The Standard is the Standard

...but someone should also realize that the Personnel is the Personnel. This loss is way more than just overcoming the turnover battle. This team was no where near ready for the start of the season. Five players are now out due to injury, 3 of which are out for the season. What now?

I have been a Tomlin supporter, but I am starting to wonder about his decision process throughout the last few offseasons. He says he treats his players like professionals. But if they are not performing like professionals, then what Mike?

FRUSTRATING!!! :HeadBanger

I love how in the press conference he mentioned they needed to "work on some things" Excuse me, isn't that what the preseason is for? He may have the Rooney's fooled and 3/4 of Steeler nation but I haven't liked this hire since day one.

Does anyone expect the HC to specify what exactly they are going to work on in a post-game PC? Tomlin was obviously as ticked about the game as anyone. He's a very talented guy, but there is only so much you can do based on what you are dealt.

Tomlinisms only work when you are winning....

I will say, discussion of "the standard" is wearing thin. Last year was full of sloppy and subpar play, and week 1 was more of the same. There is a talent issue, particularly on offense, but there also seems to be a coaching/preparation issue.

The Standard is mediocrity. We need to face the reality that this is not a very talented team. Lots of guys who would be back ups on other teams are starters and the once great guys are starting to show their age.

Kills me that they had all summer to prepare for this first game, and this is what they come out and do....AT HOME even! No sir. The Tomlinisms and BS needs to stop. Time for a "Come to Jesus" meeting and make players accountable. Coaches too.

[QUOTE=Steeler Mafia;571530]Kills me that they had all summer to prepare for this first game, and this is what they come out and do....AT HOME even! No sir. The Tomlinisms and BS needs to stop. Time for a "Come to Jesus" meeting and make players accountable. Coaches too.[/QUOTE]

The problem is that I thought that they already did that. Fans wanted to see players held accountable and Dwyer got canned after fumbling in the pre-season. They wanted to see investments on the OL and we spent 2 #1's and 2 #2's in the last few years. People complained that Arians O was going to get Ben killed, so they let him go and brought in a guy known for playing to players strengths as opposed to a rigid philosophy. People complained that there cancers in the locker room and called out Mendenhall and Wallace. Both are gone. They said we needed to get younger on D and the team did. I could go on, but the point is simply that the team isn't merely twiddling their thumbs while they implode. They are doing what I want from them as a fan- they are continuing to fight and try and find a way to get better. Losing three starters on opening day sucks, but you still have to play the rest of the season and make the most of it.

Let's see if the Steelers will do what this fan wants them to do:

1. I want better choices made during the draft. Players that actually contribute and play well....now that many of Cowher's picks are gone or getting old.
2. I want better (and more) decisions made concerning free agency. Who to let go and who to pay money for and who to actually go out and hire from the FA market. Yes....I said it. If you don't have enough quality players because your drafts have sucked...then you need to look at FA until you can figure out how to draft.

[QUOTE=Steeler Shades;571648]Let's see if the Steelers will do what this fan wants them to do:

1. I want better choices made during the draft. Players that actually contribute and play well....now that many of Cowher's picks are gone or getting old.
2. I want better (and more) decisions made concerning free agency. Who to let go and who to pay money for and who to actually go out and hire from the FA market. Yes....I said it. If you don't have enough quality players because your drafts have sucked...then you need to look at FA until you can figure out how to draft.[/QUOTE]

I want to actually see improvement instead of the opposite. I want the Steelers to stop signing or extending contracts to old or underperforming players. I want them to stop adding inferior players at the expense of better players.

[QUOTE=Sugar;571613]The problem is that I thought that they already did that. Fans wanted to see players held accountable and Dwyer got canned after fumbling in the pre-season. They wanted to see investments on the OL and we spent 2 #1's and 2 #2's in the last few years. People complained that Arians O was going to get Ben killed, so they let him go and brought in a guy known for playing to players strengths as opposed to a rigid philosophy. People complained that there cancers in the locker room and called out Mendenhall and Wallace. Both are gone. They said we needed to get younger on D and the team did. I could go on, but the point is simply that the team isn't merely twiddling their thumbs while they implode. They are doing what I want from them as a fan- they are continuing to fight and try and find a way to get better. Losing three starters on opening day sucks, but you still have to play the rest of the season and make the most of it.[/QUOTE]

This is so on the money.
I think the issue is that we have made mistakes in getting the "right" talent via the draft.
This team has always built with the draft. But it only works when you draft well.

We have always avoided a lot of big splash free agent moves but when you miss in the draft you have to adjust.

It is hard to judge the coaching philosophy when the talent is weak.

Nevertheless, to the extent that Tomlin has responsibility for selecting the talent he does bear accountability.

tomlin has definitely put his stamp on this team...............soft, undisciplined and underachieving

[QUOTE=Captain Lemming;571673]This is so on the money.
I think the issue is that we have made mistakes in getting the "right" talent via the draft.
This team has always built with the draft. But it only works when you draft well.

We have always avoided a lot of big splash free agent moves but when you miss in the draft you have to adjust.

It is hard to judge the coaching philosophy when the talent is weak.

Nevertheless, to the extent that Tomlin has responsibility for selecting the talent he does bear accountability.[/QUOTE]

With respect to the OL drafts though, it seemed to me like the entire Steeler Nation went into a collective state of bliss as soon as Pouncey and DeCastro's names were called. Most here were skittish about Adams as a first rounder, but thought of him as a steal where we got him in the second.

[QUOTE=squidkid;571700]tomlin has definitely put his stamp on this team...............soft, undisciplined and underachieving[/QUOTE]
While I agree with this post I wonder how much of the poor drafting is Tomlin's fault and how much is actually Kevin Colberts'? I seem to recall that Cowher had a lot more responsibility for his draft picks than Colbert. Since he left I wonder if Colbert isn't the primary genius in these "bad" drafts. The problem may be a combination of Tomlin's feel good 15 second sound byte method of coaching and Colbert's poor drafting ability. Throw in the Rooney's unwillingness to make changes and these guys probably think they are doing well and have unlimited job security.

[QUOTE=steelz09;571652]I want to actually see improvement instead of the opposite. I want the Steelers to stop signing or extending contracts to old or underperforming players. I want them to stop adding inferior players at the expense of better players.[/QUOTE]

Well look at us now that a majority of the 'old and underperforming ' players have left recently.

I've been a Tomlin supporter but I sort of take issue with "The standard is the standard" standard

The thing I don't like about "The standard is the standard" is that it implies a certain inflexibility in terms of making decisions. It also seems to absolve the coaching staff of any wrongdiong.

For example, when you send the kicker out to attempt a field goal, the standard is of course that he makes it. But when you are kicking from 50+ yards out there is a signficant chance he's going to miss. This isn'y unique to us. Every kicker's accuracy goes down that far out. By my count, Tomlin cost us two games last year by sending a guy out to take a long FG when he probably should have punted.

[QUOTE=Sugar;571613]The problem is that I thought that they already did that. Fans wanted to see players held accountable and Dwyer got canned after fumbling in the pre-season. They wanted to see investments on the OL and we spent 2 #1's and 2 #2's in the last few years. People complained that Arians O was going to get Ben killed, so they let him go and brought in a guy known for playing to players strengths as opposed to a rigid philosophy. People complained that there cancers in the locker room and called out Mendenhall and Wallace. Both are gone. They said we needed to get younger on D and the team did. I could go on, but the point is simply that the team isn't merely twiddling their thumbs while they implode. They are doing what I want from them as a fan- they are continuing to fight and try and find a way to get better. Losing three starters on opening day sucks, but you still have to play the rest of the season and make the most of it.[/QUOTE]

I have to agree with this post as on the money. We have seen more roster moves than usual in this and recent off-seasons. A couple seasons ago, the mantra was 'lets keep our players and win now before the window closes.' Well the window may be closed this season and we may be paying the piper for staying ultra-competitive in years past. We seem to have a short memory as fans. Ive been a fan for more than 40 years, through good, bad, and horrendous and Im certainly not going to turn against my team now that the chips are down.

[QUOTE=Sugar;571613][SIZE=3][B]The problem is that I thought that they already did that. Fans wanted to see players held accountable and Dwyer got canned after fumbling in the pre-season. They wanted to see investments on the OL and we spent 2 #1's and 2 #2's in the last few years. People complained that Arians O was going to get Ben killed, so they let him go and brought in a guy known for playing to players strengths as opposed to a rigid philosophy. People complained that there cancers in the locker room and called out Mendenhall and Wallace. Both are gone. They said we needed to get younger on D and the team did. I could go on, but the point is simply that the team isn't merely twiddling their thumbs while they implode. They are doing what I want from them as a fan- they are continuing to fight and try and find a way to get better. Losing three starters on opening day sucks, but you still have to play the rest of the season and make the most of it[/B][/SIZE].[/QUOTE]

Dang good post, one of the best I've read in the last 27 hrs. Can't evaluate the skill of a chef when all his ingredients come out of a Costco can. Actually, with all the retreads we've had on the team the last few years, it's more like the ingredients came out of the garbage dumpster behind the restaurant next door, ouch.

We got a new center (I'm trying not to think about the fact he's a cast-off from the Titans, of all teams, can irony cause physical pain doc?), a new/old RB (Dwyer, Dwyer, don't retire, let's rehire!). I don't know enough about LB depth, but I'm guessing we'll survive Pottsie's loss OK. Heath coming back soon, hopefully Labia "UCan Ring My" Bell too, and presto, we have a fighting chance to make the playoffs still, IMO.

So now I'm really worried about W. Gay being our starting CB. Seems like misery has dogged our every step whenever his number has been called to do more than being the extra defender on the field.

And Sweezy out a few weeks ... he'd just turned into a pretty good kicker over the last season, it's like he grew frog legs two summers ago. Now what? If it's his kicking leg, he might never heal fully till the next off-season. Maybe there's a silver lining, if we play knowing we don't have a field goal kicker, maybe we'll look better in the red zone. I think Winston Churchill once said, "Nothing concentrates the mind more than knowing one is being shot at", or maybe that was Tupac Shakur, I can't remember.