tony hipchest
06-14-2007, 12:44 PM
nothing really new, just a few opinions weve heard before. but this is starting to bug me. its pretty much the concensus that tomlin has all the makings of a good coach who is capable of having an immediate impact in the nfl but he is being handicapped because he is taking over an excellent team, with rich tradition, that wasnt in desperate need of a coaching change, rather than a piss poor team that really had nothing going for it. http://nfl.com/news/story/10224668
(June 13, 2007) -- This is what I like about the Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason moves: They complemented the strong suit of new coach Mike Tomlin by using their top two draft picks on highly athletic and versatile linebackers -- Lawrence Timmons, from Florida State, and LaMarr Woodley, from Michigan.
Tomlin is a defensive mastermind who likes to mix and match alignments and move people around within his front seven. Timmons is perfect for such a role. He excels at rushing the passer from the 3-4, long the Steelers' base defense and still the one that incumbent coordinator Dick LeBeau knows best. Tomlin's favorite scheme is the 4-3 Tampa Two Zone, and he likely will incorporate at least some elements of it into the existing 3-4 while striving to keep opponents off-balance with a variety of looks. Woodley was a 4-3 end in college, making him an ideal pick because he could be plugged into different fronts as an outside linebacker or with his hand down.
The Steelers addressed their lack of depth at running back, which is a larger issue than ever considering that Verron Haynes is recovering from knee surgery, by acquiring Kevan Barlow after he was released by the New York Jets.
The team addressed their punting problems of the past two seasons by trading up in the fourth round to select Daniel Sepulveda, who averaged 46.5 yards at Baylor last year.
This is what concerns me: Tomlin has the knowledge and the energy to make a fairly quick impact as a head coach in the NFL. Still, he is replacing an institution in Bill Cowher, whose long record of success would be hard for any successor to duplicate. Cowher also was a larger-than-life figure, and most of the players on the team haven't dealt with another coach. Tomlin faces a significant challenge establishing his own identity.
Veteran offensive guard Alan Faneca has been very public with his displeasure over the Steelers' refusal to meet his contract demands. He is a highly respected member of the team and a primary leader. Will the fact Faneca has been so outspoken about not wanting to be part of the franchise any longer and is on the record as saying 2007 would be his final season in a Steeler uniform create any sort of distraction? Will he become a divisive force rather than the heart-and-soul player who had a key role in the Steelers' Super Bowl victory two years ago? That is the last thing Tomlin needs while implementing a new program.
Joey Porter, who was released and signed with the Miami Dolphins, will be missed as a linebacker. But he might be missed even more as a fiery leader who usually managed to get the rest of the defense to perform at a higher level. James Harrison, who had been a backup, will compete with Timmons for Porter's vacant starting spot. Yet is either capable of providing that emotional spark that Porter could?
(June 13, 2007) -- This is what I like about the Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason moves: They complemented the strong suit of new coach Mike Tomlin by using their top two draft picks on highly athletic and versatile linebackers -- Lawrence Timmons, from Florida State, and LaMarr Woodley, from Michigan.
Tomlin is a defensive mastermind who likes to mix and match alignments and move people around within his front seven. Timmons is perfect for such a role. He excels at rushing the passer from the 3-4, long the Steelers' base defense and still the one that incumbent coordinator Dick LeBeau knows best. Tomlin's favorite scheme is the 4-3 Tampa Two Zone, and he likely will incorporate at least some elements of it into the existing 3-4 while striving to keep opponents off-balance with a variety of looks. Woodley was a 4-3 end in college, making him an ideal pick because he could be plugged into different fronts as an outside linebacker or with his hand down.
The Steelers addressed their lack of depth at running back, which is a larger issue than ever considering that Verron Haynes is recovering from knee surgery, by acquiring Kevan Barlow after he was released by the New York Jets.
The team addressed their punting problems of the past two seasons by trading up in the fourth round to select Daniel Sepulveda, who averaged 46.5 yards at Baylor last year.
This is what concerns me: Tomlin has the knowledge and the energy to make a fairly quick impact as a head coach in the NFL. Still, he is replacing an institution in Bill Cowher, whose long record of success would be hard for any successor to duplicate. Cowher also was a larger-than-life figure, and most of the players on the team haven't dealt with another coach. Tomlin faces a significant challenge establishing his own identity.
Veteran offensive guard Alan Faneca has been very public with his displeasure over the Steelers' refusal to meet his contract demands. He is a highly respected member of the team and a primary leader. Will the fact Faneca has been so outspoken about not wanting to be part of the franchise any longer and is on the record as saying 2007 would be his final season in a Steeler uniform create any sort of distraction? Will he become a divisive force rather than the heart-and-soul player who had a key role in the Steelers' Super Bowl victory two years ago? That is the last thing Tomlin needs while implementing a new program.
Joey Porter, who was released and signed with the Miami Dolphins, will be missed as a linebacker. But he might be missed even more as a fiery leader who usually managed to get the rest of the defense to perform at a higher level. James Harrison, who had been a backup, will compete with Timmons for Porter's vacant starting spot. Yet is either capable of providing that emotional spark that Porter could?