How to find a new Bruce Arians

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
By Gene Collier , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Oddly enough, the Rooneys have not solicited my suggestions on whom to talk with about replacing offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, likely because I was not in total agreement with his sudden "retirement."

This won't be the first time I wasn't consulted on urgent policy matters, nor is it unprecedented for my opinions on a range of football issues to be pointedly ignored. By random example, I've made it clear to various Rooneys throughout the years that I'd prefer the Steelers have cheerleaders, but they apparently feel I'd be better off spending the timeouts asking God's forgiveness for even the thought of objectifying young women, and/or praying to Saint Vincent, the patron saint of ball security.

Fair enough.

But, today, I fear they seriously are overcomplicating the offensive coordinator search, particularly in a city where there is an offensive coordinator every 30 feet. In fact, when they announce the attendance at Heinz Field, I think they now say, "Today's attendance, 63,881 offensive coordinators."

On a daily two-mile walk with my belligerent Airedale, I typically meet two to four offensive coordinators, which is how I know Jim Kreiger. Jim's standards for modern offensive football are so high that he calls talk shows to criticize Tom Brady.

"Hines Ward, you have to get rid of him," Jim said Tuesday. "I mean he was great. I loved watching him. A great Steeler. Great for the city, all that, but it's time to go. I'd also consider getting rid of Charlie Batch. He's gettin' up there. Now this one, people will say I'm nuts, but I'd think about trading Ben [Roethlisberger]. He's 29, and I think he's just average, maybe a little better than average. I think you could get something for him."

This is what I like about Jim. I was talking to him about the offensive coordinator's job, but he jumped right to vice president of pro personnel. Jim, what about the play-calling?



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12025/1205733-150.stm#ixzz1kUwqg000

Quote :

"Hines Ward, you have to get rid of him," Jim said Tuesday. "I mean he was great. I loved watching him. A great Steeler. Great for the city, all that, but it's time to go. I'd also consider getting rid of Charlie Batch. He's gettin' up there. Now this one, people will say I'm nuts, but I'd think about trading Ben [Roethlisberger]. He's 29, and I think he's just average, maybe a little better than average. I think you could get something for him."

He's not nuts, he's a moron. Ben, average? Seriously? You want to see average look at guys like Sanchez, Cassell, Hasselbeck, Flacco. Ben isn't an upper tier QB in the same respect at Peyton, Brady, Brees, or Rodger- but that's because he isn't measured by the same stick. I have never heard someone say a QB prospect is "like a Sanchez" or "like a Flacco", but they have said that Cam was "like a Roethlisberger". You don't make comparisons like that for "average" quarterbacks.