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Wonder if Rushel Shell regrets what he did now...

Y

YourPittDanceTeam

Sophomore
Dec 8, 2010
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Goes from being one of the top RB's in the country to an undrafted NFL free agent.
Probably be asking the same question next year of Robert Foster.
These local kids could have had it all in this town, but they listened to someone who did not have their best interests in mind.
Sucks to be them.
Hail to Pitt and Hail to James Conner and Tyler Boyd!!!
 
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It's difficult to not point to him as a guy who had a much better impression of himself than was warranted.
I wish him nothing but the best.
But I can't forget the Pitt bashing that occurred when Shell left and when Pitt called his bluff.
Chryst did Pitt right by refusing to allow Pitt to become second fiddle.
The gem that wore 24 rose to the occasion while no one but the Jeapardy ready cares what number Shell wore.
And that says more about the situation than anything.
24 is now a revered number.
 
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Saboteur said:
It's difficult to not point to him as a guy who had a much better impression of himself than was warranted.
I wish him nothing but the best.
But I can't forget the Pitt bashing that occurred when Shell left and when Pitt called his bluff.
Chryst did Pitt right by refusing to allow Pitt to become second fiddle.
The gem that wore 24 rose to the occasion while no one but the Jeapardy ready cares what number Shell wore.
And that says more about the situation than anything.
24 is now a revered number.
Click to expand...
Without the departure of Shell, the James Conner story we all know would never have existed.
 
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YourPittDanceTeam said:
Goes from being one of the top RB's in the country to an undrafted NFL free agent.
Probably be asking the same question next year of Robert Foster.
These local kids could have had it all in this town, but they listened to someone who did not have their best interests in mind.
Sucks to be them.
Hail to Pitt and Hail to James Conner and Tyler Boyd!!!
Click to expand...

Russel is going to depend on his WVu education. Either that or welfare.
On second thought, I'm betting on welfare.
 
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YourPittDanceTeam said:
Goes from being one of the top RB's in the country to an undrafted NFL free agent.
Probably be asking the same question next year of Robert Foster.
These local kids could have had it all in this town, but they listened to someone who did not have their best interests in mind.
Sucks to be them.
Hail to Pitt and Hail to James Conner and Tyler Boyd!!!
Click to expand...
Shell was never one of the top running backs in the country. He would never have been one in college no matter what he did. In HS, he ran people over because he was bigger than HS kids.

I think he reached his full potential at WVU. And that full potential at the next level is an undrafted free agent signing.
 
I think the way you put it is a little insulting to Conner. Cream rises to the top, and JC is clearly the better back and the player with the better work ethic.

Good luck to Shell. Hopefully he has it together now. Maybe he can go on and become the next Arian Foster. I haven't seen anything from him to make me think he will, but anything is possible I guess.
 
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The Steelers do like WVU guys and it will be interesting to see how he does now that he's finally able to throw all pretense aside of caring for anything but football for money ...

... BUT ... as Bell and Bryant found you have to be smart about your weed habit in the league. Being at WVU 3 years, he's not had to worry a thing about hiding his habit. It'll be hard to adjust.
 
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IMHO, Shell seemed to be one of those players who allowed his being a High School Superstar to go to his head. He didn't understand that in D-1 collegiate football, everyone was a high school superstar.

For his family's sake, I hope that he left WVU with a degree. While we'll never know for certain, he might not have gotten one had he remained at Pitt.
 
With Bell, Conner and Knile Davis on board Shell's best hope will probably be to make the practice squad. I'm not sure why he would UFA with the Steelers. There must be a better situation for him to crack a roster elsewhere.
 
Twisted Pittster said:
With Bell, Conner and Knile Davis on board Shell's best hope will probably be to make the practice squad. I'm not sure why he would UFA with the Steelers. There must be a better situation for him to crack a roster elsewhere.
Click to expand...

That's a great question. What other FA offers did he have?
 
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raleighpanther said:
Shell was never one of the top running backs in the country. He would never have been one in college no matter what he did. In HS, he ran people over because he was bigger than HS kids.

I think he reached his full potential at WVU. And that full potential at the next level is an undrafted free agent signing.
Click to expand...
Some info for you...Coming out of high school Shell had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ohio State, penn state and Oregon amongst others. I think that qualifies him to be called one of the top running backs in the country.
 
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TD_6082 said:
I think the way you put it is a little insulting to Conner. Cream rises to the top, and JC is clearly the better back and the player with the better work ethic.

Good luck to Shell. Hopefully he has it together now. Maybe he can go on and become the next Arian Foster. I haven't seen anything from him to make me think he will, but anything is possible I guess.
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How in the world do you arrive at the "way you put it is a little insulting to Conner" out of what I said??? If Shell would have not lost his mind and stayed at Pitt, he would have certainly entered the 2013 season (Conner's first at Pitt if I'm not mistaken) as the starting TB based upon his performance during the 2012 season. If Shell had stayed at Pitt, Conner may not have even been given the opportunity to "rise to the top" as you said. I'm not saying that Shell is better then Conner now, but back then, with the Pitt roster comprised the way it was, Conner may have ended up being used as a DE, not a RB.
 
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YourPittDanceTeam said:
Some info for you...Coming out of high school Shell had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ohio State, penn state and Oregon amongst others. I think that qualifies him to be called one of the top running backs in the country.
Click to expand...
Yes, yes, I know, Shell was a great HIGH SCHOOL back, but he was never was, nor was he ever going to be, one of the best COLLEGE backs in the country. Point is, had he stayed at Pitt and never had any issues, he was still going to be an undrafted FA.
BTW, he did seem to get it together at WVU. I read an interview with him where he admitted that he was immature early in his career, didn't think he had to work hard, etc., but he matured in his last two seasons and reached his potential -- a decent enough RB to get carries as a platoon player... and then get invited to a pro camp as an undrafted FA.
 
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The shell situation worked out for Pitt so I got no problem with it.
 
I think Shell makes the Steelers practice squad and evetually the team. He's one of those guys that wont impress in combine-type stuff. He's not that big, not that fast, but gets yards.
 
raleighpanther said:
Yes, yes, I know, Shell was a great HIGH SCHOOL back, but he was never was, nor was he ever going to be, one of the best COLLEGE backs in the country. Point is, had he stayed at Pitt and never had any issues, he was still going to be an undrafted FA.
BTW, he did seem to get it together at WVU. I read an interview with him where he admitted that he was immature early in his career, didn't think he had to work hard, etc., but he matured in his last two seasons and reached his potential -- a decent enough RB to get carries as a platoon player... and then get invited to a pro camp as an undrafted FA.
Click to expand...
It's a bit of a shame from the PR aspect. It gives the hearty antiPitt faction of the local media someone to cheer for and combat the annoying (in their eyes ... you know they think it is so) Conner story. One of the fifty guys or so the PG had as its Pitt beat writer the past two years tweeted "it's Conner vs Shell in the Steelers backfield". We should brace ourselves because this will be the narrative. Somehow (well we know how) the pgh media turned the Shell thing into Pitt"s fault back in the day (he "begged for a second chance and Chryst wouldn't take his call"). They wrote up fluffy feel good stories about him. Now (as they'll position it) this guy who has MUCH better potential than Conner will "finally"be given a "fair shake".

Thing is he DOES have a ton of natural ability, he saw it in brief and infrequent spurts with Pitt. If he works hard at all and avoids the phantom injuries that he invented at Pitt (dunno if he continued this at WVU), the Steelers will give him his bulk of carries in garbage 2nd half time in pre-season games, and he'll likely tear it up against the crap opposition he'll face. He'll be the darling. Meanwhile if James gets any kind of nagging thing that slows him, or only sees spot carries, good forbid would fumble etc ... I think we know how the narrative will play out. Just annoying as I said.
 
raleighpanther said:
Yes, yes, I know, Shell was a great HIGH SCHOOL back, but he was never was, nor was he ever going to be, one of the best COLLEGE backs in the country. Point is, had he stayed at Pitt and never had any issues, he was still going to be an undrafted FA.
BTW, he did seem to get it together at WVU. I read an interview with him where he admitted that he was immature early in his career, didn't think he had to work hard, etc., but he matured in his last two seasons and reached his potential -- a decent enough RB to get carries as a platoon player... and then get invited to a pro camp as an undrafted FA.
Click to expand...
You're right

And he showed he is what he is at WVU....
Which after all isn't that bad given he is working for the NFL, but just not what one might have projected when he entered CFB.
 
Twisted Pittster said:
With Bell, Conner and Knile Davis on board Shell's best hope will probably be to make the practice squad. I'm not sure why he would UFA with the Steelers. There must be a better situation for him to crack a roster elsewhere.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure but do his three young children live in the Pittsburgh area so he might want to be closer to them ? ...... also, the Steelers obviously run the ball a lot so they need RB's and the 2nd and 3rd string RB positions are pretty wide open along with the fact that Bell is suspension prone, somewhat injury prone, and although I expect the Steelers to sign Bell to a new contract who knows for sure...... if Shell doesn't make it with the Steelers, he may still get a chance with another team anyway.
 
Evaluating talent isn't an exact science . Otherwise Tom Brady or Antonio Brown wouldn't have been 6th round draft choices . Willie Parker would've been a star at UNC instead sitting on the bench and of pulling splinters out of his butt . Let's hope Shell is the next great FA signing for the Steelers , he'll get a chance and it will be interesting to see what he brings .
Just like evualting high school bb players with stars is a mistake , let's see what they bring to the table !
 
Revenge Of The Noise said:
raleighpanther said:
Yes, yes, I know, Shell was a great HIGH SCHOOL back, but he was never was, nor was he ever going to be, one of the best COLLEGE backs in the country. Point is, had he stayed at Pitt and never had any issues, he was still going to be an undrafted FA.
BTW, he did seem to get it together at WVU. I read an interview with him where he admitted that he was immature early in his career, didn't think he had to work hard, etc., but he matured in his last two seasons and reached his potential -- a decent enough RB to get carries as a platoon player... and then get invited to a pro camp as an undrafted FA.
Click to expand...
It's a bit of a shame from the PR aspect. It gives the hearty antiPitt faction of the local media someone to cheer for and combat the annoying (in their eyes ... you know they think it is so) Conner story. One of the fifty guys or so the PG had as its Pitt beat writer the past two years tweeted "it's Conner vs Shell in the Steelers backfield". We should brace ourselves because this will be the narrative. Somehow (well we know how) the pgh media turned the Shell thing into Pitt"s fault back in the day (he "begged for a second chance and Chryst wouldn't take his call"). They wrote up fluffy feel good stories about him. Now (as they'll position it) this guy who has MUCH better potential than Conner will "finally"be given a "fair shake".

Thing is he DOES have a ton of natural ability, he saw it in brief and infrequent spurts with Pitt. If he works hard at all and avoids the phantom injuries that he invented at Pitt (dunno if he continued this at WVU), the Steelers will give him his bulk of carries in garbage 2nd half time in pre-season games, and he'll likely tear it up against the crap opposition he'll face. He'll be the darling. Meanwhile if James gets any kind of nagging thing that slows him, or only sees spot carries, good forbid would fumble etc ... I think we know how the narrative will play out. Just annoying as I said.
Click to expand...

Its annoying that the Steelers followed up their most popular pick ever (from a pure Pitt fan's perspective) by signing the anti-James Conner, the local hero turned villain.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
Its annoying that the Steelers followed up their most popular pick ever (from a pure Pitt fan's perspective) by signing the anti-James Conner, the local hero turned villain.
Click to expand...

You people need to get it thru your heads. There's no sentiment with picks/signings. NONE. They draft and sign whoever they think might help them. Back stories don't matter. Schools don't matter.

Some teams remove guys from their boards because of criminal matters but it only takes one team to pick a guy - see Mixon Westbrook and the guy Cleveland picked who they're already considering releasing.
 
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YourPittDanceTeam said:
Goes from being one of the top RB's in the country to an undrafted NFL free agent.
Probably be asking the same question next year of Robert Foster.
These local kids could have had it all in this town, but they listened to someone who did not have their best interests in mind.
Sucks to be them.
Hail to Pitt and Hail to James Conner and Tyler Boyd!!!
Click to expand...
Shell listened to bad council for sure. He dug his own hole and found out he's not nearly as good as he and his mother thought he was. His ego did him in.

Foster went to one of the top programs in the country, earned a spot in the WR rotation and was injured. It looks like once again he'll have an opportunity this year to open some eyes and I hope he does. He is a legit deep threat and had 2 catches for 110+ yards and a TD in the Alabama spring game. I still do wonder occasionally what his father got for pushing Robert to the Tide.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
Its annoying that the Steelers followed up their most popular pick ever (from a pure Pitt fan's perspective) by signing the anti-James Conner, the local hero turned villain.
Click to expand...
Yes. I don't know if you wrote that in agreement or to refute, but that IS damn annoying And as another poster said, I don't think there's any sentiment on the Steelers part. I don't have a quarrel with them signing anyone they think can help them. But as I said, the annoying part is the narrative it gives the anti-Pitt contingent in the local media. I don't know that they are as vehement about it to actually wish for Conner to fail, but I sure as hell think they'd love Shell to have some success in the garbage time to pump him up.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
I think Shell makes the Steelers practice squad and evetually the team. He's one of those guys that wont impress in combine-type stuff. He's not that big, not that fast, but gets yards.
Click to expand...
Does Shell have the abilities that it takes to play special teams? Because normally, guys who are back-up RBs, DBs, and LBs earn their roster spots by demonstrating what they can do on the field when they're not starting or being in the normal rotation.
 
Revenge Of The Noise said:
It's a bit of a shame from the PR aspect. It gives the hearty antiPitt faction of the local media someone to cheer for and combat the annoying (in their eyes ... you know they think it is so) Conner story. One of the fifty guys or so the PG had as its Pitt beat writer the past two years tweeted "it's Conner vs Shell in the Steelers backfield". We should brace ourselves because this will be the narrative. Somehow (well we know how) the pgh media turned the Shell thing into Pitt"s fault back in the day (he "begged for a second chance and Chryst wouldn't take his call"). They wrote up fluffy feel good stories about him. Now (as they'll position it) this guy who has MUCH better potential than Conner will "finally"be given a "fair shake".

Thing is he DOES have a ton of natural ability, he saw it in brief and infrequent spurts with Pitt. If he works hard at all and avoids the phantom injuries that he invented at Pitt (dunno if he continued this at WVU), the Steelers will give him his bulk of carries in garbage 2nd half time in pre-season games, and he'll likely tear it up against the crap opposition he'll face. He'll be the darling. Meanwhile if James gets any kind of nagging thing that slows him, or only sees spot carries, good forbid would fumble etc ... I think we know how the narrative will play out. Just annoying as I said.
Click to expand...


The Pittsburgh media is bad enough, but let's not forget there were plenty of "Pitt" fans who thought Chryst and the Pitt administration were as much at fault because they wouldn't allow the prodigal son to come home wanted to.

There were more than a handful of people who profess to be Pitt fans who were very critical of Pitt in the process.
 
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YourPittDanceTeam said:
Goes from being one of the top RB's in the country to an undrafted NFL free agent.
Probably be asking the same question next year of Robert Foster.
These local kids could have had it all in this town, but they listened to someone who did not have their best interests in mind.
Sucks to be them.
Hail to Pitt and Hail to James Conner and Tyler Boyd!!!
Click to expand...


If Foster is healthy and productive this year he'll probably be drafted. But hate if that makes ya feel better.
 
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Foster's playing time was mostly limited by injuries. Is there any reason to think he would've been injury free if he'd stayed close to home and gone to Pitt or WVU?
He made a brief Twitter comment of regret his first year when he saw T Boyd on sports center highlights, while he was redshirting. But he stayed, so he must have liked his experience.

People really need to stop faulting a guy for aiming high and choosing to go compete on the perennial NC team.
 
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RaleighPittFan said:
The Pittsburgh media is bad enough, but let's not forget there were plenty of "Pitt" fans who thought Chryst and the Pitt administration were as much at fault because they wouldn't allow the prodigal son to come home wanted to.

There were more than a handful of people who profess to be Pitt fans who were very critical of Pitt in the process.
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This is so true. The departure of Shell brought a lot of Chryst-haters out of the woodwork. I guess some Pitt fans weren't used to having a football coach who wasn't afraid to discipline a player.
 
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RaleighPittFan said:
The Pittsburgh media is bad enough, but let's not forget there were plenty of "Pitt" fans who thought Chryst and the Pitt administration were as much at fault because they wouldn't allow the prodigal son to come home wanted to.

There were more than a handful of people who profess to be Pitt fans who were very critical of Pitt in the process.
Click to expand...
Possibly. But I think most pitt fans had watched this closely and knew this was worse than just a homesick kid like Pat Bostick.
 
Saboteur said:
It's difficult to not point to him as a guy who had a much better impression of himself than was warranted.
I wish him nothing but the best.
But I can't forget the Pitt bashing that occurred when Shell left and when Pitt called his bluff.
Chryst did Pitt right by refusing to allow Pitt to become second fiddle.
The gem that wore 24 rose to the occasion while no one but the Jeapardy ready cares what number Shell wore.
And that says more about the situation than anything.
24 is now a revered number.
Click to expand...

Really I don't!
I hope he has rely on his Hoopie education to survive! LOL!
Homeless_Man.jpg

Another non producer that I have to support!
I wonder if any of that stuff in the cart is old Go PITT stuff?
 
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I have a different view and think Rushel Shell's Adversity and Experiences should be a lesson learned and benefit his focus and determination now more than ever and signing as a Steeler gives him that opportunity.

The Steeler's need Running Backs and for Short Yardage, and Shell is perfect for the fit to compliment Bell, Rogers, and Conner.

I think Shell is a good signing and the opportunity is now up to him, and he needs it with children to support. Another Top Pennsylvania Talent & Recruit in Terrelle Pryor learned that hard way too, and now is more humble and focus on being a better Football Players after rejecting Pitt but causing a Scandal that got his Coach Fired, and left Ohio State in disgrace instead of being great?

Shell has so much more to prove and adversity should have changed his attitude by now too! If not, then Shell will be an early NFL cut.

Now is the time for Shell to Stand Up for the welfare of his future and his family more than ever. Rushel made judgement mistakes at Pitt, but now gets a chance to correct them with the Steelers in the City of Pittsburgh.

Good Luck for Steeler's Shell, A Dream come true But Up to You!
 
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