Paychecks, not personalities, dictate decisions with Steelers

[83-Steelers-43]

Paychecks, not personalities, dictate decisions with Steelers

By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, April 23, 2007

If the last few months have taught us anything, it should be that it's always about the money.

At $8 million per season, Bill Cowher would still be coaching the Steelers, not working for CBS.

At a higher salary, Joey Porter would still be the starting outside linebacker for the Steelers, instead of breaking the bank with the Miami Dolphins.

Instead of missing the first minicamp in silent protest because of unhappiness over the lack of progress in his contract negotiations, Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca would have been a welcome sight at the team's South Side facility.

New coach Mike Tomlin had better things to do than answer reporters' questions about Faneca's absence, but that's what happens when the Steelers' top offensive lineman misses a voluntary minicamp, and some people think it's because Tomlin got the job instead of former assistant coach Russ Grimm.

It isn't, of course.

With a brand-new, market-value contract in hand, Faneca would learn to love playing for Tomlin.

On the other hand, if he doesn't get the new deal he's seeking from the Steelers and becomes a free agent after the 2007 season, he'll learn to love playing for his new coach.

Faneca, who turns 31 at the end of next season, is in line for his last big payday. Despite his absence from the minicamp, he'll be there when the season starts -- after all, he needs to show potential suitors he can still perform at a Pro Bowl level.

"Alan's a professional," wide receiver Hines Ward said Sunday at the conclusion of the minicamp. "Players and coaches, we come and go. Yes, we all loved Russ. We loved Whis (former offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt). But they're not here now."

The Steelers learned that lesson from Porter, if they didn't learn it first from Cowher in his failed contract talks with the Steelers.

Porter, though, was one of them, a former teammate who helped the Steelers win their first Super Bowl in 26 years.

And now he's gone.

If it happened to Porter, they all realize it could also happen to them.

Porter's situation taught the rest of the players a valuable lesson: There is life after playing for the Steelers.

Abundant life.

Porter still has his Super Bowl ring, plus he signed a contract with Miami for more money than he could have dreamed of earning with the Steelers.

Porter's new contract includes a $12 million signing bonus and $20 million in guaranteed money.

The Steelers have never given a $10 million signing bonus.

But that's about to change. If not with Faneca, then with Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, whose contact also ends after next season.

Faneca and Polamalu both have Super Bowl rings, too.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_504060.html

[Godfather]

Big deal...paychecks dictate every team's decisions. There's that little thing called the salary cap, and the Steelers apparently chose Troy and Ben over Peezy (which is a no-brainer.)

[fansince'76]

Great - another "Rooneys are cheap" article.

[DACEB]

Originally Posted by Godfather

Big deal...paychecks dictate every team's decisions. There's that little thing called the salary cap, and the Steelers apparently chose Troy and Ben over Peezy (which is a no-brainer.)

Exactly, it's amazing how Mr. Harris forgot to mention that in his article. Maybe the media would rather the Steelers operate like Dan Shneider.

It is impossible to have all-pros at every position, unless they are all willing to play for a significant home town discount.

I've mentioned before that maybe we have some players on the roster that are making too much for what they offer the team. Hopefully the FO can trim some of that fat and keep all the players we value highly, but you also need quality backups.

In the end you cannot mortgage the team for one player. You have to value each player and position and work from there and pay accordingly. If you replenish with the draft, which the Steelers are above average at, you can stay away from these issues.

[Florida_Steelers_Fan]

i would say that baltimore letting adaleus thomas go is much more critical than the steelers losing joey porter...wonder what kind of heat their front office is taking? bottom line: you canNOT keep everyone on an nfl roster because of salary cap reasons, especially 31 year old offensive linemen due for a HUUUUUUGE pay increase.

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by Florida_Steelers_Fan

i would say that baltimore letting adaleus thomas go is much more critical than the steelers losing joey porter...wonder what kind of heat their front office is taking? bottom line: you canNOT keep everyone on an nfl roster because of salary cap reasons, especially 31 year old offensive linemen due for a HUUUUUUGE pay increase.

Absolutely - I love these lines:

At $8 million per season, Bill Cowher would still be coaching the Steelers, not working for CBS.

With a brand-new, market-value contract in hand, Faneca would learn to love playing for Tomlin.

What I'd like to know is where Mr. Harris learned to read minds and if he can teach me how to do it?

[Crushzilla]

Bah...

Just more panic. WE LOST COHWER, PORTER, WIZZ... NOT FANECA!!!

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!

[Edman]

The Rooneys are businessmen. The NFL is a business. They chose to do what was best for the team in the long run. Peezy was just not in their plans. And it looks like Faneca is about to be let go as well. Who can blame them? Both are hitting their twilight years.

Just another page-filler garbage article.

[Atlanta Dan]

Certainly nothing new with this column

As long as Troy gets signed by training camp everything will work out.

The screaming starts if both Troy and Faneca move on.

[SteelerFanInCA]

Sounds like we might have to pay out a couple of those 10 Million dollar bonuses to keep Ben and Troy.