The NFL Hates the Pittsburgh Steelers
With the writing clearly on the wall, this offseason has been the time to break the spirits and backs of our beloved Black and Gold. Tuesday, the NFL voted to begin fining teams if their players are repeatedly disciplined by the league for ‘flagrant hits.’ Flagrant? That term completely demonizes what is 9 times out of 10 a legitimate football play. This isn’t the NBA where a flagrant foul has been seen as a foul in which the offending player intends to inflict harm on another player. I don’t really ever think that is the true intent of these helmet to helmet hits or illegal hits. Football was conceived out of and meant to be a physical hard hitting game. Basketball is not. The players guilty of helmet to helmet hits or illegal hits are making a football play – whether directly at the ball carrier or someone about to make a play on the ball/ball carrier. The game is too damn fast to make corrections while in mid-tackle. The league is already asking for the impossible – now they are going for the jugular.
Even though the league said that a few teams would have been susceptible to the new rule (were it in place last season), one team will be undoubtedly linked to the rule – The Pittsburgh Steelers. If Tom Brady thought he was special for getting his own damn rule, well the Steelers need to throw a parade for one created against an entire team. I hope the Steelers’ pockets are deep next season because I doubt they will cease their caliber of physical play. I hope to God that Roger Goodell is not serious about possibly stripping teams of draft picks for multiple offenders. It’s an unrealistic expectation, but the league will try, and the Steelers will be punished severely for it.
The league has gone too far in its hatred for the Steelers. ‘Defense wins championships,’ and the league is trying to systematically remove that quip and the Steelers. The league is obviously changing the game in favor of higher scoring games, something that hurts the Steelers. The Steelers have a tradition of hard hitting dominating defenses. The league is trying to strip that aspect of the game away from the league’s most successful franchise… something they loathe. The Rooney family is not like any other ownership in the NFL. The family is a blue collar family that has always focused on the team. The team is their life blood for income and don’t have any other busnisses like most other NFL owners. The Rooney’s understand the human element in the game and they seem to be sympathetic towards their players – especially during this lockout. I’m sure Goodell and the other owners aren’t too happy about that.
The team is far from the flash and glitz of other ‘popular’ franchises, such as the Cowboys or Giants. Adam’s book review on The Ones Who Hit the Hardest couldn’t have come at a better time (I suggest you read that and get your hands on that book). Pittsburgh is a blue collar town – the team embodies the spirit of that city. The bright lights and ‘big city’ feel of New York and Dallas will never jive in a town like the ‘Burgh (thank God). This does not fit the model of the billionaires and Roger Goodell. Calling the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘America’s Team’ is like acid on their tongues and probably makes them throw up a bit in their mouths. Because they are indeed ‘America’s Team.’ If there is ever a sport or ever a group of players that embody that of which we call the American Dream and spirit – it is the Steelers.
James Harrison is absolutely right by saying, “I’m absolutely sure now after this last rule change that the people making the rules at the NFL are idiots.” They are idiots. They are idiots because they would rather let the game suffer while putting their hit out on the Steelers. The interpretation of illegal hits is still too subjective and that means the Steelers will be forced to be on their best behavior. Screw that. I hope that the Steelers continue to bring the hard physical play to the field each and every game and continue to be relentless against the other team. The Steelers always find a way to win. If they are fined, they will still win. If players are suspended, they will still win. If Ratger Goodell takes away their draft picks, they will still find a way to win. The Steelers are as resilient as their own fans. They will always find a way to win no matter how many times the league sets them up for failure. As long as the Steelers keep winning, no other franchise will eclipse them as winning the most Super Bowls. And that really ticks off the NFL.
So bring on the hate, NFL. I for one would be in line to drop a little extra cash in the Steelers’ coffers to pay for the fines they will undoubtedly incur over the season. The tradition of Steelers football will never ever go away.