View topic - Rooney says "NO MORE BENCH-ROTTING ROOKIES"

[Pump-N-Iron Profile]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10017/1028890-66.stm
Discuss.

[FineLine Profile]

Rooney is a smart guy because I've been thinking the same thing.If they're not going to go hog wild signing big time free agents(which they have never done)that leaves only the draft.And with only 6 or 8 picks every year you'd better get it right.You don't have the luxury of giving these guys a redshirt year.They need to do a better job of getting people to contribute quickly.

[dirtydave61 Profile]

Yeah, I'm so glad someone at the top is saying something. Enough of the rookie rotting. It's frustrating to see first and second year guys make contributions all around the league and so many of ours just "learning" during their first few seasons.

[steelmann58 Profile]

They also need to find some 3-5th rounders that make the team and are not cut. the Scouts better wise up.

[Fire Arians Profile]

for a long time we seemed like the only team that never gave our rookies any playing time, glad that's going to change

i also think in order for a player to mature, they need to be thrown into a position of responsibility or they NEVER will mature.

[Field General Ben Profile]

This has been a holdover philosophy from the Cowher years, and for the life of me I can't understand it. First-round draft choices should be chosen under the auspices of making an impact or at least contributing right away. Last year, Tomlin commented that Ziggy Hood wasn't ready to start. Why the hell not, Coach? Your organization went out and identified this young man as the #1 draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet he either sits on the pine and/or contributes very little early on in the season. It makes no goddamn sense.

Then you look at a young man like Keyaron Fox who is a hard-charger and has shown flashes of brilliance in when he has played. Yet, Tomlin and LeBeau were quite content to play James Farrior, an aging veteran who, while being extremely valuable to this team in the past, has obviously lost more than a step and arguably past his prime. Maybe Fox makes the stop on Brian Leonard in Cincinnati on 4th and 10, and maybe Fox makes that stop on Ray Rice in the 1st Baltimore game to win both games. Too many times, we've seen Farrior flail and whiff on tackles in 2009, and you've got to wonder what the hell are Tomlin and LeBeau thinking leaving him in there.

[DirtySouth Profile]

This has been a holdover philosophy from the Cowher years, and for the life of me I can't understand it. First-round draft choices should be chosen under the auspices of making an impact or at least contributing right away. Last year, Tomlin commented that Ziggy Hood wasn't ready to start. Why the hell not, Coach? Your organization went out and identified this young man as the #1 draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet he either sits on the pine and/or contributes very little early on in the season. It makes no goddamn sense.

Then you look at a young man like Keyaron Fox who is a hard-charger and has shown flashes of brilliance in when he has played. Yet, Tomlin and LeBeau were quite content to play James Farrior, an aging veteran who, while being extremely valuable to this team in the past, has obviously lost more than a step and arguably past his prime. Maybe Fox makes the stop on Brian Leonard in Cincinnati on 4th and 10, and maybe Fox makes that stop on Ray Rice in the 1st Baltimore game to win both games. Too many times, we've seen Farrior flail and whiff on tackles in 2009, and you've got to wonder what the hell are Tomlin and LeBeau thinking leaving him in there.

If Farrior and Gay are back getting all the reps next season there should be a march/riot on downtown Pittsburgh. I'll be in the front... This reminds me of how Cowher stuck with Bettis three years too long. ALthough I'd luv to have him for shortagae yardage right now...hehe

[r1stillerman Profile]

This has been a holdover philosophy from the Cowher years, and for the life of me I can't understand it. First-round draft choices should be chosen under the auspices of making an impact or at least contributing right away. Last year, Tomlin commented that Ziggy Hood wasn't ready to start. Why the hell not, Coach? Your organization went out and identified this young man as the #1 draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet he either sits on the pine and/or contributes very little early on in the season. It makes no goddamn sense.

Then you look at a young man like Keyaron Fox who is a hard-charger and has shown flashes of brilliance in when he has played. Yet, Tomlin and LeBeau were quite content to play James Farrior, an aging veteran who, while being extremely valuable to this team in the past, has obviously lost more than a step and arguably past his prime. Maybe Fox makes the stop on Brian Leonard in Cincinnati on 4th and 10, and maybe Fox makes that stop on Ray Rice in the 1st Baltimore game to win both games. Too many times, we've seen Farrior flail and whiff on tackles in 2009, and you've got to wonder what the hell are Tomlin and LeBeau thinking leaving him in there.

[Pommah Profile]

While I agree with the sentiment - e.g., why wasn't Ziggy Hood playing more with all the injuries we had on the DL -the owner getting involved in football operations, especially in a public forum, is not a good thing. It's how JerJones, Dan Snyder, etc. do things.

[Matt6999 Profile]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10017/1028890-66.stm
Discuss.

Too bad this wasn't said 15 years ago. If the D scheme is too difficult for a HoFer (Troy) to comprehend as a rookie things need to change. Every impact player sat the bench behind inferior players for year(s) for no reason. Give me young, athletic play making ability over ld slow vets who have 100% mastered the system every day of the week.

[IronCity__Man Profile]

If a player is not ready to play - he is not ready to play. Seems like a major shift in Rooney philosophy to be making statments like this. I often thought that Art Jr. was the reason Bill Cowher left when he did - to much meddling.

Ziggy Hood played, Mike Wallace played, Rashard Mendenhall played, William Gay played (and was chosen over paying Mcfadden), Stefan Logan played, Ryan Mundy played (much to our chagrin), Limas Sweed given too many chances, Dennis Dixon started a game, Lamarr Woodley is a 2 year starter of a 3 year career, Darnell Stapelton would have been the same without injury, Joe Burnett played, Keenan Lewis played, David Johnson our starting fullback, Ramon Foster started 2 or 3 games, Willie Colon has started 3 years out of a 4 year career.

What did Rooney want? To play Kraig Urbick?

[thesteelhammer Profile]

Colbewrt has got to draft some Rookies that can play then.
His second day picks have not been great.

[IronCity__Man Profile]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10017/1028890-66.stm
Discuss.

Too bad this wasn't said 15 years ago. If the D scheme is too difficult for a HoFer (Troy) to comprehend as a rookie things need to change. Every impact player sat the bench behind inferior players for year(s) for no reason. Give me young, athletic play making ability over ld slow vets who have 100% mastered the system every day of the week.

I think this may be a good point but I have often thought Troy's problem in his rookie year was his own. I know Matt is only generalizing, but Troy didn't seem to grasp the reactionary physical side, but I am sure the mental side was not developed as well. Even with all the schooling I think players need some time to adjust to the speed of the game. Big Ben is a much better QB now than when a rookie even though he didn't lose until the championship game.

I also think that pro offenses and defenses are difficult to learn because the sport's complexity has evolved (or coevolved) so much. Just can't draw it up in the dirt for 60 minutes.

[No l Gravity l Profile]

If a player is not ready to play - he is not ready to play. Seems like a major shift in Rooney philosophy to be making statments like this. I often thought that Art Jr. was the reason Bill Cowher left when he did - to much meddling.

Ziggy Hood played, Mike Wallace played, Rashard Mendenhall played, William Gay played (and was chosen over paying Mcfadden), Stefan Logan played, Ryan Mundy played (much to our chagrin), Limas Sweed given too many chances, Dennis Dixon started a game, Lamarr Woodley is a 2 year starter of a 3 year career, Darnell Stapelton would have been the same without injury, Joe Burnett played, Keenan Lewis played, David Johnson our starting fullback, Ramon Foster started 2 or 3 games, Willie Colon has started 3 years out of a 4 year career.

What did Rooney want? To play Kraig Urbick?

Now that's a bit of an exaggeration. Ziggy Hood barely had any snaps (probably less than 10) until THREE DE's got injured. A first round pick for Christ's sake. Rashard played 1 game his first year, only after GWP got injured and then was thrown into Tomlin's 'doghouse' for 4-5 games this season. William Gay started after his 3rd year and sucks and our coach refuses to get rid of him. Ryan Mundy was a panic move caused directly by William Gays and Tyrone Carter's inability to cover anyone. Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett are the same. And how many snaps did either get? Not very many.

[IronCity__Man Profile]

Now that's a bit of an exaggeration. Ziggy Hood barely had any snaps (probably less than 10) until THREE DE's got injured. A first round pick for Christ's sake. Rashard played 1 game his first year, only after GWP got injured and then was thrown into Tomlin's 'doghouse' for 4-5 games this season. William Gay started after his 3rd year and sucks and our coach refuses to get rid of him. Ryan Mundy was a panic move caused directly by William Gays and Tyrone Carter's inability to cover anyone. Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett are the same. And how many snaps did either get? Not very many.

Like I said if a player is not ready to play he is not ready to play. Why was Rashard in the doghouse Because after two years he still didn't know who to block or if he was supposed to run right or left. Rashard only played one game his first year because Ray Lewis broke his shoulder. It seemed Tomlin's treatment of Rashard is what straightened him out.

Should we have played Ziggy over Kiesel and Aaron Smith? Do you really think Tomlin or any coach would keep a better, more prepared player off the field just because he is a rookie? I don't think so. Best example of playing the best player this season was the choice to insert Wallace over Sweed. Wallace was a rookie. I am all for getting players experience but not at the expense to watch them make mental errors.

I believe I am correct in the playing time of all the players I mentioned without exaggeration. It doesn't matter the reason why they played (e.g Ryan Mundy) simply that they did play. What matters is why they didn't play. Unfortuantely for our analysis, stats for steelers DE don't matter so we have no metric for Ziggy. He had 5 tackles and one sack in 5 games. Sounds pretty good to me even with numbers not being a good measure. Kirschke had 14 takles and a sack in 7 games started. Neither were dominant pass rushing forces.

If Ziggy was the next coming of Dwight Freeney I am sure he would have been in there. If he was a dominat rookie like Cushing or Matthews I am sure he would have been playing. If he couldn't beat Max Starks in pracitice or didn't know what gap he should hit after 2 defensive audibles, I am sure he wasn't going to be put in there.

[_bampf_ Profile]

The really baffling thing to me is how long the staff clings to old vets. I played football in HS and college (lowly Div III) and even at those very basic programs, film study was rigorous. Every single play was broken down multiple times for each player at each position. Everyone has to see guys like Farrior getting scorched time and time and again and yet they remain. It s madness.

Sure having rookies learn 'on the job' will result in some breakdowns and blown coverages etc, but they WILL learn that way. They ll learn from their mistakes much quicker than just watching.

Perhaps the problem is the Steelers are consistently too good. Other franchises have 'rebuilding years' where they can play young guys and not care if a few learning mistakes cost them a game or two. Is our compete-for-the-Lombardi-every-year tack actually hurting us?

[SoCal Stiller Profile]

Other franchises have 'rebuilding years' where they can play young guys and not care if a few learning mistakes cost them a game or two. Is our compete-for-the-Lombardi-every-year tack actually hurting us?

2 SB wins in 5 years. I'd say something is working. I would much rather be in the hunt year after year then to "rebuild" every 5 years just to play young players. All great teams have a mix of good young players and savy vets, so I think the Stillers are doing a pretty damn good job considering the results.

[PGHeaven Profile]

If a player is not ready to play - he is not ready to play. Seems like a major shift in Rooney philosophy to be making statments like this. I often thought that Art Jr. was the reason Bill Cowher left when he did - to much meddling.

Ziggy Hood played, Mike Wallace played, Rashard Mendenhall played, William Gay played (and was chosen over paying Mcfadden), Stefan Logan played, Ryan Mundy played (much to our chagrin), Limas Sweed given too many chances, Dennis Dixon started a game, Lamarr Woodley is a 2 year starter of a 3 year career, Darnell Stapelton would have been the same without injury, Joe Burnett played, Keenan Lewis played, David Johnson our starting fullback, Ramon Foster started 2 or 3 games, Willie Colon has started 3 years out of a 4 year career.

What did Rooney want? To play Kraig Urbick?

Now that's a bit of an exaggeration. Ziggy Hood barely had any snaps (probably less than 10) until THREE DE's got injured. A first round pick for Christ's sake. Rashard played 1 game his first year, only after GWP got injured and then was thrown into Tomlin's 'doghouse' for 4-5 games this season. William Gay started after his 3rd year and sucks and our coach refuses to get rid of him. Ryan Mundy was a panic move caused directly by William Gays and Tyrone Carter's inability to cover anyone. Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett are the same. And how many snaps did either get? Not very many.

Right. And Stefan Logan is 28 yrs old and has played many years in the CFL. Limas has mainly rotted. Ziggy has rotted and like you said - the rest in that line up are 2nd year people. No, its true - we rot rookies. Especially high rounders. Props to Still Mill who has been bitchin about this very subject for years.