Great News: Ike Wants to Stay

[stillers4me]

A few nuggets worth pointing out from this (http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/05/10/ike-taylor-wants-to-remain-a-steeler/) KDKA interview with Ike Taylor, the man that holds the key to the Steelers’ 2011 Super Bowl hopes and dreams.

“For sure I would love to retire as a Steeler,” Taylor told KDKA’s Jory Rand (http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/05/10/ike-taylor-wants-to-remain-a-steeler/). “I ain’t just saying this to be saying this. Like I would love to retire (as a Steeler), but we’ll see how they feel about me. They know how I feel about the city of Pittsburgh. They know how I feel about the organization. We’ll see how they feel about me.”

Hey, I believe you, Ike. You made similar comments (http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/05/cpw-john-harris-quit-ike/) last fall and, frankly, I just can’t take somebody calling themselves David-Te’ very seriously (http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/04/odds-ends-draft-week-ike-taylor/).

Now it’s just a matter of the players and owners resolving this little issue of the CBA, and the Steelers can get on with free agency. (Along with 31 other teams, some in dire need of a quality cornerback … which also describes Pittsburgh.) I suspect Taylor’s the top priority although these things always come down to money. It’s a myth to say the Steelers are cheap; they’re not. They’ll loosen the velcro on the wallet, but they’re not the guy at the strip club who falls in love every weekend and every Monday morning heads to work once again broke — and broken hearted. (It’s a sad tale, especially if you have witnessed it first hand. Okay, it’s funny, too, but mostly sad.).......

Read more @ http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/05/ike-taylor-wants-stay-steelers/

[suitanim]

I hope he's sincere. However, he did just say about a month ago that free agency is "like hitting the lotto".

[Psycho Ward 86]

A lot of players say they want to stay with their respective teams...a lot of times it still doesn't happen :(

[7willBheaven]

I feel like its ground hog day...i swear I commented on this same thing in another thread about the same KDKA interview, hahaha

[st33lersguy]

Hopefully he stays because the steelers need him

[ALLD]

My money is on him staying because he is realy a #2 CB. If he could catch he might have had a better career.

[suitanim]

He would start on any NFL team. That qualifies as #1. Sorry, he is vastly underrated, and mostly because he CAN'T catch. That's while we'll probably keep him, as a #1, and every Steelers fans needs to be thankful for that...

[43Hitman]

He would start on any NFL team. That qualifies as #1. Sorry, he is vastly underrated, and mostly because he CAN'T catch. That's while we'll probably keep him, as a #1, and every Steelers fans needs to be thankful for that...

No it doesn't. He wouldn't start over Revis or Asomugha and probably not over Bailey either. That would make him a #2 on those teams.

[suitanim]

Ummmmm....that's my whole point. He's a number one because he'd be the number one on like 27 of 32 teams. Does he really have to be the BEST CB in the NFL to be a #1?

The problem is, for the people who continually undervalue Ike is that you just might get your wish...if we lose Ike, and don't sign a big-time FA (and we almost certainly won't), our defense will suffer a major downgrade next year.

He's a #1 CB, easily top-10, and maybe top-5 in the NFL. Those guys don't grow on trees, and if you have one, you resign him if at all possible.

[86WARD]

Taylor is very underrated...mainly because he's got no hands whatsoever! He's a number one CB in the NFL, not the best, but he's a #1 CB on more than a majority of the teams in the league...no doubt. He's shut down some of the better WRs and to say he's only a #2 is silly talk.

[43Hitman]

I never said I wanted him gone. I said your statement that because he's a starter that makes him a #1 CB, just isn't true.

Point in case. Is Bryant McFadden a #1 CB because he started? Hardly. How about William Gay?

[suitanim]

Neither of those guys would start on most NFL teams. Ike would. Being a starter on the #1 defense helps, but Ike would start on every NFL team, and be the #1 on most. Even if he was #2 on SOME teams, that does not relegate him to #2 overall status.

The Beauty of Ike is he is unappreciated, even at home. He never shows up in any top CB rankings, and it's always for the same reason: Lack of INT's. A CB's job is to limit the opposing WR's catches, and Ike is very effective at that. He is also an underrated tackler (and if that was figured into peoples accounting, he would pop-up in top-10 lists everywhere). He's got good size, great speed, and will come up and hit, which MANY CB's simply won't do (My 91 year old grandmother is more hard-nosed than Deion Sanders ever was).

Anyway, I'm not going to debate too hard on this subject because it's actually counter-intuitive. I WANT people thinking he's only a #2 so we can get him re-signed.

[tube517]

Swaggin

[SteelGhost]

Great news would be : "Ike SIGNED a 5 year contract with the Steelers" :pray:

[Steeldude]

he isn't saying he wants to stay. he is saying pay me a ridiculous amount of money and then i will want to stay.

[zulater]

A few nuggets worth pointing out from this KDKA interview with Ike Taylor, the man that holds the key to the Steelers’ 2011 Super Bowl hopes and dreams.

I like Ike, and hope he can be resigned at a fair and reasonalbe price to all. And I do agree that he's somewhat underrated from a league wide perspective. But sorry, I'm not buying that Ike holds the key to the Steelers Super Bowl chances. He's a bit player, he's not any more important than about 10 or 15 other guys.

[suitanim]

I like Ike, and hope he can be resigned at a fair and reasonalbe price to all. And I do agree that he's somewhat underrated from a league wide perspective. But sorry, I'm not buying that Ike holds the key to the Steelers Super Bowl chances. He's a bit player, he's not any more important than about 10 or 15 other guys.

Sorry, I don't buy that...outside of QB, I can't think of a single player who carries more INDIVIDUAL pressure than a CB. There's a reason they say CB's "play on an island". Of course you can scheme a little differently to cover up a glaring weakness at the position, but as we saw when Gay was starting at corner, teams will expose that weakness over time. By having a top-notch cover corner, you can pretty much trust him to eliminate the other teams top receiving threat without too much help from other positions. That's HUGE in the chess match, especially for a team like the Steelers that like to blitz.

[ALLD]

Taylor is going for a payday apparently. Maybe he will land with the Cards.

[SMR]

he isn't saying he wants to stay. he is saying pay me a ridiculous amount of money and then i will want to stay.

Exactly. He is kissing it up to the Steelers' FO and is hoping they will return the favor by paying him the BIG BUCKAROOS.


Great news would be : "Ike SIGNED a 5 year contract with the Steelers" :pray:

THAT would be the great news- not the "Ike Wants to Stay."

[GBMelBlount]

So what is Ike likely looking for vs. what the Steelers are likely willing to pay? 10 mil vs 5 mil a year?

[SMR]

So what is Ike likely looking for vs. what the Steelers are likely willing to pay? 10 mil vs 5 mil a year?

Seriously, if Ike really wants that much more than the Steelers would pay, I would honestly question Ike's true loyalty. Money is NOT everything!

[Psycho Ward 86]

Money is NOT everything!

Easy to say that when you don't have all of that cash flow on your plate. the NFL is a business too you know. If he leaves for bigger deals, it doesn't make him a douchebag.

[zulater]

Sorry, I don't buy that...outside of QB, I can't think of a single player who carries more INDIVIDUAL pressure than a CB. There's a reason they say CB's "play on an island". Of course you can scheme a little differently to cover up a glaring weakness at the position, but as we saw when Gay was starting at corner, teams will expose that weakness over time. By having a top-notch cover corner, you can pretty much trust him to eliminate the other teams top receiving threat without too much help from other positions. That's HUGE in the chess match, especially for a team like the Steelers that like to blitz.

I generally put my trust in the Steelers to know what's best for the Steelers. While I'm positive that they'd rather keep Ike than lose him, the fact that they let him get this far along in the proccess tells me that they don't believe his loss would be insurmountable. I'm hoping they figure out a way to keep him, but if they don't I'm not giving up on next season. Somehow they'll find a way to make it work, they nearly always do. .

[Sundance Kid]

He's a bit player, he's not any more important than about 10 or 15 other guys.
If Ike leaves, who's our top corner? McFadden. I'm not comfortable with that. The biggest knock on Ike is that he can't catch, which is fine as long as he stops the receivers he's covering from catching as well.

[SMR]

Easy to say that when you don't have all of that cash flow on your plate. the NFL is a business too you know. If he leaves for bigger deals, it doesn't make him a douchebag.

Of course I know this. It breaks my heart. I just wish more players would stop and count their blessings and think "when is enough money enough?" My respect for players who has taken a pay cut or two to remain with the team has grown. Players like Jerome Bettis and Derek Jeter, to name a few (too few, sadly). Just my two cents.

[zulater]

If Ike leaves, who's our top corner? McFadden. I'm not comfortable with that. The biggest knock on Ike is that he can't catch, which is fine as long as he stops the receivers he's covering from catching as well.


I'm sure the Steelers will have a competent corner by the start of the season.

[fansince'76]

I'm sure the Steelers will have a competent corner by the start of the season.

Wonder if Butler is ready to step up? :scratchchin:

[Sundance Kid]

I'm sure the Steelers will have a competent corner by the start of the season.

Trust me, I hope you're right. But how many "competent corners" have we had in the past 25 or so years? Everyone likes to criticize Ike because he can't can't catch an INT, but they don't give him the respect he deserves in shutting down WRs. As bad as our secondary has been, just imagine it without Ike. :doh2:

[Psycho Ward 86]

I'm sure the Steelers will have a competent corner by the start of the season.

"A" competent corner is all the Steelers have had for a while now :chuckle:. Good to have 3 of those nowadays

[tihmtahm]

I like Ike!!! make the retro button with Taylors face and run that around again.

[zulater]

Trust me, I hope you're right. But how many "competent corners" have we had in the past 25 or so years? Everyone likes to criticize Ike because he can't can't catch an INT, but they don't give him the respect he deserves in shutting down WRs. As bad as our secondary has been, just imagine it without Ike. :doh2:

It's not a matter of trusting me, it's all about trusting the Steelers to put the best team possible on the field come September ( or whenever the season starts) which historically is what they usually do. I can't sit here and tell you what's going to happen with Ike, but the fact is they could have tagged him instead of Lammar Woodley and the fact they didn't tells me they either think they have a good chance of resigning him, or that they have a viable plan B that will work as a short term fix until the yougsters are ready to play.

Maybe I'm wrong, but history tells us the Steelers know how to take care of business, I just can't buy into the sky is falling if Ike leaves routine that many are propagating.