Report: Le’Veon Bell Showed Up Late To Jaguars Game, Missed Nearly All Of Saturday’s Walkthrough

[Shoes]

I wouldn't even offer this dumbass a contract, play your last year and hit the road!



BY ALEX KOZORA JANUARY 19, 2018 AT 10:58 AM
There is certain to be drama and tension between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Le’Veon Bell this offseason. Bell is again adamant about wanting a long-term deal while it still seems likely the team puts the franchise tag on him. But it appears that tension existed before the offseason began. Ed Bouchette has a couple interesting nuggets of info in his State of the Steelers wrap up article.
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/01...s-walkthrough/

[st33lersguy]

Could they slap the franchise tag of him, try and trade him then rescind it when free agency hits. I know it sounds far-fetched and may be impossible, but they try and sucker some dumb team into trading for him and then if not, rescind the tag and free up the capspace. I certainly wouldn't let him in the locker room again

[BlackAndGold]

Things need to be changed in the locker room. Too much of this is happening.

If I'm Tomlin, I start going after these guys bank accounts when they start acting up.

Harrison sleeping during meetings, Bryant situation(seems resolved), and now Bell showing up late when it's the playoffs.

[teegre]

Tag him.

Trade him to the Browns for the 33rd pick in the draft.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Le’Veon Bell blew off the Steelers' last walk-through — and more from a wild season

ED BOUCHETTE
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
JAN 19, 2018

Bell performed as well as expected in 2017 and made All-Pro again. But he also threatened to sit out the year if they put the franchise tag on him for the second time. That tag will be 20 percent higher than last year’s $12.12 million, so make it $14.57.

It’s probably an idle threat, but the Steelers have to be reaching a point where they ask, is he worth it? He turned down their offer last year of a contract that would have paid him more than $12 million on average per year and more than $30 million in the first two. The next highest-paid backs earn $8.5 million per year. His agent wanted to take it, Bell did not.

So what’s to make anyone think they can come to terms on a multiple-year deal this time? If they can’t, using that franchise tag would stress their salary cap because it all would count against it in 2018. Over The Cap pegs their cap room at $2.7 million, pending a rise in the cap, for their top 51 contracts (the only ones who count in the offseason). That does not include Bell.

If they do reach the breaking point, they could use that $14.57 million elsewhere — or not make moves to find the room — and draft another halfback in the first or second round. If Bell leaves as a free agent, the Steelers would receive a compensatory draft pick in 2019, perhaps in the third round.

It’s possible Le’Veon Bell will not play for the Steelers in 2018.

to read rest of article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...s/201801180124

[Edman]

I want to cast the blame on Bell, but this has been more of an indicator on Tomlin than anything else. He fosters a clubhouse and not a team. This more of less explains why the team continues to underperform against inferior teams.

The Jacksonville loss cast a big spotlight on Mike Tomlin as a coach.

[DesertSteel]

I’m on record that I’ll be happy to move on from him. He can take his 4.0 ypc and pedestrian speed to a team like the Browns or the Bucs. His best days are over.

[Edman]

I’m on record that I’ll be happy to move on from him. He can take his 4.0 ypc and pedestrian speed to a team like the Browns or the Bucs. His best days are over.

Just like that good for nothing cancer James Harrison needed to go, right? Its easy to point the finger at the players and not the source: the culture in that locker room.

The true cancer with this team is Mike Tomlin.

[BlackAndGold]

Just like that good for nothing cancer James Harrison needed to go, right? Its easy to point the finger at the players and not the source: the culture in that locker room.

The true cancer with this team is Mike Tomlin.

[Mojouw]

Like everything else in life, this is troubling but not conclusive of anything without context. Key unknown questions include: Was Bell excused? Did Bell have prior discussions or communication with the team on Saturday?
The timing of arrivals prior to kick-off appears to have been ignored by multiple players and multiple coaches multiple times over the course of the season - makes one wonder what kind of "policy" it actually is.

Long story short, this is another half-assed article by Bouchette. How well placed was his "source"? Does that source actually know WTF he is talking about?

I'm gonna reserve freaking out and making definitive declarations about the state of the team until some more information comes out. Remember when Bryant was apparently "missing" from practices and everyone reported he faked calling in sick and it turns out he was just doing his counseling that the team totally knew about before-hand? Yeah.

[Craic]

Like everything else in life, this is troubling but not conclusive of anything without context. Key unknown questions include: Was Bell excused? Did Bell have prior discussions or communication with the team on Saturday?
The timing of arrivals prior to kick-off appears to have been ignored by multiple players and multiple coaches multiple times over the course of the season - makes one wonder what kind of "policy" it actually is.

Long story short, this is another half-assed article by Bouchette. How well placed was his "source"? Does that source actually know WTF he is talking about?

I'm gonna reserve freaking out and making definitive declarations about the state of the team until some more information comes out. Remember when Bryant was apparently "missing" from practices and everyone reported he faked calling in sick and it turns out he was just doing his counseling that the team totally knew about before-hand? Yeah.

Yep. This may be very bad and more indication of an attitude that Bell just doesn't care and thinks way to highly of himself. Or, this may be an article completely missing context. Maybe Bell was completely excused, but he busted his rear-end to get to the walkthrough to at least touch bases with the team.

Best to wait until more information comes out.

[DesertSteel]

Just like that good for nothing cancer James Harrison needed to go, right? Its easy to point the finger at the players and not the source: the culture in that locker room.

The true cancer with this team is Mike Tomlin.

Yeah Tomlin is a cancer. That’s a joke.

[AtlantaDan]

The true cancer with this team is Mike Tomlin.

Based on more knowledge than I care to have learned about that disease if Tomlin is a team cancer it is curable stage one level and the vast majority of teams in the league would like to get something similar

This from today's Ringer column from Bill Simmons (who has taken his shots at Tomlin over the years)

Can we start referring to Mike Tomlin as what he is ... a great college coach? Great college coaches are excellent recruiters, terrific motivators but the vast majority of them (I would argue 90 percent) are terrible in-game coaches.
—Nick Ewertz
BS: Except Tomlin won a Super Bowl, has a career record of 124-67 (including playoffs) and never finished below .500 in any season. If you could have any active coach lead your playoff-ready team for one season, you’re choosing from this list: Bill Belichick, Mike Zimmer, Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin, Doug Marrone, Sean McVay, Pete Carroll, John Harbaugh and Andy Reid if you absolutely hate yourself.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/1...-brady-bortles

But since I guess you think the cancer needs to be removed who would you hire to replace him (spoiler alert - successful head coaches are not on the market), including any new HC hired so far in this hiring cycle?

How well placed was his "source"? Does that source actually know WTF he is talking about?

My guess is the same source who said Haley had a broken pelvis after spending New Years Eve at Tequila Cowboy (a story regarding the extent of Haley's injuries which received no pushback as being false after it was published - the happy talk passing as a police report was issued prior to Bouchette's story )

Since my guess is players have little to do with Bouchette I assume it is a front office type - my followup question is who is the coach who showed up late - Porter or Haley?

As another example, Tomlin wants players and coaches to report to the locker room two hours before kickoff for games. That was continually ignored by both players and a coach or two.

Not only did Bell arrive much later than that for the playoff game against Jacksonville (as well as one coach)

[Fire Goodell]

Tag him.

Trade him to the Browns for the 33rd pick in the draft.

I don't think even the Browns would go for that. They have to pick up his price tag AND a 2nd rounder (which for them, is essentially a late 1st rounder value )

[Mojouw]

Based on more knowledge than I care to have learned about that disease if Tomlin is a team cancer it is curable stage one level and the vast majority of teams in the league would like to get something similar

Since I guess you think the cancer needs to be removed who would you hire to replace him (spoiler alert - successful head coaches are not on the market), including any new HC hired so far in this hiring cycle?




My guess is the same source who said Haley had a broken pelvis after spending New Years Eve at Tequila Cowboy (a story regarding the extent of Haley's injuries which received no pushback as being false after it was published - the happy talk passing as a police report was issued prior to Bouchette's story )

Since my guess is players have little to do with Bouchette I assume it is a front office type - my followup question is who is the coach who showed up late - Porter or Haley?

As another example, Tomlin wants players and coaches to report to the locker room two hours before kickoff for games. That was continually ignored by both players and a coach or two.

Not only did Bell arrive much later than that for the playoff game against Jacksonville (as well as one coach)

Which makes me all the more suspicious that Bouchette's "source" doesn't know what they are talking about. I mean unless I was mistaken, Haley's hip was clearly not "shattered". More and more the "source" seems like someone who is not really as informed as they think they are and exaggerates things more than a little. So maybe Skippy the Assistant to the Assistant Towel Boy?

[AtlantaDan]

Which makes me all the more suspicious that Bouchette's "source" doesn't know what they are talking about. I mean unless I was mistaken, Haley's hip was clearly not "shattered". More and more the "source" seems like someone who is not really as informed as they think they are and exaggerates things more than a little. So maybe Skippy the Assistant to the Assistant Towel Boy?

Or someone with an ax to grind against Bell for burning them in contract negotiations last summer after the agent allegedly indicated to the Steelers they had a deal (another Bouchette story presumably from the same source - http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...s/201708180164) who dislikes Haley (admittedly that includes most everyone with the organization)

Sometimes the "towel boy" as source provides plausible deniability for the person with first hand knowledge who wants a buffer - note the Steelers never pushed back on Bouchette's story they had a deal with Bell last summer even though the agent did - that to me indicates a direct or indirect link to someone fairly tuned in to operations

[Edman]

Yeah Tomlin is a cancer. That’s a joke.

It's getting harder and harder each day to defend the guy when he has done next to nothing to show for it.

The Steelers as a team act like their **** doesn't stink, as Jacksonville comes out of nowhere and kicks their asses twice. Mike Tomlin has cultivated a culture of arrogance in that locker room, when they have nothing to earn the right to be arrogant. They have done a great job being New England's ***** and getting their faces punched in twice by a 10-6 Jaguars team though.

This team listens to their own press clippings, go into games with the idea that they'll win by just showing up, and constantly not ready to play and are ill-prepared. They pull wins out of their asses against crap teams (Packers, Bengals, Colts Ravens II) and think they're invincible.

[Craic]

It's getting harder and harder each day to defend the guy when he has done next to nothing to show for it.

The Steelers as a team act like their **** doesn't stink, as Jacksonville comes out of nowhere and kicks their asses twice. Mike Tomlin has cultivated a culture of arrogance in that locker room, when they have nothing to earn the right to be arrogant. They have done a great job being New England's ***** and getting their faces punched in twice by a 10-6 Jaguars team though.

This team listens to their own press clippings, go into games with the idea that they'll win by just showing up, and constantly not ready to play and are ill-prepared. They pull wins out of their asses against crap teams (Packers, Bengals, Colts Ravens II) and think they're invincible.

Wait a second.

Are we talking about the same team that went 13-3 with one of those losses coming from a TD removed by an official against the Pats? The same team that lost their best LB halfway through the season and their best CB for over a third of the season? The same team that, despite numerous distractions from disgruntled employees, put it all behind them to win the AFCN and have the second best record in the AFC this year? The same team whose coach benched Bryant, which shut him up and got him to focus on his game? The same team whose offense dropped 42 points on the best defense in the NFL this year?

Look, I know we're disappointed that we didn't get back to the AFCCG this year. However, disappointment in a failed defense is a far cry from Tomlin being a cancer.

[lipps83]

I like Tomlin, he can stick around. Sure, he has stinkers here and there, every coach does. The list of coaches better than him is very, very small and none of them are available.

Back on topic, Bell and his ego can go. Great player, not worth the money he wants or even a portion of it. Yes, this team can win a Super Bowl without him, the franchise won 6 and appeared in 8 that he wasn't a part of. Altogether since the NFL merger, there have been over 50 Super Bowl wins and 100 appearances that Le'Veon Bell was not a part of. It can be done, the statistics prove that Bell is not imperative to a Super Bowl appearance or victory by any team at any point in time. Two teams will appear in this years Super Bowl, and Bell is on neither team.

If the Steelers can make two Super Bowls with Willie Parker and Mendenhall, they can do it without Bell. Parker's and Mendenhall's are easy to get, there are 52 other dressed players that matter on if a team wins the Super Bowl, not JUST ONE.

[AtlantaDan]

This is the 2017 season performance of the man who turned down a huge deal last summer and wants even more

From Gerry Dulac's end of season grades

For all his production, Bell was little more than a plodding runner who gained yards grudgingly late in the season. He had just one 100-yard game and only one run longer than 18 yards in the last 10 games. His season per-carry average of 4.0 was his lowest since his rookie year.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2018/01/19/gerry-dulac-report-card-steelers-2017-season-ben-roethlisberger-mike-tomlin-le-veon-bell/stories/201801190140

Another assessment

He does not break open games. His longest carry in 15 games this season went for 27 yards, and he had just three runs of more than 20 yards. Among the league’s top backs, only Indianapolis’ 34-year-old Frank Gore had a shorter season-long run, and 26 backs had more runs of 20-plus yards.

Although it is often said Bell possesses receiver skills so exceptional he could operate as an extra wideout, he rarely functions in that role. His receptions consisted primarily of check-downs by Ben Roethlisberger and produced an average gain of 7.7 yards. Among backs who caught at least 50 passes, that figure tied for eighth place.

Most damning, though, is that Bell does not impose his will upon the defense. He averaged 4.0 yards per carry in 2017, tied for 10th among the league’s top 15 rushers. He carried 321 times, and fully 15 percent of those attempts went for no gain or negative yardage. Add in those that produced fewer than 3 yards — and subtract his three 1-yard touchdowns and six converted first downs — and the share of failed runs rises to 39 percent.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news...i186bdoj7jkovi

Bell by most objective measures is in decline - I always thought the only option for 2018 was to tag him but with all the drama, another holdout through at least the first regular season game, and declining performance the Steelers may roll the dice and let someone else overpay for a long term deal.

[86WARD]

No one knows why he showed up at these times. They may be excused. It’s silly to just assume that he’s just showing up whenever he wants without any sort of repercussions. I’m sure if he was just going and doing whatever he wants, there would be some sort of punishment. He’s got this giant me first, larger than the team ego. Silly. No one but the Steelers know the story. If it’s true, he should’ve been benched...I tend to believe that it’s something that is a non-story. I mean...look at who “broke the story”. Douchette...need I say more?

What I find more disturbing is who put the story out there to douchette and why do the Steelers allow douchette to cover them? Time and time again, this asshat jams up the team and front office.

[AtlantaDan]

What I find more disturbing is who put the story out there to douchette and why do the Steelers allow douchette to cover them? Time and time again, this asshat jams up the team and front office.

The Post-Gazette is not the official stenographic service for the Steelers - you can go to Steelers.com to read what is subject to the editorial control of the Steelers

Is your position the Steelers should be able to tell local media who can or cannot cover the team when any piece is not fanboy coverage or a strict recitation of what happened on the field?

Someone in the organization is not happy with Bell (this latest story - Bell's agent saying he would take the deal last summer) and wants to send a shot at Bell. It is not Bouchette's job to self-censor information he and his editors think to be accurate. If the Steelers want to claim what Bouchette or anyone else reports is not true they have the megaphone to get their story out

FWIW ESPN confirmed Bell was late to the walk through last Saturday

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22155347

[Born2Steel]

Tag him.

Trade him to the Browns for the 33rd pick in the draft.

Tag him, trade him to the Redskins(puts Cousins and Bell together again) for Kerrigan(OLB).

[Mojouw]

Wait? The Jags came out of nowhere? I mean if that's the starting point... nevermind. I just can't do it today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[86WARD]

The Post-Gazette is not the official stenographic service for the Steelers - you can go to Steelers.com to read what is subject to the editorial control of the Steelers

Is your position the Steelers should be able to tell local media who can or cannot cover the team when any piece is not fanboy coverage or a strict recitation of what happened on the field?

Someone in the organization is not happy with Bell (this latest story - Bell's agent saying he would take the deal last summer) and wants to send a shot at Bell. It is not Bouchette's job to self-censor information he and his editors think to be accurate. If the Steelers want to claim what Bouchette or anyone else reports is not true they have the megaphone to get their story out

FWIW ESPN confirmed Bell was late to the walk through last Saturday

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22155347

The Steelers don’t have to issue credentials to Bouchette if they don’t want to. If the guy is putting shit stories out there, “fake news” and lazy journalism as he’s done in the past couple/few years, why give him access to your organization? To create unnecessary distractions? The Steelers have no obligation to the Post-Gazette or Bouchette to give them access. They can revoke that at any time.

There’s been no confirmation that Bell’s tardiness was inexcusable. None at all.

[Iron Steeler]

The talent has carried the success of this team. And Tomlin has to be created for that at least. X's and O's , game planning, and in game coaching I have never been impressed.

If a Cowher, Coughlin , Saban type had this talent , we would have 10 superbowls.

We obviously haven't got this incredibly talented team to "buy in" to the coaches method or culture. I am not sure what Tomlins culture is.

But the bell curve is dropping at a steady pace!

[hawaiiansteeler]

To return to Super Bowl, Steelers should run from Le'Veon Bell

Mike DeCourcy
Published on Jan. 20, 2018

It is possible that if Le’Veon Bell were the sort of running back who could change a game with a single run or define a team’s attack with his persistent battering, he might be worth the impertinent tweets and the pay-me-now ethic and the multiple suspensions and the too-frequent injuries and the consistent tardiness and even the $14.6 million he is likely to cost in 2018 under the NFL’s franchise tag.

Bell is not that player, though.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers want to find their way back to the Super Bowl, they’ll need to accept that their addiction to Bell’s skill set is not worth the exorbitant amount of money it leeches from them.

to read rest of article:

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news...i186bdoj7jkovi

[AtlantaDan]

The Steelers don’t have to issue credentials to Bouchette if they don’t want to. If the guy is putting shit stories out there, “fake news” and lazy journalism as he’s done in the past couple/few years, why give him access to your organization? To create unnecessary distractions? The Steelers have no obligation to the Post-Gazette or Bouchette to give them access. They can revoke that at any time.

There’s been no confirmation that Bell’s tardiness was inexcusable. None at all.

What is fake about it? Bell goes on Twitter all the time - has he denied it? Maybe if he would DeCastro, who clearly has heard enough regarding the undisciplined comments, would call bullshit on him

As far as distractions, the P-G is not in the business of waving Pom-poms for the home team. The Steelers can pull credentials from anyone but if they cannot keep Bouchette from talking to those affiliated with the team that is their problem - no different than the Pats being unable to keep the lid on issues relating to trading Garrapolo for what in hindsight looks like a relative giveaway.

If Bouchette’s source(s) did not want to comment on Bell’s agent saying there was a deal on his contract, Bell missing most of the walk through the day before a playoff game (are you saying Tomlin perhaps would have said get here whenever you can, it’s all good), and both Bell and a coach not being able to fire up to get to the locker room by 11 am last Sunday they could simply not talk to Bouchette - someone wants to put out the word about Bell and how Tomlin handles the team - it is not Bouchette’s job to only perpetuate the myth the Steelers are a happy band of brothers with no problems

[FrancoLambert]

The Steelers don’t have to issue credentials to Bouchette if they don’t want to. If the guy is putting shit stories out there, “fake news” and lazy journalism as he’s done in the past couple/few years, why give him access to your organization? To create unnecessary distractions? The Steelers have no obligation to the Post-Gazette or Bouchette to give them access. They can revoke that at any time.

There’s been no confirmation that Bell’s tardiness was inexcusable. None at all.

Do you really think that Tomlin or Colbert would openly confirm that Bell's tardiness was inexcusable?

They're taking the fifth on that one.

[fansince'76]

If a Cowher, Coughlin , Saban type had this talent , we would have 10 superbowls.

Doubtful.

Cowher had more than his share of playoff stinkers (Stan Humphries/'94 Chargers, anyone?).

Outside of the stars lining up just right for him twice, Coughlin's coaching record was really quite pedestrian.

Saban already crashed and burned at the NFL level, which is why he went back to the NCAA.

Although it is often said Bell possesses receiver skills so exceptional he could operate as an extra wideout, he rarely functions in that role.

Which is much more of an indictment of the OC than Bell...