Nas wrote:
Tall Midget wrote:
Tomlin clearly grew disenchanted with Claypool because of his immaturity, which most famously manifested itself in the Vikings game last year. But Tomlin publicly addressed Claypool's immaturity before that game and apparently demoted him this season due to the same concerns.
It's rather strange that you are making a racially-inflected accusation to discredit Tomlin when you have previously described him as a great coach. That coach had both Pickens and Claypool on his roster at the same time, and he chose Pickens over Claypool. It's fine that you prefer Claypool, but the evidence isn't working in your favor at this point.
I think it's clear that the Steelers decided to cut ties with Claypool at some point late last season and drafted Pickens to replace him. They apparently didn't think much of Claypool but waited for the bad publicity swirling around him to dissipate so they could find a sucker--er, a trading partner--to give them a high draft pick in exchange for an asset of questionable value. That sucker was Ryan Poles. It will take another year to see who was right, but the Steelers have a pretty good track record in identifying top wideouts. Poles couldn't even tell that Jenkins was by far the best offensive lineman on his roster, and the offensive line is presumably his area of expertise.
I feel comfortable with my statement about Tomlin's preference. He favors the "manly man" and the fist fighters over a cerebral and well spoken guy. Pickens and Johnson have done far more bitching than Claypool ever has. They're his type of guys, though.
I know you're hellbent on proving that Poles isn't good, but what has Pickens done that has you clamoring for him? Make a few highlight catches? He's having a very pedestrian rookie year. Maybe he'll become an elite WR, and Poles will suck. At this point, there is more proof that Poles won't suck than there is of Pickens being an elite receiver.
You can feel comfortable all you want with your opinion. That doesn't make it accurate. Your views directly contradict what Tomlin himself said about Claypool over a year ago. It seems, then, that you are doing mental gymnastics to justify your positive view of Poles. Frankly, I'm not sure what to make of him at this point. The team is too barren of talent on the defensive line to judge his 2nd round picks accurately. Braxton Jones has steadily improved, and that bodes well for his future. The rest of the class hasn't shown much, and Velus Jones looks more and more like a panic pick with each passing game.
You say that Pickens is having a pedestrian year but he's performing at the same level as Claypool. Claypool, though, is a third-year pro while Pickens is a rookie. If Pickens is pedestrian, what is Claypool? A cripple? And there's absolutely no question Poles botched his draft management in the same way he miscalculated on the Bates offer. As I've pointed out, it's more advantageous to have Gordon or Brisker, Pickens, and a top 3 2nd round pick in 2023 than it is to have Gordon, Brisker and Claypool with only 1.5 years remaining on a rookie deal.
Oh, and the notion that Tomlin doesn't like Claypool because he's "too cerebral" is hilarious.
Have you actually seen him interviewed? "Cerebral" isn't exactly the first word that comes to mind when describing him. Is he writing philosophical treatises in his spare time or something?
_________________
Antonio Gramsci wrote:
The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear.
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