Steelers Reportedly Won’t Bring Back WR Hines Ward

[SteelGhost]

Wow! Now an "anti-Ben-to-Ward-in-favor-of-the-Arians-favored(I'm guessing)-long-ball-conspiracy"!

Sweet! I can't wait to see what's next!

Hey Suit, no conspiracy here

[GoSlash27]

I'll pay that one you funny prick

You definitely have a way with words.

PS: every time your got buttF8cked in prison did you thank Hines for the new memories or did you just remember the old ones.

Isnt that an old chinese proverb - for every hit in the ass you give you shall receive it back ten fold by your big prison daddy

Now, now... don't be sore. He is, indeed, a "funny prick". That's his strong suit. You inadvertently inspired him to create the funniest thing I've read this year.

[Butch]

I saw a lot of plays where Hines was open. Ben just refused to take the 5 yard gain, instead he wanted the deep ball to Wallace and ended up getting sacked. Think about it, Hines is old so he's not running far or over the middle, but he's there. If Hines got the ball more, it would cause the safeties to honor him along with the TE and free up the wideouts.

Yep I saw many times where Hines was open and Ben didn't throw to him. For those who say Hines hasn't performed like in the past I would like to know how many times he was targeted this year, compared to how he did in past years. I'll have to see if I can find something on that.

[ALLD]

Hines was dropping 2yd passes one yard behind the line of scrimmage. Many times he was initially targeted this way and then never got it together the rest of the game. It seemed like his mental game never showed up this season. You just can't wing it and hope to be successful on a regular basis. The game did not speed up so much as he slowed way down. Not exclusively his foot speed, but how to get open, where he was supposed to be and critically, his hand/eye coordination.

[Butch]

Hines was dropping 2yd passes one yard behind the line of scrimmage. Many times he was initially targeted this way and then never got it together the rest of the game. It seemed like his mental game never showed up this season. You just can't wing it and hope to be successful on a regular basis. The game did not speed up so much as he slowed way down. Not exclusively his foot speed, but how to get open, where he was supposed to be and critically, his hand/eye coordination.

Dropped passes hmmm do you think he dropped more than Heath I saw him drop many very catchable passes this year??? As for getting open I re-iterate he was open in many of the late games and was never targeted, not sure why he was not thrown to when Heath was if it was about dropped passes.

Don't get me wrong I don't want to get rid of Heath just using him as an example.

[suitanim]

I saw lots of guys running open all year. The QB can only throw to one-at-a-time. Throwing the ball down the field a few times a game is a good idea because:
A) It sometimes works (Wallace had quite a few of these)
B) It keeps a D honest
C) Even if it's picked off, a 40 yard bomb INT can still change field position in a net positive way

[crcsnail]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shu...rn=nfl,wp18878

mmm dont like the photo in this link

[Dino 6 Rings]

Charlie Batch, Injured Aaron Smith, Antwan Randle El...the list goes on. They've kept lesser dead weight on the roster in the past...it wouldn't be a surprise if he stayed.

yep, and maybe, just maybe, Ward could also hold on FGs and PATs so we can at least pretend to have a fake in our playbook...no one is going to honor a fcking Punter as the holder...ever...just saying. (that's a little joke about my hatred of having the punter hold that I've been against since forever)

[Dino 6 Rings]

[QUOTE=O'Malley;263819]

Polamalu,woodley...[/QUOTE

Want to have for a while...

go Old School, retired player. Lambert, Mean Joe, Harris, Bradshaw, or even Bettis. I currently have Mean Joe, Bettis, Bradshaw and Polamalu.

[SteelMember]

Looks like Cook was inspired to "tell it like it is" in this morning's PG.

It's time to realize Steelers owe Ward nothing

http://postgazette.com/pg/12045/1210001-87.stm

[SteelMember]

Trust me, I am a BIG Hines Ward fan. I love what he's done, and how he's represented this team. I would hate to see him go, but I don't think there's any way he can compete with our younger and faster group of WR's. Should we really consider keeping him on the roster for +/- 1 million to be a possible 5th wideout who may not even dress game days? Would that really make us better or give us the best chance to win?

[suitanim]

This is right and wrong: The Steelers don't owe Ward anything in the future. But they do owe him respect now. And by respect, I just mean handling his situation properly.

If he wants to play, lower his salary accordingly and give him a shot to make the roster. But someone, probably Tomlin, needs to sit down and have a man-to-man talk with him. If he comes in and can't cut it, he won't make the team simply out of sentimentality or past accomplishments. The Steelers HAVE rewarded past performance versus future realities a couple times in the past and it has come back to haunt them.

There's also no need for the fans to be divided over this issue, too. Whether you think he should retire (as I do) or not, I don't think anyone is siding with denying the guy a shot if that's what he wants and if he understands all the conditions.

[crcsnail]

Looks like Cook was inspired to "tell it like it is" in this morning's PG.



http://postgazette.com/pg/12045/1210001-87.stm

i am also a huge hines fan . he is my fav player . but that article tells it like it is . i somehow hope he comes back for one more year but i doubt it

[Austin87]

This is right and wrong: The Steelers don't owe Ward anything in the future. But they do owe him respect now. And by respect, I just mean handling his situation properly.

If he wants to play, lower his salary accordingly and give him a shot to make the roster. But someone, probably Tomlin, needs to sit down and have a man-to-man talk with him. If he comes in and can't cut it, he won't make the team simply out of sentimentality or past accomplishments. The Steelers HAVE rewarded past performance versus future realities a couple times in the past and it has come back to haunt them.

There's also no need for the fans to be divided over this issue, too. Whether you think he should retire (as I do) or not, I don't think anyone is siding with denying the guy a shot if that's what he wants and if he understands all the conditions.

Agree 100%. Good post.

[SteelGhost]

Agree 100%. Good post.

+ 1

[Butch]

I saw lots of guys running open all year. The QB can only throw to one-at-a-time. Throwing the ball down the field a few times a game is a good idea because:
A) It sometimes works (Wallace had quite a few of these)
B) It keeps a D honest
C) Even if it's picked off, a 40 yard bomb INT can still change field position in a net positive way

Here's why it's bad.
A) 3 and outs kill the D
B) Ben seldom connects on the long bombs to Wallace or any other receiver
C) Longer drives help out D and hurt theirs

Yes the QB can only throw to one receiver but to not get a single pass to one receiver is beyond ridiculous especially when the receiver is wide open and the guy Ben passes to is not or the pass is under or over thrown.

As for Hines making the team he's the one who always comes to camp with his name taped to his helmet until he makes the team. I don't think Hines would expect anything other than that. If given that chance I trust Hines would make the catches to impress those who doubt him and therefore make the team on the up and up not just something that was given to him.

[86WARD]

So with Ward theoretically gone, that leaves Brown and Sanders as the only two receivers on the team. Went from one of the strongest units in the league to one that is very thin and now very raw because of the new offense that is being installed.

[fansince'76]

So with Ward theoretically gone, that leaves Brown and Sanders as the only two receivers on the team.

Has Wallace signed a deal with someone else I don't know about?

[Count Steeler]

Has Wallace signed a deal with someone else I don't know about?

No, but we have been so "optimistic" on this forum recently, that of course we would believe he won't remain a Steeler.

Come on fellow Steelers fans, let's ditch the doom and gloom. I for one am excited to see the changes coming this off season. Looking forward to a great season next year.

[fansince'76]

No, but we have been so "optimistic" on this forum recently, that of course we would believe he won't remain a Steeler.

True. People treated it as a foregone conclusion that Omar Khan was as good as gone to the Rams a few days ago too.

[suitanim]

Here's why it's bad.
A) 3 and outs kill the D
B) Ben seldom connects on the long bombs to Wallace or any other receiver
C) Longer drives help out D and hurt theirs

Yes the QB can only throw to one receiver but to not get a single pass to one receiver is beyond ridiculous especially when the receiver is wide open and the guy Ben passes to is not or the pass is under or over thrown.

As for Hines making the team he's the one who always comes to camp with his name taped to his helmet until he makes the team. I don't think Hines would expect anything other than that. If given that chance I trust Hines would make the catches to impress those who doubt him and therefore make the team on the up and up not just something that was given to him.

I said a few times a game.

So now we need to take the long ball out of the playbook, too? Christ, Haley won't have much to work with...

[86WARD]

True. People treated it as a foregone conclusion that Omar Khan was as good as gone to the Rams a few days ago too.

No he hasn't and hes not under contract in Pittsburgh either. But as i said in another thread, the direction this is going, the Steelers need to be very careful with what they do with him and what they pay him. It's gonna have a HUGE impact with how the two guys coming up behind him are handled. Ideally you'd like to keep all three in a perfect world, but a case can be made that Brown is a better receiver than Wallace and would you want to pay him more than Wallace when that time comes? Can you afford it?

[Butch]

I said a few times a game.

So now we need to take the long ball out of the playbook, too? Christ, Haley won't have much to work with...

Maybe if Ben could connect on it more consistantly it would be a more effective weapon.

Also my point was not so much removing the long bomb as it was not throwing a single pass to a receiver who was wide open more than a few times when Ben decided not to pass to him. It's not always long balls as much as it was just not passing to Hines for an entire game sometimes Passing to guys who were covered over a wide open Hines. I don't buy the argument that Hines was dropping passes was the reason. He passed to Heath who dropped some very catchable passes but it didn't cause Ben to ignore him for an entire game.

[zulater]

Maybe if Ben could connect on it more consistantly it would be a more effective weapon.

Also my point was not so much removing the long bomb as it was not throwing a single pass to a receiver who was wide open more than a few times when Ben decided not to pass to him. It's not always long balls as much as it was just not passing to Hines for an entire game sometimes Passing to guys who were covered over a wide open Hines. I don't buy the argument that Hines was dropping passes was the reason. He passed to Heath who dropped some very catchable passes but it didn't cause Ben to ignore him for an entire game.

Ward wasn't open nearly as often as you think. Ben had no anti Ward bias. Sure he didn't see him every time he was open. But that's true of every receiver you have. You only have one ball, it just works out that way.

Ward just wasn't his the same player last year as he's been in past seasons. Even his blocking wasn't up to his normal standards. The coaches have no anti Ward agenda, Ben has no anti Ward agenda, Butch you're the one with an agenda. Your fandom of Hines has blurred your vision. He dropped to 5th on the depth chart, because that's where his play put him.

He was a great Steeler. But now it's time for him to move on.

[Butch]

Ward wasn't open nearly as often as you think. Ben had no anti Ward bias. Sure he didn't see him every time he was open. But that's true of every receiver you have. You only have one ball, it just works out that way.

Ward just wasn't his the same player last year as he's been in past seasons. Even his blocking wasn't up to his normal standards. The coaches have no anti Ward agenda, Ben has no anti Ward agenda, Butch you're the one with an agenda. Your fandom of Hines has blurred your vision. He dropped to 5th on the depth chart, because that's where his play put him.

He was a great Steeler. But now it's time for him to move on.

Oh I'll freely admit there is no bigger Hines fan than me, that being said I can understand not passing to Hines every time he's open but he was not passed to even once for an entire game not once. So am I to believe he couldn't get open more than a few times in an entire game??? You can knock me for being a fan of Hines but maybe I'm also watching him more than someone who was willing to write him off the team before the season was over.

[zulater]

Oh I'll freely admit there is no bigger Hines fan than me, that being said I can understand not passing to Hines every time he's open but he was not passed to even once for an entire game not once. So am I to believe he couldn't get open more than a few times in an entire game??? You can knock me for being a fan of Hines but maybe I'm also watching him more than someone who was willing to write him off the team before the season was over.

I'm not knocking you. Feel free to see it as you wish. Just don't be surprised if Hines is gone and has trouble finding another team.

[suitanim]

Even an incomplete bomb still keeps the defense honest. It'd be different oif we threw 10 a game and only completed one every three games.

As Ed Reed pointed out "In the NFL, basically every play is just setting up another play".

[katmandu]

I can understand not passing to Hines every time he's open but he was not passed to even once for an entire game not once.

So am I to believe he couldn't get open more than a few times in an entire game???

No. You are correct Sir.

Ben's eyes are FAR-sighted and he obviously needs glasses to see things CLOSER to him...... like WIDE RECEIVERS !!!!!!!