How Well Liked Was Whiz?

[flippy]

The more players I hear mention Whiz are reminding me how much these Steelers players loved the guy.

And how much many of them probably wish he was their coach.

Wonder if that still has a lingering effect on some of the players?

Except Ben of course.....

who seems to hate Whiz.....



Whiz did a great job for us in the 05 SuperBowl run. All the exotic formations that he pulled out during the playoff run that we hadn't seen before were brilliant.

Now he's got a perennial loser in the SuperBowl.

And once again, he's changed his team in the playoffs and got them doing things no one expected.

How good is this guy really?

Is he the best coach not in Pittsburgh?

The chess match between Whiz and Lebeau could be one for the ages.

I'm really expecting something unexpected out of Arizona.

[flippy]

One more thought on Whiz....

Who's got more to prove? Whiz versus his old team? Ben versus his old coach?

And Tomlin might have the most to prove since he probably wants to show the Rooney's they made the right choice.

[Flasteel]

Except Ben of course.....

who seems to hate Whiz.....

That's the sense I got too and if true, was more than likely why the Rooneys didn't chase down Whiz for the job.

Either way, we're both in the big game and it should be interesting to say the least.

[Chachi]

The more players I hear mention Whiz are reminding me how much these Steelers players loved the guy.

And how much many of them probably wish he was their coach.

Wonder if that still has a lingering effect on some of the players?

If they were playing for the SB and we were first round losers......yea, I could see a big effect of some wishing he was their coach.

If they were playing for the SB and we lost ANOTHER AFCC game at home....especially to the Gayvens......yea, I could see a big effect of some wishing he was their coach.

But, we are playing for the Super Bowl. We had to go 12-4 just to squeek out a division title. Wiz went 9-7 in an inferior division with an, IMO, inferior team.

I feel if positions were reversed Tomlin could have done what Wiz did (go 9-7 with that schedule in that division).....I don't know if Wiz does what Tomlin did, 12-4 with the "toughest schedule ever" all the while killing some serious ghosts along the way (Winning in Jax, winning in Foxborough, winning an AFCC game at home, etc.)

I think we needed as much of a change in HC and got that change in Tomlin just as much as Arizona needed in their change (ok, well, maybe not quite as much. :wink: ) If we kept Wiz, I don't think we have the change we needed to get where we are today.

The fact we are where we are, IMO, has killed any residual effects of players wishing we had Wiz over Tomlin.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

The more players I hear mention Whiz are reminding me how much these Steelers players loved the guy.

And how much many of them probably wish he was their coach.

Wonder if that still has a lingering effect on some of the players?

If they were playing for the SB and we were first round losers......yea, I could see a big effect of some wishing he was their coach.

If they were playing for the SB and we lost ANOTHER AFCC game at home....especially to the Gayvens......yea, I could see a big effect of some wishing he was their coach.

But, we are playing for the Super Bowl. We had to go 12-4 just to squeek out a division title. Wiz went 9-7 in an inferior division with an, IMO, inferior team.

I feel if positions were reversed Tomlin could have done what Wiz did (go 9-7 with that schedule in that division).....I don't know if Wiz does what Tomlin did, 12-4 with the "toughest schedule ever" all the while killing some serious ghosts along the way (Winning in Jax, winning in Foxborough, winning an AFCC game at home, etc.)

I think we needed as much of a change in HC and got that change in Tomlin just as much as Arizona needed in their change (ok, well, maybe not quite as much. :wink: ) If we kept Wiz, I don't think we have the change we needed to get where we are today.

The fact we are where we are, IMO, has killed any residual effects of players wishing we had Wiz over Tomlin.

Chachi - :Agree :Clap :Clap :Bow

[Oviedo]

The more players I hear mention Whiz are reminding me how much these Steelers players loved the guy.

And how much many of them probably wish he was their coach.

Wonder if that still has a lingering effect on some of the players?

If they were playing for the SB and we were first round losers......yea, I could see a big effect of some wishing he was their coach.

If they were playing for the SB and we lost ANOTHER AFCC game at home....especially to the Gayvens......yea, I could see a big effect of some wishing he was their coach.

But, we are playing for the Super Bowl. We had to go 12-4 just to squeek out a division title. Wiz went 9-7 in an inferior division with an, IMO, inferior team.

I feel if positions were reversed Tomlin could have done what Wiz did (go 9-7 with that schedule in that division).....I don't know if Wiz does what Tomlin did, 12-4 with the "toughest schedule ever" all the while killing some serious ghosts along the way (Winning in Jax, winning in Foxborough, winning an AFCC game at home, etc.)

I think we needed as much of a change in HC and got that change in Tomlin just as much as Arizona needed in their change (ok, well, maybe not quite as much. :wink: ) If we kept Wiz, I don't think we have the change we needed to get where we are today.

The fact we are where we are, IMO, has killed any residual effects of players wishing we had Wiz over Tomlin.

Totally agree. For Tomlin to keep the emotion and flow of the team as focused as he did with the schedule we had is something that is not getting enough credit. Toughest schedule in 50 years and we end up with a 12-4 record. Tomlin was the right choice for this franchise no matter what happens on Feb 1.

[MeetJoeGreene]

If any players felt like that, the SHOULD be over it by now or gone (read: Faneca).

I have to admit that I wanted Whiz. (Not Grim). But I have been pleased with Tomlin and fully behind him now.

[proudpittsburgher]

Except Ben of course.....

who seems to hate Whiz.....

That's the sense I got too and if true, was more than likely why the Rooneys didn't chase down Whiz for the job.

Either way, we're both in the big game and it should be interesting to say the least.

For whatever reason, i always thought Ben liked Whiz.


Per SI article from Peter King . . . A few days after Tomlin was hired, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took his new boss to lunch and told him a lot of the players were unhappy that two well-liked assistants had been passed over for a 34-year-old they'd never heard of. The two men spoke frankly. "You're going to have to earn the guys' respect and trust," Roethlisberger said.

But if that's no the case, what you said makes sense then as to why Whiz didn't get the gig.

[papillon]

I'm sure many of the current players have great respect for Ken Whisenhunt. He was successful in Pittsburgh as the OC and now he's successful as the HC in Arizona. I'm sure they'll talk prior to the game and may even have dinner while they are in Tampa.

However, it is extremely obvious that the Pittsburgh Steeler football team responds to MIke Tomlin in a positive way and they are buying what he is selling. So, whether they like Whiz or not is irrelevant to the current situation and the SB, IMHO.

Pappy

[snarky]

Heck, even in little league personal friendship is cast aside in such situations. So I don't think this will be a problem.

[grotonsteel]

Whiz is a good coach but can he handle the players...??? Ben was not happy with him.. Look at the mess with Boldin and Matt....

[ramblinjim]

Whiz is a good coach. He's done a tremendous job with a perennial loser of a team. The comparison's are always going to be there, just like with Ben, Eli and Rivers.

Tomlin came into a team two years removed from a Super Bowl and a perennial powerhouse with outrageous expectations, strong people in the locker room to win over and a team that just knew someone would be promoted from within (although the Rooney's did not do that with Cowher, why did we expect they would this time around).

Tomlin's done a great job. He's 24-11 in his two years here and has the team in the Super Bowl. He's exercised some ugly Steelers ghosts along the way. I think the future is bright for him.

[frankthetank1]

keep this in mind. if the steelers were as bad as the cards on the road this season no one would be happy with tomlin. the cards finally won on the east coast against the panthers. they were 9-7 in the worst division in the nfl. they were blown out in new england and philly. they are very very lucky to be in the sb. on the other hand the steelers went 11-4 with the toughest schedule i have ever seen. they blew out the pats in new england, they won in baltimore and swept the afc north. if whiz was the coach would all of those things happened? i doubt it. im sure the steelers would be good but i dont think they would be this good

[Steeler Shades]

Tomlin came into a team two years removed from a Super Bowl.
Which two years? 8)

[SteelTorch]

No, no, no. You guys want to know who truly turned the Cards around? Kurt Warner (and Fitz to a lesser extent). Even then, they managed no better than an 8-8 record during the regular season. Their defense was still bad and they, up until recently, had no real running game.

Whis's success will only last as long as Warner does. You can believe that. :wink:

[RuthlessBurgher]

But Whis has a 3-0 record in the playoffs! Tomlin is only 2-1 in the playoffs. Even if Tomlin somehow figures out a way to defeat Master Whis in the Super Bowl, their playoff records will both be 3-1, and they will have split the two games they met head-to-head. So no matter what happens, Tomlin can never be better than the Almighty Whis! :stirpot :wink:

[MeetJoeGreene]

But Whis has a 3-0 record in the playoffs! Tomlin is only 2-1 in the playoffs. Even if Tomlin somehow figures out a way to defeat Master Whis in the Super Bowl, their playoff records will both be 3-1, and they will have split the two games they met head-to-head. So no matter what happens, Tomlin can never be better than the Almighty Whis! :stirpot :wink:

You are correct. Plus Tomlin did inherit a team only a year removed from the Super Bowl whereas Whiz inherited a cast of misfits worse than the Bad News Bears.

[RuthlessBurgher]

But Whis has a 3-0 record in the playoffs! Tomlin is only 2-1 in the playoffs. Even if Tomlin somehow figures out a way to defeat Master Whis in the Super Bowl, their playoff records will both be 3-1, and they will have split the two games they met head-to-head. So no matter what happens, Tomlin can never be better than the Almighty Whis! :stirpot :wink:

You are correct. Plus Tomlin did inherit a team only a year removed from the Super Bowl whereas Whiz inherited a cast of misfits worse than the Bad News Bears.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/images/photos/2007/04/13/5m0riyb1.jpg = http://www.rockytoptalk.com/images/admin/buttermaker.jpg

:lol:

[BURGH86STEEL]

I'm sure many of the current players have great respect for Ken Whisenhunt. He was successful in Pittsburgh as the OC and now he's successful as the HC in Arizona. I'm sure they'll talk prior to the game and may even have dinner while they are in Tampa.

However, it is extremely obvious that the Pittsburgh Steeler football team responds to MIke Tomlin in a positive way and they are buying what he is selling. So, whether they like Whiz or not is irrelevant to the current situation and the SB, IMHO.

Pappy

I agree that it is irrelevant. It seems to me that the only people that care about Whiz vs Tomlin are a few fans from the Steelers. They only care because they wanted Whiz over Tomlin. Both guys have done a good job.

I will give Tomlin the edge because this team had the heat on from the Ravens all season. If they lose one more game, Steelers might not of been in the playoffs. Add to the fact Steelers had a much tougher schedule and loss key players on offense and defense and won 12 games. There is no guarantee the Steelers would be in the SB right now without Tomlin as the HC of this team.

[Steeler Shades]

Whis's success will only last as long as Warner does. You can believe that. :wink:
You don't think Tomlin's success is tied to Ben? 8)

[costanza2k1]

Whis's success will only last as long as Warner does. You can believe that. :wink:
You don't think Tomlin's success is tied to Ben? 8)

Coach and QB's success go hand in hand.

[flippy]

But Whis has a 3-0 record in the playoffs! Tomlin is only 2-1 in the playoffs. Even if Tomlin somehow figures out a way to defeat Master Whis in the Super Bowl, their playoff records will both be 3-1, and they will have split the two games they met head-to-head. So no matter what happens, Tomlin can never be better than the Almighty Whis! :stirpot :wink:

You are correct. Plus Tomlin did inherit a team only a year removed from the Super Bowl whereas Whiz inherited a cast of misfits worse than the Bad News Bears.

Denny Green loaded that team up with some ball players.

Which guys did Whiz bring in that are helping them be successful?

[Steeler Shades]

Whis's success will only last as long as Warner does. You can believe that. :wink:You don't think Tomlin's success is tied to Ben? 8)Coach and QB's success go hand in hand.
Exactly right. 8)

[RuthlessBurgher]

But Whis has a 3-0 record in the playoffs! Tomlin is only 2-1 in the playoffs. Even if Tomlin somehow figures out a way to defeat Master Whis in the Super Bowl, their playoff records will both be 3-1, and they will have split the two games they met head-to-head. So no matter what happens, Tomlin can never be better than the Almighty Whis! :stirpot :wink:

You are correct. Plus Tomlin did inherit a team only a year removed from the Super Bowl whereas Whiz inherited a cast of misfits worse than the Bad News Bears.

Denny Green loaded that team up with some ball players.

Which guys did Whiz bring in that are helping them be successful?

I'll go with their first and fifth round draft picks in each of their seasons in Arizona. DRC and Hightower have been high impact rookies for them this year. Levi Brown is important because it will be up to him to try to stop LaMarr "two-sacks-in-all-three-career-playoff-games" Woodley (I emphasize "try"), and Steve Breaston had over 1000 yards receiving this year, meaning that Fitz and Boldin aren't Warner's only targets through the air.

[decleater]

The Cards have been getting top round draft picks every year for the last half century and suddenly Whiz is the genius? Think about who their last couple of HC's were! Geeeessssh!!!