What Changed My Mind On Tomlin

[JackLambert58]

Buddy Parker says hi

I think there may be about 5-10 posters at the most here who actually saw a game where Buddy Parker was head coach. I'm not one of them.

One of he old STeeler books I have.....might be the Rooney book gives a bit of the history with Buddy. I recollect some of the same character coaching traits as iron mike

In the '63 Steelers book, which is very good, talked about how Buddy despised young players. He'd trade away entire drafts to get experienced players. That's how Bobby Layne came over. Parker's Steelers were the "Over the Hill Gang" long before George Allen's Redskins. Only thing is, he left a void of talent that never really did recover until Noll.

[JackLambert58]

Saw steelers beat ny 64 Pitt stadium JH and Alex webster were work horses. Really crummy stadium for football. Buddy prob closed down bar at Web hall after closing bar at Gustine's night before game

That was the game of the famous Y.A. Tittle pic, bleeding from his head in the end zone after being sacked by John Baker.

[swissvale72]

I wrote a piece about Buddy Parker in an article I did for the Steelers Annual magazine that's now folded.

Yeah....look in the Steelers Digest at the draft histories. In those days, with about 20 rounds, wasn't unusual at all for Steelers to have no picks until the 7th round. They rarely had a first rounder.

Parker was a fuckin' nutcase....would cut players on the plane back from games, or have his cuts announced over the loudspeaker at the incoming airport. He's be half in the bag, walking down the aisle of the plane, players would avoid making eye contact with him for fear they'd be cut on the spot.

He did win a pair of NFL championships with the Lions though. The freakin' Lions!! You figure he'd be a saint in Detroit.

[BethlehemSteel]

I love the superstition #13 stories

All the gut feel stuff......but all in all they eeked out nothing and the cupboard went bare due Gutting the team.

"I can't win with these players"

[Steelers4Life]

Tomlin is a more eloquent version of Cowher. Talks and acts boldly but ultimately conservative and risk averse.

I actually feel that Tomlin tries to get "too cute" and out thinks himself and does some pretty risky bullshit.

Case in point: the stupid ass FG attempt against Seattle. Bring in your back-up QB, hoping no one notices (again, trying to be too f-ing cute), and throw a pass to your OT. Instead of taking early points on the road, he kills momentum with a dumbfuck playcall.

He did the same thing in the opener against New England with a reverse pass from AB during an opening drive right down the field. Momentum killed.

And yesterday, the 4th and 8 inches deep handoff to Deangelo. Going for it was OK there, but damn, come on....north & south baby with a QB sneak.

Also, how many questionable decisions has he made on 2 point conversions? We've made most of them; doesn't mean they were the right call.

These are just a few quick things from this year that I can recall off the top of my head. I'm sure there were plenty of similar dumbass decisions in previous seasons I can't recall.

[swissvale72]

I love the superstition #13 stories

All the gut feel stuff......but all in all they eeked out nothing and the cupboard went bare due Gutting the team.

"I can't win with these players"

Actual quote is "I can't win with this bunch of stiffs."

[Old School Steeler]

Tittle was never the same after bears hit his knee in 63 NFLCG while trying to hit Shofner for a TD. Tittle had Morrison in flat, had lost what little mobility he had & Baker destroyed him. Steeler ran pick in for TD. 63 & 64 Steeler NY games were great, tough games. Still have the binoculars I took to that game. Sherman was clean cut young coach, Parker was gruff, yelling at everyone. Prob was hungover.

[Legacy User]

Apparently Parker quit as coach several times, only to recant in the morning when he sobered up. The old man would always let him continue. When Dan took over the team he got tired of this BS and one time decided to take Buddy up on his offer.

Quite a character. Much as we may hate Tomlin he's head and shoulders above that. He almost got us to the promised land by mortgaging the future but did a lot of damage to the franchise that it took until Noll to reverse.

[Legacy User]

Oh and not sure if someone already said it but I believe the hit to Tittle ended his career.