21
Nov
2010
VIDEO: Richard Seymour puts the smack down on Ben Roethlisberger
Seymour leaves the field after being ejected (Image via KansasCity.com)
Raiders DT Richard Seymour was ejected from today’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, after delivering an open-handed punch to the face of QB Ben Roethlisberger.
The incident happened in the 2nd quarter as Roethlisberger celebrated a 22-yard touchdown pass. The QB got in between Seymour and a Steelers O-lineman (who were already engaged in some friendly chatter), and apparently said something that Seymour took exception to.
Roethlisberger probably took a dive to make sure the penalty was called, but you can’t help but wonder what Big Ben could have said to Seymour to elicit that kind of response. Maybe he was back to his old tricks and made some unwanted advances. Perhaps he though Seymour was “DTF”?
UPDATE: After the game, Seymour apologized for his actions … but not to Roethlisberger or anything:
“I apologize to my teammates,” Seymour said afterward. “I never want to do anything to hurt the team. You always want to protect yourself, but there’s no excuse. … I’m not sure why he [Roethlisberger] ran up on me. I just turned around and it was a natural reaction.”
Note to self: don’t run up on Richard Seymour. Ever. Good to know. Watch the smack down below (looped 3x in slo-mo for good measure):
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
3
Sep
2010
Shocker: Roethlisberger suspension reduced to 4 games
Ben Roelisberger will hopefully avoid the local nightlife during his suspension
Well, this isn’t really surprising, but today, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reduced Ben Roethlisberger’s six-game suspension to four games.
As we all know by now, Roethlisberger was suspended earlier this year after being accused of sexual assaulting a college student in Milledgeville, Georgia on March 5th. Although no charges were filed, Goodell elected to suspend Big Ben for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. But the Pittsburgh QB met with Goodell early this morning, when he learned he would be able to return to the team on October 17th, when the Steelers face the Cleveland Browns. During his suspension, Roethlisberger will not be allowed to visit the team facility or have any contact with Steelers coaches or personnel.
But don’t think Roethlisberger is completely off the hook. From NFL.com:
The league said the “reinstatement is contingent on Roethlisberger continuing to adhere to the program established by our advisors and avoiding any further violations of the personal conduct policy.”
“You have told me and the Steelers that you are committed to making better decisions,” Goodell said in a letter to Roethlisberger. “Your actions over the past several months have been consistent with that promise and you must continue to honor that commitment.
So that basically means Ben needs to stay away from bars, and keep it in his pants for the next six weeks. Let’s see if the big guy can make it happen!
14
Jul
2010
Hit ‘em where it hurts
Brief thought: The NFL currently suspends players at the beginning of the NFL season. A suspended player typically is allowed to train with their teams, and participate in training camp and preseason games. With the real games start, the suspension hits and the player misses anywhere from one to four (or more) weeks. In most cases, even with a rocky start, the player and his team have the entire rest of the season to recover. I don’t find this severe enough.
Case in point: If Big Ben wants to head down to Georgia and cause utter chaos during the offseason, he’s still back in the saddle by (probably) Week 5 of the 2010 NFL season (although if he botches up again, it could be later). Realistically, if the Steelers can get out of their first four games at 2-2 — even 1-3 — they’ll be fine.
I’d like to see the league play with the idea of suspending players at the end of the season. Or, perhaps a combination of two games to start the year and two games to end it.
Naturally, if a suspended player is trapped on a terrible football team, there’s less to lose if the team is 1-11 when a four-game suspension would commence.
On the flip side, it would make the game’s stars think twice about their behavior if they’re forced to bail on their teams in the critical final weeks of the season.
I don’t propose hanging a mistake over a player forever. There is something natural about paying your fine and moving on. With that aside, a system of late-season suspensions might have more impact on the game. I guess it all depends if the guilty party is on my team — or yours.
One man's appeal to up the stakes by have suspended stars benched at the END of the season. (Source: static.nfl.com)
15
Apr
2010
Roethlisberger police reports released, and it doesn’t sound good for Ben
Ben Roethlisberger poses for a photo on the night of the alleged incident. (Photo: Deadspin.com)
We’ve purposely avoided the whole Ben Roethlisberger debacle up until now, mainly because we didn’t want to get caught up in the speculation game before the facts of the case came out. Especially when dealing with such a sensitive subject as sexual assault.
Today, the Milledgeville, Georgia Police Department released 572 pages of records from their investigation into the alleged events of March 4th & 5th of this year (since no charges were brought in the case, these records now become available to the public). The Smoking Gun brings us the full report, and after reading through the entire thing, it doesn’t sound good for Roethlisberger.
Here is the most relevant part of the report — the alleged victim’s statement to police from the morning after:
“Ben asked us to go to his ‘VIP’ area. . . . We all went with him. He said there were shots for us, numerous shots were on the bar, and he told us to take them. His bodyguard came and took my arm and said come with me, he escorted me into a side door/hallway, and sat me on a stool. He left and Ben came back with his penis out of his pants. I told him it wasn’t OK, no, we don’t need to do this and I proceeded to get up and try to leave. I went to the first door I saw, which happened to be a bathroom. He followed me into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. I still said no, this is not OK, and he then had sex with me. He said it was OK. He then left without saying anything. I went out of the hallway/door to the side where I saw my friends. We left [the club] and went to the first police car we saw.”
It should be noted that the alleged victim asked that the case be dropped, and her intoxication level at the time of the incident certainly raises doubts about her account of the events of that night. But witness statements seem to corroborate that something definitely went on in that bathroom:
4
Sep
2009
SI’s Big Ben lovefest is tedious, at best
It’s Friday morning in Santa Monica, California. I’m brewing up a pot of coffee and scanning the NFL wire.
A few quick thoughts: Fantasy owners suffered a minor, but passing, freak-out this A.M.: the highly lauded Maurice Jones-Drew bruised his lower right leg in last night’s 24-17 victory over the Redskins. While X-rays were negative (they’re calling it a “shin contusion”), it could affect his participation in Week 1′s matchup against the Colts. Team officials are saying he’ll be ready to roll… in New York, Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks says he’ll be fine after suffering an infamous “hip flexor” during the team’s 38-27 defeat at the hands of the Patriots.
We believe that Madden 10 has sorely underrated our man Hakeem Nicks. Secondly, how do scores of 88, 84, 91, and 74 average out to 78? The correct average is 84.25. What's up, Madden 10? Get a calculator, boys.
Nicks has been sensational this preseason, with 8 catches for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns. People aren’t saying much, but the G-men desperately need Nicks to shine. Without Plaxico Burress, Big Blue’s in search of a leading wideout, and while that’s a tough role for a rookie to step into, Nicks has shown poise and big-game flash. Did UNC head coach Butch Davis have anything to do with that? Following his meltdown with the Browns, Butch has done a nice job down at UNC… Speaking of Cleveland, Mangenious has the Browns involved (for the 17th consecutive year) in a largely meaningless QB mystery. Man-G (I’m too lazy to type “Mangenius”) won’t say who his starter is. Neither quarterback played in last nights 26-23 loss to the Bears. Fans went so far as to comment on which of the two quarterbacks, Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, seemed more “enthusiastic” on the field during stretches. Man-G, trying to get any advantage he can over the Vikings, knows the bottom line: If Quinn or Anderson–or a wrist-slitting combination of both–don’t put up solid numbers immediately, Man-G’s chasing the wind.
Would you trust this guy with your children?
Sports Illustrated has raised this Browns fan’s ire. The mag–and its illustrious soothsayer Peter King–see a grim tomorrow for the Browns, and defame the Seal Brown and Orange in style: (1) They place fat-faced, beer-swollen Ben Roethlisberger on the cover. (2) They pee aggressively on the Cleveland franchise, picking the Browns to go 2-14, the worst in the league. That’s a good sign, in my book. They’ve been getting it wrong year after year; routinely picking hanging-by-a-thread, old-news dynasties to reach the Super Bowl, season after season. Their pick for 2009? The Patriots and the Bears. (Wake me up when we get there.)
Do you remember, when you were young, and the SI Preview actually meant something? I’d pour over it for hours. Back then, I’d buy every football preview magazine I could get my hands on–SI’s was the glossiest. Its competitors were frequently amateur, printed on soiled newsprint, and filled with typographical errors–but filled with rich statistical information and strange file photos of mid-tier players. We’re talking 1985, 1986, 1987 here–the league coming into full bloom. In those years, I was shipped off to summer camp during June and July, and my mom–following my diligent, hand-written instructions–would peruse newsstands for football and wrestling titles, and send three or four at a time by mail. Whereas the football mags were pieced together by reputable companies, the wrestling publications were backwoods–filled with fan-snapped photos taken seven rows back from ringside. Some of the more obtuse journals would spend 20 to 30 pages detailing the pro wrestling scene down in Alabama, Georgia, Louisianna. The photos were bloody. Men being mauled with folding chairs; sliced by razor blades hidden in wristbands; “wimps” bitten in the kidney by masked opponents with no origin or human history.
At camp, we’d get a full hour to read and snooze after lunch every day–this was aptly named “siesta,” despite the fact that 98% of the campers were from Connecticut and had never spoken a sentence of Spanish. During “siesta,” while other campers played cards or picked their noses alone in bed, I absorbed wrestling and pro football data–storing it away for my return to the civilized world. Times have changed. Who has the patience to check our watches, waiting around for a FOOTBALL MAGAZINE, stuffed like a goose with last week’s rotting news? Big Ben on the cover? Come on, SI.
My coffee’s cold.
19
Aug
2009
Wednesday Wrap: Shaq VS Big Ben, the new Sexy Rexy, and He Who Shall Remain Nameless
Rex Ryan continues to paw at the sleeping bear, taking ill-advised swipes at Bill Belichick
Well, we all know what the biggest news of the week is. And we’re still not talking about it. Eff that disingenuous prick … there’s sill an 60% chance he’s going to retire again anyway.
Here are your Wednesday Links!:
- The folks at Kissing Suzy Kolber adequately capture our feelings about the one we shall not name [KSK].
- Jets coach Rex Ryan just can’t seem to keep his big yapper shut [NJ.com]. At least he’s focusing the team’s energy on such important endeavors as the King Ugly competition. My money’s on big Rex himself.
- Ben Roethlisberger competed with Shaquille O’Neal in the premier of “Shaq VS” on ABC last night [LA Times], and I guess it was pretty entertaining. I liked watching Shaq go through combine drills with Mike Mayock, but it lost me down the stretch. Big Ben ended up winning the final event, and getting to wear one of Shaq’s championship rings as the prize. Watch it yourself on YouTube.
- On a completely unrelated-to-football note, does anyone else think the Foot Locker “Hyperizing” track from that commercial is really, really good? Video after the jump.
11
Jun
2009
Taking a look at the (((2005))) NFL Draft
By Artie Fufkin and The Dark Horse
We thought it might interesting to see how NFL teams fared in the 1st round of the 2005 draft. As opposed to falling into the trap of prematurely judging this April’s draft, we felt that looking back five years was a fair amount of time to really assess who hit and who missed–with those drafted players (in some cases) hovering near the prime of their careers.
1. San Diego – Eli Manning, QB Mississippi
As we all know, Eli was shipped to the New York Football Giants for Philip Rivers and the Giants third-round pick in 2004, and their first and fifth round picks in the 2005 draft. Although the Chargers ended up getting Shawn Merriman and Nate Kaeding with the extra picks acquired, overall, this deal has worked out well for the Giants. They’ve gone on to win a Super Bowl with Eli Manning, so, that pretty much ends the debate.
Did the Eli trade work out well for the Giants? Cracker, please: YES.
2. Oakland – Robert Gallery, OT Iowa
He’s started 73 out of 74 games for the Oakland Raiders. After being the most hyped OL prospect since Tony Mandarich, Gallery hasn’t lived up to the billing, but has settled in as a steady performer for the abysmal Raiders.
3. Arizona – Larry Fitgerald, WR Pittsburgh
Arguably the #1 talent on the board in this draft, Fitzgerald has emerged as one of the top-flight wide receivers in pro football, and helped lead the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl.
4. NY Giants – Philip Rivers, QB North Carolina State
Despite generally coming off as a royal douche, Rivers, for the Chargers, has been a solid quarterback. After sitting behind Drew Brees for two seasons Rivers has started 48 consecutive regular season games.
5. Washington – Sean Taylor, S Miami (Fla)
Sean Taylor died of a gunshot wound in Miami, FL, on November 27, 2007. Previous to his death, he showed tremendous potential as a football player, and was one of the leagues brightest young talents.
6. Cleveland ( from Detroit) – Kellen Winslow Jr, TE Miami (Fla)
Following a disastrous, injury-plagued first two seasons in Cleveland, Winslow has transformed into a dominant and dangerous tight end who presents problems for opposing defenses. He was traded to Tampa Bay this offseason.
7. Detroit (from Cleveland) – Roy Williams, WR Texas
Now a Dallas Cowboy, Williams has more than 4,000 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in the NFL. Some feel that Dallas paid way too high a price for him, but that cannot yet be judged. Now that TO has left town, Williams will be Tony Romo’s go-to-guy, so this is a big year for him.
8. Atlanta – DeAngelo Hall, CB Virginia Tech
Hall, now a Redksin, is with his third team since 2004. Hall has superior talent as a cover corner, and is a 2-time Pro Bowler (2005, 2006). But his hot temper has gotten him in trouble. He has 22 career interceptions.
9. Jacksonville – Reggie Williams, WR Washington
A middle-tier wideout who has yet to post more than 700 receiving yards in any given season. Known as an underachiever on the field and a loud-mouth off it, Jacksonville elected not to re-sign Williams this off-season. Currently a free agent.
10. Houston – Dunta Robinson, CB South Carolina
Defensive rookie of the year in 2004. Started his first 48 games in the league, but suffered a severe knee injury in 2007. Houston used the franchise tag on Robinson this offseason, and in response Dunta is holding out.
11. Pittsburgh – Ben Roethlisberger, QB Miami (Ohio)
Two Super Bowls and the heart of the team. Pittsburgh drifted for years without a quarterback, but Ben has solved that problem entirely. Eli gets all the built-in hype, but Ben has been the best quarterback of this draft.
Thankfully for Pittsburgh, Ben could also PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION.
12. NY Jets – Jonathan Vilma, LB Miami (Fla)
The first linebacker off the board, Vilma was a 4-year starter for the Jets before having knee surgery. He came back to 16/16 games for the Saints in 2008, and is the leader of their LB corps.
13. Buffalo – Lee Evans, WR Wisconsin
Evans has been extremely solid for Buffalo, with 4,700 yards receiving and 32 touchdowns. Will benefit from TOs presence as Trent Edwards’ #2 option.
14. Chicago – Tommie Harris, DT Oklahoma
Still a starting player with the Bears, Harris is one of the better pass-rushing DTs in the league, with 24.5 sacks in his career. Has battled injuries for the last few years, and had a sub-par 2008.
15. Tampa Bay – Michael Clayton, WR LSU
As a 5-year wideout with the Bucs, Clayton has totaled 2,706 yards and 9 touchdowns. Had a breakout rookie year (1,193 yds) but his production has fallen off since due to injuries, and falling out of favor with John Gruden. Just signed a new 5-year deal with Tampa Bay.
