Definition of my
fanaticism: Growing up during the Super Steelers reign of the 70’s, the
down years of the 80s, and the Cowher Power years of the 90s, I know it’s not
possible to maintain dominance always, but I like to think they have a chance
to win every game and I like to think every player will be great or at least
good enough to be a role player to the other great players on the team.
Definition of realist:
A version of a fan that, instead of recognizing that occasionally it is
necessary to add new players to the fold, determines all is lost unless the
head coach and all coordinators are fired, despite the fact that they have
managed to go to 2 Super Bowls and then tread water and finish with one or two non-losing
seasons while acclimating said new players
and building a new group of dominant players.
Well, that’s not the definition of a realist and everyone
knows that. I am a big reader of the
blogs because I just love to read about anything to do with the 3 professional
teams in Da Burgh. I’ll read anything
from a 2 word comment to a 10 page story if it’s about those guys. I’m a regular contributor too. I started my own blog so that I could write
about my teams, PittsburghSportsBuzz.blogspot.com Usually my contributions poke
a little fun at the people who fit the realist definition above. Here’s how last Sunday went before that
debacle even started.
Realist: “We need to fire Tomlin, Colbert and Lebeau.
Tomlin can’t coach, Colbert can’t find talent and the game has passed
Lebeau by.
Me: Yes, we need to
fire that head coach that has taken his team to 2 Super Bowls and won 1 because
he definitely can’t coach. I hated the
way he couldn’t coach last season when the team was 0-4 and his team gave up
and they didn’t do anything after. That’s
usually what happens with a bad start like that. The coach loses his team and they go in the
toilet. Oh shoot, that’s not right they
actually finished 8-4 after that crappy start when their starting running back
was injured and they had no one behind him and they went through 3 or 4 centers
due to injuries. But he definitely can’t
coach. That 6th Lombardi was
a fluke.
Realist: Uh yeah, he stinks, I’m sure Dave Wannstedt or Russ Grimm could have done just as good of
a job.
Me: Yeah, because
Wannstedt was so good in his other jobs
they kept letting him go to other teams and Russ Grimm got so many head
coaching offers.
Realist: Yeah, but
Colbert couldn’t find a pro bowler if he picked him off another team.
Me: Well, I’m not
sure but I think Mr. Colbert may have had something to do with their trips to
those 3 Super Bowls in the 2000s. I know
he’s not as good as the 10 GMs that have come and gone in Cleveland and that
owner that thinks he’s a GM in Cincy or that other owner that thinks he’s a GM
in Dallas(even a blind squirrel finds a nut some days). It’s just too bad that the Rooney’s aren’t
so slow to the trigger in firing people.
If we had someone like Matt Millen we could have had Calvin Williams and
10 other 1st round wide receivers instead of those Super Bowl
trophies.
Realist: Yeah, but
our defense is horrible this year. He
should have found replacements for those old guys by now.
Me: Yeah, he should
have definitely consulted his crystal ball to see when those outstanding
players that went to those 3 Super Bowls were finally going to be unproductive
and the year before they lost it he should have convinced other teams with high
draft picks to give them to him because the Steelers didn’t have high
draft picks because they’ve been so good
for a long time and he should have convinced the league to raise the salary cap
for the Steelers so they could afford their free agents and also sign free
agents like Daryl Revis that have been overpaid and dropped by other teams or
Champ Bailey that can’t run anymore.
Realist: Yeah, they
should fire Lebeau too!
Me: Yeah, nevermind
the fact that other teams would be lining up to get Dick Lebeau even though he
is in his 70s. He should be able to get
any draft pick to come in and immediately be a pro bowler and be a part of a
number one defense, which by the way, he has coached several teams to while
with the Steelers. His defense is not
complicated at all and should be picked up by any player immediately.
I actually got so irritated during last week’s game by one
person that fits the “realist” definition that I followed his lead and started
calling him names because he said something bad about my favorite team that I
could not tolerate. He was one of many
“realists” that came out of the woodwork last
Sunday.
I prefer this definition of realist:
A version of a fan that, recognizes that occasionally it is
necessary to add new players to the fold, determines all is not lost because of
a few average seasons and that consistency among the head coach and most*
coordinators is necessary to maintain the Rooney formula for acquiring Super
Bowls at a record pace.
*I’m pretty sure you know why I say most Todd.
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