Time Ticking On Big Ben

Time Ticking On Big Ben
By J [The Gambler] Gamble for Football Reporters Online

Since Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger were all taken in the first-round of the 2004 NFL draft -- and then made auspicious splashes as young QB's in the league -- naturally the ongoing debate  has been about which team picked the best QB.  Three guys were just vehemently arguing the point  in the pizza shop by my crib about a month ago.
They mentioned how every year one QB seems to nudge ahead, only to be outdone by the other the following season.  All three quarterbacks have been All Pro’s and are considered Franchise pigskin slingers.

Big Ben has two chips. He came out of the shoot with a big-body and big arm, and an awesome defensive-minded , veteran team behind him. He managed the Pittsburgh offense to a Super Bowl  [the youngest to do so at age 23]. Then he followed that up later with another championship and a more refined passing game. Manning has one, playing on the biggest stage in the football world, under the intense media pressure and bright lights of New York. He completed one of the most improbable passes in NFL Super Bowl  history in defeating the previously undefeated and heavily -favored Patriots. Peyton’s little brother has carved quite a niche for himself as a clutch QB, known for dramatic 4th-quarter drives.

Rivers became a starter in 2006 and has come very close to achieving greatness himself.  He seemed as if he was on his way to his first Super Bowl this past season, before being rocked by an over-achieving Jets squad hungry for playoff blood. Despite being traded away by the  Giants for Manning, Rivers is considered by many to be the most talented of the three.  But his lack of chips leaves him at No. 3 in most people’s debates.

All the guys at Vinnie’s pizza shop had valid points, and it used to be one of the most frequent and  provocative arguments in sports...  Notice I say used to.  As of a few days ago, Eli Manning has ascended to the top of that QB class without throwing a pass or even suiting up.  Roethlisberger  was implicated in his second  sexual assault accusation in two years. The first one was in July 2009 in Nevada, in his hotel,  during a celebrity golf tournament. Kobe Style.  The second was on March 5 in a Georgia nightclub. Pac Man Jones style.

A civil suit is pending in the first case. This time he needed to retain a hot-shot lawyer  --  Ed Garland, of T.I. arsenal  and Ray Lewis murder-trial  fame – hinting that these charges of  sexually assaulting a 20-year-old girl, may become criminal, and he won’t be able to breeze through by making it rain ones. Pac Man Jones style.

 While Big Ben has been a superstar force on the field for the Steelers, he has fizzled as a role model and the face of the NFL’s most distinguished franchise. Regardless of guilt, the mere accusations and patterns of aggressive sexual behavior sheds a negative light on The Steelers franchise and brings uneccessary negative publicity to a legendary and classy Rooney family.
With the blink of an eye, the smoke began to clear on which team made the best long-term choice for QB.  While Big Ben has managed to nearly kill himself , mutilating his bike and his brain by crashing without a helmet , which obviously led to his brain freeze in these two sex suits against him, Eli has been the Pilar of the community. He is happily married and does not indulge in juvenile, risky and borderline illegal behavior. He is a good character guy  and someone your kids can pattern their lifestyle after.   

 So the people who argued Manning and Big Ben were running neck and neck, should have Eli sitting comfortably atop that QB class now. At least until Rivers wins a chip or this too passes for Ben “Teflon” Roethlisberger.
 This latest fiasco has got to sicken the city of Pittsburgh. You pay Big Ben the mega bucks to be a leader and represent your team with class and dignity on and off the field. Many of us have to learn that the hard way. Being guilty isn’t always about whether or not you did it. Sometimes you can get caught up in bull because your pattern of behavior was just abrasive, stupid and immature.

And as Michael Vick sadly learned, being a franchise QB requires on and off the field discipline. As a player you trade the ability to do things normal people do for the opportunity to pop pads and make millions.  
Eli Manning doesn’t have the arm or fortunate Sunday weather  conditions  that Rivers  enjoys. He doesn’t have as many Super Bowls or TD passes as Big Ben. He’s not even the best QB in his family. But he is the epitome of a  complete “Franchise Quarterback”.  And that’s not up for debate.
 
 

Baltimore’s Dirty Laundry

Baltimore’s Dirty Laundry
By Drew Moss for Football Reporters Online
 
Those rags. 
 
Cue Charlton Heston circa 1968: Those damn, dirty yellow rags!
 
Not the (in)famous Terrible Towels. Penalty flags.  Lots of them.  Thrown at the visiting Baltimore Ravens. Often, and worse – late.  Very late.
 
The Steelers’ season long crunch time woes were masked by the Baltimore Ravens’ ill-timed sloppiness as two fourth quarter touchdowns were nullified by penalties in a 23-20 Ravens loss at hostile Heinz Field.
 
With a game winning 38 yard field goal by kicker Jeff Reed with 5:25 remaining under his black hat, Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin held to the tried and true NFL mantra of “no apologies, no excuses” in his post-game, insisting that while the Steelers had “made their bed” with a nearly even, and therefore very uneven 8-7 record, he “likes they way they (the Steelers) are lying in it.”
 
Raven’s coach Jim Harbaugh did his best to stay positive as well, trying to steer clear of the penalty disparity (Ravens 11-113 yards, Steelers 4-20) in his post-game. But his venom was unmistakable.
 
When specifically pressed on Willis McGahee’s 32 TD-run that was wiped off the books by a holding call on Ravens wide receiver Kelley Washington, Harbaugh came as clean as a wallet-conscious NFL coach can.
 
“I think that call was very late,” Harbaugh seethed.  “It didn’t seem like it affected the play.”
 
Add to this the illegal block in the back called on Terrell Suggs’ that wiped out Domonique Foxworth’s interception/TD return of consistently inconsistent Ben Roethlisberger (17 for 33, 259 yards). 
 
Then throw in cornerback Frank Walker’s illegal contact penalty that spared the Steelers from another late game implosion, stripping Baltimore of any chance at last second heroics with good field position - and Harbaugh would have every reason to rip the Zebras and/or his team.
 
But to his credit, Harbaugh more or less stuck to the high road. “You can go to penalties if you want, you can put your finger on whatever you want, but we’re going to Oakland to play our hearts out.”
 
As well they should.  Despite the loss, the Ravens still control their own destiny. A win against the ever- reeling Raiders would land Baltimore in a wild-card berth, while the Steelers still need help from a slew of teams (count the Jets, Broncos and Texans among them) to get to the postseason.
 
Tomlin stuck fast to his rah-rah message in the face of the twisted playoff math. “We’re going out to control the things we can control, which is to play winning football,” said Tomlin.
 
As the Fat Man sang once or twice when visiting the Three Rivers: “Wave That Flag” Coach. “Wave it wide and high.”
 

NFL Week One Injury Report: Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers

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This is the first injury report for the 2009 NFL Season and for Thursday night's NFL Kickoff Game pitting the Tennessee Titans against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field. This is provided by the NFL.

WEEK 1 INJURY REPORT -- MONDAY


TENNESSEE TITANS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS on Thursday night

TENNESSEE TITANS

Practice Report

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

TE Jared Cook (ankle), WR Nate Washington (hamstring)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday

LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

Look here for more reports snd visit NFL Business Blog for the best podcasts in the NFL.

Giants outlast Steelers

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Giants loss to the Colts in the 1958 Title game. The Giants just completed a game with a victory that will eventually take it's place in the annals of history as one of the best regular season games ever to be played, miscues and all. It was truly a back and forth battle that saw The Giants PK John Carney(no relation to Art) boot 4 Field Goals and the Xtra Point after the winning TD. The Giants also Took 4 Interceptions away from the Steelers and Big Ben Roethlisberger, including the Steelers final offensive play of the game. The Giants defense also tallied 5 sacks and 9 Knockdowns on Big Ben. It was truly a clash of Titans, of 1 loss teams, and had been billed as a possible preview of Superbowl 43. While NY still does not look as "super" as they did in January but careful observers will tall you that Good teams find a way to win, and today, with the Steelers managing to slow the Giants offense and keep them out of the endzone until late in the game, the Giants Defense stepped up once again.