Heart and Steel - book by Bill Cowher

[Northern_Blitz]

Cap...

GM's acquire talent; Once the talent is on the team, it's up to the head coach to mold and shape. You know that. Stop trying to deflect from the last 10 plus years of Tomlin's failure at coaching a team that was picked many a year to be in the Super Bowl. Colbert gave him great teams over the last decade; Tomlin couldn't coach them up to get to one Super Bowl. He wasted 10 + years of a franchise QB's career.
....

Citation needed.

My guess is that the consensus pick for the AFC representative in the SB for the last 9 of the last 10 years (probably actually something like 14/15 years) has been Cheats.

Then last year (after TB12 left), the consensus pick for ACCC would have almost certainly been KC.

I get that we have underperformed expectations in some years. Particularly against the Jags.

But you can't pretend that we were SB favorites in any of those years.

Though there were a few years where we were probably a strong mention of "team that has a chance to unseat the Pats in the AFC".

I think we didn't live up to expectations this year either. But the end of the season, I didn't think we'd beat the Browns in the playoffs. But I didn't think we'd drop a burning bag of poop on the field either.

[hawaiiansteel]

Tomlin can't win Super Bowls (and now can't win playoff games) without Cowher's players and coaches.

Cowher could only win one Super Bowl in 15 years with "Cowher's players".

not sure why you think Cowher walked on water.

oh yeah, that's right. you have an agenda.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Cowher could only win one Super Bowl in 15 years with "Cowher's players".

not sure why you think Cowher walked on water.

oh yeah, that's right. you have an agenda.

Not that I'm taking sides here but Cowher left on top. How many Super bowl wins do you think he would have had he stayed. Two? Three? What was his playoff record? A solid 12-9, most of those game with bad QB.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Love him or hate him, the book comes out today.


A poignant, inspirational story about football, family, and love from Bill Cowher, the Super Bowl–winning, Hall-of-Fame Pittsburgh Steelers coach, and cohost of CBS’s The NFL Today.

Long before the Lombardi Trophy, the Golden Hall of Fame jacket, and successful TV career, legendary head coach Bill Cowher was simply “Billy from Crafton.”

Born and raised just fifteen minutes from old Three Rivers Stadium, it was in Crafton where the foundation of Cowher’s irrepressible work ethic, passion for teaching, and love of football and the Pittsburgh Steelers were built. Now, for the first time, Cowher will shine a light on a life filled with success, achieved through will and resilience in situations which, often times, appeared to be hopeless.

In Heart and Steel, Cowher will take you on his journey from childhood to the undersized, mohawked, disco-dancing North Carolina State linebacker, to fighting for a spot as a “bubble player” with the Browns and Eagles, before injuries ended his playing career. Bill will discuss how that same drive led to his big coaching break, running Special Teams for Marty Schottenheimer and the Cleveland Browns at just twenty-seven-years-old, before taking over the Pittsburgh Steelers just seven years later. Cowher will reveal exclusive, never-before-told anecdotes and candid thoughts on the biggest games, players, and moments that defined his fifteen-year Steelers tenure.

But this is more than a “football story.”

In 2010, Bill lost his beloved wife, Kaye, and father, Laird, within three months of one another. It forced him, yet again, to summon that resiliency to unearth a stronger version of himself—not only so he could march on, but to add a deeper level to the loving, supportive father his three daughters had always known.

Cowher’s learned many lessons in his life; as a father, grandfather, husband, coach, and broadcaster. He will show you how you can continue to grow by embracing transition, personally and professionally, through renewed perspective and social consciousness.

“Billy from Crafton” has come a long way. Through love and conviction, Cowher’s achieved more than he ever could have dreamed of. You can, too, with the same heart and steel.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Not that I'm taking sides here but Cowher left on top. How many Super bowl wins do you think he would have had he stayed. Two? Three? What was his playoff record? A solid 12-9, most of those game with bad QB.

Cowher didn't leave on top. What was the team's record his last season?

We cannot assume anything. There are many factors to consider. Maybe Cowher wouldn't had anointted Harrison as a starter?

One thing is almost 100% certain. The team would had struggled to win games in the post season if Ben performed poorly regardless of who was the HC. It doesn't matter how good a QB is for his career. What matters is how well a QB or players perform on game day.

[feltdizz]

Cowher didn't leave on top. What was the team's record his last season?

We cannot assume anything. There are many factors to consider. Maybe Cowher wouldn't had anointted Harrison as a starter?

One thing is almost 100% certain. The team would had struggled to win games in the post season if Ben performed poorly regardless of who was the HC. It doesn't matter how good a QB is for his career. What matters is how well a QB or players perform on game day.

its extremely convenient to suggest Cowher would keep winning SB’s because he won 1 with Ben.

However, the motorcycle and ignoring Cowhers advice suggested Ben and Cowher may have been headed for a rocky relationship. Ben was new school and Cowher was old school.

The last year together didn’t give me the impression Ben and Cowher were headed for more SB wins. When you look at early success of QB’s like Wilson, Rodgers, Goff, etc its easy to predict a ton of SB appearances.. but it rarely works out that way.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Cowher didn't leave on top. What was the team's record his last season?

We cannot assume anything. There are many factors to consider. Maybe Cowher wouldn't had anointted Harrison as a starter?

One thing is almost 100% certain. The team would had struggled to win games in the post season if Ben performed poorly regardless of who was the HC. It doesn't matter how good a QB is for his career. What matters is how well a QB or players perform on game day.

Oh yes he did leave on top, fresh off a super bowl win and having a group of players intact that would go on to win another. I believe he had one year left on his contract. Due to his wife illness he retired.

We won the super by 11 points with Ben having a sub par game.

Who else could have replaced Couch Noll , who?

One other thing, he was very good at using the red flag nearly .500, Cowher had his own brand of theatrics to fire his team up for where point he wanted to make.

[feltdizz]

Oh yes he did leave on top, fresh off a super bowl win and having a group of players intact that would go on to win another. I believe he had one year left on his contract. Due to his wife illness he retired.

We won the super by 11 points with Ben having a sub par game.

Who else could have replaced Couch Noll , who?

One other thing, he was very good at using the red flag nearly .500, Cowher had his own brand of theatrics to fire his team up for where point he wanted to make.

no.. Cowher’s last season he had 8 wins and missed the playoffs. I guess you didn’t watch the games that year either.

..and that is the rub. Fans of Cowher who suggest all our success was due to him fail to realize he won 1 SB in 3 years with Ben.

[Northern_Blitz]

no.. Cowher’s last season he had 8 wins and missed the playoffs. I guess you didn’t watch the games that year either.

..and that is the rub. Fans of Cowher who suggest all our success was due to him fail to realize he won 1 SB in 3 years with Ben.

And Ike was on the roster...and Pierre was not starting at the time

Cowher was a good coach who was at the helm of consistently competitive teams. He generally underachieved in the playoffs, but one Cinderella run at (almost) the end of his career put some extra shine on a very good career.

He is the same coach as Tomlin, just Tomlin won at the beginning (perhaps pumping up expectations) and Cowher won at the end (after setting expectations for falling short in the playoffs). Our recent playoff performances put a bit of tarnish on Tomlin's career in the present.

But, like Cowher I think we'll appreciate what we have now when Tomlin's gone.

PlanetSteelers message boards in 2040 will be complaining that Coach McNewguy sucks compared to Tomlin and isn't worthy of walking by all those trophies every morning (hopefully 7 or more by the time we're on our next coach).

[BURGH86STEEL]

And Ike was on the roster...and Pierre was not starting at the time

Cowher was a good coach who was at the helm of consistently competitive teams. He generally underachieved in the playoffs, but one Cinderella run at (almost) the end of his career put some extra shine on a very good career.

He is the same coach as Tomlin, just Tomlin won at the beginning (perhaps pumping up expectations) and Cowher won at the end (after setting expectations for falling short in the playoffs). Our recent playoff performances put a bit of tarnish on Tomlin's career in the present.

But, like Cowher I think we'll appreciate what we have now when Tomlin's gone.

PlanetSteelers message boards in 2040 will be complaining that Coach McNewguy sucks compared to Tomlin and isn't worthy of walking by all those trophies every morning (hopefully 7 or more by the time we're on our next coach).

At the end of the day there isn't anything wrong with Tomlin or Cowher. Will either go down as all time greats? No for Cowher. Tomlin is still a possibility. Regardless of whatever happens it doesn't mean that they weren't highly successful head coaches. Some people never appreciate what they have.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

no.. Cowher’s last season he had 8 wins and missed the playoffs. I guess you didn’t watch the games that year either.

..and that is the rub. Fans of Cowher who suggest all our success was due to him fail to realize he won 1 SB in 3 years with Ben.

Don't be foolish, he did leave on top, or are you judging head coaches on their last year when he had reasons to retire?

Ben did not play well in Cowher's super bowl win. Duh

The team he left consisted of 21 of 22 of the same starters starters also won a super bowl for Tomlin, this time thanks to Ben playing well. And that's a fact. What did Tomlin add again? The rub, which I predict will be in you face from several posters is coming after the Steelers next .500 or losing season. Come up with a good excuse, ok? Until then. I just care about winning in the playoffs. That's been a pretty long time. Five years and counting...

PS: Yeah, just 1 SB in three years. Is that supposed to be bad?

[flippy]

And Ike was on the roster...and Pierre was not starting at the time

Cowher was a good coach who was at the helm of consistently competitive teams. He generally underachieved in the playoffs, but one Cinderella run at (almost) the end of his career put some extra shine on a very good career.

He is the same coach as Tomlin, just Tomlin won at the beginning (perhaps pumping up expectations) and Cowher won at the end (after setting expectations for falling short in the playoffs). Our recent playoff performances put a bit of tarnish on Tomlin's career in the present.

But, like Cowher I think we'll appreciate what we have now when Tomlin's gone.

PlanetSteelers message boards in 2040 will be complaining that Coach McNewguy sucks compared to Tomlin and isn't worthy of walking by all those trophies every morning (hopefully 7 or more by the time we're on our next coach).

Agree with all of this.

Maybe to keep the board on the edge, the Steelers will have hired Coach McNewLady.

[Northern_Blitz]

Agree with all of this.

Maybe to keep the board on the edge, the Steelers will have hired Coach McNewLady.

[Northern_Blitz]

Don't be foolish, he did leave on top, or are you judging head coaches on their last year when he had reasons to retire?

Ben did not play well in Cowher's super bowl win. Duh

The team he left consisted of 21 of 22 of the same starters starters also won a super bowl for Tomlin, this time thanks to Ben playing well. And that's a fact. What did Tomlin add again? The rub, which I predict will be in you face from several posters is coming after the Steelers next .500 or losing season. Come up with a good excuse, ok? Until then. I just care about winning in the playoffs. That's been a pretty long time. Five years and counting...

PS: Yeah, just 1 SB in three years. Is that supposed to be bad?

Going 1 - 1 in SB appearances in 15 years is a pretty high bar for coaches.

Whether they were at the helm of a team before or after 2007.

<begin sarcasm>

What?!!!

You mean the two coaches I said were basically the same have the same number of championships and SB appearances in almost the same amount of time!

It can't be! One of those coaches is amazing and the other doesn't even deserve to be a position coach!

<end sarcasm>

They are the same coach. They just have slightly different strengths / weaknesses (although I think they have the same core strength of motivating players).

It's intellectually dishonest to claim that one is / was excellent when the other is / was trash.

I think there are a couple posters that think both were bad, which I would say is at least logically consistent. But with expectations that are so high there there would only be a hand full of good coaches in the history of the league. And really only one when you consider that the salary cap made consistent success with QBs that weren't on cheap rookie deals* much, much harder to attain.

* We have to remember that Cowher didn't have the advantage that McV or Carroll had with cheap good (or at least good-ish) QBs. The inefficiency was created after Ben's rookie deal. This is something I missed originally in the long repetitive discussions on Tomlin / Cowher that haunt our off seasons. But someone (I think Cap Lemming) pointed it out to me. Notice here that when someone is proven to be incorrect about something, they should stop using that narrative / argument.

[feltdizz]

Don't be foolish, he did leave on top, or are you judging head coaches on their last year when he had reasons to retire?

Ben did not play well in Cowher's super bowl win. Duh

The team he left consisted of 21 of 22 of the same starters starters also won a super bowl for Tomlin, this time thanks to Ben playing well. And that's a fact. What did Tomlin add again? The rub, which I predict will be in you face from several posters is coming after the Steelers next .500 or losing season. Come up with a good excuse, ok? Until then. I just care about winning in the playoffs. That's been a pretty long time. Five years and counting...

PS: Yeah, just 1 SB in three years. Is that supposed to be bad?

its supposed to provide perspective. When you look at all the coaches and QB’s not named Billicheat and Brady you see this narrative doesn’t hold up of multiple SB victories based off of a 3 year window.

I think the same expectations were put on Tomlin. SB win in 2008 and another appearance in 2011. Surely fans expect a SB every 3 years based on that small sample size but that isn’t how it works. Especially when you add in Ben rebuilding, injuries, salary cap struggles, etc.