Not that I've been bombarded by requests for more TWIS posts but I am dedicated to it (for now) so - I apologize for my lack of TWIS - but the end of August got away from me there. So here I am - TWIS v.5. And this week's TWIS has me thinking of Mr. Ben Roethlisberger.
Let's leave aside my anger, disappointment and general disgust with his behavior. In general though, I hope that he is able to find his footing, learn a bit, grow up a whole lot and basically stop being such an ass. He does however have a career in front of him to save and a few things occur to me.
1. Time heals all wounds. Yes. But wounds can be re-opened. At the time of his scandal people around the 'burgh were calling for his head on a platter. Trade him, cut him, who cares just get rid of this giant buffoon of embarrassment. The sports talk radio types and fans all tempered that anger and reminded people that when he throws his first reception, touchdown pass - all will be forgiven. That's frustrating and true. As the summer passed and other NFL'ers had DUI's, Gun trouble, strip club fights - the pendulum started to swing in Ben's favor. People feeling he'd been unfairly punished started rushing behind their franchise man hoping for a reduced suspension.
While a 'less than 4 game' dream never came to be it seemed those sports talk radio types were right. Everyone was just biding their time til Big Ol' Ben returns. Now however we are the start of another NFL of the season and the Steelers are without a number 1 AND number 2 QB, leaving a 'kid' and an 'old man' as the two best choices! I wonder if those Ben fans might not question - if the QB hadn't been such a disgusting, pompous, potentially criminal jerk - the Steelers likely wouldn't be IN this position in the first place. If Ben fans aren't thinking this - I sure hope BEN is!
2. But where does he go from here?? I heard the following discussed and it's a fascinatingly true point. There is only one way out of this if he wants to save his career. Keep your nose clean and WIN. Keep winning. Shut up, play football and win.
Look at Kobe Bryant vs. Tiger Woods. Both caught up in equally gross (though one more criminal) but both unseemly scandals involving women - sex outside the marriage etc. Since Kobe's trial (and associated tribulations) he's been quiet, clean, wins games and championships. He's not meek - he's still a competitor but that scandal is all but closed in his past. Tiger on the other hand appears to be in a downward spiral of failure and with each additional 'failure' at a Major the story just gets worse as we all pityingly shake our heads at this colossal debacle. His standoffish ways now just make him look like a jerk marinating in his misery brought on by his own actions. Whereas before, standoffishness was earned by his unprecedented success. His sponsors have left, his wife is gone, success is out of reach. He appears to have been a facade, a mirage. He's no longer the great and powerful. We see the small man behind the mask.
Clearly Tiger's woes are much closer in time and who knows where we will be in a few years but I can assure you - if he doesn't start winning there won't be much of a Tiger story to tell in a few years.
So Ben - spend this next month recognizing the absolute havoc you've wreaked on your own life, and this team (not to mention an unnamed girl down in GA). There's a lot of clock left on his career and he can write the end of this story.
And despite what people might say about Goodell having a god complex and having radically varying punishments, I frankly think he was right in this case. I don't care about other athletes troubles and punishments. What Goodell has done to give Ben a check will hopefully be just the restart he so badly needs.
