YinzPitt

I’m finally back after a hectic two days!  I’m beginning to dislike the holidays more and more as I get older.  I normally don’t have a problem, but customers with my job seem to be at an all time high with Christmas aggression.  It’s almost as if people are realizing they are spending way too much money and have to haggle with a corporate business to ease up on their costs because they overspent.  My friendly advice for the day:  make sure your credit and financial situation is in line prior to a big purchase.  Thanks.

In actual Pittsburgh sports related news, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark and defensive back Ike Taylor, have had it with the media.  Things really are starting to become that bad with the Pittsburgh Steelers that instead of concentrating against their opponents, they are worrying about what the media says about them.  Hell, Ryan Clark went as far as saying that most of the media is wrong for scrutinizing and he promptly called the reporters “turds.”  Seriously, who says turd anymore anyways.

“You watch the Eagles, you watch the big plays given up (in a 45-38 win over the Giants), and I started checking other media outlets and you don’t hear the things about them in their media that you hear about us,” said Clark, who is in the final year of his contract. “So either we’re held to higher standards, or the people that write about us are turds.”

Do we deserve to be talked about as disappointing? Yes we do, because we are disappointed in ourselves,” Clark said. “But I think sometimes the coverage of it, especially, locally, has been … I’m not going to say it’s unfair, but it’s just been wrong.”

“Y’all don’t know. Period,” Clark said. “I think it’s gotten to the point where guys are getting attacked personally, names are being called and things like that when sometimes it’s not those people. But that is your job. I got a job to do. Maybe if I can get a blog or start tweeting, I can learn all y’all guys’ names and talk about all y’all.”

I think in this point in time, the Steelers are not used to the adversity with the media coming down on them all at once.  Ryan Clark has never had to answer the same questions regarding losses and blown coverages, and the fact that their defense HAS been a joke as of late.  Clark is a valuable hitter, but he too falls under the can’t cover when it matters part of the blame, and has all the right in the world to be classified as that.

Ryan Clark of the Pittsburgh Steelers

I do personally enjoy him calling the media “turds”" though.  I haven’t heard that since 4th grade, and it’s great that a person his age and professional level can use that term and not crack a smile.  Good for him.  My only hope is that he isn’t part of a defense that doesn’t give up a lead in the 4th quarter again this year.

Moving onto the next quote by a person who really shouldn’t speak on any situation is Ike Taylor.  I’m sure Ike Taylor feels the sting more than anyone on the Steelers defense aside from William Gay regarding personal attacks.  The best coverage corner back in the NFL has been terrible at covering anything lately, giving up big yards when it matters.

“We just don’t understand how the national media don’t bash us, but our local media do,” Taylor said. “This has been going on since the (Kansas City) game, how y’all have been writing. We’re like, ‘Dang, if you’re going to write something, write the whole story — offense, defense and special teams.’ If you’re going to write something, don’t pick a particular position out and what changes you think need to be made because it’s unfair to the player.

“It’s totally unfair, and we’ve already got enough pressure on us in the secondary anyway just for the tradition we have over here. We feel like if y’all are going to write something, state facts, don’t state opinions.”

I don’t really see how its very unfair to analyze a terrible coverage team, especially when it costs you games consistently.  He also can’t call out the Offense because even with Arians terrible play selection, they put up enough points to keep them in the game and put wins on the board.  Ike also mentions special teams, which he actually has a right to mention.  Defense AND Special Teams have given up a lot.  However the Steelers Defense just can’t get anything done in the fourth quarter when it really matters.

It’s not the media making fun of the defense or attacking them, it’s the defense not doing their job and the statistics are showing it.  Most of the people who read this site know, I’m not big on Ike Taylor.  He can’t catch, and has lost his coverage mentality.  It almost makes me wonder, if the defense that was so good the past 5 years is the reason why he’s considered one of the best in the game at coverage.  With Troy out and Aaron Smith out, the players that were skidding by with confidence are exposed.  Ike Taylor is one of them.

Ike Taylor of the Pittsburgh Steelers

I really don’t understand how they can come off and feel offended by the reporters.  I’m pretty sure everyone knows the media reports whats going on.  It’s not even so much as it is about gripes with the Defense.  It’s what the nonsensical Yinzer Pittsburgh wants.  Most people eat it up and spout it off at a later date to prove their point on why the defense is a joke.

Remember Byron Leftwhich last year?  How many people did you hear say “Put Byron in!  Big Ben sucks!”  I heard that reasoning all to many times.  It’s all a matter of perception.  However there is one thing the Steelers defense can do, worry about Green Bay.  Play hard, and finish the season with wins, and the media backs off.