Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 25

Thread: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

  1. #1
    Starter

    User Info Menu

    BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    BTSC: We recently had a discussion about the similarities between Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw. You played with Terry and you've certainly seen enough of Ben. What jumps out at you when comparing these two great quarterbacks?

    WOLFLEY: Confidence, supreme confidence. Very few have the level of confidence that Ben has and Terry had. It's eerie, almost scary. Guys like that not only handle pressure, they yearn for it. They're emotionally built for it. I was on the sideline when Ben took the field for that final drive. There was a light in his eyes, a grin on his face, like a kid at Christmas. The rest of us are churning inside and this guy is actually gleeful. There's something very special about that. Terry was the same way. When he came into the huddle he exuded confidence and it's contagious. When your quarterback radiates self-assurance in a huddle, you multiply it by eleven. Every guy in the huddle buys into it. Confidence often separates the great ones from the very good ones.

    BTSC: Fans, myself admittedly one of them, are concerned the most about the offensive line; the sacks, the goal-line stuffs, the Willie Parker one-yard gains. As a former offensive lineman, how do you feel about the current state of our offensive line?

    WOLFLEY: First of all, I shared a moment with (Offensive Line Coach) Larry Zeirlien after the Super Bowl. I knew he got beat up pretty good last year. I reminded him of Toby Keith's song "How Do You Like Me Now?" To the point, when there are breakdowns, and we had them last year, sometimes you can't see individual improvements due to the breakdowns. I am really looking forward to this line taking a major step this year. Offensive linemen aren't like other positions that each year are capable of incremental improvement by themselves. They're a unit. Guys need to play with each other and understand what each other can do. There were too many breakdowns last year, many caused by the fact that four of the five line positions being new guys.

    BTSC: What, if anything, impressed you the most last year on the offensive line?

    WOLFLEY: I thought Justin Hartwig was exceptional. He was just a notch below Jeff Hartings and mind you, this was his first year with a new team and new teammates. I thought Max (Starks) got better as the year wore on. He really grew into that left tackle position. Chris Kemoeatu has terrific upside, he really does, but he's so darned inconsistent it's frustrating. If the coaches can find a way to get more hot and less cold we could really be happy with this guy. Willie Colon is making strides and Stapleton got thrown into the guard position when Kendall Simmons went down. Considering Stapleton is really a center, he did better than I thought he would do.

    Unit-wise, you've got to be impressed by the way the line played under the most duress; against Jacksonville, against San Diego, against Baltimore twice, against Dallas and finally the Super Bowl. Some very good defenses knew that we had to throw, yet they couldn't get to Ben. On one hand it's frustrating that it takes urgency to bring out the best in them. On the other hand, the coaches feel they have the capacity.

    BTSC: We've heard many say that Colon is really a guard playing tackle. What is your take on that?

    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.

    BTSC: You were part of many great games in the Browns-Steelers rivalry. I make no attempt to hide my disdain for the Cleveland Browns. What one thing do you remember most about that rivalry?

    WOLFLEY: Tunch Ilkin used to get anxiety attacks where he would throw up alot. You never knew when they would happen. Even in training camp, he would throw up at any time. Anyhow, we're playing the Browns in a preseason game in the early 80s. Tunch is standing next to me in the huddle and I notice vomit on my foot. Tunch is gurgling. We broke for the line and I could hear his stomach. I'm thinking, this could be great. On that particular play, I was assigned to help Tunch double-team their defensive tackle, Ron Simmons. Right at the snap, as if it were choreographed, we both lunge at Simmons and Tunch lets it loose. I'm not talking about a dribbler, I'm talking about a gusher. He heaves right in Simmons' face and the guy goes crazy. We didn't need to block him. He was PO'd beyond belief, Tunch is sick and I'm laughing hysterically. The next play he still has chunks on his face and he lines up four yards behind the ball. Tunch didn't have to block him the rest of the game. I'm still laughing.
    http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/...lCzar76Sig.jpg

    "We’ll have a mix-and-match concept that hopefully will see us through.” ~Tomlin

  2. #2
    Legend

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    I was on the sideline when Ben took the field for that final drive. There was a light in his eyes, a grin on his face, like a kid at Christmas. The rest of us are churning inside and this guy is actually gleeful.
    That's just awesome. Almost as good as the story about Tunch throwing up all over the Browns' d-lineman.
    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  3. #3
    Rookie

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.
    What does this mean?
    "They are always talking about Gilbert Brown and nobody could move him. I put him on his back twice"

  4. #4
    Legend

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by dirt
    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.
    What does this mean?
    Just like I am not a model. I just look like I should be one.
    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  5. #5
    Legend

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by RuthlessBurgher
    Quote Originally Posted by dirt
    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.
    What does this mean?
    Just like I am not a model. I just look like I should be one.
    Well someone has to do the "before" shots











    Molon labe

    People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. George Orwell

    ?We're not going to apologize for winning.?
    Mike Tomlin

    American metal pimped by asiansteel
    Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you 1. Jesus Christ, 2.The American G.I., One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

  6. #6
    Hall of Famer

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    BTSC: WOLFLEY: I thought Justin Hartwig was exceptional. He was just a notch below Jeff Hartings and mind you, this was his first year with a new team and new teammates.
    Wait a minute. Didn't Hartwig give up the most sacks on the line last year (too lazy to look up)? The middle of our line was soft, plain and simple. The running game, short-yardage, and pass protection. Wolfley knows a hell of a lot more than I do, but I'm not feeling this assessment of Justin Hartwig.


  7. #7
    Legend

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by dirt
    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.
    What does this mean?
    It means Colon is a tackle and people should quit saying the Steelers should move him to guard just because he has a guard's body type.

  8. #8
    Legend

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by Flasteel
    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    BTSC: WOLFLEY: I thought Justin Hartwig was exceptional. He was just a notch below Jeff Hartings and mind you, this was his first year with a new team and new teammates.
    Wait a minute. Didn't Hartwig give up the most sacks on the line last year (too lazy to look up)? The middle of our line was soft, plain and simple. The running game, short-yardage, and pass protection. Wolfley knows a hell of a lot more than I do, but I'm not feeling this assessment of Justin Hartwig.
    Why believe anything that a former NFL offensive lineman who has access to insider information about the team when fans can make their own transparent assessments.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  9. #9
    Rookie

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by stlrz d
    Quote Originally Posted by dirt
    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.
    What does this mean?
    It means Colon is a tackle and people should quit saying the Steelers should move him to guard just because he has a guard's body type.
    Right, but what are the "tools" that Colon lacks to play guard. He doesn't pull well? He doesn't recognize stunts? He has a 10 inch but not a 14 or 18 inch pipe wrench?
    "They are always talking about Gilbert Brown and nobody could move him. I put him on his back twice"

  10. #10
    Legend

    User Info Menu

    Re: BTSC Chat with Craig Wolfley

    Quote Originally Posted by dirt
    Quote Originally Posted by stlrz d
    Quote Originally Posted by dirt
    Quote Originally Posted by SteelCzar76
    WOLFLEY: Colon is not a guard, he just looks like he should be one. He doesn't have the tools to play guard in this league.
    What does this mean?
    It means Colon is a tackle and people should quit saying the Steelers should move him to guard just because he has a guard's body type.
    Right, but what are the "tools" that Colon lacks to play guard. He doesn't pull well? He doesn't recognize stunts? He has a 10 inch but not a 14 or 18 inch pipe wrench?
    Well I'm not privvy to that info and Wolfley didn't go into details so I suppose your guess would be as good as mine...if not better. Guards and tackles have different skill sets (which I'm sure you know) and apparently Colon has a guard's body, but not a guard's skill set.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •