heels, sox & steelers
Rene G,
Thanks for the correction.
BTW, with all the draft picks we get for giving up Cowher to the Cowboys, we can get Moss, Willis, and APTBNL (a player to be named later). Ha ha.
But seriously, since we have Anderson, which is a big throwback to the 80's for me, and we draft Willis, will his nickname be "What chu talkin' bout"?
This post has nothing to doi with Tomlin. I'm fine with him. I wish he'd stop saying we're going to be "fundamentalists." But if that's my biggest gripe, we'll be fine.
However, when it comes to Ligashesky...
I'm confused. Do you not actually have to be successful in the NFL to get a promotion? You just have to get one job and not quit. (You drive naked through Tacobell if you coach for the Lions) Is that it? I know that rankings are not the best way to measure success, but come on. Shouldn't we be bringing in guys whose units were at least top half of the NFL or D-1 NCAA? Am I crazy? What did Ligasheky say in his interview? "I'd like to take the Steelers special teams from 'terrible' to 'slightly more terrible'." I don't get this one.
Fan - I was thinking the same thing (re: Ligashesky), but came to the conclusion that Teams with solid units (Special Teams, O-Line etc..) don't leave their current teams....and it would only be a 'lateral' hire if they came to the Steelers.
Let's see how they pan out while wearing black and gold. After all, Tomlin and his staff are still 0-0.
Senior Bowl - gentlemen, moving today - I hope they replay it.
SteelerBill,
Yeah, you're right. I'm a Steelers fan, so I hate change. I can't wait until we get the staff set and win some games so I can relax my "coach anxiety" for the next few decades. This must be how Raiders fans feel every off-season. It sucks.
All the hand-wringing is just that, until they suit up and play some games. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.
well, at this stage there probably weren't too many all-star special team coaches (are there all-star special teams coaches?) available. i'd imagine that next year many of this years coaches will be fired and tomlin will bring in more coaches that fit his vision of the steelers. this years coaching staff is basically just a transition staff in my mind.
as to special teams rankings, i think teams that commit some of their real players to special teams always do better. say what you want about spencer but he wasn't really given much to work with. especially when cowher let go of guys like iwuoma to make room for duce staley....
my only hope is that the rams special teams suck because they're not a deep team and were mostly drafted under the martz regime, a guy not noted for caring about things like defense. and special teams. and running the ball. and clock... well you get the idea.
I'm disappointed by this. Special team play was dreadful this year; it contributed to the loss to Cincinnati and made Michael Vick look like Randall Cunningham in Atlanta. Tackling was consistently awful throughout the year, balls were often dropped -- I don't know that there are any special teams geniuses out there (and if there are, they've moved on from special teams) but you'd wish there was someone else they could have chosen.
I have a feeling that special teams aren't as much coach as talent. I mean how many different ways can a team line up to kick, return, or punt?
Is there any consistency of special teams strengths from year to year?
> I have a feeling that special teams aren't as much coach as talent.
I agree. C'mon folks, if we're hand-wringing over the hiring of a special teams coach whom we know absolutely nothing about (beyond the FO ranking of his last squad that is), we've got too much time on our hands. Between now and the Senior Bowl kickoff, I mean. 
Cols714,
Fair question about year-to-year correlation for ST rankings (although the Rams were 31st the last two seasons), and honestly, I'm not too worried about it. Kevin Spencer's ST unit was pretty good a few years ago and they sucked in 2006.
Okay, enough of this, I've got to go get on my Senior Bowl jersey. I'm PUMPED for this game!
Bobby April always seems to have top notch ST units. Too bad he hated Cowher and left back in the mid 90s.
I had the same reaction than most of you when I read of the LigaSHAKY ST coach hiring, but I am finding confort in Coach Tomlin's saying that coaches are overrated, and all you need is good players... so, here's hoping we get a bunch of good ST players in the late rounds or in FA.
i see tony hunt was named senior bowl mvp. i guess that spoils any chance of the steelers committing grand larceny and getting him on the second day.
i also noticed that patrick willis was the south defensive mvp...
if anyone watched the actual game, could you tell me how levi brown or posluszny did?
so, here's hoping we get a bunch of good ST players in the late rounds or in FA
... or that Tomlin believes in playing starters on special teams. Has he said anything on that subject?
Special teams may not be consistent, but it's been a killer for us in the past (2001 AFC Championship, anyone?) It killed us this year, too. At the very least, I hope it gets attention in the off-season.
Getting an assistant special teams coach this year is a good hint that Tomlin is giving it the attention it deserves. I understand how many coaches avoid playing their starters on STs, mostly to avoid injuries as others to prevent fatigue, but as Israel mentioned, I am in favor of having starters in key roles in STs, based on the results seen on teams that do so.
All we can do is wait and see if adding this extra assistant coach will raise the level of the STs accordingly.
relevant bits of KFFL's take on the senior bowl:
"Inside linebacker Patrick Willis, of the University of Mississippi, has turned heads with his explosiveness. South head coach Mike Nolan said Willis has stood out more in the week of practice than the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Houston Texans middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, did a year ago..."
"Penn State offensive left tackle Levi Brown has performed well and looks to have solidified his position in the top half of the first round. He is, however, not likely to be the first offensive tackle selected. That distinction, of course, should go to Wisconsin's Joe Thomas."
I still haven't watched my TiVo of the Slop Bowl, but any comments on OT Joe Staley, C. Mich? IMO, he looks like a guy who could become a franchise LT with a year in a good weight and conditioning program. Levi? Looks like a RT, where we already have Starks and Colon.
Coach has finished his staff. Four of them have coached with him in his past history. He clearly thinks there are alot of undiscovered gems out there. I sure hope he knows what he is doing.
(The Cardinals' running backs coach??!!)
I haven't watched the Senior Bowl tape either. I'll try to do that tonight. I did catch the first few minutes of the Senior Bowl one-hour pregame show on NFLN (honestly, do we need an hour pregame for the Senior Bowl?) and Mayock said Levi Brown was kicking ass during the week's practice. Knowing what I know know (nothing), if he's around at 15, I'd be quite content with the Steelers drafting him.
is it just me or is anybody else hoping the steelers give starks the 2nd or 1st round tender and somebody else signs him?
I'm not exactly saying that Tomlin grabbed his new assistant coaches off the short bus, but this doesn't seem to be a particularly impressive bunch of guys.
To be fair, Zona's issues begin and end with the OL, not the RBs.
As for the coaching decisions, I'm just taking a wait and see approach. Most folks think Belichick's a pretty decent coach, though who'da thunk it coming off that Cleveland stint?
I don't think Tomlin's sole criterion for hiring assistants is that he rubbed elbows with them at some point. He spoke about them being able to communicate expectations to the players.
i found something i like about the new offensive line coach already:
Zierlein worked almost exclusively with the offensive tackles for the Bills while offensive line coach Jim McNally worked primarily with the centers and guards.
Figures Tony Hunt would get all the hype after his last game as a Nittany Lion.
If memory serves me right, he finished 4th all time in rushing yards at PSU...but nobody seemed to notice.
What do you guys think about Revis? The Pitt CB. I'm not a fan of Pitt, but I saw him run the punt back against WVU. Amazing stuff. Could CB be a possibility in Round One?
Personally, I think there are usually only one or two cornerbacks every year who are sure first rounders. That position is so hit or miss.
That Revis return vs. WVU was awesome. IMHO, a lot of the guys rated R1-R2 CBs this year just ain't as good as the hype. I'm not a big fan of Leon Hall, for instance: he looks like a guy I might take in R3. McCauley out of Fresno, Daymeion Hughes out of Cal, ditto.
Revis is another matter. He's one guy I would pull the trigger on at 1.15. Now, whether we need a CB in the first round is debatable, but he'd be one of the BPA candidates. I'd rather take Revis than, say, Blalock, the OG out of Texas. I think we can find better value, like the kid out of Auburn.
Speaking of CBs and Auburn, Kenny Irons might be worth a look at R3-R4. He might go sooner, but if not, we have some serious depth questions.
So if we draft Levi is Marvel likely moving back to RT? ...then we can definitely hope Eric's "lose Starks get compensated" plan comes through.
> "I'm not exactly saying that Tomlin grabbed his new assistant coaches off the short bus, but this doesn't seem to be a particularly impressive bunch of guys."
This Randy Fichtner (WR coach) even looks like the "where's my stapler?" guy from Office Space (just a joke, folks):
http://steelers.scout.com/2/613928.html
I don't think that I would be onboard with drafting a CB in the 1st round. At some point we need to address the LBs and the OL. I know we have spent some high round picks on the OL in years past, but I wouldn't mind a 1st round tackle.
i haven't given up on ike taylor yet.
gentlemen, tomlin can rebuild him. he has the technology. better than he was before. better, stronger, faster...
Tomlin to Ike: "You're gonna eat lightning, and you're gonna crap thunder!"
>> This Randy Fichtner (WR coach) even looks like the "where's my stapler?" guy from Office Space...
Excellent point, Glenn. They look eerily alike. Terrific movie, by the way. In fact, sitting on my office desk is a red Swingline stapler, the design of which was inspired by the movie.
Also, the character to whom you refer, "Milton," was played by Steven Root, who also played Jimmy James, the easy-going boss on the sitcom "NewsRadio" a few years ago.
A R1 CB? Well, depends on your draft strategy. BPA, maybe Revis fits. Draft by need, probably go DE/OLB or OL. My hybridized theory of the past few years is to draft, via value clusters, with more an eye toward need R1-R4, and then strictly BPA after that.
Last year, we needed some DL depth and took, ugh, Orien Harris. Ditto QB depth and Omar Jacobs. Ditto TE depth and Charles Davis. Just saying, I think you can find talented guys in most any position early on, but when pickin's get slim, just take the best guy regardless of roster glut. Well, not saying from R5-R7 you grab all WRs, but you get my drift.
Drafting by value cluster means, for instance, you have an EXCELLENT shot at a top DE/OLB in R1, where at 1.15 we have probably 3-4 guys on our board at that spot alone, more if we see a Gaines Adams or Jamaal Anderson fall.
But would I be upset over drafting Revis? No. And here's why.
Let's not even bother with the following, in terms of relying on them as starters or substantial players in packages. These guys are shot in the dark types: Jovon Johnson, Harrison Smith, Grant Mason, Anthony Madison. I'll include Chidi Iwuoma, although as far as I can tell he's designated STs only.
That leaves us with Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Deshea Townshend, and Ricardo Colclough. In reverse order: does anyone know if Colclough is even still on the team? If Ike's doghouse treatment was bad, Rico got the outhouse treatment. Sure, he never showed much as a CB or STer, but we could hope, right? IMO, he's just not mentally strong enough, even if he comes back healthy. Third year might be the charm, but I've basically written him off.
Townshend will be 32 this year, and is (IMO, generously) listed at 5'10". A valuable package contributor and wily vet, but no starter.
McFadden looks like he could be the best of this bunch, but he still needs work and didn't come out his soph season as strong as he ended his frosh. Still, coach this kid up and he's the Ike that Ike never was.
And then there's Ike. Ike's a one-trick pony, IMO, but could regain his starter spot for a year or two, and should do so. He's solid against Chad Johnson and guys who run deep out patterns, but you put him on a guy running a shorter route, a dig, a sideliner, and Ike gets beaten up. He's not shifty-nimble. And he appears mentally maxed. I like Ike, but not as much as I used to. He's too up and down, and might be best as a placeholder for a true lockdown corner. Now, maybe if Tomlin uses more a 3-4 front with a Cover 2 backcourt, Ike will improve by getting some bump at the line, not part of our current Cover 3 scheme. But then you lose having Troy roving up with the boys in the front 7, doing what Troy does best. Maybe we hybridize things and run Cover 2/Tampa 2 more on passing downs and punch 'em in the face, I dunno.
But I see, of four top CBs, three actually, one starter, one package guy, and one guy who has to answer some questions. IMO, we need a CB sometime in this draft, and luckily there is value to be had late this year, so Revis isn't an absolute must. Jonathan Wade, David (not Kenny) Irons, Michael Coe, Deandre Jackson... maybe R4-R6... you have a project.
Good stuff, Finnegan.
I'm not sure I don't like using the "best player available" (BPA) philosophy even as high as with the 1.15 pick this year. I'd kind of like to see the Steelers hit a home run with their first pick for a change (okay, I guess they did that with Troy, and probably Ben too, and I have no real complaint with the Santonio pick either). Part of that thinking is that I just don't believe that this team is very good, top to bottom. At the very least I wouldn't reach even one iota based on need with the first-round pick.
Part of that thinking is that I just don't believe that this team is very good, top to bottom.
really?
i think it's reasonable to assume that if the steelers had just a middle of the pack special teams unit the bengals, falcons, broncos games could have very easily been won.
competent QB play also would have made the jaguars and raiders games a toss up, in my mind.
one more win and the steelers would have made the playoffs, which isn't the greatest indicator of quality but still shouldn't be overlooked. even with those problems the steelers were still 12th by DVOA.
unless you think that there are only 3 or 4 truly good teams in the nfl or that roethlisberger will never recover from his car accident, i'd have to disagree.
Sorry, but I don't like the BPA theory in which you don't take need into account at all. By this, we should take a QB in RD 1 if he is the BPA. I think you draft for both need and BPA.
The hybrid theory of drafting, R1-R4, is that you do keep an eye on need, and that you can "hit a home run" even with that because you won't be reaching. In later rounds, if you're targeting a CB, there might have been an early run and you reach among dregs. But at 1.15, you might have 4 or 5 guys on your board, all of whom could be home runs. I'll take a slightly lower rated guy who fits our needs over, as mentioned, another QB.
Does anyone know if any of the top DEs would be OLBs in the 3-4? The only OLB who I've seen graded high is Lawrence Timmons from FSU, but that brings back scary memories of Alonzo Jackson.
These days, I think you have to have two quality running backs. And as much as I like Verron and Najeh in their roles, I don't want to see either of them starting for multiple games if Willie is out. So I wouldn't be surprised to see them use their first rounder on either a RB if Peterson or Lynch is available.
Also, if Ginn or Jarrett is available at 15, I think you have to consider either. Even though we're deep at WR, Hines isn't young, Nate's hands are a question mark, and Wilson is a good complementary guy. Having two elite young WRs would be fun and could create a healthy Swann-Stallworth type of competition.
There are plenty of DE/OLB prospects. First round alone we could be considering 3 or 4.
Doubt we pick up Lynch, despite the dropped charges. He's flagged.
And I have reservations about Jarrett (cf., Mike Williams). I like him, and I really like Teddy Ginn, but I'd be very surprised if we took either.
I'm not sold on Jarrett or Ted Ginn. Ginn's a burner who still needs work with route-running, and may never develop that ability to an NFL standard. He's not as polished as Santonio Holmes was in the same offense, nor was he quite as productive, even with big pass plays. Ginn is intriguing when combined with his kick-returning abilities, but also factoring in need (somewhat), too big a stretch at 1.15 in drafting a first-round WR for the second year in a row.
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