Great story on Deebo's decision to come back

[feltdizz]

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=12109597

Butler was hesitant for Deebo to come back because he was concerned about him taking snaps from the youngsters...

Tomlin wasnt that interested when Keisel and Ike suggested it.

Hilarious exchange with Ike Taylor:

Later that day, after Taylor had surgery to repair his broken arm, he got a call from Harrison. Even though Taylor was groggy and medicated, he answered.

"When Deebo calls, you've got to pick up," Taylor said.

Harrison told Taylor: "If you say yeah, you want me to come back, I'll come back. All right?"

"Nah, we don't need you," Taylor replied, goading his good friend. "We won the game anyway."

"F--- you," Harrison said and hung up

[papillon]

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=12109597

Butler was hesitant for Deebo to come back because he was concerned about him taking snaps from the youngsters...

Tomlin wasnt that interested when Keisel and Ike suggested it.

Hilarious exchange with Ike Taylor:

Later that day, after Taylor had surgery to repair his broken arm, he got a call from Harrison. Even though Taylor was groggy and medicated, he answered.

"When Deebo calls, you've got to pick up," Taylor said.

Harrison told Taylor: "If you say yeah, you want me to come back, I'll come back. All right?"

"Nah, we don't need you," Taylor replied, goading his good friend. "We won the game anyway."

"F--- you," Harrison said and hung up

Now that is some funny stuff right there. Hating on Harrison is sacrilegious.

Pappy

[hawaiiansteel]

great article felt, thanks for sharing! :Cheers

[hawaiiansteel]

Rossi: Harrison was right player at right time for Steelers

http://triblive.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=sUg$Z $JGYyFWhTQqK$rl88$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYvbb1ynkmSi3YY FKiSlwyKkWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4 uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_C ryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg

By Rob Rossi
Friday, Jan. 2, 2015

The Steeler whom Pittsburgh depended upon to toughen up its football team has almost always been the man who can make teammates as uncomfortable as opposing quarterbacks.

Joe Greene was “mean.”

Greg Lloyd was “just plain nasty.”

James Harrison walks into the locker room after a practice and threatens to hit fellow linebackers with German Suplexes.

“Man, whoa, he's definitely an intimidating figure,” Arthur Moats said.

“The first time I saw him was when he retired. I was, like, ‘The man looks kind of mean.' I didn't want to say nothing to him because you've got those old stories about him. He just seems like an angry guy. I was going to say something, but I was, like, ‘Nah.'

“He's actually a great teammate. He'll just come up after practice, grab somebody in a wrestling move and go, ‘Ooooh!', like he's going to throw you around.

“He's just joking. I think.”

Seems like quite a gamble. Then again, that's exactly what the Steelers appeared to be doing in late September by bringing back Harrison, coming off a forgettable season with the Bengals, to play only weeks after sending him off with a retirement news conference.

He was supposed to fill in for a few snaps then slide into the shadows after linebacker Jarvis Jones healed, be a leader more than anything.

Instead, with 5½ sacks and 45 combined tackles, Harrison has been a catalyst for a Steelers defense that spent much of the NFL season searching for anything — then finding something in December. Now, with his career possibly on the line, Harrison gets one last chance to make life miserable for the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.

“Absolutely, it's perfect,” Jones said of Harrison getting another chance to deliver shots to Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

“You think of defense, and you think of these two teams. But when I think of Steelers defense, it's ‘Deebo' making big plays in big games. The first year I started following him was when he had that touchdown return in the Super Bowl. I watched every Steelers game I could that year, and he was always doing something when it mattered.

“So, yeah, it's perfect. He's made for games like this.”

He's also 36, with a body he keeps saying hurts, and with kids who he insists want him home. In spots, Harrison has shown flashes of the four-time first- or second-team All-Pro and one-time Defensive Player of the Year. He also has sat out a couple of games down the stretch because of injury.

It would make for a nice story had Harrison been the Steelers' best defensive player.

But he isn't Lawrence Timmons.

It would make for a compelling narrative had Harrison become the Steelers' most improved defensive player.

But he isn't Cameron Heyward.

“I just think he's taught some of the younger guys, and reminded some of us who have been here, what it is to play for the Steelers,” Heyward said.

That's what just about everybody with the Steelers has said, from the head coach to the franchise quarterback to the team chairman to the video coordinators. Harrison has received so much praise for “being a Steeler” that it sounds like a cover or some way to avoid giving away a super secret recipe for success.

Since Saturday's game could be it for Harrison, it would be great if somebody provided details with exactly what he's done to help the Steelers — besides the most obvious, which is restoring ferociousness to a defense that had started to look soft.

“You have to see the way James works every day,” Heyward said. “Studying film, in the weight room, how he takes care of his body away from the facility and the intensity he brings in games. All of it, the entire package, his preparation and production — that's what you need to do to be great in this league. Here, it's about being great. And he's made it uncomfortable for anybody who hasn't matched him, and that's something we needed.

“So I don't think you can say enough about what he's meant. You can't. He's been critical. He's been something we needed. I just think James has been a Steeler.”

He wasn't when a remarkable ride to a division title started. He probably won't be after the ride ends.

On this first Saturday night of the new year, our City of Champions welcomes back what it most loves: the NFL playoffs. There will be Terrible Towels waiving, Steelers fight songs echoing, and talk of a seventh Super Bowl championship parading around North Side parking lots.

This season's tiebreaker to a “mean” rivalry will be played on a night that is “just plain nasty,” and a German Suplex probably can't be ruled out.

It's the playoffs. They're the Ravens. And Pittsburgh has at least one more moment with the one Steeler its football team needed.

Get a long look at the great James Harrison, everybody.

We already know the Steelers will miss him when he's gone.

http://triblive.com/sports/robrossi/7465486-74/harrison-steelers-think#ixzz3NmcVayss

[7 UP]

LMFAO. I can picture that conversation between Ike and James.

[Ernie]

Now that is some funny stuff right there. Hating on Harrison is sacrilegious.

Pappy

Yep...lots of folks on here were doing just that prior to his return...and early on after he signed. I'm glad I wasn't one of those guys... Or I'd be eating my hat right now too...lol

JH is a beast!

[Discipline of Steel]

Just so glad he finally settled with the Steelers. His career has been a pure pleasure for me.
The Legend Lives On!!!

[hawaiiansteel]

Alex Kozora @Alex_Kozora -

James Harrison doing pull ups with two weights attached to him. Ya know, the normal stuff. #Steelers

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B70DxnbIEAA4BXC.jpg:large

[hawaiiansteel]

The Steelers will not re-sign James Harrison for 2015 "unless there is another emergency." - Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.walterfootball.com/nflrumors.php

[Discipline of Steel]

To bad they cant bring him into camp with the understanding that he has to compete for a job. I think he would still outperform most if not all of the OLB currently on the Steelers radar for the upcoming season. Or perhaps hes not interested now that Saint LeBeau has moved out. Sad....

[Slapstick]

I think having to come to camp would've been a deal-breaker at this point in his career...

[Shawn]

I won't lie...this quote made me a little emotional.

"To be honest with you, I wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for Keisel, Ike and [safety] Troy [Polamalu]," Harrison said. "That's like my extended family. Those are my brothers. So I felt an obligation to come back. When they wanted me to come back, I didn't want to let them down. I didn't want to let the team down.

"So if your brother asks you to do something, and you have the ability to do it, then you're going to try to do it. That's what it really came down to."

[Slapstick]

Truthfully, many conversations I have with my brother end like this:


"F--- you," [Slapstick] said and hung up

I know exactly how he feels...

[birtikidis]

Anyone see the video of James doing a one handed shoulder press with a 135 lb barbell (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2364049-steelers-james-harrison-performs-1-handed-shoulder-press-with-135-pound-barbell?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national?is_shared=true?is_shared=true). i can tell you this is very very difficult

[papillon]

Anyone see the video of James doing a one handed shoulder press with a 135 lb barbell (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2364049-steelers-james-harrison-performs-1-handed-shoulder-press-with-135-pound-barbell?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national?is_shared=true?is_shared=true). i can tell you this is very very difficult

Eh, what's the big deal he only did a couple of them. :Bow:Beer

Pappy

[Shoe]

I think having to come to camp would've been a deal-breaker at this point in his career...

Agreed. And while he completely surprised me with his production this year (he had a GREAT year, for the amount he played)... I have no delusions about him going forward. He will be 37 years old after all. But here's something I was thinking about, considering how well he played this past season and the Hall of Fame. At this point, James would seem to be a long-shot to make it in. Probably won't. But if he gives one more year of this type of season (he's not going to be the Deebo of old)... and the Steelers make it deep into the playoffs... I say he becomes a legitimate (to the writers) candidate.

And if he can muster up a 10-sack season despite all I said, I say he's in regardless.

[feltdizz]

James can come back next year without playing much in the preseason.

He could probably play another 2 or 3 years. He doesn't have a bunch of mileage on his body for a 37 year old.

[hawaiiansteel]

Please Enjoy Vol. 1 Of James Harrison's Workouts For Insane People

by Samer Kalaf

http://deadspin.com/please-enjoy-vol-1-of-james-harrisons-workouts-for-ins-1685722651#

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6uP69-Pw--/y83kuuyb41y2xkgnnj7k.png

[hawaiiansteel]

Alex Kozora @Alex_Kozora -

James Harrison has decided to not retire. Set to be a free agent. #Steelers

https://twitter.com/Alex_Kozora

[Shoe]

Like everyone else here, I hope he stays with us one more year, to bridge the gap for the next generation. HOWEVER, I also hope they (James included) understands his limitations as this point in his career. Expecting him to be ready all 16 games will be suicidal in terms of his effectiveness down the stretch. He needs to be managed, kinda like how he was (inadvertently) this season.

[squidkid]

I won't lie...this quote made me a little emotional.

"To be honest with you, I wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for Keisel, Ike and [safety] Troy [Polamalu]," Harrison said. "That's like my extended family. Those are my brothers. So I felt an obligation to come back. When they wanted me to come back, I didn't want to let them down. I didn't want to let the team down.

"So if your brother asks you to do something, and you have the ability to do it, then you're going to try to do it. That's what it really came down to."


that and the fact cincy cut him