A New York State of Mind�by Sleper
I can remember a time not that long ago when to mention the
Pittsburgh Steelers gave me that feeling�you know that feeling, like the time
that cute 10th grader Stephanie spun that bottle and it was pointed right at
you.�� Wow, you�re gonna kiss the girl
in front of all your friends.� You all remember
that, don�t you?�
Well, that feeling is no longer there-especially after
another disappointing season of �C�mon! Let�s go!�� Yeah, 2003 was Billy Ball at its finest.�� What an amazing coach we have, running on
the field� hollering �C�mon, Let�s go!�
at his players for what, doing what they�re supposed to do?� Isn�t that what they are paid for?� To make plays?� Don�t you play for pay in this league?� Could you imagine Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick running on the
field whooping it up or chasing down an official to show him a picture,� �look, look- I�ve got proof that DeWayne
Washington is not a complete fucking moron and did run into the kicker ON
PURPOSE, doesn�t that count, doesn�t it�doesn�t it? He didn�t mean to run into
him!!� Nice discipline Billy.�� Well, that kind of stuff does not happen in
New York.� Here, you win the big game or
its, �that�s strange, the key to get in my office doesn�t seem to be working..�
by tomorrow.
I live in one of the most pressure-packed sports boiling
pots in the country and the fans, the media and the owners simply do not stand
for what happened in Pittsburgh this year.�
Take for example the past 8 years for the New York Yankees skipper Joe
Torre.� All he has done is win FOUR
World Series Championships since 1996, FOUR in SEVEN YEARS and guess what?� He is OUT after next year.� Done.�
Now, keep in mind, he is leaving on his own, but you can bet that George
would have the ax waiting for him regardless.�
This comes after another 100 win season and a loss in the 2003 World
Series.� Oh yeah, did I mention that out
of those 8 years, the Yanks have gotten to the series 6 times? The New York
Giants head coach Jim Fassel was fired after the 14th game of the season only 2
years removed from an appearance in the Super Bowl.� He
has been on the back page for months.� Every time he turned the corner, there was
the Grim Reaper waiting for him, all created by the media. �Billy Cowher has been the Steelers coach for the
past 12 years and will probably remain for the time being.� He has ZERO Championships.�
Sure, he�s got a .602 winning percentage on a record of
115-76 but look at what that has gotten the Steelers.� 3 losses in AFC Championships and a loss in the 1995 Super
bowl.� Let�s take a look at the Bill
Cowher era, shall we�
1992: 11-5 record- 1st post-season game in 10 years at
Three Rivers and Billy Ball gets pounded by the Bills 24-3. Abysmal.� Thanks for coming.
1993: 9-7, wild-card berth- bounced in O/T to the Chiefs
27-24.� Nice try. See you next year
1994: 12-4 HOSTED the AFC Championship game against the
Chargers.� Hey Bill, why don�t you have
your guys make a Super Bowl video? Yeah, that would be fun!�� Why not?�
We�re playing an over-matched Chargers team�yeah, well �waiter, I�ll
need the check because we�re done.��
17-13 see ya next year.
1995: 11-5 Super Bowl!! Hey, good effort by the Stillers,
thanks Neil for the picks and a 27-17 loss.
1996: 11-5 Loss in the playoffs�what else?
1997: 11-5 HOST the AFC Championship against Denver.� Nice game plan Billy, how about another
loss, 24-21�ooohhhh, so close.� Nice
work Kordell, how about another pick.�
(Good work sticking with him, Bill -- he did a lot for us)
1998:� 7-9, thanks
for coming
1999: 6-10, �juuuuuuussssssttttt a bit outside��
2000: 9-7, yeah, well- sorry, as the Soup Nazi says�.�No
soup for you!!�
2001: 13-3, HOST the AFC championship game against the
Patsies, easy win right?� Hey Bill, let�s
take care of those Super Bowl reservations because you don�t want to have to
worry about that stuff later�yeah, well- again you get COMPLETELY out coached
by Bellichick and succumb yet again.�
Are you seeing a pattern here? �Since 1994, you host THREE AFC Championship games and completely
shit the bed�.
2002: 10-5-1, lose yet again in the AFC Divisional game
to the Titans.� There is good ole� Billy
racing out on the field to argue DuuhhhWayne Washington running into the kicker.
Hey Bill, HE RAN INTO THE KICKER, simple. Penalty, re-kick, you lose
AGAIN.� Nice discipline.
2003:� 6-10, Flat
line, beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppppppp�.
Now, looking at the Billy Cowher era, one would say that he
has done well.� He wins games, gets to
the playoffs.� Not so bad, right?� Not so fast.� This is NOT good enough, wins are good, but all they do is get
you to the next level and pad your won-loss record.� Getting there is not good enough, winning it all is all that
matters. You play for pay in this league and you are paid well.�
The only reason you should play is to get the Holy
Grail.� You are measured by hoisting
that Lombardi trophy and telling us you are going to Disneyland.� Billy can mask his inefficiencies in the
patsy AFC North, but put him up against a solid, football man and guess
what?� He is EXPOSED, badly.� Jeff Fisher?� Owns Cowher.� Bill
Belichick?� Cowher�s his bitch.� Cowher vs. a good coach = Loss for the
Steelers.
Welcome to New York.� Welcome to Hell.� Win or get out.� How much time do you think you get around here before your head is on the chopping block?� Certainly not as long as Billy has had in Pittsburgh.� 12 years and ZERO championships?� Unacceptable.� If he was the Giants or Jets coach, he�d be gone after maybe 3 or 4 years.� He�d be back page fodder all the time.� He�d have beat writers in his face after every game with questions like this:� Why is Jason Gildon on the field? Does your staff actually WATCH the game films?� How come Alonzo Jackson has been inactive since the 2nd game of the season?� Why has Bill Bellichick started 42 different players this year to a record of 14-2 and at 6-10, you insist that now is not the time to evaluate your young talent?� And so on, and so on, and so on�One of the premier sports talk radio shows in the country is WFAN and they have the football coaches on weekly during the season.� They do not pull punches and would have a field day if they ever had Billy Boy on for a segment.�
The bottom line is this: Cowher would not last in
this cauldron because it is all about winning championships.� Not won-lost record, not trips to the
playoffs.� Winning the Super bowl is all
that matters and so far, Billy is an oh-fer�