Video Surfaces of a Selfless James Harrison Kindly Mentoring Bud Dupree and TJ Watt
June - James Harrison, then Joey Porter instruct Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers at OTAs Day 8.
Last Week - Bud Dupree essentially called James Harrison a fraud during his interview with 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday night.
Dupree, the most vocal Steeler to speak out against Harrison, said that his former teammate skipped meetings, had no interest in mentoring T.J. Watt while pretty much “spitting in the face” of Steelers’ owner Art Rooney and head coach Mike Tomlin. …
“Like basically you spit on your teammates, you spit on us because the whole season you’ve been shown as someone different than what you were supposed to, so-called, be to us — other than a leader. … We try to look at Deebo as a mentor, as the O.G. of the team. … But when someone really doesn’t want to share wisdom with you or share knowledge with you because they feel like you’re gonna take their shine or take their limelight, that’s how we feel.”
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You have to pity poor James Harrison, you really do. Here he was, back in OTAs, just giving and giving to these kids, asking nothing in return for himself but the satisfaction of imparting his knowledge to another generation of Steelers defenders. And this is the thanks he gets.
I’m sorry, did Bud Dupree honestly say that Harrison didn’t want to work with him?
Or with TJ Watt?
And yet, here is was, out there in the heat of summer. During Optional Team Activities, just going the extra mile to pass down his wisdom like any good mentor. And now this collection of ingrates repay his kindness? By denying he ever did anything for them.
It’s sad, really. But like the old expression goes, no good deed goes unpunished. I just hope it doesn’t sour Deebo against working with all of today’s youth. Like him, I too am a man of some maturity who has tried to use my years of experience to help others. And I’ve found that few if any Millennials are as ungrateful as Bud Dupree. And if they are, it’s their loss. And I have no doubt the young Patriots players appreciate the selflessness of this older and much wiser man, willing to Miyagi them in his final year..
But by all means, Steelers, keep talking. The AFC title game is just 2 1/2 weeks away.
[h/t to r/patriots] @jerrythornton1