Mean Joe speaks the truth

[TomlinSteelTribe]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9254977/joe-greene-money-disrupted-pittsburgh-steelers

He wouldn't say it was Wallace, but who else could he have been referring to? Looking back now at when Wallace, Brown, and Sanders dubbed themselves "Young Money" makes me cringe.

We need guys who want to win and be great. It should be easy to understand: do those things and they will get PAID.

Screw prima donna WRs like Wallace. Good riddance.

Sad to see Mean Joe leave the FO.

[Devilsdancefloor]

He has always spoke his mind that is why i like him so much

[Count Steeler]

Sounds like there were definite problems in the Steelers' locker room last year. Explains some of the moves this off season. Hope the cancers have been dealt with.

[tube517]

Clark said the fact the Steelers' struggles last season have taken away some of their mystique in the public eye has "banded us together."

"If this is what they're going to say about us outside of this locker room, all we have to count on is what we do inside of this locker room. What we do on the grass," Clark said. "So that's the mentality that we've taken and I think it's going to be a plus for us."

Stephen A. Shitt and Skip Dickless need to just Shut The Hell Up.

[GBMelBlount]

Best read of the year.

I honestly believe this is the reason we went 8-8 instead of 12-4 last season.

If the chemistry is back this "Band of Brothers" can do some serious damage in 2013.

[NCSteeler]

THis team last season needed Farrior and Hines more than anything. I hope someone can fill those shoes.

[Steeldude]

They should have capped individual salaries in the last CBA. I would have played hardball and scrapped the entire season. If the players refuse budge by the following year then get replacement players. It's only going to get worse.

[X-Terminator]

They should have capped individual salaries in the last CBA. I would have played hardball and scrapped the entire season. If the players refuse budge by the following year then get replacement players. It's only going to get worse.

The NHL does this, and I believe the NBA does as well. In the NHL, no player can make more than 20% of the team's total cap space, which for next season would be $12.815 million per season. I don't think the NFLPA would go for that, especially since contracts aren't guaranteed, as they are in the NHL. The only part of an NFL contract that is guaranteed is the signing bonus, and that's what the players aim for more than anything else, and why Wallace is now a Dolphin.

[fansince'76]

Love Mean Joe, but the fact remains he was the first rookie in team history to hold out for more money (http://books.google.com/books?id=bRLjxYWlRUAC&pg=PT59&lpg=PT59&dq=joe+greene+hold+out&source=bl&ots=Yxdy52LAdn&sig=eMyQlQSxfSZ7SiFVM1NhuDLPjeg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9NOLUcvuAqiVyAGm1IGIDA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwBjgK). Of course, he was more than worth it, but that's beside the point.

Hate to be a cynic, but let's get real here. When you cut through the "just wants to win" and "pride" BS and actually get down to the brass tacks of the matter, it's ALWAYS been about the money. And why not? If I was going to take the chance of taking 20 years off of my life by playing NFL football, you're damn straight I'd want to get paid.

I'm just thankful they finally instituted a rookie wage scale, because the idiotic draft moves like giving JaMarcus Russell $30+ million guaranteed before ever taking a snap was becoming ridiculous.

[steelreserve]

Best read of the year.

I honestly believe this is the reason we went 8-8 instead of 12-4 last season.

If the chemistry is back this "Band of Brothers" can do some serious damage in 2013.

Let's not forget that half the team was injured at any given point, a lot of the time with something significant. That was seriously the worst luck with injuries I think I've ever seen.

But you're right, something was definitely "off" last year mentally. Certain guys just didn't have their heads in the game, and worse, it seemed to spread. Pretty damn unprofessional overall IMO, and I'm glad the remaining players seem to have jumped right on it and said "fuck that shit."

Funny thing that Clark was one to say players don't exist anymore who aren't all about the money. He is one!

[fansince'76]

Wonder if Mr. Greene remembers 1977?

Steelers Reached Playoffs Despite Distraction, Discord (http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PY1IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z4MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3206,1750464&dq=en)

(and promptly went one and done after getting bounced by the Broncos)

A few of the "highlights" from that year:

Aug. 31: Lambert ends his holdout for a reported $1.2 million over five years. "I don't want to talk about figures," says Lambert.

Sept. 15: Blount ends his holdout with no gain and withdraws a $5 million slander suit against Noll. "I've always said I felt Chuck was a fine coach and a fine gentleman," says Blount.

Sept. 17: Tackle Ernie Holmes, troubled by debts and other personal woes, walks out. "I just can't hack it anymore," says Holmes, who decides that night to return.

Oct. 26: Defensive back Jim Allen, upset with his paychecks, retires. "I've enjoyed my three years here and I'll remember it until I'm an old man," says Allen, whose retirement lasts one day.

Oct. 30: The Steelers lose 31-21 in Baltimore. Bradshaw throws five interceptions. "When I let the team down, it hurts," Bradshaw says. Lambert is lost with a knee injury, and the Steelers lead the league in fumbles, interceptions and penalties.

Nov. 2: Greene, upset with officials, announces "a crusade against the striped shirts." He says, "If I get half a chance, I'll punch one of them out." He gets fined by the league.

Nov. 6: Minus safety Glen Edwards, a contract holdout, the Steelers lose 21-7 in Denver. "We are unquestionably at the bottom," Noll says at Mile High Stadium.

Now, what was that about money, again? The ONLY thing that's changed since Greene's day are the number of zeroes on the players' checks.

[Craic]

Nov. 2: Greene, upset with officials, announces "a crusade against the striped shirts." He says, "If I get half a chance, I'll punch one of them out." He gets fined by the league.

Damn that Roger Goodell

[fansince'76]

Nov. 2: Greene, upset with officials, announces "a crusade against the striped shirts." He says, "If I get half a chance, I'll punch one of them out." He gets fined by the league.

Damn that Roger Goodell

:chuckle:

That article is actually a pretty cool little time capsule. Like the mention of Dwight White intercepting two passes against Houston after watching The Muppet Show on TV the night before (Oct. 23). :lol:


Oct. 9: The Steelers lose 27-10 in Houston. Bradshaw cracks a small bone in his left wrist, backup quarterback Mike Kruczek is lost for the season with a shoulder separation and rookie defensive back Tony Dungy finishes the game at quarterback. "If I can take a snap from center, I'll be back next week," says Bradshaw.

Oct. 17: Bradshaw, with a cast on his wrist, leads the Steelers to a 20-14 victory over Cincinnati, which almost wins in the last seconds. "Four times I died out there," says Greene.

Dec. 10: The Steelers lose 17-10 in Cincinnati. "Damn, damn, damn," says Greene, aware Pittsburgh's only hope (of making the playoffs) is that Cincinnati loses its last game at Houston (which they ultimately did). "We willed away our destiny," says Noll, who broke his elbow when he slipped on an icy sidewalk the night before. Punter Bobby Walden is lost for the season with a knee injury.

Jeezus. Sounds a lot like 2012, only difference being we weren't able to back into the postseason in the final week.

[ALLD]

THis team last season needed Farrior and Hines more than anything. I hope someone can fill those shoes.


Do those type of players exist in the new NFL?

[Psycho Ward 86]

Wonder if Mr. Greene remembers 1977?

Steelers Reached Playoffs Despite Distraction, Discord (http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PY1IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z4MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3206,1750464&dq=en)

(and promptly went one and done after getting bounced by the Broncos)

A few of the "highlights" from that year:

Aug. 31: Lambert ends his holdout for a reported $1.2 million over five years. "I don't want to talk about figures," says Lambert.

Sept. 15: Blount ends his holdout with no gain and withdraws a $5 million slander suit against Noll. "I've always said I felt Chuck was a fine coach and a fine gentleman," says Blount.

Sept. 17: Tackle Ernie Holmes, troubled by debts and other personal woes, walks out. "I just can't hack it anymore," says Holmes, who decides that night to return.

Oct. 26: Defensive back Jim Allen, upset with his paychecks, retires. "I've enjoyed my three years here and I'll remember it until I'm an old man," says Allen, whose retirement lasts one day.

Oct. 30: The Steelers lose 31-21 in Baltimore. Bradshaw throws five interceptions. "When I let the team down, it hurts," Bradshaw says. Lambert is lost with a knee injury, and the Steelers lead the league in fumbles, interceptions and penalties.

Nov. 2: Greene, upset with officials, announces "a crusade against the striped shirts." He says, "If I get half a chance, I'll punch one of them out." He gets fined by the league.

Nov. 6: Minus safety Glen Edwards, a contract holdout, the Steelers lose 21-7 in Denver. "We are unquestionably at the bottom," Noll says at Mile High Stadium.

Now, what was that about money, again? The ONLY thing that's changed since Greene's day are the number of zeroes on the players' checks.

wow. didnt know any of that, thanks for sharing

[fansince'76]

wow. didnt know any of that, thanks for sharing

What's amazing is that it was largely the same team that wound up going 26-6 over the following two seasons with 2 Super Bowl wins.