Two fights at Mini Camp Yesterday

[Iron Maiden]

Looks like Timmons is holding his own...

Two fights develop; it's hockey day for Steelers
Thursday, June 05, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Perhaps watching the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup final rubbed off on the Steelers yesterday because they held a practice and a hockey game broke out.

Fights during voluntary spring practices are not usual, but they do occur on occasion. It's rare when two of them take place, as they did yesterday, each involving an offensive tackle.

Willie Colon, the team's starting right tackle, went to the ground at their indoor practice facility while wrestling with second-year linebacker Lawrence Timmons. Not long after, veteran backup tackle Trai Essex and linebacker Arnold Harrison went at it.

"It was humid in here," fellow tackle Max Starks gave as a possible reason for the two scuffles. "I don't know, maybe they've been watching Georges Laraque," the Penguins enforcer.

Neither scuffle lasted long, but coach Mike Tomlin brought his players together after practice to lecture them about it.

"Practice broke out into a fight," Tomlin explained. "You know, the competition is good, but the level of intensity has to be there if we want to get better.

"You have to understand professional etiquette; that's what we talked about after practice. These kinds of things have to happen as we develop our football team because it gives us a venue to address them, and why we do what it is that we do and how we approach what it is that we do.

"You don't like to see it happen, but it's a necessary evil. I'm glad that it happened, we addressed it and move on."

The Steelers have four more spring practices -- one today and three more next week -- before they wrap things up until training camp at St. Vincent College July 27.

Each team is permitted to conduct 14 voluntary organized team activities (OTA) in the spring, plus a five-practice required minicamp over three days. But even when not conducting the practices, players routinely show up starting in February for weight and conditioning training and more informal work on the field.

It's a far cry from the days when Chuck Noll would conduct only a three-day minicamp for rookies and young players after the draft, then a five-day minicamp for all the first week of June.

"Camps have gotten shorter," Tomlin said of the summer sessions at St. Vincent, "we're in an era of free agency, we have a lot of new people, there's a lot of turnover in professional football now. You can point to a lot of reasons that make [the spring workouts] beneficial and necessary."

Among other benefits, Tomlin said, are to improve players' technical games and "the thing we can't measure, which is camaraderie."

The scuffles yesterday were a blip as far as fights among teammates go. The most famous spring fight in Steelers lore occurred in 2000 when an on-field tussle between linebacker Earl Holmes and halfback Richard Huntley spilled over into the locker room at Three Rivers Stadium and a chair-swinging brawl ensued among teammates.

Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com.
First published on June 5, 2008 at 12:00 am
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08157/887517-66.stm

[K from Cal]

The players were all tough guys so this is a good sign. I'd be miffed if it was a wr and a safety going at it

[Secret Santa]

Assholes. Sounds like they are trying out for the Ravens

[Andymisiu]

Good sign to see Timmons showing some emotion and balls to step up to someone at practice. I think this is a good sign from him.

[Far51]

Colon tends to get into fights, he has that nasty OL nature that I wish Starks can develop.
I think last year Colon got into a fight with Haggans.

[Aries1247]

I can't think of 2 better guys in need of an asskicking on our o-line, with the exception of Mahan.

[GoSteelers]

I can't think of 2 better guys in need of an asskicking on our o-line, with the exception of Mahan.


wait, i'll get my kids to do that.

[TWEEK1106]

Good sign to see Timmons showing some emotion and balls to step up to someone at practice. I think this is a good sign from him.



it's a good "sign" that the most memorable thing our 1st round pick from last year has done is to pick a fight at a organised team activity?


man, how some people perpetually cheer lead for this guy is amazing. this is by far the farthest reach of a good "sign" that i've seen concocted so far.:confused:

[DerbyCityBNGfan]

this is good. the competition for spots is heating up before camp even starts. camp is going to be fast and furious. Tomlin is putting it up to his team to get and stay in shape, and the short camp should be a test of who wants it the most. can't wait.

[BlkNGoldBlood10]

Good sign to see Timmons showing some emotion and balls to step up to someone at practice. I think this is a good sign from him.

My thoughts exactly...esp goin up against colon. I did not want him to get the nickname Timid Timmons...would not be a good look...again I am excited about that

[LetMePlay]

In other news, Mahan got into a fight with an aggressive 6 year old girl scout and lost.

[Supersteeler]

it's a good "sign" that the most memorable thing our 1st round pick from last year has done is to pick a fight at a organised team activity?


man, how some people perpetually cheer lead for this guy is amazing. this is by far the farthest reach of a good "sign" that i've seen concocted so far.:confused:

So you ignored all 5 or 6 reports posted here over the past two months of team activities where every coach and player asked about him are saying that Timmons has vastly improved already from this point last year and the excitement that surrounds him this year? Boy, talk about wanting someone to fail so badly that you selectively ignore anything good that comes up. You seem very much like the type to root for a player to fail so you can show everyone how smart you are.

[TWEEK1106]

So you ignored all 5 or 6 reports posted here over the past two months of team activities where every coach and player asked about him are saying that Timmons has vastly improved already from this point last year and the excitement that surrounds him this year? Boy, talk about wanting someone to fail so badly that you selectively ignore anything good that comes up. You seem very much like the type to root for a player to fail so you can show everyone how smart you are.



2 words................lip service!


that's proffesional courtesy. did you REALLY expect any of our players to come out and say "wow, what a piece of crap he is, i can't believe we wasted a 1st round pick on him!"?


there's "excitement" about Woodley..........there's only wantful optimism when you're talking about timmons.


"You seem very much like the type to root for a player to fail so you can show everyone how smart you are."


dang, cheerleaders get mean when you don't root for their "team".

:cool:

[Supersteeler]

2 words................lip service!


that's proffesional courtesy. did you REALLY expect any of our players to come out and say "wow, what a piece of crap he is, i can't believe we wasted a 1st round pick on him!"?


there's "excitement" about Woodley..........there's only wantful optimism when you're talking about timmons.


"You seem very much like the type to root for a player to fail so you can show everyone how smart you are."


dang, cheerleaders get mean when you don't root for their "team".

:cool:

Keep hoping you're right. Who gives a shit if it's something bad for the team if Timmons busts, at least you'll look smart huh? Worst kind of fan.

[dobre shunka]

So you ignored all 5 or 6 reports posted here over the past two months of team activities where every coach and player asked about him are saying that Timmons has vastly improved already from this point last year and the excitement that surrounds him this year?

Some random quotes from Alonzo Jackson's offseason developments:

"He's had a very good camp," Coach Bill Cowher said of Jackson.

"He's definitely having his best camp," said defensive coordinator LeBeau. "I've only been with him two years, but I thought he made real good growth last year and I think we're continuing to see that. We're looking forward to watching him play in the games."

It will be a big year for Alonzo Jackson," coach Bill Cowher said.

"He's getting more comfortable in the dime package," Coach Bill Cowher said yesterday at the Steelers' first practice at their South Side facility since breaking training camp. "Here's a guy who I think can be a contributor for us as he continues to grow."

"He's getting acclimated to the speed of the game," Cowher said. "He's come up here and some of the things, rushing wise, you do in college you're not going to be able to do at this level. I think he's starting to get a feel for it."


The Steelers ended their first week of practice with their first fight of practice, and coach Bill Cowher really didn't seem to mind. Perhaps it was because it involved outside linebacker Alonzo Jackson.

Players had to separate Jackson and offensive tackle Morgan Pears after they squared off after a one-on-one blocking drill. Jackson, who is 6 feet 4 and 268 pounds, did not like that Pears kept pushing him after the play.

Jackson walked back toward Pears, who is 6-6, 325 pounds, and slapped him in the facemask. Pears retaliated with a harder pop to Jackson's facemask, and the scrum was on.

"We're all teammates out here, but you're out there competing," Jackson said. "I'm not soft, he's not soft, and we're not going to let anyone think we're soft."

Jackson, a No. 2 pick in 2003, is not known as a physical player. But, in a pass-blocking drill against the tight ends, Jackson planted rookie Matt Kranchick on his back, right in front of Cowher.

Cowher did not see Jackson's altercation with Pears, but he smiled a little when told about it.

"He needs to be [more physical]," Cowher said. "That's the way we have to play on defense."



"I see it as an opportunity to seize the starting job and keep it," said Jackson (regarding Haggan's broken hand).

"I'm not keeping anything warm," said Jackson, the Steelers' No. 2 draft choice in 2003. "I want to be a starter. Everyone wants to be a starter. I plan on keeping the job."

"I know I'm the best guy for the job and I plan on going out and proving that to my teammates," Jackson said.

"People who say I'm a situational player are wrong," said Jackson, who is 6 feet 4 and 268 pounds. "I'm an every-down player and I plan to go out and prove it."

"I'm the starter right now," Jackson said yesterday, again and again. "He has to win the job."

"I know he wants to play and he's eager and he didn't play a lot last year," Haggans said. "I know he trained hard this summer. Good luck to him."

[RevBillyC]

Trai Essex has a set?!?

[TWEEK1106]

OUCH!!!

dobre shunka owns superhomer!!!

exactly my point....

"Keep hoping you're right. Who gives a if it's something bad for the team if Timmons busts, at least you'll look smart huh? Worst kind of fan."

supersteeler=definition of homer...........look it up, seriously it's got a picture of him right next to it.

i'm being objective. and from watching tape on him in college and seeing his MINOR contributions on special teams, i'm just not impressed. even towards the end of the season when he was healthy, he really didn't show us anything.


so, i'm asking myself....is your optimism on this player based on anything substantial??? or just a precious hope of yours that we didn't waste a first round draft pick???

i hope i'm wrong too.

[Supersteeler]

OUCH!!!

dobre shunka owns superhomer!!!

exactly my point....

"Keep hoping you're right. Who gives a if it's something bad for the team if Timmons busts, at least you'll look smart huh? Worst kind of fan."

supersteeler=definition of homer...........look it up, seriously it's got a picture of him right next to it.

i'm being objective. and from watching tape on him in college and seeing his MINOR contributions on special teams, i'm just not impressed. even towards the end of the season when he was healthy, he really didn't show us anything.


so, i'm asking myself....is your optimism on this player based on anything substantial??? or just a precious hope of yours that we didn't waste a first round draft pick???

i hope i'm wrong too.

I'm not a homer at all actually, I am an optimistic person in general. Timmons has not had a chance to be on the field yet to show what he can do, so I will reserve judgement until I see something one way or another. I will freely admit when a guy is a bust....but it sort of helps when they get on the field to make judgements. You are the type that simply assumes you know everything and will happily declare a career bust before said career has even started. I don't act like a complete "know it all" and that bothers you, I wonder why? Maybe you should actually wait a season or two and see what happens, god forbid he or any other player makes a liar out of you.

[TWEEK1106]

since not only are you the DEFINITION of a homer, but also, quite obviously, vision impared i'll write the last sentence i wrote...........only bigger.


I HOPE I'M WRONG TOO!


i just don't "think" i am from what i've seen.

i guess, yeah, we have to give him another year............seeing as we havent seen shiite from him yet.


" I don't act like a complete "know it all" and that bothers you, I wonder why?"

actually, you're right. you don't act like you know it all......but, you seem prettywell inable to answer my question of WHY you think timmons has shown us anything to be "excited" about besides being able to start a fight with the most provokable steeler on the team?

[Vader]

I hated the Timmons pick but in order for us to win on defense he must be a good player. We passed up good OL talent for him. He needs to start THIS year. If he is just a backup ILB he is a major bust IMHO.

[kurtistb]

I'm not a homer at all actually, I am an optimistic person in general. Timmons has not had a chance to be on the field yet to show what he can do, so I will reserve judgement until I see something one way or another. I will freely admit when a guy is a bust....but it sort of helps when they get on the field to make judgements. You are the type that simply assumes you know everything and will happily declare a career bust before said career has even started. I don't act like a complete "know it all" and that bothers you, I wonder why? Maybe you should actually wait a season or two and see what happens, god forbid he or any other player makes a liar out of you.

since not only are you the DEFINITION of a homer, but also, quite obviously, vision impared i'll write the last sentence i wrote...........only bigger.


I HOPE I'M WRONG TOO!


i just don't "think" i am from what i've seen.

i guess, yeah, we have to give him another year............seeing as we havent seen shiite from him yet.


" I don't act like a complete "know it all" and that bothers you, I wonder why?"

actually, you're right. you don't act like you know it all......but, you seem prettywell inable to answer my question of WHY you think timmons has shown us anything to be "excited" about besides being able to start a fight with the most provokable steeler on the team?


In all honesty neither of you have seen enough of Timmons to even be able to pretend to form any sort of semi-educated opinion.

[markymarc]

Obviously Timmons has not had the opportunity to show what he can do on the field. Considering he was a first round pick you have to believe that Tomlin saw something he liked in Timmons. LT will get his chance in 2008 and this debate will be put to rest either way.