Let’s get one thing straight. I like Terry Bradshaw. How can we count the ways?

Terry Bradshaw was a childhood idol. As kids we used to play Superfriends pretending Bradshaw and the Steelers were super heroes. During Super Bowl XIV, Bradshaw permanently etched 60-Prevent-Slot-Hook-And-Go, his hook up with John Stallworth, into a 7 year olds memory. In the early 80’s, when Jojo Starbuck came on TV I stuck my tongue out and hissed at her because I’d heard she had martial problems with Bradshaw, and blamed them for fueling the Steelers decline.

• Sure, there’s some childhood silliness in those anecdotes, but my admiration of Bradshaw has continued as an adult.

I’ve argued vigorously against Bradshaw critics who write him off simple, strong-armed quarterback who was lucky to land on a good team. Likewise, I’ve defended Bradshaw’s on-air buffoonery, explaining that he’s knows what makes for good TV, and likening it to Myron Cope’s contention that Bradshaw played up the “dumb” image to trick opponents into underestimating him.

• And, when Ben Roethlisberger introduced “Midgeville” into Steelers Nation’s vernacular, I implored Big Ben to heed Bradshaw’s harsh words.

Terry Bradshaw’s attacks on Mike Tomlin via Speak for Yourself. Photo Credit: Awfulannoucing.com

And while I’ve generally sided with The Emperor when it comes to Terry Bradshaw’s very public feud with Chuck Noll, I can understand Bradshaw’s hard feelings even if they fail to justify his slights of his coach.

• But Terry Bradshaw’s attacks on Mike Tomlin go over the line.

Terry Bradshaw is way, way out of line on this one, and the Blond Bomber simply needs to shut up.

Bradshaw in Collusion with Cowherd and Whitlock

Not surprisingly, the venue for Terry Bradshaw’s attack on Mike Tomlin came on Speak for Yourself with Cowherd and Whitlock. Colin Cowherd’s attacks on Mike Tomlin are well chronicled as are Jason Whitlock’s.

If you’re a citizen of Steelers Nation and your register a pulse, then you know that Terry Bradshaw has declared that Mike Tomlin is more of a cheerleader than a great coach. But his full comments bear consideration.

Let’s focus on Bradshaw actual argument:

I don’t think he’s a great coach at all. He’s a nice coach, and I’ve said this. He’s really a great cheerleader guy. I don’t know what he does, but I don’t think he’s a great coach at all. His name never even pops into my mind when we think about great coaches in the NFL.

So Bradshaw begins by saying Tomlin is not a great coach. That’s a bold critique of a Super Bowl winning coach who has 100 wins and has never coached a losing team. So what evidence does he offer to justify his critique?

• Nothing.

First he claims Tomlin is a “nice” coach, and a “great cheerleader” and then he essentially concedes that he doesn’t have any standing to make his claim by declaring, “I don’t know what he does….” Really?

In other words, Bradshaw is saying, “I don’t know what he does, but do know that he sucks.” Is this the best justification Terry Bradshaw can offer after over 30 years as broadcast journalist?

While Steel Curtain Rising remains a steadfast defender of Mike Tomlin, there ARE any number of legitimate criticism’s that can be leveled at the Steelers head coach. But the “cheerleader” isn’t a criticism, it’s simply an insult.

Bradshaw Contradicts Himself with Cowher Comparison

The Terry Bradshaw’s “Cheerleader” attack on Tomlin got widely quoted, but his further comparison to Bill Cowher didn’t. That’s a shame, because Terry Bradshaw’s comparison of Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin further confirmed that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

When asked by Cris Carter whether he felt Bill Cowher was a great coach, Bradshaw didn’t hesitate:

I think Bill was [a great coach]. Bill came in and took over a team that had been struggling. … The Steelers had some good years, really good years, and then by their standards kinda mellowed out at the end of (Chuck Noll’s) career. In comes Cowher, Cowher kind of gave them that boost to get back up and won a Super Bowl…. I know Cowher, when he came over from Kansas City as a defensive coordinator, and his teams were tough. Tomlin came in from Minnesota, and I didn’t know anything about him.

So what does this Bradshaw’s blather really boil down to?

In case you missed it, Bradshaw again admits he doesn’t know anything about Mike Tomlin. Then, to listen to Terry tell it, Chuck Noll retired, Bill Cowher arrived in, and the Lombardi started rolling back in again.

• That’s a nice bit of Steelers short-hand history, but unfortunately it doesn’t reflect reality.

Rod Woodson and Carnell Lake at St Vincents. via Steelers.com

First, it fails to acknowledge that Chuck Noll actually handed a reasonably talented team with Hall of Famers Rod Woodson and Dermontti Dawson and All Pros like Greg Lloyd, Carnell Lake. Second, in Bradshaw’s mind the transition between Super Bowl eras from Noll to Cowher was seamless.

In fact, it took Bill Cowher 15 years to win his first Super Bowl.

• Along the way, Cowher also coached 3 losing seasons; Mike Tomlin has never had even one.
• Bradshaw conveniently forgets that fact.

And, there’s another irony in Bradshaw’s comparison between Cowher and Tomlin. (And mind this comes from someone who defended Cowher tirelessly against the “he can’t win the big one” crowd.) During Cowher’s tenure he was never thought of as an X’s and O’s mastermind, but rather a coach whose strength in part came from his ability to communicate and motivate his players…

And there’s nothing wrong with that, but Terry Bradshaw is going to stoop to the level of calling Mike Tomlin a cheer leader, they he should hold Bill Cowher to the same standard. Instead, the Blonde Bomber can’t even be bothered….

Terry Bradshaw really needs to shut up.

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