The Steelers Culture War

[lifelongsteel]

I was struck by a few things this week . . .

Claypool asking for music at practice
Ben saying no music out of respect for the old man, discussing how few know why there is no music
Tuitt sitting out healthy
Former Steelers ripping on the team and the teams toughness
And Devin Bush. Not sure how he fits in, but if something sucks he is likely involved

The Steelers have always had a strong, conservative culture. There's a way they do things. And despite our complaints, they usually work. But it seems like with the losses of steelers culture guys like Pouncey, DeCastro and Vince Williams, and the lame duck status of Ben, things have finally turned. The dam has broken. This team seems to no longer play hard, or give much of a damn. Did we draft the wrong types of players? Has the coaching not kept the team on track? Or, is this just a natural extension of modern players, modern money, modern attitudes about the world, all pushing back on the old way of doing things.

I'll be really curious where this goes. I for one hope is that the Steelers get back to their culture, but with fine tuning to embrace modern schemes, analytics, etc.

Is Tomlin the man for this job? Honestly he never really fit the mold imo. Seems more like a fake tough guy than a real tough guy. He's also the least innovative of the Steelers coaches. Maybe he brings in something new. A modern steelers style that merges the past with the future. Seems unlikely.

It's going to be really interesting to see what comes next.

[Jobu]

It's going to be really interesting to see what comes next.

Interesting is one way to put it…

[sinceiwas4]

i think Tomlin was gonna bring something new this yr and it got derailed by front 7 injuries and mismanagement in ingram's case. which is as much on him as a negative as anyone i would assume.

i wish the team that started in buffalo, on defense especially, couldve stayed intact and healthy. i rly think the 4 man rush, mix match behind it of who's a safety who's a 'backer hybrid was supposed to be Tomlin's next gen tampa 2, that ofc was next gen steel curtain via Dungy to begin with. it looked promising for a minute. thats not to say i fall in the Tomlin's forgiven cuz of injuries club, ingram wasnt injured, and he gone too. just sayin i think Tomlin actually thought he was on to something new and innovative, and this yr didnt let it be tested rly beyond the 1st game. it looked like it just might be something worthwhile from him for one of the 1st times since he coached the D up before the cards superbowl to escort a turnover to the endzone that proved good when Harrison took it all the way surrounded by teammates.

[El Kabong]

Tuitt sitting out healthy

Do we know this?

[Kodiak.]

just sayin i think Tomlin actually thought he was on to something new and innovative

After 15 years? Really?

Maybe Tomlin could spend some time innovating a way to stop the run.

[El Kabong]

just sayin i think Tomlin actually thought he was on to something new and innovative

After 15 years? Really?

Maybe Tomlin could spend some time innovating a way to stop the run.

That took a real hit with the losses of Tuitt and Alualu and the suckiness of Bush.

[Ice]

Tuitt sitting out healthy

Do we know this?

Confirmed at Tomlin presser this week.

[El Kabong]

Tuitt sitting out healthy

Do we know this?

Confirmed at Tomlin presser this week.

Ah.

[steelmann58]

It was reported as a minor Knee think most think is more mental

[Kodiak.]

It was reported as a minor Knee think most think is more mental

I mean, if he's 400 lbs, at least the RB would have to take 2 steps east or west to get around him.

[sinceiwas4]

just sayin i think Tomlin actually thought he was on to something new and innovative

After 15 years? Really?

Maybe Tomlin could spend some time innovating a way to stop the run.

That took a real hit with the losses of Tuitt and Alualu and the suckiness of Bush.

this, but tbf tho the rotational depth of ingram too as part of that front 4 which is probly on Tomlin's mismanagement of him

[Kodiak.]

Last year's defense had more talent and depth, and I'm going to say the Bush injury canceled out the Dupree injury Still couldn't stop the run.

[sinceiwas4]

Last year's defense had more talent and depth, and I'm going to say the Bush injury canceled out the Dupree injury Still couldn't stop the run.

lol about bush injury, but man by the end of the playoff debacle we had 5th stringers along side pick ups from their couches playing every snap with no depth behind em so maybe we had more depth to startvseason but we had burned thru it by the end

[sinceiwas4]

but stopping the run has weakened. man do i miss the Lebeau yrs w/aaron smith kimo big snack the beard etc always shutting down the run no matter who the opponent was and no matter injuries. next man up actually worked back then consistently. scheme/coaching has to have a little do with that, ennit?

[yygy]

Whatever tomlin could bring he’s already brought.

I was one of the very few when he was hired hoping he would change the D. But he realized the most important part of the job is having sweet sweet direct deposit checks hitting his bank account each week.

Now we have a guy who’s totally exposed. Yes he’s a smart guy and good coach even. But he’s out of his depth. Deuce got his guy, a guy like him. They can steer the ship as long as the ship’s on gps.

Kevin Colbert is the only guy in the fo that can lead a rebuild. He put together the 2000s team so he can do it again. Just not sure the other factors in play.

[RemoAZ]

Whatever tomlin could bring he’s already brought.

I was one of the very few when he was hired hoping he would change the D. But he realized the most important part of the job is having sweet sweet direct deposit checks hitting his bank account each week.

Now we have a guy who’s totally exposed. Yes he’s a smart guy and good coach even. But he’s out of his depth. Deuce got his guy, a guy like him. They can steer the ship as long as the ship’s on gps.

Kevin Colbert is the only guy in the fo that can lead a rebuild. He put together the 2000s team so he can do it again. Just not sure the other factors in play.

You'd think with how much people around the league like him he could recruit the best coordinators out there if he'd just step back and let them do their thing. Be the damn CEO.

[sinceiwas4]

Tuitt sitting out healthy

Do we know this?

Confirmed at Tomlin presser this week.

i just re-watched it cuz i thought when did i miss his saying Tuitt was sitting out healthy. i still didnt catch it..i heard him say Tuitt wasnt able to play this week so he wasnt on his radar as he prepared for ravens or some such Tomlinism and that if Tuitt's situation changed he would have an update then, where did i miss him saying Tuitt was a healthy sit out?

[sinceiwas4]

he said he was Not characterizing Tuitt as not going to play the rest of this yr, because he doesnt have a 6 week perspective..he's not playing this week...said he would continue to monitor his progress and provide updates as he gets closer to playing. that was all about Tuitt in press conference that i heard?

[Steelperch]

he said he was Not characterizing Tuitt as not going to play the rest of this yr, because he doesnt have a 6 week perspective..he's not playing this week...said he would continue to monitor his progress and provide updates as he gets closer to playing. that was all about Tuitt in press conference that i heard?

Exactly. He never said Tuitt was healthy. He never said he would not play this year.

[BethlehemSteel]

The only hope to restore the culture perhaps is Dan jr

This is a four years old. Hope to know if he’s been a good study like his Father Dan

https://steelersdepot.com/2017/04/roone ... ady-staff/

ArtDuce should consider moving over to emeritus if his brother is ready to wipe the slate clean

Line it up and knock it down

And there is Art2 son Dan.....he’s also in line to groom having been a football player

[steelmann58]

steelers are missing those it players. Tomlin shelf life has passed and its time for a major upgrade. The old school steeler culture needs to come back.

[COR-TEN]

The Steelers have always had a strong, conservative culture.

What does this mean? I'm seriously asking. And if that means running a business, why is that conservative?

[SteelPro]

The Steelers have always had a strong, conservative culture.

What does this mean? I'm seriously asking. And if that means running a business, why is that conservative?

Reluctant to make changes, strongly emphasizing tradition… I think the label fits.

[Texas Steel]

The Steelers have always had a strong, conservative culture.

What does this mean? I'm seriously asking. And if that means running a business, why is that conservative?

Reluctant to make changes, strongly emphasizing tradition… I think the label fits.

Right, not the political sense, but the general sense... risk-adverse... erring on the side of caution.

[SteelerDayTrader]

What does this mean? I'm seriously asking. And if that means running a business, why is that conservative?

Reluctant to make changes, strongly emphasizing tradition… I think the label fits.

Right, not the political sense, but the general sense... risk-adverse... erring on the side of caution.

The only era that really matters tho was NEVER like that

Ironic because both Cowher and Tomlin eras supposedly took their cues from Noll but Noll was an innovator and risk taker

[COR-TEN]

What does this mean? I'm seriously asking. And if that means running a business, why is that conservative?

Reluctant to make changes, strongly emphasizing tradition… I think the label fits.

Right, not the political sense, but the general sense... risk-adverse... erring on the side of caution.

But football is a game. You cannot play a game to win without taking risks. It's an oxymoron to me. Noll took risks. Cowher did as well. Both of which could be considered "conservative" in their approach. Tradition isn't conservative. Or is it?

Tomlin is just stubborn and probably sucks at black jack.

[Jobu]

Depends on what your tradition is and how one defines conservative, I guess. IMO, the Steelers have most certainly been a conservative organization over the years. Tomlin and A2 are conservative, even when they’re throwing the ball 40+ times. Cowher was conservative. Every time his offense moved inside the opponent’s 35, he’d button things up so as not to screw the FG chance. And while Noll may or may not have been conservative by 70s standards, I don’t exactly remember him being a huge gambler. But then, most of the time he had the best football team in the stadium on any particular game day.

Personally, I don’t give a tiny rats ass about identity,traditions, culture, the Steelers way, or any of that bullshit.
Just get the right people in place and figure out a way to consistently win football games!

[Jobu]

Can Heyward gets it…
https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2021/ ... tion-talk/

“The tradition is winning. We’re all pissy and annoyed about it,” said defensive end Cam Heyward told Steelers media on Thursday. “At the end of the day, the tradition to be upheld is to win the game and play with a lot of effort. Everything else is beside the point.”

[langer]

“The tradition is winning."

He's putting the cart before the horse...

This team needs to see a shrink. Bullshit and living in fantasyland only gets you so far.

They need to embrace the Dark Side, the ways of Lord Belecheck.

[SteelPro]

Reluctant to make changes, strongly emphasizing tradition… I think the label fits.

Right, not the political sense, but the general sense... risk-adverse... erring on the side of caution.

But football is a game. You cannot play a game to win without taking risks. It's an oxymoron to me. Noll took risks. Cowher did as well. Both of which could be considered "conservative" in their approach. Tradition isn't conservative. Or is it?

Tomlin is just stubborn and probably sucks at black jack.

We all know this org has only had 3 coaches since 1969. And the two prior to Tomlin weren’t fired. I think it is etched in the DNA of the org at this point that a head coach won’t get fired unless things go really off the rails. That is tradition they just can’t let go of. And it speaks to how conservative the organization has become. The coaches may take some risks on game day. But even that is rooted in their conservatism and traditions. They still coach heavily from the gut. More progressive organizations have placed a much higher value on analytics.