Burning Questions About the Steelers
I was driving home from the dentist today and I was thinking about the Super Bowl. As a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, I got irritated because it has been years since they have been even close to a Super Bowl. I got spoiled because in years past, there was always hope. These are the burning questions about the Steelers that got me upset.
Mediocrity
When did mediocrity become acceptable in the Steelers organization? I’m not content to have a record of 9-8 every season. In years past, the Steelers were always contenders for the AFC North title and Super Bowl. They had a special formula to add players and replace players that sustained ongoing success. In fact, many teams strived to replicate the formula.
That sustainability always made me proud to be a fan. My friends who were fans of other teams were jealous. But now, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs appear to have the old Steelers formula. And, the Steelers just seem to make player acquisition mistakes and wallow in mediocrity.
I don’t go into a season expecting to win the division or compete for a Super Bowl anymore. I’m learning to expect a 9-8 record all the time. And, I absolutely hate it.
Tomlin
Head coach Mike Tomlin is like a student who fails his first five tests, then does a bunch of extra credit to save his grade. He will lose six of eight games to start a season, then he’ll rally the team to hit that predictable 9-8 record.
I have personally had enough of his little sayings. They aren’t resulting in any wins. How about just talking like a coach who cares about winning? One of Tomlin’s sayings is “We aren’t worried about style points.” He should take that to heart. We (fans) aren’t worried about style points for his press conferences either. Without being cutesy, just tell us how you are going to get our team back to the respectability it once had.
Conclusion
I don’t like where the Steelers are at right now. And, I don’t see a true effort to improve. They are in a mediocre death knell. Owner Art Rooney III and Tomlin can lie to us by saying their goal every year is to win a championship. But, I think that line is getting old now. As it is, the Steelers are nowhere near winning a championship, let alone winning a playoff game. It’s really quite depressing. My level of interest is heading toward Pittsburgh Pirates territory. They need to make a plan and implement it to get the team back to where they were about a decade ago.
