"Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

[flippy]

Congrats Mr Woodson.

You made it clear you are an individual.

You're not black or white.

You're not Steeler, Raven, 49er, or Raider.

You're a mutt of the NFL, not much different than life.

You love Art Modell.

Your childhood dream was to be a Raider.

You thanked Ray Lewis and Shannon Sharpe.

And the Raven Nation.

Only 2 out of your 6 immediate family members were in Steelers gear while the rest are traitors like you to Steeler Nation.

You've got 10x as much to say as everyone else.

And I felt like you were trying out to become a pastor more than you were being inducted to the HOF.

You have more Steelers fans than any other team's fans show up.

And many of us tried to claim you as part of our family.

But at the end of the day, you made it very clear we are not.

And you were glad we booed you.

No need to choose us.

You can choose to be everything to everyone else.

Including yourself.

I'm glad for you that you got spiritual guidance in Baltimore.

And you found purpose in life.

I wish you would have stayed a Steeler.

But you chose not to.

You chose another path.

[Acero]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

Interesting take on it, Flip. But I assume you're speaking for yourself, for it would be quite presumptuos to speak for all Steeler Nation, as it feels you try to do in some of your statements.

I for one hold no grudge towards Woodson. The ugliness of the breakup I attribute more to Donahoe and Eugene Parker (*spit, *spit) than to either Woodson or the Rooneys.

There IS a life outside football, not just for us fans but more importantly, for the players. I liked his speech. It was a bit iffy at times, but overall I think it was a really good speech. For me, Rod Woodson will always be not only one of the all time great Steelers, but one of my favorite ones as well.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

this is why you shouldn't post at 4 in the morning.

Rod will always be a steeler in my book.

[bostonsteeler]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

Rod may or may not pay obeisance to the Steelers and Steeler nation in his HOF talk, but he has always held his steeler background up high for all to see.

In my book he remains a steeler.

He won the SB as a rat. He was part of one of the greatest defenses ever on the rat SB team. He's gonna cherish that and we just have to accept it.

[flippy]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

Interesting take on it, Flip. But I assume you're speaking for yourself, for it would be quite presumptuos to speak for all Steeler Nation, as it feels you try to do in some of your statements.

I for one hold no grudge towards Woodson. The ugliness of the breakup I attribute more to Donahoe and Eugene Parker (*spit, *spit) than to either Woodson or the Rooneys.

There IS a life outside football, not just for us fans but more importantly, for the players. I liked his speech. It was a bit iffy at times, but overall I think it was a really good speech. For me, Rod Woodson will always be not only one of the all time great Steelers, but one of my favorite ones as well.

the message of choosing what's important versus worry about things that are insignificant was good imho.

but i had hoped for more as a steelers fan. maybe some good stories no one knew about. or a little more about his playing days here.

he talked about the importance of being part of a team, but never mentioned any of his teammates from the steelers.

it's all good, it is what it is. but i felt like he was more of an individual going into the HOF than a Steeler going in.

[flippy]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

this is why you shouldn't post at 4 in the morning.

Rod will always be a steeler in my book.

i stayed up to watch the induction before going to sleep last nignt/this morning.

i was so psyched up for woodson, but it turned out anti climactic for me.

[frankthetank1]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

i never would of thought woodson was such a holy roller. i also never knew he wanted to be a raider as a kid. wish he kept that one to himself. it was great that he spoke up for DL being inducted and how much respect he has for the rooney family. rod will always be a steeler to me. i dont fault the fo for not re-signing him. who wanted to pay him big money coming of ACL surgery and at age 30 or so? hindsight is always 20/20

[Acero]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

i never would of thought woodson was such a holy roller. i also never knew he wanted to be a raider as a kid.

No, he said he started his career as a Raider and ended it as one. What he meant is that his pee wee league team (or pop warner, or whatever he was in as a kid) was called the Raiders.

[frankthetank1]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

i never would of thought woodson was such a holy roller. i also never knew he wanted to be a raider as a kid.

No, he said he started his career as a Raider and ended it as one. What he meant is that his pee wee league team (or pop warner, or whatever he was in as a kid) was called the Raiders.

yea i assumed he was talking about pee wee or his high school team or something like that but i could of swore he said his child hood dream was to be a raider. maybe i misunderstood something. it was an hour long speech or so

[SidSmythe]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

Give the guy a break . . .

Imagine being drafted by the WHOEVERS??? You'd wanna end your career w/ the Steelers eventually. Can't blame a guy for that.

Rod gives the Steelers plenty of love and all I care about is what he did when he was a STEELERS. Sure I hated to see him as a RAVEN and a RAIDER, but hey, what's a guy to do.

AND I am glad he shared his FAITH. As I remember this isn't RUSSIA and people are allowed to do that.

[frankthetank1]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

Give the guy a break . . .

Imagine being drafted by the WHOEVERS??? You'd wanna end your career w/ the Steelers eventually. Can't blame a guy for that.

Rod gives the Steelers plenty of love and all I care about is what he did when he was a STEELERS. Sure I hated to see him as a RAVEN and a RAIDER, but hey, what's a guy to do.

AND I am glad he shared his FAITH. As I remember this isn't RUSSIA and people are allowed to do that.

i personally dont care if he is religious or not it was just something about rod that i did not know

[feltdizz]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

I know people will blast me for this...

but I was never a big Rod Woodson fan... I can't even justify it, I just never gravitated to him as a kid. I don't know why either.. he just seemed to be one of those guys who never made a play when I wanted him to... I know but I also like Rocky Blier more then Franco as a kid..

and even when he DID I still was super critical of him for unknown reasons.. he was probably the one Steeler I never cared for....

like the INT return he had for a TD where he slips at the GL because he did that weird run to a stop just after crossing the GL.. that play always bothered me as a young kid..
every time I see that highlight I winced.. a part of me was always thinking "this dude can't even cross the GL and celebrate for the perfect highlight without tripping"..LOL!!!

maybe it was the turf at 3 rivers but so many times it seemed like Rod slipped or tripped when he was about to make a monster play... just seemed like he had a lot of almost big plays and it was mostly due to his footing...

that sums up how much I cared for him.. I put him under a microscope as a DB and while he made big plays he was more of an almost guy like Ike Taylor.. perfect position but always slipping...

I know people will say but I had to get that off my chest.. maybe I could smell his true loyalty was being a Raider..

rant off!!! I was a Rod sorry guys...

[Captain Lemming]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

this is why you shouldn't post at 4 in the morning.

Rod will always be a steeler in my book.

Thats nice. Several of you said that.
Clearly based on his speech, he is NOT a Steeler in HIS book.
That is the point.

[feltdizz]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

[quote=Captain Lemming]

this is why you shouldn't post at 4 in the morning.

Rod will always be a steeler in my book.

Thats nice. Several of you said that.
Clearly based on his speech, he is NOT a Steeler in HIS book.
That is the point.[/quote:jnan1xgd]

he will always be a Steeler...

kinda sounds like the guy who says.."you will always be mine" in his pajamas as his old girl drives off with the new guy in the club parking lot..LOL!!!

i already gave my hater speech on Rod... but hey.. Rod is free to be whatever he wants at the end of a stellar career...

and we are free to hate on his speech..LOL!!!

[Captain Lemming]

Re: "Choose Jesus Christ Over the World"

I for one hold no grudge towards Woodson. The ugliness of the breakup I attribute more to Donahoe and Eugene Parker (*spit, *spit) than to either Woodson or the Rooneys.....Rod Woodson will always be not only one of the all time great Steelers, but one of my favorite ones as well.

Yes, a popular view by people needing to justify a hero.

Rod demanded more than his value period. He was offerred a deal, wanted to test the market and was allowed to walk for about the same as he was offerred. Greedy, he was like that since his taking forever to sign as a rookie.

Rod walked, he snubbed a fair Steeler deal. He was not cut.

Nobody is more responsible for Rod not retiring a Steeler than Rod.

Despite all the desire of some to think he will always be a Steeler, he does not share that view. The Steeler nation was just a stop in this career.