Mike Tomlin voted "Coach Players Want To Play For Most"

[flippy]

We have. Jerricho Cotchery, for one...

It's a cap issue, not a leverage issue...

We've gotten a couple in Allen, Moore, etc. All those guys probably could have gotten better roles/money elsewhere.

I was thinking along the lines, if we could use it to get guys to come play for less money.

[papillon]

You mean that's better than losing more games than you have won and getting lucky and getting to one Super Bowl and losing like the guy in AZ. But we all know that he got to that one Super Bowl because of Dennis Green's guys

No, all I'm saying is that if you want to play for a winner, Mike Tomlin's record is pretty good in that regard. Of course, so is Belicheck's, Sean Payton, Mike McCarthy, and the Harbaughs. So, what I'm saying is that if you want to play for a winner, Tomlin would be in the running.

Pappy

[Slapstick]

We've gotten a couple in Allen, Moore, etc. All those guys probably could have gotten better roles/money elsewhere.

I was thinking along the lines, if we could use it to get guys to come play for less money.

If you are referring to a top flight free agent, that will never happen...the NFLPA and sports agents won't allow it...

[BradshawsHairdresser]

60-28, 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 win, 3 AFC North titles, 2 AFC championships huh?

Pappy

You don't understand what I was trying to say. I'm not trying to put down Tomlin--I like him, and I'm glad the Steelers have him. But I really don't care that he's the coach players most want to play for. What's important to me is that he gets production out of his players, and wins.

I seem to recall that, a couple years back, when he was head coach of the Cowboys, Wade Phillips was voted as the coach the players most wanted to play for. But as a head coach, I don't think he was able to get the most out of his players, nor did he do much winning when it mattered. Do you see what I'm saying?

[papillon]

You don't understand what I was trying to say. I'm not trying to put down Tomlin--I like him, and I'm glad the Steelers have him. But I really don't care that he's the coach players most want to play for. What's important to me is that he gets production out of his players, and wins.

I seem to recall that, a couple years back, when he was head coach of the Cowboys, Wade Phillips was voted as the coach the players most wanted to play for. But as a head coach, I don't think he was able to get the most out of his players, nor did he do much winning when it mattered. Do you see what I'm saying?

Gotcha, a misinterpretation on my part, now it makes sense.

Pappy

[BigRob]

Exactly--the philosophy has always been to spend the money on your own not someone elses. Farrior and Cothery are both great examples of how we did dip into free agency foir the right player...maybe we should just focus on Jets players?

Our cap situation sucks right now because we are paying really big money to some defensive players who aren't earning their checks yet this season, i.e. Harrison and Polamalu. Because of restructuring contracts to retain players we will start the off season at something like $30M over the cap. Don't look for us to be active in free agency except for cutting players and making them free agents.

With us winning without Polamalu, i could see us being down the following players next year: Keisel, Polamalu, Harrison, Hampton. We might cut Polamalu and Harrison and hope to sign them to cheap contracts. I think their might be a good chance Polamalu calls it quits after this year. Next year would be his 10th year in the league right?

Problem is, that still probably wouldn't get us under the cap all of the way.

[ikestops85]

Exactly--the philosophy has always been to spend the money on your own not someone elses. Farrior and Cothery are both great examples of how we did dip into free agency foir the right player...maybe we should just focus on Jets players?

Our cap situation sucks right now because we are paying really big money to some defensive players who aren't earning their checks yet this season, i.e. Harrison and Polamalu. Because of restructuring contracts to retain players we will start the off season at something like $30M over the cap. Don't look for us to be active in free agency except for cutting players and making them free agents.

and let's not forget Ryan Clark. Farrior and Clark I think have been the best pickups in team history and certainly the biggest bang for our buck in the FA market.

[hawaiiansteel]

Farrior and Clark I think have been the best pickups in team history and certainly the biggest bang for our buck in the FA market.

I would add Jeff Hartings to that list.

[Sugar]

and let's not forget Ryan Clark. Farrior and Clark I think have been the best pickups in team history and certainly the biggest bang for our buck in the FA market.

Would you consider Jerome Bettis a "pickup?"

[hawaiiansteel]

Would you consider Jerome Bettis a "pickup?"

no, we traded for Jerome which means we had to give up something in return for him and didn't pick him up for "free" in free agency.