Comments on: Did Mike Tomlin want to hire Todd Haley?

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:24:13 +0000

@rhondasays …

The franchise has been to two Super Bowls in five years under Tomlin, and the quarterback’s numbers have skyrocketed–just not to the level of his capability. Ben was a prima donna long before Tomlin arrived. Just ask Cowher. If Haley moves up to head coach, it will be the first time they’ve hired an offensive HC or promoted to that position in half a century.

By: rhondasays

rhondasays — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:15:12 +0000

Tomlin’s cost the Franchise a lot in making their QB into a low performance highpay primadonna-
Tomlin has taken credit for gaming style and wins with which he had nothing to do- ZERO contribution. Karma knocking on Tomlin and Roethelisberger’s doors- Haley could move right up to Head Coach.

By: ridgeavenuehr

ridgeavenuehr — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:14:59 +0000

Let’s be real for a second: if the gawd awful Ravens beat us twice in one season, something had to be fixed whether Tomlin or Big Ben liked it or not! The offense was clearly, clearly at fault.

By: Deb

Deb — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:30:52 +0000

The day I start worrying about a Ron Cook column–or Mike Tomlin quitting the Steelers when his contract is up because our owners are meddlesome–is the day I empty my bank accounts and give away all my possessions because 2012 marks the end of the world.

By: bunkmcnulty

bunkmcnulty — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:39:11 +0000

As a Ravens fan the I am certainly not objective, but here goes.

Ironic to me that the defense let the Steelers down most in the play-offs, not the offense. More specifically, the DC reluctance to adjust. I have said before he better learn to adjust more often because your two most dominate defensive players (92 and 43) no longer dominate every play. I am not being cruel, they just aren’t. They are great at times, it’s just less often.

Bosses bring in people for managers to work with all the time in real life. Who cares if Tomlin doesn’t like it. If the boss says we are hiring Haley, then so be it. They will adjust. Non-story.

By: stairwayto7

stairwayto7 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:32:32 +0000

Steelers will still get 10-12 wins and in the playoffs yet again while Browns and Bengals are sitting at home!

By: nickster2k

nickster2k — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:28 +0000

ianwhetstone says:
Feb 9, 2012 10:27 AM
The article by Cook is garbage. The local press in Pittsburgh is pissed because Arians fed them leaks for years, so they’re lashing out at the loss of their information pipeline, and blaming the Rooneys for making their jobs (slightly) harder.

=========================

I’ve always suspected something was up with Arians and most of the Pittsburgh media. They seemed to always give him a free pass no matter how terrible the offense was. Dick Lebeau was criticized more and his defense is always number 1 or 2 in the league.

By: point947

point947 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:05:40 +0000

Wait a second, are you telling me that the guy who signs the paychecks also wants a say in who gets those paychecks???

Crazy, I’ve never heard of a business owner doing that……

By: mtstrlfan

mtstrlfan — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:35:31 +0000

The current Rooney needs to go away and Mr. Rooney needs to come back from Ireland

By: melikefootball

melikefootball — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:35:12 +0000

Love the haters,,if you want to look at Rooney rule how about Caldwell in Indy…ops probably not allowed to say that. What exactly did they do wrong in Pittsburgh, hire someone they feel can do the job. No guarantee in house gets hired, how many in house leave every year to another team and no one is jumping up and down.

By: jg725

jg725 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:30:13 +0000

Why does the “rooney rule” which by the way, is completely unconstitutional – only apply to head coaches and not coordinators – that doesn’t seem like equal rights to me?????

By: beasleyreece

beasleyreece — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:25:18 +0000

the rooney did this before when the steelers were getting to pass happy. I believe they were coming off a 7-9 year. they told cower we need to be a better running team to win. they then dedicated themselves to becoming that. then we started winning super bowls. the rooneys do not want the steelers to fall into that trap again. this is a preemptive strike to right the ship. I trust the rooneys. they are the best owners in football for a reason…

By: joe6606

joe6606 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:23:45 +0000

The Pittsburgh beat men have needed to be put out to pasture LONG ago. They are downright awful, and invent “stories” to placate their own interests, truth be damned.

Their obsession with Arians is so illogical and out of touch with the Steeler fan base, it is embarassing. We won a SB IN SPITE of not because of Arians. We have a great QB and finally have a core of young, talented receivers, yet our offense sucks, particularly the closer we get to the endzone. Yes there are OL issues. and yes Ben holds onto the ball too long sometimes and takes bad sacks. But the problem is deeper than that.

There were just too many times that as soon as you saw the formation, you KNEW the playcall, and you KNEW it was going to suck. If me, Joe fan, knows this, do you think the opposing team doesnt know it? There’s no one else to blame for crappy formations other than Arians. It’s not an execution issue, or poor QB/WR route decision..it’s Arian’s terrible playcalls.

Whether Haley is the answer..I don’t know, but we have been calling for the past couple years for someone, anyone, different to be OC.

By: goldsteel

goldsteel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:53:34 +0000

Who signs the checks? The Rooneys. That alone gives them to right to do whatever they want with the franchise. Tomlin, a great coach in my opinion, is like a general that has to keep all the Egos happy on the team. Like Eisenhower in WW2 if you will.

Tomlin will find a way to make it work. Then step back and let everyone else take the credit. And let’s remember that offense knows offense and defense knows defense. The Philadelphia coach proved that when he named an offensive line coach to the position of defensive coordinator. Tomlin is a defense minded coach.

Rothlisberger has to man up and play whatever is handed to him to the best of his ability. Not go whining to the owner. Football is still a team sport.

GO STEELERS!

By: theharshestreality

theharshestreality — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:42:13 +0000

You are correct – we crucify Dallas and yet deify the Steelers for meddling? And I don’t really think anyone is crazy for thinking that ownership should allow the coaches to coach (even in Pitt) and to hire those that work for them as well. If it works out, fine, but it’s rare that owners know better than SB winning coaches.

By: brinkerj

brinkerj — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:37:28 +0000

Total BS. Just watched the news conference online and it gave me no indication that Tomlin was forced here. He and Haley seemed to have a great repoire only after a few days of getting to know one another. This will be forgotten within 2 weeks. Some guys are just better as coordinators versus being a head coach. (Phillips, LeBeau)

By: dickroy

dickroy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:35:03 +0000

I would be willing to bet this will work out fine.

By: trbst11

trbst11 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:32 +0000

ingraven says:
Feb 9, 2012 10:33 AM
Yes FINALLY the Steelers organization is beginning to crumble and as a Ravens fan I LOVE IT!!!

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Give me a break raven fan. Would you think the raven organization would be crumbling if the front office got rid of cam cameron. I am sure most raven fans would be happy to get a new offensive coordinator. oh, and you lost your defensive coordinator. And you are about to give a huge contract to flacco. big mistake!

By: steelersdefense

steelersdefense — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:23:13 +0000

A few comments:

The Rooney Rule applies to head coaches. Even so, they did interview Caldwell for the OC postion.

Tomlin will not leave. People need something to write about. Whethe you love or hate the Steelers, no one can argue that being the Steelers head coach is one of the top coaching gigs in the leauge.

Even if Tomlin does leave, there will be many highly qualified canidates to replace him.

Rooney writes the checks, bottom line. He made it clear last year the offense needed more balance. Lining up 5 wide on 3rd and short all the time is not wise.

No one is bigger than the organization. Not even Tomlin. He is a paid employee as well and if the ownership wants to team to be going in certain direction, he can get on board or get out. Just like any of us in our jobs.

To all the Steelers haters. You woul love to have these “issues”. The Steelers will be fine. The past is the best predictor of the future. Where does that put your team?

By: bucfandango

bucfandango — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:20:05 +0000

The Steelers could lose their entire staff, half their players and still beat my Bucs 48-0. But I would love to see Tomlin back in Tampa.

By: 33rdasylum

33rdasylum — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:18:10 +0000

I don’t care how you slice it, from an organizational standpoint it is never a good thing for the owner to pick an assistant coach over the objections of the HC. If this is a one shot deal (i.e. the owner felt this was too important to the franchise to allow a HC’s loyalty to cloud his judgement) then it probably won’t be a big issue. Eventually everyone will simmer down.
BUT, if this turns out to be the beginnings of a pattern…

By: mrpkg

mrpkg — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:59:28 +0000

This happened in the past with the Rooney family and the coaching staff, but we never heard about it. With all of the media outlets today, nothing is behind closed doors.

Haley will work out, Tomilin will stay, the Steelers will be back in the Super Bowl.

By: sequtugh

sequtugh — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:56:32 +0000

You folks are nuts. The Rooney’s have EARNED the right not not be second guessed about their decisions. Not a single person on this website has attended a meeting with any Rooney to discuss a coaching or staff change. None of us know why these decisions have been made, and the truth is the Rooney’s don’t owe us an explaination. Their decisions have been gold for 40+ years, or are those 8 Super Bowl appearances a fluke? Top to bottom, this organization is consistently in the top 5 in the sport, if not higher.
As to Tomlin being pissed – look at it this way: he’s a great coach, no denying that. But does anyone doubt that if the Rooney’s had hired a different coach, that person wouldn’t have been as successful? Tomlin has benefited from the structure and competency of this organization that the Rooney’s built. Tomlin didn’t build this. The Rooney’s don’t owe him anything, in fact there’s a strong arguement it’s the other way around.

By: eightysixisback

eightysixisback — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:52:39 +0000

@southflsteel:
Exactly!! I think it is a little early to start talking about Tomlin being unhappy and leaving Pittsburgh, etc. That whole post is speculation. NO ONE knows what went down except the people in the organization and they are not talking. If people want to speculate at least base it on the way the steelers organization has handled things in the past and the results that this has produced. The conclusion that the post comes to is based on the idea that the organization is suddenly for unknown reasons changing the way they do things completely. Suddenly after all these years of success doing things one way, the Rooney’s are doing the complete opposite??? I have my doubts. Someone was just looking for controversey and steelers haters are feeding into because they wish it was true. Will this even be a story halfway through next season? I wouldn’t be on it.

By: andyreidcarboload

andyreidcarboload — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:51:24 +0000

gbpackman says: Feb 9, 2012 10:23 AM

Tomlin is a top five (or better) NFL coach. Steelers may want to give him a financial apology.
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Please stop it, Tomlin came into a great situation. It helps that the Steelers no how to draft and keep home grown talent. The pieces were/are in place. He’s no Jim Caldwell but to call him a top 5 coach is just ludicrous.

By: evilpens

evilpens — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:50:26 +0000

Yep Tomlin didn’t want Him Jim Wexell said that Tomlin was “Very Impressed” with Haley in the Interview he had with him

By: southyank7

southyank7 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:42:55 +0000

the only “Writer” @ the Pitt PG worth anything is Ed Bouchette
Ron Cook, Bob Smizik are 2 crotchety old men who need to be put out to pasture their #Views (opinions) are a joke

By: ravenator

ravenator — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:35:07 +0000

I smell trouble brewing, glorious!!!

By: deadeye

deadeye — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:13 +0000

Did Tomlin want Haley? Of course not.

By: monroviaman

monroviaman — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:48 +0000

Don’t listen to Ron Cook. I’m a Pittsburgh fan and can’t stand this guy or his articles.