Steelers most-important acquisition of off-season was team-first mentality

[stillers4me]

Fracture? What fracture?

It has been a grueling roller-coaster off-season for those who follow the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/pittsburgh-steelers). Many feared free-fall as aging veterans seemed to be shuttled out the door to make room for unproven replacements. Some struggled to watch players slip away in free-agency, and a few felt frustrated with the team's renewal of players from the past.

While fans were wrapped up in individual players, the Steelers were not interested in individualism. They wanted their TEAM back.

"That's why we're a team. Together Everyone Achieves More." - Steve McLendon (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/71873/steve-mclendon)

Multiple reports have spilled through the confluence, citing players working out together, motivating each other and embracing this off-season as one collective unit. Not that players training together is a new concept, but it is the level of camaraderie, sincerity and trust which has improved...................

...............Now, OTA news is full of players willingly trying new positions (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/5/28/4373392/al-woods-playing-as-second-string-nt) for the sake of the team. Starting positions are filled with guys like Ramon Foster (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/71674/ramon-foster), who had zero interest in playing for another team as an unrestricted free-agent. What a young offensive line (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/5/29/4375508/steelers-david-decastro-injury-instinct) has been lacking in results, it has been making up for in chemistry as they continue to train and grow as a unit. McLendon may be a first-time starter (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/latest-news/2013/5/29/4375478/steelers-steve-mclendon-nose-tackle-comments) this year, but one of the reasons he has come this far is because even as a backup, he prepared as if he was starting because he had to be ready when his number was called...........

read more @ http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/steelers-otas-2013/2013/6/1/4383812/steelers-otas-recap-offseason

[GBMelBlount]

While fans were wrapped up in individual players, the Steelers were not interested in individualism. They wanted their TEAM back.


Multiple reports have spilled through the confluence, citing players working out together, motivating each other and embracing this off-season as one collective unit. Not that players training together is a new concept, but it is the level of camaraderie, sincerity and trust which has improved...................

As many on SU have also stated (Count, et al) the lack of collective team spirit has been very obvious the last 1 - 2 years.

It is refreshing to hear these things.

[Count Steeler]

Let's hope the players that left were the "me" problem, and now we can concentrate on winning again. And then friggin' Adams gets stabbed. Hope that is the last bit of bad news for this team, but I somehow doubt it.

[zulater]

Losing Mike Wallace + Rashard Mendenhall= addition by subtraction? Is that what we're trying to say here? :lol:

[salamander]

It's definitely a refreshing change of pace to hear about this "team first" mentality. I'm certainly all for it.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Obvious butt-hurt steeler biased article...implying guys like Starks, Hampton, Lewis, and Sanders (multiple times) are selfish. Lol, all just because they are simply trying their best to take advantage of a short, rare, and lucrative opportunity to set themselves and their families financially.