kids looked pretty good in the second half, big. mendiola definitely one to watch and i was impressed with bjiv and lassiter's performances too.
OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Camp Tomlin
- Thread starter Big McLargehuge
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wheelz87
LGP
Tomlin extended.
nooooooooooooooo.
On the plus side, gotta love those quotes! (this is his 9th year here??? wtf. where did my life go??)
nooooooooooooooo.
On the plus side, gotta love those quotes! (this is his 9th year here??? wtf. where did my life go??)
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
Yeah, I'm impressed. The first half was utterly meaningless - mix of starters and subs for both teams; Galaxy just trying not to get hurt and Barcelona tuning up in their first pre-season game of their tour...but the second half with the youngsters/subs of both teams out, that was impressive. No shame in losing to Barcelona 2-1.
And on the flip side of 2-1 losses...yikes.
The US were the better team yesterday. By a lot. But the fact of the matter is, they had three golden scoring chances and scored two goals out of it...we had about eight and scored one. The side official's decision to call Guzan for being outside the box is something I've never seen when we're talking a literal matter of inches...but Guzan needs to not invite that sort of thing from happening. Tough, but we had the chances to win that game and it didn't happen.
Klinsmann is going to face a lot of scrutiny for that, and while I'd be leading that a few months ago I really think there was only one personnel decision in this game that really led to any bad things - he has way too much faith in Ventura Alvarado and not nearly enough in Omar Gonzalez.
Hell, subbing in Gordon at the end for his header was nice...but if Gonzalez is on the field then there isn't that necessity to sub on a guy with exactly one skill. Sucks for Gordon that his one golden opportunity came to his feet and not his head...he's about as bad as a forward can be when it comes to actually, you know, kicking the ball. There's a reason he's a supersub at the club level. Gonzalez doesn't have that same knack for clutch goals, but at 6'4" he is that corner target who is more than capable of pulling it off (2013 MLS Cup MVP for that specific reason). I don't think it's a homer thing to say that Gonzalez should have been there over Alvarado...Alvarado is going to be a good player, but he's clearly too green to be starting in important games.
All credit due to Jamaica, though...I think a very easy argument can be made that they've taken Costa Rica's spot as the #3 team in CONCACAF for this World Cup cycle. Unfortunately this likely means that sloppy-as-**** Mexico is going to win another title. Outside of that Cuba game I can't remember where the last time Mexico won a game without a headline reading 'Mexico lucky to escape...'
On the bright side, it'll be Philadelphia that the Mexican fans destroy.
i know alan gordon has his unique talents, but i just cant imagine a scenario where alan gordon being the super sub in a usmnt elimination match is anything but an indictment on the roster construction. said everything about the team that hoofing the ball toward his head was the only real strategy once he was subbed in and that that was a strategy that played to jamaica's strengths in defending. i love kyle beckerman, but wow was he useless. i have never seen anything from alvarado that makes me think he is anywhere close to as good at defending as omar, and that's not even taking into consideration omar's aerial dominance.
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
Omar has his poor moments, but generally speaking he's just a good, solid, multi-faceted CB...something the US historically has not exactly been overflowing with. I really don't know why Klinsmann keeps pushing him to the side for guys with piss-poor marking.
And yeah...I love Gordo, but the simple fact he was used as some sort of secret weapon says it all. A 33 year-old club sub with 1 prior USMNT appearance...that's desperation, not a secret weapon.
And yeah...I love Gordo, but the simple fact he was used as some sort of secret weapon says it all. A 33 year-old club sub with 1 prior USMNT appearance...that's desperation, not a secret weapon.
i hope like hell nagbe really does get us eligibility in september. thats my idea of a super sub.
Ziggyjoe21
Registered User
How is that a bad thing? He's one of the most winningest coaches in the league. How many teams would die to make the playoffs even once? He's made the playoffs 5 times in 9 years. Went to SB twice, won the SB. Just as impressive, last year's team won 11 games.
Steelers fans are spoiled.
wheelz87
LGP
The amount of times we've missed the playoffs with Ben is alarming. The guy has zero idea of clock management. Our first round picks under him.. and the years directly before him.. Our defense used to be the best every year, now we're a joke. He's just a cheerleader. Always has that bewildered look on his face.
Eh whatever. I'm really not pissed, just not that high on the guy.
Eh whatever. I'm really not pissed, just not that high on the guy.
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
ImporterExporter
"You're a boring old man"
There are better than Tomlin, but you could do much, MUCH, worse in this league of instant gratification.
saba
Registered User
bathroomSTAAL
The halcyon days
Ha, if you look in the Pirates thread after 2 consecutive losses you might think differently.
I'm kind of ambivalent on Tomlin. He's a lot more sound bite than substance. And yeah, his clock management is baffling. And his drafts haven't been as good as Cowher's were.
But I think you've got Pittsburgh professional sports coaches mixed up on the bewildered look thing.
wheelz87
LGP
I guess not Hurdle, though.
OnMyOwn
Worlds Apart
- Sep 7, 2005
- 18,917
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Here is what AB is rolling around in.
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-o...-steelers-rolls-royce-phantom?FTAG=YHF7e3228e
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-o...-steelers-rolls-royce-phantom?FTAG=YHF7e3228e
Mr Jiggyfly
Registered User
- Jan 29, 2004
- 34,341
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Tomlin is atrocious with clock mgmt and his record agt losing teams is insanely bad.
I think your point about drafting could bring up a seriously good debate though.
It's been verified that Caher Paher wanted to draft Shawn Andrews, the big guard out or Arkansas. Rooney stepped in and vetoed Cowher and wanted Roth.
Andrews was a pro bowl guard, but think about how much of an all time blunder that would have been...
When you look at Tolbert's drafts, they really only had one bad draft, in 2008. They had some questionable picks, especially Hood who was never a two gap, and maybe JJ. However, the last 3-4 years they have really restocked this team with good young talent.
Ziggyjoe21
Registered User
Tomlin era drafting hasn't been as great as the 2000s, but how many teams have a stretch as good as that? Maybe the Patriots, that's it. Tomlin era drafts haven't even been bad. 2008 was a bust, but Mendenhall was a great pick at the time. Ziggy Hood was by far the franchise's worst 1st round pick since Troy Edwards but he was the last pick of the round right after we won the SUPER BOWL. I can let that slide.
Timmons, Woodley, Gay, Mendenhall, Wallace, Lewis, Worilds, Sanders, AB, Heyward, Gilbert, Decastro, Bell are all legit starters in this league. 6 of them have made the pro bowl (iirc).
Between Tomlin, Colbert, and Ben, the Steelers are in better shape than 90% of the NFL.
Mr Jiggyfly
Registered User
- Jan 29, 2004
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It's hard to top drafting a couple of HOFers, no doubt. However, like I said, Cowher wanted Andrews. So that's a major blunder he would have made. The entire fate of this franchise would have been significantly altered for the worst IMHO.
Don't forget Beachum is now considered one of the best T in the game. He was ranked fourth among T by ProFootballFocus and one of the leagues secret superstars:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/06/22/secret-superstars-pittsburgh-steelers/
I also really think Bryant, Thomas, Tuitt and Shazier will be impact players as well. This years class looks promising, but we have to wait and see. If a couple of these guys work out, along with the four previously mentioned, Tolbert's drafting the last five years will definitely be quite impressive.
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wheelz87
LGP
Didn't realize I had FS2 until a few minutes ago but Panama is outshooting us like 20-4. WTF??? And why do we never wear the blues? I hate always wearing white.
The current FO doesn't get enough credit for navigating the cap hell Steelers were in the past 2-3 years. Back in the day, they loaded up on bad contracts, especially on D, to "keep the band together" for more Super Bowl runs. It worked, but everything kind of fell apart around the same time. And they're now mostly out of it, loaded with promising young defensive talent at almost every position, along with a Top 5 offense in the NFL -- and they only suffered a few 8-8 seasons. They never tanked.
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
I think it is absurd to think that he was on the hot seat after losing that game to Jamaica...but now it can be hot.
Nobody expects much out of 3rd place games, but that was a joke. Panama had a bunch of players out for the game...so Klinsmann decides to play the handicap and start the B squad...zero chemistry whatsover, a back line that had no clue who was supposed to be where when, no pressure coming up top...Panama ran us ragged today...I shutter to think what the score would have been against an actually good team.
It's a lousy tournament, but that doesn't mean you can just mail it in.
And Timmy Chandler is a ****ing awful soccer player.
Winger for Hire
Praise Beebo
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