I love Wimbledon

I have always liked watching tennis, especially these big Grand Slam tournaments, but Wimbledon is special to me.

For one - I've actually been. In summer 2002, while I was living in London, I went for a day with a friend of mine. It wasn't a particularly nice weather day so we spent a lot of the day racing the rain. We we were poor graduate students so we didn't pay for fancy seats. We had the equivalent of "grounds" pass where you could experience the whole thing and get into any court that had General Admissions seats. We did get to see Martina Navratalova in a mixed doubles match, and Anna Kournekova in a doubles match as well. It was pretty fun!

Secondly - after my baby was born in 2009, I spent the first two weeks of her life watching Wimbledon at all hours of the day. Melanie Oudin was the big story that year coming out of no where as a little Cinderella.

Finally - back in 1999 my family was getting together for a reunion and I was staying at my grandma's apartment, on her couch. As a result I ended up getting up very early in the morning when she got up. I remember sitting on her couch, eating grape nuts with blueberries and watching Wimbledon. I can't precisely remember who we watched but those were the Sampras/Agassi days.

Bottom line is, if you're new to tennis watching - I'd say give this a try . . .it can be tense and super exciting. And if you happen to find it totally NOT exciting, it makes for a really great sport to nap with.

All this said, I admit I was actually watching the Pirates/Red Sox game yesterday afternoon and NOT watching Wimbledon. GASP! Too bad the Red Sox couldn't have been swept right out of town . . .but as Meatloaf says, 2 outta 3 ain't bad!

YAWWWWWWWWWWWWN - The blog is awakened.

Ok, it's been about 7 months - I have received no requests begging for my thoughtful quips on the wide world of sports (is that term trademarked ABC?) however I thought - hey someone might be happy to see content return here. So let's wake the sleeping blog and see what happens.

So after 7 months where to begin?
- a summary of why Cam Newton is as corrupt as a politician? Or his new "brother from another mother", Terrell Pryor?
- Lance Armstrong looking as guilty as all get out while being the ONLY person (besides his lawyer) claiming his innocence? (Seriously - does ANYONE think he's not a cheater?? I'm not kidding - please, if you truly think he's innocent - defend the guy. I wanna hear your thoughts!)
- the NFL negotiations?
- My utter joy (and schadenfreude) over LeBron "Wish I Was As Good As Jordan" James LOSING the NBA Championship???
- Tiger Woods apparently sucks at golf unless he's cheating on his wife?
- FIFA . . . .oh FIFA. The scandals??

All too much to cover. There's no point in going backwards, so let's go forward.

I declare:
If the Pittsburgh Pirates end the season AT or ABOVE .500, I will buy a pirates t-shirt.

2022 World Cup

I know I've missed a few big stories lately - but all that pesky full-time job, family, holiday business tends to get in the way. But as I find myself travelling for work and sitting in a hotel room today, I am able to catch up on blogging!!

So - the firing of Brad Childress? Nope. The cutting of Jeff Reed? Nope. The bitch-slap Richard Seymour laid down on Ben Roethlisberger? Nope. Today my attention turns to the World Cup and the US bid to host in 2022.

I think it would be AWESOME to host the World Cup. For one, I have never understood why the sport of soccer loses its appeal despite the fact that I suspect more boys and girls grow up having played soccer than almost any other sport. I get that pursuing it as a professional loses some appeal in this country because there is nowhere near the amount of money or fame as other sports offer, but you'd think as a spectator more people would enjoy watching the professional sport of their youth.

Back in 2002 I lived abroad during the World Cup and got totally engulfed in the soccermania! It was thrilling - and I am quite sure with a bigger stage in the U.S - Soccer could be just as exciting as other pro sports. Of course that will take time and hosting the Cup would be an awesome step.
I assure you this - if US Hosts, I will GO!!!!

And, we won't have vuvzela's!

The announcement is in 9 days kids. Fingers crossed!!!!

Uhh . . .

something tells me the Steelers might be coming down a couple notches on the Power Rankings after the total egg they just laied tonight.

Oh Yuk.

Ok - the power rankings are back out. Good news - Steelers are still number 2. Bad news - the dreaded Ravens are number 1!!!!!!!!

Here's why I am not concerned however.
1. they ARE number two - they could be number 22 or worse, 32! It's merely because of who number one is that stings.
2. In my 5 yrs of being intimately aware of the Steelers (a fan by marriage, you see) I find they have ALWAYS done better when the glare of the spotlight wasn't solely focused on them. They do better when people are looking elsewhere!

What should you DO!?!?

Shut up.
That's what you should do.

Just check your ego - which is no doubt every bit as large as your massive frame - at the door.
Don't declare your greatness - earn it.

Until then. . . Shut up.



I'm reposting this from it's original post because this video - which was not made by Jordan and apparently made by a fan - hs surfaced. While this may not be Nike or Jordan made, the words and sentiment sure do fit.

As I said in the original post - you gotta earn your greatness.

Consol Energy Center

I had the opportunity last week to go to the new Consol Energy Center to see a comedian. Sure - it wasn't a hockey game but it got me in the doors for the first time.

I have had the opportunity to see the new Meadowlands Arena and have been in newer stadiums and arenas - but this was the newest complex/arena I have been to. It was gorgeous inside. The most important thing in all reality is that there's lots of stalls in the ladies rooms. I was happy to see plentiful commodes and it was all very clean and accessible without a lot of lines.

Our seats for the show were pretty awesome and not likely the kind of seats we could afford if it were a hockey game. That said, getting ALL the way down to our seats and ALL the way back up for snacks and ladies rooms was quite a haul - but good for the quads.

I had one pretty big complaint, however.
As the DD the night of our visit I was happy to be having soda - UNTIL I get to the front of the fairly long snack line to see that the soda vendor at the brand new arena is RC???!!! What is this, 1986??

You mean to tell me you couldn't get Coke or Pepsi????? Are you freaking KIDDING ME??? Luckily they had Snapple to quench my thirst but come ON Consol . . . you spend $321M on a new arena and can't pony up a few bucks for a proper soda vendor contract? That's just plain old crazy-town.

Another Week - Another Controversy

I really wish the Steelers would go back to just being the team that quietly won football games while everyone else was busy talking about the Pats, Colts, Cowboys and Chargers. Sadly however, another week comes and goes and the Steelers are once again at the center of some controversy.

I won't summarize for those who don't know - as I suspect you probably DO know if you're checking in a sports blog. But both last week's issues with the 'hard hits' and this weeks shenanigans with the touchdown-fumble-recovery question makes me wonder, why does the NFL not do a better job commenting on these issues?

It seems to me last week was spent in a whirl of questions about new rules relating to penalizing hard hits with heftier fines and suspensions. This week now every major sports outlet has a different take on the Gene Steratore call. Some articles calling it a missed call, blown call, a consipiracy and some calling it the correct call. One article today even from an "Ex NFL exec" says it was correct.

It seems to me if the NFL had some kind of weekly press conference to answer some of these questions, it would go far to help stop the rumors, clarify gray areas and in general make people understand that the NFL isn't a shady operation making up rules as it goes, lead by a man with a God complex. There - my two cents. Get your PR folks together with the press on Wednesdays to answer the week's questions.

Once again, I solve the world's problems.

Other miscellaneous thoughts
1. the Vikings v Packers game was AWESOME. Great game - tight contest. Glad the Pack won.
2. I didn't see most of the Giants v Cowboys last night but finally now perhaps everyone will stop claiming them Superbowl champs. Tony's injury is devastating for them, that's for sure.
3. I really want to get excited about the World Series, but I'm not. I know it's clearly due in large part to the Yanks not being in it. I think too though that Pittsburgh being such a FOOTBALL and HOCKEY city - there just isn't excitement for baseball at all. As far as the 'burgh is concerned, baseball season ends when NFL preseason begins. I can see why but it's a bummer. If I have to pick a team though, I'm going with SF.

On Violence . . .

Ok - so this post has been days in coming . . .you'll learn good Extra Point readers that I have a job so getting to the posts isn't really ever breaking news. But I'm pretty sure you know I have no press credentials so I probably won't ever have breaking news - just something to say about recent news.

In any event - some pretty news worthy things went down in football last weekend. Here are the events as I see them.
1. There was a terrible tragedy in New Jersey and an RU football player was forever changed by an injury which rendered him paralyzed at the neck down.
2. The NFL had three games in which there were major hard hits (well 3 games as of Monday - apparently a few more by Friday)

Here's how I see it . . .had that horrible tragedy NOT happened on Saturday, the sensitivity Sunday would not have been as heightened, but always in the light of such a sad terrible tragedy are we ever more aware and vigilant. Remember a few years ago when there was that fire in an over crowded Rhode Island nightclub? Well about two weeks later, I was out at some bars in a town in NJ that was never ever ever more STRICT on the headcount in their bar. Anyway - the terrible events of Saturday created a more pointed lens Sunday.

Regardless of why - the lens was sharp and the punishments were handed out by the NFL joyfully. I am of three thoughts here...

1. I understand the people that say things like "well - you know what you were signing up for. You're in the NFL. You get hit hard. You might get a concussion, that's just the name of the game". ok. I see that point. But immediately I think that driving a car is inherently dangerous and you would NEVER tell the victim of a deadly accident that 'they knew what they were signing up for'. As a society we adopt new regulations to use car seats, wear seat belts, build cars with airbags because we DON'T want to die on the highway. It still might happen but we never stop striving to stop it. So to say that these players 'get what they deserve' is just plain heartless. RIGHT as soon as I say that I think about the civilian contractors serving in war areas . . .they get massive salaries, often at no tax because they are willing to sacrifice and work in these dangerous areas. It's called hazard pay. If THEY get shot in a war zone, you kind of DO say 'you knew what you were signing up for'. Like a contractor in a warzone, these professional athletes make MILES more money then most of us could ever dream. This IS what they signed up for. Their skill will make them rich and famous. Big reward comes with big risk.

2. In more than one of these cases - there was NO penalty thrown in the game or even on further review considered to have been an illegal hit. YET they are considered in retrospect are 'flagrant'. So - if they WERE legal - then WHY IS THERE A FINE? If they were illegal and weren't called - then WHY DO THE REFS PAY NO PENALTY!!?? I just dont understand how something that happens in the game which is illegal NOT being called is a price for the player to pay. Or if something that IS legal still being penalized means the rules aren't right. But to START enforcing a rule without notice or agreement in the middle of the season all of a sudden - it's like finding out half way through a 5k race that it's actually a Marathon. you simply cannot change the rules half way through. Fine, NFL - you want stricter rules? FINE but change them officially and fairly and make it well known before the season starts.

3. Sure - sometimes the league steps in and makes a statement when a player has been out of line. They step in with a 5k or 10k fine. Sometimes even a 20k fine. But 50k??? 75k???? Are you KIDDING ME? Wait now I tell myself. For players making many millions of dolalrs a year 50k might sting but it's not detrimental. It's the same amount Dez Bryant had to pay in dinner a few weeks ago. Maybe I'm a bit of a cynic - but it seems to me that the league is putting on a show here. 50-75k is the kind of money that makes Joe Q Citizen stand up and take notice because for most of us it's all or most of our annual salary. Not our friends in the NFL however. If the NFL REALLY wanted to make a change and make players more safe they would take REAL action like force the 'concussion proof' helmets. Shoot - force the players to play with NO helmets! (pretty sure you'd be a lot more careful with your noggin if you had nothing protecting it). My darling husband even suggested implementing a 'fair catch' rule all throughout the game so any receiver could protect themselves. This therefore negates the 'defenseless receiver' BS. Or the NFL could suspend people? Or fine them 1M dollars...bottom line is the NFL put on a show. It won't stop concussions and to at ALL pretend a 50k fine will do anything is crazy.

I'm glad James Harrison got over his big old bruised ego and he goes back to playng his game.
I hope the NFL stops changing the name of the game in mid-stream.
I hope the hard hits don't stop - afterall, what would they put in the Renegade video if they do!!??

oh - one last thought here - I'm bummed the Yanks won't be in the World Series. Here's hoping the Giants get the job done of my Philly fan friends on facebook will be relentless and I can think of nothing more barfy than a Philly fan gloating.

I like a good competition . . .

Really, I do. It's fun to see new and different teams rise to the top of their field all the time.
That said of course, Yankees should always be in the post season. I mean really - is there anything better than baking an apple pie while watching the YANKEES play baseball in October?
Let me answer that for you.

No. There is not.

Now - with that out of the way.The NFL this year is proving to have a pretty exciting season. I was saying this afternoon that you just don't feel like the Patriots and Colts of years past are really the same as the Pats and Colts of '10. And even the Steelers who continue to top the ESPN Power Rankings - there hangs in the air a feeling that just about anything could happen, be it Superbowl Championship or 10 straight losses. I think nothing would surprise us with the Steelers this year.

Frankly - this year has turned into a huge surprise for lots of teams.
- Cowboys cannot win a game. Or - ahem - have only one ONE game
- Packers were touted early for being definite contenders and are suddenly forgettable after a couple injuries
- Despite all the star power, the Bengles are NOT having the season they expected they would
- The Jets are turning into a better team than I think a lot of people might have guessed at the start of the season
- The Vikings are turning into a much worse team than I think a lot of people might have guessed at the start of the season
- The glow of the Chargers has dimmed and it just doesn't seem it's clicking
- Finally the Redskins appear to have the makings of a solid team - despite all the Haynesworth drama
- The Eagles have TWO awesome quarterbacks that apparently can be interchanged!!?? (Careful Kolb and Vick - they turn on the qb's there - even if you're good)!

Don't get me wrong - I want the Steelers to win the Superbowl. I imagine it will be much like seeing the Yankees win the World Series while living in NY, but MAN it's fun to approach every Sunday with the sense that all games matter. All teams matter (well, maybe not for Detroit, SF or Cleveland - but hang in there. Someone's gotta lose), and the race to the ring is really up for grabs.

THIS is why having a championship decided by games and records, not votes and favorites - makes the NFL better than college football. Sure - a practical person would say the Lions should aim for last to get the first draft pick...but truly at this point ANYTHING can happen. In college - you lose twice and you're done. Forget it.
Not in the pro's baby. Anyone can get that ring. And that couldn't be any truer than it is this year.

Forgive me - it's been a bit . . .

I haven't posted this week - I have been distracted by life things . . .job things . . .and the Chilean Mine Rescue

So you know, the Steelers are still number 1 in the power rankings. Sadly #'s 2 and 3 are also AFC teams. Booo. This makes my hopes for attending the Steelers v. Jets game in December all the more exciting all of a sudden. Who would have guessed back in August when I placed my ticket wishlist!!?? We shall see what happens Sunday, but I'm pretty sure if Ben doesn't win Sunday #7 jerseys will be burned in effigy. This town's patience is short.

Other things that remain:

• Brett Favre is a pig, like Tiger.
• Yankees rule and begin their quest for AL supremacy tomorrow night.
• If the Penguins don't start winning at home there will be a riot in Pittsburgh.

A Case of Same Old, Same Old

Today the fine world of football is a case of two stories that seem awfully familiar.

Brett Favre has "apologized" to his current teammates for being a distraction. That distraction my friends is because allegations have surfaced that he inappropriately texted, voicemailed and naked pic'ed a super hot employee of the New York Jets when he was their QB. This former Maxim and Playboy model has not made the allegation - and somehow clips of his voicemails have made the news. In addition a massage therapist employed by the team has come forward saying he was texting her as well. In summary, he was trying to get into this hot girls pants.

Mr. Favre - you should have learned from Jerry Seinfeld and quit while you were ahead. All you've done in the last three years is beat up your reputation, turned many of your former die hard fans against you and now you've apparently grotesquely embarrassed yourself, violated the trust your wife had in you, and made yourself look like an aging former 'once-was'.
Welcome to club, says Tiger Woods, Ben Roethlisberger and Kobe Bryant (while we're at it, Elliot Spitzer says Welcome to you too).

Brett - you're gross.

Next on my list today is the DALLAS COWBOYS. I don't know if I could guess how many years now the Dallas Cowboys have been pre-ordained Superbowl contenders. Let's just say, this year was one of them. Again. And here they are now at 1-3 and I can't help but wonder WHY!!!!?????
Isn't the definition of insane doing the same thing repeatedly, expecting a different outcome? Why oh why sporting pundits - does this team earn your respect when they've not yet earned it! It's kind of like paying a rookie who's never taken an NFL snap many millions of dollars over the promise of what they might achieve.

I have always disliked this team. I take issue with them being called America's Team. I am an American and they are NOT my team. It's been a while since they actually were contenders. Until they actually make the Superbowl - how about we go ahead and stop waving the magic wand in ther direction.

Cowboys - you're overrated.

October is awesome

I love October. . .

• the weather has started to turn so it's cooler at night but the sun still feels warm
• sometimes you want a sweater
• harvest time means awesome baking/cooking options
• Football is in full swing
• Baseball is in the playoffs
• Hockey is getting starts
• (I officially don't care about the NBA)
  
  I have made my signature apple pie in honor of my beloved Yankees and look forward to making another as they make it to the World Series.
  
  Ok, this was more about food than sports, but something I feel like sharing!

No football in 2011?

I honestly cannot tell you what this news does to my spirit . . . no I WILL tell you - it CRUSHES MY SPIRIT.

I am trying to find some good info on both sides and what the sticking points are but here's a nice thought from Jimmy Johnson.

Well said sir. Well said.

Jimmy Johnson: “Everyone will lose money” in a work stoppage

When a team sucks - someone loses their job . . .

This my friends is a fact of life. Two recent cases in point:
1. The Monday Night Meltdown of the Miami Dolphins cost their special teams coach his job. Sure, the Pat's scored off various special teams failures - but should he have lost his JOB over a signle loss? I would hope there was more to it than just one embarrassing loss (to a division rival on national television). Yes it stings but to fire him?? I think it's a bit rash. I don't know if Dolphins fans out there have another spin on this. Maybe he'd sucked for years and was bungling things all the time. Maybe last night was the proverbial straw. It seems unwarranted.

2. The opposite however is true for old John Russell - the beleagured manager of the crappy Pirates. He was part of the (most recent) 5 year plan for the Pirates to turn things around. He was in year 3 of that 5 year plan. You simply cannot LOSE as much as he did and not pay a price.
I'm sure some of the Pirates faithful (or perhaps John Rusell's mom) would say that he should have had the chance to complete the 5 year plan. Or one could make the very valid point that not even the greatest manager in the game could make this a winning team. No talent is no talent, no matter how hard you try to coach them.

BUT - when you're averaging about 100 LOSSES A SEASON (that's right Yankee fans, take that in - 100 LOSSES A SEASON) with absolutley ZERO trend upward - I'm sorry you gotta go. I don't expect a coach to take this team and make them playoff contenders in one year but please - in THREE years - show me SOMETHING.

Now here's the question Pirates management - does this restart the 5 year plan??? Gosh I hope not . . . I sure would like to live in a city with a winning team once again. (Love ya Yankees!)

18 GAME SEASON!!!

YES YES YES - I just can't get enough NFL. It's sure as $h!t better than 4 boring pre-season games before the fun begins. Ultimately it doesn't add to the weeks (not that I would care if they did, I love it!) it just converts 2 boring weeks into weeks I would pay attention to.

That is all.

The Power Rankings . . . .

Tuesdays are a fun day (well during Football season anyway) . . .why you ask?

The power rankings get published, if you don't know about this - it's kinda like the NCAA ranking polls but without any consequence.

Further rants on the stupidity of the NCAA system will be saved for another day.

Anyway - here is week 4's report

I will summarize for you:

Steelers are NUMBER ONE BABY! Why? Cuz defense rules the school my friends. To quote the basketball coach of my middle school - the best way to win is to score more points than the other team. (sigh, I shake my head). Anyway - if your team doesn't ever allow any points, then your offense can be totally anemic and you still kick butt. Now - add to that a ROBUST offense and hooray! #1. Well deserved.

See you at Heinz Field Sunday.

Other thoughts on the power rankings . . .I'm not sure the Saints deserve the #2 spot . . .but I will reserve judgement for another week or two and see what effect the missing Reggie Bush has.

Same story for the 5th, 6th and 7th place teams - - - but really we're dealing with fractional difference here so I'm ok really with the top 10.

I can imagine though if you were a Chiefs fan you'd be ticked they are one of three 3-0 teams and they are all the way down at the 15th place.

And entirely not related to the list - but MAN I feel bad for Lions fans. I so badly want them to do well. . .if they could manage 3 or 4 wins this year at least it would be SOMETHING. Poor Lions. Poor poor Lions.

The Evolution of a Hobby

So . . .welcome to the newly christened blog - THE EXTRA POINT!

What was previously known as This Week In Sports (which I recognize was a super boring name), is now known as the EXTRA POINT.

People in my life who are lawyers remind me that NFL already has a site call Extra Points (for their fantasy football stuff) but since I'm small potatoes I'm ok with it. Not trying to take over the world or anything.

So if I'm not trying to take over the world, what AM I about here . . .

I'm not a sports expert

I am not a statistician

I am not an analyst

I'm not a journalist

I'm not a nut/junkie/freakfan

I AM a professional

I AM a mom

I AM a wife

I have things to do - BUT

I like sports. I like watching sporting events. I like attending sporting events.

So the idea here was just to have a little place for me to spout my mouth off (or fingers in this case), and make a few insights, share thoughts and if anyone besides people I am related to reads this, then I hope you enjoy!

What started as a 'regular feature' on my blog for my personal life, which is quickly becoming a photosharing site for my gorgeous daughter, I thought it might be fun to just break out the sports posts here in case you find my thoughts so interesting you're just dying to read all about it without having to weed thru all those pics of my gorgeous daughter.

I didn't edit any of the previous edits that I pulled out of the other blog so if you read back, some things may seem out of context...I also didn't copy over any of the comments and witty remarks...but trust me - they were WITTY.

Anyway friends, old and new, I hope to entertain you with all my sporting thoughts!

T.W.I.S - v.6

Well twodoebs fans . . .this week in sports, there is much ado about, I'm not sure what. Two things come to mind.

1. Reggie Bush giving back his Heisman. Honestly I don't understand why this is a story. He broke a rule, he shouldn't get his award. The school already gave back their 'copy' of the award, and I think it was pretty clear the Heisman Trust was going to take it away anyway, so getting in front of it and giving it away for one doesn't make him magnanimous in my eyes. It was calculated and frankly made more of than I thought the entire situation deserved.

Now if you want to get into WHY he had to give it away - there's a world of stuff to be said here. He received "inappropriate benefits" - a.k.a. he got money as a college student from an agent or someone before he was a "professional". I have to admit, I'm not a huge college football fan - I don't really follow it. But to get your panties in a wad because these kids are being wined and dined and treated like professional athletes because we expect college athletics to be about pure young talent and school spirit - well this just tells me you have blinders on my friends. College athletics, especially football, is a BUSINESS. It's about money, TV contracts, promotion, MONEY. Look at all the shenanigans with the shakeups in all the conferences this year - it was about MONEY.

The waters are muddy here. They system is perfectly happy to let talented young athletes go to college for free for 2-3 years under the guise that it's for an education when all it really is is a protracted try out for professional sports. As soon as these kids can get their pay day - they jump. The system is also perfectly happy to be the beneficiary of large fluffy piles of money because of fans, gear, tickets, tv contracts and what not. THEN we expect these kids - who've been trained to see the dollar signs coming to them - NOT to be taken out to dinner by an agent? Not to sell a Jersey to an agent? On one hand the system is a total prostitute but we expect the student athletes to be virgins. I really don't care one way or another - let them take money, it would be more honest frankly.

But Reggie Bush - keep your yap shut about it. I don't think anyone cares.

2. Women in the locker room!

Ok people this is pretty simple actually. She was a professional doing her job. Her hotness level IS a factor because she is a TV REPORTER. I'm quite sure if she was a dumpy dog she wouldn't have that job. So - you put a super hot reporter in a room of quasi naked men, there are going to be 'issues' - looks, stares (from both sides). If everyone is upset by this then reporters shouldn't be allowed in the locker room.

I don't suspect SHE was that bothered - afterall more people know her name today than they did last week, right? I'm also fairly sure it's not the first time these men have been quasi naked have been in front of a woman (or a pretty woman for that fact) in their locker rooms.

Now - if everyone's going to be all bothered by this then the solution is simple. No more locker room interviews. And frankly, that's their DRESSING room! Perhaps we should let the athletes shower and dress THEN talk to the reporters. If the journalist types don't like the wait time - then everyone needs to be grown ups and carry on. An investigation, memos, statements etc - is just to satisfy an antsy public.

In Summary: We don't want ugly reporters (well ugly ladies anyway). We want instant and on the spot interviews. So - while those two things are true, there will be hot chicks in the locker room. We are all grown ups. Act accordingly.

T.W.I.S -v.5

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.