View topic - Tomlin quote on Sweed drop

[steelmoney Profile]

Bires: Sweed emotion

AP photo by KEITH SRAKOCIC ALMOST THE GOAT: Limas Sweed dropped a would-be touchdown in the AFC Championship victory.
By Mike Bires
Times Sports Staff
Published: Saturday, January 24, 2009 12:25 AM EST
PITTSBURGH — Only one Steeler worked overtime after Friday’s practice, and it comes as no surprise that it was the near-goat of the AFC Championship Game.

As every one else headed to the locker room, Limas Sweed stayed behind to work on pass catching skills.

After last Sunday, he needs all the extra practice he can get.

Sweed, a rookie wide receiver, almost became the most reviled athlete in Pittsburgh for dropping a touchdown pass and then apparently faking an injury.

In a brutally physical 23-14 win over Baltimore, Sweed cost the Steelers 10 points.

Besides the seven points he threw away by dropping a perfectly thrown bomb from Ben Roethlisberger that should have been a 50-yard TD pass, he also cost the Steelers a chance to kick a chip-shot field goal. He did that by feigning injury after his drop.

It appeared that perhaps he had the wind knocked out of him. But according to coach MikeTomlin, Sweed was faking.

Sweed’s act cost the Steelers their third and final timeout (When a player is injured with less than two minutes left in the second and fourth quarters, his team is charged with a timeout). That wasted timeout proved costly.

Six plays after Sweed’s drop, the Steelers advanced to the Ravens’ 12-yard line only to have the half end before Roethlisberger could stop the clock with a spike. Had they had that last timeout, Jeff Reed would have come in and tried a 30-yard field goal.

After his drop, Sweed was reamed out by Tomlin on the sideline.

“I leave what specifically was said between him and I,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “I said what I thought needed to be said at that time.”

But in this week’s editions of Sports Illustrated, Tomlin said, “I wasn’t mad because he dropped the ball. That kind of mistake can happen to anyone. I was pissed that he lay on the ground, faked an injury and cost us our last timeout. My point was, ‘Be a man! Grow up!’”

To Sweed’s credit, he did respond positively.

Four plays after his drop, he threw a devastating block that leveled cornerback Corey Ivy.

Then on a third-and-8 call on the first play of the fourth quarter, he caught a pass for 14 yards and a first down.

“He is a young guy that has a desire to help us win,” Tomlin said. “His actions on a day to day basis at this (practice) facility indicate that. Sometimes he fails. He fails inside stadiums and that’s part of being a young guy. But we are in January and it’s time for young guys to grow up.

“Hopefully he falls into that category. Hopefully some of those things that happened after that drop are an indication of the direction in which he is headed. We are going to need positive contributions from everyone in order to come back with the Lombardi Trophy.”

Yes, Sweed, the Steelers’ second-round draft pick, may have to play in Super Bowl XLIII.

If Hines Ward has any setbacks with the knee he sprained in the AFC Championship, Sweed will be the No. 3 receiver.

Ward’s injury was why Sweed played against the Ravens in the first place.

No doubt, the Steelers coaches hope that Sweed doesn’t have to play much against the Arizona Cardinals. But if he does, they can only hope he’s “man” enough to handle the pressure of the biggest game in sports.

[shawnlucas Profile]

Tomlin impresses me more and more.

Sweed is a moron and for all of the media jackasses who were blaming the coaching staff/Ben for the bad clock management (which there was some, granted), it never should have come to not having any timeouts left at the end of the half if Sweed doesn't pull his injured act after dropping the ball.

Dumb ass.

[Steel Keeper Profile]

10 points? sweet math. Yeah, he cost them 7 points on the TD and yes he cost them 3 points by forfeiting the TO, but this isn't a case of 7+3=10. He either cost them 7 points or 3 points. It's not like had he caught the ball we would have scored a TD then kicked a FG. So he cost them 4 by dropping the ball and 3 by faking the injury.

And stop the Sweed bashing. He screwed up and tried to make up for it. Lesson learned.

[toomuchmerrilhoge Profile]

Yes. Sweed screwed up and should have caught the ball, and should have got up instead of laying around on the field and costing a timeout for the team. But he also wrangled an interception away from a Raven's defender in the end zone, and put a hell of a block for Heath Miller later on. I think it was a good wake-up call for him...and we're going to need Sweed in the SB, because no matter Hines does in the hyperbaric chamber he took to Tampa with him, he is not going to be 100%.

[shawnlucas Profile]

I wasn't specifically Sweed bashing. Simply laying blame where it was due in this particular case.

He did have that leveling block on the catch and run by Heath and at the time I said, "Well, he partly made up for it with that block." The interception break up was another good play.

He's a rookie and he's bound to make mistakes. He's also a second round pick so he's bound to step in shit and turn around to sell it for fertilizer, too.

You can't make any assumptions on a guy's first year and I realize it. However, he did cost the Steelers points and should get some of the blame.

So, too, should the quarterback for throwing a middle of the field pass with less than :16 and for the rest of the coaching staff for fucking up the late in the half drill.

[darthsteel Profile]

how can someone be a goat when the play happened in the 2nd qt of a game they were winning? This dope makes it out like there were 2 minutes to go in a game the steelers were trailing....jeeez some reporters write whatever they think people want to hear!
was willy parker a goat for dropping a td that hit him rite on the shoulder pad or holmes for trying to do to much and not maintaining possesion of a pass on the 1 yd line?

big ben cost the team 3 points ,end of story. You do not throw the ball over the middle with 16 seconds on the clock and no timeouts when you are already in field goal range. Th play was designed to be thrown to the endzone or sideline, if covered then the ball was supposed to be thrown away not in the middle of the damm field.
ben also should have took the blame for that and not say moore needs to get down in that situation, if he gets down and the ravens dont touch him the clock runs out!

[Nel Profile]

I wasn't specifically Sweed bashing. Simply laying blame where it was due in this particular case.

He did have that leveling block on the catch and run by Heath and at the time I said, "Well, he partly made up for it with that block." The interception break up was another good play.

He's a rookie and he's bound to make mistakes. He's also a second round pick so he's bound to step in shit and turn around to sell it for fertilizer, too.

You can't make any assumptions on a guy's first year and I realize it. However, he did cost the Steelers points and should get some of the blame.

So, too, should the quarterback for throwing a middle of the field pass with less than :16 and for the rest of the coaching staff for fucking up the late in the half drill.

You were not bashing Sweed when you called him a moron and a dumb ass? Right. Who is the moron?

[SteelerPower Profile]

Sweed is young. He will be a great reciever in the future. The kid didn't get much playing time in the season. He had a hard time switching over to the pro's as most rookies do. Give him time and he will be great. I can see him having a great game in the SB because of Hines and Holmes being double covered.

[shawnlucas Profile]

You were not bashing Sweed when you called him a moron and a dumb ass? Right. Who is the moron?

Nah, I was simply calling it like it is.

He was a moron and a dumb ass for not simply taking his lumps and walking back to the huddle when he was clearly faking an injury after having missed a pass. Look, when I fuck up, I able to admit responsibility for what I've done and if I've acted like a moron or a dumb ass, I expect people to call me on it and am more that willing to take responsibility for it.

Perhaps you think that by doing that I am a moron.

Fair enough.

This two weeks between the Conference Championships and the Super Bowl is far too long.

EDIT: Drunk talk not making sense.

[logjammin Profile]

That rule about injuries and timeouts ought to be tweaked a little bit. If the clock is already stopped when somebody gets injured (in the last 2 minutes), the team shouldn't be charged a timeout. There is no advantage to faking an injury to stop the clock if the clock is already stopped. Or maybe that already is part of the rule, and if, in the estimation of the referee, the player is faking an injury because he's a moron, then his team is charged a timeout.

[smheart78 Profile]

...and none of you guys have a problem with Tomlin calling out Sweed like that in a Public interview?? There's something about it that doesn't sit right. Even if I give Tomlin the "using the media" to fire up the players a bit or forcing his player to "man-up" by calling him out, I'm sure there's a better way.
Maybe that's why he's the coach and I'm not, but that's what I took from this article.

[BigE Profile]

Sweed's antics Sunday during the AFCC game were immature and selfish, but let's remember that Santonio was pretty much of an idiot his rookie year as well. Holmes couldn't catch the ball, fumbled punts left and right and just wasn't very good. Limas will be a good receiver once he gets some experience on his side. Give him a chance.

[McLovin Profile]

Sweed's antics Sunday during the AFCC game were immature and selfish, but let's remember that Santonio was pretty much of an idiot his rookie year as well. Holmes couldn't catch the ball, fumbled punts left and right and just wasn't very good. Limas will be a good receiver once he gets some experience on his side. Give him a chance.

Sweed's "antics" were more than just immature and selfish. It is further evidence that this kid has zero self confidence and he was completely embarrassed and ashamed after dropping the game winning catch that would have made him a hero. Confident, even arrogant athletes live for those moments THEY DON'T FEAR THEM!

[punum123 Profile]

I have the solution....

Tonio needs to give Sweed some hooch before the SB....and Sweed will liley catch anything thrown his way. he dude is too uptight.

Puff..puff..give...and don't fuk up the rotation

[McLovin Profile]

I have the solution....

Tonio needs to give Sweed some hooch before the SB....and Sweed will liley catch anything thrown his way. he dude is too uptight.

Puff..puff..give...and don't fuk up the rotation

This is the hard core analysis McLovin comes to Stillers.com for?

[punum123 Profile]

Whatever works McLovin

How much analysis needs to be done?!? The guy keeps fukin dropping passes. Tell Arians to put him in a game and keep throwing him the ball...

[McLovin Profile]

Whatever works McLovin

How much analysis needs to be done?!? The guy keeps fukin dropping passes. Tell Arians to put him in a game and keep throwing him the ball...

McLovin gets the attempt at humor but Sweed lacks not only confidence but focus as the endless replays of Sweed dropping that sure TD pass will show...smoking up not going to help this kid look the football into his hands. To play pro sports you need to have confidence and a certain swagger about you...Sweed doesn't have "IT." "IT" can't be taught....or smoked

[Iron Gut Profile]

Whatever works McLovin

How much analysis needs to be done?!? The guy keeps fukin dropping passes. Tell Arians to put him in a game and keep throwing him the ball...

McLovin gets the attempt at humor but Sweed lacks not only confidence but focus as the endless replays of Sweed dropping that sure TD pass will show...smoking up not going to help this kid look the football into his hands. To play pro sports you need to have confidence and a certain swagger about you...Sweed doesn't have "IT." "IT" can't be taught....or smoked

Perhaps he just needs some "stickum"?

Like that dude in "The Replacements" who said his hands feel like he just jacked off an elephant. Whatever he needs to catch the ball, get it!

[McLovin Profile]

Whatever works McLovin

How much analysis needs to be done?!? The guy keeps fukin dropping passes. Tell Arians to put him in a game and keep throwing him the ball...

McLovin gets the attempt at humor but Sweed lacks not only confidence but focus as the endless replays of Sweed dropping that sure TD pass will show...smoking up not going to help this kid look the football into his hands. To play pro sports you need to have confidence and a certain swagger about you...Sweed doesn't have "IT." "IT" can't be taught....or smoked

Perhaps he just needs some "stickum"?

Like that dude in "The Replacements" who said his hands feel like he just jacked off an elephant. Whatever he needs to catch the ball, get it!

At least that was funny!

[SteelerPower Profile]

Let's not be too hard on Sweed. He is the future of our wide recievers. He is a rookie and you can't expect him to get up from a dropped pass that could have won the game and sparked his career. He was ashamed and embarassed. Grant it he should have gotten up and gone back to the huddle or sideline instead of faking the injury. I still like him and see great things for his future.