Speculation from a Pittsburgh source

[L-TownCat]

49 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Colbert has run the Steelers football operations since 2000. In that span, they have three Super Bowl appearances, two Lombardi trophies, and one losing season.

One losing season...in almost twenty years.

Since 2000, they actually have more Super Bowl appearances and more Super Bowl trophies than they have losing seasons.

If we can have success anywhere close to that level, I don't give a damn if they call us the Decatur Staleys.

Gimme that.  

[LinvilleGorge]

53 minutes ago, SBiii said:

What did you think when Danny Morrison walked from the Panthers?

That there was probably poo storm brewing.

[Mr. Scot]

17 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

That there was probably poo storm brewing.

And there might be one there too.

One possible flashpoint: Mike Tomlin

From what we've heard, David Tepper wasn't a Mike Tomlin fan. Art Rooney II is, though, evidenced by the fact that he resisted efforts by some minority owners to part ways with him.

So if we take that knowledge and wrap a little tinfoil tightly around our heads, we can speculate a little...

What if Kevin Colbert isn't so high on Tomlin anymore?

What if an old acquaintance who bought another franchise whispered in Colbert's ear and told him that if he were to join his team, he could pick his own coach and run the franchise anyway he wanted to?

Then what?

Obviously, that's all pure speculation.

But I wonder, is it really all that farfetched?

[SBiii]

26 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

That there was probably poo storm brewing.

Was the storm on your personal radar screen at the time?

[SBiii]

10 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

And there might be one there too.

One possible flashpoint: Mike Tomlin

From what we've heard, David Tepper wasn't a Mike Tomlin fan. Art Rooney II is, though, evidenced by the fact that he resisted efforts by some minority owners to part ways with him.

So if we take that knowledge and wrap a little tinfoil tightly around our heads, we can speculate a little...

What if Kevin Colbert isn't so high on Tomlin anymore?

What if an old acquaintance who bought another franchise whispered in Colbert's ear and told him that if he were to join his team, he could pick his own coach and run the franchise anyway he wanted to?

Then what?

Obviously, that's all pure speculation.

But I wonder, is it really all that farfetched?

Are you suggesting Tepper agitated to get Tomlin fired?

[Seltzer]

I had previously read about Kevin Colbert being an option, and unless something drastically changes, I certainly think it's plausible to read the tea leaves that way.

First off, regardless of the tradition Pittsburgh can offer over Carolina, Tepper can (and I think would) offer more money than the Rooney's, and beyond that, Colbert could also simply want something new and/or to take on a new challenge.  He's won 2 Super Bowls in Pittsburgh, and perhaps he wants to be a part of trying to get the first Lombardi here.  Tepper can and would be willing to sell a vision and write a check that would be hard to match.

Secondly, it became public knowledge a lot of the minority owners wanted Tomlin gone after last year, and the Rooney's didn't want to make the change.  Who knows where Colbert was in that decision making process, but I'm willing to speculate as the general manager, he probably felt with the talent the Steelers drafted, there should have been more wins to show for it.  

Finally, I think unless this team can make a playoff run, which doesn't look great at the moment, it seems evident Tepper is going to make a reboot.  I personally like Rivera as a coach (and more as a human being), and Hurney really has surprised me with how well he has done in his 2nd tenure.  That being said, I think the shelf-life for Rivera is expiring.  The needle has been pointing down since the Super Bowl appearance.  It would be burying your head in the sand to think fan support is where it was even a few years ago.  And it makes no real sense not to completely revamp with a new GM and HC.  

I'm still holding out hope for this year.  Nothing would make me happier than for this team to prove me wrong and for Rivera and Hurney to both be signing contracts after a Super Bowl win.  I'm all in on this year just as I am every year.  I don't want to be a fan any other way.

The Brees injury certainly makes the division more up for grabs.  There is talent on this roster.  And yet none of it matters if Cam can't be Cam again.

[Donald LaFell]

I’m disappointed nobody has shoehorned any Keary Colbert jokes in here. 

[poorboysrev]

3 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

I'd add this...

Even if Colbert did officially retire as a GM, nothing stops him from being a consultant.

David Tepper could very easily give him a call and say "Hey, come here and help me retool my football operations."

Good insight Mr Scot...engage ha

[!stUp]

5 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

I don't give a damn if they call us the Decatur Staleys.

"Mint Hill Manglers"

[Khyber53]

6 hours ago, Go DJ that's my DJ said:

the only difference is that the steelers are a team worth modeling after.

Except when you compare the two teams records this year... advantage Bills, as strange as that sounds.

[cookinbrak]

6 hours ago, Eazy-E said:

Here we go. Can't wait until we start getting referred to as the Carolina Steelers. Just like us and the Bills.

As long as we get called the Carolina "Hey, look at those trophies".

[falconidae]

6 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

...

What if an old acquaintance who bought another franchise whispered in Colbert's ear and told him that if he were to join his team, he could pick his own coach and run the franchise anyway he wanted to?

....

That might explain why Rivera and Hurney are still here, Tepper had to wait a year to get the guy he wanted.

It is fairly unusual for a new owner not to clean house and install his own guys.

[Mr. Scot]

2 hours ago, bull123 said:

He just traded a first round pick for a safety...want no part of that

Twenty years of success, three Super Bowl appearances, two championships and only one losing season...

Youre gonna negate all that for one transaction you didn't like? 

[RumHam]

Just fire hurney. I don't really care who he hit a home run with and didn't, but you're seeing the product on the field and half his players don't get used which means hes not really communicating well. The product is the result.