I love a good Roethlisberger debate especially with a little Fresh Prince and Saved by the Bell thrown in for good measure. I will also never be able to look at Charlie Weis now without immediately laughing and thinking of the Kool Aid man. No doubt Roethlisberger will be the quarterback when he returns from his likely four game suspension, but the Rooney's and the Steelers came to a franchise crossroads and choose wrong like choosing the Wes over Kenny alliance in the Exile.
The Steelers like "Lost" have an incredibly loyal, dedicated fan base and an NFL tradition no team can match with an ownership that before this decision was one of the most revered in sports. With that type of fan base, ownership and recent success the Steelers were in an ideal position to make a statement that Roethlisberger is not above doing what comes naturally to 95% of the population; acting like a decent human being. He fails the simple if that was your sister/daughter in that club what would your reaction be; I think wanting to track him down and beat him senseless would get more votes than not cheering for him as an NFL quarterback. Rumors about being arrogant and a bad tipper are one thing, but it is quite another to sexual assualt a drunk college girl in a rural bar in Georgia with your off duty meat heads acting like pimps and want to be security men at the Gold Club. That is like comparing Walt Frazier to John Starks both were Knick guards but that is where the comparison ends. I was all for sticking with him after the first incident which sounded like a woman looking for a payday (like the Miz becoming a WWE superstar I have had to re-visist my initial thought after subsequent events), but a college girl in rural Georgia who goes to the hospital and to the police immediately is hardly a girl who would be attending the next casting call for Basketball wives/girlfriends (there are more fights on that show than eighth grade lunch). If it were not for the Mark Furhman like investigators Roethlisberger would be on his way to truly reprising Burt Reynolds role in the Longest Yard (I have totally forgotten Sandler's terrible remake) and not getting ready for the privilege to play in the NFL.
How did it come to this for a franchise that has had quality character guys like Franco, Swann, Mean Joe, Blount and the ultimate character guy Rocky Blier? I was suprised when a life-long Republican supporter like Dan Rooney took the opportunistic chance to support Obama and become the Ambassador to Ireland (that would be like Slater transferring to Valley) and there have been rumors about his son not being up to the task as a successor (visions of Mike Brown Jr. dancing in your head). I can see Art Jr. being scared off by the prospect of starting his tenure without Roethlisberger, but a man with an NFL rule named after him should have laid down the law Jim Walsh from 90210 style. Just as Zack found out when he replaced Mr. Belding as principal for a day management decisions are not easy but in this case there is a clear right decision and it is in everyone's best interests.
Roethlisberger needs a fresh start with a franchise that will do anything for a winning team Oakland, Buffalo, Cleveland and Philadelphia jump to mind and the Steelers need to start the Dixon and Mendenhall era and de-slime from the Roethlisberger era. Mendenhall is a first round from two years ago and it is either sink or swim time and don't forget Dixon was an injury away from the national championship game at Oregon and took the Ravens to OT last year in Baltimore. Sidebar where does Boldin jump to in fantasy football WR's rankings this year, I saw no lower than fourth. 2-2 for the first 4 games sounds about right, I don't think that changes if Roethlisberger was the quarteback for the first four games. Even a second round pick would have added youth to a defense that needs it or another O-lineman. The Steelers have always won with defense; a healthy Polamula and draft picks are the best way while Dixon, Mendenhall and the young receivers learn together. Also chemistry matters and sure the current Steelers are going to support him in their quotes to the media, but he was already known as a bad teammate and that was before he has brought more media to the complex than a Brad and Angelina shopping trip with the kids. Aaron Smith and James Farrior are looking forward to answering questions about Roethlisberger all training camp as much as Ovechkin wants to talk about his playoff record. Sure some Steeler fans will clap when Ben returns and throws a couple of TD passes or even leads a comeback drive to win and the memories of his Super Bowls will never be forgotten but like Tyson after he got out of jail Roethlisberger's behavior will never be forgotten since knowledge can't be unlearned and previous triumphs will be viewed differently like Tyson's and MLB's steriod era. I don't want to hear the old Todd Bertuzzi theory where he is a jerk but it is OK because he is our jerk.
The Steelers like "Lost" have an incredibly loyal, dedicated fan base and an NFL tradition no team can match with an ownership that before this decision was one of the most revered in sports. With that type of fan base, ownership and recent success the Steelers were in an ideal position to make a statement that Roethlisberger is not above doing what comes naturally to 95% of the population; acting like a decent human being. He fails the simple if that was your sister/daughter in that club what would your reaction be; I think wanting to track him down and beat him senseless would get more votes than not cheering for him as an NFL quarterback. Rumors about being arrogant and a bad tipper are one thing, but it is quite another to sexual assualt a drunk college girl in a rural bar in Georgia with your off duty meat heads acting like pimps and want to be security men at the Gold Club. That is like comparing Walt Frazier to John Starks both were Knick guards but that is where the comparison ends. I was all for sticking with him after the first incident which sounded like a woman looking for a payday (like the Miz becoming a WWE superstar I have had to re-visist my initial thought after subsequent events), but a college girl in rural Georgia who goes to the hospital and to the police immediately is hardly a girl who would be attending the next casting call for Basketball wives/girlfriends (there are more fights on that show than eighth grade lunch). If it were not for the Mark Furhman like investigators Roethlisberger would be on his way to truly reprising Burt Reynolds role in the Longest Yard (I have totally forgotten Sandler's terrible remake) and not getting ready for the privilege to play in the NFL. How did it come to this for a franchise that has had quality character guys like Franco, Swann, Mean Joe, Blount and the ultimate character guy Rocky Blier? I was suprised when a life-long Republican supporter like Dan Rooney took the opportunistic chance to support Obama and become the Ambassador to Ireland (that would be like Slater transferring to Valley) and there have been rumors about his son not being up to the task as a successor (visions of Mike Brown Jr. dancing in your head). I can see Art Jr. being scared off by the prospect of starting his tenure without Roethlisberger, but a man with an NFL rule named after him should have laid down the law Jim Walsh from 90210 style. Just as Zack found out when he replaced Mr. Belding as principal for a day management decisions are not easy but in this case there is a clear right decision and it is in everyone's best interests.
Roethlisberger needs a fresh start with a franchise that will do anything for a winning team Oakland, Buffalo, Cleveland and Philadelphia jump to mind and the Steelers need to start the Dixon and Mendenhall era and de-slime from the Roethlisberger era. Mendenhall is a first round from two years ago and it is either sink or swim time and don't forget Dixon was an injury away from the national championship game at Oregon and took the Ravens to OT last year in Baltimore. Sidebar where does Boldin jump to in fantasy football WR's rankings this year, I saw no lower than fourth. 2-2 for the first 4 games sounds about right, I don't think that changes if Roethlisberger was the quarteback for the first four games. Even a second round pick would have added youth to a defense that needs it or another O-lineman. The Steelers have always won with defense; a healthy Polamula and draft picks are the best way while Dixon, Mendenhall and the young receivers learn together. Also chemistry matters and sure the current Steelers are going to support him in their quotes to the media, but he was already known as a bad teammate and that was before he has brought more media to the complex than a Brad and Angelina shopping trip with the kids. Aaron Smith and James Farrior are looking forward to answering questions about Roethlisberger all training camp as much as Ovechkin wants to talk about his playoff record. Sure some Steeler fans will clap when Ben returns and throws a couple of TD passes or even leads a comeback drive to win and the memories of his Super Bowls will never be forgotten but like Tyson after he got out of jail Roethlisberger's behavior will never be forgotten since knowledge can't be unlearned and previous triumphs will be viewed differently like Tyson's and MLB's steriod era. I don't want to hear the old Todd Bertuzzi theory where he is a jerk but it is OK because he is our jerk.
Welcome to the internet. That was an impressive post. Very easy to read, humorous, and knowledgable. Before you know it, we will be turning advertisers down.
ReplyDeleteTrav you're a good dude and a good time but that was some weak shit.
ReplyDelete#1 I'm not an English teacher but spelling and puncuation and general gramar mistakes can take a toll on blogs such as this and they also live forever. Nothing to bad in there except some blatant typos. This will be an easy one to improve.
#2 The comparison to Tyson after jail or MLB steriord era? Really? Even if we look past the whole no trial, no arrest, not even a charge thing, everybody knew Mike Tyson was a crazy down syndrome kid before and after his rapiness. This means your comparison fails on 2 levels, 1 - there was no fall from grace because Tyson was clearly not somebody you want hanging with your daughter before hand and 2 - Tyson actually became more popular/notorious/infamous after his stint in the slammer and this led to more press, more pay per view and a whole bunch of money wasted by people to see him fight bums, all because it was Tyson.
#3 "Dixon/Mendenhall era" is not what real Steeler fans who are concerned with W/L record want to hear. Read that sentence you wrote to yourself a couple times and see if it feels "de-slimed" or just like a bunch of losses. The Steelers haven't always won with defense, since the 4th quarter of superbowl 43 we've seen first hand that that shit is not going to work anymore and your boy Dixon can't be expected to sling it around enough to make up for the mistakes the D will most defintely be making.
#4 This is really the main thing in this arguement and Frank put it perfecty in his previous post, where in the hell does the holier than thou complex come from? When did we decide to be moral enforcers as fans and if we did decide to take that route than why do we still act like douchers have the time? Just like the people that yell aroung about "we have to run the ball" and "defense wins championships", claiming that past steelers were all stand up dudes is not even close to a fact. If you think banging a 20yr old in a bathroom is cause to chase somebody down and punch them like you said then you have a lot of work to do in professional sports with the amount of manipulation and shadyness that goes on. Fact is athletes are in general probably not the great dudes you want them to be. We're all adults, we should realize we route for colors not people and the only thing that really matters is that won loss record next to their name in the standings.
Can we get confirmation that Mike D was on the OJ jury. Ben was not charged becuase the investigator and bar staff like all Steeler fans wanted to suck his dick. Can you really claim the 08' Steelers won with offense b/c of one half. As a Raven fan I would love to see the Dixon and Mendehall era, 4-12 for years. Even with Ben the Ravens will own the division for a decade. Like when Tiger was once thought of as the best golfer ever and Tyson as one of the most feared fighters Ben will be thought of as a rapist.
ReplyDeleteA holier than thou complex would be calling out players for running around with consenting adults that they are not married to or for being terrible parents or doing drugs which Holmes got run out of town or parying all night. To call out disgusted fans for not supporting a violent sex offender is a sad day for the Steelers.
ReplyDeleteviolent sex offender? I feel bad for the ladies who've gotten naked with you.
ReplyDeletehow about violent wife beater? did that ever happen with the steelers? were you "disgusted"? what kind of comments did you leave on the internets about James Harrison?
this is the hypocrisy I'm talking about. back in the day Ernie Holmes of Steel Curtain fame shot at a police helicopter multiple times. but that's just part of the "Steeler Tradition" and the Rooney family value I guess.
Why not get mad at the Rooney's? Do you think they make decisions based on performance of morals? I'd think hard about it before we hold them up as doing things the right way.
It takes a true Steeler homer to support a rapist, I assume that goes for arsonists and puppy killers as well. What is next Pittsburgh as the greatest sports city in the country or the Pirates future?
ReplyDelete