Loose Slag from The Still Mill (Dec 2nd, 2003)

 

- Is anyone really surprised by Billy Cowher's whiny, pathetic tirade about the replay official?� He's done this entire career, such as his bitching after the loss to Tenn. in the playoffs last year regarding the roughing the kicker flag.� Billy is the MASTER at throwing blame on anyone and everyone�except himself.� For $3M per year, you'd expect a guy to stand up and admit responsibility for this season's fiasco, but with Billy Cowher, you'd have a better chance of hearing Billy Clinton admit wrongdoing.�

 

- It was entirely aided by a massive 20 mph wind, but we won't ever hear the end of Josh's 69 yard punt.� Of course, on the other hand, you'll never again hear a peep about his pitiful 55-yard rocket that went into the EZ for a touchback later in the 1Q.�

 

- Seems like just yesterday that Fat John Madden blathered on and on before the MNF game, "I really like this defense."�� I wonder if Fat Madden can elaborate on exactly what there is to like about The Softee Defense?� ��

 

- Consecutive plays in the 1Q showed unequivocally the one dimensionality of Doughboy Bettis and Stonefoot Bruener.� Bettis caught a flare pass for ZERO yards.� (It was actually ruled a run, because the pass did not travel "forward".)� The next play, Mister Stonefoot, Mark Bruener, grabbed a short pass and was unceremoniously dumped for a massive gain of ZERO yards.� Two passes, two completions, ZERO yards.� But because they're so polite to the local media, the media will cobble together any bullshit excuse to keep these one-dimensional CAP HOGS on the roster for yet another season of futility and failure.�

 

- Check out the game-winning drive by Cinci.� Starting at their own 48, they completed a pass for 18 yards, to the Stiller 34.� Then Bennett rumbled up the gut -- where was Fat Casey Hampton, the God of Run Stuffing? -- for 16 yards to the 18 yard line.� At this point, down by 3 and less than 30 secs left in the game, Billy Cowher is thinking FIELD GOAL.� He'd have run the draw play, then a plunge, and then booted the FG.� Cinci threw incomplete on the 1st down after the long Bennett run.� For sure, even if Billy had the RARE balls to pass the ball here, he'd have ordered a draw or a plunge and then settled for a tying FG attempt.� Not Marv Lewis and his gang.� They called the same pass play and hit Schobel for the winning TD.� This is precisely what separates the champs from the chumps, and there is no greater CHUMP in the NFL than Little Billy Cowher.�

 

- Upon review of the tape, I saw that Jeff Hartings was absolutely abysmal in this game.� He was the culprit of the low snap on the play that Maddox was injured.� (I'd erroneously written in my post-game that Okobi made the low snap.)� On that play, he was literally BOWLED OVER and abused, and his man smacked Maddox.� Later in the game, in the 4Q, Thornton just bulled and then shoved Hartings aside and then pounced atop Maddox.� Maybe someone can convince me that playing a CRIPPLE is better than playing 2nd string Chuck Odobe.� Maybe, but I doubt it.�

 

- The Billy Cowher Fan Club sure has been quiet lately, eh?��

 

- Alonzo Jackson was a no-dress for the 9th week in a row.� The guy makes a blunder on spec teams coverage -- as if no one else on a Cowher-coached team ever does -- and now he's in Cowshit's doghouse, banished to wearing street clothes for the rest of the season.� Gee, it sure is nice for a 2nd-round draft pick to ROT, while 2nd rounders all over the league are ON THE FIELD, making an impact.� Of course, imbeciles like Ted Bouchette and Dale Lolleygag will claim, "Gee, Jackson can't even dress, so he's no good."� Earl Holmes didn't dress the first 15 games of his rookie season, all because of the stubborn stupidity of one Billy Cowher.� Porter�Ward�Amoz�Aaron Smith�all bean waxers their rookie seasons, thanks to Billy Cowher.� When it comes to player development, no one does less than Lil' Billy Cowher.�

 

- Speaking of bench rot, the NE Pats actually AVOID bench rot.� The TSN article by Dan Pompei is a MUST READ.� Some excerpts:

 

�� ��"The Patriots have started 42 players and haven't had the same offensive lineup in consecutive games this season. Players who have started for the team have missed 70 games because of injuries.

 

Last Sunday in Houston, the Patriots beat the Texans in overtime with help from three catches by Dedric Ward, their eighth choice at the receiver position this season. Ward, signed three days before the game, had to wear No. 17 because no number in the 80s was available.

 

How have the Patriots overcome attrition better than every other team? By counting on it.

 

Belichick prepares his reserves as well as anyone. Nobody rots away as a special teams player on the Patriots. Every player gets at least one-third of the practice reps, and almost every player has a role on offense or defense. Belichick likes to have three players ready to play every two positions. For instance, at the start of the season Rosevelt Colvin, Mike Vrabel and Willie McGinest were playing outside linebacker. When Colvin was knocked out for the year, the Patriots hardly were devastated.

 

The Patriots know how to get a player prepared quickly. Last Tuesday, the day receiver J.J. Stokes signed with the team, he met with coaches and studied his new playbook for 13-1/2 hours. He took the playbook with him all week wherever he went and studied it whenever he had free time. On the plane ride to Houston, coaches started teaching Stokes about sight adjustments. By game time, he was ready to play two positions, "X" and "F," in the Patriots' terminology -- and he made a 31-yard reception.

 

Patriots players also are "cross-trained," so they learn more than one position. Rookie Eugene Wilson began as a cornerback, the position he played in college, but he also learned how to play safety. He has started the last 10 games at free safety. "We've tried to build the depth all the way through the system," Belichick says. "The preparation comes earlier rather than the week a crisis hits."

 

But, remember, players like Ike Taylor, Troy Pola, Zo Jackson, Hope, Nkwenti, Vincent, Okobi, et al -- they all need YEARS to learn the Steeler scheme and playbook, according to The Grand Master, Billy Cowher, while players on other teams learn it in 13 hours or a few days.�

 

- Sad Scott has been placed on IR, but Ike Taylor won't start.� No, sirree, Ike Taylor's been playing so well that DeWayne Washington is going to instead replace Scott.� That's the logic promulgated by the Billy Cowher School for Idiots.�

 

- Ward gave one of the grittiest efforts we've seen from a Stiller in the past 5 years.� However, Ward is taking far too much punishment on piddly 3 and 5 yard pass plays.� The Stillers' Nickel & Dime offense is beating the hell out of this man, and I can't fathom how he'll be able to last more than another season while taking this kind of beating and punishment.�

 

- # 92 really played a strong game on the left side of the defense.� He helped stuff the run, and he attacked the passer like a shark after blood.� Only problem was, Duane Clemons was playing for the Bengals, not the Stillers.� The Stillers' # 92 did absolutely nothing the entire game.�

 

- Billy Cowher placed ALL the blame on Reed on the late KO that was returned to the Cinci 48.� Sure, the KO was shallow, but it was in the face of a STIFF WIND that had been present since pregame warm-ups.� Some coaches see OBVIOUS things like gale-force winds; others, like Billy Cowshit, are oblivious to it all.� Furthermore, Brandon Bennett should have been stopped cold at the 31-yard line.� Instead, the special teams that Cowher had fawned over and lavished with praise allowed Bennett an extra 17 yards.�

 

- The special teams played no worse than they have the past 2 months, so why not introduce them again before the Raider game?�

 

- As I'd said in this column some 5 weeks ago-- long before the Chefs lost to the Bengals -- Cinci was my bet to take the lowly AFC North.�

 

- I like James Farrior's grit, heart, hustle, and tackling.�� I just wonder -- after he was beaten once again by a TE, this time for the game-winning TD -- if he'll be denounced as the SOLE problem & culprit on this defense the way Earl Holmes was after the 2001 season.� �

�

- We're continually reminded by the coaching staff and local media propagandists that safety Burnt Alexander "is like having a coach back there at safety."� Hey, Coach Alexander, nice angle and whiff on the 58-yard pass play to Chad Johnson in the 4Q.� Question:� How many fans are actually aware that this sorry sack o' dung was a castoff from the lowly AZ Cards??��

 

 

(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- the only nationally read coverage on the Pittsburgh Stillers that has accurately predicted the how's and the why's of the past 3 Stiller playoff losses�.)