Starkey: Steelers president out of bounds?

[zulater]

Oh, to be a fly pattern on the wall when Ben Roethlisberger sits down with Steelers president Art Rooney II to discuss the future of the team's offense.

Will the Steelers adopt the Rooney-n-Shoot?

Will they go back to three Arts and a cloud of dust?

Not that I expect the conversation to turn ugly. I didn't hear any hostility in Roethlisberger's voice when he spoke at the Pro Bowl the other day. He simply expressed a desire to "go up to Mr. Rooney's office" and talk.

That seems reasonable in the wake of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' "retirement" and Rooney's assessment that Roethlisberger needs to "tweak" his game.

It's not like Ben is going up there with a gun. But if I'm him, I'm armed with a couple of game tapes -- the Kansas City win, for example, when he made a dozen miraculous plays merely to stay upright, let alone find a receiver -- and a few pertinent questions.

Such as:

• What are you going to do with the $3.5 million left guard who can't pass block and keeps putting us at 2nd-and-20? How about you tweak that?

• Who's going to protect the blind side?

This organization's best thinking resulted in Jonathan Scott manning the left-tackle position to start the season. Trai Essex spent time there, for goodness sake. They finally pulled a guy off his couch to take the job and were lucky Max Starks was in such good shape.

What an insane way to protect a $102 million investment.



Read more: Starkey: Steelers president out of bounds? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/columnists/starkey/s_778942.html#ixzz1krn6sRhR

[zulater]

FYI. I voted option 4.

And thanks to whoever cleaned up the poll! :thumbsup:

[zulater]

Anyone care to explain their vote?

I voted for option 4, because I am in fact conflicted. :noidea: I could easily make the argument for any of the above choices.

For example

1.I'm not comfortable with Rooney dictating the make up of the coaching staff period.

2. This wasn't done on a spur of the moment whim. This obviously has been on Rooney's mind for at least 2 seasons. He does in fact have a huge investment in Ben.. And if he feels "tweaking" the offense, will prolong Ben's career, and increase proficiency and point production he's probably right in this one instance to forsake the normal chain of command if the decision wasn't going to be made otherwise.

3. It's his team, it's his right, who are we to question him? Particularly since this is an isolated case, and isn't normal Steeler S.O.P.

4. The option choice is self explanatory and says it all.

[GBMelBlount]

FYI. I voted option 4.

And thanks to whoever cleaned up the poll! :thumbsup:

I sense you have needed a good poll cleaning for a while. :chuckle:

Anyway, I trust Rooneys 100% on this.

They have earned the right to occasionally make an executive decision when they feel strongly about something.

My ONLY concern at this point is perhaps the WAY they did it.

Regardless, if this becomes a pattern it could create internal dissension and trust issues.

[fansince'76]

I went with #4 - it's his team to do with as he sees fit, but I don't care for him saying it's Tomlin's decision when it ultimately wasn't.

[tube517]

I will say this. Art II (not Art Jr.) is a different type of owner from his dad or his grandad. He is a little more outspoken than them. A new era of Rooney ownership is upon us.

[ShutDown24]

Chose option #4. I would prefer Tomlin make the decisions on his staff. But Rooney does own the team.

I don't like conspiracy theories much, but does anyone give any crredence to the theory that is was actually Tomlin who wanted Arians out but didn't want to tell him as they are friends and Rooney took the bullet for him? I don't think it is the case, but it is certainly possible.

[GBMelBlount]

Chose option #4. I would prefer Tomlin make the decisions on his staff. But Rooney does own the team.

I don't like conspiracy theories much, but does anyone give any crredence to the theory that is was actually Tomlin who wanted Arians out but didn't want to tell him as they are friends and Rooney took the bullet for him?

I don't think it is the case, but it is certainly possible.

Great point. This is very possible imo...

[zulater]

I went with #4 - it's his team to do with as he sees fit, but I don't care for him saying it's Tomlin's decision when it ultimately wasn't.

My theory.

He's been hanging with Goodell too much! :chuckle:

Seriously though. I agree with what you're saying.

It doesn't bother me too much that he hung Ken Laird and other reporters out to dry 2 years ago when he denied there was any internal discussion on this matter, when clearly there was. Once the decision was made to retain Bruce it made sense to claim that there was no story. Why put it in the mind of the players that Bruce was standing on the proverbial slippery slope, when it could in fact affect performance on the field?

But once you decide that he's gone, and obviously can't talk Tomlin into making it a mutual decision, own it, explain it. And get on to the business of finding the right man for the job to replace him. But to release the story as if it's a retirement, when it was anything but, was sloppy and in fact embarrassing.

In my opinion Art needs to figure out a way to apologize to Arians, Tomlin, the media and the fans for his handling of this situation. (not to be confused with apologizing for releasing Arians, which he had every right to do whether it was the right thing to do or not.)

I don't know how he can do it (apologize) and still save face? But he needs to figure it out asap if he wants to retain the level of respect we've granted him, due to the esteem we've held for his father and grandfather before him.

[pepsyman1]

I voted number 3. I trust the Rooneys. Obviously, every decision they've made hasn't been right, but they've got a history of running a good, successful organization and they rarely step in like this. The fact that they did step in says how important they believed it was.

[Austin87]

I voted number 3. I trust the Rooneys. Obviously, every decision they've made hasn't been right, but they've got a history of running a good, successful organization and they rarely step in like this. The fact that they did step in says how important they believed it was.

Voted number 3 too. Good post btw.

[tube517]

My theory.

He's been hanging with Goodell too much! :chuckle:

Seriously though. I agree with what you're saying.

It doesn't bother me too much that he hung Ken Laird and other reporters out to dry 2 years ago when he denied there was any internal discussion on this matter, when clearly there was. Once the decision was made to retain Bruce it made sense to claim that there was no story. Why put it in the mind of the players that Bruce was standing on the proverbial slippery slope, when it could in fact affect performance on the field?

But once you decide that he's gone, and obviously can't talk Tomlin into making it a mutual decision, own it, explain it. And get on to the business of finding the right man for the job to replace him. But to release the story as if it's a retirement, when it was anything but, was sloppy and in fact embarrassing.

In my opinion Art needs to figure out a way to apologize to Arians, Tomlin, the media and the fans for his handling of this situation. (not to be confused with apologizing for releasing Arians, which he had every right to do whether it was the right thing to do or not.)

I don't know how he can do it (apologize) and still save face? But he needs to figure it out asap if he wants to retain the level of respect we've granted him, due to the esteem we've held for his father and grandfather before him.

Arians apologist! :chuckle:

[The WH]

Great point. This is very possible imo... it is a great point, but a terrible meaning, this would mean that Tomlin has no balls.

[zulater]

it is a great point, but a terrible meaning, this would mean that Tomlin has no balls.

Yeah I'd much rather face the prospect of a lying owner than a balless coach. :heh:

[ALLD]

Rooney did the right thing before the team was put backwards for five years. A simple readjustment with a rebuilt OL and some depth on the DL will go a long way. BA was simply not capable of making the hard decisions. He and BB might be buddies, but he also let BB take a beating when he didn't need to.

[steel striker]

Sure I trust the Rooneys but, time will tell about this move. It could have been handled better. Just about every fan base wants the oc coordinator head on a plate it seems. If we get Caldwell to me it is a step backwards.

[Chidi29]

I'll go with #1 though I think it's a bit harsher than what I'd call it. It should be Tomlin's decision. Rooney can talk to him and be apart of the process but Tomlin was hired to make these decisions. That's the role of head coaches all throughout the league. Don't go over his head, especially when you say it was his decision and he had seemed, by all reports, to have made the decision that he'll stay.

[suitanim]

Starkey is obviously a fellow idiot like me. How DARE he see this any other way than Arians being the fucking anti-Christ who only maintained his position through deceptive tactics (like being friends with Ben) and trickery. He was obviously the Steelers Rasputin (get Googling, kids) an needed to be sacrificed.

[Count Steeler]

Picked #1. Take Arians out of the equation and use any coach under the head coach. This was not handled properly. Rooney should have made Tomlin aware of his decision before the end of the season. I don't think Rooney woke up on the morning after our last game and said, "OK, Arians is out." He should have had discussions with Tomlin before the end of the season that he was strongly considering not renewing Arians. Tomlin would have spoken more cautiously about the future of Arians and this conflict would not be what it is today.

If Tomlin was not given any hint of the dismissal of Arians, that was poor communication and overstepping the authority of Tomlin.

Does Rooney have the right to do what he wants? He certainly does, so does Jerry Jones. However, that is not normal operations for the Steelers.

[zulater]

Picked #1. Take Arians out of the equation and use any coach under the head coach. This was not handled properly. Rooney should have made Tomlin aware of his decision before the end of the season. I don't think Rooney woke up on the morning after our last game and said, "OK, Arians is out." He should have had discussions with Tomlin before the end of the season that he was strongly considering not renewing Arians. Tomlin would have spoken more cautiously about the future of Arians and this conflict would not be what it is today.

If Tomlin was not given any hint of the dismissal of Arians, that was poor communication and overstepping the authority of Tomlin.

Does Rooney have the right to do what he wants? He certainly does, so does Jerry Jones. However, that is not normal operations for the Steelers.

Well stated! :applaudit:

[43Hitman]

I chose option 3. I've always said that I trust the F.O. and i don't intend to waiver on that now just because something was done out of the norm. However, there are some very good arguments for option 1 and I completely understand why some of you voted that way.

[zulater]

I chose option 3. I've always said that I trust the F.O. and i don't intend to waiver on that now just because something was done out of the norm. However, there are some very good arguments for option 1 and I completely understand why some of you voted that way.

No good arguments for 2 or 4 though? :nerd:

:wink02:

[Pristas]

No good arguments for 2 or 4 though? :nerd:

:wink02:

Here's one for number 4. It was not Tomlin's place to say that there would be no coaching changes without first discussing the season with his boss. Had this talk occurred, Tomlin would never have been so outspoken about the "keeping coaches" bit. If anything, it makes me wonder just how much complacency has set in with Tomlin. If he was content on the season and all of the play calling and wasn't even batting an eye at "what if" scenarios... Sure the o-line was decimated, and injuries won out, but at the end of the day he should be scrutinizing every level of operations, and perhaps his comfort level is getting a little too "stay the course"?

That said I think Tomlin is a great coach, but at some point, everyone gets comfortable with certain aspects of their job. Rooney just shook things up a little. Good for Rooney, and good for the team. I feel bad for whomever we play for the first couple games of 2012. The will have no film to watch. Awesome! Hopefully the ratbirds are one of those games. Ha!

[The WH]

but Rasputin wasn't sacrificed....

[Dino 6 Rings]

but Rasputin wasn't sacrificed....

HA HA HA!!!!

[suitanim]

but Rasputin wasn't sacrificed....

But he WAS clubbed, stabbed, shot, and drowned. Arians was symbolically treated only slightly WORSE...

[Dino 6 Rings]

But he WAS clubbed, stabbed, shot, and drowned. Arians was symbolically treated only slightly WORSE...

glad to see your "google" worked...you wiki that did ya?

[suitanim]

glad to see your "google" worked...you wiki that did ya?

Huh?

I've known about Rasputin since I was a kid. Do you think I wiki'd "Guy who was beat up a lot", then found Rasputin, THEN used it as a reference? That makes about as much sense as blaming Arians for lack of defensive turnovers and game-losing defensive collapses.

[The WH]

I was being a little tongue in cheek about that.