Jerry Jabber Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I've been to Pittsburgh a bunch of times and Pittsburgh is very similiar to Buffalo (Being an old Steel town, same style of housing, great places to eat, etc...) My point behind this thread is that Pittsburgh is not a big city, but yet they've won 5 Superbowls and are going to their 7th Superbowl. If I'm not mistaken, they're on their 3rd head coach in Franchise history? Why is it that the Steelers have been very successful throughout the years and we've been stuck in mediocrity? I know the answer, it's because of the team ownership. But it's just frustrating seeing a small market team like Pittsburgh be so successful and we continue to be a mediocre team. I wish the Rooney's owned the Bills as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Pittsburgh's O-line has been banged up this year and downright dreadful for a good part of the season. Roethlisberger does not get the credit he deserves for being unbelievably efficient at buying himself the extra second or two and making a key 3rd down conversion. Did you see him side step his way through the pocket last night to avoid some pass rushers? This has to be his best job of QB'ing in his short career while getting hammered several times a game. In short though, the Pittsburgh D is where they are successful year in and year out. They always seem to play tough D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glass To The Arson Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Pittsburgh not a big city?! Pittsburgh is about the size of Atlanta, Georgia Have you actually walked through either city? Its a big city Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extrahammer Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We tried to be "Pittsburgh North" a few years ago, hiring Donahoe, who in turned hired some former Pittsburgh coaches and personnel men (e.g., Modrak, Mularkey, Clements, LeBeau). Of course, it didn't work. Pittsburgh has always focused on having great lines, great LB's, and a great running game. That's how you're consistently successful. Then with a franchise QB, that's how you win Super Bowls. Pittsburgh probably let Donahoe go for a reason... I don't think Mularkey was the real problem in Buffalo, I think it was all Donahoe. I think he went from an ESPN chat room to GM and got on a huge power trip. Didn't work well with his coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Pittsburgh has always focused on having great lines, great LB's, and a great running game. That's how you're consistently successful. Then with a franchise QB, that's how you win Super Bowls. Case closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frez Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Steelelers = play like men (Always have) Buffalo = a bunch of soft little girls on the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Jabber Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Pittsburgh not a big city?! Pittsburgh is about the size of Atlanta, Georgia Have you actually walked through either city? Its a big city I've been to downtown Pittsburgh, The Strip district and some of the surrounding areas. Pittsburgh is not a booming city anymore (same with Buffalo). I usually run into people from Pittsburgh & Buffalo down here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_Pro_Bills Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I've been to Pittsburgh a bunch of times and Pittsburgh is very similiar to Buffalo (Being an old Steel town, same style of housing, great places to eat, etc...) My point behind this thread is that Pittsburgh is not a big city, but yet they've won 5 Superbowls and are going to their 7th Superbowl. If I'm not mistaken, they're on their 3rd head coach in Franchise history? Why is it that the Steelers have been very successful throughout the years and we've been stuck in mediocrity? I know the answer, it's because of the team ownership. But it's just frustrating seeing a small market team like Pittsburgh be so successful and we continue to be a mediocre team. I wish the Rooney's owned the Bills as well. IMO the key to success is they've found a consistent approach to the game and have stuck with it. And people they bring in, whether front office, coaches, or players have to buy into the formula and play their parts in the scheme. Looking all the way back to the 70's it seems as if the Steelers have had the same approach. Tough defense, adaquate special teams, run first, ball control offense. Whether you like the franchise or not, you have to admire their results. And over the years they've done it by being smart, not overspending. You did hit the key factor too. Ownership. Be smart enough to hire the best people possible. Key an eye on things but stay out of their way and let them do their jobs. The Bills on the other hand have issues with the owner, the front office, and the coaching staff which are never going to get resolved until ownership changes hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRT88 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 3 coaches in 30+ years. How about staying the course and not making rash decisions. Even good coaches have poor years and injuries can ruin a season. The Bills should have never fire Wade Phillips and then dumped Doug Flutie. The franchise has tanked ever since. I'm not saying they were the reasons why we were successful but Flutie was a winner and Phillips was respected by his players. Almost everything that has followed has proven to be a disaster. The Sabres have taken Pittsburgh approach, and I do believe it will pay off in the coming years and it should have two years back but injuries in the conference finals to the defensemen may well have ropped the city of a championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRT88 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 As I've lived in Pittsburgh now for the last three years, let me just add this: The football team plays in the same style and takes on the same persona as the people in this city-- blue-collar, hard-nosed, tough. It's funny how the fans here love and prefer a 9-3 defensive struggle rather than a 35-28 shoot-out. This is what I'd like to see from Buffalo. I want guys that play hard, are tough, mean, want to play in the ice and snow, and play with a ton of heart (particularly on defense). In fact, I'd love to see us in the draft and FA just stock up on the defensive side of the ball--make that the cornerstone of this team. I agree, I want a hard nosed running attack which we may already have. Lots of Jackson and Lynch next year with controlled passing and the big play every now and again. I hope they sign Peters because you don't give away stud linemen and though he wasn't great this year he is a stud. We need that line to stay together and play a bit more nasty. Defensively, I want a more attack style defense. To do this we need better guys up front and one more quality linebacker. The steelers defense wins because they force QB into bad decision something we almost never do. We need a better end than Kelsay, and Scholbel must come back healthy. Once he went out, the pass rush was gone completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Kevin Colbert, their GM. He's the guy who hired Mike Tomlin and has been putting the pieces together since 2000. Pittsburgh's always done a pretty good job of evaluating talent and finding players. When Buffalo finds a GM, perhaps then they'll be able to do what Colbert's been doing this decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Actually a lot more people within 60 miles of Buffalo than Pittsburgh. I agree that the Pittsburgh model is something the Bills realistically could model themselves after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I've been to Pittsburgh a bunch of times and Pittsburgh is very similiar to Buffalo (Being an old Steel town, same style of housing, great places to eat, etc...) My point behind this thread is that Pittsburgh is not a big city, but yet they've won 5 Superbowls and are going to their 7th Superbowl. If I'm not mistaken, they're on their 3rd head coach in Franchise history? Why is it that the Steelers have been very successful throughout the years and we've been stuck in mediocrity? I know the answer, it's because of the team ownership. But it's just frustrating seeing a small market team like Pittsburgh be so successful and we continue to be a mediocre team. I wish the Rooney's owned the Bills as well. I think player personell is the biggest difference. Everyone's on the same page and they know how to identify talent. For example moving up in the draft to get Polamalu. The move was really questioned here, but when you'e right it works out. If Polamalu turned out like McCargo, I think there would have been fan dischord even with quality ownership etc in place. Fans in Pgh are spoiled and I would love to see the Steelers fall flat on their faces, but unfortunately they haven't. We'll see how they progress, because the 2008 draft didn't add much to the team this year. They were also down 3 starting olinemen from last years team but didn't need anyone from the 2008 class because of the talent they were able to find in later rounds of prior drafts or off the street. Buffalo never had the recovery post steel industry that Pittsburgh had. We also have CMU cranking out highly skilled computer professionals and that has helped the local economy. So they don't need 80,000 seats (even though they could fill that sized stadium) and can sell enough corporate boxes to make money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 defense first. If you have a great defense, you're more than competitive in this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Kevin Colbert, their GM. He's the guy who hired Mike Tomlin and has been putting the pieces together since 2000. Pittsburgh's always done a pretty good job of evaluating talent and finding players. When Buffalo finds a GM, perhaps then they'll be able to do what Colbert's been doing this decade. I'm pretty sure it's their inner oval of bean counters and marketeers that make all the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Pittsburgh is about the size of Atlanta, Georgia O'RLY? From Wiki...Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia is the largest city in the state of Georgia with an estimated 2007 population of 519,145,[1] and the core city of the ninth most populous United States metropolitan area at 5,278,904 And Pittsburgh Pittsburgh (pronounced /ˈpɪtsbɚg/ (originally pronounced /ˈpɪtsb(ə)rə/)) is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania[5] with a population of 312,819.[6] The population of the eight-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571 And here's a little bit from MSNBC how the city of Toledo has more people than the city of Pittsburgh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marauderswr80 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Everything about the Steelers is better then the Buffalo Bills....from Owner, to front office, to scouting, to coaching, to players.....everything about the Steelers is way above and beyond Buffalo's dreams. Every sinlge thing about that team is better then Buffalo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Everything about the Steelers is better then the Buffalo Bills....from Owner, to front office, to scouting, to coaching, to players.....everything about the Steelers is way above and beyond Buffalo's dreams. Every sinlge thing about that team is better then Buffalo. They have great fans too, but I wouldn't trade ours for those of any other team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marauderswr80 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 They have great fans too, but I wouldn't trade ours for those of any other team. I tired to leave the "fans" thing out of it. But you are right there fans a great ones. When Willis was getting carted off the field it showed him going up the tunnel and most Steelers fans were saying good luck Willis, get better......They are class act fans...I wouldnt trade our fans, but they really are the best fans in the NFL, we are a close 2nd. Guess its easy to be class act when you win all the time. Losing kinda puts a damper on things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The truth is, I think you can make a pretty good case that Pittsburgh is the finest franchise in the NFL. They've had 3 coaches in the past 40 years, and each one of them has made a Super Bowl, and I don't have too many doubts that Tomlin will win one before his time is up there. This is their 7th trip to the big game, and they've had how many AFC championship game apperances? 15? Something like that. The Steelers are the Bills 1988-1996, except they've been like that 1970-2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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