Cowher: Patriots are team of decade

[PSU_dropout43]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/ ... -of-decade (http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/10084/cowher-patriots-are-team-of-decade)


Cowher: Patriots are team of decade
By Tim Graham

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Bill Cowher believes even if the Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl on Sunday, the New England Patriots should be considered the best team of the past decade and scoffed at the idea the Spygate scandal had any impact.

The debate about the best team of the aughts includes three teams. Only the Patriots and Cowher's former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, won multiple championships. The Colts would win their second with a win over the New Orleans Saints.

"I think the decade still has to go to New England," Cowher said Tuesday at a CBS Sports news conference to preview the Super Bowl. "But the Pittsburgh Steelers went to a lot of championship games, won two Super Bowls. The Colts I'm not so sure within the last five years they haven't been the most consistent football team.

"But you go back to the body of work and the consistency, and I think New England clearly is above everybody else. They never had that one down year. They've been on the brink from when they first won in 2001 until this past year they were in the playoffs. They've been the most consistent team."

The Patriots went to four Super Bowls and won three. The Steelers went to two Super Bowls -- one with Cowher and another with Mike Tomlin -- and won them both.

Cowher gushed about Patriots coach Bill Belichick, citing him as influential to philosophies Cowher applied to the Steelers. Cowher attributed the Steelers' ability win 16 straight regular-seasons games in '04 and '05 to lessons learned from how the Patriots conduct themselves.

"The humility that they won with, that's what set them apart," Cowher said. "I learned a lot from their ability to respect an opponent every week, to not get caught up with it.

"I remember taking a lot from the way the New England Patriots handled success. To me, they epitomize that. How you handle success and not get caught up in it makes them role models."

The primary objection to any discussion about the Patriots' greatness is the videotaping scandal that entangled the organization in 2007. I asked Cowher whether Spygate should taint what the Patriots accomplished.

The Spygate investigation included two victories over Cowher's Steelers in the '01 and '04 AFC Championship Games.

Cowher seems to absolve the Patriots for any wrongdoing.

"Listen, there's people stealing signals all the time before that," Cowher said. "You have ways to hide those things. We had wristbands for our defense. I remember trying to get offensive plays and see what the formations were. Everybody knows.

"You're trying to gain a competitive edge. Did that go beyond it? To a degree. Do I think that helped them win football games? No. You still have to go out and play the game. I still have a hard time believing that was a difference in a game."

[Oviedo]

Cowher certainly did his fair share helping them be the "Team of the Decade" so it is only apporpriate he admits it. He was totally outcoached by Belichek on numerous occasions.

[cruzer8]

http://blog.lehighvalleylive.com/scott-toole_impact/2009/06/medium_cowher%20nut.jpg

Not the first time he's tooted someone else's horn.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Cowher certainly did his fair share helping them be the "Team of the Decade" so it is only apporpriate he admits it. He was totally outcoached by Belichek on numerous occasions.

$$$

Patriots cheating + Cowher's choking ineptitude = no Steelers SB appearances during the first half of the decade.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Cowher is a tool.

[phillyesq]

If he says the Steelers are the team of the decade, then he would be accused of being a biased, ego-maniacal homer. If he complained about Spygate, it would look like sour grapes. I don't really fault him for this.

[pfelix73]

Super Bowl XL victory (2005)
2 AFC Championship victories (1995, 2005)
AP NFL Coach of the Year (1992)
2× Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year (1992, 2004)
149-90-1 (regular season record)
12-9 (playoff record)
161-99-1 (overall record)

"In Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles." per Wikipedia.


I sometimes think that some of you guys are 'tools'. WTF.

Cowher Power.......
:tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1

[Iron Shiek]

I sometimes think that some of you guys are 'tools'. WTF.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[fezziwig]

Cowher always did take the high road in my opinion.

Humility that they won with ? Ha ! Those cheating pricks had no humility at winning or losing and the one that lacks the lesase amount of humility is Bellicheat himself.

No matter what Cowher thinks, the fucheads won because they cheated and why do people cheat ? Because they can't go toe to toe.

When Lebeau was asked if he thought it helped the Cheats over us he said the most and correct political statement that should have been made, "It would been nicer if they didn't know our signals and calls. " Something to those exact words but, you knew he meant, it was a strike against our Steelers in those games.


Okay, they won one more SB than us in the decade and cheated to do it, you want to call them the best then fine. I'll stick with the team that played fair and had integrity throughout.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Super Bowl XL victory (2005)
2 AFC Championship victories (1995, 2005)
AP NFL Coach of the Year (1992)
2× Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year (1992, 2004)
149-90-1 (regular season record)
12-9 (playoff record)
161-99-1 (overall record)

"In Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles." per Wikipedia.


I sometimes think that some of you guys are 'tools'. WTF.

Cowher Power.......
:tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1

Cowher got outcoached in the playoffs and if you want to hang your hat on 7 division straps, when you got Cincy & the Browns to walk all over, kudos to you. I look at one SB WIN in a decade and a half when he continually had a top notch group of players.

[pfelix73]

His resume is pretty impressive. Guess that's why he's mentioned with every new coaching vacancy in the NFL, year after year. If you don't like him and are blinded by the fact that he is a winner then:

No further comments on your lack of reality is necessary.
:tt1

[fezziwig]

Cowher had good teams because he developed good teams. The guy lacked a top notch QB and when he finallygot one in Ben,, he won.

Cowher did all that winning with second string QB's in my opinion. If the pats didn't cheat then, there could be no arguement but they did cheat and they opened the can of worms.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

His resume is pretty impressive. Guess that's why he's mentioned with every new coaching vacancy in the NFL, year after year. If you don't like him and are blinded by the fact that he is a winner then:

No further comments on your lack of reality is necessary.
:tt1

I think he got outcoached quite often in the playoffs. I can state my opinion all I want. I think there are lots of Steelers fans that will agree that he got outcoached in the big games. I am not saying he is a bad coach. I would assume he would be mentioned with every opening considering it is well known he plans on coming back to coaching and there is really a limited pool of names out there worthy of being a head coach in the NFL. I just don't have him on a pedestal like you obviously do.

[pfelix73]

Look- how can you defend your position on being out coached in those AFCC games when there were players- PLAYERS that made simple mistakes that cost them those games?

Out coached- give me a break. No way. disagree. 100%.

1st AFCC- blocked FG attempt run back for a TD. Coaching?

2nd AFCC- Ben throws right into the hands of Harrison- run back for a TD. Puts us in a hole early- etc.

I was at both those games- I don't remember a coach losing the game.

On another note: I do remember a Tomlin going for a 2 point conversion in the Jax playoff game, which had an influence on the outcome of that game- is that what you mean by coaching mistakes?

I'm done with your line of reasoning. WTF.
:tt1

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Look- how can you defend your position on being out coached in those AFCC games when there were players- PLAYERS that made simple mistakes that cost them those games?

Out coached- give me a break. No way. disagree. 100%.

1st AFCC- blocked FG attempt run back for a TD. Coaching?

2nd AFCC- Ben throws right into the hands of Harrison- run back for a TD. Puts us in a hole early- etc.

I was at both those games- I don't remember a coach losing the game.

On another note: I do remember a Tomlin going for a 2 point conversion in the Jax playoff game, which had an influence on the outcome of that game- is that what you mean by coaching mistakes?

I'm done with your line of reasoning. WTF.
:tt1
WTF indeed. So single plays cost us those games? F'n joke.

Like I said, Cowher wasn't a bad coach at all and I didn't say he was. I said he was a tool, which has nothing to do with his coaching. If I call you a tool, does that mean you are bad at your job?

I love having discussions with all the authorities on Steelers football.

[feltdizz]

Cowher had good teams because he developed good teams. The guy lacked a top notch QB and when he finallygot one in Ben,, he won.

Cowher did all that winning with second string QB's in my opinion. If the pats didn't cheat then, there could be no arguement but they did cheat and they opened the can of worms.

Cowher didn't have to win with second string QB's... he was here 15 years.
He likes second string QB's just like Dave Wanny at PITT.

For some reason these guys come from some crazy strategy that puts QB play low on their charts... add Del Rio to the list too.. It's almost like some weird strategy where the must have more control then the QB in the huddle.

Cowher didn't even want Ben from what I have read...
It's like Cowher couldn't find a ticket out of town fast enough once he got a franchise QB.

IMO of course...

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Cowher had good teams because he developed good teams. The guy lacked a top notch QB and when he finallygot one in Ben,, he won.

Cowher did all that winning with second string QB's in my opinion. If the pats didn't cheat then, there could be no arguement but they did cheat and they opened the can of worms.

Cowher didn't have to win with second string QB's... he was here 15 years.
He likes second string QB's just like Dave Wanny at PITT.

For some reason these guys come from some crazy strategy that puts QB play low on their charts... add Del Rio to the list too.. It's almost like some weird strategy where the must have more control then the QB in the huddle.

Cowher didn't even want Ben from what I have read...
It's like Cowher couldn't find a ticket out of town fast enough once he got a franchise QB.

IMO of course...

Not sure you can say he had good teams because he developed good teams, but then blame his playoff losing on not having a good QB. Isn't the QB the most important part of the team?

I think Cowher had a great regular season record because he had a great defense almost every year, a great offensive line, and some very good RB including a HOF caliber RB in Bettis. The Jets and Ravens both showed exactly why we never did well in the playoffs. They won in the regular season by running all over teams. In the Ravens case of course they threw to Rice more than we ever threw to a RB but they still were what I would say a running team. You can win 80% of your games in the NFL if you have very good to great defenses and dominant running games. In the playoffs however, you may get past one team with a dominant run game, but most good playoff teams with a shot at the Superbowl can stuff the run. This is where Cowher was lost. His entire strategy was a keep the game close type mentality where the one year he finally won a Superbowl it was with pretty much a totally anti-Cowher approach, throwing the football.

In the end Cowher was a good coach and I won't say he wasn't, but, he couldn't win the big one with his regular season strategy and that was his downfall. I think he had more talent on his teams in those 15 seasons than most coaches could ever dream of and came away with one ring.

[hawaiiansteel]

yeah, and Barry Bonds is the greatest home-run hitter of all time...

but wait, he used steroids and thus cheated the game.

Barry Bonds = Bill Bellicheat = New England Cheatriots

[RuthlessBurgher]

yeah, and Barry Bonds is the greatest home-run hitter of all time...

but wait, he used steroids and thus cheated the game.

Barry Bonds = Bill Bellicheat = New England Cheatriots

Well, his mistress obviously had some, ahem, performance enhancement done.

http://www.survivinggrady.com/uploaded_images/bill-belichick-705346.jpg

[pfelix73]

"I love having discussions with all the authorities on Steelers football."

Yea, same here. It goes both ways. All I ask is that you think about what you are going to say before you speak. To bust on Coach Cowher's resume is just stupid.
:tt2

[hawaiiansteel]

yeah, and Barry Bonds is the greatest home-run hitter of all time...

but wait, he used steroids and thus cheated the game.

Barry Bonds = Bill Bellicheat = New England Cheatriots

Well, his mistress obviously had some, ahem, performance enhancement done.

http://www.survivinggrady.com/uploaded_images/bill-belichick-705346.jpg



What, you don't think those are REAL?

I think they are REALLY nice! :Boobs

[feltdizz]

Cowher had good teams because he developed good teams. The guy lacked a top notch QB and when he finallygot one in Ben,, he won.

Cowher did all that winning with second string QB's in my opinion. If the pats didn't cheat then, there could be no arguement but they did cheat and they opened the can of worms.

Cowher didn't have to win with second string QB's... he was here 15 years.
He likes second string QB's just like Dave Wanny at PITT.

For some reason these guys come from some crazy strategy that puts QB play low on their charts... add Del Rio to the list too.. It's almost like some weird strategy where the must have more control then the QB in the huddle.

Cowher didn't even want Ben from what I have read...
It's like Cowher couldn't find a ticket out of town fast enough once he got a franchise QB.

IMO of course...

Not sure you can say he had good teams because he developed good teams, but then blame his playoff losing on not have a good QB. Isn't the QB the most important part of the team?

I think Cowher had a great regular season record because he had a great defense almost every year, a great offensive line, and some very good RB including a HOF caliber RB in Bettis. The Jets and Ravens both showed exactly why we never did well in the playoffs. They won in the regular season by running all over teams. In the Ravens case of course they threw to Rice more than we ever threw to a RB but they still were what I would say a running team. You can win 80% of your games in the NFL if you have very good to great defenses and dominant running games. In the playoffs however, you may get past one team with a dominant run game, but most good playoff teams with a shot at the Superbowl can stuff the run. This is where Cowher was lost. His entire strategy was a keep the game type mentality where the one year he finally won a Superbowl it was with pretty much a totally anti-Cowher approach, throwing the football.

In the end Cowher was a good coach and I won't say he wasn't, but, he couldn't win the big one with his regular season strategy and that was his downfall. I think he had more talent on his teams in those 15 seasons than most coaches could ever dream of and came away with one ring.

I agree. Cowher is from the Schotty tree and that tree is built to win divisions and one playoff game. LOL!!!

Cowher was great but after O'Donell I can't see how QB priority wasn't at the top of the draft. O'Donell is a bastard but he did show us what a real QB could do with a Cowher team.

Did Cowher's HS QB steal his girlfriend? I love the guy but he lost to the Chargers in Pittsburgh... how?

[feltdizz]

"I love having discussions with all the authorities on Steelers football."

Yea, same here. It goes both ways. All I ask is that you think about what you are going to say before you speak. To bust on Coach Cowher's resume is just stupid.
:tt2

It's a damn good resume but it can be critiqued on a message board. It's not like he died.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

"I love having discussions with all the authorities on Steelers football."

Yea, same here. It goes both ways. All I ask is that you think about what you are going to say before you speak. To bust on Coach Cowher's resume is just stupid.
:tt2

Go ahead and show me where I did that before you began to preach. I called him a tool. As I asked, if I call you a tool, does that mean you suck at your job?

[BURGH86STEEL]

Super Bowl XL victory (2005)
2 AFC Championship victories (1995, 2005)
AP NFL Coach of the Year (1992)
2× Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year (1992, 2004)
149-90-1 (regular season record)
12-9 (playoff record)
161-99-1 (overall record)

"In Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles." per Wikipedia.


I sometimes think that some of you guys are 'tools'. WTF.

Cowher Power.......
:tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1 :tt1

Cowher got outcoached in the playoffs and if you want to hang your hat on 7 division straps, when you got Cincy & the Browns to walk all over, kudos to you. I look at one SB WIN in a decade and a half when he continually had a top notch group of players.

It was not as simple as being out coached.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Look- how can you defend your position on being out coached in those AFCC games when there were players- PLAYERS that made simple mistakes that cost them those games?

Out coached- give me a break. No way. disagree. 100%.

1st AFCC- blocked FG attempt run back for a TD. Coaching?

2nd AFCC- Ben throws right into the hands of Harrison- run back for a TD. Puts us in a hole early- etc.

I was at both those games- I don't remember a coach losing the game.

On another note: I do remember a Tomlin going for a 2 point conversion in the Jax playoff game, which had an influence on the outcome of that game- is that what you mean by coaching mistakes?

I'm done with your line of reasoning. WTF.
:tt1

I agree, there were so many things to consider in each of those losses. Most of those losses fall on poor execution(turnovers) by the players.

It seems to me that the same fans that like to hang everything on BA are the same fans that hang everything on Cowher. They seem to forget the fact that the coaches never stop one foot on the field.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Look- how can you defend your position on being out coached in those AFCC games when there were players- PLAYERS that made simple mistakes that cost them those games?

Out coached- give me a break. No way. disagree. 100%.

1st AFCC- blocked FG attempt run back for a TD. Coaching?

2nd AFCC- Ben throws right into the hands of Harrison- run back for a TD. Puts us in a hole early- etc.

I was at both those games- I don't remember a coach losing the game.

On another note: I do remember a Tomlin going for a 2 point conversion in the Jax playoff game, which had an influence on the outcome of that game- is that what you mean by coaching mistakes?

I'm done with your line of reasoning. WTF.
:tt1

I agree, there were so many things to consider in each of those losses. Most of those losses fall on poor execution(turnovers) by the players.

It seems to me that the same fans that like to hang everything on BA are the same fans that hang everything on Cowher. They seem to forget the fact that the coaches never stop one foot on the field.

I agree that in every game players make great plays or contribute to bad plays that effect the outcome of the game greatly. However, the coaches create/ have final say on the gameplans used in those games. They decide when to adjust during games.

Just as an example, in the AFCCG last season vs. the Ravens in the first half we came out throwing all over a Ravens defense that if I remember correctly didn't have a single starter playing. We had a lot of success throwing the ball in the first half and should have been up huge had Limas and Willie not dropped easy passes that could of put us up by 14 more. Those are examples of the players failing on a good gameplan.

Other side of the coin now. In the second half of that game we come out and run Willie freaking Parker right at the Ravens intact front 7 where he averages pretty much 1.5yds a carry. Our offense totally sputters. We barely move the football and put up no points in the second half. The Ravens hang around and are within striking distance of taking the lead with 4 minutes left in the game before Troy picks one off and takes it to the house.

One could sit there and say if the line blocked better or Willie Parker ran harder or made a cut here or there we could of run on the Ravens. One could blame player execution in that second half if they wanted to. They would be an idiot to blame the players though as the coaches set them up to fail in that second half. BAD GAMEPLAN. BAD HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS.

So like I mentioned before. Cowher coached teams did great in the regular season with the great D, run the ball strategy. In the playoffs that gameplan hardly ever works. The Jets showed it this year. The Ravens showed it this year. The final 4 teams this year were all passing teams. Three of the final 4 teams last year were passing teams other than the Ravens really, and they lost cost we stuffed the run on them. They beat the 13-3 Titans because they stuffed the Titans running game. Cowhers only Superbowl win was when he took a different approach, partially forced by the Bungles getting up on us early and forcing us to throw. They continued that approach and we won out.

[fezziwig]

First off, I'm sure the miss hotty would be with Bellicheat even if he was a dirt poor janitor. :lol:

Secondly. she's wearing bolt ons.

[steelblood]

Cowher knew how to build good teams. That is his value. Cowher was never a great big game coach. Belicheck made Cowher his B#$@! And now, Cowher is slurping him. Awesome.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Look- how can you defend your position on being out coached in those AFCC games when there were players- PLAYERS that made simple mistakes that cost them those games?

Out coached- give me a break. No way. disagree. 100%.

1st AFCC- blocked FG attempt run back for a TD. Coaching?

2nd AFCC- Ben throws right into the hands of Harrison- run back for a TD. Puts us in a hole early- etc.

I was at both those games- I don't remember a coach losing the game.

On another note: I do remember a Tomlin going for a 2 point conversion in the Jax playoff game, which had an influence on the outcome of that game- is that what you mean by coaching mistakes?

I'm done with your line of reasoning. WTF.
:tt1

I agree, there were so many things to consider in each of those losses. Most of those losses fall on poor execution(turnovers) by the players.

It seems to me that the same fans that like to hang everything on BA are the same fans that hang everything on Cowher. They seem to forget the fact that the coaches never stop one foot on the field.

Well, Cowher almost stepped out on the field in that game against Jacksonville early in his career in Pittsburgh, when the Jaguars' DB was running down the Steeler sideline on an interception return for a TD. It looked like Cowher was planning to cold-cock the guy as he ran past him.