Bell goes down with knee injury

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

There are top-notch running backs, and then there are guys that are the absolute best at what they do. From a versatility standpoint, Bell is about as good as anyone has ever been.

Marshall Faulk comes to mind. A running back that runs with great vision and patience. A back that runs with great power and elusiveness. A back that can run inside and outside. A back that is so capable in the passing game that they run routes and catch the ball like receivers. Backs that are rock solid and reliable in pass protection. That are able to do things on the field that not many others are capable of. Backs that don't fumble. A back that was #1 in the NFL in percentage of converting third or fourth down conversions of 2 yards or less.

Those players don't grow on trees. That's the perfect weapon. If Bell had better top speed, he would be in a class by himself.

The big question is whether he will get to 100% of the player he was before the injury. Because that guy is someone you keep at all costs.

I saw something this year when Bell got hurt. In his first couple years, when Bell was healthy it seemed like the team was waiting for Superman to do something. Ben would be on his own, and the entire team seemed to deflate.

This year when Bell was injured, I saw the entire team dig deep and fight. Not just wait for one or two players to do everything themselves. This team grew emotionally and physically in his absence. They gutted out many games and everyone elevated their games. They are now a team that is willing to do whatever it takes.

Now....bring a full strength Bell back into that situation, and this offense is literally unstoppable.

I hope they approach him with a good offer, showing they believe in him and want hibinm here despite knowing the concerns about his knee. In return, I hope Bell understands and appreciates the great situation he is in, and that the team is willing to give him a good contract because they believe in him and want him here, and are willing to give him this money before they find out his new full potential. Give him fair money without becoming the highest paid player at his position.

He won't be 100% until the 2017 season. At least that's how most humans respond to major knee surgery. Only Adrian Peterson has been cyborg enough to come back at full strength the next season.

Hopefully Bell and the Steelers realize how important they are to each other, and what they can accomplish together.

Remember, Bell had the one issue with weed, but he has been clean and a good guy his whole life. He is a leader on this team, and a player everyone on the team looks to and looks up to. He is not just another running back. He's a quality guy and belongs in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.

What was that you said about his top speed? Can you say that one more time so some of our resident geniuses get the point.

It's the only part of his game that isn't elite. That doesn't make him any less of a player. I'm just rating every part of his game and talents individually.

The sum of his parts makes him an elite back, and in my opinion the best running back in the NFL.

It's the equivalent of saying Adrian Peterson isn't good in the passing game. It doesn't mean he's not a great running back. It just means in his case that part of his game is his weakness. He's still the best running back of the last 10 years as a pure runner and an all-time great.

Yeah, ImperialFan agrees with you. He's just asking you to clarify because last time he mentioned Le'Veons top speed some people got a little irate.

Thanks for the clarification.

Some subjects get hotly contested at times.

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Exactly. Thank you, and that's all I ever meant by it. I would still rather have no one but bell.

Well alright then! We agree.  

I thought you were trying to say that Bell wasn't very good because he doesn't have elite top end speed.[/quote

Not at all. Bell is IMO the best RB in the NFL and is my favorite player to watch. Every time he gets the ball I am excited to see him juke around defenders. I think if he were healthy  he could be team MVP because he is a dual threat. Last season he was our second leading receiver and out #1 rusher correct? I do worry because he is yet to stay healthy for an entire season and had a nasty injury this season. I think he can come back 100% physically but will he be 100% mentally? Its hard to say. I had a horrible leg injury that ended my baseball career about 8 year ago. I am still always protecting my right shin subconsciously and I am always afraid of re injuring it because it was so painful.

Granted my injury was a nasty tib/fib  fracture and I had a plate in my leg and 6 screws for 5 years. Actually I never came back 100% physically, but that was my fault for slacking on the rehab. I still play baseball but I always seem to injure something in my right leg, this year it was my groin that kept me from running even half speed with out a limp, the year before it was the muscle right about my right knee. Like I said I slacked on my rehab. I also lost about 7 MPH off of my fast ball as it was my push off leg that was injured. Completed ended my baseball career just as it started. Going from 88 mph fast ball to 80-81 doesnt draw much attention

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Exactly. Thank you, and that's all I ever meant by it. I would still rather have no one but bell.

Well alright then! We agree.  

I thought you were trying to say that Bell wasn't very good because he doesn't have elite top end speed.[/quote

Not at all. Bell is IMO the best RB in the NFL and is my favorite player to watch. Every time he gets the ball I am excited to see him juke around defenders. I think if he were healthy  he could be team MVP because he is a dual threat. Last season he was our second leading receiver and out #1 rusher correct? I do worry because he is yet to stay healthy for an entire season and had a nasty injury this season. I think he can come back 100% physically but will he be 100% mentally? Its hard to say. I had a horrible leg injury that ended my baseball career about 8 year ago. I am still always protecting my right shin subconsciously and I am always afraid of re injuring it because it was so painful.

Granted my injury was a nasty tib/fib  fracture and I had a plate in my leg and 6 screws for 5 years. Actually I never came back 100% physically, but that was my fault for slacking on the rehab. I still play baseball but I always seem to injure something in my right leg, this year it was my groin that kept me from running even half speed with out a limp, the year before it was the muscle right about my right knee. Like I said I slacked on my rehab. I also lost about 7 MPH off of my fast ball as it was my push off leg that was injured. Completed ended my baseball career just as it started. Going from 88 mph fast ball to 80-81 doesnt draw much attention

Sorry to hear about your injury. I used to play baseball. I pitched when I was a kid, but was a position player as I matured. I used to be able to throw in the high 80's, and I know what would happen if I lost the ability to push off because of injury. It's not pretty. You've got to have great stuff, control, and the ability to change speeds if you don't have enough velocity to blow it by people. That's a tough break.

As for Bell, in 2014 he had 2215 yards from scrimmage- 1361 rushing 854 receiving. Until he got injured this year, he was on pace for about 1500 yards rushing but only about 400 yards receiving if he had played a full 16 game season. They were using him less this year, but he was averaging almost 5 yards per carry, and they were throwing him the ball less. I think that has something to do with the emergence of the young receivers.

Adding him into this already explosive offense now that the WRs are more reliable is just scary. I hope he can come back to be the explosive player we have seen. He's only 23 years old, which is just ridiculous.

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Exactly. Thank you, and that's all I ever meant by it. I would still rather have no one but bell.

Well alright then! We agree.  

I thought you were trying to say that Bell wasn't very good because he doesn't have elite top end speed.[/quote

Not at all. Bell is IMO the best RB in the NFL and is my favorite player to watch. Every time he gets the ball I am excited to see him juke around defenders. I think if he were healthy  he could be team MVP because he is a dual threat. Last season he was our second leading receiver and out #1 rusher correct? I do worry because he is yet to stay healthy for an entire season and had a nasty injury this season. I think he can come back 100% physically but will he be 100% mentally? Its hard to say. I had a horrible leg injury that ended my baseball career about 8 year ago. I am still always protecting my right shin subconsciously and I am always afraid of re injuring it because it was so painful.

Granted my injury was a nasty tib/fib  fracture and I had a plate in my leg and 6 screws for 5 years. Actually I never came back 100% physically, but that was my fault for slacking on the rehab. I still play baseball but I always seem to injure something in my right leg, this year it was my groin that kept me from running even half speed with out a limp, the year before it was the muscle right about my right knee. Like I said I slacked on my rehab. I also lost about 7 MPH off of my fast ball as it was my push off leg that was injured. Completed ended my baseball career just as it started. Going from 88 mph fast ball to 80-81 doesnt draw much attention

Sorry to hear about your injury. I used to play baseball. I pitched when I was a kid, but was a position player as I matured. I used to be able to throw in the high 80's, and I know what would happen if I lost the ability to push off because of injury. It's not pretty. You've got to have great stuff, control, and the ability to change speeds if you don't have enough velocity to blow it by people. That's a tough break.

As for Bell, in 2014 he had 2215 yards from scrimmage- 1361 rushing 854 receiving. Until he got injured this year, he was on pace for about 1500 yards rushing but only about 400 yards receiving if he had played a full 16 game season. They were using him less this year, but he was averaging almost 5 yards per carry, and they were throwing him the ball less. I think that has something to do with the emergence of the young receivers.

Adding him into this already explosive offense now that the WRs are more reliable is just scary. I hope he can come back to be the explosive player we have seen. He's only 23 years old, which is just ridiculous.

I had 4-5 solid pitches. A fast ball in the upper 80s. A decent 12-6 curve, a killer cutter that I could make break left or right depending on if i put more pressure on my pointer finger or my middle finger, my best pitch was my change up which I invented. It was a "Knuckle Fork Change" Where I would grip the ball between my pointer and middle finger so it would slip out and go way slower than my arm was moving, it wouldn't spin so it also had the look of a knuckle ball as it would float in, it was such a slow pitch id have people swinging and following through before the ball even floated past them usually high in the strike zone. I had 2 1 -hitters and several 2 or 3 hitters and many shut outs. Its so sad to think about those days I had so much fun.

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Exactly. Thank you, and that's all I ever meant by it. I would still rather have no one but bell.

Well alright then! We agree.  

I thought you were trying to say that Bell wasn't very good because he doesn't have elite top end speed.[/quote

Not at all. Bell is IMO the best RB in the NFL and is my favorite player to watch. Every time he gets the ball I am excited to see him juke around defenders. I think if he were healthy  he could be team MVP because he is a dual threat. Last season he was our second leading receiver and out #1 rusher correct? I do worry because he is yet to stay healthy for an entire season and had a nasty injury this season. I think he can come back 100% physically but will he be 100% mentally? Its hard to say. I had a horrible leg injury that ended my baseball career about 8 year ago. I am still always protecting my right shin subconsciously and I am always afraid of re injuring it because it was so painful.

Granted my injury was a nasty tib/fib  fracture and I had a plate in my leg and 6 screws for 5 years. Actually I never came back 100% physically, but that was my fault for slacking on the rehab. I still play baseball but I always seem to injure something in my right leg, this year it was my groin that kept me from running even half speed with out a limp, the year before it was the muscle right about my right knee. Like I said I slacked on my rehab. I also lost about 7 MPH off of my fast ball as it was my push off leg that was injured. Completed ended my baseball career just as it started. Going from 88 mph fast ball to 80-81 doesnt draw much attention

Sorry to hear about your injury. I used to play baseball. I pitched when I was a kid, but was a position player as I matured. I used to be able to throw in the high 80's, and I know what would happen if I lost the ability to push off because of injury. It's not pretty. You've got to have great stuff, control, and the ability to change speeds if you don't have enough velocity to blow it by people. That's a tough break.

As for Bell, in 2014 he had 2215 yards from scrimmage- 1361 rushing 854 receiving. Until he got injured this year, he was on pace for about 1500 yards rushing but only about 400 yards receiving if he had played a full 16 game season. They were using him less this year, but he was averaging almost 5 yards per carry, and they were throwing him the ball less. I think that has something to do with the emergence of the young receivers.

Adding him into this already explosive offense now that the WRs are more reliable is just scary. I hope he can come back to be the explosive player we have seen. He's only 23 years old, which is just ridiculous.

I had 4-5 solid pitches. A fast ball in the upper 80s. A decent 12-6 curve, a killer cutter that I could make break left or right depending on if i put more pressure on my pointer finger or my middle finger, my best pitch was my change up which I invented. It was a "Knuckle Fork Change" Where I would grip the ball between my pointer and middle finger so it would slip out and go way slower than my arm was moving, it wouldn't spin so it also had the look of a knuckle ball as it would float in, it was such a slow pitch id have people swinging and following through before the ball even floated past them usually high in the strike zone. I had 2 1 -hitters and several 2 or 3 hitters and many shut outs. Its so sad to think about those days I had so much fun.

That's a lot of pitches to have if you could control all of them. Most pitchers only have about 3 pitches.

I'm 51 now, so my athletic career is way behind me. It's a lot of fun thinking about those days. I was good in a lot of sports, but not good enough to make a living at any of them. I guess that's the story with a lot of people. I played against a couple people that ended up being professional athletes. That's a pretty cool thing to think about and someday tell my grandchildren about.

Try not to be too bitter about it. You'll have the rest of your life to appreciate and be proud of what you were able to accomplish and what you can do athletically. They'll be fond memories.

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

pczach wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Exactly. Thank you, and that's all I ever meant by it. I would still rather have no one but bell.

Well alright then! We agree.  

I thought you were trying to say that Bell wasn't very good because he doesn't have elite top end speed.[/quote

Not at all. Bell is IMO the best RB in the NFL and is my favorite player to watch. Every time he gets the ball I am excited to see him juke around defenders. I think if he were healthy  he could be team MVP because he is a dual threat. Last season he was our second leading receiver and out #1 rusher correct? I do worry because he is yet to stay healthy for an entire season and had a nasty injury this season. I think he can come back 100% physically but will he be 100% mentally? Its hard to say. I had a horrible leg injury that ended my baseball career about 8 year ago. I am still always protecting my right shin subconsciously and I am always afraid of re injuring it because it was so painful.

Granted my injury was a nasty tib/fib  fracture and I had a plate in my leg and 6 screws for 5 years. Actually I never came back 100% physically, but that was my fault for slacking on the rehab. I still play baseball but I always seem to injure something in my right leg, this year it was my groin that kept me from running even half speed with out a limp, the year before it was the muscle right about my right knee. Like I said I slacked on my rehab. I also lost about 7 MPH off of my fast ball as it was my push off leg that was injured. Completed ended my baseball career just as it started. Going from 88 mph fast ball to 80-81 doesnt draw much attention

Sorry to hear about your injury. I used to play baseball. I pitched when I was a kid, but was a position player as I matured. I used to be able to throw in the high 80's, and I know what would happen if I lost the ability to push off because of injury. It's not pretty. You've got to have great stuff, control, and the ability to change speeds if you don't have enough velocity to blow it by people. That's a tough break.

As for Bell, in 2014 he had 2215 yards from scrimmage- 1361 rushing 854 receiving. Until he got injured this year, he was on pace for about 1500 yards rushing but only about 400 yards receiving if he had played a full 16 game season. They were using him less this year, but he was averaging almost 5 yards per carry, and they were throwing him the ball less. I think that has something to do with the emergence of the young receivers.

Adding him into this already explosive offense now that the WRs are more reliable is just scary. I hope he can come back to be the explosive player we have seen. He's only 23 years old, which is just ridiculous.

I had 4-5 solid pitches. A fast ball in the upper 80s. A decent 12-6 curve, a killer cutter that I could make break left or right depending on if i put more pressure on my pointer finger or my middle finger, my best pitch was my change up which I invented. It was a "Knuckle Fork Change" Where I would grip the ball between my pointer and middle finger so it would slip out and go way slower than my arm was moving, it wouldn't spin so it also had the look of a knuckle ball as it would float in, it was such a slow pitch id have people swinging and following through before the ball even floated past them usually high in the strike zone. I had 2 1 -hitters and several 2 or 3 hitters and many shut outs. Its so sad to think about those days I had so much fun.

That's a lot of pitches to have if you could control all of them. Most pitchers only have about 3 pitches.

I'm 51 now, so my athletic career is way behind me. It's a lot of fun thinking about those days. I was good in a lot of sports, but not good enough to make a living at any of them. I guess that's the story with a lot of people. I played against a couple people that ended up being professional athletes. That's a pretty cool thing to think about and someday tell my grandchildren about.

Try not to be too bitter about it. You'll have the rest of your life to appreciate and be proud of what you were able to accomplish and what you can do athletically. They'll be fond memories.

Its really unfortunate that I snapped my leg in half. I'm not saying that I would have been a professional athlete, but U Albany came to a pretty small school just to see me and visit me and I was well known for kicking ass. I could pitch, play any outfield position, or 3rd base, had a rocket arm. Never liked second or short, and I'm right handed so I never bothered with first. I had blazing speed though, If I got on base I would steal my way to third, I once stole home because I noticed the catcher was lolly gagging the ball back to the pitcher so when he release it I took off and scored...lol I have a ton of trophies from those days...*sigh* my life took an unfortunate turn and ive been spending the last few years trying to get back on my feet.


But back on subject, I have a feeling Bell will be Bell.

I think it will be very important to keep Bell healty next season. I would give him about 10-15 touches a game in regular season and the rest to Williams and Toussaint or Todman. Imo we are good enough to win a lot of games that way. Then when the play-offs start we can give Bell the ball 20-25 times a game.