mesaSteeler
08-12-2009, 05:26 PM
Steelers are told old to repeat? Baloney!
August 12, 2:53 PM · Daniel Flickinger - Pittsburgh Steelers Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-14024-Pittsburgh-Steelers-Examiner~y2009m8d12-Steelers-are-told-old--Baloney
On the night of the Steelers season opener against Tennessee on September 10th at Heinz Field, the team’s training staff will have quite a tall task.
Their duties will include making sure each player over the age of 30 has their walker or wheelchair nearby, handing out large amounts of medication during the game, and of course making sure the bag of Werthers Originals stays filled until the game is over. This crew will deserve a raise in 2010.
Sound pretty foolish?
Yeah, it’s about as foolish as the belief that the Steelers “old” age may prevent them from repeating as Super Bowl Champions this season.
There have been articles written recently that express concern for the team’s age because they have a list of players that are over the age of 30.
Give me a break!
Call me crazy, but I actually like the fact that 7 of the 22 projected starters this year are 30 and above. It gives them a veteran presence that some teams just don’t have. Not to mention that all of those players have won at least one super bowl ring.
Yes, yes I know. Most experts believe the average NFL player begins to decline at the age of 30. But we are not talking about running backs that get pounded play after play.
We are talking about LB James Harrison (31) who hasn’t had the toll on his body like some at his age because he didn’t break into the league until later. We’re talking about LB James Farrior (34) who has never been injury prone during his career and is in great shape. We’re talking about OL Justin Hartwig and DL Brett Keisel who are just a year over 30 and showed last season that they have no difficulties playing at a high level.
Seriously, since when did 30 mean you can’t play football anymore?
"Age is just a number for us," 33-year-old receiver Hines Ward told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"You can play until you're 35, 36. That's when you start hitting the dog years. But you turn 30, that's not to say your career is over. A lot of guys in the league are in their mid-30s and still producing."
The biggest concern is on defense where 5 of the 11 starters are 30 or older. Truth is, the D actually got younger with the insertion of third-year LB Lawrence Timmons into the starting inside linebacker spot.
And how far could the NFL’s number one defense really fall in not even a year’s time?
Sure, if the Steelers would stand pat and not draft anyone to eventually take over the spots that the 30-somethings are occupying, they would eventually become too old. The starters on the defensive line are 31, 32, and 33.
But that’s why the team drafted defensive end Ziggy Hood in the first-round this year. That’s why they drafted guard Kraig Urbik in the third-round and why they chose receiver Limas Sweed last year.
They haven’t been 100 percent perfect, but if there’s a franchise I trust for them to know when to release or not sign a guy in the latter stages of his career, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Building through the draft and getting rid of players at the right time has been their forte’.
I’ll believe in that.
Steelers' starters over the age of 30:
ILB James Farrior 34
DE Aaron Smith 33
WR Hines Ward 33
NT Casey Hampton 32
DE Brett Keisel 31
OLB James Harrison 31
C Justin Hartwig 31
August 12, 2:53 PM · Daniel Flickinger - Pittsburgh Steelers Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-14024-Pittsburgh-Steelers-Examiner~y2009m8d12-Steelers-are-told-old--Baloney
On the night of the Steelers season opener against Tennessee on September 10th at Heinz Field, the team’s training staff will have quite a tall task.
Their duties will include making sure each player over the age of 30 has their walker or wheelchair nearby, handing out large amounts of medication during the game, and of course making sure the bag of Werthers Originals stays filled until the game is over. This crew will deserve a raise in 2010.
Sound pretty foolish?
Yeah, it’s about as foolish as the belief that the Steelers “old” age may prevent them from repeating as Super Bowl Champions this season.
There have been articles written recently that express concern for the team’s age because they have a list of players that are over the age of 30.
Give me a break!
Call me crazy, but I actually like the fact that 7 of the 22 projected starters this year are 30 and above. It gives them a veteran presence that some teams just don’t have. Not to mention that all of those players have won at least one super bowl ring.
Yes, yes I know. Most experts believe the average NFL player begins to decline at the age of 30. But we are not talking about running backs that get pounded play after play.
We are talking about LB James Harrison (31) who hasn’t had the toll on his body like some at his age because he didn’t break into the league until later. We’re talking about LB James Farrior (34) who has never been injury prone during his career and is in great shape. We’re talking about OL Justin Hartwig and DL Brett Keisel who are just a year over 30 and showed last season that they have no difficulties playing at a high level.
Seriously, since when did 30 mean you can’t play football anymore?
"Age is just a number for us," 33-year-old receiver Hines Ward told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"You can play until you're 35, 36. That's when you start hitting the dog years. But you turn 30, that's not to say your career is over. A lot of guys in the league are in their mid-30s and still producing."
The biggest concern is on defense where 5 of the 11 starters are 30 or older. Truth is, the D actually got younger with the insertion of third-year LB Lawrence Timmons into the starting inside linebacker spot.
And how far could the NFL’s number one defense really fall in not even a year’s time?
Sure, if the Steelers would stand pat and not draft anyone to eventually take over the spots that the 30-somethings are occupying, they would eventually become too old. The starters on the defensive line are 31, 32, and 33.
But that’s why the team drafted defensive end Ziggy Hood in the first-round this year. That’s why they drafted guard Kraig Urbik in the third-round and why they chose receiver Limas Sweed last year.
They haven’t been 100 percent perfect, but if there’s a franchise I trust for them to know when to release or not sign a guy in the latter stages of his career, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Building through the draft and getting rid of players at the right time has been their forte’.
I’ll believe in that.
Steelers' starters over the age of 30:
ILB James Farrior 34
DE Aaron Smith 33
WR Hines Ward 33
NT Casey Hampton 32
DE Brett Keisel 31
OLB James Harrison 31
C Justin Hartwig 31