Bell missing first practice being reported. Officially a longer holdout than last year. What a selfish drama queen. It would be great if Conner could seize this opportunity and not let go. I look forward to him being in some other team's colors after this year. He is not good enough to make up for all the distraction and drama ... that I can tell you. Number of significant playoff wins and Super Bowls thanks to Bell: ZERO. In My Opinion: Most overrated Steeler in a long while - he seems like a big contributor to the wrong kind of presence that caused the rumors that have circled around this team about lack of discipline and buy-in. He has never had anything close to resembling breakaway speed. He has been injury prone. He was offered a great deal and his arrogance, pride, narcissism, overconfidence, and delusions about himself caused home to pass on it creating this situation. He is one of those who looks past teams teams and talks a big game. I seriously question his "team work ethic." He is a me-first type. He is a bad teammate. After this year, I look forward to seeing the "great" LeVeon behind a lesser offensive line, and exposed as the overrated megalomaniac that I believe he is.
I believe our oline is still getting better. I used to think Tennessee had good olinemen but now I realize that Mike Munchack might just be the best oline coach to ever walk the sideline in the NFL.
Mike Munchak is nothing short of amazing. I hope and pray they find a way to keep him here until he decides to leave football for good.
I hope they start Connor week-1 and he has a big first half. This is beyond ridiculous. You don't want to play in the preseason..........I get it. Work it out with the coaching staff and report after the 3rd preseason game with the understanding you won't play week-4. The only thing that mimics NFL practice is..........actual NFL practice. Totally selfish, assbag move on his part. I almost can't wait til next year's off season. He's in for a rude awakening if he thinks he's getting $15+ million/year after this season from ANYBODY. Not gonna happen.
Heyward's analogy is hilarious and true ... maybe I should have titled this thread "No LeVeon, No Cry" because he's acting like a baby: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...rs-ready-to-roll-with-or-without-leveon-bell/ “My focus is on this team and who is here,” Heyward said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “When Le’Veon gets here, he gets here. But until then, let’s ride. It won’t be a distraction. We’re seasoned for that, I think. I just think where we want to get to, the goals we have in mind, that stuff will be under the rug. If he comes on this journey, he comes on this journey. We put him in the backseat, strap him in and be ready to go.”
We'll see in late February. I should clarify......any decent GM is NOT going to offer him $15+ mil per year. To begin with, there are only 5 or so NFL teams that would have the cap space and inclination to shell out for a superstar back........subject to change due to major injuries. -He will have another 400+ touches this year -He will be 27 next year -He has a history of injury -He is a suspension risk People will point to Gurley's deal.......it is NOT an apples to apples comparison. Nor will Elliott's deal be next summer if he gets one two years early (unlikely). Gurley is three years younger than Bell.......he has half the carries, he has no history of major injury or suspension risk. Bell may be a better overall receiver, but Gurley is a legitimate home run threat so those two are a wash. They are both three down backs with Gurley more of a power runner with speed and Bell a more complete finesse/workhorse back. Their value as a player is comparable, but when you throw in the wear/tear..........next year........when LeVeon comes up for a contract.......Gurley will likely be MORE VALUABLE than a 27 year old Bell. I'm not giving a back $15 mil/year as he approaches age 30. We've seen PLENTY of very good backs fall off a cliff at age 27/28, including a former league MVP.
I just want Bell to show up. The Steelers are a better team with him, obviously. This pouting has gone on long enough. The Rooneys aren't budging. Deal with it.
Well get ready........this could get ugly. Better get Conner ready for this first month! Unreal. Bell going AWOL (click)
Sure wish I had a job where, if I decided not to go to work, I would forfeit over $800,000 a day. That's more than most people make in DECADE !!!
But . . . Is he still welcome? I suspect a lot of his team mates that have been working their tails off for the past 2 months aren't too happy with him.
Right now, no. But I guarantee you that the first TD he scores all of them will be right there helping him do some stupid celebration.
Blistering comments on Bell from his teammates: https://steelersdepot.com/2018/09/s...with-bell-heres-a-guy-who-doesnt-give-a-damn/
I almost drafted James Conner in the 16th round last nite. Waiver wire opens tomorrow. Guess who’s gonna be working for The Bastard Squad in my office league?
From all the vitriol that I am reading and hearing from Steelers' players, I wonder if Le'Veon being absent isn't a net gain. Bell is quite the polarizing topic right now and that kind of drama / distraction is not something that the Steelers need. Looking at some of the statements I have read coming from Bell... Bell says he wants to retire a Steeler. That has been proved false. Bell says he doesn't care about the money but wants to be shown he is valued as a player. That has been proved false. Bell - after being tagged a 2nd time - says that he might hold out or retire. Then he changes to no hold out. And now he doesn't appear to be showing up anytime soon. Bell says that this will be his best season. Well, if one plays very little, it is hard to conceive of how it would be a best season And wasn't Bell late to the Jaguars playoff game loss early this year? Tech...perhaps a more appropriate title would be "No Le'Veon, No (Locker Room) Cancer"
You are correct from what I have read...that Bell would make $14.54 million over 17 weeks - which is approximately $855,000.00 per week. Perhaps he is planning on forfeiting 11 weeks (10 games plus the bye) and playing in the minimum 6 games. That means he would forfeit roughly $9.4 million. So Bell would hit the market as an "older" running back with an injury history, a suspension history, and a "me 1st" history. I don't foresee Bell getting anything near what he feels entitled. I also wonder if the Steelers get to carry Le'Veon's salary for each game missed over to 2019 salary cap?
Exactly what I've been saying. The saved "wear and tear" by sitting out 10+ weeks simply erodes goodwill and interest with other organizations, it doesn't net him anything, all it does is piss off everyone. He's not getting more than Pitt offered him this year, no matter how many games he plays in this year. What every decent GM sees with LeVeon: Pros -Elite rare talent level. -Game changing ability, great all around, 3-down back. -Can carry team at times offensively. -Hard worker, well conditioned. Cons -Lacks game breaking, home-run speed. -Heavy usage first 5 years with Pitt when on the field. -Suspension risk, next failed or missed test is 4-game suspension. -Injury risk, has been unavailable for four of seven postseason games past 4 seasons. -Knucklehead shenanigans at times, held out portion of 2018 season unhappy with contract.
