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Welcome:

This is my initial foray into the world of blogging. Here, as the title suggests, I'll discuss those things that occupy me mind, body and soul.


Life - My wife, my kids, parents, family and friends. What it means to be from Pittsburgh, and basically the triumphs and travails of a U.S. citizen swept up by the ever blowing winds of change in today's Information Age.


The Universe - From the beauty of a Luna moth in my shrubbery; to the majestic photos from the Hubble Telescope, whose images force us to come face to face both with our insignificance, as well the incredible splendor of the Universe around us; to the physical, philosophical and ethical implications such discoveries as the Higgs-Bosun particle may, and will, have on today's world, as I see it.


and the Pittsburgh Steelers - I'm a product of the Pittsburgh Diaspora, and damn proud of it. The Steelers, and the Rooney family represent the quiet dignity, work ethic, and basic goodness of the people of Pittsburgh, and have done so since 1933. No other organization, in the sports world or otherwise, better represents, honors, and carries forth proudly the basic essence and traditions of the people of its birthplace, than the Pittsburgh Steelers


In no small part, and in no particular order, I dedicate my musings to be found herein to my Wife, my Family, and the People of Pittsburgh, for without all of them, I would not be who I am today. The comments, thoughts and opinions contained herein are solely my own, with all faults or blame laid only at my own feet.


Thursday, October 4, 2012

A Question of Leadership, or Talent?



A young lieutenant may command a platoon but it is the grizzled Sergeant who provides the leadership, both to the platoon, and also to the lieutenant; it is how the young officer accepts the advice from, and learns to use, the Sergeant, that will indicate how good of a leader the lieutenant will become.

The middle linebacker commands the defense; a duty admirably performed by James Farrior for many years. With his retirement, Timmons was seen as the best person to assume command; that apparently has not happened.

It is the fault of Central Command (the Coaches) for a lack of leadership on the field if Timmons is unable, or unwilling, to provide that leadership. Harrison and Woodley are decorated veterans, but their positions and roles do not allow for them to be the commander; they are the heavy artillery. Troy’s role as the “wild card” also precludes him from assuming command, due to his instinctive ability to call for himself an impromptu role.

Whether the decline of the Steeler defense is due to the front line not preventing the O Linemen from reaching the linebackers, or the linebackers inability to seal off the edge, or make penetration is under review (chicken or egg situation maybe?).

What is clear however is that the performance of individual players, predicated on the performance of each of their teammates, is not being maximized. This requires leadership to address; the leader on the field must be able to diagnose what the problem is and address it, if possible, on the field by varying the calls he makes.

If this does not result in success, then the field commander must address it to the “higher ups” in the chain of command, identifying the weak link(s) and request replacements, for if he is not being given the weapons with which to perform his duty as field commander, then he goes into battle out-manned.

As of now, with the remaining 13 games of the 2012 season facing them, the Steelers, with all their injuries and question marks on the abilities of the individual defensive players, are like the British in the Battle of Balaclava (October 25, 1854), sitting at the mouth of the valley before them, with the Eagles, the Ravens, Bengals, Giants, waiting in the field of battle to oppose them (as memorialized by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in his “The Charge of the Light Brigade”.
Half a league half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred:
‘Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns’ he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Tomlin has no choice but to enter this battle with the injured troops he has, the depleted ranks, the aging veterans. Hopefully he can succeed better than the British did that fateful day:

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse & hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro’ the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When the British, having rode into the valley with over 600 troops, lost over 200 of them before retreating.

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