This One's On Mike!

The Pittsburg Steelers did not need Big Ben to beat the 49ers last night. They went 3-1 without him last year and with all due respect to Jim Harbaugh’s crew and their inflated record, this is not a team capable of winning playoff games. What the Steelers did need was a QB that can plant his back foot while throwing. I have nothing bad to say about Ben, the man is an absolute superhuman that can and will play through anything. However, a week after praising Mike Tomlin's coaching maturity I feel he made a horrendous mistake. What separates the best baseball managers from the average ones is the ability to tell a star pitcher he’s done for the night. That one minute and often overlooked skill is the difference between Grady Little winning a world series and lining up at the unemployment office. Last night Mike Tomlin showed why he would not be a great baseball manager. I didn’t have the luxury of watching Ben in practice all week as he did, but after his first series it was very clear to me that the Steelers would be better off without him. Let Charlie Batch manage the clock a little bit or let Dennis Dixon make things happen with his legs. Not only would that have provided Ben with a better opportunity to play on Saturday, but it would have also given the Steelers a better chance to win on Monday night. You don’t ask Ben if he can play because the answer is always yes – you tell him he's not ready!




AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

James Harrison Suspended! Seriously?

Last Thursday night James Harrison did what has become very popular as of late not to do……his job. In an era where our political leaders are indecisive about every little issue, we outsource all our production and allow our streets to be “occupied” by a militia who’s majority of members aren’t really sure what their cause is other than to inconvenience people more employable than them, we arrived at the point where we punish linebackers for hitting quarterbacks! Seriously? Have we really become that soft? If we are going to take hitting out of football, we might as well take the engines out of our cars, speakers out of our home theatres, and alcohol out of whiskey.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Barry Bonds – A Tragic Figure

I will not debate the character of Barry Bonds but I will say that he is most likely a better human being than Ty Cobb ever was. What I will say however about Bonds is that instead of celebrating what he has done for baseball, he was unfairly singled out in one of the most ridiculous legal investigations that this country has ever seen. We can all safely assume and get over the fact that Bonds took steroids following the 1999 season and was a decade behind 75% of major league baseball in doing so. Bonds did not bring steroids to baseball, on the contrary, by opening everyone’s eyes to the now undeniable truth he actually took steroids out of baseball. He made a clear statement in 2001 and the few years that followed to the league and the country – you want to allow steroids in your pastime, let me show you what real talent can do with it. Throughout the 90’s he was a premier ball player and most likely (though will never be confirmed) led the league in “unjuiced” home runs and slugging percentage during that era. Had he retired prior to the 2000 season having never touched the stuff, he would have retired as an undisputed first ballot hall-of-famer and arguably the best all around player of all time, combining power and speed as the only 400/400 man ever while playing gold glove caliber defense throughout his career. I do not condone steroid use in any sport, but condemning a ball player for using steroids in 2001 is like condemning a bank manager for authorizing a sub prime loan in 2006. While agreed that it was a poor decision it was the norm in the industry at the time. Similarly, perjury is a serious offense in a real court case, but just like the Bill Clinton perjury charge, to hold a man accountable for lying in court over something he never should have been there for in the first place is a clear abuse of the system. As far as his legacy goes, hopefully over time he will be recognized as the greatest player of the era, and the era should be remembered as the period when Major League Baseball unofficially allowed steroid use. As for Cooperstown, if he’s not inducted then the entire concept of the hall is worthless.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Tomlin is Growing Up as a Coach – You Play This Game to Win!

I have been very critical of Mike Tomlin as a coach ever since he took over as head coach of the Steelers despite his remarkable success in that role. I felt as a rookie he cost the team a playoff win against Jacksonville by misevaluating the importance of a 2 point attempt and then by being afraid to put the ball in the hands of his franchise QB. I felt that in last year’s Superbowl he panicked and started coaching a desperate game early in the first quarter and only down by 7, a decision that resulted in going down by 14 and a tougher hole to climb out of. I felt that over the years he coached soft with a 4th quarter lead allowing for potential comebacks, and I felt that he was slow to make mid game adjustments when the offence had difficulty moving the ball. Theses feelings are not the result of me being a Monday Morning Quarterback as in all these cases I was critical before the snap and the ensuing bad results. Last night however, the coach that took his team to 2 Superbowl in 4 years showed coaching brilliance that only a polished and superb coach can understand. Up by 4 and a 4th and goal from inches away in the later stages of the 4th Quarter, the broadcasters were all over Mike Tomlin for going for 7 when 3 would have all but guaranteed either a win or overtime. Had they been playing in Foxborough I would tend to agree with that logic, but great coaches understand the specific nature of each situation as Mike Tomlin did last night. This game was in Pittsburgh, in prime time, against the Cleveland Browns. You don’t play for worse case overtime at home against the brown to give them an opportunity for a lucky Josh Cribbs return. Conversely, you play for the win against a team who has not won in your house since Bush’s first term. You make it - game over, you miss and you have Colt McCoy (who will one day be a great QB) pinned against his own goal line and having to deal with a Dick Lebeau Defense. Going for it, despite not making it was the right move. I didn’t expect him to go for it in that situation but was proud of him that he did. In his 5th season, I am pleased to say that Tomlin has now graduated into and elite head coach.




AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Antonio…Rhymes With Santonio! (Plays like him too)

Going into last season, Steelers Country was concerned about their wide receiver core in a league becoming more and more about the pass. Santonio Holmes, their big play threat and former Superbowl MVP was gearing up for his first season with the Jets. Hines Ward, the greatest all around wide receiver of an era wasn’t getting any younger. Mike Wallace, their returning second year receiver may have become a victim of the sophomore jinx, and if the name Limas Sweed means anything to you no further comment is necessary. What took place in the wake of this worry was the emergence of the greatest passing attack the Steel City has ever seen, more productive than when Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw was throwing passes to a tandem of hall of famers, more explosive than when Larry Fitzgerald was catching his touch downs as a Pitt Panther. Under the tutelage and mentorship of number 86, Mike Wallace has emerged as one of the most dangerous wide outs in the game, and Antonio Brown in only his second year has emerged as a premier all around wide out combining route running, great hands, speed, separation and above all awareness. His punt returning skills help provide great field position and most of all he is a proven clutch performer. While Mike Wallace creates 60 minutes of deep threat offence each week that this team hasn’t seen since the days of Lynn Swann, there’s a new Santonio in town and his name …Antonio.




AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Brady Has Reached A New High - He's Hate-Worthy!

It has become fashionable this year to refer to Aaron Rodgers as the best quarterback in the game. The media introduced this phenomenon early in the season when the reigning Superbowl MVP picked up where he left off last year and it quickly became an echoed sentiment by the uninformed part-time watching football public. While there is no question that Rodgers is great, and in Manning’s absence he probably took over as the number 2 play caller in the world, it remains an undisputed fact in my mind that Brady is still the best. If you are a Pats fan this reality is great news for you. If however you cheer for a team that was declared “The Dream Team” by the same personalities who anointed Rodgers as the king of the NFL, then this reality might be a little harder to digest. While Eagles fans typically display the highest level of class and sportsmanship (“now that’s sarcasm!” – Homer Simpson), the vengeance that Tom Brady can bestow upon a less than worthy opponent can evoke tears in even the most optimistic of fans. Rodgers is an awesome QB, but to be “Hate-Worthy” … you know, that’s an echelon that Aaron Rodgers has yet to conquer.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Week 12: The Class of the NFL is Confirmed

This week clearly showed us who the contenders in the NFL are, and conversely who the pretenders are.  So who is not an elite team in the league? Among others, the Chargers, 49ers, Giants, Bills, Lions and the team I described before the season as the most hyped up mediocre team since last year’s Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles. Who has a chance to win it all? The Packers, Saints, Patriots, Steelers, with the Ravens, Raiders and Cowboys looking in as dark horses.

The Lions and Niners will have their time but unfortunately for them their most memorable part of 2011 will be a hand shake gone wrong. The Chargers need a coaching change but don’t know it and The Eagles don’t need one but think they do. The Giants and Bills just can’t seem to play with the big boys on a consistent basis. Should be a great December.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

14 Million Americans Are Out Of Work Yet Norv Turner Still Has A Job!

It’s hard to criticize a coach with Norv Turner’s record in San Diego and even harder to diminish the coaching ability of a man to whom Troy Aikman attributes a large portion of his success. Most of all its hardest to validate anything that Rex Ryan has ever said that does not pertain to a pie eating contest. However, if you look beyond the 3 division titles and last year’s top offence and defense, Norv simply isn’t getting it done.


I don’t believe a coach should ever be fired or even criticized simply for not winning a Super Bowl and expecting a coach to win one is flat out preposterous. It took Bill Cowher 13 seasons to win one and Bill Parcells didn’t win any with the last 3 teams he coached. Both men are widely and rightfully considered to be great coaches and there is no way that Norv Turner should ever be held to a higher standard than those men with San Diego or any other team. That notwithstanding, what should be expected from all coaches who were handed a 14-2 team and a young franchise quarterback is to get them to a place where they can win a Super Bowl. While wildcard teams have won Super Bowls in the past, it is much easier with a first round bye and once the talent is aligned the head coach needs to take responsibility for the slow starts and the close losses to less talented teams.

Let’s all look back at the 2006 season in which Marty Schotenheimer, one of the great regular season coaches of a generation, led San Diego to a 14-2 season only to lose their first playoff game to the Pats (who’s leading receiver was Jabbar Gaffney) in typical “Marty-Ball” fashion. After that season which featured Philip Rivers in his first season as a starter, LT still very much in his prime and Shawne Merriman as one of the most intimidating QB hunters in the game, the Bolts were considered the team of the future. Schotenheirmer’s inability to win playoff games ultimately cost him his job, but his successor has since shown the inability to coach a contender from beginning to end. The Super Chargers had two options in looking for a replacement; they could have interviewed young ambitious coordinators who were in other systems or they could have gone for the brand name Head Coach despite a lifetime losing record as a head coach. Unlike the last 3 Super Bowl champions who all replaced their head coach in the past 5 years while employing the first hiring strategy, San Diego chose the latter and went with Norv. Hind sight is always 20/20, but the Norv decision is clearly not working out and if the window of opportunity was getting narrow in San Diego 5 years ago, where does it stand today? Worst of all, I correctly picked the last 3 Super Bowl champions before the seasons began and at 4-5, my streak is very much in danger of ending this year with my San Diego pick. (In case anyone cares I picked them to beat the Cowboys in Indy)

Regardless of how San Diego fares from this point on, anything short of winning a Super Bowl should merit a coaching change. That is not a contradiction to what I said earlier as I think Norv really needs to be replaced regardless, but if he somehow pulls off the improbably I think a stay of execution would be reasonable. Even if they get to the Super Bowl and lose, they would have most likely gotten there the hard way, winning 3 playoff games and 2 on the road in the cold weather that the flip flop wearing team does not like to play in, and in that scenario a Super Bowl loss might be the result of being run down, a state that could have been avoided with a better regular season.



AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

They Were Who We Thought They Were

Bills, Bengals, Redskins. Before the season started we all expected them to finish in the bottom 2 spots of their respective divisions. Some early success this year against mostly below average teams made some avid fans second guess who these teams were, but this week's games made us all realize while possibly infringing on a Dennis Green copyright that they were who we thought they were. The only difference between week 11 and that infamous press conference is that no one let them off the hook. Those in Western New York, Southern Ohio and the Capital District might beg to differ, but these 3 teams are all bottom feeders and our preseason expectations of them will all come to fruition at season's end.

AND THAT'S THE BRUTAL TRUTH! 

I’m Back, and so are The Broncos

In the immortal words of Frank Costanza, I’m Back BA-BY! It’s been 2 years since I’ve been part of that irrelevant and ever growing world of bloggers, and as much as no one cares what me or any other blogger has to say, I still need this therapeutic outlet to say it.

It was only a decade ago that The New England Patriots started winning games with a relatively unknown QB; one who analysts all agreed was not the NFL QB that Drew Bledsoe was. He didn’t have the arm, he didn’t have the motion, he didn’t have the pocket presence. Despite giving NFL teams every reason to draft him based on his physique, football IQ and college record, he was written off as not being an “NFL QB” and dropped to the 6th round of the 2000 draft. However, the one thing this second year QB did have was the ability to win games, and win games he did. He won games in college in a big name program where expectations and competition were both high, and he won games in the NFL with a team that was written off before he took over as the starting QB.

Let me make this clear, I am not comparing Tim Tebow to Tom Brady and any such comparison at this point would be outright blasphemous. Nevertheless, like the future first ballot hall of famer, Tim Tebow wins games and at the end of the day that is more important than passer ratings, throwing motion or religious beliefs. We’ve been watching this kid since his freshman year at Florida when he was the backup and thrown in on short yardage situations. Even then it was discussed how his style of play was not conducive to being a starter in the SEC. 3 years, a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship later, he graduated as arguably the greatest College Football player of all time with the post script of “too bad he’ll never be able to play in the NFL”. That leads me to pose the question, which college stars can play in the NFL? Ryan Leaf? Tim Couch? Jamarcus Russell?

Tim Tebow is 4-1 as a starter on a 5-5 team. The fallacy that was highly discussed 3 weeks ago and regularly for the past year that the Broncos can’t win with Tim Tebow has quickly been replaced by the reality that they cannot win without him. Without him the AFC west is a 3 horse race featuring the Chargers, Raiders and Chiefs, with him they are half a game out of first place and climbing each week. Can he ever lead a team to a Super Bowl? Everything we pretend to know about football would indicate otherwise. 10 years ago that question was asked and answered the same way about Tom Brady.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!