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Actually, my post was NOT about you...but, if the shoe fits, feel free to lace that &!+€# up and wear it. -
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In view of the fact that Mike Tomlin has matched Cowhers record I give him the designation:
TCFCLTC-
The Coach Formerly Considered Less Than CowherComment
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Ed: Wallace Can't Expect New Contract
TUESDAY, 21 AUGUST 2012 08:26 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE
Good morning,
It is Aug. 21 and the Steelers resume practice today, back at their home in Pittsburgh. While teammates continue to predict that Mike Wallace will return “soon,’’ there still is no word that he will join them on the South Side today.
Unless he plans to hold out through the first 11 weeks of the season, it would appear Wallace’s goal was to stay away from all the preseason stuff. He virtually has accomplished that mission. He does not have to worry about getting hurt before the regular season begins.
Yet he also had to determine that when he does report, he will be playing for a salary of $2.7 million this season, that there will not be a multiple-year contract for him. Negotiations on a longer deal with Wallace ended the day he did not report to camp, July 25. The Steelers insist they will not resume until he signs his one-year tender and reports. They also have a long-standing policy that they will not negotiate a new contract once the regular season begins.
So, if Wallace reported today, they would have 19 days to try to come to terms on a long-term deal. They weren’t able to do that for the four months they tried leading up to training camp, why would anyone think they would come to terms in 19 days? That is particularly true since they turned around early in camp and signed Antnonio Brown to a long-term deal.
I have been told that Mike Tomlin was solidly in Wallace’s corner leading up to July 25. Once the holdout dragged on, however, he lost the coach, at least for him pushing the Steelers to try to get something done.
Tomlin will accept Wallace’s return and treat him as he would other players. But he’s not sitting behind the scenes urging him to get into camp or urging the Steelers to get a long-term deal done with him. He stated his case rather bluntly to Bob Labriola on the team’s website the other day:
“He’s going to dictate how we move forward. His overall readiness, his level of conditioning, his knowledge of what we’re doing, how quickly he can come up to speed when he gets here . . . that’s why I say I’m not going to anticipate anything.’’
My prediction from the spring stands: Wallace will report, play for his $2.7 million and become an unrestricted free agent in 2013.
[URL]http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/117713-ed-wallace-cant-expect-new-contract[/URL]Comment
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thats how i see itComment
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Steelers: Mike Wallace’s Quiet Holdout was Completely Overblown
Many fans have had their opinion on Mike Wallace changed over this off-season. Wallace has held out for the entire 2012 Steelers training camp in an effort to get a new long-term contract. Wallace’s contract has held plenty of headlines during the off-season. Howver, Wallace did almost exactly what we want an athlete do if things come to a holdout situation. There are the athletes that talk about what is going on and complain about not getting a new deal; Wallace didn’t talk at all. There are the players that demand to be traded and do so in the media; Wallace didn’t do this either. In fact, Wallace didn’t do much of anything during his holdout other than stay quiet and workout.
Now I know what you are thinking: Wallace did talk, he wanted Larry Fitzgerald money, right? Wrong. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reported that Wallace was looking for “Larry Fitzgerald money.” Barrows runs a 49ers blog for the Sacromento Bee, so what does he know about Wallace? Probably nothing. What was his source for this information? An un-named NFL source. Un-named, to protect their identity, but likely more so because they don’t exist. If Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, said Wallace wanted “Fitz Money” it would be believeable, but that’s because Bouchette is a Steelers beat reporter. When an unknown reporter from Sacremento talks about Steelers players it should, in my opinion, go unnoticed.
Then we had the franchise tag talk. The only reason Wallace would holdout is if he felt the Steelers contract offer was unfair. That offer was reported to be in the area of 5 years $50 million (guaranteed money unknown, but speculated in the $15 million range). So why would the Steelers franchise Wallace by giving him a 1 year contract worth $12 million completely guranteed. Remember the Steelers cap issues could stretch into the 2013 offseason and there is no way they would have the money to give Wallace $12 million next season. The only reason for the Steelers to discuss franchising Wallace right now would be as leverage in negotiations. The likely-hood of it actually happening is about as close to zero percent as you can get.
Next there was the trade rumors. First, the Steelers were trading Mike Wallace for fellow holdout Dwayne Bowe. Then they were looking to swap Wallace for yet another holdout in runningback Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew was the leading runner in 2011, but is 27 and wants a deal close to Chris Johnson’s 4 year $53 million contract. Thats, likely, more money than Wallace would get and Jones-Drew is older and plays a position with a shorter shelf-life than wide receiver. Next, the Steelers were ready to trade Wallace for a fourth round pick, reported again by someone no one has ever heard of, but again that makes absolutely no sense. Wallace is one of the best young player in the NFL and if he leaves as a restricted free agent next year the Steelers will get a third round compensatory pick. So why would they trade him for a fourth? They wouldn’t. There were fans clammoring for a first round pick in exchange for Wallace, but while he was an unrestricted free agent any team in the league could have had him for a first round pick and no one gave him a contract offer. Many people forget the value of first round picks in the NFL.
It had just got to the most intense part of Wallace’s holdout, in terms of fans turning on the receiver, when it was reported that Wallace had signed a 5 year $42.5 million deal. However, that report was correct, but they had the wrong receiver’s name. Antonio Brown inked a deal with those exact terms just a few days after these rumors.
Yesterday reports came out that Wallace would be in to sign his tender this weekend. That report was from Ed Bouchette which means it should be compltely believed by all of Steeler Nation and is great news for an offense that needs more playmakers (especially with injuries plaguing the team already). However, another rumor spread like wild fire yesterday. First that Wallace was back in Pittsburgh, Ike Taylor says that is incorrect and has been in contact with Wallace all off-season so I’ll take his word for it. Then that Wallace had already signed, also false.
For having one of the queiter holdouts in NFL, maybe even Pro-Sports, history Wallace has sparked hundreds of rumors. Most of them have been completely untrue; the problem for Wallace, however, is that most of these rumors were seen and discussed in such detail that most fans seen them as 100% truth. Fans have turned their backs on Wallace and a lot of reasoning has been generated by untrue or made-up rumors.
When it comes down to it Wallace’s holdout was completely overblown by the national media who uses even the smallest story to drum up drama and make a headline. Wallace has done exactly what he wanted to do with this holdout. He avoided training camp and getting injured. He will now have a few days (depending when he arrives at the Steelers team facilities) to sign a long-term deal before his first practice. I’ve speculated this entire time that Wallace’s reason for holding out was to play 2012 under a long-term contract rather than playing under a one year deal where an injury could derail his career and lose him millions of dollars. Could it be that Wallace held out, a bit for money, but also to make sure he would ink a long-term deal in Pittsburgh? Yes it’s possible, but by most fan’s accounts Wallace is a selfish, bad teammate, who is all about the money. I guess I just don’t see it that way, but thats the great thing about sports we all have our opinions hence why sports banter shows like PTI and Around the Horn have done as well as they have.
[URL]http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/steelers_mike_wallaces_quiet_holdout_was_completel y_overblown/11521063[/URL]Comment
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and that my friends was one of the best written articles that I have read in a long time. Every bit of it made perfect sense. We, as fans, tend to over react to each and every rumor we hear.As many on this site think ... The Rooney's suck, Colbert sucks, Tomlin sucks, the coaches suck, and the players suck.
but Go Steelers!!!
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Agreed...good article.Trolls are people too.Comment
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with your agreement! I'm thinking all of the time that has been spent in speculation on this thing will be meaningless in about a week.
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Steelers' other WRs will embrace Wallace
August 23, 2012
By Ray Fittipaldo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Now that a date has been determined for when holdout receiver Mike Wallace will return to the Steelers, the team can contemplate other questions surrounding their big-play receiver.
Assuming Wallace has been staying in good shape, the most important question to be answered is how quickly he can pick up Todd Haley's offense.
The consensus among his teammates Wednesday was that it won't be much of a problem.
"It depends on how much he's been doing while he's been away," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said after practice Wednesday afternoon. "From what he's told me, he's been working out, not just on his conditioning and his strength, but working through the offense.
"It could be a little bit of a challenge, but, if he's been putting in the work that he's told me he's been doing, I think he'll be fine."
Wallace, who is expected to report to the team this weekend, has been absent since the season ended in January because he was not happy with his contract situation. He was given a copy of the new playbook in the spring, but he did not attend the team's voluntary offseason program or the mandatory minicamp in June.
"Mike is a very intelligent guy, so picking up the offense won't be hard for him at all," receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "The offense will be pretty easy for him to get down."
Even though the terminology is different, Wallace's role on the team won't change all that much. When he arrives, he'll step into his old role as the team's deep threat and put pressure on defensive coordinators to account for him every play.
"Mike is a big part of our team," running back Isaac Redman said. "He's a great player. He allows us to stretch defenses and have that deep threat. I'm looking forward to him coming back. He's also a good friend of mine. It'll be good to have him back in the locker room."
Entering his fourth season, Wallace made a name for himself the past few years with fellow young receivers Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. They refer to themselves as the "Young Money" crew.
Brown, entering his third season, signed a six-year contract for $42.5 million at the beginning of training camp. Wallace, unless he signs a long-term deal with the team before the regular season begins, will play this season for $2.7 million.
It remains to be seen if the dynamic within the receiving corps changes, but Sanders doesn't think it will because of the leadership Wallace exhibited in the past.
"It's a really good thing that he's coming back," Sanders said. "We're all looking forward to that. Mike takes the top off the defense so guys like me and Antonio and Jerricho can get open underneath. We're happy to hear he's coming back. We can't wait for his arrival.
"He's definitely helped me out a lot. I think we all helped each other. We created this Young Money group so we can stay as a receiving corps. Sometimes, as receivers, we can be selfish, so he created that, which brought us closer. He just taught us about the camaraderie of the wide-receiver position. And his speed and how he runs definitely helps me out."
Without Wallace, Sanders and the other receivers have benefited from more repetitions in camp. Sanders learned the outside X position, but he will return to the slot when Wallace returns. Sanders has greatly expanded knowledge of the offense because of Wallace's absence.
That could pay dividends if there is an injury or an unforeseen development. But, like the rest of his teammates, Sanders will welcome Wallace back with open arms.
"I got an opportunity to capitalize on him not being here," Sanders said. "It's been good for me, game chemistry with Ben, just catching footballs with the first-team offense, something that will hopefully pay off when the game begins.
"Mike will definitely be welcome. We're all waiting on him. He brings in his personality, that light demeanor, never too serious, that joking manner that sometimes we as athletes forget that this is a game we play. He has world-class speed, something you can't coach. He comes in, takes the tops off defense and gives us big-time plays."
[URL]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-other-wrs-will-embrace-wallace-650155/#ixzz24PL2WciW[/URL]Comment
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Steelers: Mike Wallace’s Quiet Holdout was Completely Overblown
Many fans have had their opinion on Mike Wallace changed over this off-season. Wallace has held out for the entire 2012 Steelers training camp in an effort to get a new long-term contract. Wallace’s contract has held plenty of headlines during the off-season. Howver, Wallace did almost exactly what we want an athlete do if things come to a holdout situation. There are the athletes that talk about what is going on and complain about not getting a new deal; Wallace didn’t talk at all. There are the players that demand to be traded and do so in the media; Wallace didn’t do this either. In fact, Wallace didn’t do much of anything during his holdout other than stay quiet and workout.
Now I know what you are thinking: Wallace did talk, he wanted Larry Fitzgerald money, right? Wrong. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reported that Wallace was looking for “Larry Fitzgerald money.” Barrows runs a 49ers blog for the Sacromento Bee, so what does he know about Wallace? Probably nothing. What was his source for this information? An un-named NFL source. Un-named, to protect their identity, but likely more so because they don’t exist. If Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, said Wallace wanted “Fitz Money” it would be believeable, but that’s because Bouchette is a Steelers beat reporter. When an unknown reporter from Sacremento talks about Steelers players it should, in my opinion, go unnoticed.
Then we had the franchise tag talk. The only reason Wallace would holdout is if he felt the Steelers contract offer was unfair. That offer was reported to be in the area of 5 years $50 million (guaranteed money unknown, but speculated in the $15 million range). So why would the Steelers franchise Wallace by giving him a 1 year contract worth $12 million completely guranteed. Remember the Steelers cap issues could stretch into the 2013 offseason and there is no way they would have the money to give Wallace $12 million next season. The only reason for the Steelers to discuss franchising Wallace right now would be as leverage in negotiations. The likely-hood of it actually happening is about as close to zero percent as you can get.
Next there was the trade rumors. First, the Steelers were trading Mike Wallace for fellow holdout Dwayne Bowe. Then they were looking to swap Wallace for yet another holdout in runningback Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew was the leading runner in 2011, but is 27 and wants a deal close to Chris Johnson’s 4 year $53 million contract. Thats, likely, more money than Wallace would get and Jones-Drew is older and plays a position with a shorter shelf-life than wide receiver. Next, the Steelers were ready to trade Wallace for a fourth round pick, reported again by someone no one has ever heard of, but again that makes absolutely no sense. Wallace is one of the best young player in the NFL and if he leaves as a restricted free agent next year the Steelers will get a third round compensatory pick. So why would they trade him for a fourth? They wouldn’t. There were fans clammoring for a first round pick in exchange for Wallace, but while he was an unrestricted free agent any team in the league could have had him for a first round pick and no one gave him a contract offer. Many people forget the value of first round picks in the NFL.
It had just got to the most intense part of Wallace’s holdout, in terms of fans turning on the receiver, when it was reported that Wallace had signed a 5 year $42.5 million deal. However, that report was correct, but they had the wrong receiver’s name. Antonio Brown inked a deal with those exact terms just a few days after these rumors.
Yesterday reports came out that Wallace would be in to sign his tender this weekend. That report was from Ed Bouchette which means it should be compltely believed by all of Steeler Nation and is great news for an offense that needs more playmakers (especially with injuries plaguing the team already). However, another rumor spread like wild fire yesterday. First that Wallace was back in Pittsburgh, Ike Taylor says that is incorrect and has been in contact with Wallace all off-season so I’ll take his word for it. Then that Wallace had already signed, also false.
For having one of the queiter holdouts in NFL, maybe even Pro-Sports, history Wallace has sparked hundreds of rumors. Most of them have been completely untrue; the problem for Wallace, however, is that most of these rumors were seen and discussed in such detail that most fans seen them as 100% truth. Fans have turned their backs on Wallace and a lot of reasoning has been generated by untrue or made-up rumors.
When it comes down to it Wallace’s holdout was completely overblown by the national media who uses even the smallest story to drum up drama and make a headline. Wallace has done exactly what he wanted to do with this holdout. He avoided training camp and getting injured. He will now have a few days (depending when he arrives at the Steelers team facilities) to sign a long-term deal before his first practice. I’ve speculated this entire time that Wallace’s reason for holding out was to play 2012 under a long-term contract rather than playing under a one year deal where an injury could derail his career and lose him millions of dollars. Could it be that Wallace held out, a bit for money, but also to make sure he would ink a long-term deal in Pittsburgh? Yes it’s possible, but by most fan’s accounts Wallace is a selfish, bad teammate, who is all about the money. I guess I just don’t see it that way, but thats the great thing about sports we all have our opinions hence why sports banter shows like PTI and Around the Horn have done as well as they have.
[URL]http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/steelers_mike_wallaces_quiet_holdout_was_completel y_overblown/11521063[/URL]
lol.............so this author wants us to believe his specualtions but nobdys elses. pleeeaaase
steelers = 3 ring circus with tomlin being the head clownComment
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Big Ben anticipates Mike Wallace's return to Steelers
By Marc Sessler
Aug. 26, 2012
Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't need Mike Wallace in Saturday's 38-7 preseason romp over the Buffalo Bills, but the team's best wide receiver won't be a luxury come September.
Wallace informed teammates that he plans to sign his restricted free-agent tender this weekend, NFL.com and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported this week. Roethlisberger on Saturday sounded all but certain about Wallace's return.
"We're excited to get Mike back. I talk to him all the time, and you know he's one of us," Roethlisberger told NFL.com and NFL Network's Kimberly Jones during halftime of Saturday's game. "He's one of our boys, we are like family. So when he gets back, we are going to be excited."
"In a day or two?" Jones asked.
"I hope so," Roethlisberger said.
With the team's regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos just two weeks away, Wallace has taken his holdout to the brink. It hasn't resulted in the big-money, long-term contract he hoped for, which is no surprise.
The Steelers have voiced their unwillingness to negotiate new deals with holdouts. Playing good soldier worked for Antonio Brown, and it might be Wallace's best chance for a long-term contract.
[URL]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000054885/article/big-ben-anticipates-mike-wallaces-return-to-steelers[/URL]Comment
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