Cowher
I feel I just need to say, for the record, that this loss does nothing, and I mean nothing, to change my feelings about the awesome might that is Bill Cowher. Belichik be damned. Cowher is the greatest coach in the NFL. And I swear, if I hear any sniping and grousing about how Cowher can't win "the big one", I will come after each and every offender personally, and kick some whiny ass. Every single fan, if they're being honest, KNOWS that Cowher is not the reason for this loss. So I DO NOT want to hear it.
Blame Canada.
Blame Canada.
posted by Kristine at 10:44 AM
11 Comments:
Blame WDVE.
if he didnt choke alwayse in the playoffs we wouldnt need to repalce his sorry ass would we
I hate New England. I wish we would've lost last week to the Jets; at least they have some character. I will be cheering whole-heartedly for the Eagles during the Super Bowl, especially if TO isn't playing.
I think everyone on the Steelers' side deserves some of the blame. That being said, I still love the team and can't wait for next season.
Anonymous, I think that you are wrong, but I can't be sure since you obviously do not speak English. Come back when you can form words and phrases. Or when you've sobered up.
I'm with you, Kelly. Go, Philadelphia! Kick some New England ass!
ur just on my spelling because u know im right cowher sucks and you cant deal with it and thats why you go off about my spelling because you dont have anything else to get me on because u know that cowher is a looser and i dont drink
Whatever you say, sweetie.
thanks and you are right about the patriots i cant stand them either go eagles
I guess I'll have to be the voice of reason here. The facts speak for themselves. Bill Cowher is far from being a loser. 130 regular season wins and a .627 winning percentage are more than respectable. Better than Bill Belichick on both counts. However, an 8-9 record in the playoffs and only one trip to the Super Bowl in five AFC Championship Game AT HOME is what keeps me from agreeing with Kristen that he is the greatest coach in the NFL. He simply isn't.
Bill Belichick is probably going to win his third Super Bowl as a head coach this year and that, along with the winningest playoff record in history (he now shares it with Vince Lombardi), makes him one of the four greatest coaches in the Super Bowl era. Only Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs have achieved this level of success in the Big Game.
While it's not fair to say that Cowher 'lost' this game, I can point to at least 3 poor coaching decisions at critical points. First, Ben Roethlisberger's first pass should not have come in a third and eight situation, but rather on the first play of the game. A short, play action pass on first down would have been easier to complete against the base formation and would have helped young Ben settle overcome his nerves. This isn't to say he completes the pass, but it changes the whole situation if it succeeds.
Second, who in their right mind doesn't either try to pull the defense offsides or run a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-less-than-one at midfield? Especially when your quarterback is as big and strong as Big Ben?
Lastly, let me join in the chorus of boos at the decision to kick a field goal early in the fourth quarter when a TD would have brought the Steelers within a touchdown? Even if we fail, the defense has the Pats backed up against the goal. A strong stand, and we get the ball back at midfield with another opportunity to score. Instead, we are behind by 11-points and put our trust in a kickoff coverage team that hadn't been able to keep the New England returners inside the 30? So we still have a two-possession game and lose the field position edge.
In the final analysis, Bill Cowher is a tough, hard-nosed, enthusiastic coach who has succeeded largely through hard work and a keen eye for talent -- both in players and coaches. However, he lacks the imagination and creativity, and fails to grasp the psychological subtleties at work in his team. Ben Roethlisberger was a nervous rookie who was wrecked by the all-too obvious implication that he did not have his coach's trust. The Steelers defense was given TOO MUCH trust in that they were expected to stop a polished NFL offense over and over again, despite a totally exposed weakness in the deep middle of the field.
Again, there were way too many failures on the part of the players to make a believable case that the loss was a result of inferior coaching. However, I believe that if you gave Bill Belichick (or Bill Parcells, for that matter, and maybe Joe Gibbs) this current roster of Steelers players, there would be a fifth Lombardi trophy on display in the Great Hall come mid-February.
Oh, Data Nazi, what can I say? Your argument is well-thought-out and elegantly presented, as usual. While I agree with just about everything you say, except for the glaring lack of some finger-pointing in the direction of Wisenhunt, I must continue to beat the Cowher drum. It's personal with me. I know that. But I like him personally. Because he has so many harsh critics, I like to err on the other side. It just gives me pleasure to do so. You may be the voice of reason on this topic, but I prefer to stay just a touch unreasonable, and fully devoted to Cowher, with nary a nay.
You are in good company, Kristen. Obviously, the Rooney family has put their faith in this man, and who am I to question the business savvy of the force behind the only professional sports team worth watching in this sad, sorry excuse for a city.
As for the Wisenhunt oversight, it was deliberate. If I was the head coach, I would be making sure that the right call was being made in critical situations. The offensive coordinator position is an ongoing sore spot with me, and it is because Cowher simply does not take the leadership responsibility to ensure that whatever nut job is calling the plays is falling in line with the overall football philosophy.
And while I can be a rather harsh critic of the man, it is hard to argue with his record of success. I really hope he figures out how to get to the next level, because my loyalty is not to the man, but to winning. To crushing to dust any opponent who dares stand in our way. To let the world know that Pittsburgh is THE ONLY football dynasty worth mentioning.
Great coaches win championships. Multiple championships. Like I said before, I have a lot of respect for what he's done.
It's just not good enough anymore.
Data Nazi, throw me a frickin' bone here! <--she says in the voice of Dr. Evil. He'll do better next year. I promise!
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