Maybe the Mayans were right.
Let’s see… We had the Pirates cock tease for another season… this time, making it past the All Star Break with an above .500 record. We actually thought… “Screw winning season, I smell division leader… nay… PLAYOFFS!” Then, another 19 inning game crushed our souls like a can in a compactor. The team fell down the chute of our board game minds. They picked the lollipop card in Candyland and had to go all the way back to the beginning. But… we still had Penguins Hockey and Steelers Football, right? RIGHT?!?!?
Training camp rolled around and our new offensive line was set. Finally, we had better protection for Ben and more holes to create for RBs. But… Mike Wallace was nowhere in sight. He wasn’t in Latrobe. He wasn’t in Pittsburgh. He was home, sitting on his couch, wearing his helmet, and reading his playbook… hoping for more money. He waited. Training started. He waited. The pre season started. He waited. Three pre season games passed. He finally showed up. We played Denver. Oh, yeah, we lost some of our shiny new toys in the early games. We also broke some of our others… *cough*Troy *cough*
But not to fear, Mike Wallace came in and made touch downs and amazing plays… and who needs training camp… and pre season? Soon those sentiments were replaced with, “Who needs to learn how to catch the ball, first?”
We lost to bad teams like Oakland and Tennessee… we squeaked by in Kansas City… We lost our starting quarterback…. He went out with a shoulder sprain that could puncture his aorta? Was that what I heard? I’m kidding, of course. So, in comes the cannon that is Byron Leftwich. The guy who was supposed to start in Ben’s absence during his four game suspension… only to break his arm in pre season, that year.
On his first play during the KC game, he throws to NOBODY and ends up ass over tin cup on the ground. Who’s his backup? Not Charlie Batch, mister reliable. Mister “I can manage a game while never making you believe I can either win it or lose it on one play rather I will do my best and that’s pretty damn good”. Mister, “I’ve been in this league a long time and bailed your asses out, and yet you still put me down in the depth chart only to come and ask for my help, but I will never be resentful because I am a true gentleman”. That guy. He was inactive. So… who was our emergency QB? I knew who he would have been last year… Hines Ward. The guy we got rid of and then waited for Mike Wallace to finally show up.
For Sunday’s game against Baltimore… the emergency guy is Heath Miller. I would rather have Heath play QB than Leftwich at this point. At least he can move. He may not have a cannon that can throw the ball into the parking lot on the off chance a receiver happens to be there waiting… but he isn’t the Tin Woodsman in the pocket that takes 20 minutes to throw the ball. Now, Ben does take a long time, but that’s play development, not the act of throwing the ball.
When I saw the schedule this year and noted that we had three divisional games in a row: Baltimore, Cleveland, and Baltimore, I knew we were in trouble. I predicted something like 7-9 or 9-7 due to what I perceived to be a rough schedule. Denver was getting Manning… we lost to them in the playoffs but still, the Ninety-Six Million Dollar Manning is always a problem at QB. Beyond that, look at our back half of the schedule: Baltimore, Cleveland, Baltimore, San Diego, Dallas, Cincinnati, Cleveland.
Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Dallas and San Diego suck, and Cleveland… pffft alleasy games.
We were supposed to have killed Oakland and Kansas City… and Tennessee was supposed to be manageable. San Diego scares me…because they are a bad team… and possibly… so are we. My prediction stands…. 9-7…or 7-9… hopefully, I’m wrong… except in the case of 8-8.
At least there’s hockey….
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Showing posts with label Ben Roethlisberger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Roethlisberger. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Monday Suck: Thoughts on Being Tebowed
Am I mad? Yes. Do I blame the refs? Yes, to a point. They blew calls on both sides of the ball. I get it. The lateral, the missed facemask, etc. We get it. We are not the NFL’s whipping boys, but no helmet to helmet calls? Come on, people.
Is Tebow a good story? No.
Why? Because he’s what’s wrong with this league. The NFL is slowly becoming the WWE.
Hear me out.
Wrestling is an entertainment sport. It’s all about the drama and the showiness of the participants. The actual sport is an afterthought to the storyline.
The NFL is becoming an entertainment sport where QBs throw the ball for hundreds of yards for a game and never get touched. They’ve changed the rules to take out the violence and make it more marketable. It’s not about safety, it’s about longevity. Go back and watch those old NFL films from the frozen tundra of Lambeau field. The slow motion shots of snow falling on the line of scrimmage where a lineman stands at the ready with a broken nose and dried blood on their jersey. The crunch of helmets and the chance to see a running back barrel through a line to grab five yards and glory. That’s not there, anymore. It’s the hot dogging and pristine conditions and the Madison Avenue gloss of a game that used to be about something more. The will to win. The chance for glory.
But Tebow shows that it’s not about that. Tebow should have been on his ass for most of that game, not in praying position but in a fetal position. He’s a horrible passer who should have been picked off and pushed around. The Steelers stopped the running game and then dared him to throw and he did as if he was Brady or even a healthy Roethlisberger. And even still, you can say that in his first four seasons, Roethlisberger was an ugly passer and unconventional player whose face looked more like Bobby Boucher then Tom Brady. But the difference was that Roethlisberger took his lumps, he ran and was hit. He was down and dirty with the rest of the players. Tebow just stands out there, looks pretty, and throws horribly.
With that, I offer five things that need to be changed in the NFL by next year. Four for the league and one for the Steelers.
1. Fix the stupid rules of legal vs. illegal hits. We won’t hate what’s fair. Either a QB is a runner or a passer, but he can’t go back to being a passer when he tucks the ball and runs… even if he decides to get rid of the ball because a linebacker is coming right at him.
That being said, fine the Browns for putting Colt McCoy back out on the field when he doesn’t know what day it is.
2. Do something about social media and the ridiculousness of dumb people on smart phones. This goes out to Rashard Mendenhall from earlier last year and especially Maurkice Pouncey, who I lost a lot of respect for after seeing him implode on Twitter after the loss to Denver.
Sorry, but how does it feel to have young, impressionable fans see you drop the f-bomb and curse your followers? Not to mention, promoting a buddy’s rap album just after your team lost the AFC Wild Card game. Way to show solidarity.
3. Fix the officiating. Get all the officials into a refresher course, during the offseason, and retrain them on how to call a game. Officiating has been horrible this, all over the league. I know I’m one of those, “whiny Steelers’ fans” but the officiating stinks throughout the league. If they have other jobs during the year, then cover the cost. This crap needs fixed and refs make as much as any other mid level career man. There was a huge strike back in 2001 and it seems that the NFL has some extra cash this year from very lucrative television deals.
4. Enough with the marketing and capitalism of the game. Remember, Bubba Smith did spots for Miller Lite. Troy Polamalu, who I still think is one of the most aggressive and hardnosed players, does ones for shampoo. Granted, it’s not Joe Namath in pantyhose, but still. Stop making this league about the money and make it about the game. It’s football. It’s not entertainment. It’s a sport. It’s a rough and tumble sport. There are injuries. There will be blood. Stop wussifying this game for whatever reason you seem to be doing it and let the players play. If it’s too tough. They need to get a job elsewhere.
And this one goes out to the Steelers.
1. Get your shit in order. Figure out the clock management stuff better. Ben, you’re a hell of a QB but stop trying to be a damn hero and play the game. Be smart about it. You beat New England by out Bradying Brady. You have Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace, two of the fastest receivers on the planet. Give them the short drops and let them leg it out, because even when healthy, you have a tendency to inaccurately throw to them over long distances. And receivers and backs need to stop this juking crap you do when you square off with someone. Redman was doing his tornado stuff but that was after he was already hit. When you come up field and someone gets in your way, run over them. You’re liable to get a few more yards than by slowing your gait and trying to fake them out while three other guys are closing in on your position.
Is Tebow a good story? No.
Why? Because he’s what’s wrong with this league. The NFL is slowly becoming the WWE.
Hear me out.
Wrestling is an entertainment sport. It’s all about the drama and the showiness of the participants. The actual sport is an afterthought to the storyline.
The NFL is becoming an entertainment sport where QBs throw the ball for hundreds of yards for a game and never get touched. They’ve changed the rules to take out the violence and make it more marketable. It’s not about safety, it’s about longevity. Go back and watch those old NFL films from the frozen tundra of Lambeau field. The slow motion shots of snow falling on the line of scrimmage where a lineman stands at the ready with a broken nose and dried blood on their jersey. The crunch of helmets and the chance to see a running back barrel through a line to grab five yards and glory. That’s not there, anymore. It’s the hot dogging and pristine conditions and the Madison Avenue gloss of a game that used to be about something more. The will to win. The chance for glory.
But Tebow shows that it’s not about that. Tebow should have been on his ass for most of that game, not in praying position but in a fetal position. He’s a horrible passer who should have been picked off and pushed around. The Steelers stopped the running game and then dared him to throw and he did as if he was Brady or even a healthy Roethlisberger. And even still, you can say that in his first four seasons, Roethlisberger was an ugly passer and unconventional player whose face looked more like Bobby Boucher then Tom Brady. But the difference was that Roethlisberger took his lumps, he ran and was hit. He was down and dirty with the rest of the players. Tebow just stands out there, looks pretty, and throws horribly.
With that, I offer five things that need to be changed in the NFL by next year. Four for the league and one for the Steelers.
1. Fix the stupid rules of legal vs. illegal hits. We won’t hate what’s fair. Either a QB is a runner or a passer, but he can’t go back to being a passer when he tucks the ball and runs… even if he decides to get rid of the ball because a linebacker is coming right at him.
That being said, fine the Browns for putting Colt McCoy back out on the field when he doesn’t know what day it is.
2. Do something about social media and the ridiculousness of dumb people on smart phones. This goes out to Rashard Mendenhall from earlier last year and especially Maurkice Pouncey, who I lost a lot of respect for after seeing him implode on Twitter after the loss to Denver.
Sorry, but how does it feel to have young, impressionable fans see you drop the f-bomb and curse your followers? Not to mention, promoting a buddy’s rap album just after your team lost the AFC Wild Card game. Way to show solidarity.
3. Fix the officiating. Get all the officials into a refresher course, during the offseason, and retrain them on how to call a game. Officiating has been horrible this, all over the league. I know I’m one of those, “whiny Steelers’ fans” but the officiating stinks throughout the league. If they have other jobs during the year, then cover the cost. This crap needs fixed and refs make as much as any other mid level career man. There was a huge strike back in 2001 and it seems that the NFL has some extra cash this year from very lucrative television deals.
4. Enough with the marketing and capitalism of the game. Remember, Bubba Smith did spots for Miller Lite. Troy Polamalu, who I still think is one of the most aggressive and hardnosed players, does ones for shampoo. Granted, it’s not Joe Namath in pantyhose, but still. Stop making this league about the money and make it about the game. It’s football. It’s not entertainment. It’s a sport. It’s a rough and tumble sport. There are injuries. There will be blood. Stop wussifying this game for whatever reason you seem to be doing it and let the players play. If it’s too tough. They need to get a job elsewhere.
And this one goes out to the Steelers.
1. Get your shit in order. Figure out the clock management stuff better. Ben, you’re a hell of a QB but stop trying to be a damn hero and play the game. Be smart about it. You beat New England by out Bradying Brady. You have Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace, two of the fastest receivers on the planet. Give them the short drops and let them leg it out, because even when healthy, you have a tendency to inaccurately throw to them over long distances. And receivers and backs need to stop this juking crap you do when you square off with someone. Redman was doing his tornado stuff but that was after he was already hit. When you come up field and someone gets in your way, run over them. You’re liable to get a few more yards than by slowing your gait and trying to fake them out while three other guys are closing in on your position.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Ben Roethlisberger Performs Best Planking Ever
This was courtesy of The Houston Texans and an ineffective Steelers O-Line.
"Do I win the Internet with this?"
~Ben Roethlisberger
What a pitiful game that was. I turned it off after the first sack-fumble-defensive recovery play. I turned it on, for a second, during the second half and then went onto other stuff and then caught the last minutes as Ben was saved, albeit briefly, by a roughing the passer call which negated another Houston TD. Of course, Ben threw it high and into double coverage on Antonio Brown for a game ending interception.
Well, there's always the Pens.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Pittsbugh Sports Just Don't Make Sense Right Now
I think the heat has been getting to the city of Pittsburgh. Here it is almost the end of July and the following has occurred.
The world just doesn’t make sense anymore.
I want my Penguins and former Penguins to be playing only in Pittsburgh.
I want my quarterback in the middle of a sexual harassment investigation.
I want my Steelers at St. Vincent and Casey Hampton to be near the PUP list status.
I want my Star Receiver to be smiling for the TV, not a mug shot.
And I want my Battling Buccos to be in the basement so I can feel good about Nutting and Co.’s inability to manage a baseball team in the hopes that someone with real experience and desire to win buys the team.
Is that too much to ask?
- Jaromir Jagr and Max Talbot are now both playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.
- Ben Roethlisberger is getting married.
- Training Camp may or may not happen for the Steelers, let alone every other team.
- Hines Ward has been stopped by police, not once, but twice in vehicle related incidents, with the latter resulting in his being arrested for DUI.
- The Pirates were just in first place of the NL Central after losing 18 straight seasons. (They are now a 1/2 game back I believe.)
The world just doesn’t make sense anymore.
I want my Penguins and former Penguins to be playing only in Pittsburgh.
I want my quarterback in the middle of a sexual harassment investigation.
I want my Steelers at St. Vincent and Casey Hampton to be near the PUP list status.
I want my Star Receiver to be smiling for the TV, not a mug shot.
And I want my Battling Buccos to be in the basement so I can feel good about Nutting and Co.’s inability to manage a baseball team in the hopes that someone with real experience and desire to win buys the team.
Is that too much to ask?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Knocking On Seven's Door With Our Backs Against the Wall
What's Past Is Prologue
You’ve heard the story before.
“This team doesn’t have what it takes to get to the big game. “
“There’s no way they can win it all.”
Well, that’s just how they like it.
Think about it. The overall predictions at the beginning of the season were that Pittsburgh would be third in the division. Some had them closing out the season at 10-6. No one had them going to Super Bowl. Even Pittsburghers may have had some doubt about their team. After all, we had a disastrous 9-7 season in 2009, didn’t even make the playoffs due to being mathematically eliminated, we just traded our Super Bowl XLIII MVP to the New York Jets, lost DeShea Townsend to the Colts, and Willie Parker to the Redskins. We had already lost Bryant McFadden to the Cardinals and Larry Foote to the Lions, the year before, so the odds of us doing anything great were not good. (They had since come back in 2010) On top of all of that, our quarterback was suspended for the first six games due to off the field conduct policy violations. It was then reduced to four games but that gave us the potential of starting out the season 0-4, including a division loss to Baltimore.
Starting out the regular season we all felt like the world was against us. In the preseason, our interim starting QB, Byron Leftwich was injured. During week two of the regular season, midway through Roethlisberger’s suspension, backup QB, Dennis Dixon went down with an injury resulting in Charlie Batch being put back at the top of the depth chart.
In our first four games, the defense stepped up their efforts and the Steelers managed to go 3-1 with a division loss to Baltimore, after failing to convert a third down to run out the clock. Things were looking a little more up for the return of a quarterback that perhaps the fan didn’t want but thought they needed.
However, the biggest story of the season wasn’t the return and redemption of Big Ben, it was the witch hunt led by Roger Goodell against players who committed controversial hits. Undoubtedly, the first concern in the NFL is player safety, however when you plan to expand the regular season to 18 games and sell photos of these so-called “controversial hits” one may think that the first concern of the NFL is to make money. In fact, the NFL made over $100,000 just off of these fines and the biggest offender was considered James Harrison. Harrison was fined more than any other player, including more expensive fines for what he was considered as a repeat offender in certain cases. Granted, they have since been reduced but it really looked like Goodell has had it out for the Steelers.
And sometimes, that is what it takes. Sometimes, when the world wants to see you down, that’s when you shine the most. Ben played, as if he was trying to redeem himself by fire, working harder on the field than it appeared off the field to win back the fans’ trust. He sustained a broken foot, a broken nose, and several injuries in his quest for redemption. In a league where a player was fined for a tap to Peyton Manning’s head, Ben found himself having to shrug off the notion that he would draw any sympathy from the officials calling the games. Then again, this is also a league where very few quarterbacks put their own bodies on the line to get a first down, let alone a touchdown. Something Ben has done on occasion.
It might have been a foregone conclusion that Baltimore was going to win the division. That they would either win out or beat the Steelers for the chance at another AFC title was considered to be canon. If not, certainly the Colts, Jets, and favored Patriots would be there to stop them. It always seemed that the road to the Super Bowl went through Pittsburgh. That wasn’t the case in 2006 when Pittsburgh went in as a sixth seed and played four road games to go to Super Bowl XL. This year, it definitely wouldn’t be the case with New England looming on the horizon.
Now, a truly storybook ending for the Steelers would have been beating Baltimore for the Divisional Playoff and then facing down New England for all the AFC marbles. After all, except for a great shellacking on Halloween in 2004, Tom Brady and the Patriots have always had the Steelers number. In fact, in both of Pittsburgh’s Super Bowls with Ben at the helm, New England was already knocked out before Pittsburgh could play them. So, if you wanted to really romanticize this season, you would have had Pittsburgh coming back, despite all odds to win against New England this past Sunday. Enter Rex Ryan to foil romance.
A Tale of Two Cities: Destiny, Fate, or Coincidence
From day one, Rex Ryan set out to break convention. He’s loud. He’s brash. He spouts obscenity laden locker room speeches on HBO’s Hard Knocks. Ryan had led the Jets to the AFC championship last year, only to be defeated by the Colts. This year, Ryan had his own destiny on hand and beat the Colts in the first round of the playoffs. Then, tempting the football Gods even more, he had the audacity to march into Foxborough and try and upset Tom Brady’s attempt at a fourth Super Bowl. The Jets dismantled the Patriots and proved that maybe they are the road team that would repeat Pittsburgh’s goal of going on the road as a sixth seed and winning it all. To do that, he would have to go through Pittsburgh.
It shouldn’t have been hard. He had Pittsburgh’s number in week 15. His team forced a safety and managed to beat Pittsburgh in the regular season on the road. But it’s always harder to beat a team twice. In fact, some have called their first meeting as New York beating a vanilla Pittsburgh. Conspiracy theorists will claim that Dick LeBeau held back on showing all the cards because he knew that they would meet Rex Ryan and his Jets in the playoffs. And notice how in both of these comparisons I’ve called the Steelers by the team name or by some individual players while Rex Ryan is the predominant name assigned to all of the Jets fanfare. I’ll speak to that in a moment. That’s because Rex Ryan is the face of the Jets. A scary thought indeed. He manufactures his own hype and leaving the game to be won off the arm of Mark Sanchez, a quarterback who almost lost his job this season would be even scarier. The superstitious will throw out such theories that there was no way Pittsburgh could lose.
The Rule of Sevens: It would be the 7th win for Pittsburgh. Ben is number 7. It’s his 7th year. If you add Polamalu’s jersey numbers together you get 7. And on and on.
The Curse of Cope: Jets’ fans disrespected the Terrible Towel by stomping on it. Other teams have disrespected the unofficial flag of The Pittsburgh Steelers, only to suffer a similar fate. Not to mention, Sunday would have been Myron Cope’s 82nd birthday.
“Destiny is a fickle bitch.” Benjamin Linus said those words on LOST, another tale of redemption, scripted as destiny. Never were words truer than in the case of Rex Ryan. The Jets marched into Pittsburgh, confident of a win. Maybe overconfident. Santonio Holmes, feeling like he had something to prove, came back with a chip on his shoulder. Some analysts looked at the move to trade Holmes as a mistake, one the Steelers never backfilled. Holmes off the field actions cemented the decision. The once Super Bowl MVP was now considered a dangerous entity to the locker room. My thoughts are that if they would have kept Holmes, would we be where we are now? Would Holmes? I don’t mean planning his vacation after Conference loss. I mean would he have allowed the talents of Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown to grow or would his status be a hindrance. I feel that trading Santonio was best for both teams. It allowed us to move forward, developing three great wide receivers and it may have given him the spark he needed to get his life on track and do what he needed to do to become the player he was this year. So, in essence, he should thank Pittsburgh and we should thank him. The parting was beneficial for both parties.
Even further, was Ben’s incident in Milledgeville, GA, the wakeup call he needed? You can analyze his apologies and his off the field actions this year all you want. Just remember that he was given an opportunity as a rookie. It may have been a responsibility he was ready to handle as a player but not as an individual. The persona of Ben Roethlisberger may have been too big for him to carry as a 20 something. When kids go off to college, even the straight arrows, they tend to throw caution to the wind. They experiment, they shed their conventions and convictions, and they give into the environment they are thrust into at the time. They measure of their character is not whether they make the mistakes but if they learn from them and become a more rounded person. Has Ben learned something about the way a superstar needs to behave or is he merely experiencing the sensation of being pulled over for speeding? He’ll drive safely for awhile, obeying all the rules of the road. Then, after awhile the foot will fall more heavily on the pedal, and the thrill of going fast will suck him into his old ways, once more. I hope that he can see that he has a great opportunity and will take this as a second chance he may have not deserved.
Then again, would we be where we are had this not happened? Would Ben go out and play well and further alienate his fans and his team if he was not held to the standards he should be held to? Was the punishment befitting the crime because its severity scared him straight? If you look at what happened with Brett Favre you say, “He was a scapegoat for Goodell.” “Favre can do no wrong but Ben will always be the Black Sheep of the NFL.” After all, no charges were filed against Ben yet he was subject to nearly the fullest extent of the NFL’s rules. Perhaps Goodell will come out after the end of the season and say, “I did what I did in your best interests as a young man needing some tough love.” Cruel to be kind? Don’t believe it for a second.
That’s for the talk shows to further analyze and frankly, I’m done with the hating on Goodell. If anything, the Steelers have proven that, regardless what you can throw at them, Pittsburgh is a town that loves its team and the team loves a challenge. We love being the underdog. We are John Locke, “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” We know we are good enough and we’ve proven it. The best thing we can do is always play with our backs to the wall. The 70s showed a team that could win back to back Super Bowls twice. The 80s showed a team that had to answer for its dynasty by being cast as bums. The 90s saw a return to greatness and yet still having to deal with the past, losing to Dallas in Super Bowl XXX. The new millennium saw the inner workings of a sleeping giant ready to wake up and destroy all in its path. But with each win of a title, we followed it up with a down year. Ego and greatness are a juggling act and sometimes you cannot prove you are the best until you lose that title.
Consider this. Only two quarterbacks have won Super Bowls in Pittsburgh. Three Coaches have. That spans almost 40 years of history. The Steelers are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for appearances in the Super Bowl, eight apiece. The Steelers only serve to break their own record of winning Super Bowls. In fact, if they lose, they still hold the record for wins. San Francisco and Dallas are the other two teams tied with five Lombardi Trophies. In order, San Francisco is the only team to win every Super Bowl in which they have appeared, followed by Baltimore and the New York Jets who have one apiece.
60 Minutes To History
The storybook ending for this team has to contend with one more opponent and one more game. Super Bowl XLV will be played against the Green Bay Packers. They are a storied franchise with history on their side. After all, the prize for the winner is named for a former coach. And who doesn’t feel a little chill when you watch the old NFL films with the gladiator style of music and the narration, “They had to walk onto the frozen tundra at Lambeau field.” John Facenda is a missed presence, for sure. Just thinking about the Green Bay Packers speaks volumes of nostalgia and tradition and everything that is Super Bowl Sunday and football in February. It’s hard to believe they’ve only won three Super Bowl titles, the first two more than 40 years ago.
Fate or Destiny may be on their side more than Pittsburgh’s. The Packers were this year’s sixth seed team, knocking off seeds one, two, and three on their way to Dallas. You can’t look at them and say, “It can’t be done. No sixth seed has gone on the road to end up at the Super Bowl.” We’ve done it and won. As it stands, today, Green Bay is favored. But that just plays into the favor of Pittsburgh’s scheme. “Go in with our backs against the wall.”
If Green Bay wins, it will be their fourth Super Bowl title in four decades. They also have a slew of NFL Championships prior to the introduction of The Super Bowl in 1967 and Green Bay won that first one. There’s nothing storybook about that ending. Not if you want to romanticize it, like I do. And look at the other stories this team has told throughout the season. You have the rookie center, Maurkice Pouncey. In his first year he earned the starting position and has made the role his own. He has shown poise and confidence and has even earned a spot on the Pro Bowl roster. Although he sustained an injury in the AFC Championship game, expect him to finish out the season playing in Dallas. There's Aaron Smith, the Defensive End who has spent a majority of the season with a tricep injury. He is a presence on that field and the possibility of him dressing on any given Sunday has fans waiting with bated breath. There's the other veterans like Hines Ward who has mentored the new crop of Wide Receivers into playing pivotal roles in pass protection. Troy Polamalu's return from last year's injury to create explosive plays at the line of scrimmage, leaping over the line with precision timing to tackle the quarterback. Then there is the story of the forgotten quarterback, Charlie Batch. He has been dropped further down the depth chart and was thought to be on his way out when the interim starting quarterbacks both went down with injuries forcing the Steelers to rely on Batch to take the team to a 3-1 start in Roethlisberger's absence. Truly, this year has been nothing if not dramatic and well scripted.
The Final Note: Coach of the Year
The final note is something I touched on earlier. When I spoke of the Steelers I spoke of the players. When I spoke of The Jets, I spent more energy spouting Rex Ryan’s name. That’s because as head coach, Mike Tomlin does more but not saying as much. He doesn’t go out of his way to create media moments… though the press conference following the win over the Ravens left an impression as he put Bob Holtzman in his place for publishing an insider tip about the Steelers game plan for playing Baltimore.
He uses colorful analogies to describe things.
"The standard is the standard"
“War of attrition”
“Water scarcity”
“Great players defy scheme”
“By no means is he a lawn deer”
All of these are perfect examples of Tomlinisms. But in comparison to Rex Ryan, Mike Tomlin is the quiet killer. He says more with his eyes and doesn’t give you much more than the barest of details. He keeps it simple. He may be part Vulcan. Don’t quote me on that. He definitely has his emotions in check. After a year like 2010, it would be hard for most to do. Yet, I tagged this section as “Coach of the Year” for a reason. Belichick had a better record, but Tomlin is in the Super Bowl. Ryan had a better sound bite, but Tomlin is in the Super Bowl. Truth is, on paper Mike Tomlin’s team is very good and doesn’t come off as anything spectacular given their schedule. But take a step back and look at what Mike Tomlin has had to accomplish this year, in spite of everything, and if you ask me who I would want to have as a coach if the fate of the world rested on whether or not my team would win, I would pick Mike Tomlin 10 times out of 10.
Tomlin had to contend with losing his starting quarterback for, at most, six games. He lost two more quarterbacks before Ben came back. He had to deal with the league punishing hits with fines and penalties, Harrison’s threat to retire, a rookie center, a gap in wide receiver left by the Holmes trade, losing Aaron Smith in week seven, Max Starks in week nine, and Dan Sepulveda in week thirteen due to injury, replacing his kicker with one who has been cut by a heck of a lot of teams, and he never showed an ounce of sweat on his brow. To do all that and make the Super Bowl says something about a coach. When you look around the locker room and you take in all that has happened to this team in the course of a year and see Mike Tomlin show confidence and poise, you become confident. Mike Tomlin has shown he has the pulse and respect of this team and he deserves coach of the year. But, of course, he is probably not the odds on favorite. He is the underdog or maybe not even a consideration in most people’s minds and if he actually thought about the honor, that’s probably the way he would like it.
You’ve heard the story before.
“This team doesn’t have what it takes to get to the big game. “
“There’s no way they can win it all.”
Well, that’s just how they like it.
Think about it. The overall predictions at the beginning of the season were that Pittsburgh would be third in the division. Some had them closing out the season at 10-6. No one had them going to Super Bowl. Even Pittsburghers may have had some doubt about their team. After all, we had a disastrous 9-7 season in 2009, didn’t even make the playoffs due to being mathematically eliminated, we just traded our Super Bowl XLIII MVP to the New York Jets, lost DeShea Townsend to the Colts, and Willie Parker to the Redskins. We had already lost Bryant McFadden to the Cardinals and Larry Foote to the Lions, the year before, so the odds of us doing anything great were not good. (They had since come back in 2010) On top of all of that, our quarterback was suspended for the first six games due to off the field conduct policy violations. It was then reduced to four games but that gave us the potential of starting out the season 0-4, including a division loss to Baltimore.
Starting out the regular season we all felt like the world was against us. In the preseason, our interim starting QB, Byron Leftwich was injured. During week two of the regular season, midway through Roethlisberger’s suspension, backup QB, Dennis Dixon went down with an injury resulting in Charlie Batch being put back at the top of the depth chart.
In our first four games, the defense stepped up their efforts and the Steelers managed to go 3-1 with a division loss to Baltimore, after failing to convert a third down to run out the clock. Things were looking a little more up for the return of a quarterback that perhaps the fan didn’t want but thought they needed.
However, the biggest story of the season wasn’t the return and redemption of Big Ben, it was the witch hunt led by Roger Goodell against players who committed controversial hits. Undoubtedly, the first concern in the NFL is player safety, however when you plan to expand the regular season to 18 games and sell photos of these so-called “controversial hits” one may think that the first concern of the NFL is to make money. In fact, the NFL made over $100,000 just off of these fines and the biggest offender was considered James Harrison. Harrison was fined more than any other player, including more expensive fines for what he was considered as a repeat offender in certain cases. Granted, they have since been reduced but it really looked like Goodell has had it out for the Steelers.
And sometimes, that is what it takes. Sometimes, when the world wants to see you down, that’s when you shine the most. Ben played, as if he was trying to redeem himself by fire, working harder on the field than it appeared off the field to win back the fans’ trust. He sustained a broken foot, a broken nose, and several injuries in his quest for redemption. In a league where a player was fined for a tap to Peyton Manning’s head, Ben found himself having to shrug off the notion that he would draw any sympathy from the officials calling the games. Then again, this is also a league where very few quarterbacks put their own bodies on the line to get a first down, let alone a touchdown. Something Ben has done on occasion.
It might have been a foregone conclusion that Baltimore was going to win the division. That they would either win out or beat the Steelers for the chance at another AFC title was considered to be canon. If not, certainly the Colts, Jets, and favored Patriots would be there to stop them. It always seemed that the road to the Super Bowl went through Pittsburgh. That wasn’t the case in 2006 when Pittsburgh went in as a sixth seed and played four road games to go to Super Bowl XL. This year, it definitely wouldn’t be the case with New England looming on the horizon.
Now, a truly storybook ending for the Steelers would have been beating Baltimore for the Divisional Playoff and then facing down New England for all the AFC marbles. After all, except for a great shellacking on Halloween in 2004, Tom Brady and the Patriots have always had the Steelers number. In fact, in both of Pittsburgh’s Super Bowls with Ben at the helm, New England was already knocked out before Pittsburgh could play them. So, if you wanted to really romanticize this season, you would have had Pittsburgh coming back, despite all odds to win against New England this past Sunday. Enter Rex Ryan to foil romance.
A Tale of Two Cities: Destiny, Fate, or Coincidence
From day one, Rex Ryan set out to break convention. He’s loud. He’s brash. He spouts obscenity laden locker room speeches on HBO’s Hard Knocks. Ryan had led the Jets to the AFC championship last year, only to be defeated by the Colts. This year, Ryan had his own destiny on hand and beat the Colts in the first round of the playoffs. Then, tempting the football Gods even more, he had the audacity to march into Foxborough and try and upset Tom Brady’s attempt at a fourth Super Bowl. The Jets dismantled the Patriots and proved that maybe they are the road team that would repeat Pittsburgh’s goal of going on the road as a sixth seed and winning it all. To do that, he would have to go through Pittsburgh.
It shouldn’t have been hard. He had Pittsburgh’s number in week 15. His team forced a safety and managed to beat Pittsburgh in the regular season on the road. But it’s always harder to beat a team twice. In fact, some have called their first meeting as New York beating a vanilla Pittsburgh. Conspiracy theorists will claim that Dick LeBeau held back on showing all the cards because he knew that they would meet Rex Ryan and his Jets in the playoffs. And notice how in both of these comparisons I’ve called the Steelers by the team name or by some individual players while Rex Ryan is the predominant name assigned to all of the Jets fanfare. I’ll speak to that in a moment. That’s because Rex Ryan is the face of the Jets. A scary thought indeed. He manufactures his own hype and leaving the game to be won off the arm of Mark Sanchez, a quarterback who almost lost his job this season would be even scarier. The superstitious will throw out such theories that there was no way Pittsburgh could lose.
The Rule of Sevens: It would be the 7th win for Pittsburgh. Ben is number 7. It’s his 7th year. If you add Polamalu’s jersey numbers together you get 7. And on and on.
The Curse of Cope: Jets’ fans disrespected the Terrible Towel by stomping on it. Other teams have disrespected the unofficial flag of The Pittsburgh Steelers, only to suffer a similar fate. Not to mention, Sunday would have been Myron Cope’s 82nd birthday.
“Destiny is a fickle bitch.” Benjamin Linus said those words on LOST, another tale of redemption, scripted as destiny. Never were words truer than in the case of Rex Ryan. The Jets marched into Pittsburgh, confident of a win. Maybe overconfident. Santonio Holmes, feeling like he had something to prove, came back with a chip on his shoulder. Some analysts looked at the move to trade Holmes as a mistake, one the Steelers never backfilled. Holmes off the field actions cemented the decision. The once Super Bowl MVP was now considered a dangerous entity to the locker room. My thoughts are that if they would have kept Holmes, would we be where we are now? Would Holmes? I don’t mean planning his vacation after Conference loss. I mean would he have allowed the talents of Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown to grow or would his status be a hindrance. I feel that trading Santonio was best for both teams. It allowed us to move forward, developing three great wide receivers and it may have given him the spark he needed to get his life on track and do what he needed to do to become the player he was this year. So, in essence, he should thank Pittsburgh and we should thank him. The parting was beneficial for both parties.
Even further, was Ben’s incident in Milledgeville, GA, the wakeup call he needed? You can analyze his apologies and his off the field actions this year all you want. Just remember that he was given an opportunity as a rookie. It may have been a responsibility he was ready to handle as a player but not as an individual. The persona of Ben Roethlisberger may have been too big for him to carry as a 20 something. When kids go off to college, even the straight arrows, they tend to throw caution to the wind. They experiment, they shed their conventions and convictions, and they give into the environment they are thrust into at the time. They measure of their character is not whether they make the mistakes but if they learn from them and become a more rounded person. Has Ben learned something about the way a superstar needs to behave or is he merely experiencing the sensation of being pulled over for speeding? He’ll drive safely for awhile, obeying all the rules of the road. Then, after awhile the foot will fall more heavily on the pedal, and the thrill of going fast will suck him into his old ways, once more. I hope that he can see that he has a great opportunity and will take this as a second chance he may have not deserved.
Then again, would we be where we are had this not happened? Would Ben go out and play well and further alienate his fans and his team if he was not held to the standards he should be held to? Was the punishment befitting the crime because its severity scared him straight? If you look at what happened with Brett Favre you say, “He was a scapegoat for Goodell.” “Favre can do no wrong but Ben will always be the Black Sheep of the NFL.” After all, no charges were filed against Ben yet he was subject to nearly the fullest extent of the NFL’s rules. Perhaps Goodell will come out after the end of the season and say, “I did what I did in your best interests as a young man needing some tough love.” Cruel to be kind? Don’t believe it for a second.
That’s for the talk shows to further analyze and frankly, I’m done with the hating on Goodell. If anything, the Steelers have proven that, regardless what you can throw at them, Pittsburgh is a town that loves its team and the team loves a challenge. We love being the underdog. We are John Locke, “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” We know we are good enough and we’ve proven it. The best thing we can do is always play with our backs to the wall. The 70s showed a team that could win back to back Super Bowls twice. The 80s showed a team that had to answer for its dynasty by being cast as bums. The 90s saw a return to greatness and yet still having to deal with the past, losing to Dallas in Super Bowl XXX. The new millennium saw the inner workings of a sleeping giant ready to wake up and destroy all in its path. But with each win of a title, we followed it up with a down year. Ego and greatness are a juggling act and sometimes you cannot prove you are the best until you lose that title.
Consider this. Only two quarterbacks have won Super Bowls in Pittsburgh. Three Coaches have. That spans almost 40 years of history. The Steelers are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for appearances in the Super Bowl, eight apiece. The Steelers only serve to break their own record of winning Super Bowls. In fact, if they lose, they still hold the record for wins. San Francisco and Dallas are the other two teams tied with five Lombardi Trophies. In order, San Francisco is the only team to win every Super Bowl in which they have appeared, followed by Baltimore and the New York Jets who have one apiece.
60 Minutes To History
The storybook ending for this team has to contend with one more opponent and one more game. Super Bowl XLV will be played against the Green Bay Packers. They are a storied franchise with history on their side. After all, the prize for the winner is named for a former coach. And who doesn’t feel a little chill when you watch the old NFL films with the gladiator style of music and the narration, “They had to walk onto the frozen tundra at Lambeau field.” John Facenda is a missed presence, for sure. Just thinking about the Green Bay Packers speaks volumes of nostalgia and tradition and everything that is Super Bowl Sunday and football in February. It’s hard to believe they’ve only won three Super Bowl titles, the first two more than 40 years ago.
Fate or Destiny may be on their side more than Pittsburgh’s. The Packers were this year’s sixth seed team, knocking off seeds one, two, and three on their way to Dallas. You can’t look at them and say, “It can’t be done. No sixth seed has gone on the road to end up at the Super Bowl.” We’ve done it and won. As it stands, today, Green Bay is favored. But that just plays into the favor of Pittsburgh’s scheme. “Go in with our backs against the wall.”
If Green Bay wins, it will be their fourth Super Bowl title in four decades. They also have a slew of NFL Championships prior to the introduction of The Super Bowl in 1967 and Green Bay won that first one. There’s nothing storybook about that ending. Not if you want to romanticize it, like I do. And look at the other stories this team has told throughout the season. You have the rookie center, Maurkice Pouncey. In his first year he earned the starting position and has made the role his own. He has shown poise and confidence and has even earned a spot on the Pro Bowl roster. Although he sustained an injury in the AFC Championship game, expect him to finish out the season playing in Dallas. There's Aaron Smith, the Defensive End who has spent a majority of the season with a tricep injury. He is a presence on that field and the possibility of him dressing on any given Sunday has fans waiting with bated breath. There's the other veterans like Hines Ward who has mentored the new crop of Wide Receivers into playing pivotal roles in pass protection. Troy Polamalu's return from last year's injury to create explosive plays at the line of scrimmage, leaping over the line with precision timing to tackle the quarterback. Then there is the story of the forgotten quarterback, Charlie Batch. He has been dropped further down the depth chart and was thought to be on his way out when the interim starting quarterbacks both went down with injuries forcing the Steelers to rely on Batch to take the team to a 3-1 start in Roethlisberger's absence. Truly, this year has been nothing if not dramatic and well scripted.
The Final Note: Coach of the Year
The final note is something I touched on earlier. When I spoke of the Steelers I spoke of the players. When I spoke of The Jets, I spent more energy spouting Rex Ryan’s name. That’s because as head coach, Mike Tomlin does more but not saying as much. He doesn’t go out of his way to create media moments… though the press conference following the win over the Ravens left an impression as he put Bob Holtzman in his place for publishing an insider tip about the Steelers game plan for playing Baltimore.
He uses colorful analogies to describe things.
"The standard is the standard"
“War of attrition”
“Water scarcity”
“Great players defy scheme”
“By no means is he a lawn deer”
All of these are perfect examples of Tomlinisms. But in comparison to Rex Ryan, Mike Tomlin is the quiet killer. He says more with his eyes and doesn’t give you much more than the barest of details. He keeps it simple. He may be part Vulcan. Don’t quote me on that. He definitely has his emotions in check. After a year like 2010, it would be hard for most to do. Yet, I tagged this section as “Coach of the Year” for a reason. Belichick had a better record, but Tomlin is in the Super Bowl. Ryan had a better sound bite, but Tomlin is in the Super Bowl. Truth is, on paper Mike Tomlin’s team is very good and doesn’t come off as anything spectacular given their schedule. But take a step back and look at what Mike Tomlin has had to accomplish this year, in spite of everything, and if you ask me who I would want to have as a coach if the fate of the world rested on whether or not my team would win, I would pick Mike Tomlin 10 times out of 10.
Tomlin had to contend with losing his starting quarterback for, at most, six games. He lost two more quarterbacks before Ben came back. He had to deal with the league punishing hits with fines and penalties, Harrison’s threat to retire, a rookie center, a gap in wide receiver left by the Holmes trade, losing Aaron Smith in week seven, Max Starks in week nine, and Dan Sepulveda in week thirteen due to injury, replacing his kicker with one who has been cut by a heck of a lot of teams, and he never showed an ounce of sweat on his brow. To do all that and make the Super Bowl says something about a coach. When you look around the locker room and you take in all that has happened to this team in the course of a year and see Mike Tomlin show confidence and poise, you become confident. Mike Tomlin has shown he has the pulse and respect of this team and he deserves coach of the year. But, of course, he is probably not the odds on favorite. He is the underdog or maybe not even a consideration in most people’s minds and if he actually thought about the honor, that’s probably the way he would like it.
Monday, December 20, 2010
2010 D-Bag Awards Round One: Jock D-Bags
First up are the playmakers and d-baggers of the sports world. We’ve got infidelity, drunken antics, pictures of winkies being texted, team changers, and a power tripping commissioner.
Tiger Woods
His biggest act of dickery came in 2009. He had cheated on his wife, Elin Nordgren and completely destroyed his persona of this elite golfer with a genial appeal. 2010 kicked off with the discovery of many different women Tiger had given the long ball to. Making matters worse, Tiger had a subpar year in golf, missing the cut at the Masters and various low placing spots in the other Majors events. There was also the creepy, egotistical ad campaign from Nike involving a video which featured narration by his Dad, the late Earl Woods. Did he learn anything? Probably not. It will be some time before Tiger returns to form. Of course, if he were to retire tomorrow, he’d still be able to live lavishly.
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben can look back at 2009, from a professional standpoint and be proud. His personal stats were phenomenal, breaking franchise records left and right. Even though the Steelers failed to make the playoffs, Ben’s performance rating was great, overall. However, off the field his antics in a Georgia bar landed him in the hot seat which kicked off 2010 with an investigation into possible sex assault charges, which were dropped due to lack of evidence, and a four game suspension, which was upheld due to lack of common sense by the NFL and fellow nominee Roger Goodell. But Ben has made good on his suspension, completing whatever steps he needed to earn his way back into the good graces of the league. Even if there are chants of “No means no!” in the event that Ben plays in his third Super Bowl appearance in February, you cannot argue that Ben is a tough as nails player, shrugging off a broken foot, broken nose, a inexperienced and struggling offensive line, and the constant evil eyes he gets from those who feel he was guilty of a crime in order to continually win games for his team. You have to wonder if maybe he’s playing at this level and through the adversity in order to redeem himself in the eyes of his team and his fans. Odds are, if he hoists a Lombardi trophy in Dallas, this coming February, he’s probably going to be given a pass. I won’t say that I, personally, have not forgiven him for his attitude off the field but, I’m just glad he got rid of that stupid haircut. He may still be a lifelong d-bag and only the off season will tell.
LeBron James
James played in Cleveland for seven years without bringing home a championship. In July, he became a free agent and began being courted by other teams in the NBA. His biggest dick move came from holding a televised special announcing his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami. Now, free agency is what it is. I am not bothered by the fact that LeBron left Cleveland. I am bothered by the fact that he informed his employers just minutes before the LIVE telecast and wasted all of America’s time with such a piece of self-inflated egotistical douchebaggery.
LeBron Interview and Decision
Brett Favre
When it comes time for Brett Favre to be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame, no one will deny his deserving of being there, not even me. However, the fact that he should have retired um, 1000 times already makes him the number one sports douchebag in my book, alone. How many times will he make the world wait to see if he’ll decide to leave the farm and go to camp? How many backup quarterbacks will join teams hoping for a legitimate shot of starting, only to have Brett say, “Hmm, should I retire? Hmmm, naaaaahhh!” Then again, how many times are we going to have to use bleach on our minds to scrub away the image of Little Brett being texted to Jen Sterger? The QB supposedly sent inappropriate texts, including one of his Mini Viking to Sterger in 2008, along with voice mails. He admitted to the voice mails but denied he was the one who sent the texts. Whether he acted on all those bad intentions he had, this much is for sure. The lack of disciplinary action against Favre for these acts just makes Roger Goodell look more and more like the king of all d-bags.
Derek Jeter
Love them or hate them, the Yankees are an elite ball club. They play to win, even if they have to cheat to do it. Back in September, a pitch bounced off the end of Jeter’s bat and Jeter pretended to be hit. He even had the trainer look at his arm in an effort to sell his injury. Taking his base gave the Yankees a chance to score, helping their race to the playoffs. While Instant Replay isn’t used in baseball in this fashion, repeated viewings of the clip, clearly shows the bat being hit and Jeter admitted as much, later. So, is what he did cheating or just part of the game? Yeah, his job is to get on base and help his team win games, but what does that say to all the impressionable young fans and players he has become a role model to? Win at all costs and don’t get caught. Bud Selig should take a page out of Goodell’s book and start fining players for poor sportsmanship. Then again, the Yankees would probably get preferential treatment like certain Hair Club For Men Members QB’ing up North.
And The Winner – LeBron James
LeBron may not have cheated in basketball, assaulted anyone, sent inappropriate pictures of himself or cheated on his wife, like the others, but his actions involving his decision to leave Cleveland were ridiculous. The town is not the greatest, I get that. But they welcomed you in 2003 and cheered you on, buying merchandise with your number and likeness. In turn, just because you didn’t get that brass ring, you decided that their devotion was second or third rate and jumped ship to a better team. And you did for the publicity. You went on live television and indirectly declared that your decision to go to Miami should more important and newsworthy than a war in Afghanistan, a environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, a natural disaster in Haiti, and any number of issues this country has faced coming out of the recession. Kudos LeBron, you are the biggest D-Bag of this round.
Honorable mention time
I wanted to limit the category to five nominees but had to at least mention Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills because he blamed God for him dropping a game winning catch against the Steelers. And to top it all off, he did it over Twitter. Granted, the continual praising and thanking of God for anyone’s abilities to make millions of dollars to play a sport has become so blasé that it demeans a higher power and comes off as inauthentic. However, blasted said higher power and the fact that you did it over a social network like Twitter just makes you look like a complete ass.
Tiger Woods
His biggest act of dickery came in 2009. He had cheated on his wife, Elin Nordgren and completely destroyed his persona of this elite golfer with a genial appeal. 2010 kicked off with the discovery of many different women Tiger had given the long ball to. Making matters worse, Tiger had a subpar year in golf, missing the cut at the Masters and various low placing spots in the other Majors events. There was also the creepy, egotistical ad campaign from Nike involving a video which featured narration by his Dad, the late Earl Woods. Did he learn anything? Probably not. It will be some time before Tiger returns to form. Of course, if he were to retire tomorrow, he’d still be able to live lavishly.
Tiger Woods Commercial Narrated By His Late Father
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben can look back at 2009, from a professional standpoint and be proud. His personal stats were phenomenal, breaking franchise records left and right. Even though the Steelers failed to make the playoffs, Ben’s performance rating was great, overall. However, off the field his antics in a Georgia bar landed him in the hot seat which kicked off 2010 with an investigation into possible sex assault charges, which were dropped due to lack of evidence, and a four game suspension, which was upheld due to lack of common sense by the NFL and fellow nominee Roger Goodell. But Ben has made good on his suspension, completing whatever steps he needed to earn his way back into the good graces of the league. Even if there are chants of “No means no!” in the event that Ben plays in his third Super Bowl appearance in February, you cannot argue that Ben is a tough as nails player, shrugging off a broken foot, broken nose, a inexperienced and struggling offensive line, and the constant evil eyes he gets from those who feel he was guilty of a crime in order to continually win games for his team. You have to wonder if maybe he’s playing at this level and through the adversity in order to redeem himself in the eyes of his team and his fans. Odds are, if he hoists a Lombardi trophy in Dallas, this coming February, he’s probably going to be given a pass. I won’t say that I, personally, have not forgiven him for his attitude off the field but, I’m just glad he got rid of that stupid haircut. He may still be a lifelong d-bag and only the off season will tell.
Big Ben Story on WTAE
LeBron James
James played in Cleveland for seven years without bringing home a championship. In July, he became a free agent and began being courted by other teams in the NBA. His biggest dick move came from holding a televised special announcing his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami. Now, free agency is what it is. I am not bothered by the fact that LeBron left Cleveland. I am bothered by the fact that he informed his employers just minutes before the LIVE telecast and wasted all of America’s time with such a piece of self-inflated egotistical douchebaggery.
LeBron Interview and Decision
Brett Favre
When it comes time for Brett Favre to be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame, no one will deny his deserving of being there, not even me. However, the fact that he should have retired um, 1000 times already makes him the number one sports douchebag in my book, alone. How many times will he make the world wait to see if he’ll decide to leave the farm and go to camp? How many backup quarterbacks will join teams hoping for a legitimate shot of starting, only to have Brett say, “Hmm, should I retire? Hmmm, naaaaahhh!” Then again, how many times are we going to have to use bleach on our minds to scrub away the image of Little Brett being texted to Jen Sterger? The QB supposedly sent inappropriate texts, including one of his Mini Viking to Sterger in 2008, along with voice mails. He admitted to the voice mails but denied he was the one who sent the texts. Whether he acted on all those bad intentions he had, this much is for sure. The lack of disciplinary action against Favre for these acts just makes Roger Goodell look more and more like the king of all d-bags.
Pants on the Ground Foreshadowing?
Derek Jeter
Love them or hate them, the Yankees are an elite ball club. They play to win, even if they have to cheat to do it. Back in September, a pitch bounced off the end of Jeter’s bat and Jeter pretended to be hit. He even had the trainer look at his arm in an effort to sell his injury. Taking his base gave the Yankees a chance to score, helping their race to the playoffs. While Instant Replay isn’t used in baseball in this fashion, repeated viewings of the clip, clearly shows the bat being hit and Jeter admitted as much, later. So, is what he did cheating or just part of the game? Yeah, his job is to get on base and help his team win games, but what does that say to all the impressionable young fans and players he has become a role model to? Win at all costs and don’t get caught. Bud Selig should take a page out of Goodell’s book and start fining players for poor sportsmanship. Then again, the Yankees would probably get preferential treatment like certain Hair Club For Men Members QB’ing up North.
Jeter Cheeter
And The Winner – LeBron James
LeBron may not have cheated in basketball, assaulted anyone, sent inappropriate pictures of himself or cheated on his wife, like the others, but his actions involving his decision to leave Cleveland were ridiculous. The town is not the greatest, I get that. But they welcomed you in 2003 and cheered you on, buying merchandise with your number and likeness. In turn, just because you didn’t get that brass ring, you decided that their devotion was second or third rate and jumped ship to a better team. And you did for the publicity. You went on live television and indirectly declared that your decision to go to Miami should more important and newsworthy than a war in Afghanistan, a environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, a natural disaster in Haiti, and any number of issues this country has faced coming out of the recession. Kudos LeBron, you are the biggest D-Bag of this round.
Honorable mention time
I wanted to limit the category to five nominees but had to at least mention Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills because he blamed God for him dropping a game winning catch against the Steelers. And to top it all off, he did it over Twitter. Granted, the continual praising and thanking of God for anyone’s abilities to make millions of dollars to play a sport has become so blasé that it demeans a higher power and comes off as inauthentic. However, blasted said higher power and the fact that you did it over a social network like Twitter just makes you look like a complete ass.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Natch Batch
Pittsburgh Steelers football is a way of life around these parts. Their fans travel well. Just look at all the Terrible Towels that were flying in Tampa. We’re nicer, too. You’d never see us throw snowballs at Santa Claus. If you happen to be travelling, you can usually find a Steelers bar in any town across America to watch a game. For a team to have such a nationwide presence it’s hard to believe that The Steelers were not picked to be America’s Team. Actually, they were. Art Rooney turned down the honor. He said, “We’re not America’s Team. We’re Pittsburgh’s Team.” That they are. The fact that so many Pittsburghers had to leave after the collapse of the steel industry makes for a widespread fan base. A lot of displaced Pittsburghers now live in cities all around the country and have carried their love for the six time Super Bowl champs with them. They passed it on to their children, who are now passing it on to their children. Steelers Nation may look Red White and Blue but they bleed Black & Gold.
Steeler fans have loved the team through the lean years, and contrary to their trophy case and record since the 70s, the Steelers were an awful team for the first 40 or so years. And regardless of what issues come up, deep down our love of a team is greater than any individual player’s faults. It’s no surprise that The Steelers are still 3-0 despite losing two quarterbacks to injuries and one to suspension. The team rallies around itself and patches up the holes left in the wake of injury. They are like liquid, able to fill a container with no empty space. The defense has proven their worth over these past three games and it should be noted that having Troy Polamalu back on the field has added a much needed line of defense.
But, how quick we are to forget that in the early weeks of the year, perhaps beginning at training camp, one of their own was considered a lost cause. Charlie Batch has been with the Steelers since 2002, always in a backup capacity. Regardless to being prone to injury, a game in the hands of Batch has always been considered manageable and winnable. Batch has the poise and the wisdom of a veteran and is not likely to fall apart under pressure. When it was said that Byron Leftwich was rejoining the Steelers, some asked, “What about Batch?” With Ben as the starter and Byron competing with Dennis Dixon for the number two spot, that leaves Charlie up in the air. Will he be cut? Can he compete, at the age of 35, for a spot on the depth chart? Why is the man, who has been number two since Ben Roethlisberger became the starter, suddenly on his way out?
“He’s 35 and prone to injury.” That’s the party line. Yes, Batch has suffered a lot of injuries in his years. But, then again, look at how many times he has had to fill in because Ben was injured. So, let’s not look at how prone to injury Batch is, let’s look at how prone he is to coming in when needed and doing what has to be done. In most cases, he wins. In fact, he Batch Slapped the Buccaneers, throwing for 186 yards, rushing for 24 in a 38-13 win with three TDs, two interceptions, and no sacks giving him a 106.5 passer rating. Not bad for a guy who was staring down a pink slip.
If I was given the choice of who I would want on the back of a Steelers jersey, Batch would be a close second. The first choice would be Troy and duking it out for the second spot would be Charlie and Jerome Bettis. Charlie would probably win out because he is a home town boy. He is a true Pittsburgher. He is reliable. He is dependable. He is an all around class act. During halftime he goes out and saves nun filled busses from going over cliffs, solves the economy, feeds homeless, reads to blind children, and then comes back refreshed for the second half. He should have had to fight for a spot on this team.
In fact, he didn’t. In training camp, Batch did not get as many looks as Dixon or Leftwich, probably due to the fact that Batch was a solid player with understanding of the playbook and would likely be third string in Ben’s absence. They also did not want to get him injured during camp and pre-season. Was there some psychic readings going on here? Also, the sports media all gave up on Charlie. The common theme was that Charlie’s too old and too fragile. He will not make the team. It’s a shame. I have said, time and time again, if our starting quarterback were to go down, I would want Charlie in to manage the game. I have that much faith in a 35 year old quarterback. I’m 35 and I don’t trust myself with a plastic knife, sometimes. So, when Byron Leftwich went down in preseason and Dennis Dixon went down in week two. Who was left? Charlie Batch.
Once again, that team cohesiveness comes into play. Where an offensive line would only need to give Ben enough time to make a play or pull one out of his ass, he is pretty good at protecting himself. Dennis Dixon is also a strong scrambler, usually relying on his feet more so than his arm. Now, with Batch in the game, the offensive line has a renewed commitment to protecting the QB. He’s the only we have left for two more weeks. And even then, he’s the backup. I say keep Charlie primed and ready to go. Ben will be undoubtedly rusty. He has practiced with the team since preseason. It is likely that his rhythm will be off as he hasn’t been put in real game decisions at full speed with the bone crushing defenses coming at him. It’s only fitting that his first appearance will be pretty much a tune up game against Cleveland. No worries there, right?
In my opinion, which coupled with $0.50 will get you half a Coke, this team will need Charlie Batch to make the playoffs. In fact, this team has the makings of being a seven times champion. When Dennis and Byron come back, it is problematic to justify Charlie’s spot on the team. However, I would think that if karma has taught us anything this season, losing Batch would be a big mistake. I would like to see Charlie go out a winner, responsible for at least three wins this season. I want to see him go out with a third Super Bowl ring, the biggest of any of the others. He should get to decide what it looks like. If you had to construct a personification of this team from the parts of the players on it, you would take Ben’s arms, Troy’s hair, Harrison’s backbone, Hines’ heart, Mendenhall’s feet, Hampton’s girth, Stark’s voice, LeBeau’s brain, Tomlin’s stare, Reed’s toe, Sepulvada’s shoulders and Batch’s will. It would be a very hairy and quite possibly ugliest thing alive, but you would never question its determination to give 110% every time, even if you sat it on the bench, all season long. In times of doubt and worry, the answer is clear. Natch Batch.
Steeler fans have loved the team through the lean years, and contrary to their trophy case and record since the 70s, the Steelers were an awful team for the first 40 or so years. And regardless of what issues come up, deep down our love of a team is greater than any individual player’s faults. It’s no surprise that The Steelers are still 3-0 despite losing two quarterbacks to injuries and one to suspension. The team rallies around itself and patches up the holes left in the wake of injury. They are like liquid, able to fill a container with no empty space. The defense has proven their worth over these past three games and it should be noted that having Troy Polamalu back on the field has added a much needed line of defense.
But, how quick we are to forget that in the early weeks of the year, perhaps beginning at training camp, one of their own was considered a lost cause. Charlie Batch has been with the Steelers since 2002, always in a backup capacity. Regardless to being prone to injury, a game in the hands of Batch has always been considered manageable and winnable. Batch has the poise and the wisdom of a veteran and is not likely to fall apart under pressure. When it was said that Byron Leftwich was rejoining the Steelers, some asked, “What about Batch?” With Ben as the starter and Byron competing with Dennis Dixon for the number two spot, that leaves Charlie up in the air. Will he be cut? Can he compete, at the age of 35, for a spot on the depth chart? Why is the man, who has been number two since Ben Roethlisberger became the starter, suddenly on his way out?
“He’s 35 and prone to injury.” That’s the party line. Yes, Batch has suffered a lot of injuries in his years. But, then again, look at how many times he has had to fill in because Ben was injured. So, let’s not look at how prone to injury Batch is, let’s look at how prone he is to coming in when needed and doing what has to be done. In most cases, he wins. In fact, he Batch Slapped the Buccaneers, throwing for 186 yards, rushing for 24 in a 38-13 win with three TDs, two interceptions, and no sacks giving him a 106.5 passer rating. Not bad for a guy who was staring down a pink slip.
If I was given the choice of who I would want on the back of a Steelers jersey, Batch would be a close second. The first choice would be Troy and duking it out for the second spot would be Charlie and Jerome Bettis. Charlie would probably win out because he is a home town boy. He is a true Pittsburgher. He is reliable. He is dependable. He is an all around class act. During halftime he goes out and saves nun filled busses from going over cliffs, solves the economy, feeds homeless, reads to blind children, and then comes back refreshed for the second half. He should have had to fight for a spot on this team.
In fact, he didn’t. In training camp, Batch did not get as many looks as Dixon or Leftwich, probably due to the fact that Batch was a solid player with understanding of the playbook and would likely be third string in Ben’s absence. They also did not want to get him injured during camp and pre-season. Was there some psychic readings going on here? Also, the sports media all gave up on Charlie. The common theme was that Charlie’s too old and too fragile. He will not make the team. It’s a shame. I have said, time and time again, if our starting quarterback were to go down, I would want Charlie in to manage the game. I have that much faith in a 35 year old quarterback. I’m 35 and I don’t trust myself with a plastic knife, sometimes. So, when Byron Leftwich went down in preseason and Dennis Dixon went down in week two. Who was left? Charlie Batch.
Once again, that team cohesiveness comes into play. Where an offensive line would only need to give Ben enough time to make a play or pull one out of his ass, he is pretty good at protecting himself. Dennis Dixon is also a strong scrambler, usually relying on his feet more so than his arm. Now, with Batch in the game, the offensive line has a renewed commitment to protecting the QB. He’s the only we have left for two more weeks. And even then, he’s the backup. I say keep Charlie primed and ready to go. Ben will be undoubtedly rusty. He has practiced with the team since preseason. It is likely that his rhythm will be off as he hasn’t been put in real game decisions at full speed with the bone crushing defenses coming at him. It’s only fitting that his first appearance will be pretty much a tune up game against Cleveland. No worries there, right?
In my opinion, which coupled with $0.50 will get you half a Coke, this team will need Charlie Batch to make the playoffs. In fact, this team has the makings of being a seven times champion. When Dennis and Byron come back, it is problematic to justify Charlie’s spot on the team. However, I would think that if karma has taught us anything this season, losing Batch would be a big mistake. I would like to see Charlie go out a winner, responsible for at least three wins this season. I want to see him go out with a third Super Bowl ring, the biggest of any of the others. He should get to decide what it looks like. If you had to construct a personification of this team from the parts of the players on it, you would take Ben’s arms, Troy’s hair, Harrison’s backbone, Hines’ heart, Mendenhall’s feet, Hampton’s girth, Stark’s voice, LeBeau’s brain, Tomlin’s stare, Reed’s toe, Sepulvada’s shoulders and Batch’s will. It would be a very hairy and quite possibly ugliest thing alive, but you would never question its determination to give 110% every time, even if you sat it on the bench, all season long. In times of doubt and worry, the answer is clear. Natch Batch.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Someone Throw A Flag At Roger Goodell
Ok, here we are, gearing up for Week Three and Pittsburgh is down to one uninjured quarterback, Charlie Batch. Guess what? As much as I love Batch as a reliable quarterback who can manage a game, he is prone to injury. He’s been injured a lot over the last million years. But he’s still good and he’s our guy. So, how can the Steelers, who are now 2-0 and alone at the top of the AFC North keep winning when we are averaging a lost quarterback a game? It’s called defense. It’s called Troy Polamalu. It’s called Jeff Reed earning his paycheck by being the leading scorer on this team. And who is to blame for all this mess? You thought I was going to say Ben Roethlisberger, didn’t you?
No, I don’t hold Ben accountable for this debacle of a “so far” winning season. I hold Roger Goodell responsible. Why? Because he suspended Ben Roethlisberger for being a douche bag. Read what I just said there. He suspended Ben, not for committing any actual crimes, but for being a putz who let his fame corrupt his character. Whether or not he actually sexually assaulted anyone is not what’s being called out here. I am calling out Goodell because he punished a quarterback, a team, and a city. He punished an entire roster of players, two of which have been hurt doing the job Ben is better at doing. He is punishing an entire city of fans that bleed black and gold. This is a man who wants to have an extended season of 18 games, yet is trying to curb injuries to players and reduce later in life problems resulting in the constant pounding of players on the field.
Now, some will say Ben deserved what happened to him. I might agree with you. But what I don’t agree with is the severity of Ben’s punishment compared against the leniency or overall lack of punishment for players who actually broke the law. Let’s look at Goodell’s greatest hits and misses.
Ben Roethlisberger – Quarterback For The Pittsburgh Steelers
Crime - Twice accused of sexually assaulting women, overall d-baggery “All you bitches take my shot” is second only to “All Your Base Are Belong To Us” as best use of English in the media, allowing his ego and fame to continually put him situations that could result in conduct unbecoming of a NFL Quarterback and human being. Never charged.
Result – Six game suspension (reduced to four by the gregarious Goodell), not allowed to practice, dress or be on the sidelines, have any contact with players, or fans, or women under the 21 and the influence of alcohol. Can’t talk to teammates about football or anything football related. Persona Non Grata in the downtown area.
Braylon Edwards – Wide Receiver For The New York Jets
Crime - Arrested and charged with DWI while already on probation for a bar fight in Cleveland, which he pleaded no contest to and avoided suspension.
Result – Suspended one game, but is allowed to dress and be on the sidelines.
Shaun Rogers – Defensive Lineman For The Cleveland Browns
Crime – Carried a loaded handgun into an airport with the intent to board a plane, which should be a felony, I believe.
Result – No suspension. $400,000 fine.
Vince Young – Quarterback For The Tennessee Titans
Crime – Caught on tape in a fight at a strip club. Well, let’s see Strip Clubs and Fighting are exemplary conduct for a role model quarterback, right?
Result – Nothing. No suspension. No Fine.
Cedric Benson – Running Back For The Cincinnatti Bengals
Crime – Punched a bartender in the face and was charged with misdemeanor assault. This follows a sordid past with authorities as he was arrested twice in 2008, once for boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, and then additionally he was arrested for DWI.
Result – The Bears released him after the second incident in five weeks back in 2009. However, he has yet to receive a suspension in his latest fracas and will probably not receive one although he has shown a pattern of behavior that goes against the conduct policy.
Ronnie Fields – Defensive Lineman For The Denver Broncos
Crime – Arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon in May of 2010
Result – None yet, but consider that the incident involving Ben came out in March and he was suspended in April. It’s been almost five months and no decision on Ronnie Fields.
Hey Goodell, how many times are you going to look the other way or fail to act after setting this precedence with Ben? Seems like you are not holding up your end of the bargain of holding players accountable for their actions. How many guns have to be involved in incidences? How many people have to be killed in accidents involving drunk driving players? So far, you’ve been lucky, but let’s stop acting all high and mighty, suspending a guy for acting like a dick (no charges filed) and go after some real criminals. Maybe, the tale of Plaxico Burress should be a lesson for all players. The only reason he’s not playing is because he’s still in jail and the only one injured in his arrest was himself. But how many players get a pass or a fine, which is a joke considering their salary, instead of real punishment?
Someone throw a flag. Goodell is offsides!
No, I don’t hold Ben accountable for this debacle of a “so far” winning season. I hold Roger Goodell responsible. Why? Because he suspended Ben Roethlisberger for being a douche bag. Read what I just said there. He suspended Ben, not for committing any actual crimes, but for being a putz who let his fame corrupt his character. Whether or not he actually sexually assaulted anyone is not what’s being called out here. I am calling out Goodell because he punished a quarterback, a team, and a city. He punished an entire roster of players, two of which have been hurt doing the job Ben is better at doing. He is punishing an entire city of fans that bleed black and gold. This is a man who wants to have an extended season of 18 games, yet is trying to curb injuries to players and reduce later in life problems resulting in the constant pounding of players on the field.
Now, some will say Ben deserved what happened to him. I might agree with you. But what I don’t agree with is the severity of Ben’s punishment compared against the leniency or overall lack of punishment for players who actually broke the law. Let’s look at Goodell’s greatest hits and misses.
Ben Roethlisberger – Quarterback For The Pittsburgh Steelers
Crime - Twice accused of sexually assaulting women, overall d-baggery “All you bitches take my shot” is second only to “All Your Base Are Belong To Us” as best use of English in the media, allowing his ego and fame to continually put him situations that could result in conduct unbecoming of a NFL Quarterback and human being. Never charged.
Result – Six game suspension (reduced to four by the gregarious Goodell), not allowed to practice, dress or be on the sidelines, have any contact with players, or fans, or women under the 21 and the influence of alcohol. Can’t talk to teammates about football or anything football related. Persona Non Grata in the downtown area.
Braylon Edwards – Wide Receiver For The New York Jets
Crime - Arrested and charged with DWI while already on probation for a bar fight in Cleveland, which he pleaded no contest to and avoided suspension.
Result – Suspended one game, but is allowed to dress and be on the sidelines.
Shaun Rogers – Defensive Lineman For The Cleveland Browns
Crime – Carried a loaded handgun into an airport with the intent to board a plane, which should be a felony, I believe.
Result – No suspension. $400,000 fine.
Vince Young – Quarterback For The Tennessee Titans
Crime – Caught on tape in a fight at a strip club. Well, let’s see Strip Clubs and Fighting are exemplary conduct for a role model quarterback, right?
Result – Nothing. No suspension. No Fine.
Cedric Benson – Running Back For The Cincinnatti Bengals
Crime – Punched a bartender in the face and was charged with misdemeanor assault. This follows a sordid past with authorities as he was arrested twice in 2008, once for boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, and then additionally he was arrested for DWI.
Result – The Bears released him after the second incident in five weeks back in 2009. However, he has yet to receive a suspension in his latest fracas and will probably not receive one although he has shown a pattern of behavior that goes against the conduct policy.
Ronnie Fields – Defensive Lineman For The Denver Broncos
Crime – Arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon in May of 2010
Result – None yet, but consider that the incident involving Ben came out in March and he was suspended in April. It’s been almost five months and no decision on Ronnie Fields.
Hey Goodell, how many times are you going to look the other way or fail to act after setting this precedence with Ben? Seems like you are not holding up your end of the bargain of holding players accountable for their actions. How many guns have to be involved in incidences? How many people have to be killed in accidents involving drunk driving players? So far, you’ve been lucky, but let’s stop acting all high and mighty, suspending a guy for acting like a dick (no charges filed) and go after some real criminals. Maybe, the tale of Plaxico Burress should be a lesson for all players. The only reason he’s not playing is because he’s still in jail and the only one injured in his arrest was himself. But how many players get a pass or a fine, which is a joke considering their salary, instead of real punishment?
Someone throw a flag. Goodell is offsides!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Off To See The Wizard
When a man’s been given suspension
For creating a lot of tension
With help on the media’s part.
And whether he committed a crime
He still has to do his time
So, Ben won’t get to start.
Please hold your applause.
Ben Roethlisberger, love him or hate him, is the backbone of the Steelers offense. Yet he won’t play for what will probably be a month after all is said and done. When the QB went down to Georgia and caused a ruckus in a bar bathroom resulting in a alleged sexual assault of a woman under the age of 21 he brought down the full fury of Roger Goodell on him. The result was a maximum six game suspension for violating the league’s conduct policy. Now, Ben and a few of his friends are off to see the wizard named Goodell to see about asking for a reduction of that suspension. It was possible that it could have been reduced to four games which is widely been reported due to Ben’s turnaround in character. He is going to ask the wizard for a further reduction to possibly three games. A: Do you think he deserves the full six games? B: Do you think he deserves less? C: Do you care? D: Is Goodell off his rocker to start?
Regardless of whether or not Ben did anything wrong, no charges were filed and in the courts that results in no crime being committed. If he did do anything wrong he’s certainly been given enough time to reflect on his choices as a young superstar quarterback with two Super Bowl rings and a multimillion dollar contract to his name. This should be a wakeup call and it might have been the one he needed. It certainly wasn’t the motorcycle crash that took place the summer after Super Bowl win number one and it wasn’t the allegations of sexual assault charges that came crashing down on him after Super Bowl win number two, although the alleged incident occurred in the previous year. I’m actually afraid of what might happen if Pittsburgh wins another Super Bowl. He might die in some weird motorcycle accident after crashing into a bar bathroom while trying to have sex on his bike.
Notwithstanding the lack of charges, the punishment handed down from the NFL commissioner may fit the supposed crime. What Ben DID do was fail to represent the caliber of an individual who is privileged enough to be in his shoes. A role model to young children and athletes, he tarnished his choir boy image of a family and religion oriented hero and sullied the already disintegrating image of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over the years, the Steelers have been a number of things. They’ve been winners, losers and average Joes in their 75 plus years in the league. Throughout it all, many have perceived the image of the Steelers as a blue collar working man’s team. One that is more appropriately described as America’s team than the Cowboys are. They have always appeared to rise above the general BS that has made the National Football League appear more like a prison league than professional one in recent years.
But that was the past. Recent seasons have been plagued by kickers trying to take a swing at police officers, a former wide receiver tweeting remarks about a woman he allegedly assaulted and being arrested for possession of drugs, and various other accusations of assault, both domestic and sexual. None of these were more high profile than Ben’s off the field conduct which landed him no formal charges but a suspension for the beginning of the season.
Now, with the preseason over, the job for starting quarterback in Pittsburgh has come into question. We had Dennis Dixon, Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch all trading snaps during preseason. With Ben out for four or six games the Steelers need a strong leader in there to ensure that when Ben gets handed the keys he can keep the momentum going for the rest of the season. The forgone conclusion was that Leftwich would be starter in Week One, but last night’s final preseason game left us with only two quarterbacks. Leftwich sustained a knee injury that could put him on the bench for most of Ben’s suspension. Dixon, who is a good scrambler, failed to show real promise after a dismal preseason loss against Denver. He either doesn’t know the playbook or is relying too heavily on his feet instead of his arm. Charlie Batch is a dependable quarterback, when he’s healthy. The 13 year veteran has been out with a lot of injuries during his career. He’s also 35 and been passed over in training camp. One wonders if he was simply not a choice for the temporary starting position or if the coaching staff knew they could rely on Batch and wanted to keep him healthy, just in case. That “Just In Case” scenario has presented itself with Leftwich’s injury. What to do for Sunday?
But this whole drama was predicated by Ben Roethlisberger’s conduct off the field and he has the burden of knowing that the Steelers are lost without him and ultimately in this mess because of him. It’s nice to be needed but horrible to be the reason for the need. Right or wrong, Ben screwed up, but his actions are only slightly more reprehensible than those of the man who deemed him a shame to the conduct policy. Roger Goodell has completely overstepped the sanity line by handing down such a punishment. Should Ben have been punished even though no “crime” was “committed?” Absolutely. He should have had this wakeup call but Goodell isn’t being consistent in his doling out of punishment. He is about as consistent and reasonable at handing out punishments as the MPAA is at handing out ratings for films.
Vince Young and Shaun Rogers are prime examples. In both of these cases, there was a clear and present violation of those much revered “conduct policies” that Goodell delivered from the Mount. If anything, they were cut and dry violations of the law. Rogers carried a loaded gun into an airport and attempted to get on a plane. He gets a fine of around $400,000. Gee, that hurt. Young was caught on tape in a fight at a strip club. He was given no punishment, whatsoever. Boy, Roger, can you explain why Roethlisberger was given a six game suspension over allegedly assaulting a woman in a bar bathroom? Forget that he might have done it. Forget all the personal problems Ben has going on, take Goodells punishment as it pertains to the actual crime or lack thereof. Had Ben been charged and convicted, he should have been gone. End of story. The fact police did not find enough evidence to charge him gives him reasonable doubt and the possibility of a “he said / she said” scenario. In that case, give him a fine and a one game suspension. But to punish an entire team over a lack credible evidence and hearsay is ridiculous when you have another quarterback caught on tape in a brawl and defensive lineman arrested for carrying a gun into an airport. That’s a felony! What, because he later assisted in the arrest of a drunk driver, he should be commended?
So, today, Ben is meeting with Goodell to discuss the suspension and ask for leniency. What he should ask is why Vince Young and Shaun Rogers are suiting up on Sunday and he’s going to be watching the Steelers struggle against Atlanta. Perhaps if Roethlisberger had dressed up in a mask and cape and nabbed some bad guys around town, Goodell would be impressed. Whether or not he is sincere in his actions, Roethlisberger has shown that he is taking this seriously and has been a good boy. Perhaps if he brought Roger the Wicked Witch of the West’s broom to the meeting, it would help.
For creating a lot of tension
With help on the media’s part.
And whether he committed a crime
He still has to do his time
So, Ben won’t get to start.
Please hold your applause.
Ben Roethlisberger, love him or hate him, is the backbone of the Steelers offense. Yet he won’t play for what will probably be a month after all is said and done. When the QB went down to Georgia and caused a ruckus in a bar bathroom resulting in a alleged sexual assault of a woman under the age of 21 he brought down the full fury of Roger Goodell on him. The result was a maximum six game suspension for violating the league’s conduct policy. Now, Ben and a few of his friends are off to see the wizard named Goodell to see about asking for a reduction of that suspension. It was possible that it could have been reduced to four games which is widely been reported due to Ben’s turnaround in character. He is going to ask the wizard for a further reduction to possibly three games. A: Do you think he deserves the full six games? B: Do you think he deserves less? C: Do you care? D: Is Goodell off his rocker to start?
Regardless of whether or not Ben did anything wrong, no charges were filed and in the courts that results in no crime being committed. If he did do anything wrong he’s certainly been given enough time to reflect on his choices as a young superstar quarterback with two Super Bowl rings and a multimillion dollar contract to his name. This should be a wakeup call and it might have been the one he needed. It certainly wasn’t the motorcycle crash that took place the summer after Super Bowl win number one and it wasn’t the allegations of sexual assault charges that came crashing down on him after Super Bowl win number two, although the alleged incident occurred in the previous year. I’m actually afraid of what might happen if Pittsburgh wins another Super Bowl. He might die in some weird motorcycle accident after crashing into a bar bathroom while trying to have sex on his bike.
Notwithstanding the lack of charges, the punishment handed down from the NFL commissioner may fit the supposed crime. What Ben DID do was fail to represent the caliber of an individual who is privileged enough to be in his shoes. A role model to young children and athletes, he tarnished his choir boy image of a family and religion oriented hero and sullied the already disintegrating image of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over the years, the Steelers have been a number of things. They’ve been winners, losers and average Joes in their 75 plus years in the league. Throughout it all, many have perceived the image of the Steelers as a blue collar working man’s team. One that is more appropriately described as America’s team than the Cowboys are. They have always appeared to rise above the general BS that has made the National Football League appear more like a prison league than professional one in recent years.
But that was the past. Recent seasons have been plagued by kickers trying to take a swing at police officers, a former wide receiver tweeting remarks about a woman he allegedly assaulted and being arrested for possession of drugs, and various other accusations of assault, both domestic and sexual. None of these were more high profile than Ben’s off the field conduct which landed him no formal charges but a suspension for the beginning of the season.
Now, with the preseason over, the job for starting quarterback in Pittsburgh has come into question. We had Dennis Dixon, Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch all trading snaps during preseason. With Ben out for four or six games the Steelers need a strong leader in there to ensure that when Ben gets handed the keys he can keep the momentum going for the rest of the season. The forgone conclusion was that Leftwich would be starter in Week One, but last night’s final preseason game left us with only two quarterbacks. Leftwich sustained a knee injury that could put him on the bench for most of Ben’s suspension. Dixon, who is a good scrambler, failed to show real promise after a dismal preseason loss against Denver. He either doesn’t know the playbook or is relying too heavily on his feet instead of his arm. Charlie Batch is a dependable quarterback, when he’s healthy. The 13 year veteran has been out with a lot of injuries during his career. He’s also 35 and been passed over in training camp. One wonders if he was simply not a choice for the temporary starting position or if the coaching staff knew they could rely on Batch and wanted to keep him healthy, just in case. That “Just In Case” scenario has presented itself with Leftwich’s injury. What to do for Sunday?
But this whole drama was predicated by Ben Roethlisberger’s conduct off the field and he has the burden of knowing that the Steelers are lost without him and ultimately in this mess because of him. It’s nice to be needed but horrible to be the reason for the need. Right or wrong, Ben screwed up, but his actions are only slightly more reprehensible than those of the man who deemed him a shame to the conduct policy. Roger Goodell has completely overstepped the sanity line by handing down such a punishment. Should Ben have been punished even though no “crime” was “committed?” Absolutely. He should have had this wakeup call but Goodell isn’t being consistent in his doling out of punishment. He is about as consistent and reasonable at handing out punishments as the MPAA is at handing out ratings for films.
Vince Young and Shaun Rogers are prime examples. In both of these cases, there was a clear and present violation of those much revered “conduct policies” that Goodell delivered from the Mount. If anything, they were cut and dry violations of the law. Rogers carried a loaded gun into an airport and attempted to get on a plane. He gets a fine of around $400,000. Gee, that hurt. Young was caught on tape in a fight at a strip club. He was given no punishment, whatsoever. Boy, Roger, can you explain why Roethlisberger was given a six game suspension over allegedly assaulting a woman in a bar bathroom? Forget that he might have done it. Forget all the personal problems Ben has going on, take Goodells punishment as it pertains to the actual crime or lack thereof. Had Ben been charged and convicted, he should have been gone. End of story. The fact police did not find enough evidence to charge him gives him reasonable doubt and the possibility of a “he said / she said” scenario. In that case, give him a fine and a one game suspension. But to punish an entire team over a lack credible evidence and hearsay is ridiculous when you have another quarterback caught on tape in a brawl and defensive lineman arrested for carrying a gun into an airport. That’s a felony! What, because he later assisted in the arrest of a drunk driver, he should be commended?
So, today, Ben is meeting with Goodell to discuss the suspension and ask for leniency. What he should ask is why Vince Young and Shaun Rogers are suiting up on Sunday and he’s going to be watching the Steelers struggle against Atlanta. Perhaps if Roethlisberger had dressed up in a mask and cape and nabbed some bad guys around town, Goodell would be impressed. Whether or not he is sincere in his actions, Roethlisberger has shown that he is taking this seriously and has been a good boy. Perhaps if he brought Roger the Wicked Witch of the West’s broom to the meeting, it would help.
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