Starkey: Steelers outlaws of the NFL

By Joe Starkey, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Next time you hear somebody say, "The Steelers wouldn't sign a guy like that" or "The Steelers wouldn't draft a guy like that" — intimating that the Steelers stay away from bad apples and controversial types — feel free to laugh heartily in that person's face. For several hours.

While the Steelers might not take on other people's lightning rods, they do an excellent job of manufacturing their own — James Harrison being the latest example with his incendiary comments in the August issue of Men's Journal.

Truth is, this franchise has become the modern-day version of the 1970s Oakland Raiders. Outlaws of the NFL. Some might view that as an insult (especially if they grew up in these parts hating those Raiders), others as a compliment.

It is undeniably true.

Now, the Steelers clearly remain the NFL's model team in the most important category: winning. They do that better than anyone. But those still pointing to this franchise as some kind of moral beacon? They're flat-out delusional.

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I'm going to have to disagree with this article. Starkey wants to call the Steelers "outlaws" mainly because of the actions of four players ... Harrison, Ben, Hines, and Mendy.

Mendy: Yeah, he made some stupid comments on Twitter. But an outlaw? Seriously?

Ben: Uh, last time I checked ... he was not charged with any crime. Having someone accuse you of something doesn't make you an outlaw.

Hines: The guy has been a model player his entire career. He made one mistake. We're not talking about Pacman Jones here.

Harrison: OK, I can see Harrison getting labeled an outlaw. But is it an accurate label? All of the hits he was fined for were questionable at best. So all he's really guilty of is making some controversial comments. But other than the comments he directed at Goodell and his teammates, were any of his other comments any different than when Lambert criticized the league by saying quarterbacks should wear dresses? Are his comments worse that the things Porter used to say?

The bottom line is you're always going to have a few bad apples on the team. And the Steelers have always done a great job of getting rid of those bad apples. But I don't consider Hines, Ben, or Mendy to be bad apples. And if you want to call Harrison an outlaw because of how he plays and what he says, then you also have to call Lambert an outlaw.

I don't think the Steelers have changed their philosophy or how they run the team. It's the NFL and the media that have changed ... and not for the better.

I think in terms of being on the field, our defense is a bunch of outlaws. Matter of fact I'd call them RENEGADES (see what I did there). And I believe that's how a defensive unit needs to think and needs to play in order to be the tops in the league. Look at the top 5 defenses and look at the players.

Offensively, I think we're not the pretty boys but we're not as bad arse as we need to be. I think you need that WR with a chip on his shoulder - CHECK (Hines), you need a few offensive linement that don't take crap (we only have one in Pouncey), you need the RB who can be the go to guy (and I don't think Mendy is that guy 100%), and finally you need that QB who says, "Yeah, I got this," (even when he clearly doesn't) and WE DEFINITELY HAVE THAT in Ben.

Finally, I believe the lockout has finally drifted to the media outlets and they're just looking to start some heat somewhere and they know that Harrison would give them the heat to start a fire.

outlaws :lol!:

jeez end this lockout already

Greg Lloyd said it best ...

The Steelers are "outlaws", but a team that, at one time, had a convicted drug trafficker, an accused double-murderer and pile-jumper, a guy who placed bounties on players from other teams heads and a guy who killed a man while DWI, isn't labeled as such?

Retarded.