Mendenhall Suspended

[phillyesq]

Damn you're quick

I was doing everything I could to distract myself from actual work at that point...

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Wow....how did we get here in this conversation??

Mendenhall should not be suspended? He was unjustly punished for fumbling so he should stay home?

This is the NFL, and in being a professional football player there are certain realities in place.

#1 - The coach's decision is gospel. If you want to change his mind then do so with your actions on the field.

#2 - Team comes first

#3 - Violation must result in a harsh punishment

By deciding to not attend the game he made a bold statement. He is severing himself from the team and that cannot be accepted. Whether or not we think that he should have dressed is moot at this point. attendance is not optional. You show up, smile, and await the coaching decision the next week. Anything else is unacceptable.

[Starlifter]

typically in the real world if you don't work you don't get paid. In my career I work under a union contract and if I don't show up - yep, I don't get paid.

so mendy doesn't show, collects his paycheck and the steelers suspend him to recoup their loss. seems like a good business decision to me.

If they have lost faith in his abilities and cut him in the off season, seems like a good football decision to me.

[Slapstick]

The contract offer was on the table to Wallace, from reports, quite similar to what Brown signed for, and what was it? 2 days after Wallace balked on signing, the Steelers are parading Brown around after they gave him 'Mike's contract'. It was good business- they keep their WR, all good. But you can't think this didn't have elements of "well if you won't sign it, we'll find someone who will" to it.

Again, I'm not too sure...

I mean, if Wallace had signed the contract, he would have been the one paraded around by the Steelers, no? I don't think that there was any extra parading to spite Wallace...Brown was the guy who signed the deal...

[pfelix73]

There's a real feeling of pettiness this season in Pittsburgh- most notably in the reaction to Wallace not signing his contract offer, and then seeing Brown offered essentially mike's money in a "well, if you won't sign, we'll give it to this guy" kind of deal... and now having Mendenhall sit as a healthy inactive even though he wasn't the Lone Ranger in the fumbleathon.

Does he deserve suspension? Yeah, why not. He's gone next year. So is Wallace. But the treatment both have recieved from the FO has been really petty, and not overly proffesional.

I agree with what you've said here. Wondering if this is a sign of what's to come with the younger Rooney running the show. I just really don't care for him like I did with his elders... Might be good to get Dan back in Pittsburgh permanently....

[RuthlessBurgher]

typically in the real world if you don't work you don't get paid. In my career I work under a union contract and if I don't show up - yep, I don't get paid.

so mendy doesn't show, collects his paycheck and the steelers suspend him to recoup their loss. seems like a good business decision to me.

If they have lost faith in his abilities and cut him in the off season, seems like a good football decision to me.

They don't need to cut him in the offseason. His contract will be up. He's an unrestricted free agent, available to sign anywhere once this season is over.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I agree with what you've said here. Wondering if this is a sign of what's to come with the younger Rooney running the show. I just really don't care for him like I did with his elders... Might be good to get Dan back in Pittsburgh permanently....

Well, Dan's in his 80's now...at that age, there is no such thing as "permanently" anymore. He's 5 years older than LeBeau, who many want to get rid of because of his age. Art II has now been President of the Steelers for a solid decade after Dan handed the reins to his son in 2002, becoming Chairman of the Steelers instead (and then Ambassador to Ireland in 2009). The Chief appointed his son Dan team president in 1975 at age 43 (at the beginning of our first run of Super Bowls), and Dan appointed his son Art II team president in 2002 at age 50 (at the beginning of our second run of Super Bowls). Art II has presided over 3 Super Bowls and 2 championships while in charge of the team. By the way, the "younger Rooney" isn't exactly a spring chicken himself anymore...Art II turned 60 early in this season...he's no kid.

[flippy]

Well, Dan's in his 80's now...at that age, there is no such thing as "permanently" anymore. He's 5 years older than LeBeau, who many want to get rid of because of his age. Art II has now been President of the Steelers for a solid decade after Dan handed the reins to his son in 2002, becoming Chairman of the Steelers instead (and then Ambassador to Ireland in 2009). The Chief appointed his son Dan team president in 1975 at age 43 (at the beginning of our first run of Super Bowls), and Dan appointed his son Art II team president in 2002 at age 50 (at the beginning of our second run of Super Bowls). Art II has presided over 3 Super Bowls and 2 championships while in charge of the team. By the way, the "younger Rooney" isn't exactly a spring chicken himself anymore...Art II turned 60 early in this season...he's no kid.

If Lebeau can't coach, clearly Dan can't own

[pfelix73]

Dan could run the team if he really wanted to, but obviously he doesn't. I know of a Chair/CEO of a bigger company in PA than the Steelers and he was well into his 80's before he sold the company. Just saying- it could be done.

Anyway- I personally never cared for Art II as he comes across negatively at times. I just prefer Dan the Man over Artie II, but age catches up. Maybe whoever is next in line after Artie II will be a better owner.....

[Ghost]

"You kids there...get off my lawn!" - Art II

[lloydroid]

Wow....how did we get here in this conversation??

Mendenhall should not be suspended? He was unjustly punished for fumbling so he should stay home?

This is the NFL, and in being a professional football player there are certain realities in place.

#1 - The coach's decision is gospel. If you want to change his mind then do so with your actions on the field.

#2 - Team comes first

#3 - Violation must result in a harsh punishment

By deciding to not attend the game he made a bold statement. He is severing himself from the team and that cannot be accepted. Whether or not we think that he should have dressed is moot at this point. attendance is not optional. You show up, smile, and await the coaching decision the next week. Anything else is unacceptable.

And the fact that this may have escaped RM's perceptions is a loud noise in itself. Either he didn't realize it, or didn't care - both are very bad signs.

[lloydroid]

Dan could run the team if he really wanted to, but obviously he doesn't. I know of a Chair/CEO of a bigger company in PA than the Steelers and he was well into his 80's before he sold the company. Just saying- it could be done.

Anyway- I personally never cared for Art II as he comes across negatively at times. I just prefer Dan the Man over Artie II, but age catches up. Maybe whoever is next in line after Artie II will be a better owner.....

It is not the norm for an 80-plus year old to run large companies. Have you seen Dan lately? Have you seen him at the Super Bowl ceremonies, where trying to hold the Lombardi Trophy nearly killed him? I prefer Art 2. He makes the changes that need made, as opposed to Dan who's motto was "Don't rock the boat" to too high of an extreme, as you would expect from an 80-year-old. I appreciate Dan's service over the years, but it was long overdue for him to step down when he did.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

And the fact that this may have escaped RM's perceptions is a loud noise in itself. Either he didn't realize it, or didn't care - both are very bad signs.

Not the perception that you want out in the market as you enter free agency. At the very least he should have just followed the program and then left in the off season to someone who still believes that he could succeed in this league. Nobody wants an underachieving troublemaker.

[Oviedo]

It is not the norm for an 80-plus year old to run large companies. Have you seen Dan lately? Have you seen him at the Super Bowl ceremonies, where trying to hold the Lombardi Trophy nearly killed him? I prefer Art 2. He makes the changes that need made, as opposed to Dan who's motto was "Don't rock the boat" to too high of an extreme, as you would expect from an 80-year-old. I appreciate Dan's service over the years, but it was long overdue for him to step down when he did.

You mean like 81 year old Warren Buffet at Berkshire Hathaway?

An NFL team is not a normal large company and especially the Steelers which is more like a family business.

[RuthlessBurgher]

"You kids there...get off my lawn!" - Art II

He says this every year after the 4 high school football championship games at Heinz on Thanksgiving weekend, after which the field needs to be re-sodded.