We’re a Quarterback and Receiver Tandem: Get Us Outta Here!

Communication is so critical between co-workers who rely on each other, that companies often put their employees through exercises geared to foster a team spirit.

I have sat around fashioning a brightly colored blob of clay into lion’s paws, and merged it with a colleagues’ version of a horse’s body, a panda bear’s face, and the giraffe’s neck. All of this, just to have a concrete example of how we are able to work well together.

We all bonded over the fact that an afternoon away from our jobs, spent tossing bean bags, wearing ridiculous hats, and acting out various scenarios, was not anyone’s idea of a productive afternoon. But ultimately, all those involved felt the same way.

In soldiering through the exercise, we achieved our objectives and grew closer.

Unity is even more necessary among members in an organization like the NFL. Yet the extraordinary skill level required to be counted as a member of this elite group can nurture an ego that is sometimes driven into “me first” delusion.

This is an area where I see an extra dose of team-building helping to gather strong personalities toward a common purpose: more focus upon hefty egos, and more options for those of us starved for football and quality reality T.V.

Viewers love watching the flawless harmony between a quarterback and his wide receiver. The only thing that can turn as many heads is the exact opposite. 

First up would be the perennial frenemy favorites: Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer.

The sideline yelling matches between “Charson” may become untangled if these two “Brokeback Mountain” teammates could work together and complete a classic team building exercise—designing a package to protect a falling egg from breaking.  

I think that this one will not only provide great bloopers, but the slow motion replays may be exactly the legacy that these two team mates want to leave for their fans. 

Terrell Owens and Tony Romo (or “T.O.mo”) no longer work together, but have continued to illustrate their lack of warmth through comments—or lack thereof—in the press.  

These guys would be ratings gold if they played a little game of “fear in the hat.” The thing is, putting anonymous fears into a hat and suggesting solutions won’t work with two people—maybe add Jason Whitten to make it a threesome.

Both Manning brothers have had to bid their wide receivers good-bye. Both receivers were critical to the success of their quarterbacks.  

It is going to be tough to say goodbye, so in order to assist these former teammates in their transition, Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison should reconvene one last time.  

I think that the “mirror image” exercise may benefit “Peyvin.” Sitting opposite of each other and emulating each other’s actions will no doubt stimulate both self awareness and awareness of others in this classic quarterback-receiver tandem.

Lastly, Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress (or “Elaxico”) could really gain empathetic insight if they participate in an exercise designed to challenge stereotypes. They will be encouraged to dress and act like the other in order to walk in their former teammate’s shoes.  

Eli, reclining in his luxury Giants lounge wear with a gun stuffed down the side of his sweats, can finally get an inkling of the feeling of safety that packing heat provides. Plax can learn that it not so easy to carry a backpack, look like a college freshman, and still lead a group of men.

If these guys can get past the issues that plague their present relationships with all of us football fans watching, what is there to lose?

“We’re A Quarterback and Receiver Tandem: Get Us Outta Here” already sounds better than a large variety of reality shows that are currently being offered to viewers.

I can think of worse things that I’ve seen on T.V. 

Steelers’ 2009 Season: Opponents Hard To Judge without Tested QBs

 

Last season watching the Steelers, I frequently took solace in the progress of the 1974 Steelers and their dubious journey toward their first Lombardi. The fledgling team had been reinforced by a draft that history would prove to be legendary. Pittsburgh’s defense meanwhile was gaining a reputation for being among the nastiest in the league.

Yet as criticism mounted against the offense of the 2008 Steelers, I would remind myself that in 1974, the Steelers had no quarterback.  

Following training camp, Terry Bradshaw was named the No. 2 quarterback behind Joe Gilliam. This quarterback controversy continued throughout the season with both Gilliam and Terry Hanratty starting after Bradshaw regained the starting job only to find himself on the bench once again.

Bradshaw was eventually handed the keys to the offense and he did not relinquish them until after he had brought four Lombardi trophies to Pittsburgh.

Bradshaw’s stammering crawl toward greatness starkly contrasted Ben Roethlisberger’s decorated rookie season with yet both quarterbacks hoisted Lombardis and are heroes in Pittsburgh.

The list could be expended to include more Steeler quarterbacks. We have a much longer lists of names we would care to forget. Most of them were overestimated, precious few were undervalued.

In a few short months, we will have real football to watch and analyze.  

The Steelers have been given the distinction of statistically having one of the easiest schedules in the league.

Looking through the teams slated to play the champs, I see a large group of teams that have one thing in common. They all have the job of assessing the level of their talent at quarterback. Some have not decided on a starting QB, some have a new QB, and among a few of the solid starters, there is the annual tension swarming around their leader.

I counted four opponents with a quarterback that should start for the first season in their system: The Bears, The Vikings, The Broncos, and the The Chiefs.

Not all of those teams are automatically weak, some of these squads like the Bears and the Chiefs are approaching the season with a new optimism and should not be disregarded by any team.

I don’t like feigned respect for teams like the consideration shown by the undefeated Patriots to the win less Dolphins in 2007, but some of the Steeler’s 2009 opponents have a legitimate unknown under center.

Add to the list the quarterback battles that will be determined in camp. Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit, and Oakland will see guys duke it out to grab the coveted role of starting quarterback.

Finally, there are units with a solid starter that may have to battle some peripheral issues that could send a discordant echo throughout the locker room.

The yearly spectacle that unfolds in Cincinnati between Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco may get even more bizarre once Oucho moves in, and lives with with Palmer and a “Perfect Strangers,” Balki-like buddy hilarity ensues. The Brett Favre melodrama reverberations live on in Week 15 opponent, Green Bay (not to mention week seven’s Minnesota). Even Vince Young murmurings pop up from time to time about how he should be a starting QB either for week one opponent Tennessee or someone else who deserves his talent.

The Ravens and the Dolphins look pretty solid at the quarterback position, though I myself am not quite sold on Chad Pennington. Many people are also putting Joe Flacco on the hot seat calling his rookie year a possible fluke, though I suspect that he may have some substance.

That leaves Philip Rivers with the Chargers. Rivers has proven that he can win at QB and provided he’s healthy, he can get the job done.

A few months before camp, and we have a big pile of unknowns. Teams can be a bit like Rubik’s cubes; a few twists here, and turns there, and you have stumbled upon solutions that have proved to be elusive.

The Steelers look to be a pretty tough team next year. I am however happy to see the advise that Coach Tomlin left for his team: Focus on your physical conditioning. Once the squad is fighting fit, unknown variables are less of an issue.

No matter who is quarterbacking these other teams this autumn, the Steelers have Roethlisberger, and he’s won more Super Bowls than all 16 guys combined. 

 

A Super Bowl Hangover For Tomlin’s Steelers? Don’t Bet on It

The Steelers embarked upon their season in 2006 with ominous signs looming everywhere.

The impact that Ben Roethlisberger’s accident had both on the young quarterback and on Steelers Nation had begun to heal, but disorder was spilling out of other sources.

Jerome Bettis, proclaiming the Steelers would be awful that year on national television, turned my heart to ice though I laughed it off and tried to forget what I had heard.

Bettis and Bill Cowher’s “is he or isn’t he” battle over the legitimacy of Cowher’s imminent retirement surfaced in the press after the “Bus” stated it would be Cowher’s last year of coaching.

Then, after the fanfare of the season opener and the win at Heinz Field, the Steelers slid backwards and lost three straight games.  An easy win was followed by another three loss free fall.

The rest of the season lost its meaning until the last game against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Sensing it was Cowher’s last game, the Steelers stepped up and eliminated Cincy from a playoff spot with a fire that had been missing all season.

Most of the analysis pinned the blame of the abysmal season squarely on Roethlisberger.

He is not without blame, but I will never cease to wonder why Cowher failed to use his retirement to motivate the team when that very tactic had worked with the impending exodus of Bettis the previous year.

Many of the ’09 Steelers remember the ’06 season.

How will Coach Tomlin prevent this team from repeating the debacle that happened after Super Bowl XL?

Let’s start with Ben since he was given the lion’s share of the blame.  He was quoted as saying that the accident was a result of him not being careful enough after winning his first Super Bowl.

Not only has Roethlisberger matured as a player, but I would expect he has also grown as a person.

He is no longer coached by Cowher, who would bark into his ear as he stared off into an undefined spot in the clouds rather than look his coach in the eye.

Tomlin has an entirely different approach toward his team.  Following his first Super Bowl victory, Tomlin told the New York Times, “You wear many hats in this business and I embrace that as much as the X’s and O’s.”  

He added, “I probably get more enjoyment out of watching people grow than I do preparing winning football games.  It’s a beautiful thing.  I believe it’s what we’re all called to do.” 

Tomlin looks at the whole picture.  He is a man of balance.  A jock who was a clandestine honor student brainiac.  A cool contained individual whose eyes betray the fire that drives him to be great.

He expects his team to carry themselves with honor both on and off the field.  He stands behind his squad and in return, I believe they do not want to let him down.

Much is also made of the fact that Super Bowl champions have a “target on their back.” This is because it is true.

Steeler legend Lynn Swann recounted his experience as the Steelers advanced toward their first Super Bowl repeat in the 1975 season in the “America’s Game” series.  Swann said the Steelers had to elevate their game just to maintain their position.  To excel required an even greater effort. 

In the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Tomlin said of Roethlisberger, “I believe he can get better….I’m sure that he does.” 

“Like everybody else, Ben is going to be here searching for the ceiling in terms of what he’s capable of doing,” he added.

Tomlin continues to challenge the team.  He did not become the youngest coach to rise from relative obscurity to a podium lifting the Lombardi without a lot of hard work. 

Tomlin has first hand experience of a Super Bowl let down similar to the one faced by the almost 20 Steelers that remain from 2006.  In 2003, as a member of the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay coaching staff, he watched as the team fared slightly worse than the ’06 Steelers and finished 7-9.

If we knew how a season would play out, we would never flock to the stadiums, living rooms, and bars every time our team takes to the field of play.

For me, coach Tomlin’s Steelers’ place in history is at stake, and I am eager to see how they fare.  Will they be repeaters like Noll’s squads, or retreaters as they were under the guidance of Cowher.

Only time will tell, but if I were to venture a guess, I think Tomlin and his band of brothers will be a force for years to come.

Brettribution 2009: Farve Is in Dire Need Of Some Klingon Wisdom

Last July, I was a moth, and the hysteria of “The Itch” was the flame.  

The saga of a franchise quarterback leaving, returning, and being driven from a team after he had been not only their face, but their heart and soul, was too much for me to avoid.

I watched it from the minute it began.

Quite frankly, I could have watched even more coverage. From the jet from Hattiesburg, the SUV motorcade, to Scott Hansen standing outside of the training facility with a stick mic in his hand, listing the Packer quarterbacks who had reported to camp as the red SUV driven by Favre rolled out of the compound.

The rumors that Favre was leaving the Grampa Bay Packineers followed and finally, Favre emerged as Brett the Jet.

Once the season began, my interest began to wane.  My favorite team was in the news, so the attention that I had for the Favre story had all but evaporated. My feeling on the matter became, “Just don’t let him get hurt—his family will be devastated.” 

I believe that I even forgot to check the Jets’ progress after Week Two.

I recall that the gist of the season was a strong start, weak finish, talk of injury, talk of another retirement, and finally talk of criticism from former teammates. It felt like Favre had given football his best and that this time, he would realize that his best days were truly behind him.

That seems to be exactly what happened.  

The days of Favre’s past became the focus of his present and another plot for a return soon began to congest yet another offseason. In April of this year, Favre asked the Jets for his release. 

Favre’s itch was back again. But this time, his irritation looked to be caused by a need for all out revenge against the Pack. The need for revenge can be a powerful motivating force. Quentin Tarantino’s monumental film “Kill Bill” is a four-hour meditation on revenge and its history in film. 

Favre need only watch the first five minutes of the first movie and he could glean some advise on the subject that may serve him well as he prepares for the 2009 NFL season.

It looks to be payback enough for Favre to play for a hated division rival, the Minnesota Vikings. But, really, how sweet will a potential two victories and a division title be?

Favre could dial down the revenge rage, return to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, pull on his Wranglers, throw a football to his pals in a field dappled with mud puddles, and still get even with Ted Thompson.  

If Aaron Rodgers follows in the footsteps of so many quarterbacks like the great Scott Hunter, the guy who took over from Bart Starr, Favre’s work is done, even if Favre took a year off.  

Maybe a team like the Raiders will take him, T.O., Chad Ouchostinko, Plaxico Burress, and Pac Man Jones. Favre can be like Rudolph, leading all of the misfit toys to a Super Bowl triumph over Aaron Rodgers and his Packers.

Well, maybe that scenario is less than feasible but, how would Favre in a Vikings uniform have sounded to Packers fans right before their fearless leader took to the field in arctic conditions at Lambeau in the NFC Championship in 2007?

I would prefer the first scenario.

I would love to see Brett Favre let his legacy exact revenge on the Packers, if revenge is what he wants.

It may take some time, but in the wisdom of the ancient Klingon Proverb that opens Kill Bill: “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

Peyton Manning: Flustered + Frustrated = Forthright

Peyton Manning had to earn my respect.  I did not follow his career at Tennessee.  I was never a Colts fan.

The first time that Peyton Manning really appeared on my radar was watching Lynn Swann interview him at the 2003 Pro Bowl.  That interview gave Peyton the pulpit from which to utter his infamous line where he referred to Vanderjagt as an “idiot kicker.”

In my opinion, nothing sabotages a talented team like division within the group.  I immediately lost respect for Manning for losing his composure in that moment and airing his personal grievances on a public platform.

The years that followed mellowed my feelings toward Peyton.  I have a friend who possesses a whopping measure of love and loyalty toward the Colts and his enthusiasm helped me to appreciate his team.

Manning later hosted Saturday Night Live. His comic timing and the hilarity of the sketches pushed me over the edge.  I actually began to like Peyton.  I even put the “Casino Royale” song from his basketball team sketch on my iPod.

I rejoiced with my friend when the Colts, losing until Peyton drove his team 80-yards down the field with less than two minutes in the game, beat the Pats.

I felt slighted for Peyton when Belichick walked right past him after Peyton waited patiently to offer the customary handshake of congratulation after the epic game.

For crying out loud, my younger sister and I even joined the DSRL or Double Stuff Racing League because of our love of the Mannings and the Williams’.

Watching Peyton vent to the media these past few days has been painful.

Dungy is gone and Peyton’s complaints have filled the vacuum in the void left by his former Coach.

Tony Dungy is a unique, talented, and classy man.  No new coach would ever be able to fill his shoes.  Unfortunately, Peyton is not making the job easy for new Colts Head Coach, Jim Caldwell.

Manning is a great example of a pocket passer who does his best work when he gets into a rhythm.

It is evident that the departure of Tony Dungy is a big adjustment for the Colts to make, but that had been anticipated.  Perhaps what was underestimated was the effect on Manning of the departure of Marvin Harrison.

Manning mentioned in a recent interview that seeing Harrison’s empty locker has him a bit shaken.  The loss is concrete and it is bigger than Peyton imagined.

The retirement, and reassignment as consultant of Manning’s only offensive coordinator, Tom Moore, and long-time Offensive Line Coach, Howard Mudd clearly has this routine oriented quarterback’s feathers ruffled.  

Fold in the fact that Manning’s quarterback coach that he has worked with forth last seven years is gone.  Six coaches that have been with the Colts for the last seven years, some more, have been replaced this year.

The coaching losses are not assistant coaches. Add to the aforementioned new head coach, offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and quarterback coach, a new defensive coordinator and special teams coach.  

On the field, when Peyton is out of his comfort zone or off of his routine, he never shows the excellence he possesses when he has practiced and is protected sufficiently.

Jim Caldwell not only has big shoes to fill, he as a gargantuan job leading a brand-new coaching staff for a team whose fans expect an undefeated season, an appearance in the playoffs, and a Super Bowl appearance on an annual basis.

If I were Caldwell, my No. 1 priority would be to get Peyton back into the metaphorical pocket. He clearly feels insecure in the organization, and he needs to focus on practicing with his squad minus Harrison.

Hopefully, addressing Manning’s fears will stop stem the surge of criticism that he is displaying for his team in public. Failure to take charge of Manning and get him back on track alone could spell a fiasco for the Colts this fall.

Caldwell has all three aspects of the game under the leadership of new coaches. The public commentary by Manning needs to be addressed by his new coach before this great quarterback loses more of the respect that he has worked so hard to earn.

Former Steelers’ Coach Bill Cowher: Seriously, The Canes?

Some time around 40 A.D., the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger declared: “One who boasts of his ancestry is praising the deeds of another.”

Pondering this ancient adage, my mind scrolled rapidly forward and thought about how these words still ring true today.

In the days following February 2, 2009, I have boasted of my ancestry precisely by praising the deeds of others.  Confronted by acquaintances here in Columbus, Ohio, who do not share my appreciation of Pittsburgh’s NFL dominance in their home state, my Steeler swagger surfaces when provoked.

The shocking thing is that today, the Seneca quote did not conjure an image of the Steelers’ praiseworthy deeds in my mind.  My first thought was the irony that my pride in my Pittsburgh ancestry was presently tied to a bunch of guys, a large number of whom were not even born in America.

For the first time since 1979, I am entertaining the thought that Pittsburgh has a shot at boasting two championship teams.  

This feat last happened in 2004, when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. The Patriots had won the ’03 season’s Super Bowl in February ’04, then repeated, taking the Super Bowl title in the 2004 season as well.  

Between Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl XIII win in ’79 and XIV title in ’80, bookending a Pirates World Series in 1979, the exact duplication of which happened for New England in 2004, just five cities have repeated this rare feat.

If you want to be a stickler over the fact that in 2000 the New York Yankees won the World Series the same year that the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup, that would make just four.  

Incidentally, not since 1952, when the Lions won the pre-Super Bowl NFL Championship while the Detriot Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, has a football and hockey team combined to bring two championships to a city.

No American city has ever boasted a Super Bowl and a Stanley Cup championship team during the same season.  If the Penguins win this series, the Cup will mark another historical first for Pittsburgh.

So these men that make up the Penguin squad, not one of them from Pittsburgh, or even Pennsylvania, now carry the hopes of a city on their shoulders.

I would wager a bet that my love for Pittsburgh, no matter how many years it has been since my departure, no matter how many miles away I live, is fairly consistent with that of my fellow expats.  I tend to assume that if we put together a great team in any sport, that everyone in the city limits and beyond will support them.

Which brings me to Cowher and his Canes habit.  Cowher was already my least favorite Steelers coach with whom I have some familiarity.   

Cowher did coach the Steelers when they drafted most of my current favorite players, that is an enormous plus.  Also in his corner is the fact that he has supported the Hurricanes for some time, but this is the Eastern Conference and Pittsburgh is once again on the brink of making history. 

After his appearance at Game Four in Carolina, decked out in a cherry-red shirt and radiant, anchorman teeth, Cowher said that he would get on board with the Penguins if the Hurricanes lost.

Forget it Cowher, I just can’t fathom you not getting behind the Pens!  Are you trying to let us down easy for the day next season when you do something awful like take over the Bungles reins from your old pal Marvin Lewis?  I’ll bet that even Marvin Lewis is rooting for the Pens!

Pittsburgh sports mean the world to so many Pittsburgh natives.  In the future, when I recount the glory of the athletes and coaches who have represented and inspired us so well over the years, I may drop Cowher a little further down on my list.

Classic Film: Must-See Viewing for the Offseason

Summer carves a football-free stretch in the year of the die-hard football fan.  That is, if you are a lucky football fan.  

During the lazy days dedicated to golf, tennis, and baseball, the rabid faithful should be praying for precious little news to surface from their camp.

On rainy summer days, I immerse myself in watching summer sports or movies, but I have to admit, I still miss football.  I would rather live in the moment yet every so often, like a film buff who seizes an opportunity to watch Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” for the millionth time, I cannot resist tuning into my favorite Steeler games.

Coaches and players analyze game film, gleaning for tell-tale moments illustrating weakness and strength.  My favorite games are really favorite moments.   Moments that seem to last forever because upon them, months of work pivot.

Number one in my book comes from the 2005 AFC playoff game between the Steelers and the Colts.  It was a heavyweight David and Goliath epic featuring the Steelers’ chance to avenge the regular season beat-down that they suffered at the hands of Indy.

Yet, revenge is never perfectly linear.  As Bruce Willis’ boxer in Pulp Fiction discovered, things are either put perfectly right or go horribly wrong when a guy who lives by his own code finds himself in a certain place at a certain time. 

The divisional matchup featured an overflow of occasions that epitomized the strengths of both the Steelers and the Colts:  None stronger than Roethlisberger’s tackle, none weaker than Vanderjagt’s shank.

Yet the moment that symbolizes the 2005 Steelers’ season for me follows Joey Porter’s sack of Peyton Manning on fourth down at the Colt’s two with 1:20 left in the game.  

The camera pans toward the Steeler bench giving fans a view of Cowher hopping around at the thoughts of this game being all but over.  In the slow motion replay however, there is a shot of Roethlisberger making a B-line for a coach.    

Ben doesn’t reach out for Bill Cowher or Ken Whisenhunt, instead he grabs Dick LeBeau in an effort to channel his palpable emotion.  Ben yells out his homage, and in return, LeBeau calmly slaps Ben on the chest—I think he may even say: “Stop.”

For me, the moment is full of the timeless emotional gravity of James Stewart pulling Zuzu’s petals from his jacket pocket in It’s A Wonderful Life with one major difference: George Bailey’s nightmare has come to an end, while Ben is oblivious to the Steelers’ tribulation that is about to unfold. 

Roethlisberger trots onto the field with God knows what swirling through his head, and seconds later, the kid has the presence of mind to thank LeBeau with his actions when he snagged Harper’s foot and made that tackle.  

I could watch it forever.

The 2005 playoffs feature other moments upon which drama pivots and character is revealed.  Hines Ward, also playing the role of a defensive player, is a highlight of the opening drive of the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos.  

Ward stripped the pick from Champ Bailey, made the impossible catch, held on after a brutal hit, and stood up with a smile on his face.  Composed and classy, lethal, and tough as nails.  Ward so frequently is right there just when you need him the most.  I would have to say, he is pure James Bond.     

Let’s hope for a long summer, filled with bright days spent outdoors.  But on those rainy weekends that pop up, I strongly recommend kicking back with some classic film. 

Harrison And Foote: Putting the “I” in Linebacker

Just under four months ago, we were seeing footage of another great Steeler team bringing home a sixth Lombardi. They called themselves a “band of brothers,” and their unity was evident, as they all worked as a team to reach their lofty goal.

So this spring, I was shocked to hear the report that Larry Foote wanted out of Pittsburgh. Yes, an employee’s work environment is so important to their happiness, but it seemed that Foote had it all.

Foote was reportedly well-liked by his Steeler team mates. He and Farrior went through their pre-game drills with synchronized precision; they looked to be genuine friends, and such a bond doesn’t form in every job.

Of course, other elements play into career satisfaction; one that can create a disgruntled employee is bad management. Having spent my life working for family-owned organizations, I know that family businesses may be quirky, but again and again, the Steeler-owning Rooneys are cited as a clan that conducts their business in an exemplary fashion.

What on earth could have possessed Larry Foote to decide to force his way out of Pittsburgh just one year after digging in to fight for his starting job as the Steelers’ mack linebacker?

I am left only with my best guess as to why he would choose to free-fall from the top team in the league to the bottom of the pile. I can only point to family priorities as the reason that Foote would target Detroit as a work destination, as Motown is the man’s hometown.

Good luck to him. He did well as a Steeler, and I will really miss seeing him in the lineup. I am sure the rest of Pittsburgh will miss him as well; I have read enough reports that indicate that the Steelers wanted him to remain in Pittsburgh already.

I think that the move was motivated by Foote’s personal interest. It is a hard fact that the shelf life of an athlete’s productivity is a short one. Time will tell the entire story, but I think that Foote underestimated the value of being a part of a strong team. He wants more playing time for himself and he will get it, but at what cost?

 

Meanwhile, James Harrison spent this offseason in pursuit of a contract that will secure his position as the Steelers’ outside linebacker for the next several years. He knew his value to the Steelers, and he was rightly rewarded in the form of a large stack of bills.

The Rooneys’ team had extended multiple opportunities to Harrison, and Harrison had delivered, elevating his level of play to become the first undrafted player to win Defensive Player of the Year.

But now James is back in the news regarding his decision to opt out of the visit to the White House, an honor bestowed to the Super Bowl champions on an annual basis. Citing the lack of special distinction that prompts the visit and the fact that if the Cardinals would have won that they would have gone, Harrison will do what he did the last time the Steelers visited the White House: stay home.

Now, convictions are a personal matter, and I respect that people live by their own code, but I would like to know if James Harrison also refused the two giant diamond-studded hunks of hardware that the Steelers got as a result of their victories.

The Super Bowl ring, like the White House visit, is an honor, bestowed every year on the winner of the game. Yes, like the visit to the White House, had the Cardinals won the Super Bowl, they would be receiving rings.  

With the magnitude of winning a Super Bowl comes a multitude of honors bestowed on the winning team. Receiving an enormous jewel-encrusted memento is one of many rewards. I sincerely doubt, however, that Harrison considered passing up this honor in order to uphold his rock-solid conviction that the Steelers should be the only team to be distinguished in this manner.

Given the Rooneys’ relationship with Obama, I do not feel that it should be a difficult decision for Harrison to join his team for a visit to the White House. A true professional sucks it up and tows the party line now and then in order to present a united front to the world. How much more should this be the case in the pinnacle of world of competitive team sports, the NFL?

I am sad to see any division on the team that I so admire. We have already lost Foote because he felt himself more valuable than what was deemed by his coaches. My only hope that James Harrison may give some more thought to what it means for a high profile player to opt out of a high-profile team event.   

Chemistry 101: Who Passes and Who Fails in the AFC North

The AFC North division is made up of four teams located around the cradle of football civilization.  

Cleveland’s first professional football team came into existence in 1920.  Cincinnati joined the fledgling APFA (American Professional Football Association), the precursor to the NFL, in 1921.  The Steelers (then named the Pittsburgh Pirates) joined the NFL in 1933. Baltimore entered the ranks of cities with an NFL franchise team in 1950.

With the exception of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the teams that began in Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland do not exist in their original cities today yet in each city the history and the love of the sport remains.  All four of these cities are brimming with football fanatics.

We all want our teams to win.  But year after year, the cream of the division rises to the top and the rest settle at the bottom.

Success begins and ends with personnel.  It is never simply the personnel on the field but it is a combination of those men, the men on the sidelines, and last but certainly not least, the people in the front office.

Let’s take a closer look beginning with the Cincinnati Bengels.  

Year after year I hear reports that the direction the team will take pivots on Carson Palmer’s health.  The analysts are focusing on his physical health but I think that Palmer’s mental strength is the key to the Bengel’s success.  

Palmer comes off as a pampered, whiny guy who rarely misses an opportunity to put his foot in his mouth.  The Bengels are a team with no leadership. 

Already this year No. 9 was attempting to rally the troops and he announced that the Bengel’s mini camp was a distraction-free success.  Noticabally absent from camp was C.O.

Marvin Lewis does nothing to suppress a lack of team spirit.  Instead Marvin Lewis added fuel to the fire, proclaiming on NFL Network that he and Chad “have issues like any family.”

In addition, all of the buzz surrounding Malaluga being selected in the second round by Cincinnati sounds to me like a florescent light about to burn out.  He is a young man with red flags surrounding his personal conduct walking into an undisciplined group of like-minded guys.  

No leadership.  No chemistry.  No playoffs.

Heading north up I-71, we arrive at the home of the Cleveland Browns.  

The annual crop of optimists touting the virtues of “this year’s Browns” are excited about the 2009 season.  I don’t share the excitement.  This year’s Browns will soon look like last year’s Jets.  

Eric Mangini tore through the draft like a bargain hunting bridezilla at the annual Filene’s Basement wedding gown sale.  

He reminds me of the wanna-be aficionado out to impress his friends who makes a selection because of brand recognition when in reality, he has passed over a higher quality product that was available for a fraction of the price.  Last year before he got fired, he got Faneca and he got Farve but what he didn’t get was into the playoffs.  

Mangini has added some impressive names like Alex Mack, Mohamed Massaquoi, and Brian Robiskie to his roster but will he be able to get them to gel together.  

I would love to see a return to a real rivalry between Pittsburgh and Cleveland but I am not holding my breath.

The Baltimore Ravens are a team that has earned a lot of respect.  

Last year, John Harbaugh made an immediate impact as a rookie coach.  

He stuck the landing with first round pick QB Joe Flacco.  

Mentoring a young unknown “Danny Noonan” type of guy while managing a XXL bad boy like Ray Lewis looked easy in the hands of Harbaugh.  

Beyond the amazing season, Harbaugh kept the heart and soul of his Ravens in Baltimore. Ray Lewis resigned with the club after multiple sources reported that #52 had lost his allegiance to the Ravens and would take his leadership elsewhere.  

The Ravens have chemistry.  They have talent but they have a strong chain of command from the Alpha dog on down.  It works.  

Harbaugh took a team that finished “5-11” the previous year to the AFC Championship with an untested rookie quarterback in his first year as a head coach.

I saved the Steelers for last not because they are the reigning Super Bowl champs, but because they are the benchmark for great management.  

From Noll through to Tomlin, Steeler coaches have set high standards for their players.  

Noll only worked with men who could manage themselves.  The four Super Bowl titles his teams brought to Pittsburgh provide a heavy support to his philosophy.  

Cowher was excellent when it came to drafting top-tier talent.  He also had the smarts to step side and let Bettis motivate the team to win a Super Bowl. Under Cowher however, the Steelers fell apart as a group without Bettis as their glue in 2006.  

Mike Tomlin came to Pittsburgh in 2007 as an unknown with a lot to prove.  He lead his team to the playoffs in his rookie season as coach.  

Last year under his leadership, a team with what was called a sub-par offensive line went all the way to a Super Bowl victory.  

Tomlin knows how to manage personalities.  He handled Ben’s practicing through his injuries and Parker’s public call for a return to the run with diplomacy and class.  

Tact, respect and the ability to motivate are Tomlin’s strengths.  Coach Tomlin is esteemed by his players and coaches alike.  He sets a tone of personal responsibility in the locker room and the results pay high dividends.

The talent vs. chemistry debate will continue, but when I look at the four teams in the AFC North, good chemistry seems to be just the thing to lift a team with pre-season potential and translate talent into trophies.

Beauty And The Beast: Power And Polish Back In The Steeler’s Playbook

Last season was littered with criticism of the Steelers’ style of offense.  

Weekly installments of reproof rained down from fans feeling that Arians’ fullback free offense had lost touch with the power running game of Noll and Cowher era squads.

We embark upon the 2009 season with a backfield of talented, healthy men ready to prove that they can be called upon to rack up running yards.  Back again also is the offensive line in the hands of the coaching staff that led us to victory in last year’s Super Bowl.

Improvement in the line is critical to the success of our offense.  Important to the “run to set up the pass” approach however is the fact that the Steelers have acquired a battering ram in this year’s draft.

Frank Summers looks to be the man to step in on short yardage situations, a void that has remained on the Steeler’s roster since the departure of Jerome Bettis.

Summers UNLV profile reports that he did not lose a fumble during his college career. Summers also has the distinction of being the only Rebel in team history to lead his team in both rushing and receiving TDs.  He is a threat in many areas including special teams.

This said, Parker and Mendenhall are healthy and working to prove that the greatness each has shown is a trademark and not a passing trend in their careers.  Last but not least, Mewelde Moore showed his worth last year as a back with great hands and the heart of a receiver.

Progress moves forward, and a quarterback with the talent level of Roethlisberger should be given the arena to showcase his greatness.  

Couple that with the fact that Steeler receivers play with more skill and passion than any in the league.  Yet Pittsburgh’s smash-mouth approach that was used in the past combined finesse with power.

Summers had the goal of entering the NFL as a fullback.  This year, if we don’t see as much of Davis and McHugh, I hope we will be seeing Summers. Who wants to live in the past?

The “Tank” is just the weapon we needed to forge ahead.

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