So which one is it baby, spits or swallows? In yet another twist of affairs in the Steelers coaching mystery, the Sunday edition of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says Russ Grimm will coach the Steelers. Taking from the first line of Mike Prisuta’s article:
“Russ Grimm has been offered and has accepted the Steelers’ head coaching position, a source in Pittsburgh confirmed late Saturday.”
Prisuta writes the article with the confidence of a man holding pocket rockets, saying
“Grimm, 47, succeeds Bill Cowher, who coached the Steelers for 15 seasons before resigning Jan. 5. The hiring of Grimm will be announced Monday at a news conference.”
Now lets go back to my post earlier Saturday, Mike Silver of Sports Illustrated wrote an article saying that
“Mike Tomlin, defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, has been chosen as the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ new head coach, SI.com has learned. He would succeed Bill Cowher, who resigned Jan. 5 after 15 seasons as the Steelers’ coach. Tomlin beat out Russ Grimm, 47, a Steelers assistant for six seasons and their assistant head coach for three, who had been considered the front-runner.”
Silver’s story was confirmed by Chris Mortensen of ESPN,
“The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to name Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin as their new head coach, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen confirmed Saturday night. Sources told Mortensen that the team would announce Tomlin as coach either Sunday or Monday.”
Premier NFL reporter, Jay Glazer of Foxsports.com meanwhile reported what seems to make the most sense,
“In what Tomlin said was his only phone interview of the night, he told FOXSports.com that the Steelers said they want to sleep on their decision overnight, and that no decision has been made yet. ‘I hope I get it but these stories are driving me crazy,’ said Tomlin, who is a candidate to replace the departed Bill Cowher. ‘It’s just not true. And I really hope they don’t have an effect on the final decision, whichever way they go.’Â The Steelers will wait until at least Monday to announce their new coach, and might interview Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera that day for a second time if the Bears lose the NFC championship game.”
The other Pittsburgh paper, the Post-Gazette, is in accordance with Glazer,
“Steelers chairman Dan Rooney yesterday denied a Sports Illustrated story that said the team has chosen Mike Tomlin as its head coach. “There’s nothing to that story on the wire,” Rooney said. Other sources, most unwilling to go on the record, also denied there was any truth to the story.”
Is this crazy or what? Who do you believe? Could the national guys (Silver and Mortensen) have gotten the story wrong? Did they hear from the same source? Is Mike Prisuta of the Tribune-Review jumping the gun? Is Glazer correct in saying the Steelers haven’t made up their mind and that they plan to wait? I think it’s only fair to leave you with this final thought, “Dewey Defeats Truman!”Â
