Tomlin Can Fix This

[SteelerEmpire]

Tomlin the right man to help Steelers move past Harrison's rant

By Jason La Canfora NFL Network
NFL Network Insider
Published: July 14, 2011 at 01:51 p.m. Updated: July 14, 2011 at 03:06 p.m.

For some organizations, James Harrison's verbal barrage and outlandish statements would create some real inner turmoil. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, and particularly emboldened coach Mike Tomlin, I don't expect it to prompt much consternation.

LINK: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d820c5816/article/tomlin-the-right-man-to-help-steelers-move-past-harrisons-rant?module=HP_headlines

[stillers4me]

And for the most part, as bizarre as Harrison can be, his teammates seem to genuinely get him. That even includes those who found themselves on the wrong side of his rants. Harrison will work to make sure all fences are mended, and players such as safety Ryan Clark (http://www.nfl.com/players/ryanclark/profile?id=CLA544413) and linebacker LaMarr Woodley (http://www.nfl.com/players/lamarrwoodley/profile?id=WOO324724) already have made it clear they have their teammate's back. Their group is too strong for something like this to really divide them.
One Steelers source likened Harrison to a family's beloved crazy uncle, saying: "Everybody in this building loves him. The coaches love him, the players love him, the secretaries love him. He may say some crazy things, but he's our crazy guy. We love him."


:chuckle:

[86WARD]

Look his statements are moronic, idiotic, uneducated, the list goes on and on. But the players on this team know James. They've been with him for the long haul. This isn't going to kill the team...I'm not even sure it will be a bump in the road. Obviously the media is trying to blow this up to the point there is going to be an implosion in the locker-room. I think between the players...this shit is already done and over with. The Rooney's will address this. They'll address Hines. They'll address Mendenhall. Slaps on the wrists. No suspensions. No fines. It will be addressed if this shit happens again.

I love that people are calling for the Steelers to just out right cut him...lol.

[GBMelBlount]

Sometimes adversity strengthens a team. That is how I view the Steelers.

In fact I think they thrive on it.

Bring it...

[Count Steeler]

Oh how I hope the agreement is done this weekend. Let's get to some football. I hate the off season.

[BigNastyDefense]

While I generally agree with Harrison's statements, making them public were stupid.

And while I wish he would have kept his comments about his teammates private, it's not like what he said about them was that bad. Ben, while a very good QB, is known for making bad decisions with the football at times. When Favre did it he was a "gunslinger," when Ben does it he's called "stupid."

Mendenhall, while not having a fumble problem last season (two fumbles in a 300+ carry regular season), is known a a fumbler because of the start of his career and his fumble that really turned the Super Bowl to the Packers favor. While I believe that the SB fumble was a great play by Matthews instead of a bad play by Mendy...a lot of people feel that Mendy could have not fumbled that ball.

In the end, this won't tear the Steelers apart. If anything they will rally around this and kick ass all season.

[SteelerFanInStl]

I love that people are calling for the Steelers to just out right cut him...lol.

Not just people but people here on this forum. It's ridiculous if you ask me.

[zulater]

Not just people but people here on this forum. It's ridiculous if you ask me.

Joey Porter was cut before the 2007 season for becoming a pain in the ass, he went on and had a couple excellent seasons after leaving the Steelers, so there is precedent for that sort of thinking. Granted there's no surefire replacement in the wings this time, so it's probably a long shot that it would happen now. But if Jason Worldis or any other young linebacker shows themselves capable of making the jump in 2012 you can bet Harrison will be treading on some thin ice going into that season. So it's not ridiculous, you can't have a team that's dividing itself among units. Defensive players need to respect the fact that offensive players will make mistakes and vise versa. I mean hell, I can find you plays where Harrison or Troy have free lanced and made game changing plays for the positive, and I can also show you plays where they gambled and got burned big time, plays where if they had stayed at home or played it safe they would have prevented the touchdown. But that's the trade-off you sometimes make with brillaint players, if you take away their right to free lance they aren't the same players. So why can't Harrison respect the same to be true for the offense? Was he complaining when Ben threw from endzone in week 6 against the Browns for a huge gainer? If you always play it safe you become predictable and stagnate.

In the end you can't have your quarterback being questioned by a supposed team leader every time he makes a mistake. A quarterback looking over his shoulder or hearing whispers in the locker room will diminish in no time flat. If Harrison is becoming a clubhouse lawyer and making or attempting to make divisions in the team he simply has to go, be it by trade or release. So it's up to Tomlin to determine where things stand, and which direction they're going and proceed accordingly.

[steel striker]

I'm sure Tomlin will address this and, we will move on. Now if this type of thing continues then James will be gone. Still I think with Tomlin and The Rooney's this will be handled end of story. Plus the media like always blowing every story out of control as well. I know this did not look good but, it is time to move on.

[Dino 6 Rings]

Fix what?

The only thing that Needs "Fixed" Is my name, cause its Supposed to be Dino 7 Rings but we Failed at our Mission.

[SteelerFanInStl]

Joey Porter was cut before the 2007 season for becoming a pain in the ass, he went on and had a couple excellent seasons after leaving the Steelers, so there is precedent for that sort of thinking. Granted there's no surefire replacement in the wings this time, so it's probably a long shot that it would happen now. But if Jason Worldis or any other young linebacker shows themselves capable of making the jump in 2012 you can bet Harrison will be treading on some thin ice going into that season. So it's not ridiculous, you can't have a team that's dividing itself among units. Defensive players need to respect the fact that offensive players will make mistakes and vise versa. I mean hell, I can find you plays where Harrison or Troy have free lanced and made game changing plays for the positive, and I can also show you plays where they gambled and got burned big time, plays where if they had stayed at home or played it safe they would have prevented the touchdown. But that's the trade-off you sometimes make with brillaint players, if you take away their right to free lance they aren't the same players. So why can't Harrison respect the same to be true for the offense? Was he complaining when Ben threw from endzone in week 6 against the Browns for a huge gainer? If you always play it safe you become predictable and stagnate.

In the end you can't have your quarterback being questioned by a supposed team leader every time he makes a mistake. A quarterback looking over his shoulder or hearing whispers in the locker room will diminish in no time flat. If Harrison is becoming a clubhouse lawyer and making or attempting to make divisions in the team he simply has to go, be it by trade or release. So it's up to Tomlin to determine where things stand, and which direction they're going and proceed accordingly.

I don't disagree with what you're saying but it's not like as if James has been repeatedly doing this. To say that the Steelers should outright cut James after this one time is ridiculous.