Dunlap: Tomlin's Postgame Words Were Perfect
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) -- This Antonio Brown-can't-stay-off-Facebook-Live-while-the head-coach-is-talking thing is so ridiculous because, well, the obvious.
You know, Antonio Brown can't stay off Facebook Live while the head coach is talking. So ridiculous and absurd for a zillion reasons --- chief among them for me is because certainly not everyone in that video was made aware they were being broadcast live on the internet. That's a big no-no; if you're going to videotape people in a private place, you owe them the chance to opt out if they so choose --- or at least alert them clearly it's going out live.
But let's get past that part, let's chalk that part up to something pretty obvious: Antonio Brown being one of the least self-aware people on this Earth instead of him having any sort of malice.
OK, we're past the Antonio Brown filming part.
It is what it is.
Let's now tackle Mike Tomlin's words.
"When you get to this point in the journey, men, not a lot needs to be said," Tomlin said in the video as he addresses his team. "Let's say very little moving forward. We spotted those a**holes (New England) a day and a half. They played [Saturday], our game got moved to tonight. We're going to touch down at 4 o'clock in the f**ing morning. So be it. We'll be ready for their ass."
Oh man, do I love this.
Know why? It's all truth, the whole thing is the truth.
First and foremost, Tomlin is right about letting your play speak at this time of year. As a team, you close ranks, focus in tight and get things done. You should (if your name isn't Antonio Brown, at least) make a concerted effort to spend less time on social media this time of the year and more time hammering in on what you need to do on Sunday.
The second part of Tomlin's message is spot on, too. The Patriots, undeniably, were given an advantage when the NFL pushed the Steelers' game in Kansas City back more than seven hours. Essentially, the Steelers lost a half-day of planning and many have questioned whether the league truly had best intentions in mind or if they were trying to capitalize on a ratings boon by playing a Sunday night game.
I'm normally not into conspiracies, but the NFL really got what they wanted with a huge ratings spike with a Sunday night game as opposed to the original start time and all indications are that the enormous ice storm predicted was a dud in the Arrowhead Stadium area.
And lastly, Tomlin uses a profanity when he talks about the Patriots. This should come as no surprise – and, again, good for him.
With New England embroiled in more than one cheating scandal in the Bill Belichick era that undermined fair competition, it appears Tomlin's name calling would probably fall in line with the way many around the league view that franchise.
So as far as what Antonio Brown did? I don't know, I can't explain it.
But what Mike Tomlin said? At the NFL level, I find it almost impossible players in New England would need some kind of bulletin board material to get up for the AFC title game. Even bigger, however, every single thing Tomlin said was right.
Good for him.
Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.