Old and Slow or Young and fast: Media Hypocrisy of the Steelers

Editor's Note: For all those Pittsburgh fans out there that would like to have a voice on the world wide web and get your thoughts on the site, you can do so by emailing me your "column / article" at bngblitz@gmail.com.  I've already recieved my first "guest article" from a good friend of mine, and die hard Steeler fan, Mason.  Hope you enjoy!


-Mason Noland
I have a good question to the National Sports Media, do you even try to pay attention? Last
year, when the Steelers got embarrassed by the Baltimore Ravens, Warren Sapp famously
proclaimed we were “Old, Slow, it’s over” on Showtime’s Inside the NFL. Even though the team
posted a more than respectable 12-4 season with a wildcard birth, Sapp’s statement seemed to
grow legs and resonate throughout the season.

Steelers elder statesmen Aaron Smith was injured for the 3rd time in the last four seasons,
Hines Ward’s playing time was diminishing and James Farrior was being alternated with Larry
Foote every few series. This did demonstrate age was, in fact, rearing its ugly head for some
of our favorite players. Farrior and Ward had been on a steady decline over the last couple of
years, which is to be expected, but it was defiantly more noticeable in 2011.

These developments however allowed a door to be opened for some younger players to gain
valuable experience. Ward was passed on the depth chart by Antonio Brown and Emmanuel
Sanders. Brown kicked the door open where Ward left it open, and I expect the same from
Sanders if he’s finally healthy. Injuries to Aaron Smith and the blue collar defensive tackle Chris
Hoke allowed Ziggy Hood to start and Steve McClendon to get more time in the rotation.
As I have stated, even with the slowing down of familiar faces this Steelers team went 12-4 and
made the playoffs only to lose to the Broncos (which is a column for another day, promise).

Now, fast forward to the offseason and a few key changes are being made. Gone to retirement
or termination from the team are some pretty heavy names. Ward, Farrior, Smith, and Hoke
are all gone. William Gay, who had a pretty good year, and Bryant McFadden, who did not,
are gone from the secondary. I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting, but this list if full of key
contributors, all but Gay with 3 Super Bowl games, 2 victories under their belt.

The above mentioned group has those who cover the NFL in the broad sense, aka, writers and
talking heads from The World Wide Leader, to now proclaim the Steelers will be down because
of lack of leadership. This makes me want to fly off the handle. Which way do the national
media want it, do they want us to be old and slow, with leadership, or do they want us to inject
some youth into the squad. I say we have done both.

Sure guys like Farrior and Ward were great locker room guys. They were teammates to be
leaned on in good and tough times, but everyone knows this day comes, it’s part of sports.
Father Time always wins. I think the Steelers have developed a great group of young players to
fill in, but we still have great leaders like the aforementioned Larry Foote, Ryan Clark and Troy
Polamalu on defense, while Ben Roethlisberger is more than capable of being the captain on
offense and team spokesman. He may not have Ward’s trademark smile, but he certainly has
his toughness.

I know it’s tough for guys who have to cover the NFL as a whole to come up with opinions on
teams they may not know much about, but it seems to me, if they did their research, they would
see that the Steelers have good experienced young players ready to break out, rookies to fill in
and enough leadership to let them compete another championship.