Home 2013 Steelers Offseason Clark Should Take a Page From Ike Taylor

Clark Should Take a Page From Ike Taylor

by Steeldad

IIke Taylort’s no secret that I have major issues with the way Pittsburgh Steelers’ safety Ryan Clark does things to promote his post-football career. From calling out opposing players to saying things about his own teammates, Clark is clearly focused on the next phase of his life rather than his current one.

Perhaps Clark should take a look at another guy in the very same defensive backfield for a clue as to how to handle one’s self during the off-season.

Veteran Steelers’ cornerback Ike Taylor is a busy guy who has the new experience this off-season of returning from a season-ending ankle injury. He has his share of media responsibilities such as his show on Trib-Live Radio every Tuesday and the occasional appearance on national shows like the one he had yesterday on “The Jim Rome Show.”

He also has started doing radio for the Arena Football League’s Pittsburgh Power team which he clearly loves doing, but the difference between Clark and Taylor is that one is a self-promotional tour while the other is a guy who just enjoys what he is doing.

In yesterday’s interview on Jim Rome, I didn’t hear Taylor utter one word about Tom Brady or the decline of the Patriots or throw any one of his teammates under the bus. I heard a guy who is passionate about the game of football and who rewards himself for his intense, long workouts by….. Working out again.

If you listen to him discuss the team during his weekly shows on Trib-Live Radio, you won’t hear him talk negatively about anyone. Sure, he makes comments about himself or others needing to get better or needing to improve, but he doesn’t have an agenda as Clark often does. Most importantly, if Taylor is on a national TV or radio show, there isn’t an instant media reaction to something that he said, at least not in recent memory.

In essence, Taylor is preparing for his post-football career without telling everyone about it. He is enjoying that side of his life but has clearly not forgotten he is a football player and still dreams of playing four or five more years.

When Rome asked him about not making a Pro Bowl in 11 years, Taylor said it was all about interception numbers. Amazingly for a pro athlete today, he took complete blame for not having more picks too by saying “That’s on me. I’ve had my chances.”

How nice to hear a Steeler taking accountability rather than attacking someone else.

Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @steeldad and follow the website at @SCBlitz. He can be heard Mondays on Trib-Live Radio at 4pm ET talking Steelers.

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6 comments

Austin May 15, 2013 - 3:31 pm

Clark didn’t call out Polamalu. He said because he wasn’t healthy last year he is just #3. But if he were healthy he would have been his #1 safety. I see no fault in that logic, rather than he was a bit generous to Polamalu in regards to his play last year.

The only page I hope Clark takes from Taylor is his ability to get fellow teammates into shape before training camp. Woodley was supposedly working out with Clark, not sure how Clark has been working out “with Woodley when he has been on ESPN every other day. Big man needs to start being productive again now that Harrison is gone.

steeldad May 15, 2013 - 5:53 pm

There is truth in a lot of what Clark said recently but my issue is that those types of things only serve to do harm. Do the comments do the Steelers’ D any good in pissing off Tom Brady who has owned them most of his career? Does it do any good to say the Pats are in ‘decline?’ They’ve had better runs than us in the playoffs recently. I just believe some things are better left unsaid.

Austin May 15, 2013 - 10:35 pm

Not sure if they are in decline. The Patriots just need to actually field a competent defense and get some WRs, as well as TEs stay healthy. Clark was asked about the Patriots possible problem this coming season, and he answered.

I’m just glad Clark is a far better player than Anthony Smith.

robert henderson May 15, 2013 - 6:02 pm

Clark said Brady is The BEst QB to play the game and Brady does see ghost. Ryan Clark has 1 year left and he better be preparing for life after football. The key word is LIFE After Football. He’s made money we could only dream of but that doesn’t mean he’s set for life.
I have no problem with Ryan Clark Interning during his off season. I have no issue with him calling people out. The one thing we as fans love about Ryan Clark is he talks to the media and tells it like it is and for that I thankful. We want him to speak so we have information but we don’t want him to intern and speak to develop his skills for his next career.We can’t have it both ways.

steeldad May 15, 2013 - 6:42 pm

I guess I’m different that way Rob. I don’t mind guys speaking, but I do mind when they are saying things that can be used as bulletin board material. He may have called Brady the best QB, but saying he “sees ghosts” is what Brady will remember. Clark can tell it like it is all he wants to but if he has things to say about teammates that needs to be in-house not for public consumption. I’m old school that way. Do your talking on the field and in the locker room, not in front of the cameras.

Steelers Morning Huddle 5/17/13 - Nice Pick, Cowher - A Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more. August 14, 2013 - 4:03 pm

[…] Steel Dad says that Ryan Clark needs to look at how Ike Taylor is handling himself with the media and learn from him.  He notes that Ike Taylor’s media appearances, even with his radio play calling with the Pittsburgh Power, don’t seem aimed at setting himself up for his next career. […]

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