Tomlinisms - 101 - "The Standard is the Standard"



Just Another "Tomlinism"

 On this day after the Steelers just completed their 3rd week of NFL Preseason action, I felt it would be appropriate for me to post another "Tomlinism".  My buddy Mason posted about "Position Flexibility" a while back, and I thought I would continue that series today.  Don't fret, I'm going to post my thoughts and reactions to the game vs the Buffalo Bills early this week, but today there was a more interesting topic to write about.   

"The Standard is the Standard" is something that every Steeler fan has heard if they've ever seen a Mike Tomlin press conference.  On this Sunday it couldn't be more true.  Combining Mason's "Position Flexibility" piece, and the current "Tomlinism" is key for the Steelers' success.  As most of you know, and if you didn't you must live underneath a rock without cable, its being reported that Steelers starting Right Guard and 1st round pick David DeCastro has a torn ACL and MCL and is most likely done for the season.  There have been conflicting reports about the injury, but lets be honest, the guy is done for the year.  With that said, Mike Tomlin will most likely say in an interview that even though DeCastro is injured "The standard remains the standard".  You don't know what this means?  Let me give you a lesson on the vast vocabulary of Michael Tomlin. 

The standard of expectation is something that coaches say when it comes to the expectation of how a player should be expected to perform.  What Tomlin is saying in a press conference or an interview when he uses this "Tomlinism" is that regardless of who is in the lineup, he expects the same performance no matter what.  With the injury to DeCastro it looks like one of two people will take the starting right guard position for the rest of the way this season (barring no one else gets injured...which I hope doesn't happen).  Those two people are Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster.  All the "experts" are saying that Foster is the likely candidate to win the job, but I have a different feeling about the backup positions.  Foster has the size, but Legursky is a smaller but more athletic player who pulls better than Foster.  For some strange reason, I think I'll give the Steelers the opportunity to make that decision as to who starts...they seem to know what they're doing.

Foster was slated as the starting right guard before training camp began, and was the starter for the opening of training camp until DeCastro took his role before Week 1 of the preseason.  I can't blame the Steelers for seeing what their young player can do when you utilize a 1st round pick to bring them to your organization.  Nonetheless, what I'm saying is two fold.  #1 - If there is a team that is used to juggling the lineup on the offensive line...its the Steelers.  #2 - The Steelers will have the benefit of either putting Legursky or Foster in the starting lineup as both have starting experience and are used to the system that has been in place.  In other words, the sky isn't falling.

Already on Twitter people are saying this season is a bust.  Are you kidding me?!  Talk about a knee jerk reaction.  DeCastro was going to be a solid young player, but he wasn't a stand out like Maurkice Pouncey was as a rookie.  Does it suck that he got injured as a rookie?  Yes, but so did Rashard Mendenhall and his career hasn't been a bust.  The Steelers will be fine.  I feel like the guard position is easier to replace than the tackle position, but at least the Steelers have 2 full weeks to get their starting lineup in order. 

As Mike Tomlin says "The standard is the standard".  That won't change regardless of who gets hurt, and for somehow, someway Tomlin seems to be able to get the best out of his lineup regardless of who is in there.  I have a feeling the Steelers beat will keep on going...hopefully on the way to another Superbowl victory.