NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

I finished the last blog by addressing Steeler coach Mike Tomlin's warning that his team was - in essence - not ready for their game today against a Jets team that had to date won 1 out of 9 football games.

Before I go any further, I want to make it clear I really do understand the "On Any Given Sunday" mandate that tells us any team can win regardless of the opponents strength or how truly inadequate they are.

In most cases, it is the conclusion of so-called "sports experts" that an unexpected loss like the one teh Steelers suffered today boils down to the fact the weaker team APPARENTLY wanted the win more than the other team.

That scenario is true prior to the first snap or the other teams first score. After that  - it's "catch-up" time at which point the predicted to be superior team compound their poor preparation and rotten overconfident mental attitude by panicking and losing the concentration that locked up their prior victories.

Yes, there are several other variants that come into play for the team with the far better record.

They may have incurred serious injuries during the game to one or more of their play makers  -  the noise of the desperate home team's fans was so loud that their quarterback, runners, and receivers were not on the same wave length - maybe even the possibility the other team played over their head in order to save the job of their beloved and usually folksy coach.

I'll rule out the last one. Seeing as how the Jet's coach Rex Reid had not been fired prior to either this game - or possibly even this season - I was convinced   retaining his job was pretty much a "lock" .

Regardless of  totally illogical decisions like bringing in his starting QB at the end of a totally meaningless exhibition game; one in which he sustained a serious injury - he's still around and the team as well as the fans defends him.

Yet, it became clear to most clear thinking folk the only reasonable explanation for "Rexie's" longevity as coach of the Jets was that he had to have in his possession some really bizarre and risque cellphone photos of either the GM or the owners he had taken during a team Christmas party (or two) - that clearly got out of control.

I won't go into the absurdity of the Steelers performance here as the papers can and will do a much  better job of enumerating the fumbles, missed chipshot FG atttempt- and previous unheard of interceptions thrown by their future HOF - QB. Maybe it was just poor karma.

The bottom line is the Steelers were simply:"Not Good Enough"

Now back to my closing comment in the last blog:

Based on the Steelers history of losing to teams clearly inferior to their own personnel (See Steelers/Buccaneers scoreboard) plus Tomlin's pre-game assessment,  and unlike todays Pittsburgh team - I was not caught unprepared.

For the first time this year when it became clear the Steelers were not going to be making an appearance today on the Sullivan's 56 inch Sony - neither my wife nor I ran out frantically seeking a bar that had the Dish.

Now if a guy like me - with admittedly questionable knowledge of the intricacies of the game - was so suspicious of the eventual outcome that he passed on the game, should any of us  really be surprised that the Steeler players obviously made the same decision?

And yet, the bottom line is still - "Who's responsibility was it to make sure that the Steelers were prepared - and won a very- very- very winnable game?".

That answer clearly qualifies as  "Not Good Enough" too.