Stevenson Sylvester

[theplatypus]

Originally Posted by DanRooney

No shit he earned his spot through his play. He was obviously better than that horrid center in every single aspect of the game just watching him in Florida.

Tomlin's plan was to play start him at guard and eventually move him to center when he was ready. But when an Hartwig got injured, Pouncey took snaps at center at camp and preseason. Did you pay attention to the 2009 offseason at all?

I've been sitting here drinking coffee and skimming through the RSS feeds from the training camp 2010. As it stands Poucey is the one injured(not hartwig), they've had internal discussions about starting him at Center instead of Guard(the article was from the 2nd day of training camp). Prior to the 1st preseason game Pouncey is already learning 2 positions. Unless I've missed it Hartwig is healthy, he hasn't been mentioned in the injury reports.


There it is!
Pouncey split time at Center with a healthy Hartwig on the 1st team O-line for the 1st preseason game.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...burgh_Steelers

Here's the scenario following the 1st preseason game(note that Hartwig is still healthy)

Maurkice Pouncey, the team's No. 1 draft choice in April, ran with the first team at center Monday in practice, sharing time with two-year starter Justin Hartwig. The two also shared time with the second team. Afterward, Tomlin made no bones about it; Pouncey is competing to start at center after he elevated his status with his play at that position Saturday night against the Detroit Lions. Pouncey has been practicing at right guard and center, but remained exclusively at center Monday.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...burgh_Steelers

[kirklandrules]

Originally Posted by theplatypus

There it is!
Pouncey split time at Center with a healthy Hartwig on the 1st team O-line for the 1st preseason game.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...burgh_Steelers

Geez, seems you let facts get in the way of a perfect waste of time

I was thinking Hartwig had off-season shoulder surgery, then was injured after Pouncey ascended the throne. My guess is it was more an injury to his ego. As much as I didn't think Hartwig was the starter we needed, in the SB win against the Cards, during that game winning drive Hartwig had an awesome block that would have been a huge sack. So let's not hate on the guy too much ... he served his purpose and we got another ring.

Here's a good link of an article from just prior to the 2010 season:

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2010/07...ustin-hartwig/

[theplatypus]

Originally Posted by kirklandrules

Geez, seems you let facts get in the way of a perfect waste of time

I was thinking Hartwig had off-season shoulder surgery, then was injured after Pouncey ascended the throne. My guess is it was more an injury to his ego. As much as I didn't think Hartwig was the starter we needed, in the SB win against the Cards, during that game winning drive Hartwig had an awesome block that would have been a huge sack. So let's not hate on the guy too much ... he served his purpose and we got another ring.

Here's a good link of an article from just prior to the 2010 season:

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2010/07...ustin-hartwig/

Honestly I was bored and decided to make sure my memory wasn't failing me as others were making me believe. I'm not sure where you get that I'm hating on Hartwig he did his job to the best of his ability. Unfortunately for him the interior of the OL was a weakness and it started at center.

That article you linked is dated almost a month before training camp even started. How many times have we heard Tomlin say jobs are not won or lost playing football in shorts? Hartwig was "slowed" for OTA's, but was practicing and fully participating for training camp and actually started the 1st preseason game . He lost sole possession of starter as early as the 1st practice after the 1st preseason game. Unlike the assertions made previously Pouncey earned his shot due to his skills, not injury.

[LVSteelersfan]

If Hartwig would have been the one who would have been the starting center without injury, then why in the heck did they release him? Sorry, but there is no way in heck he would have been released if the Steelers thought he was really starting center material. They didn't think enough of him to even keep him as a backup!!! I am sure some of you argue just for the sake of arguing but it is plain as day to me that Hartwig is not starting center material in the NFL. He could not hold his own against the NTs of the other teams while Pouncey blows through them and hits a LB on the other side. Hartwig couldn't do that in his dreams. The Steelers got someone who is definitely one of the best centers in the league now and sent Hartwig packing. Legursky is better than Hartwig by a mile.

[DanRooney]

Okay for the last time:

Hartwig was injured throughout training camp. It was a broken toe or some shit I don't remember. This is the only reason why Pouncey was able to compete at center. He started out as a 2nd team RG.

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, August 13, 2010


It has been widely thought that Pouncey would play right guard — he is running with the second team behind Trai Essex there — before eventually taking over for Justin Hartwig at center.

But when asked Thursday where he expects to see his first action as a Steeler, Pouncey said, "I'm probably going to start off at center, but I'm not sure yet."

"I'm very well prepared to go out there and perform," Pouncey said yesterday. "I ain't going to say I know (the playbook) to the T, but I've got it down pretty good."

What makes his grasp of the playbook all the more impressive is that Pouncey has been learning two positions, something offensive line coach Sean Kugler said is "very rare" for a rookie to do.

"This thing hasn't fazed him," Kugler said. "He's picked it up probably at a pace as quickly or better than I would have expected."

"I want him to get some exposure at both spots," Tomlin said. "I don't have a set number of snaps. It is kind of dictated on how the drives go. There is no crystal ball there. We are not afraid to play him at both positions in this football game."

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_694694.html

---------------------------

And there you go again.

[theplatypus]

Originally Posted by DanRooney

Okay for the last time:

Hartwig was injured throughout training camp. It was a broken toe or some shit I don't remember. This is the only reason why Pouncey was able to compete at center. He started out as a 2nd team RG.

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, August 13, 2010


It has been widely thought that Pouncey would play right guard — he is running with the second team behind Trai Essex there — before eventually taking over for Justin Hartwig at center.

But when asked Thursday where he expects to see his first action as a Steeler, Pouncey said, "I'm probably going to start off at center, but I'm not sure yet."

"I'm very well prepared to go out there and perform," Pouncey said yesterday. "I ain't going to say I know (the playbook) to the T, but I've got it down pretty good."

What makes his grasp of the playbook all the more impressive is that Pouncey has been learning two positions, something offensive line coach Sean Kugler said is "very rare" for a rookie to do.

"This thing hasn't fazed him," Kugler said. "He's picked it up probably at a pace as quickly or better than I would have expected."

"I want him to get some exposure at both spots," Tomlin said. "I don't have a set number of snaps. It is kind of dictated on how the drives go. There is no crystal ball there. We are not afraid to play him at both positions in this football game."

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_694694.html

---------------------------

And there you go again.

HArtwig wasn't freaking injured when he lost out to Pouncey. His toe injury was in 2009.

http://steelerstoday.com/?p=4254


Hartwig started the game referenced in your article and then Pouncey was given 11 reps at center with the 1st team. THe folllowing freaking Monday Pouncey was in an open competition for starting center. HIs opponent was a healthy Hartwig.

[DanRooney]

It was a shoulder injury.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2010/07...ustin-hartwig/

Well there you go.

[theplatypus]

Originally Posted by DanRooney

It was a shoulder injury.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2010/07...ustin-hartwig/

Well there you go.

And yet once again that was during OTA's. FROM your article "IF Hartwig is slowed early on in camp". Do you understand what IF implies? Do you also understand the difference between Organized Team Activities and Training Camp? Can you find one article that states Pouncey was given a shot due to Hartwig's injury as per your initial claim?


No
No
No

And there you go

[DanRooney]

Originally Posted by theplatypus

And yet once again that was during OTA's. FROM your article "IF Hartwig is slowed early on in camp". Do you understand what IF implies? Do you also understand the difference between Organized Team Activities and Training Camp? Can you find one article that states Pouncey was given a shot due to Hartwig's injury as per your initial claim?


No
No
No

And there you go

The second sentence doesn't say if.

You sir, are wrong again.

So far I've said Hartwig had an injury in the offseason - correct
So far I've said Pouncey started playing the right guard position - correct
So far I've said Pouncey was a superior center in every aspect than Hartwig - correct

And you can't put these together at why Pouncey was given a chance to compete at C from the start? With as long as you've been a Steelers fan, how many times has a rookie just came in and started from day 1? When was the last time? Casey Hampton?

The Steelers don't give their rooks a fair shot to take a vets job from the get go. Sanders and Brown were superior to Randle El and youtube sensation Arnaz Batlte from day 1 yet they weren't even given real playing time until mid season.

[Dodens Grav]

Yet Mike Wallace was the year before. Maybe because Mike Wallace was a lot better as a rookie than they were right off the bat. Oh, and there was that whole executive order from Art Rooney II thing, saying that he wants to see the rookies develop faster and contribute in their rookie years during the 2010 offseason.