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Steelers Harrison on Borrowed Time?..........
Canfora and Wyche comment on Harrison's outburst. With all of the other issues at hand this offseason concerning Mendenhall's comments regarding Bin Laden and last years drama concerning Roethlisberger's rape case will this be the last straw? Is James Harrison on his way out as a Steeler?
Harrison's latest haphazard barbs might force Steelers' hand
- By Jason La Canfora NFL Network
- NFL Network Insider
- Published: July 13, 2011 at 02:02 p.m.
- Updated: July 13, 2011 at 02:44 p.m.
- Liked: 0 | Comments: 26
- By Jason La Canfora NFL Network
Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press James Harrison could be in for a rude awakening after blasting teammates.
Internally, as the Pittsburgh Steelers have gone about the business of projecting their roster, assessing budgets and analyzing their future, the assumption was James Harrison -- given his age, contract and the emergence of younger teammates at his position -- would probably be around another couple of years. That still could be the case.
Wyche: Ripping teammates too much
James Harrison's latest salvos, which included shots at teammates Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall, might cost him more than any fine, Steve Wyche writes.
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But I can't help wondering, after all this franchise has been through off the field in recent years with Santonio Holmes and Ben Roethlisberger, if Harrison's latest tirade doesn't add to a case for an earlier departure. Free speech is golden, and I'm not naïve enough to think that Harrison's outbursts and WWF-ish posing in "Men's Journal" magazine would trigger an immediate exit. But you also have to wonder if at some point -- like perhaps a year from now -- the Rooneys get sick of the act and start making transitions at linebacker a little bit sooner than expected.
The Steelers were already planning to focus on securing their young linebackers -- LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons -- to long-term deals coming out of the lockout, according to numerous sources. That is the priority, as the linebackers are the lifeblood of the defense and iconic in the team's tradition. But the Steelers are also among the best organizations at knowing when to let a player go -- ask Greg Lloyd or Kevin Greene -- and as more of a ma-and-pop shop in the modern NFL, are never going to be in a position where they can pay three players top dollar at one position, even at linebacker.
Woodley is currently sitting on a franchise tag worth about $10 million and a long-term deal is likely to come in somewhere between the contracts signed by Terrell Suggs and DeMarcus Ware. That's big-boy cash, more than $30 million guaranteed. Timmons is entering the final year of his rookie deal, making $1.4 million, and will be in line for a hefty pay raise. Historically, the Steelers have been loath to let elite players play out their contract year and don't want to keep using the franchise tag on linebackers. Harrison, 33, has a base salary that jumps from $3.6 million in 2011 to $5.3 million in 2012. By 2013, when he will be 36, Harrison would be making $6.6 million under his current deal.
The odds of him reaching that part of the contract were always remote; now perhaps more so than ever.
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Harrison's comments, obviously, are not being well received within the Steelers' front office. Trashing the commissioner is nothing new for him, but the hyperbole to which Harrison stretches things this time around will grab plenty of attention. But it's really more what he did in calling out other teammates and taking shots at Ben Roethlisberger -- thus putting the quarterback back in the spotlight in a less-than-positive way -- that will draw ire. It's a selfish act, and unnecessary. And when you're talking to a national magazine during an interview that is set up well in advance -- there was no ambush journalism here -- it's essentially premeditated.
The league can't do anything here, in my eyes. It's a free-speech issue that happened during a league lockout. It's much more of a team issue for the Steelers, a franchise that has become increasingly turned off by look-at-me antics in recent years. It's as good a time as any to remind anyone and everyone that no one individual is bigger than this storied franchise. It's one thing to be outspoken, it's another to spray bluster so haphazardly that it overshadows the more astute judgments Harrison has made over the years.
Uneven rhetoric like this allows one to be easily buffooned, lampooned and tuned out. It puts teammates in the awkward position of trying to clean up another's mess. It also forces ownership to respond. That response, at times, can be more than just verbal.
Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @jasonlacanfora
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Out of bounds: Harrison also targets Steelers' locker room
- By Steve Wyche NFL.com
- Senior Writer
- Published: July 13, 2011 at 12:18 p.m.
- Updated: July 13, 2011 at 01:12 p.m.
- Liked: 0 | Comments: 149
- By Steve Wyche NFL.com
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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison tends to speak his mind, but his latest rant, mental cleansing, diatribe, whatever you want to call it, takes the right of free expression to a new level. And this time, it could cost him far more than the hefty fines he's been docked by the NFL.
NFL.com senior analyst Pat Kirwan investigates the pressing issues facing each team when the lockout ends:
» AFC East: Jets, Pats search for missing title piece
» NFC East: Division rivals reload as Redskins rebuild
» AFC North: Ravens, Steelers prepare to maintain edge
» NFC North: Vikings' Rice might shift power in division
» AFC South: Trio of teams still taking aim at Colts
» NFC South: Hard choices lie ahead for top teams
In excerpts of a Men's Journal article released Wednesday, Harrison takes concussive aim at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell but unloads far more scathing and damaging shots at Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, among others, and running back Rashard Mendenhall.
It's one thing to unload on Goodell or the Baltimore Ravens or whomever, but to cast the napalm on his own locker room like he did could cause problems to fester on a team that's used adversity as a rallying point.
On Goodell: "My rep is James Harrison, mean son of a (expletive) who loves hitting the hell out of people," he says. "But up until last year, there was no word of me being dirty -- till Roger Goodell, who's a crook and a puppet, said I was the dirtiest player in the league. If that man was on fire and I had to (urinate) to put him out, I wouldn't do it. I hate him and will never respect him."
On Roethlisberger throwing interceptions in the Super Bowl: "Hey, at least throw a pick on their side of the field instead of asking the D to bail you out again. Or hand the ball off and stop trying to act like Peyton Manning. You ain't that and you know it, man; you just get paid like he does."
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There's more -- Harrison went off on former Patriots-turned-broadcasters Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi, Texans linebacker Brian Cushing and anyone or anything else that was on his mind -- but let's keep things to Goodell and Roethlisberger for now.
First off, as vile as Harrison's comments about Goodell might seem, he's not singing solo in the choir of NFL players. I've spoken to dozens of players who view Goodell as Public Enemy No. 1. He's the face of the owners in the lockout. He's not liked for that. He's also judge and jury sometimes. They don't like that. Whatever the reason, players are not fond of Goodell. I had one highly respected Pro Bowl player tell me this summer before an interview, "Don't even mention (Goodell's) name around me."
The damning components about Harrison's comments in the article, which he was interviewed for in May, are the shots he took at his own team. If he feels that way about Roethlisberger's picks in the Super Bowl, cool. If he doesn't like Big Ben, okay. To put him on blast publicly? Not good.
The Steelers, from ownership to coach Mike Tomlin to players throughout the locker room have come to Harrison's defense over and over when he's been fined or disciplined by the league for his vicious hits that have left some players injured. They've agreed with him that the organization and Harrison, in particular, have been singled out. His cause has been their cause. So what does he do for them? What he said he wouldn't do to Goodell if he wasn't on fire.
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For Harrison to take shots at Roethlisberger's performance was quite hypocritical, too. Harrison had one tackle -- a sack -- in Super Bowl XLV. Yet he's cracking on the quarterback who's made numerous big plays throughout his career to get Pittsburgh -- and Harrison -- two championship rings. Not that Harrison hasn't made his share of great, impactful plays, but it's been a team effort through and through.
I can't see his teammates coming to his defense. Why should they? He hung them out there. Whether he says his remarks were off the record or misconstrued, it's too late. Harrison might be lone-wolfing it from now on, which might be how he wants things anyway.
This is hardly what the Steelers needed, especially since they might be back together in a week or two when the lockout is over.
An offseason after dealing with Roethlisberger's 2010 courtroom drama in a rape investigation, Mendenhall made comments on Twitter following the death of Osama Bin Laden that were viewed as offensive and inflammatory. Hugely popular wide receiver Hines Ward was arrested last week on suspicion of drunk driving.
The once-pristine image of the highly successful Steelers continues to take hits. They've always managed to rally. They've always taken an us-against-the-world approach that's served them well on the field. Harrison might have thrown a grenade on that bond.
Harrison might not be included in the "us" part anymore. The guys who've had his back might feel like a lot of quarterbacks Harrison has pummeled -- blindsided and too woozy.
Follow Steve Wyche on Twitter @wyche89.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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loud mouth jag-bag.....don't like the fines, don't try and cripple the guy by launching your helmet into him. Tackle the fucking right way and problem is solved. Also, don't call out Big Ben for his performances when you stunk it up also.
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High Fives / Like - 1 High Fives, 0 Dislikes
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Originally Posted by
Riczaj01 
loud mouth jag-bag.....don't like the fines, don't try and cripple the guy by launching your helmet into him. Tackle the fucking right way and problem is solved. Also, don't call out Big Ben for his performances when you stunk it up also.
That's the thing that makes no sense. Why throw your teamates under the bus just before the start of the season. Unless he plans on retiring this wasn't a smart thing to do at all. The team has stuck up for him each times he was called on the carpet and this is what he offers in return? Maybe the guy has a bi-polar disorder like Alonzo Spellman. Other than that or raw stupidity I can't think of anything else that would make someone say things that were so f'n dumb.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
soulman That's the thing that makes no sense. Why throw your teamates under the bus just before the start of the season. Unless he plans on retiring this wasn't a smart thing to do at all. The team has stuck up for him each times he was called on the carpet and this is what he offers in return? Maybe the guy has a bi-polar disorder like Alonzo Spellman. Other than that or raw stupidity I can't think of anything else that would make someone say things that were so f'n dumb.
Ah yes, the bipolar disorder excuse. I'm all too familiar with what doing stuff like that does to a person with that disease since I, of course, have it. I recall two instances where I got myself into a lot of trouble with rants: one was in an argument with one of my best friends over the abortion issue (he knocked up his girlfriend up in Columbus, OH, and then his dad paid for the abortion), and I blasted him in a blog entry to where he could read it on how he supported the unconditional legality of abortions; two, one night I woke up and started having flashback memories to my high school years when I was tortured by this one guy all four years (he even said that I f*cked my retarded sister, who is autistic). I wrote a blog entry and did a tell all about that and the rest of my experience in my high school band and put it on Facebook. Needless to say, the second incident lost me a lot of friends, while the guy I had it out with over the abortion issue forgave me and we went on to become closer than we were before.
I can see James Harrison as an individual with bipolar disorder. He seems to take his aggressions out in a very vociferous way on the field that leads him to getting into trouble, and now this incident with the interview.
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