Troy Polamalu, First ballot?

[Stallworth16]

Check out the new Troy Polamalu career retrospective, NFL films, so not embedded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL8diqVaEY0

After you watch this, is Troy first ballot? I say yes.

[K_C_]

Nobody deserves to be first ballot more in my book.

Nobody.

[Legacy User]

Absolutely. I don't think we'll ever see another talent like him in the black and gold.

[Obviously]

Yes

[franco>madden]

Damn. That video brought tears to my eyes. Unreal how many fantastic plays Troy made -- got burned sometimes but overall his risk-taking paid off massively. His superhuman agility and strength didn't hurt either.

Not to mention his being a really good guy as well --

Polamalu's right up there with the handful of greatest Steelers of all time. HOFer all the way.

[Obviously]

Damn. That video brought tears to my eyes. Unreal how many fantastic plays Troy made -- got burned sometimes but overall his risk-taking paid off massively. His superhuman agility and strength didn't hurt either.

Not to mention his being a really good guy as well --

Polamalu's right up there with the handful of greatest Steelers of all time. HOFer all the way.

Since 2000, only him, Ben and Bettis should be in the all-time top 10 Steeler players.

[Legacy User]

No doubt. Dudes a 1st Ballet. What an Amazing player. I was so happy we moved up to draft him. I'm from So Cal and watched many USC games.

[LakecrestSteeler]

Yes. Changed the position! Forced scouts to look for the next Troy. They gave up and the position went back to what it was.

Career stats should say 33 interceptions! You all know which one I am talking about.

[Thrillsseeker]

Yes. Changed the position! Forced scouts to look for the next Troy. They gave up and the position went back to what it was.

Career stats should say 33 interceptions! You all know which one I am talking about.

Fucking a right.

[fractalsteel]

Yes, he will be first ballot.

Sadly, a former Steeler safety who had a career on par with Polamalu really didn't sniff the HOF. I'll never understand how Donnie Shell isn't in the HOF.

[Thrillsseeker]

Bleessed to have seen his entire career.

May never see another that special.

[DP39]

Yes, he will be first ballot.

Sadly, a former Steeler safety who had a career on par with Polamalu really didn't sniff the HOF. I'll never understand how Donnie Shell isn't in the HOF.

Yep. Troy has the added bonus of being of Samoan descent (not that he needs it, imo), which would bring more diversity to the HOF. The HOF will pounce on him being a first balloter for the PR alone. If he were Hispanic or Asian they would cream all over themselves.

[Legacy User]

Yes.

[Legacy User]

He is so incredible, absolute 1st ballot hall of famer!

[Legacy User]

Yes, he will be first ballot.

Sadly, a former Steeler safety who had a career on par with Polamalu really didn't sniff the HOF. I'll never understand how Donnie Shell isn't in the HOF.

Yep. Troy has the added bonus of being of Samoan descent (not that he needs it, imo), which would bring more diversity to the HOF. The HOF will pounce on him being a first balloter for the PR alone. If he were Hispanic or Asian they would cream all over themselves.

Why are you saying any of these things?

[Legacy User]

Most definitely.

He didn't just cause turnovers. He wanted the endzone. Never saw a db want to score more than Troy. Would have been fun to see him inserted into the offense from time to time.

[Legacy User]

Yes, he will be first ballot.

Sadly, a former Steeler safety who had a career on par with Polamalu really didn't sniff the HOF. I'll never understand how Donnie Shell isn't in the HOF.

Yep. Troy has the added bonus of being of Samoan descent (not that he needs it, imo), which would bring more diversity to the HOF. The HOF will pounce on him being a first balloter for the PR alone. If he were Hispanic or Asian they would cream all over themselves.

Why are you saying any of these things?

Yeah, so politically incorrect. Maybe he works in a college admissions office.

[DP39]

Yes, he will be first ballot.

Sadly, a former Steeler safety who had a career on par with Polamalu really didn't sniff the HOF. I'll never understand how Donnie Shell isn't in the HOF.

Yep. Troy has the added bonus of being of Samoan descent (not that he needs it, imo), which would bring more diversity to the HOF. The HOF will pounce on him being a first balloter for the PR alone. If he were Hispanic or Asian they would cream all over themselves.

Why are you saying any of these things?

Just pointing out the marketing machine the NFL is. The fact Donnie Shell is not in is a crime. If he was Hispanic, Asian or some other race he would be. It's the same reason when you see a commercial with four hot women in it, they'll most likely be a blonde, redhead, black and asian. Maybe some folks don't pick up on that sort of thing, but I do. Marketing 101, and with the way the NFL rating have dropped they will use any PR they can get.

But, as I stated, Troy doesn't need it.

[Baltostiller]

Troy definitely deserves it. He played the position the way no one ever had.

Also, the fact that Shell isn't in is a freakin' crime. He retired with 51 interceptions, most all time for a SS. He was First team all pro 3 times and 2nd time once. 4X super bowl champ on top of that. Anyone who is First Team All pro 3 times should be in the hall of fame...hands down.

[Louis Lipps Service]

Just pointing out the marketing machine the NFL is. The fact Donnie Shell is not in is a crime. If he was Hispanic, Asian or some other race he would be. It's the same reason when you see a commercial with four hot women in it, they'll most likely be a blonde, redhead, black and asian. Maybe some folks don't pick up on that sort of thing, but I do. Marketing 101, and with the way the NFL rating have dropped they will use any PR they can get.

But, as I stated, Troy doesn't need it.

The NFL doesn't vote people into the Hall of Fame, the media does.

[W&M_Steeler]

Troy- all time Steelers great and a certain 1st ballot Hall of Famer. Watching those highlights, it's hard to believe just how great Troy was. He seemed super human at times. That interception against the Chargers where he caught the ball about a millimeter above the ground was unreal.

EDIT- deleted off topic comments re: Ben and the HoF.

[DP39]

Just pointing out the marketing machine the NFL is. The fact Donnie Shell is not in is a crime. If he was Hispanic, Asian or some other race he would be. It's the same reason when you see a commercial with four hot women in it, they'll most likely be a blonde, redhead, black and asian. Maybe some folks don't pick up on that sort of thing, but I do. Marketing 101, and with the way the NFL rating have dropped they will use any PR they can get.

But, as I stated, Troy doesn't need it.

The NFL doesn't vote people into the Hall of Fame, the media does.

If you (or anyone else) doesn't think race and marketing opportunities don't play a role sometimes in giving a nudge to who gets in or not, then I certainly wont waste my time trying to convince y'all, because I realize I wont change your mind at this point.

All I'll say, again, is that (imo), from a marketing standpoint, the NFL would LOVE to have a more diverse race representation included in their HOF. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[Legacy User]

I’m not so much wondering why you believe those things, as why you felt the need to assert them, unsolicited, in a completely unrelated discussion about Troy Polamalu.

Like is this the stuff that underlies your every thought and just drives you batshit insane? Are you creating imaginary monsters to give you an excuse for where you ended up in life, or does the adrenaline thrill of being angry at a group of people just get you off? No need to answer, these questions are more rhetorical than anything else.

[Legacy User]

I’m not so much wondering why you believe those things, as why you felt the need to assert them, unsolicited, in a completely unrelated discussion about Troy Polamalu.

Like is this the stuff that underlies your every thought and just drives you batshit insane? Are you creating imaginary monsters to give you an excuse for where you ended up in life, or does the adrenaline thrill of being angry at a group of people just get you off? No need to answer, these questions are more rhetorical than anything else.

Wow...really?

We live in a society driven by marketing. What we eat, sleep on, and wipe our butts with are more derivitive of marketing than anything else. Our choices are far less our own isolated internal decisions than reactions to what we are told to choose. There's nothing wrong, that I can see, with drawing the parallel between a HOF induction and our hot button, societal topic of the day, diversity, and crediting marketing for it.

[Quixotic]

Damn. That video brought tears to my eyes. Unreal how many fantastic plays Troy made -- got burned sometimes but overall his risk-taking paid off massively. His superhuman agility and strength didn't hurt either.

Not to mention his being a really good guy as well --

Polamalu's right up there with the handful of greatest Steelers of all time. HOFer all the way.

Since 2000, only him, Ben and Bettis should be in the all-time top 10 Steeler players.

Absolutely. And not sure about Bettis (which is not to say anything bad about Bettis—he just may not be a top ten all-time steeler).

Let’s see…Green, Blount, Bradshaw, Lambert, Webster, Swan, Stallworth, Franco, Woodson… that’s nine. Troy makes ten. So, who do you bump for Ben (BEN!) and Bettis? Man! We’ve gotten to watch some great players!

Then there was Eric Greene (a vile human, but he changed the TE position). Dirt Dawson—played center like an athletic guard. Also Shell, Ham, Greenwood… getting to a ten-best list would be challenging.

[Legacy User]

I’m not so much wondering why you believe those things, as why you felt the need to assert them, unsolicited, in a completely unrelated discussion about Troy Polamalu.

Like is this the stuff that underlies your every thought and just drives you batshit insane? Are you creating imaginary monsters to give you an excuse for where you ended up in life, or does the adrenaline thrill of being angry at a group of people just get you off? No need to answer, these questions are more rhetorical than anything else.

Wow...really?

We live in a society driven by marketing. What we eat, sleep on, and wipe our butts with are more derivitive of marketing than anything else. Our choices are far less our own isolated internal decisions than reactions to what we are told to choose. There's nothing wrong, that I can see, with drawing the parallel between a HOF induction and our hot button, societal topic of the day, diversity, and crediting marketing for it.

Yes. Really.

I don’t get why this ever came up in a Polamalu post.

“He’s a generational player who changed the position and game. Plus he’s Samoan, that’ll play in his favor... not that he needs it!”

Like, why?

[V DUB]

Jesus Christ, guys.

I could watch that video 10 times in a row. 1st ballot, absolutely...& i wouldn't doubt if Troy legitimately doesn't care if he gets in at all. Favorite player of all time, just edging Bubby Brister.


(Yes I'm kidding.)

[LakecrestSteeler]

If you had to mark Troy’s downward spiral, when would it have been? I haven’t researched this, but in my mind’s eye, I remember that TD against Cincy, when he flew into the end zone like Superman, and then injured his calf. I just don’t remember him ever the same after that. Nagging injuries ensued. Or did he fix himself after that and get another full year? Was that the injury that prompted the new workouts?

That play was simply amazing and embodies his whole career. Never thought he’d get to the end zone and then you are just left in disbelief, shaking your head, knowing full well that could have been a brick wall and he would have gone through it.

[Legacy User]

If you had to mark Troy’s downward spiral, when would it have been? I haven’t researched this, but in my mind’s eye, I remember that TD against Cincy, when he flew into the end zone like Superman, and then injured his calf. I just don’t remember him ever the same after that. Nagging injuries ensued. Or did he fix himself after that and get another full year? Was that the injury that prompted the new workouts?

That play was simply amazing and embodies his whole career. Never thought he’d get to the end zone and then you are just left in disbelief, shaking your head, knowing full well that could have been a brick wall and he would have gone through it.

That play has always stood out to me in the same way. I just checked, and it was in December of 2010, his DPOY season. I think you're right in saying that was the beginning of the end, though he did have some very memorable seasons after that.

The guy was doing things with his 5'10" 210lb frame that no one has any business doing. That he played as long as he did, and at such a high level, is remarkable.

[LakecrestSteeler]

You are correct. Did not go back far enough in the Wiki. Just assumed it wasn’t detailed.

Probably a stretch to say that was the start, but it looks like he had the calf strain to start the season the following year.

He probably should have gone skinny instead of putting on muscle to help his longevity.