Big Ben soapbox's for Conner

[Dwinsgames]

he has earned playing time even when Bell signs

1034231521811546112

[Fire Goodell]

The kid definitely shown he has it. I agree with Ben

[Butch]

Why not he showed up and has played well in pre-season. I like that Ben is sticking up for Conner.

[ALLD]

When Bell changes teams and moves into obscurity like all of the others, Conner will become a new face of the franchise without all the drama.

[slippy]

let's not forget how high ben was on eli rogers last year, then pffft. we'll see on conner. hoping for the best!!!

[Shoes]

Good for Ben, Conner worked hard in the off season and came to camp ready to play.

- - - Updated - - -


let's not forget how high ben was on eli rogers last year, then pffft. we'll see on conner. hoping for the best!!!

It's not just Ben, the oline has been impressed with Conner also

[DesertSteel]

Pull the tag!!

[teegre]

Of course Ben likes Conner. Conner is bigger than Bell, and thus, he can more easily carry Ben.

[pczach]

Of course Ben likes Conner. Conner is bigger than Bell, and thus, he can more easily carry Ben.


You make everything so easy to understand by reducing it down to its simplest form. :lol:

[Edman]

Its too bad Bell doesn't realize that the Steelers have been far more generous to him than he could ever hope to imagine. They put up with him through not one but two weed suspensions, injuries, and him simply not showing up, and they still put an offer to him on the table.

Generational talent is wasted on a ten-cent head.

[Mojouw]

Its too bad Bell doesn't realize that the Steelers have been far more generous to him than he could ever hope to imagine. They put up with him through not one but two weed suspensions, injuries, and him simply not showing up, and they still put an offer to him on the table.

Generational talent is wasted on a ten-cent head.

Not attempting to defend Bell, but ANY NFL team would've tolerated what Bell has and has not done because he is a generational talent.

You can be involved in a murder plot (Ray Lewis), be a cocaine addict (Lawrence Taylor and many others), get suspended multiple times (Josh Gordon and too numerous to count other players), stab teammates in the locker room (Charles Haley), masturbate in team meetings (Haley again), be a functioning alcoholic and pill addict (Favre and several others), and generally piss-poor human being (Adam Jones, Burfict, pick a guy) and as long as you have enough talent -- not a single NFL team will care.

Do you think that NFL teams were surprised when Terrell Owens showed up in their locker room and started the same three ring circus act he had engaged in at previous stops? Of course not. But the dude could play at a level that made everyone decide to not give a crap for a season or three. When his crap wore thin, he packed up his tents and moved somewhere else.

If you are good enough, you could punch old ladies, dine on puppies every night, and claim to be a god made flesh and at least 4 NFL teams would still offer you a contract.

[steel striker]

I'm pulling for Connor to play lights out and, I'm a little tired of Bell's BS. Having said that Bell is the best all around back in football hard to dispute that and, this is Bell last season with the Steelers.

[Butch]

Not attempting to defend Bell, but ANY NFL team would've tolerated what Bell has and has not done because he is a generational talent.

You can be involved in a murder plot (Ray Lewis), be a cocaine addict (Lawrence Taylor and many others), get suspended multiple times (Josh Gordon and too numerous to count other players), stab teammates in the locker room (Charles Haley), masturbate in team meetings (Haley again), be a functioning alcoholic and pill addict (Favre and several others), and generally piss-poor human being (Adam Jones, Burfict, pick a guy) and as long as you have enough talent -- not a single NFL team will care.

Do you think that NFL teams were surprised when Terrell Owens showed up in their locker room and started the same three ring circus act he had engaged in at previous stops? Of course not. But the dude could play at a level that made everyone decide to not give a crap for a season or three. When his crap wore thin, he packed up his tents and moved somewhere else.

If you are good enough, you could punch old ladies, dine on puppies every night, and claim to be a god made flesh and at least 4 NFL teams would still offer you a contract.
Yes you are right but that being said we did cut Santonio Holmes who was a SuperBowl MVP no less and was a GREAT WR with Ben. Yes we got AB but it took years for him to develop into what he is now. Santonio was already there.

[AtlantaDan]

Its too bad Bell doesn't realize that the Steelers have been far more generous to him than he could ever hope to imagine. They put up with him through not one but two weed suspensions, injuries, and him simply not showing up, and they still put an offer to him on the table.

I wish the Steelers and Bell could have worked out a long term deal but was concerned the Steelers would overpay for a position where RBs get injured often and decline quickly.

But barring a catastrophic injury in 2018 Bell will sign a deal next season that, when combined with two years of franchise tag $$$ from the Steelers, will result in more $$$ than if he would have accepted the 2017 or 2018 offers from the Steelers.

He hoped to imagine getting far more than the Steelers were willing to pay and his hopes likely will be realized.

https://rlv.zcache.com/its_all_about_the_benjamins_classic_round_sticker-rcd6b4f7dd6b948a4ab42375939f864ff_v9waf_8byvr_307. jpg

[Dwinsgames]

Yes you are right but that being said we did cut Santonio Holmes who was a SuperBowl MVP no less and was a GREAT WR with Ben. Yes we got AB but it took years for him to develop into what he is now. Santonio was already there.

we traded Holmes to the Jets for a 5th round pick

[Butch]

we traded Holmes to the Jets for a 5th round pick

Yes you are right I am not in my right mind today out sick, but we did get rid of a Super Star player for a 5th rounder.

[Mojouw]

Yes you are right but that being said we did cut Santonio Holmes who was a SuperBowl MVP no less and was a GREAT WR with Ben. Yes we got AB but it took years for him to develop into what he is now. Santonio was already there.


we traded Holmes to the Jets for a 5th round pick

If I remember correctly, Holmes got traded because he got in some drug stuff in the same off-season cycle that James Harrison got in some bad PR for something or other with his family. Team determined that it couldn't or wouldn't tolerate both and chose the harder to replace pass-rusher.

Further, the fact that the Jets were willing to give up a 5th for a guy everyone knew the Steelers were going to cut anyway, kinda goes towards the point.

Not all NFL franchises will put up with all things -- but at least some will tolerate anything as long as the player produces.

[Butch]

If I remember correctly, Holmes got traded because he got in some drug stuff in the same off-season cycle that James Harrison got in some bad PR for something or other with his family. Team determined that it couldn't or wouldn't tolerate both and chose the harder to replace pass-rusher.

Further, the fact that the Jets were willing to give up a 5th for a guy everyone knew the Steelers were going to cut anyway, kinda goes towards the point.

Not all NFL franchises will put up with all things -- but at least some will tolerate anything as long as the player produces.

Not sure you saw my original post but yes I said Santonio got in trouble with drugs. I mistakenly stated we cut him and I knew better. but I probably shouldn't even be here as I have been sick all day and not exactly in my right mind. LOL

I also stated at the start of that post that you are right.

[Mojouw]

Not sure you saw my original post but yes I said Santonio got in trouble with drugs. I mistakenly stated we cut him and I knew better. but I probably shouldn't even be here as I have been sick all day and not exactly in my right mind. LOL

I also stated at the start of that post that you are right.

Yeah - my phone garbled some of the posts.

Apologies for talking right past each other!

Feel better.

[AtlantaDan]

If I remember correctly, Holmes got traded because he got in some drug stuff in the same off-season cycle that James Harrison got in some bad PR for something or other with his family. Team determined that it couldn't or wouldn't tolerate both and chose the harder to replace pass-rusher.

Further, the fact that the Jets were willing to give up a 5th for a guy everyone knew the Steelers were going to cut anyway, kinda goes towards the point.

Not all NFL franchises will put up with all things -- but at least some will tolerate anything as long as the player produces.

Holmes had acted out during the abysmal 2009 season and then acted out some more in the offseason

The Steelers were prepared to release wide receiver Santonio Holmes had they not been able to trade him....

The trade came one day after a report on Profootballtalk.com that Holmes faces a four-game suspension in the 2010 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, which was confirmed today by the Post-Gazette.

Although it has not been announced whether Holmes will be charged in Orlando after a woman claimed he threw a glass in her face at a club early last month, the Steelers obviously had enough with their sometimes brilliant but often troubled wide receiver....

After the woman in Orlando filed a civil suit against him last month, Holmes issued some bizarre comments on his Twitter account, telling one person to kill himself and announcing another time that he was going to "wake n bake," considered by some to be slang for smoking marijuana.

Steelers management was furious with Holmes' antics and the black eye it and Ben Roethlisberger's legal issues had given to the organization.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2010/04/12/Steelers-were-ready-to-cut-Holmes-before-trade/stories/201004120170

Holmes was traded in mid-April 2010 after Ben's "legal issues" in Milledgeville that March were still the subject of an open criminal investigation and a massive PR problem for the Steelers. Releasing Holmes might have happened even without Ben's problems but the Rooneys needed to deal with the hit to teh team's image from all the offseason misconduct.

[tube517]

Of course Ben likes Conner. Conner is bigger than Bell, and thus, he can more easily carry Ben.This! [emoji38]

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Dwinsgames]

" Generational talent" must be the new GOAT like term that gets thrown around way to easily and often ...

IMO Bell is NOT a generational talent , if he was there would not be so many other backs that do the same sort of things as good or better than him ...

I also find it difficult to call anyone a generational talent that lacks breakaway speed in today's game...

Generational Talents ...
Gayle Sayers was a generational Talent
OJ Simpson was a Generational Talent
Walter Payton was a generational Talent
Eric Dickerson was a generational Talent
Barry Sanders was a generational talent
Marshall Faulk was a generational talent
Adrian Peterson is/was a generational Talent

Leveon Bell is not /was not/never will be a generational talent IMO hell he is not even the best running back of his era

[DesertSteel]

" Generational talent" must be the new GOAT like term that gets thrown around way to easily and often ...

IMO Bell is NOT a generational talent , if he was there would not be so many other backs that do the same sort of things as good or better than him ...

I also find it difficult to call anyone a generational talent that lacks breakaway speed in today's game...

Generational Talents ...
Gayle Sayers was a generational Talent
OJ Simpson was a Generational Talent
Walter Payton was a generational Talent
Eric Dickerson was a generational Talent
Barry Sanders was a generational talent
Marshall Faulk was a generational talent
Adrian Peterson is/was a generational Talent

Leveon Bell is not /was not/never will be a generational talent IMO hell he is not even the best running back of his era
Yeah let's put it in perspective. Compare him to Terrell Davis. Careers are similar at this point. TD 8800 total yards and Bell 8000. If Bell has a career ending knee injury against the Browns, does he, like TD, get in the HOF? My guess would be no, not ever.

[pczach]

The difference is that Davis gained those 8800 yards in 7 seasons and his bust resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bell has 8000 yards in 5 seasons.

No player in the history of professional football averages as many yards from scrimmage per game at this stage of their careers. Not one.

He is an exceptional receiver. He is an exceptional blocker. He doesn't fumble like so many on that list of generational talents.

I still think many of you are underestimating what he has done to this point in his career.

It's OK to hate how he has handled this entire situation, but I continue to be amazed at how many fans are ready to just dismiss everything he does on the field....and I mean everything.

Adrian Peterson has become obsolete while Bell was redefining the RB position in the NFL and somehow he doesn't belong?

Running backs that can only run with the football and fumble 8-15 times a year are no longer needed. They have been replaced with all-around players that never need to come off the field, protect the most valuable asset to the team(The quarterback), and can catch the football and be a component of the passing game and run route trees.

Bell has become and defines what every team in the NFL wants. That's pretty generational to me.

Here I am defending him, and I hope they don't sign him. I'm sick of his contract crap.

[Dwinsgames]

The difference is that Davis gained those 8800 yards in 7 seasons and his bust resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bell has 8000 yards in 5 seasons.

No player in the history of professional football averages as many yards from scrimmage per game at this stage of their careers. Not one.

He is an exceptional receiver. He is an exceptional blocker. He doesn't fumble like so many on that list of generational talents.

I still think many of you are underestimating what he has done to this point in his career.

It's OK to hate how he has handled this entire situation, but I continue to be amazed at how many fans are ready to just dismiss everything he does on the field....and I mean everything.

Adrian Peterson has become obsolete while Bell was redefining the RB position in the NFL and somehow he doesn't belong?

Running backs that can only run with the football and fumble 8-15 times a year are no longer needed. They have been replaced with all-around players that never need to come off the field, protect the most valuable asset to the team(The quarterback), and can catch the football and be a component of the passing game and run route trees.

Bell has become and defines what every team in the NFL wants. That's pretty generational to me.

Here I am defending him, and I hope they don't sign him. I'm sick of his contract crap.


we have seen Bell show before its not a new series or episode guys have done what he does in the past and had better break away speed ..Tomlinson was a great rb , great pass catcher and fared well as a blocker if memory serves ( same with Faulk) in fact those guys where often spread out as a WR ...

not to argue but how is what Bell does differ ( except bell doesn't have take it to the house get away speed those guys had )

[43Hitman]

Barry Sanders - The Jimi Hendrix of football

[DesertSteel]

The difference is that Davis gained those 8800 yards in 7 seasons and his bust resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bell has 8000 yards in 5 seasons.

No player in the history of professional football averages as many yards from scrimmage per game at this stage of their careers. Not one.

He is an exceptional receiver. He is an exceptional blocker. He doesn't fumble like so many on that list of generational talents.

I still think many of you are underestimating what he has done to this point in his career.

It's OK to hate how he has handled this entire situation, but I continue to be amazed at how many fans are ready to just dismiss everything he does on the field....and I mean everything.

Adrian Peterson has become obsolete while Bell was redefining the RB position in the NFL and somehow he doesn't belong?

Running backs that can only run with the football and fumble 8-15 times a year are no longer needed. They have been replaced with all-around players that never need to come off the field, protect the most valuable asset to the team(The quarterback), and can catch the football and be a component of the passing game and run route trees.

Bell has become and defines what every team in the NFL wants. That's pretty generational to me.

Here I am defending him, and I hope they don't sign him. I'm sick of his contract crap.
You are really massaging TD's numbers and skewing them. TD only had 4 healthy seasons and he had nearly 8,000 yards in those 4 years. And he carried his team (literally) to two Super Bowls. Bell hasn't carried the Steelers anywhere. The last 3 years of TD were wrecked by injury.

If he is generational then he can walk away right now and be in the HOF... is that what you're saying? IMO, he's nowhere near a generational talent.

[pczach]

we have seen Bell show before its not a new series or episode guys have done what he does in the past and had better break away speed ..Tomlinson was a great rb , great pass catcher and fared well as a blocker if memory serves ( same with Faulk) in fact those guys where often spread out as a WR ...

not to argue but how is what Bell does differ ( except bell doesn't have take it to the house get away speed those guys had )


There are nuances to each players' games.

Faulk was the first guy when it came to being a receiver. He ran advanced route trees just like Bell does. He had elite speed and was a gamebreaker. He was a great player, no doubt. That said, he didn't play with anywhere near the power that Bell does. He wasn't the physical force Bell is between the tackles, and his lack of size sometimes hurt him in pass protection....but he was still a good blocker. He wasn't a guy that was handed the rock 30 times a game. He wasn't a banger. Again, splitting hairs between great players. Faulk wasn't going to consistently be met in the hole and drag multiple defenders for 3 or 4 yards. He would make some people miss and go 70 to the house, which Bell doesn't do, but he would also be stopped in the backfield or no gain on plays that Bell gets a couple yards. That is a big deal in the down and distance game even though nobody talks about it much. Faulk had 36 total fumbles in his career. Bell is on pace for about 20 in the same timeframe. This stuff matters. Faulk averaged 9.0 yards/reception, Bell 8.5. They both averaged 4.3/ carry. Both players had off the charts football IQ's.

Tomlinson was an explosive player that also was involved in the passing game. He didn't run the full route trees like Bell does. Most of his catches were simple dump offs, although he used his speed to run out-and-ups to get behind defenses and would run some receiver-like routes. He was a great runner that played with power and speed. He was a touchdown machine that was used a lot by his team. I still believe Bell plays with better power between the tackles and is a more complete receiver. Both block well, but nobody blocks the way Bell does. The guy almost never misses an assignment. Tomlinson had 30 fumbles in 11 seasons. Bell is on pace for about 18 in the same timeframe. Tomlinson averaged 7.6 yards per reception. Bell averages 8.5. They both average 4.3 yards/carry.

I just made two very quick assessments of two of the greatest running backs of all time, and there are clear comparisons to Bell. I just don't understand how you look at a guy that is used like both of those other HOF RB's, he is a better blocker than either of them, he turns the ball over less, he plays with more power than either of them, he runs the most complex route trees of any RB that I know of, he averages more yards from scrimmage than either one of them for his career which is no shock since he averages more yards from scrimmage per game than anyone that ever played the game through 5 seasons. He also doesn't get you the 70 yard TD run, but averages the same yards/carry as them. It speaks to what he does on every snap.

I guess I'm saying that I don't know how you don't consider him a great player when he has numbers that are as good or better than all-time great HOF players.

I'm not trying to argue. I'm simply stating facts with the numbers. Again, he has pissed me off as much as the next guy, but you just can't pretend that he didn't do what we all watched him do these last 5 seasons.

I totally get why people are pissed at him because I am too. If you think he isn't anything special...that's your opinion. I disagree, but I respect your position. I just think many are using the anger they feel for him to cloud their judgement of the player.

[pczach]

You are really massaging TD's numbers and skewing them. TD only had 4 healthy seasons and he had nearly 8,000 yards in those 4 years. And he carried his team (literally) to two Super Bowls. Bell hasn't carried the Steelers anywhere. The last 3 years of TD were wrecked by injury.

If he is generational then he can walk away right now and be in the HOF... is that what you're saying? IMO, he's nowhere near a generational talent.


So he was injury prone. People are complaining about Bell's suspensions and some injuries. Has he ever been anywhere near as fragile or unavailable as Davis was? Davis also had 1280 yards receiving in his entire career......I'll say that again...….in his entire career.

By the way, he played his entire career behind a now-banned blocking scheme that should have never been allowed in the NFL to begin with. If you understand what I just said, you need to know that it matters.
It also explains why all the backs they ever used in Denver succeeded with that blocking scheme and looked like Pro Bowl players.

Davis also fumbled 20 times in a very short career where you say he basically played 4 years. Bell has 5 seasons and only has 8 fumbles.

[Mojouw]

There are nuances to each players' games.

Faulk was the first guy when it came to being a receiver. He ran advanced route trees just like Bell does. He had elite speed and was a gamebreaker. He was a great player, no doubt. That said, he didn't play with anywhere near the power that Bell does. He wasn't the physical force Bell is between the tackles, and his lack of size sometimes hurt him in pass protection....but he was still a good blocker. He wasn't a guy that was handed the rock 30 times a game. He wasn't a banger. Again, splitting hairs between great players. Faulk wasn't going to consistently be met in the hole and drag multiple defenders for 3 or 4 yards. He would make some people miss and go 70 to the house, which Bell doesn't do, but he would also be stopped in the backfield or no gain on plays that Bell gets a couple yards. That is a big deal in the down and distance game even though nobody talks about it much. Faulk had 36 total fumbles in his career. Bell is on pace for about 20 in the same timeframe. This stuff matters. Faulk averaged 9.0 yards/reception, Bell 8.5. They both averaged 4.3/ carry. Both players had off the charts football IQ's.

Tomlinson was an explosive player that also was involved in the passing game. He didn't run the full route trees like Bell does. Most of his catches were simple dump offs, although he used his speed to run out-and-ups to get behind defenses and would run some receiver-like routes. He was a great runner that played with power and speed. He was a touchdown machine that was used a lot by his team. I still believe Bell plays with better power between the tackles and is a more complete receiver. Both block well, but nobody blocks the way Bell does. The guy almost never misses an assignment. Tomlinson had 30 fumbles in 11 seasons. Bell is on pace for about 18 in the same timeframe. Tomlinson averaged 7.6 yards per reception. Bell averages 8.5. They both average 4.3 yards/carry.

I just made two very quick assessments of two of the greatest running backs of all time, and there are clear comparisons to Bell. I just don't understand how you look at a guy that is used like both of those other HOF RB's, he is a better blocker than either of them, he turns the ball over less, he plays with more power than either of them, he runs the most complex route trees of any RB that I know of, he averages more yards from scrimmage than either one of them for his career which is no shock since he averages more yards from scrimmage per game than anyone that ever played the game through 5 seasons. He also doesn't get you the 70 yard TD run, but averages the same yards/carry as them. It speaks to what he does on every snap.

I guess I'm saying that I don't know how you don't consider him a great player when he has numbers that are as good or better than all-time great HOF players.

I'm not trying to argue. I'm simply stating facts with the numbers. Again, he has pissed me off as much as the next guy, but you just can't pretend that he didn't do what we all watched him do these last 5 seasons.

I totally get why people are pissed at him because I am too. If you think he isn't anything special...that's your opinion. I disagree, but I respect your position. I just think many are using the anger they feel for him to cloud their judgement of the player.

Bell’s YPC is even more impressive when you account for the fact that Tomlinson and Faulk did break long runs. That “inflates” average calculations. So Bell is matching their averages by consistently getting positive yardage.

[pczach]

Bell’s YPC is even more impressive when you account for the fact that Tomlinson and Faulk did break long runs. That “inflates” average calculations. So Bell is matching their averages by consistently getting positive yardage.



That was the point I was trying to make.

He turns so many dead plays into positive yards. I can't remember a back that turns so many bad plays into gains that keeps his team in great down and distance situations. I also keep bringing up how well he takes care of the football. Some of the best running backs give up an alarming number of fumbles. Bell does not, and that is HUGE. That is maybe the most underrated trait of any great running back that hardly gets discussed when talking about the big picture.