(01-13-2018, 03:05 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Everyone seems to like the changes so far with the exception of the obvious but it's pretty clear ML was finally givin more control. I find it alarming that a 15 year coach has finally been trusted to call some of the shots. My question is more about MB than Marvin, but let's say we win the AFC or SB within two years. Will this be all the proof you need to be convinced that MB has been the one to blame since taking over. If you like Marvin or not it doesn't matter, these next 2 years may be the most crucial in the next 25 years. I don't see him giving this amount of control to the next coach right away. Personally I think Marvin should have been gone years ago, but the current situation might be a blessing in disguise.

Mike Brown being stubborn and waiting this long to give a coach the tools they feel they need to succeed only make makes the case for a GM stronger. Also proves the narrative that Mike Brown is not committed to winning. As for Katie, I wouldn't expect anything other than what we've seen over the past 1/4 century.

(01-13-2018, 03:58 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: One of the issues I have (seriously, I do) is with all the ex-steeler coaches coming to town. I'm trying to talk my way off the "Trojan Horse" ledge. Thoughts reminiscent that of something I heard once about radical Muslim beliefs that the best way to defeat a country is from within (probably not close to accurate, but seriously, I heard that somewhere). So, with those 2 examples you can kinda see where the conspiracy thinking is coming from.

However, there is a little voice inside my head (believe me, there are many) which is telling me that Marvin is bringing in all these ex's as a way to plan against them. The more knowledge and experience you have from all levels of that organization, might actually help you gameplan against them and bring them down. Then again, if the general leading this wage of war on the steelers is Marvin? Well, we are screwed anyway because even with all the assistance in game planning. He's just not that good of a game planner or game manager. Hell, he's really not that good at a lot of things it takes to win. His flaws are countless.

I guess we wont know until we get through half the season next year on where we stand. I hope we are dominant and kick butt in primetime, win playoff GAMES and even make it to the SB at the end of the season. But if we make it? We can't lose this one.

Geez, I just talked our way to a SB? I have to get real and pour the koolade down the drain and open a beer and get real.

(01-13-2018, 04:06 PM)Slythe Wrote: Why on earth would the Steelers opt for a long con Trojan horse strategy when they kick our butts year in and year out as it is lol.

(01-13-2018, 03:05 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Everyone seems to like the changes so far with the exception of the obvious but it's pretty clear ML was finally givin more control. I find it alarming that a 15 year coach has finally been trusted to call some of the shots. My question is more about MB than Marvin, but let's say we win the AFC or SB within two years. Will this be all the proof you need to be convinced that MB has been the one to blame since taking over.

Mike Brown being stubborn and waiting this long to give a coach the tools they feel they need to succeed only make makes the case for a GM stronger. Also proves the narrative that Mike Brown is not committed to winning. As for Katie, I wouldn't expect anything other than what we've seen over the past 1/4 century.

(01-13-2018, 03:58 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: One of the issues I have (seriously, I do) is with all the ex-steeler coaches coming to town. I'm trying to talk my way off the "Trojan Horse" ledge. Thoughts reminiscent that of something I heard once about radical Muslim beliefs that the best way to defeat a country is from within (probably not close to accurate, but seriously, I heard that somewhere). So, with those 2 examples you can kinda see where the conspiracy thinking is coming from.

However, there is a little voice inside my head (believe me, there are many) which is telling me that Marvin is bringing in all these ex's as a way to plan against them. The more knowledge and experience you have from all levels of that organization, might actually help you gameplan against them and bring them down. Then again, if the general leading this wage of war on the steelers is Marvin? Well, we are screwed anyway because even with all the assistance in game planning. He's just not that good of a game planner or game manager. Hell, he's really not that good at a lot of things it takes to win. His flaws are countless.

I guess we wont know until we get through half the season next year on where we stand. I hope we are dominant and kick butt in primetime, win playoff GAMES and even make it to the SB at the end of the season. But if we make it? We can't lose this one.

Geez, I just talked our way to a SB? I have to get real and pour the koolade down the drain and open a beer and get real.

(01-13-2018, 04:16 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Who thinks Mike Brown is not mostly to blame? It's obvious that as the owner, he makes the decisions. It's also obvious that, no matter how much people want to stomp their feet and demand a new owner, it is not going to happen. The Browns own this team, and the Browns will always own this team, until they decide they don't want to anymore, and that will never happen while MB is alive (and possibly Katie). And, when they do decide to sell it, Cincinnati can kiss the team goodbye. 
Might just as well complain about the weather, neither will change because people complain..... and, FWIW, I definitely think MB desperately wants a World Championship, he just doesn't know how to get it and is too proud to admit it and give up control.

(01-13-2018, 03:38 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: I think that Mike is deserving of plenty of blame, but the staff isn't one of them. Marvin has bringing in his own people for years, and promoting people from within the staff for years.

This offseason was very unique because every coach on the staff was without a contract and they were coming off 2 losing seasons. It gave Marvin the perfect chance to revamp the staff.

(01-13-2018, 04:30 PM)Derrick Wrote: A convenient excuse to re-up Marvin. YIKES!

(01-13-2018, 04:44 PM)Bengalholic Wrote:  Like Paul Dehner said, "The biggest draw in retaining Marvin Lewis was his ability to fill out an impressive staff" and "he's almost always been able to pull talented staffs".

People can disagree about how talented Marvin's staffs have or haven't been, but they were Marvin's staffs.

(01-13-2018, 08:13 PM)bengalhoel Wrote: Yeah but was he the one keeping Paul Alexander, or was that Brown's BS?  As we have seen an outdated scheme mixed with subpar players can doom a staff no matter how talented. 

(01-13-2018, 03:58 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: One of the issues I have (seriously, I do) is with all the ex-steeler coaches coming to town. I'm trying to talk my way off the "Trojan Horse" ledge. Thoughts reminiscent that of something I heard once about radical Muslim beliefs that the best way to defeat a country is from within (probably not close to accurate, but seriously, I heard that somewhere). So, with those 2 examples you can kinda see where the conspiracy thinking is coming from.

However, there is a little voice inside my head (believe me, there are many) which is telling me that Marvin is bringing in all these ex's as a way to plan against them. The more knowledge and experience you have from all levels of that organization, might actually help you gameplan against them and bring them down. Then again, if the general leading this wage of war on the steelers is Marvin? Well, we are screwed anyway because even with all the assistance in game planning. He's just not that good of a game planner or game manager. Hell, he's really not that good at a lot of things it takes to win. His flaws are countless.

I guess we wont know until we get through half the season next year on where we stand. I hope we are dominant and kick butt in primetime, win playoff GAMES and even make it to the SB at the end of the season. But if we make it? We can't lose this one.

Geez, I just talked our way to a SB? I have to get real and pour the koolade down the drain and open a beer and get real.

(01-13-2018, 08:39 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: That's the point I was trying to get at. Some seem to think that Marvin has just now gained the ability to pick/control his own staff, but the reality is that Marvin has always brought in his own guys.

Even in the case of Alexander, I think it was a combination of both. Marvin promoted him when he got hired in 2003 because Buffalo wanted to interview him, and he talked about that a few years later - which I posted in one of the other threads - about how important Alexander was to him, and Mike's always loved him some Alexander and has always been very content with him.


Like I said earlier, Mike deserves blame for a lot of things, but the coaching staff isn't one of them.

(01-13-2018, 10:46 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Pulling for him and his new staff to prove MB has held Bengals back for years with a big season.

(01-13-2018, 10:46 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Pulling for him and his new staff to prove MB has held Bengals back for years with a big season.