Tomlin Is What Pittsburgh Needs

Life's good for Mike Tomlin. Coming off a 10-6 record including a 5-1 record against divisional opponents, the city of Pittsburgh as taken a liking to Tomlin. His attitude and desire to win as has won over many Steeler fans. He's revamped the offense where Ben Roethlisberger is able to do more, without losing the "pound the ball" mentality that the Steelers have always been famous for. The defense is also the same ole' tough, gritty defense that everyone is accustomed to.

However, last year at this time there were many questions surrounding Tomlin. Even Steeler fans were questioning the Rooneys decision on the hiring. Tomlin was a young, unknown and unproven coach who hasn't had any head coaching experience when the Steelers hired him. No one knew about this defensive coordinator from Minnesota. Questions like "who is this guy?" were asked around Pittsburgh. Even the Rooneys stated at first Tomlin was unlikely to get the job.

"He was probably a long shot when we began the discussions," Art Rooney said per Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

In Pittsburgh where expectations for their beloved Steelers are always high, Tomlin had to not only prove to his players but to the loyal fans of Pittsburgh. Tomlin would have to do a lot of things right in his first year to convince Steeler fans that he was the right man for the job. To handle every situation right was key in Mike Tomlin's first year. He would have to adjust to being a head coach quick, and learn to the Pittsburgh environment and the way things were run with the Steelers. For Tomlin winning the fans over was possibly just as important as winning his players over. Pittsburgh doesn't settle for losers and even one glimpse of failure early on by Tomlin would put him in a bad seat with Steeler nation.

The Steelers have had two coaches in their storied history, one which was a hall of famer and the other one could be a hall of famer. So expectations were high for Tomlin. They expected the best out of him. Can you blame them? I mean they are the Pittsburgh Steelers, they're one of the best franchises in all of sports. They expect a Super Bowl every year so what Tomlin was walking into was going to be tough. Tomlin had the right set of tools though to get the job done. A franchise quarterback, pro bowl running back, and a strong defense. So it wasn't like he was walking into a terrible setting. But he had to prove to the fans that he was the coach that could lead them to the promise land. He also had to prove to that to another set of individuals as well.

As soon as the news got out about the Tomlin as the head coach of the Steelers, a couple players in particular were not happy. Alan Faneca was one of those players who was upset by the hiring, as he wanted Russ Grimm to be coach. So right off the bat, Tomlin didn't start well with Faneca, who is an important piece on the Steelers team. Of course if he feels that way then it just creates a domino affect throughout the locker room. Other players start to grow indifferent toward Tomlin because they don't know much about him and they're not going to get used to him for a while. Players like Faneca that have been in the organization for a while and have been to used to Bill Cowher's way were a little uneasy with Tomlin. However it wouldn't take long for players to realize that Mike Tomlin is the right man for the job.

Now a year later Tomlin has taken the organization and making it his own without totally destroying how the Steelers have and always will look. In Tomlin's first season, Ben Roethlisberger had his best statistical season. While Ben was having a great year in the new offense that Mike Tomlin installed, Willie Parker was still pounding "the rock" effectively. He was leading the NFL in rushing yards before he got hurt against St. Louis in the last couple weeks of the year.

Tomlin said he was going to tune up the offense this year and he's done certainly that. It isn't your old grind out, beat you up type of offense. Sure that offense is still planted in there but it's a new era for Steeler fans. Now with Tomlin, everyone will see Ben Roethlisberger's potential as a passer in the coming years. Yes, the Steelers will still always be tough, they should be, however now to go along with that always great defense, they should have a potent offense to boot.

It only took one year for Steeler fans to be convinced that Tomlin will be in line with the great Steeler coaches. The way he's implanted and introduced his techniques and coaching strategies to go along with the way the Steelers have always done things has got to impress the typical NFL fan. His character and personality has also been a major positive for him to Steeler fans. Watch him before, during and after a game. How he interacts with players, fans and the media is a great example on how every coach should represent themselves. Yes it's a new time for the league and Steeler fans, it's a start to a bright future with Mike Tomlin.

Fleury is Starting to Turn the Corner

Marc-Andre Fleury was a question mark last year. Going into the 2007 playoffs, Fleury was a young, unproven playoff goalie against an experienced and very strong Ottawa Senator team that ended up lighting him up. Fleury's confidence was shaken during that series and it showed as he gave up an average of 3.6 goals in that series. Many blamed Fleury for the Penguins failure to beat Ottawa and advance into the second round.

It got even worse at the beginning of the 2007/2008 season when Fleury was playing mediocre as the Penguins were struggling. Penguin fans started questioning whether or not Fleury could be their "franchise goalie". Fleury still lacked to improve on the weaknesses he obtained since he was a rookie. He only improved by some when most goalies that have a few years under their belt start to improve and "turn the corner" by now. His lack of consistency made the Penguins lose games they shouldn't and frustrated many fans. In his career, he was never the "go to guy" in the clutch for the Pens. Fleury was never really the guy who could depend on to make that one big save at the end or steal a game. Even his own coach called him "fragile".

However on December 6th against the Calgary Flames, Marc-Andre Fleury got hurt in which was later was diagnosed as a high ankle sprain. For the next few months, Fleury watched as Ty Conklin did everything right that he struggled at. He watched Conklin have great rebound control, puckhandling skills and he could even respond in big games (ie "Ice Bowl" game). He studied Conklin, watching him master those skills and then adapting them to his game.

Ever since Fleury came back on February 28th against the Boston Bruins after Ty Conklin was pulled, Fleury has been a different goalie. He's improved on his rebounding control and his puckhandling skills since coming back have been great. In a way, the injury Fleury suffered was probably the best thing that could've happened to him. It gave him an opportunity to learn without actually playing but watching.

Fleury is 11-2-1 including two playoff wins, 1.44 goals-against average in March, a .951 save percentage in March and hasn't allowed more than three goals since coming back. Fleury has been playing lights out and even stole a game for Pittsburgh when he shut out the New Jersey Devils on March 25th. By the numbers, Fleury has been one of the best if not the best in the league since he's come back. Yes, the team in front of him has been playing better. The Penguins defense has helped him on a few occasions. However it doesn't diminish what Fleury has done. Now Fleury is starting to play like the way everyone expected him to. No longer do you see him playing in his famous yet sometimes problematic "butterfly style". Gone are the days where you see Fleury give up a cheap, rebound goal that makes you shake your head. Yes Fleury has been flat out impressive recently, he's starting to turn the corner and we'll see if he can turn the corner completely in the playoffs.

Marc-Andre Fleury has been stellar ever since his injury. Finally he's receiving high praise in Pittsburgh and his confidence has boomed because of it. The injury he sustained in early December might've done wonders for the rest of his career. He cleaned up so many of his frustrating weaknesses and it shows. Fleury has silenced all his critics and doubters including his own coach. Whether it was watching and learning the way Ty Conklin played or it was a "switch" that was turned on, I don't know. But what I and many others know is that Marc-Andre Fleury is starting to play the way we expected him to and has possibly, finally turned a corner.

Get Real Barry

It's a shame. Just a summer ago Barry Bonds was chasing Hank Aaron for the home run record and in July, he broke it, becoming baseball's "Home Run King." At the time he was on top of the world. For the first time in a long time, the baseball world was taking a liking to Barry. Yes they were allegations thrown against Bonds but he just became Major League Baseball's all time home-run leader. For the rest of the 07 MLB season, he was being praised in ballparks around the country.

Now let's fast forward to this year. The 2008 MLB season began a week and a day ago and Bonds isn't on any team's roster, yet he's looking for a team to play for. The sad thing, no one wants him and he's stating how baseball is starting to go against him. No Barry it isn't that, it's just that no one wants you to be on their team.

Can you blame them? Everyone has seen what a locker room cancer he is. Everyone saw the feud between him and Jeff Kent just a few recent years ago and also the way he treated the Pittsburgh coaches back in the 90s. In fact, there may be some other feuds that we never heard about, wouldn't shock me. If once in his life Barry didn't act the whole "the world is against me" part and actually treated the media and his teammates with a bit more respect, then maybe some teams would be interested. Bringing Barry Bonds into your clubhouse is a train wreck waiting to happen. I don't care if you're one of Bonds "dream teams" to play for, he's going to have a negative impact on your team. He's definitely not a good role model for a lot of the young players in the game so he wouldn't help them at all. So please Barry, stop acting like everyone is against you and everyone hates you. It's not that at all, it's just that the way you've represented yourself toward others in the past and act like the selfish person you are is what's turning teams away from you.

Personally, I don't think many organizations are looking for an out of shape 44 year old player that is clearly out of his prime, slow, starting to lose power in his swing and can't play the field (take the last part out for A.L. teams). He's lost the speed he once had in the 90s. I've seen old videos of Bonds stealing bases and being one of the fastest players out there. I'm not saying you have to be fast to play in the big leagues, you really don't have to, but when you have a very slow base runner in Bonds on your team, he's a liability. Let's be real here people, the only reason why Bonds has been able to hit over 20 home-runs the past two years is because of the record. He pushed and willed himself to get that record and now that he doesn't have anything to go after, will he have that same desire? I'm not saying he would or he wouldn't, but I doubt it very much. So Bonds, just like my title says "be real" and realize that you might not be able to perform at the same level you have been in the past because of your old age. You've lost a lot of the great talents you once had due to aging. I'm sorry Barry, but you are not and will not be the same player you once were, and teams know that.

Barry Bonds, you're a shoe-in Hall of Famer regardless of the steroid scandal. You are the "Home Run King", tainted record or not. However do you really think teams will pick you up after all the controversy that has happened with you the past few years? Not only that but do you really feel, at the age of 44, that you will still be the same player you once were? You may believe that, but no one else does, so step aside and stop distracting yourself from the sport and making a fool out of yourself.

Got To Give Weis Credit

The combined record of the Notre Dame football team in the 2005 and 2006 seasons was 19-6 with 2 BCS bowl appearances. Times were good then for Irish nation. They were recruiting well, sending players into the NFL Draft and Weis was getting most to all of the credit for this.

However the ND football program hit a little bit of a roadblock - more like a hit a mountain. ND lost their first 5 games and were embarrased in those games too. Then the Notre Dame football program hit one of its low points in their rich history. They lost back to back games to Navy, ending a 43 winning streak against the Midshipmen and to another military school in Air Force, both which were homes games. ND and Charlie Weis suffered through many endless jokes about their program while getting humiliated in games. Everyone in the college football world thought this is it for ND, this is where they start to hit some REALLY rocky years. Everyone also thought that Weis is just another string of ND coaches to prove to be a bust and get canned soon. Recruiting should slip big time as certain recruits were de-committing from ND. Well on National Signing Day, Charlie Weis proved once again why Notre Dame football will never hit hard years, and why they ARE Notre Dame football.

The 2008 Notre Dame's recruiting class were top three on both Scout and Rivals recruiting rankings. ND had to beat out teams for certain recruits like USC, Michigan, and Penn State, all three teams who blew ND out of the water in 2007. When you go 3-9, and you're fighting and even landing recruits against elite teams in college football, you know you're doing something right. When you lose to teams like Navy and Air Force, and barely beating teams like Stanford and you're still recruiting like one of the best is astonishing. Some may argue "it's Notre Dame, they can sell themselves." While that is true, that's not the only reason why they've decided to play at ND. Charlie Weis goes into their homes and sells them Notre Dame. He sells them why they should play at ND and why the best school for them to go to is ND. Even with the recent record and embarrasment that ND had to go through, he sells ND like no other. Now Weis will bring those players in, develop then and most likely have ND at the least being close to the glory they once had.

Despite all the jokes thrown toward Weis, despite all the hate and spew opposing schools throw at him and ND, he can still get it done. Some other coaches that he's going up against have a fine reputation, look much better than Weis. Coaches like Pete Carrol, Jim Tressel, Mack Brown, Urban Meyer are talked greatly upon college football fans. However make one mention of Charlie Weis upon the average college football fan and you get fat jokes about him. Now you may say "well do high school recruits really care about that?" Well I have no idea but they do hear the jokes. They do see the unending humor and laughter toward him and ND. Yet they still commit to him, yet they still go there despite the recent record that ND has had, and the recent doubts that Weis can still coach. Weis doesn't care about what has happened in the past, he's looking toward the future, and apparantly his recruits following suit.One thing that Weis uses to bring in recruits is his vision. His vision to bring ND back to the top, to bring them back to where they used to be. Despite all the negative events that have taken place at ND, he still has that great vision. Weis has proved he can win, he has proved that he can take ND to BCS bowl games, he has proven that he can restore ND football to where it should be. Now all he has to do is install that vision into each of the recruits he's trying to get which is not that easy. To sell that pitch with the recent state of the ND football program is difficult. All it takes for a program to completely crumble is one year, to have one year awful year where recruiting takes a fall. However Weis's vision won't let that happen. His vision that recruits are obviously believe in, will change Notre Dame football in the future.

Yes ND went 3-9, yes there are some doubts about Weis and his coaching, however you wouldn't know it by the way he has recruited. You wouldn't know that ND is going through some problems and difficulties as they try to prove to the college football world that they are still a solid program. You may hate Charlie Weis, you may like him, I don't care. But you've got to admit that the job he's done recruiting is nothing short of amazing.

I Support "Ocho Cinco"

Chad Johnson wants out of Cincinatti. Does it really surprise you? He's one of the most explosive and best play-makers in the game yet he's being held back by his own team.

The Bengals have created a not so great reputation for themselves. Instead of being a football team, the Bengals have been labeled as "thugs" and "criminals" for the actions of Chad's fellow Bengal teammates. So with all the distractions off the field, the Bengals are doomed to fail and not even sniff the playoffs. In last year's off season, it was almost like week after week you heard about Bengal arrests. In the year 2006, the Bengals totaled 11 players of being arrested. Yes you read it right, 11 players arrested. Chad shouldn't be apart of that. He shouldn't be connected with all the legal troubles and stupid decisions by his teammates. Not saying he's "too good" or anything for that but for a player that has been so good to that team, and for others to bring it down right in front of his eyes is a legitimate gripe for Chad. As much as Chad done some crazy, wacky things in the past, he's never gotten into legal trouble. Sure he's caused a distraction to himself by doing his famous touchdown celebrations, but it's a positive distraction. I don't know about you, but creating attention to yourself by doing nutty touchdown celebrations is way less of a concern than let's say weed possession (Chris Henry), burglary (A.J. Nicholson), or disorderly conduct (Matthias Askew). All the worst Chad Johnson has done is jumped into the Cleveland Browns "Dawg Pound" and get beer spilt all over him.

Look at the team around Chad. You've got one of the best QB's in the game in Carson Palmer, a solid RB in Rudi Johnson and another good WR in T.J. Houshmandzadeh plus Chad himself, that's it. The rest of that team the past few years has been a four man team. The Bengal organization hasn't done anything in bringing in some solid defensive players to help their defense. They have done nothing to improve that weak defense, year after year you see the Bengal offense explode to a bunch load of points but the defense is never there. The defense is never there to bail them out or to come up with the big stop. Example would be when they lost to the Browns this past year 51-45, that's unheard of and downright pathetic. I don't care who you are, you don't score 45 points and lose. As the ole' slogan goes "Defense wins you championships" and sorry Chad, but with that organization and team, you aren't going to win a Super Bowl. That's been his biggest gripe so far, how that team just does not win. Winning is the most important aspect of the game and Chad wants to be a winner. He's obviously sick and tired of the same old, same old every year. Hyped up to be a great year before the season starts, to then underachieve and not make the NFL playoffs. He's really been the only consistent player there. Without Chad, that offense is not nearly as good, not even close. He has the capability to go the distance when he touches the ball and he knows that, and he wants other players to step up. Can't blame him for wanting the rest of the team to pick up the slack and play at least decent so he and his team can be successful.

Love him or hate him, you have to believe he's in the right here. Yes wide receivers are primma donna's, however most receivers would be out by now in Cincinnati while Chad has stuck it out till the end. Now he wants to play for a contender, now he wants to realize how it's like to be a champion. But unfortunately for Chad and the Bengals, he won't get it done in Cincinnati with the team and organization that is placed there.