Steelers New Raiders?

GreenBayLAMember

David Fleming ESPN:
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the greatest franchise in sports.

But you know what I've learned while covering this team, extensively, during the past 15 years?

They also might be one of the dirtiest.

It's something we all might want to consider over the next 10 days as a nation of pundits blather on about the wholesome, blue-collar, old-fashioned, long-lost American goodness that the Steelers (or any other sports teams) represent.

Now, I'm not just talking about the well-documented, but unproven, accusations of sexual assault against Ben Roethlisberger that earned the Steelers' QB a four-game suspension this season; the $125,000 the league has fined linebacker James Harrison for illegal hits this season; the blocks by Hines Ward that earned him the rep as one of the game's dirtiest players and inspired the creation of the "Hines Ward Rule" against blindside blocks; or, even, the 13 arrests the Steelers have logged since Super Bowl XL (compared to, say, the Packers, who have had five players arrested during the same time frame), according to a database run by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

This is just the latest example of a sinister side to the Steelers that has run parallel to the team's phenomenal success during the past 41 years. To be sure, this isn't ticky-tack stuff like parking tickets and training camp curfew violations. These are reports, allegations or documented instances of shooting at cops, assaults against women, drugs, deadly high-speed car chases and suicides -- as well as repeated questions about performance-enhancing drugs.

None of it, a secret.

Skeletons

1/29/113:54 AM

Original Post

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pkr_northMember

interesting, I forgot about the cheap shots...since there is no game after this one, I wonder if they make an appearance...

1/29/117:21 AM

runningdirtMember

I think they look for it in college. Steeler people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac-JYp25Bx0

1/29/117:30 AM

trumpMember

2 things:

1) Hines Ward is not dirty, I've watched a lot of their games and he is just 1 tough SOB that blocks with an attitude of a LBacker. The Packer defense better have their head on a swivel when he is around and I'd love for 1 of our Safeties to tattoo his arse early in the game just to let him know whose boss.1 thing you know is that as long as Ward is on the field the Steelers won't quit coming at you, he has the heart of a Woodson.

2) According to this article, I fully expect Pouncey to get the "Help in Healing" he needs and plays in the Super Bowl.

All JMO.

1/29/119:51 AM

FandameMember

Just watch Harrison in the game against the Jets -- Sanchez slid, Harrison slid into him, but watch his arm. Harrison wanted to take a cheap shot in the back of the QB's head but at the last second he realized it was a QB and didn't. You just knew that if it was a RB or anyone else, he would have led with the elbow. Harrison, Farrior and some others are headhunters, plain and simple. They play on the line and are willing to go over it whenever they get the chance. One wonders in this game, since there is no next game and since they get a decent payday win or lose, if they say, "To heck with the fine, I'm hittin' him."

1/29/1110:12 AM

trumpMember

quote:
They play on the line and are willing to go over it whenever they get the chance. One wonders in this game, since there is no next game and since they get a decent payday win or lose, if they say, "To heck with the fine, I'm hittin' him."

Agreed. This is a game for all the marbles, I'm hope our guys are thinkin this way to a certain degree ...
I hope Our OLine/Blockers are ready for the 7 kinds of H3ll comin their way.

1/29/1112:41 PM

Pistol GBMember

I agree with the article 100% and it's good to see it in print.

The complaining they all did over the Harrison fines was the icing on the cake, IMO. Yeah right guys, innocent little Greg Harrison was being unfairly singled out.