Hey folks, caught a new Tomlinism  on the Steelers website today (Steelers.com).

Coach was asked if he had any conversation with cornerback Willie Gay  in the wake of his catching the short end of the collision with Adrian Peterson two weeks ago. The questioner was concerned that given the amount of attention the play received in the national media that there might be some impact on Gay's psyche. Tomlin acknowledged that given the nature of the business that they try to counsel in advance that:

"From time to time gunfighters get shot."

I love this guy.

A few months back Maryrose did an excellent piece on Tomlinisms. Has anyone been tracking the more recent statements?

Observations at the halfway mark of the season.  -  RickVa  

Okay. Things are about to get serious now. League-wide not much is likely to be settled by month's end. However it will be an absolutely critical period for the AFC North, particularly the Bengals and Ravens. After a perfect 4-0 record for October our guys are well positioned to be in very good shape going into December if they can take full or partial advantage of the opportunities presented to them this month. On the other hand, this is not the time for much in the way of stumbling or hiccups. While a mistake or two may not be fatal, it could lead to hard times, finger pointing and ulcers later on.

So, a quick look at the big picture in order to get our bearings and a sense of perspective, and then a look at where we appear to stand as an organization going into the second half of the season.

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Reading through some of the post game threads a day later, and while I agree with the general thrusts of the comments I think a couple of performances have been overlooked or just underappreciated. My two cents, for what its worth.

Max Starks. I am agreeing with Mecham here. An absolutely exceptional performance against one of the best, most disruptive defensive ends in the NFL. Nor is this a deviation from what he has been providing day in and day out for the entire season, and extending back thru last year. What makes this acknowledgement so significant all the conversation that we have had here at BTSC concerning Starks; why did the FO invest the Franchise tag on the guy, why would they pay him so much money? And Starks is just the tip of the iceberg as it relates to offensive performance. The O-line seemed comfortably competitive against what is generally agreed to be one of the best defensive fronts out there. They deserve more credit.

James Farrior. Datruth noted this in Blitz's thread. Farrior deliberately decided to carry a bit more weight this season and is playing like a beast. At the moment he is the most impressive and consistent player of the linebacker corps. And he certainly has to be in the discussion for the Pro Bowl again. He may very well be both our best run stopper and pass rusher. And like Starks his play has been consistent all season. Props also to Fox who has proved to be more than a special teams asset and is growing into a very reliable back up as inside linebacker.

William Gay. I guess someone has to be a weak link. I'm not so sure that the supposed weaknesses are schematic or not.  I do know one thing, Gay and Ike are for the most part not giving up the kind of plays that will earn them the nickname 'Toast'. If given a choice of picking on Ike, Ryan, Troy or Gay, I pick on BPWG every time. Personally, I think he's handled himself well and he's young. Maybe we can eventually find someone who is more precocious. But I believe he can grow into a more solid performer.

Jeff Reed. Let's just say that this has not been his best week. His kicking hasn't been half bad, but his leadership (remember he's a team captain) sucks. It sucks big time when you compare him to the other captains (Ward, Ben, Farrior, Harrison, Fox (?) ). Seriously damaged his negoiation leverage for a contract.

I asked RickVa if he would write a series of posts this year on BTSC. Once before the season, and then once every four games. His ability to conceptualize the bigger picture and write compelling prose made him an obvious choice for the series of posts. Many thanks to him for his latest installment in the series. - Blitz - (Michael B.)

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Some observations after completing the first quarter of the season. - RickVa

What an exciting month. Four games, each one up for grabs until the end. The Champs win two and drop two. And yes, it coulda, shoulda been 3-1, or even 4-0. Coulda been 1-3 too. There are a lot of interesting things to talk about as we move forward, but I am going to begin by talking about the Steeler Nation meltdown.

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A few comments and observations as a new season begins in earnest. A preemptive strike or two at the naysayers and the Lunatic Fringe of the Nation as we enter a period of high expectations. And maybe a prediction or two.

It has been said that a sign of a life wisely and successfully led is the ability to understand and appreciate the blessings that all of us receive on a daily basis. We are even more fortunate if we are able to see what we have while we have it. More often than not we, as the saying goes, 'never miss our water until the well runs dry.' So, in the closing hours of a championship off season, are you feeling blessed? Consider that 15 NFL franchises, nearly half the league, have never had a championship off season during the modern (Super Bowl) era. Consider also that even for an organization like our own which holds the record for Super Bowl victories, a championship must still be viewed as a rare event, occurring on an average of once every 7 years. And that number goes to show you how deceptive statistics can sometimes be. When Chuck Noll's 70's Steelers won the 4th Lombardi I had been married for about a year and a half and we were childless.When Bill Cowher's squad won the 5th my daughter had finished college, commenced her career and had started her own family. 25 years, a generation later. Nor was this some sort of peculiar quirk. In the 70's three coaches; Noll, Don Shula (Dolphins) and Tom Landry had combined for 12 Super Bowl appearances and 8 titles during the decade. Each man coached into the 90's. But from 1980 on they only combined for 2 SB appearances and 0 championships.

How about a more specific example? I moved to the Washington DC Metro area in 1987. That year the Redskins made their 3rd appearance in 5 years, winning thanks to a magnificent performance by Doug Williams. They would return to that stage one more time within the next four years. And then Joe Gibbs retired for the first time. Owner Jack Kent Cooke would die. The Super Bowl drought is now in its 18th year. This year the big news heading into the season is a front page article in the Washington Post. The picture shows a woman in her 70's, a Redskin season ticket holder for decades, weeping because she has lost her income and can no longer afford her season ticket package. The Skins, bless Dan Snyder's soul are sueing her. Feeling blessed now?

So why am I bringing this up now? While officially we remain the champions until a successor is crowned in February, we all will be swept up the drama of trying to repeat starting now. With expectations high and the margin for error slim we may quickly forget how good we've had it lately and how long it might take before we reach these heights again. Don't get me wrong. during the remainder of this post I will argue the possibility of the opposite, a rapid return to the mountaintop. Just trying to keep things in perspective.

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We are moving into the next phase of the preseason tonight. I didn't want the moment to pass without a few brief comments on the first phase of camp. Two disclaimers: First, I have seen nothing with my own eyes. All comments are based upon press reports and the observations of other posters on BTSC and other sources. Second, while much of this stuff will be obsolete in a few hours, I still believe there is value in what has transpired thus far in the sense that there are some nuggets that give a clue into what kind of season may unfold beginning in September. And of course, one or two ill timed injuries could throw the whole thing into the crapper.

No news is good news. About fifteen months ago the conversation about this player was whether or not he could make the 53 man roster and possibly dress on Sundays. Now the biggest and most negative news to come out of camp is that Darnell Stapleton may lose a few weeks due to a knee injury...That's it? Now you could just say that we've been damn lucky. I have another take. I believe that Tomlin, Colbert and Company are getting their getting their tempo down. Each preseason has gone smoother than the last. Few serious injuries so far, everyone in pretty good physical condition, the pacing of work is brisk, but veterans, particularly the older ones aren't being over extended. Very sensible. No holdouts, late arrivals or hard feelings due to contract issues. And while all the issues aren't settled, matters seem to be moving a bit ahead of the curve, particularly with the signing of Miller. Solid competition seemingly everywhere, but no signs of 'controversy' anywhere. Concerns such as the O-line and depth on the D-line are not resolved, but only a cockeyed, cranky pessimist would challenge the conclusion that the situation has progressed significantly. The newcomers are for the most part being seen as solid contributors and pleasant surprises, but Tomlin is not rising to take the bait ("Under promise and over deliver"). All and all, a team that seems to be extremely comfortable in their own skin; neither too laid back or over hyped. Latrobe seems to exude an almost zen-like quality. Particularly compared to other camps around the league.

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Bumped from the fanposts. Many thanks to RickVa for the fine article that will lead us in to the weekend. Happy Friday all. - Blitz - (Michael B.)

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Camp starts in a week. Its time (finally) to begin to fully focus on football and the season in front of us. Last year I thought the team had a shot of going all the way provided certain stringent conditions were met. For example, we had to be lucky with injuries (we weren't), the play of the OLine would have to be better than feared (it wasn't), the schedule would have to be a paper tiger, many opponents not living up to their reputations (it wasn't). The Steelers won anyway.

This year I am even more bullish on the Black and Gold. Barring the unforeseen I believe this team is the class of the League and potentially better than last years crew even though much of the personnel is exactly the same. Unfortunately, the unforeseen has already occurred. But, in what may be the first great Tomlinism of the '09 season, Coach Mike has already declared that the sign of a great team is its ability to perform in spite of the presence of distractions. What follows is one man's observations of random factors that may help shape the season for good or ill before things actually get in motion. Feel free to comment or criticize as you see fit.

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There are a whole lot of reasons why these questions be offered later in the summer. Perhaps as close to the end of training camp as possible. The fun part of doing it now is that requires a bit more intuition (guessing). Half the questions are generalize for the NFL, the other half are Steeler specific.

1.  Who will be 2009's Happy Surprise Team? An unexpected playoff team. (This year's Atlanta or Arizona)

     My Choice: San Francisco,  runner-up New York Jets

2.  Who will be 2009's Big Disappointment? (This year's Jacksonville)

    Indianapolis,    Tennessee

3.  Who will be voted the best first year coach?

    Who should win:  Singletary (49ers)    Who will win:  Ryan (Jets)

4. Who will be voted Coach of the Year?

    Who should win:   Tomlin (Steelers)    Who will win:  Reid (Eagles)

5. Both went to the Pro Bowl in '07, neither in '08. Who will have the best season in '09? Brady or Rothelisberger

    Big Ben

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The first time that I noticed what I considered a clear and glaring mistake in the coverage of the Super Bowl was in Sports Illustrated's account of the game. In particular, the description of the winning touchdown pass from Ben to Santonio Holmes. SI stated that on that play that Ben went through his progressions starting with Willie Parker in the flat. However, it is clear from the video and other accounts that the running back on that play was Mewelde Moore. Okay, no problem, there are deadlines to meet and SI clearly got things confused.

Then about a week ago FWP appeared on NFL Total Access on the NFL Network. He was asked to go over his reaction to being on the field when Holmes made the big catch. He gave an ambiguous answer to the question.

My question:  what's going on here? Anyone else notice this? And why would there be  an effort to deliberately promoted a falsehood?

Bumped from the Fan Posts. Always enjoyed when RickVa finds time to weigh in. -Blitz-

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The season's done, as is the Combine. Free agency signing period is on deck as well as ongoing discussions concerning the draft and team needs. Who stays, who goes and why. How about a little discussion of the impact of both the success of the past year and some unique challenges that lie ahead.

Economics. Normally the discussion is confined to issues of who has cap space and how contracts can be reworked. What organizations are free spenders, who is frugal and the relationship between dollars spent and team success. Those are still worthy discussion points, but two developments have overshadowed these if you have been paying attention. The first is the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and coming uncapped year (2010). I don't pretend to understand all the dynamics of the situation, but one impact that has effected Steeler Nation is that ramifications related to it has seemed to have gummed up the works in the negotiations over the contract extension for James Harrison. Two factors will insure that this will continue to be an important issue for the foreseeable future. One is that there is still is no leader chosen for the Players Union to replace the late Gene Upshaw. The second is the other major economic development, the state of the overall economy.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell just cut his own salary today. Positions have been cut throughout the League. Given the excitement of having our own team in the Super Bowl, we can be foregiven if we did not notice or meditate on the fact that all the commercial slots were not sold, at least not immediately, many pregame festivities were either cut or scaled down, and even prostitutes struggled. Fans in locations such as New York are rebelling against the costs of tickets in new stadiums. The world at large is going through what Pittsburgh suffered two decades ago and continues to impact our approach to everything from salaries to ticket prices. It is unlikely that the sports/entertainment complex will be immune to the impact or the pain. More immediately, will this have any discernable effect on free agent signings; to be more specific, who gets offers and how much is offered? A more interesting question will be whether these developments work to the Steelers advantage or no.

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