50-YARD LINE

Are we starting to see cracks in the foundation of the House that Coach Cliché built? First there were rumors of grumbling in the locker room during the season as the Steelers played their way to an 8-8 record and out of the playoffs. It seemed some players were only out for themselves, not the team. Examples of this would be Mendy’s absence from the game in which he was inactive. Butterfingers Wallace sat out OTAs and training camp and spent the season dropping passes through his butter fingers.  Lamar Woodley disappeared from the field but not the trainer’s room, Twitter, or Facebook.  People were concerned that cutting some of the leaders of the team (Ward, Smith, Farrior) would cut off the team’s nose to spite its face. Perhaps it’s more a case of the team not developing players and/or leaders. As the years go by, more and more of the players that earned Super Bowl rings will be leaving, either by choice or by necessity. We’re hearing stories of “anonymous teammates” and of players speaking out of turn. It seems that as more and more of Coach Chin’s players depart the scene and Coach Cliché’s players dominate the locker room, it’s all crashing down like a house of cards. These players are acting more like school children instead of the professional athletes that they are paid handsomely to be.  As free agency and the draft draw near, GM Colbert and Coach Cliché need to take a hard look at the players they bring into the fold. You don’t just want players that can perform on the field. You also want model, upstanding citizens in the locker room and in the community. Pick your players wisely. Go Steelers!!!!!!