House Of Lords or House Of Commons: The Current State of the Pittsburgh Steelers

by Jason and Jayden

In her essay "Child’s Play ...or is it?
Political meaning in 18th Century nursery rhymes (part one)," Lucinda Brant wrote that the (original) nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty wasn't about an egg (Lewis Carroll added that), not even about the Parliamentary cannon as is also commonly understood.

"The rhyme wasn’t published until 1810 in Gammar Gurton’s Garland, where there is no mention of the King’s men or his horses:

'Humpty Dumpty sate [sic] on a wall,
Humpti Dumpti [sic] had a great fall;
Threescore men and threescore more,
Cannot place Humpty dumpty as he was before.'"

This first published version leads to the "more obscure theory...that Humpty Dumpty is not a cannon at all but a specific person. I believe it refers to King George the Third and that the rhyme is about his mental illness."

Now, you're probably wondering what place this has in a sports blog (though, if you're a regular reader, you know that Shakespeare, the Bible, The Godfather and other pop culture references have been made several times). Well, as the title indicates, the Pittsburgh Steelers organization is going through a transition. A transition that some think may lead to a great fall.

From 1933 to 1971 (not counting the Steagles and the Card-Pitts years), the Steelers wallowed around in the virtual basement of the NFL, compiling a total of 168 wins. Then things changed.

The NFL Draft became the Steelers own personal orchard where it seemed that they didn't just pick from the bountiful selections, but that talent actually fell ripe from the branch. Suddenly, they were Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall. And like King George III in our analogy, they were "higher than anyone else, alluding to [their] kingly status." In just over 17 seasons, the Steelers eclipsed the number of victories they had accumulated in the previous 37 - less than half the time.

"There was no one higher in England’s Georgian society than the King," and there was no one higher in the NFL than the Steelers. The records they have accrued are legion and too many to number here. In part, they have the most Super Bowl wins, most AFC Super Bowl representations, most Conference Championship games (15) played in [AFC or NFC]; most NFL Conference Championship games hosted (11); most Division Titles won by any AFC team in NFL history (20); most overall post-merger wins [regular season & playoffs] (416); most regular post-merger wins (384); most playoff games won by any NFL team (33); highest post-merger winning percentage [regular season & playoffs] (61.1%)...and the list goes on.

But this is no longer acceptable. After 14 appearances in the last 21 seasons (1992-2012), four more Super Bowls and two more Super Bowl wins, to a now-spoiled fan base, recent events have caused an uproar. King George, the regnal king who is our object comparison, had several bouts of mental illness. The current sentiment amongst many Steelers' fans is that the third in line for directing the Steelers organization himself has taken leave of his senses.

Art Rooney, The Chief, sired the team and the organization from day one back in 1933. Led them through the lean times and into the times of bounty. Always the head of the organization, always the father figure, always The Chief.

Dan Rooney continued in his father's footsteps and led the team through the resurgence, to more Super Bowls and gained the respect around the league that The Chief had. The apple didn't fall far from the tree and Uncle Dan was even given the honor of being the ambassador to Ireland by President Barack Obama.

Now Art Rooney II, more Gordon Gekko than than Jimmie Johnson, has Steeler nation comparing him to Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder because of his "interfering" with the team's affairs. The general sentiment is that he should "let the ones he pays to make decisions make the decisions on how the team is run." There is a sentiment that he likes the camera and microphone too much, and that he needs to stay in the front office and off of the field.

It is essentially true. Think back to the Super Bowl loss after the 2010 season to the Green Bay Packers: was there panic in the streets? Were people blatantly calling for heads? Not amongst civil, level-headed fans, no. It was six points that came down to one final drive. The culprits were viewed as being on the field, not on the sidelines or in the office.

Fast forward to 2011 and there were happy fans again because the team was winning again. Sure, certain things were less-than-perfect, but they were a veteran team that knew what was needed to win. If not for an inept play by safety Ryan Clark in the rematch against the hated Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers would've been division winners with a bye or a home game in the first round of the playoffs.

Then it began.

The Steelers lost in overtime in the wild-card round of the playoffs at the underdog Denver Broncos by allowing Tim Tebow of all quarterbacks to throw for 316 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 pass completions. That isn't even the bad part.

In his season-ending news conference, head coach Mike Tomlin tells the media that he expects his coaching staff to return for the 2012 season and, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, tells offensive coordinator Bruce Arians more than once that he wants him back.

Then team president Art Rooney II tells the Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette that he thinks quarterback Ben Roethlisberger needs to "tweak" his game a bit in order to take fewer hits and sacks and, in effect, lengthen his career in Pittsburgh.

This is where we see the beginnings of "a great fall," because in a thinly veiled attempt at deception, the Steelers announce that Arians is retiring, citing health issues. He later said he was pushed out, obviously by Rooney against Tomlin's wishes. Later, Rooney came as close as he may ever about the situation with Steelers.com, saying it was "time for a change."

Arians? He made a miraculous recovery and was hired post-haste as the offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts. Because of head coach Chuck Pagano missing the majority of the season due to cancer, Arians was named the NFL's 2012 Coach of the Year.

Though Big Ben has come out more than once and said that there is no friction between him and new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, that it was mainly media-driven, the reality is that things could've been done very differently. - http://tinyurl.com/a8b48lh

"Oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."

Though If It Ain't Steel wasn't exactly Bruce Arians' biggest fan, a piece was still written on how it was likely premature to have fired Arians. Not tooting our own horn, but...well, we don't have to, now do we?

As Ms. Brant states in her essay, "life will never be the same again, for King George or his subjects." Nor will they for the Steelers organization, specifically General Manager Kevin Colbert and Tomlin, if Rooney II continues his meddling. It affects the performance of the aforementioned Tomlin, making him look like a figure head rather than a head coach. Basically emasculating him.

When Tomlin first arrived, he had a no-nonsense approach to things. Training Camp was more like Boot Camp, and he was Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. Who could argue his approach? It led to a Super Bowl win in his second year after all. Though, at the behest of some of his veteran players, it was toned down some in the next couple of years, it didn't seem to have a major effect. They did reach the big game again two years later. But, then Rooney II spoke up.

Now Tomlin has come under fire as not having complete control of the team. It has been suggested, and said outright, that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has more control over the team than Tomlin.

As my partner-in-verse says "Omar" (i.e. Tomlin's look-a-like Omar Epps), needs to get back to the "buttkicking," he was doing when he first got here. He "needs to stop being their buddy and be their coach. When he first came here he said he didn't care who he made mad, he wasn't there to be their friends."

In other words, he needs to be H.N.I.C. Period. End of sentence.

Yes, Big Ben needs to be a team leader - a presence in the huddle, on the sidelines and in the locker room - but when Tomlin speaks the players need to know that it's time to shut up and listen. They need the fear of God put back into them. Rooney II's interference hinders that. The Chief never undermined Chuck Noll. Uncle Dan never undermined Bill Cowher.

Especially since Tomlin now is in what are essentially unfamiliar waters as he faces a level of adversity that truly tests the skills and character of any NFL head coach: he has never built, nor totally re-built a football team. He needs their support more than ever. Non-interference should be the Rooneys' prime directive.

Now, Steelers legend Mean Joe Greene, after 27 years of service with the organization, has retired citing an "attitude change" that hit the Steelers that he does not like.

“It’s an attitude change. In all my years of being with Pittsburgh, I never encountered a player taking a contract dispute into the season and letting that dispute affect the way he played. That’s a bad thing.” - http://t.co/Tz7xIWoBoe

Non-interference can be achieved, though, and thankfully the Rooneys are patient, as evidenced by sticking with Cowher after three straight losing seasons. But, make no mistake, the organization belongs to the Rooneys. The Steelers are at a crossroad and are in transition. The core of players Mike Tomlin inherited and coached to two Super Bowl appearances is being dismantled. Can he maintain? Cowher couldn't.

The point about Tomlin being too buddy-buddy is still valid, though, and does need to be rectified. I know the new CBA rules put certain restrictions on Camp (and all practices), but while Training Camp doesn't have to be the Junction Boys, it doesn't have to be Camp North Star, either.

The third in the triad of those responsible for the quality on the field is the one who is mainly in charge of drafting, he being Colbert. As has been well publicized, only 22 of the last 59 players he has drafted are still with the team, and none from the 2008 draft.

Is he slipping? Did he and Cowher have a symbiotic relationship that was mortally wounded when Cowher retired? Some of the draft woes do reach back to Cowher's era, but they did have greater overall success in those years. These are definitely things to consider, because the dearth of talent is obvious. And if it is all on Colbert, is he facing his Waterloo? - http://tinyurl.com/bh7eytc

"Threescore men and threescore more,
Cannot place Humpty dumpty as he was before."

As Brant again writes, "this line suggests that it made no difference to the King’s condition how many men were called to attend on him, they cannot place Humpty as he was before—the King’s mental illness cannot be cured and thus he can no longer rule as king."

To be certain, as a team and organization, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in need of a panacea. They aren't completely broken, but all the king's horses are on alert.

Colbert says, "I don't see any players we draft coming in and having an immediate impact." That means this draft, even the first pick, will produce more depth that starters in 2013. One draft class won't do it, but it starts there. The evaluation and development of young players players is paramount. The veterans also need to lead in word and in deed. Like linebacker Larry Foote said, they'd "better be pissed off" at their current state. - http://tinyurl.com/ab2qmbt

While the reputation of the Rooneys has few rivals, they don't get a free pass. There will no pom-pom waving from anyone here - the triad has work to do. Starting with Rooney II and his communication skills. He needs to do a better job communicating with Tomlin. The way Arians' departure was handled was an embarrassment. Nothing like that can happen again.

Tomlin himself needs to run practice and run the team as he knows he can do; Colbert needs to run the organization and the handle the bank account better than in recent years; and Rooney should remain approachable - like his father and grandfather before him, he should want to have a relationship with his players.

But each one should do so with the understanding that, as evidenced by our object lesson, "Humpty Dumpty," a House of Lords can become a House of Commons can become a house of cards all too quickly.

Immaculate Controversy Solved?; Roethlisberger Apologizes

(by Jayden Matthews and Jason Robinson)

December 23, 1972, the day the Pittsburgh Steelers were born.

Of course we know the Steelers, originally the Pirates, were actually founded on July 8, 1933. As was the practice back then, Art Rooney, The Chief, took the team's original name from the baseball team of the same name (thus Chris Berman's endless bad imitation of NFL Films' John Facenda saying "the New York Football Giants").

But, for all intents and purposes, the Steelers were born when quarterback Terry Bradshaw, running back Frenchy Fuqua, the Oakland Raiders safety Jack Tatum and running back Franco Harris combined on what is now forever known as the "Immaculate Reception."

Sunday marks 40 years to the day of all holy days for Steelers fans, and the Steelers will celebrate the two score anniversary with a slew of events that culminate with the team's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. - http://tinyurl.com/d8he7dr

The day is not without its controversy, though.

When Bradshaw threw a ball that looks to have been touched first by Tatum and not by Fuqua, and that Harris caught in stride before running to the end zone. - http://tinyurl.com/cq24pff

The Steelers won the game after referee Fred Swearingen called the press box to speak to NFL supervisor of officials Art McNally.

Supposedly, Swearingen was fearful of his own safety amid a mob of Steelers fans who would not have reacted well, he and his fellow officials allegedly were informed that they'd only have four policemen at their disposal, to the news that a former rule regarding the initial touching of a pass by an offensive player had wiped out the playoff victory. - http://tinyurl.com/bwq78fw

NFL Films’ A Football Life series (aired Wednesday December 19th at 8:00 EST) focuses on the play that gradually and, from the perspective of the Steelers’ organization, reluctantly came to be known as the Immaculate Reception.

Former Raiders coach John Madden refused to be interviewed for the documentary. He is still bitter over what he has suggested was an outcome that was determined by unauthorized use of replay review.

As one would expect, all associated with the silver and black deny it having been legal. All loyal to the Black and Gold believe it did. But watching the A Football Life episode, there seems to be clear evidence that the ball hit Tatum, making it a legal play.

The shot to look for showed up later in the episode, but it was there. Hopefully, this will end the controversy.

Nah...

~

Have you ever stopped and considered how bad it would have been if the Cleveland Browns had picked Ben Roethlisberger with the 6th pick of the 2004 NFL Draft instead of Kellen Winslow?

Not that we're trying to give you cold sweat-inducing nightmares here, but then-Steelers head coach Bill Cowher had wanted them to pick an offensive tackle also. Thankfully, Dan Rooney insisted on a quarterback. Cowher didn't think had seen enough of Tommy Maddox. Rooney won.

Thank you, Uncle Dan.

The presence of a true and immaculate franchise quarterback was the last link Cowher needed to get over the AFC Championship game hump as the bridesmaid finally got the chance to toss the bouquet in 2005.

After Cowher's departure, current head coach Mike Tomlin has been to two more with the Steelers and Big Ben at the helm. On-the-field success has been the norm for No. 7, but such was not always the case off of it.

The Steelers have been up hill and down dale at times with the once troubled quarterback. He has been petulant, obnoxious, arrogant and overgrown frat boy. His legal troubles even put him in the NFL's and the Steelers' dog house.

The 2010 season began with Big Ben sitting and watching the first four games. He was serving a suspension that handed down by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Though there was never adequate evidence to bring charges to Big Ben, an example was made of him that was seemingly encouraged by the Rooneys to send a message.

Message received. Since then, he's also been endearing, open, honest and repentant. He's also settled down, graduated from college and has shown actual maturity. Traits that have been very overtly evident this week.

In his weekly press conference, Tomlin said that Big Ben said that he was still on board with offensive coordinator Todd Haley, whom he'd previously thrown under the bus, saying that he blamed heat of the moment. - http://tinyurl.com/ct6rjmg

Further than that, Big Ben went in and apologized to Haley and the Rooney family on Monday, citing "frustration" as the culprit. Bringing plaudits from those who have covered the Steelers for years: http://sulia.com/channel/pittsburgh-steelers/f/26a591b8-108b-47e2-93c2-dd4704aa080b/?source=twitter

It's a sign of real maturity and a good start to the practice week for the Steelers who don't need any further distractions as they attempt to salvage their season. - http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/61663/big-bens-apology-is-a-good-start-for-steelers

Hopefully, this will end the negative publicity that still attaches itself to the new daddy on occasion.

Nah...

~

IMMACULATE TIDBITS: Cam Heyward and Troy Polamalu both missed Steelers practice for non-injury reasons. Ike (ankle), Al Woods (illness) missed practice also; Cortez Allen (groin) was a full participant in practice; Manny Sanders (rib), Mike Adams (ankle) and Keenan Lewis were limited. But Lewis said: "I'm playing, no matter what."

~

"I think it was a mistake, but it was a long time coming. When your star quarterback and offensive coordinator were really close and ownership felt that (Ben Roethlisberger) wasn't getting enough discipline. It wasn't a one-year thing. Since Ben wasn't getting the discipline, they also felt that (Steelers former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians) was giving in to what Ben wanted to do as opposed to the philosophy of the Steelers, which has always been running the football first. When he (Arians) got away from running the football it created a problem in the mindset of the offense and became public enemy number one. I think the Steelers needed to see what kind of team did they have? Not a team that can run the ball 40 times and win. Now with (Todd) Haley, they don't have the personnel to do that and they're not winning." - Jerome Bettis said when he appeared on Fox Sports 1360 (Cincinnati) with Andy Furman and Artrell Hawkins.

~

Official word from Rashard Mendenhall on why he was a no-show for the Chargers game: "I'm not going into that."

Well...ok, then.

~

The Steelers have signed cornerback and local product Justin King. King played three games with the Colts this season before getting cut. He was a fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2009 and played with them for three years.

The NFL, The Rooneys and Racism

    Racism. It's a word that causes an immediate reaction no matter what your background is. We see it in all walks of life in it's various forms. Thankfully, though, it isn't nearly the problem it once was. Sure, we have occasional situations of actual racism, this is still America after all, and it usually surrounds Blacks and whites. But, outside of what are essentially remote rural pockets of blatant racism, we simply don't see it to a great degree much anymore. I'm not speaking here of prejudice, by the way, that's alive, well and rampant. I will speak on things from that standpoint too, though. Here I'm speaking of actual racism: the belief that inherent differences among races can determine cultural or individual achievement or superiority.
    For 12 years that was the case with the NFL. Between the years 1934-1946 there was an unofficial ban on Black players. This was mainly because of racial fears amongst professional team owners. There had been Black players in what came to be known as the NFL before then, to be certain. In fact the history of the Black player in the NFL can be broken down into three eras: Initial Inclusion, Exclusion and Reintegration.
    Aside: African-American is, yes, the accepted moniker, but I'm a Black man. I was raised by a Black man to be a Black man, to be a man...one who has never been to Africa. So that is the term I will be using.
    From the birth of professional football to approximately 1918, two years before the NFL officially began, there were four Black players: Charles Follis, Charles "Doc" Baker, Henry McDonald and Gideon "Charlie" Smith who played all of one game. The most notable names to play during the NFL's formative years were amongst these select few. There were Fritz Pollard and Paul Robeson who came in 1919 and 1920 and played with Akron Indians (later Akron Pros). There was Robert "Rube" Marshall who played for the Rock Island team in 1919 as well. Fred "Duke" Slater started his career in 1922. In 1932 came the second true Black football star, Joe Lillard, who signed with the Chicago Cardinals, followed in 1933 by Ray Kemp of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the first Black player ever signed by them. That, though, was the last the NFL would see of the Black player until 1946, due in part to the Cleveland Browns. But more on that later.
    The exclusion of the Black player was now in effect. Naturally, though, any sort of ban official or otherwise was denied publicly by NFL owners. Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, said, "For myself and for most of the owners I can say there was never any racial bias." He also claimed financial problems saying that there wasn't enough money for an adequate scouting sytem. (Imagine that, a Rooney poor-mouthing something...) Chicago Bears owner George Halas also denied by making a weak claim that there simply weren't any good or talented Black players during that time. Uh-huh... Look up the names Bernie Jefferson of Northwestern and Willis Ward of  Michigan, just to name two. Most telling might just be the then L.A. Rams owner Tex Schramm's statement on the subject when he said, "You just didn't do it. It was just something that wasn't done." This would definitely add weight to what the aforementioned Ray Kemp said regarding the unofficial ban when he said, "It was my understanding that there was a gentleman's agreement in the league that there would be no more Blacks." (read: complicity) The fact that there were no Black players during that 12 year period would seem to back that up.
    The reintegration of the Black player was due at least in part to the Cleveland Browns and in full to the AAFC. The NFL now was face-to-face with a league that could not only take players from them, but also revenue. The NFL saw that the AAFC was going to stand toe-to-toe with them and that they were going to be a desegregated league. The NFL blinked first. The Rams went out and quickly signed Woody Strode and Kenny Washington. Not long after would come the signing of Bill Willis and Marion Motley to the Cleveland Browns as stated before. (I know you're shuddering, Steelers fans, but it's true-you owe a bit of thanks to the Browns.)
    While outright racism may have become an issue of the past, prejudice hadn't. You still only saw Black players in certain positions. Those being defensive back, outside linebacker, running back and wide receiver (and we won't even touch on the "Blacks can't play quarterback" nonsense). Their collective play at those select positions brought great revenue to football, especially when you add the aspect of ticket sales being bolstered by the addition of the Black audience. But the sight of a swarthy face on the sidelines as anything but a player was nonexistent. Enter the Pittsburgh Steelers.
    In 1956 Lowell Perry began his short career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played only six games with the Steelers before a serious injury ended his career. The Rooneys have shown themselves over the years to be fairly forward thinking with regard to prejudices. The attitude spoken of before regarding the "unofficial ban" needs to be considered in context: Art Rooney was a brand-spanking new owner in 1933 and was heavily influenced, as was the rest of the league, by Southern-born racist owner (of the Washington Redskins), George Preston Marshall. Marshall clearly wanted no Black players on his team and, as it was he who handled and headed the reorganization of the league in 1934, used his influential power amongst the other owners to quietly agree to be bigots. Jump forward 23 years and you have a Rooney who himself is now influential and recognizes not only the talent, but also the intelligence in Perry. Thus, in 1957, the Steelers hired Perry to be their receivers coach, making him the NFL's first Black coach. Perry went from there to being the talent scout in 1958. Then in 1966, after going back to school to earn a law degree, Perry was involved in another hiring first: he became the first Black color analyst for CBS Television when they hired him to broadcast Steelers games.
    The Rooneys would go on to pioneer frontiers in the NFL in other ways as well. The Rooneys realized that there was untapped talent in all-Black universities. By turning their focus that way, they found such gems as John Stallworth, Donnie Shell and Mel Blount to name a few.
    The Rooneys weren't done. They had a skinny defensive back to play for them from 1977-1978 who, after his career ended in 1980, was brought on to be their defensive backs coach from 1981-1983 and then their defensive coordinator from 1984-1988. That skinny defensive back was Tony Dungy.
     Dan Rooney in particular is noted as being instrumental in making it not only possible for more such coacing opportunities, but also for making it a priority. "The Rooney Rule" assures that ALL individuals have the chance to make their mark, sink or swim, on the head coaching front.
     Prejudice still rears it's ugly head now and then, and racism is like the Phoenix: just when you think it's dead, somehow it comes to life again to wreak havoc for a time. But the NFL seems to have exorcised their demons. And we have the Cleveland Browns, the AAFC and the Rooneys to thank for that.

UPDATE: Lowell Perry was not the first Black coach in the NFL. That honor belongs to Fritz Pollard who was co-head coach in 1921.