BlitzburghRockCity
06-11-2007, 12:34 AM
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_511965.html
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, June 11, 2007
There's nothing voluntary about the Steelers' voluntary workouts.
Be there -- or else.
Whether they want to be there or not, whether they like it or not, nearly all of the Steelers -- with the exception of veteran guard Alan Faneca -- have been present and accounted for.
A handful of players have missed days because of business and personal reasons or injuries. Big deal.
That's why they call them voluntary workouts. It's the offseason, and the players aren't robots. They do have lives outside of football.
But -- voluntary or not, two-hour time limit or not -- new coach Mike Tomlin wouldn't have scheduled the 14 workouts (officially known as organized team activities) if they weren't important.
Under the guise of the workouts being much ado about nothing, Tomlin has been installing a new offense and tweaking the defense in preparation for training camp.
Nearly 100 percent participation speaks volumes about how the Steelers feel about their new coach.
They don't have to like him, just respect him.
They respect him, all right.
If not respect for their coach, the Steelers understand that by participating they at least present a united front that they care.
Another first-year coach, Wade Phillips of the Dallas Cowboys, is being billed as a player's coach.
Phillips -- who, like Tomlin, has assumed control of a team coming off a subpar season -- said it's OK if his players don't show up for voluntary workouts because he doesn't want to burn them out for the regular season.
Some of the Cowboys have taken Phillips at his word. Starting wide receivers Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn and running back Julius Jones skipped some of the Cowboys' voluntary workouts, just because.
Tomlin said no such thing. He expected all of his players to attend because they wanted to be there. And with the exception of Faneca, they have.
At least Faneca has a legitimate excuse. A six-time Pro Bowl performer entering the final year of his contract with no new deal in sight, he believes his absence is the only way to bring attention to his situation.
Faneca's problem isn't with Tomlin. Management signs the paychecks.
The rest of the Steelers' rank-and-file have fallen in line behind Tomlin, even the ones who wanted former assistant coach Russ Grimm to get the job.
Again, the Steelers don't have to like Tomlin to play for him.
Respect -- or the fear of the unknown -- will suffice.
Even if all of the players haven't bought totally into the Tomlin way, they value their jobs more.
For now that's a big part of it, all these guys don't know how to take Tomlin yet, they haven't had time to figure him out fully like they knew Cowher. Fear of the unknown is a big motivator in any line of work. These guys want to ensure they are pulling their own weight and doing their best to make themselves indespensible in the eyes of Tomlin and the other Coaches. As time goes on the players will figure him out more and get into a comfort zone around him but for the time being, we'll take what we can get if it means we have the team bonding and pulling together.
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, June 11, 2007
There's nothing voluntary about the Steelers' voluntary workouts.
Be there -- or else.
Whether they want to be there or not, whether they like it or not, nearly all of the Steelers -- with the exception of veteran guard Alan Faneca -- have been present and accounted for.
A handful of players have missed days because of business and personal reasons or injuries. Big deal.
That's why they call them voluntary workouts. It's the offseason, and the players aren't robots. They do have lives outside of football.
But -- voluntary or not, two-hour time limit or not -- new coach Mike Tomlin wouldn't have scheduled the 14 workouts (officially known as organized team activities) if they weren't important.
Under the guise of the workouts being much ado about nothing, Tomlin has been installing a new offense and tweaking the defense in preparation for training camp.
Nearly 100 percent participation speaks volumes about how the Steelers feel about their new coach.
They don't have to like him, just respect him.
They respect him, all right.
If not respect for their coach, the Steelers understand that by participating they at least present a united front that they care.
Another first-year coach, Wade Phillips of the Dallas Cowboys, is being billed as a player's coach.
Phillips -- who, like Tomlin, has assumed control of a team coming off a subpar season -- said it's OK if his players don't show up for voluntary workouts because he doesn't want to burn them out for the regular season.
Some of the Cowboys have taken Phillips at his word. Starting wide receivers Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn and running back Julius Jones skipped some of the Cowboys' voluntary workouts, just because.
Tomlin said no such thing. He expected all of his players to attend because they wanted to be there. And with the exception of Faneca, they have.
At least Faneca has a legitimate excuse. A six-time Pro Bowl performer entering the final year of his contract with no new deal in sight, he believes his absence is the only way to bring attention to his situation.
Faneca's problem isn't with Tomlin. Management signs the paychecks.
The rest of the Steelers' rank-and-file have fallen in line behind Tomlin, even the ones who wanted former assistant coach Russ Grimm to get the job.
Again, the Steelers don't have to like Tomlin to play for him.
Respect -- or the fear of the unknown -- will suffice.
Even if all of the players haven't bought totally into the Tomlin way, they value their jobs more.
For now that's a big part of it, all these guys don't know how to take Tomlin yet, they haven't had time to figure him out fully like they knew Cowher. Fear of the unknown is a big motivator in any line of work. These guys want to ensure they are pulling their own weight and doing their best to make themselves indespensible in the eyes of Tomlin and the other Coaches. As time goes on the players will figure him out more and get into a comfort zone around him but for the time being, we'll take what we can get if it means we have the team bonding and pulling together.