The Steelers could be in for a stormy few days, depending on how the statuses of Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Brett Keisel and Ike Taylor are handled, so it got me thinking about the best of the best in the Mike Tomlin era.
Hence, this terribly non-scientific top-five list, just for fun.
Obviously, feel free to offer your own in the comments below.
Uhhhhh... doing this (half drunk) in my head... I kinda thought the list would be people that, you know, only played under Tomlin. Again, "half-drunk" cannot get enough asterisks.
Keep in mind that this past year was the most successful Mike Tomlin team. I say that because the previous teams still had significant numbers of Cowher's players.
I has only been the past few years that the teams have been more Tomlin's players than Cowher's.
What should be most notable is that only AB is one ot Tomlin's. The others were acquired under Cowher.
Take out AB and the list remains unchanged for Cowher era. Question should be asked, is Tomlin relevant for this list or could it be replaced as in the best players over the past x years. It's too early to look up when Tomlin started in Pit.
DK219, are you suggesting that a Top 5 list for the Cowher era would include the other four, or are you just pointing out that AB is the only one on the Tomlin list who wouldn't be eligible for a Cowher list?
Aglebagel-I'm saying that they're all players that were part of Cowher's team so you could rename the list "Cowher Era" and remove AB. I'm not suggesting the ranking for the top 5 in the Chin's era would be the same.
Ryan Clark is a good honorable mention. In his prime he was an excellent compliment to Troy. Made some clutch tackles in his career. Excellent leader off and on the field.
I don't think he makes the list, but I agree with everything you said about him. He is under appreciated by most IMO, maybe because of his mouth. I've always been a fan.
Dejan, you might consider a microphone for outdoor shots. The very beginning of the video is almost unintelligible (at least to a foreigner), as not only your voice is low, but there's what I assume is a truck backing up that makes a lot of noise.
Agree with this. Love all the video content on site, definitely could benefit from a wireless lavalier. Nikon has a nice one coming out that will work at both ends and has a 3.5mm jack that should work with the iPhone if that is what you are shooting your vids with today. A nice DSLR would even be a step up and it would work with it.
Wow...when guys like Hines, Farrior and Hampton are left off, shows you how lucky we have been as Steeler fans. Steeler fans are amongst the most spoiled in sports. We really don't appreciate what we have had, what we have gotten the chance to witness and experience.
Look 100 miles up the turnpike to see the very flip side. Look at even Cincinnati. Even the ballyhooed Dallas Cowboys. We have been blessed for sure.
Couldn't agree more. Pittsburgh fans in general are very lucky indeed particularly with the "return" of the Buccos. Sid, Geno, MAF, Letang, Cutch, Cole, Liriano, Palanco, Marte, Martin, I could go on, we have been blessed with great teams and players. Enjoy it please!
Amen, owtahear. Amen. While I think we'd all like a few more championships, we're definitely living in one of the top 5 sports cities in America. Look down the turnpike at Philly, too. All four teams in complete disarray!
I WOULD have put Ward on that list. Just for the reason not only bc of his embodiment as a Steeler but his blocking and his presence. Defenses adjusted and sometimes rotated coverages to him to allow AB to get open one on one. But as far as the rest of the list......spot on DK!
Not sure why people are nitpicking this list, asking "Who are Cowher's players vs. Tomlin's." Overall, a quick, fun collection of some of out city's great athletes who have given all us readers a lot of great memories over the past years. Great video.
(Although to add my personal standpoint, I like Troy over Ben because at his position, there was no one better, with the occasional and debatable exception of Ed Reed. Ben certainly plays the more important position though, and has had a longer prime - which he's still in.)
For me, I am not nitpicking. I am pointing out the lack of "good" players who have solely been on the Steelers roster under the coaching of Mike Tomlin. Four of the 5 began and achieved success under Cowher first/before MT arrived on the scene.
That is kind of nitpicking. So Tomlin came in to a team that had experienced success (except the last year), and all the guys on the list, save Brown, were already here. He should have gotten better players than the other 4? Wow.
I was lucky enough to attend SB 43 with my son and no one will ever be able to convince me that James Harrison's INT return for a TD to close the half isn't the single greatest defensive play in the history of the league.
Not sure about leaving Hines off but keeping Troy in. Over the past 6 years Troy has not been the same as his first 6 when Cowher was in charge. Maybe 2 or three of those 6 but hes been injured so often and guessed wrong so many more times I dunno if he has been his best during Tomlins era any more than Hines outside of playing for him longer. It is like you give him credit for his pre tomlin play but count his service time under tomlin. Splitting hairs I know but just an observation.
March 4, 2015
Morning Java: Five finest of Tomlin era
by Dejan Kovacevic • Videos • Morning Java, Steelers
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
The Steelers could be in for a stormy few days, depending on how the statuses of Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Brett Keisel and Ike Taylor are handled, so it got me thinking about the best of the best in the Mike Tomlin era.
Hence, this terribly non-scientific top-five list, just for fun.
Obviously, feel free to offer your own in the comments below.