super Bowl MVP wide receiver who likes weed, your ass gotta go. Ben Roethlisberger is a Steeler for one reason (and a damn fine one); top ten quarterbacks don't grow on trees, and the Steelers aren't competing for Lombardi Trophies without him.

Originally Posted by Stephen

But if you're a Super Bowl MVP wide receiver who likes weed, your ass gotta go. Ben Roethlisberger is a Steeler for one reason (and a damn fine one); top ten quarterbacks don't grow on trees, and the Steelers aren't competing for Lombardi Trophies without him.

If Rothisberger is a top ten QB, and I'm not even willing to concede THAT, the only reason is most QBs in the league right now are about as good as Curtis Painter, in other words they blow.

The Steelers win in spite of him, not because of him.. He's more Mark Sanchez than he is Peyton Manning

[chippewastud79]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

If Rothisberger is a top ten QB, and I'm not even willing to concede THAT, the only reason is most QBs in the league right now are about as good as Curtis Painter, in other words they blow.

The Steelers win in spite of him, not because of him.. He's more Mark Sanchez than he is Peyton Manning

He's the 3rd best QB in his division, and Colt McCoy could be pretty daggum good if he had a bit of an OL to keep him clean. He is a heck of a game manager and a big body, but the team could win with most QB's under center. This is certainly not a Peyton Manning effect, where they would be 0'fer without him.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by chippewastud79

He's the 3rd best QB in his division, and Colt McCoy could be pretty daggum good if he had a bit of an OL to keep him clean. He is a heck of a game manager and a big body, but the team could win with most QB's under center. This is certainly not a Peyton Manning effect, where they would be 0'fer without him.

Wow. Just wow...

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

If Rothisberger is a top ten QB, and I'm not even willing to concede THAT, the only reason is most QBs in the league right now are about as good as Curtis Painter, in other words they blow.

The Steelers win in spite of him, not because of him.. He's more Mark Sanchez than he is Peyton Manning

Please list ten quarterbacks better than Ben Roethlisberger than are playing right now. This should be good.

[chippewastud79]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Please list ten quarterbacks better than Ben Roethlisberger than are playing right now. This should be good.

Brady
Manning
Rodgers
Ryan
Rivers
Flacco
Dalton
Newton
Stafford
Brees
Romo
Tebow

Not playing, but still better:
Schaub
Manning