Big Lead Sports Bar

12/02/2010

Ben Broke His Foot, and the NFL Responds to Steeler Comments



Ben Roethlisberger, called a "Drama King" earlier in the week by the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston, has a broken foot, according to the PG. So he's not trying to grab attention by playing the injury card, like Preston accused him of?


The medical condition, reported by Ed Bouchette, is a break in the fifth metatarsal bone or the outside metatarsal on Roethlisberger's right foot. So if you see Terrell Suggs or Ray Lewis suddenly develop a foot fetish on Sunday night, you'll know the reason. 

Despite his injury and the fact that he's been limping around the locker room this week, Roethlisberger fully expects to play against the Baltimorons on Sunday. Steelers trainer John Norwig has retrofitted a football shoe with two metal plates to support and protect the foot, and Bruce Arians said that Roethlisberger's injury should not curtail anything he does on the field. So I guess there's absolutely nothing to worry about. It's just Ben being a Drama King.
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In other dramatic Stiller news, the league responded to the conspiracy theories recently floated in the Steeler locker room with a blanket "completely untrue" statement, as per NFL V.P. of football operations Ray Anderson in an interview with the PG's Gerry Dulac.
"I would say that's misguided and, frankly, completely untrue," Anderson said when asked if the Steelers are being targeted. "Every team and every player, hopefully, will have the confidence that, if they play within the rules, we won't have this problem."

Gee, that's surprising. What did you think Anderson was going to say? 

"Yes, we do have a target on the backs of the Steelers, specifically James Harrison. We think it helps get the message across that we're serious about safety, and what better way than to do it through a former defensive MVP?"

I should stop myself now. I'm starting to sound like those Sidney Crosby-bashers. But at least Terrell Suggs agrees with me.

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5 comments:

HomeRunFromBehindTheMeatballs said...

Yeah, why does Anderson even come out and say that? Obviously, he's not gonna be like "well since you asked the question, i'm going to give you an accurate response which unravels all of our hidden agendas"

Will the NFL fine any ravens for tweaking Ben's foot during/after plays on Sunday night? Will they fine Harrison for another 'harldy late by slow-mo standards hit'?

In other breaking news, the pirates non tendered Lastings Milledge. And i hope to God i don't have to watch his baserunning for another season.

Koz said...

I can't believe even the die-hardest among us actually believes the NFL is out to get the Steelers.

Really? The league hates it's #1 franchise?

I think it's fair to say all the rule changes over the last 10 years have been to favor offense and scoring. In that respect, rules and the emphasis of some of them, hurts the Steelers, I suppose, because of the general focus on defense that our team has. However, to think that the league is targeting the Steelers is paranoia.

Could there be a human bias for some referees to be a little more touchy with the flags knowing the Steelers play rough? Maybe, but let's not act like it's a conspiracy.

As far as the players saying it's a conspiracy, well that's just the new "no one believed in us" mantra that if it fuels them for success, I hope they keep thinking it, however ridiculous it is.

Bababooey said...

Hope the O-line holds it against Baltimore's D-Line. That's where the game will be won.

Also, Ryan Clark is due for his annual big hit...who cares about flags and refs at this point. Light em on fire!

Steve said...

This game will show the true hypocrisy of the NFL. They know this is a matchup everyone anticipates and watches for it's brutal physicality and they will put the flags away for calls they would have made if it was any other two teams playing.

Oh, you might see the questionable call against the Ravens for a hit on Ben just to show they are not "out to get" the Steelers but for the most part this game will be called just like it has been prior to NFL suddenly given 2 $hits about player safety and how it's been called every other time these two teams have squared off in the past.

Truth is; the NFL likes to see a good old fashion stretcher and ambulance game like this too to lull people into thinking football is still a smash-mouth game...that is, as long as it doesn't become popular enough to affect its ultimate plans in making football a pass, jump and score skills contest between players who are better suited for track and field or basketball.

Unknown said...

I occasionally surf enemy newspaper sites for pre and post game articles. I have come to like Mike Preston. Ben can be a bit melodramatic. I don't have a problem with that statement.

I wish the Post Gazette would hire a Mike Preston equivalent. There are a dearth of good Pittsburgh sports writers. Ron Cook is not capable of holding an interesting thought. Steigerwald has gotten too old and crotchety, plus I can't stand political crap on a sports blog. Smizik writes too much about baseball, and lately, more and more of his blog items are referrals to other opinions rather than his own opinion. He also is a little too establishment based. How long did it take him to realize that Wannstedt isn't getting it done? Mark Madden's frequent porn references makes it a must not read during the work hour.