Watch Tower: Analyzing Press Coverage of the Steelers 2013 Draft

The 2013 NFL Draft is in the history books. The Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 Draft Class has been revealed, and Shamarko Thomas is the first to be signed.

The NFL Draft is a veritable media bonanza, and 2013 was no exception, give the Watch Tower plenty of materials to shine its light on. Let’s take it from the top.

Steelers Draft Board vs. Steelers Needs

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2013 with a draft needs matrix that was wide and deep. Factor in the egg that the franchise laid with their 2008 Draft class, plus the need to re-arm while Ben Roethlisberger still has prime years of play, and health, remaining and getting the 2013 Draft right was imperative for the Pittsburgh Steelers?

• How did such imperatives impact the Steelers as the draft unfolded?

Well, it depends on which journalist’s rendition you’re reading.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, concluded that the Steelers managed to walk the tightrope arguing:

The Steelers have long maintained they stick to their draft board, taking the player with the highest grade and not reaching to fill any position. And general manager Kevin Colbert reaffirmed that stance Saturday when the three-day NFL draft came to a close. 

But, after drafting nine players and addressing each of their biggest needs in the first four rounds, the Steelers did a deft job of sticking to the board and filling positions with players who have a chance to help make up for some of their significant losses. Whether luck or coincidence, it seemed to work. [Emphasis in the original]

That’s a reasonable conclusion, but hardly a universal one among the Pittsburgh Pro Football Writers chapter.

Allan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review took the opposite tack, observing:

This is the draft in which the oh-so-traditional, oh-so-reliable Steelers Way wasn't the Steelers' way at all.

The Steelers insisted they stuck with the tried and true and drafted the best available player with their nine picks in seven rounds. But it appears to be anything but coincidental that in a draft in which their needs for an outside linebacker, running back, wide receiver and safety were as glaring as fuschia lipstick, the first four players they drafted were an outside linebacker (Jarvis Jones), running back (Le'Veon Bell), wide receiver (Markus Wheaton) and safety (Shamarko Thomas).

Who is right? Perhaps both and perhaps neither.

The fact is that the Steelers needs were so diverse, that they could have remained faithful to their draft board and filled their needs.

Revving Up the Steelers Running Game

The Steelers once-vaunted running game hasn’t been the same since Willie Parker’s injury in the 2008 season. The issue has gotten the attention of everyone in the franchise from Art Rooney II on down so it was no surpise when the Steelers drafted running back Le’von Bell in the second round.

The move, did however, prompt an interesting comment from Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who contended that:

The Steelers wanted to improve their running game in 2012, then they did a strange thing: They did absolutely nothing to help the rushing attack and, in fact, reduced their chances of running the ball better heading into last season. [Emphasis added.]

Regular readers know that the Watch Tower’s purpose isn’t to slam writers who voice dissenting opinions (although that does happen, at times) but the Watch Tower does hold writers accountable to the facts.

On a simplistic level, Bouchette is right. The Steelers did neither used a premium pick to draft a running back in the 2012 NFL Draft nor did they sign one in free agency.

• But does that mean “They did absolutely nothing” to boost the fortunes of the running game?

No, not by a long shot.

In fact, the Steelers made several moves that aimed at least in part at beefing up their running game:

• Drafting David DeCastro in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft
• Drafting Mike Adams in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft
• Moving Willie Colon from tackle to guard
• Selecting Chris Rainey in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft

Granted, of the four moves, only moving Colon to guard yielded any benefit in 2012 and then only for a short time. But two major draft picks, one minor pick, and one position change is far cry from “absolutely nothing.”

Beating a Dead Silverback

The ghost of James Harrison loomed large over the Steelers draft, in the eyes of the Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook who argued that the Steelers “dug themselves into a hole” prior to the draft.

It all goes back to the botched negotiations with linebacker James Harrison. Both sides allowed personal feelings to get in the way of a business deal that would have benefited each party.

When the Steelers parted ways with James Harrison, Cook made a strong plea that James Harrison is still enough of a game-changer that you keep on your team no matter what. That’s an excellent argument.

But to say that the Steelers “botched” the negotiations stretches credibility. If anything, the Steelers were willing to offer too much money. To say that pride prevented Pittsburgh from taking Harrison back, belies the calculated low-cost moves the Steelers made with money they saved from Harrison.

The “Source” and Sean Spence’s Injury

One of the Watch Tower’s chief mission’s is to get at the nut’s and bolts of how stories about the Steelers come to live, and the situation of Sean Spence provided an excellent opportunity.

The biggest potential scoop on draft day came not from the Post-Gazette, Tribune Review, or even ESPN, but from Behind the Steel Curtain’s editor Neal Coolong, who dropped this bomb:

The Steelers have been oddly quiet about Spence's status heading into the 2013 season.
As it turns out, there's a specific reason for that.

A source close to the team is saying the Steelers are optimistic Spence can play in 2013, but not enough to publicly discuss it. They are targeting Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti - a player who's coming off a knee injury of his own.

When all was said and done, the Steelers passed on Michael Mauti and Steelers Linebackers coach Kevin Butler said it would be “miraculous” if Spence made full recovery.

• Both developments it would seem, would amount to a big black eye for BTSC, right? 

Not so fast.

Only a few days after Butler’s pronouncement, Mike Tomlin offered a very different take on the prognosis for the linebacker the Steelers took in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, topping off his retort with a classic Tomlinism:

All the rehab is going to according to plan. No news there. I did hear the opinion regarding Spence. My opinion differs. I think he'll have a full recovery. But now you have two opinions, neither of which are expert medical opinions, so do with it what you will

Kevin Colbert also spoke on the Spence’s health, seemingly taking a middle position telling a conference call of Steelers season ticket holders:

When you have as serious a knee injury as he unfortunately had, it sometimes is a very long process. Sometimes it takes over a year to fully rehabilitate. But the good thing is we are seeing signs of progress, albeit small steps. But it is progress.

Clearly, there is a legitimate diversity of opinion on the South Side with respect to the Sean Spence’s prospects for a recovery and clearly that diversity lends some legitimacy to BTSC's reporting.

(Full disclosure: I also write for BTSC and correspond frequently with the editor but I neither have access to nor knowledge of the source in question.)

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Would a Steelers off season be complete without stories on Max Starks contract or lack thereof situation? Stories on Max Starks contract situation have provided bloggers and professional press pundits with legitimate copy every spring since 2008 and 2013 is no exception, except that it might be the last time this is true.

The Pittsburgh Steelers of course signed free agent Guy Whimper, a veteran offensive tackle who brings a decidedly mediocre track record to Pittsburgh. The move was significant because the Steelers lack depth on the line, and as Ed Bouchette explained:

By signing Whimper, the Steelers likely are indicating that they are moving on without Max Starks, an unrestricted free agent who has yet to sign with any team. 

Concluding that Guy Whimper's arrival spells Max Starks exist are a logical conclusion on Bouchette’s part. But the problem was that it was only part of the story.

Mark Kalboy of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review took the extra, but hardly extraordinary, step of calling Max Starks and getting him on the record to confirm that his days in Pittsburgh were likely done:

Let me say this, (Starks and the Steelers) had a conversation prior (to the Whimper signing), and that decision (to sign Whimper) was made after our conversation.
Now it wasn't said directly to me, but you kind of take that as an indication of what they are thinking. It is not so much on my part as more of them wanting to move on.

Kaloby went on to explain that Starks neither seems himself as a back nor as someone who should play for backup money.

Put bluntly, Bouchette got badly out hustled on this story by Kalboy.

Bouchette Delivers on Greene Retirement

After throwing Bouchette under a bus not once but twice, it is only appropriate that he get his just due on the Joe Greene story.

Bouchette’s coverage of Joe Greene's retirement was overall very good, both in the regular PG and PG Plus (no, PG Plus has not decided to take my money, I got a free view there). He managed to cover something that other missed:

Noll hired him to coach his defensive line in 1987 and, after five years of doing so, Greene was a finalist to succeed Noll after the coach's retirement following the 1991 season. But when the job went to Bill Cowher, and the new coach did not keep Greene on his staff.

"When Chuck retired and I basically got fired, that was definitely emotional," Greene recalled.

Many forget that Greene was a strong candidate to replace Chuck Noll, and his non-selection drew very little coverage at the time, and was seldom discussed after his return to the team during the Cowher-Colbert era.

Kudos to Bouchette for getting Greene on the record on one of the under reported stories in Steelers history.

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Steelers Sign 4th Round Draft Pick Shamarko Thomas

If there’s one word to describe the Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 off season “unpredictable” would have to be a strong candidate.

Take the case of James Harrison. First the Steelers wanted James back at a 30% pay cut, with the ability to earn it back via incentives. Deebo said “No” and became a cap casualty and an ex-Steeler. Then when Silverback didn’t get greenbacks waived in front of him, the Steelers declined to bring him back.

• As expected, the Steelers lost Mike Wallace and Keenan Lewis; they also brought back William Gay and Matt Speath – yeah, we all saw that coming too.

And of course there was Emmanuel Sanders. Emmanuel Sanders of the mysterious “yes-New England-tendered-him-no-we-didn’t-yes-they-did” one year restricted free agent tender. Both conventional wisdom and the inside word was the Steelers would let Sanders walk and take the extra pick.

• The Steelers of course matched New England's offer for Sanders. 

Matching Sanders tender was supposed to have burned through the Steelers remaining cap space. Except it didn’t, as the Steelers moved decisively to prevent Green Bay from making a run on one of its other restricted free agents, namely the newly resigned Steve McLendon.

Prior to the start of free agency, back up safeties Will Allen and Ryan Mundy figured to be two players the Steelers could have back if they wanted them back. Who else would want them?

Dallas gave Allen a home and Mundy likewise found his in the NFC East, with the New York Giants.

• How does all of this relate the headline you ask?

Well, it was just yesterday that the Steelers released a partial transcript of Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert’s conference call with season ticket holders where he explained that picks from the Steelers 2013 NFL Draft Class would have to wait until June to get their contracts, when the Steelers liberated Willie Colon’s cap space.

And on the heels of that news the Steelers promptly went out and came to terms with 4th round draft pick Shamarko Thomas. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the deal is for four years, per the new CBA, and terms were not disclosed.

In practical terms neither the Steelers nor Thomas get an added benefit to signing early. But with Ryan Clark entering the final year of his contract, and age and injuries to Troy Polamalu mounting, Thomas’ development critical to the Steelers ability to rearm while Ben Roethlisberger remains a viable NFL franchise quarterback.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Shamarko Thomas, may your next four years be prosperous ones.

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Vote to Support Chuck Noll in ESPN Poll

Once again it is time for Steelers Nation to Rally the Troops. And once again, we’re calling on all of the Black and Gold faithful to vote in yet another ESPN poll.

ESPN.com commissioned a blue ribbon panel to investigate the question and is planning to release the results starting on Thursday May 23rd. In the mean time, they’re polling their readers.

Fair enough.

• But as has happened in other circumstances, the Steelers are falling victim both to the whims and short-term memories of popular culture.

The poll’s mechanics are simple. ESPN gives you a list of 50 NFL coaches and asks fans to vote for up to 20. As of the afternoon of 5/11/13 the results look like this:

Chuck Noll Needs Steelers Nation's Support in this ESPN Poll

Chuck Noll is actually coming in fifth. Given that Chuck Noll worked at having frosty relations with the media and therefore has no apologists in the press, 5th place actually better than expected.

Rarely when discussions of who is the greatest coach in NFL history are convened, is Noll given serious consideration. And that’s a mistake and one that is apparently not being repeated here.

• But there are still issues.

Vince Lombardi is being voted in a number one. It would seem like almost sacrilege to argue the point.

There’s also no shame to coming in under Don Shula, although before accepting that you might want to remember that Noll both has more championships and a better post-season record than his mentor.

Bill Walsh comes in at number two, because unlike Noll, Walsh never hesitated to promote his own genius, and cultivated quite a following in the press. And of course he did spawn a cadre of assistant coaches.

• Can anyone really make a serious, fact based, argument that Chuck Noll was a better coach than Bill Walsh?

Why, yes they can, and Steel Curtain Rising did so in its first year. (To read the full Chuck Noll vs. Bill Walsh series, click here.)

But if Noll should be voted above Walsh (and he should), it is no insult to come in below.

• Seeing Chuck Noll voted below Bill Belichick represents and injustice that Steelers Nation must rectify.

The case here is clear:  Chuck Noll’s got more victories than Bill Belichick. His post season winning percentage isn’t quite as strong but, then again, Chuck Noll won playoff games with quarterbacks like Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone and Bubby Brister.

• Can Bill Belichick say that? No. He cannot.

Heck, Noll beat Belichick in his final NFL game as an NFL coach.

But let’s cut to the chase:

• Chuck Noll has four Super Bowl victories to Belichick’s three, and none of Noll’s victories are tainted.

Repeat, no one ever accused Chuck Noll of cheating at anything.

• Bill Belichick is a cheater who got caught red handed. 

Could the Patriots have won those Super Bowls without resorting to cheating? They probably could have. But will never know the extent of Belichick’s cheating because Roger Goodell destroyed the evidence.

• And of course there’s the little inconvenient truth that New England hasn’t won a Super Bowl since Belichick got busted.

So The Emperor deserves to be voted over The Cheater.

How About Some Love for Bill Cowher?

Can anyone explain why John Madden deserves to be voted higher than Bill Cowher? (Or Tom Coughlin for that matter.) Cowher had nearly 50 more regular season victories and doubled Madden’s number of post-season victories.

Nothing against Madden, but he’s clearly benefiting from his media presence; his successor Tom Flores won 2 Super Bowls and had a better post-season record but is languishing in the polls. Place a vote for The Chin.

Steelers Nation:  Time to Rally in Support of the Emperor

Attention faithful in Steelers Nation. Now is the time to come to aid of your party. Chuck Noll needs your support. Go to ESPN and visit their poll.

Here’s how to vote for maximum effect:

• Vote for Noll, Cowher and Mike Tomlin only and/or avoid voting for Walsh and Belichick.
• Vote early and often. You’ll need to vote from different browsers and/or multiple devices, but it can be done.

Click here to go to ESPN's Greatest Coaching Poll and vote now!

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Steelers Hall of Famer Jack Butler, 1927-2013

Former Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback and long time BLESTO Director Jack Butler has died after a long battle with a staph infection he received as the result of an artificial knee transplant.

Butler was 85, and is survived by his wife and 15 grand children, and 8 children, including his son Mike, who recently joined the Steelers scouting department.

Unknown to the last several generations of fans in Steelers Nation, Jack Butler was a star on the SOS squads “Same Old Steelers.” As the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1950’s struggled in mediocrity, Jack Butler was building a Hall of Fame resume as a cornerback.

According to the obituary published in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review by Bob Cohn, Butler intercepted 5 passes as a rookie.

The Steelers were on the road and losing 13-0 to the Washington Redskins and despite out rushing and out passing the Redskins all day, Butler had intercepted the legendary Eddie LeBaron 3 times.

As told by Tim Gleason in his classic, From Black to Gold, the Steelers scored a face-saving touchdown late in the 4th to make it 13-7. Butler intercepted LeBaron a still NFL record 4th time, returning the ball for a pick-six and leading the Steelers to victory.

Butler’s career was cut short in 1959 when he blew out a knee, which is a shame because he’d intercepted 19 passes in his final two seasons – an even more remarkable feat when you consider that Butler only played 12 game seasons in an era where a team that threw 20 passes a game was considered “pass happy.”

All told Butler played in four Pro Bowls, three All NFL teams and the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1950’s. As of May 2012, Butler stands tied for 15th on the NFL’s All Time career interception list, picking off legendary quarterbacks such as Sammy Baugh, Johnny Unitas, Otto Graham, Y.A. Tittle and Norm Van Brocklin.

Butler even saw spot duty at wide receiver, catching 7 passes and took four of them into the end zone for four touchdowns.

From Being the Talent on the Field to Finding the Talent to Field

After retiring from the game, Jack Butler first dabbled as an assistant coach and then join the BLESTO scouting combine, serving as its director from 1966 to 2006.

BLESTO stands for Bears Lions Eagles Steelers Talent Organization, and was formed when player data on NFL prospects was far from ubiquitous as it is today.

In his capacity as BLESTO scout, Butler hired and/or trained hundreds of NFL scouts, including former Pittsburgh Steelers Director of Football Operations Tom Donahoe and current Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert.

From his perch at BLESTO Butler also had a hand, at least indirectly, on the scouting reports that Chuck Noll used to select Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Rod Woodson, and Dermontti Dawson – all of whom are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jack Butler, Man of Class, Man of No Regrets

Injuries didn’t simply end Jack Butler’s NFL career, they impacted the rest of his life. He under went multiple surgeries, walked with a limp for over 50 years, and had both knees replaced – and it was the latter knee replacement which lead to the staph infection which cost him his life.

• Butler, however, had no regrets.

As Ed Bouchette recounted in the his obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, When asked by Art Rooney Jr. if given the constant pain he struggled with, Butler would do it again, the former Pro Bowl cornerback did not flinch, telling Rooney, “’He said, “Playing football was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. If I could go out today and suit up, I would do it.”'"

Butler was also a class act, drawing praise from Dan Rooney who said “He was an excellent person both on and off the field, and he played an integral role in the BLESTO scouting program and our entire draft process before his retirement.”

Art Rooney II followed suit, explaining that “Jack Butler was one of the all-time great Steelers. He devoted his entire life to the NFL and made contributions to many teams and many players through his work with BLESTO and player personnel matters.”

Kevin Colbert’s comments were perhaps the most effusive:

Jack was a great person and great friend who always placed his faith and family first. Beyond his great play on the field, he was a legendary personnel man who helped so many of us get established in our scouting careers. He will be missed, but never forgotten.

It is fair to say that a majority of Steelers fans who’ve rooted for their beloved Black and Gold without knowing who Jack Butler was, but they certainly are well acquainted with his legacy.

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All in the Family - Another Colbert, Butler Join Steelers Scouting Department

Joe Greene’s retirement from the Steelers scouting department has left ripples in its wake. Either that, or the shuffling in the Steelers scouting department was caused by the Ron Hughes semi-retirement, but most of Steelers Nation has never heard of Hughes, and working Joe Greene into the intro is a hell of a lot more sexier....

Indeed, Ron Hughes, who has headed the Steelers college scouting efforts, will step down as College Scouting Coordinator and move into semi-retirement as Senior Assistant for College Scouting.

The Steelers have promoted Phil Kreidler to the role of College Scouting Coordinator. Kreidler has worked in the Steelers scouting department since he joined as an intern during Chuck Noll’s final season in 1991.

Keeping it in the Family

Dan Rooney often said that he regarded Joe Greene as family, and with Greene gone the Steelers are keeping it in the family. Literally. Rooney's son, Dan Rooney Jr., is already a member of the Steelers scouting department, and now Dan Colbert, son of Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert, was promoted from intern to pro/college scout.

Mike Butler, son of former Steelers cornerback Jack Butler will join as the Steelers BLESTO scout, an organization which Butler headed for decades, giving him a hand in the evaluations ever Steelers Hall of Famer from Terry Bradshaw to Dermontii Dawson, whom Bulter would share the stage with in their induction into Canton.

Dave Petett, who has severed as a “scout” for nine years, will now be a pro/college scout, while Mark Bruener will shift from BLESTO scout to college scout.

That’s probably more than you’d ever care to know about the org chart of the Steelers scouting department, but these individuals are faceless, nameless gnomes that tirelessly mine the college ranks, the pro football equalivialent of tilling the earth that has yielded a record Six Lombardi Trophies.

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Steelers-Max Starks Break Up for Real? Pittsburgh Signs Guy Whimper

They say breaking up is hard to do. The Pittsburgh Steelers and free agent tackle Max Starks can attest.

The Steelers have had a love-hate relationship with Max Starks since drafting him in 2004 that has seen the front office offer him a transition tender only to see the coaches start the season with Starks on the bench.

That was in 2008, and Starks bailed out the team and helped lead them to victory in Super Bowl XLIII. One of the team’s first moves after the NFL 2011 lockout was to cut Max Starks. Starks was of course back in October, going from walking the streets to starting on consecutive Sundays.

Word was that when the Steelers drafted Mike Adams in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft their hopes were that Adams would replace Starks. But when it became clear in training camp that Mike Adams wasn’t quite ready to take over the reigns and left tackle, Starks was signed again.

Pittsburgh is thin at tackle, and Starks is still available, but again he’s not the preferred option, as the Steelers have signed veteran tackle Guy Whimper as reported a few days ago by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Whimper was originally drafted by the New York Giants in 2006 and played the last three seasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Behind the Steel Curtain, (full disclosure, I also write for BTSC) labled the signing as curious, citing a Football Outsiders J.J. Cooper’s analysis that had Whimper giving up sacks in nine straight games in 2011. Interestingly enough, Cooper started 15 games in 2011 but was not a regular starter in 2012 and in fact was listed as a tackle/te in Pro Football Reference.

Whimper was signed for the league minimum, so the Steelers can easily cut him in training camp if he does not work out. And who knows, perhaps Max Starks will be available to replace him.

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Joe Greene Retires as Steelers Scout with One for Each Thumb

Six Super Bowl rings will apparently have to be enough for Pittsburgh Steelers Legend “Mean” Joe Greene who yesterday announced he was retiring from his front office position with the Steelers scouting department.

It was no less than Greene himself who coined the phrase “One for the Thumb,” and when he did so a fifth Super Bowl seemed very much in reach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Greene continued playing into his mid-30’s, at the time this was a very mature age for the NFL, in pursuit of the additional hardware but was forced to retire with a bare thumb in after 1981.

Greene of course got a second shot at getting “One for the Thumb” in 1987 when Chuck Noll asked him to rejoin the Steelers as defensive line coach. Greene perhaps whiffed the possibility when he helped Noll make his story book run the playoffs with the 1989 Steelers, but alas they came up short.

Following Noll’s retirement, Greene was given serious consideration for the head coaching job, but Dan Rooney and Tom Donahoe ultimately decided to go in a new Direction with Bill Cowher.

No longer employed by Pittsburgh, Greene’s shot at the elusive “One for the Thumb” seemed to end, as went on to coach Don Shula’s last defensive lines in Miami, and then worked for the Arizona Cardinals until a coaching change cost him his job in 2003.

Joe Greene Comes Home, Makes Good on “One for the Thumb”

Greene however did not stay on the unemployment line for long. Dan Rooney offered him a job in the Steelers scouting department, where Greene began work in 2004 as Kevin Colbert’s “Special Assistant/Pro and College Personnel” where he focused on scouting college talent in the Southwest as well as pro talent, according to the Steelers media guide.

When he returned to Pittsburgh, the Steelers were coming off a 6-10 season, and Pittsburgh Shock Jock Mark Madden lambasted the move as “Window Dressing” designed to disguise a off season of horrendous free agent moves such as the decision to sign Duce Staley (and eventually draft Ben Roethlisberger).

• The next season the Steelers went 15-1 and a year later they won Super Bowl XL

...Ah, perhaps Mr. Madden would like that one back.

By 2005 the term "One for the Thumb" had fallen out of favor with Steelers management if not the fans, but Joe Greene nonetheless finally got his fifth ring for Super Bowl XL and later earned a sixth for Super Bowl XLIII.

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