Ike Really Makes Me Mad

[55BaileyFan]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...e=HP_headlines

I am so sick of this crap from any NFL player. This whole "my agent and my team crap"

Take a page from jerome Bettis, if you want to stay somewhere then do it. Don't make crap up and leave it open for if you leave that you can blame it on the team for not getting a deal done.

This is not a debate on whether the Steelers should throw the money that Ike wants at him, this is the fact that he bounces around the questions because he knows if everyone knows that he is looking for cash and has no loyalty that people with chastise him.

This just proves that people like Jerome and Hines are very rare anymore. I know Hines held out, but that was after being one of the better receivers in the NFL for years and gettting paid less than 2 mil per season (reminder his last contract he took a pay cut from the contract he held out for...from 27 mil to 22 mil)

If you want cash just say it. Don't beat around the bush like us fans are stupid.

[steeltheone]

Bettis would not have been worth much elsewhere at the end of his career. He knew his post football career would benefit greatly by staying in the Burgh......Ike is not in the same catagory, he will benefit from the highest bidder. This is his last chance to strike it rich.

[55BaileyFan]

Originally Posted by steeltheone

Bettis would not have been worth much elsewhere at the end of his career. He knew his post football career would benefit greatly by staying in the Burgh......Ike is not in the same catagory, he will benefit from the highest bidder. This is his last chance to strike it rich.

I think you are giving Ike way to much credit. Ike is a product of the system. He was an average college player that the Steelers turned into a good player. He is not "elite" in one on one situations and is penalty prone when he is in those situations. The only reason that isn't more glaring is the Steelers don't let him get in that position because they have a great pass rush and their is help over the top.

[finesward]

Ike has also benefited recently from having a lesser quality corner opposite of him so QB's aren't throwing his way as much. He is a good player for us, but not an elite CB. If he wants to get paid like a top 5 CB he needs to remember that he was benched only a couple years ago by cowher for his putrid play. I can't say for sure but I HIGHLY doubt any of the other top 5 paid CB's have ever been benched for sucking ass.

Let him walk if he wants more money. I'd much rather have woodley locked up than ike.

[pete74]

Originally Posted by finesward

Ike has also benefited recently from having a lesser quality corner opposite of him so QB's aren't throwing his way as much. He is a good player for us, but not an elite CB. If he wants to get paid like a top 5 CB he needs to remember that he was benched only a couple years ago by cowher for his putrid play. I can't say for sure but I HIGHLY doubt any of the other top 5 paid CB's have ever been benched for sucking ass.

Let him walk if he wants more money. I'd much rather have woodley locked up than ike.

agreed. anyone who feels Ike is a top 5 is out of there mind

[Jimmy Shaker]

What person in their right mind wouldn't go for the money?

[thumper]

Ike ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer. He is just trying to play
it cool and do what his agent says, which ends up being a collection
of mixed messages. My guess is he prefers to stay in Pgh but is
trying to get the top $ at the same time. He isn't worth top 5 CB $.

[PhantomJB93]

I've given it thought and if we could sign two decent FA corners, not stars but just decent guys who can hold their own (maybe Carlos Rogers and Richard Marshall?) for less than what it would take to ink Ike, I'll do it. Give me two guys who are cheap and can just hold their own most of the time over one star guy.

Based on what star corners are going for these days I think we could easily sign those two guys for a combined less than Ike, and probably still see notable improvement in the secondary. I don't think our problem is a lack of shutdown star talent, we don't need a Revis (or two, or three for that matter), we just need depth, and by depth I mean average-to-good corners that are better than Bmac and Gay, which shouldn't be hard to find. Both Rogers and Marshall are guys who will not lock down Larry Fitzgerald to 1 catch per game but should be able to play well enough to hold off receivers long enough for our pass rush to do it's job.

Think of it this way: based on what you saw against spread offenses this season from this D, would you rather have 1 good corner and 1 bad corner on the field or 2 medium corners? I think the choice is pretty easy, if not very flashy.

I'm prepared to let Ike walk but only if we sign a decent guy in FA, ideally I'd like two but even one would make me happy as long as that one is a proven player and not a career special teamer (I know we don't make a splash in FA but I mean just a decent, reliable guy, not a star shutdown corner)

[steelerchad]

Originally Posted by PhantomJB93

I've given it thought and if we could sign two decent FA corners, not stars but just decent guys who can hold their own (maybe Carlos Rogers and Richard Marshall?) for less than what it would take to ink Ike, I'll do it. Give me two guys who are cheap and can just hold their own most of the time over one star guy.

Based on what star corners are going for these days I think we could easily sign those two guys for a combined less than Ike, and probably still see notable improvement in the secondary. I don't think our problem is a lack of shutdown star talent, we don't need a Revis (or two, or three for that matter), we just need depth, and by depth I mean average-to-good corners that are better than Bmac and Gay, which shouldn't be hard to find. Both Rogers and Marshall are guys who will not lock down Larry Fitzgerald to 1 catch per game but should be able to play well enough to hold off receivers long enough for our pass rush to do it's job.

Think of it this way: based on what you saw against spread offenses this season from this D, would you rather have 1 good corner and 1 bad corner on the field or 2 medium corners? I think the choice is pretty easy, if not very flashy.

I'm prepared to let Ike walk but only if we sign a decent guy in FA, ideally I'd like two but even one would make me happy as long as that one is a proven player and not a career special teamer (I know we don't make a splash in FA but I mean just a decent, reliable guy, not a star shutdown corner)

Your theory is correct I believe. I think Bmac can be the #2 guy. His injuries hampered him greatly last year. He was solid through the first half of the season.
If you can't ink Ike reasonably, then let him walk and grab Marshall at half the price. I wouldn't want to go into the season with 2 new corners anyway. There will be some learning curve, especially if the camp is shortened.

[aclark99]

I agree....let Ike walk!! There is a guy out there by the name of Jonathan Joseph who played on a crappy Bengal team that knows Lebeau's system and really thrived when Lebeau was there. I am really hoping that we look at him and then lock up Burress. If these two signings happen we are a lock to return to the big game.