Once again it is time for Steelers Nation to Rally the Troops. And once again, we’re calling on all of the Black and Gold faithful to vote in yet another ESPN poll.

ESPN.com commissioned a blue ribbon panel to investigate the question and is planning to release the results starting on Thursday May 23rd. In the mean time, they’re polling their readers.

Fair enough.

• But as has happened in other circumstances, the Steelers are falling victim both to the whims and short-term memories of popular culture.

The poll’s mechanics are simple. ESPN gives you a list of 50 NFL coaches and asks fans to vote for up to 20. As of the afternoon of 5/11/13 the results look like this:

Chuck Noll Needs Steelers Nation’s Support in this ESPN Poll

Chuck Noll is actually coming in fifth. Given that Chuck Noll worked at having frosty relations with the media and therefore has no apologists in the press, 5th place actually better than expected.

Rarely when discussions of who is the greatest coach in NFL history are convened, is Noll given serious consideration. And that’s a mistake and one that is apparently not being repeated here.

• But there are still issues.

Vince Lombardi is being voted in a number one. It would seem like almost sacrilege to argue the point.

There’s also no shame to coming in under Don Shula, although before accepting that you might want to remember that Noll both has more championships and a better post-season record than his mentor.

Bill Walsh comes in at number two, because unlike Noll, Walsh never hesitated to promote his own genius, and cultivated quite a following in the press. And of course he did spawn a cadre of assistant coaches.

• Can anyone really make a serious, fact based, argument that Chuck Noll was a better coach than Bill Walsh?

Why, yes they can, and Steel Curtain Rising did so in its first year. (To read the full Chuck Noll vs. Bill Walsh series, click here.)

But if Noll should be voted above Walsh (and he should), it is no insult to come in below.

• Seeing Chuck Noll voted below Bill Belichick represents and injustice that Steelers Nation must rectify.

The case here is clear:  Chuck Noll’s got more victories than Bill Belichick. His post season winning percentage isn’t quite as strong but, then again, Chuck Noll won playoff games with quarterbacks like Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone and Bubby Brister.

• Can Bill Belichick say that? No. He cannot.

Heck, Noll beat Belichick in his final NFL game as an NFL coach.

But let’s cut to the chase:

• Chuck Noll has four Super Bowl victories to Belichick’s three, and none of Noll’s victories are tainted.

Repeat, no one ever accused Chuck Noll of cheating at anything.

• Bill Belichick is a cheater who got caught red handed. 

Could the Patriots have won those Super Bowls without resorting to cheating? They probably could have. But will never know the extent of Belichick’s cheating because Roger Goodell destroyed the evidence.

• And of course there’s the little inconvenient truth that New England hasn’t won a Super Bowl since Belichick got busted.

So The Emperor deserves to be voted over The Cheater.

How About Some Love for Bill Cowher?

Can anyone explain why John Madden deserves to be voted higher than Bill Cowher? (Or Tom Coughlin for that matter.) Cowher had nearly 50 more regular season victories and doubled Madden’s number of post-season victories.

Nothing against Madden, but he’s clearly benefiting from his media presence; his successor Tom Flores won 2 Super Bowls and had a better post-season record but is languishing in the polls. Place a vote for The Chin.

Steelers Nation:  Time to Rally in Support of the Emperor

Attention faithful in Steelers Nation. Now is the time to come to aid of your party. Chuck Noll needs your support. Go to ESPN and visit their poll.

Here’s how to vote for maximum effect:

• Vote for Noll, Cowher and Mike Tomlin only and/or avoid voting for Walsh and Belichick.
• Vote early and often. You’ll need to vote from different browsers and/or multiple devices, but it can be done.

Click here to go to ESPN’s Greatest Coaching Poll and vote now!

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