Ben Roethlisberger Does Yoga With His Mom

Ben Roethlisberger has always had size on his side, but he's never struck me as a real workout guru. However, the QB has had a lot of time to pass over the last few months, and it sounds as if most of it was spent in the weight room.

Today's Headlines

The PITTSBURGH PIRATES took two of three from Houston over the weekend, wrapping things up with a 9-0 win on Sunday that featured their first home run with a man on base since approximately 1993. OK, it was actually only 1,097 at-bats, the longest such streak since the 1984 Astros, but you get the point. They have been few and far between.

On Sunday, Paul Maholm limited the Astros to three hits in throwing a complete-game shutout, and the Pirate hitters claimed revenge on Roy Oswalt, who one-hit them in his last start on July 8 in Houston.

In addition to Garrett Jones' two-run blast, the Pirates got four hits from Ronny Cedeno and three each from Jose Tabata and Ryan Doumit. Every Pirates position player had at least one hit on the day. After Saturday night's 12-6 win in front of a full house of fireworks-loving fans, the Pirates are finally starting to show a few signs of competence, regardless of the fact that it came against a less-than-stellar Astros team.

Andrew McCutchen left the game in the eighth inning after making a diving catch, and the diagnosis was was a mildly sprained AC joint in the upper part of the right shoulder. X-rays did not detect a fracture, and he has not yet been ruled out of the lineup for Monday.

Milwaukee (42-51) comes to town next, with Chris Capuano (4.35, 0-1) and Jeff Karstens (4.87, 2-4) taking the hill Monday night at 7:05.

TERRY BRADSHAW has a new gig. He's now a part owner of EverGreen Recreational Vehicles in Middlebury, which is owned by Bradshaw golfing buddy Kelly Rose. Bradshaw said he would become the company's face by traveling to trade shows and publicizing its RVs. [WTAE]


JOE PATERNO's absence is again being blamed for recruiting problems with Penn State's Class of 2011, which currently numbers just three - the smallest in the Big Twelveleven. At this time, Scout.com has Penn State at No. 64 in its 2011 recruiting rankings, 10th among the 11 Big Ten schools. [PG]

LARRY FITZGERALD was the subject of artwork done on a fan's prosthetic leg, which was then signed by Fitzgerald. I must say, Steeler Nation has been outdone (for once). [Deadspin]

JOE STARKEY tackles a topic near and dear to my heart: the classic American game of Wiffle Ball. [Trib]

ROGER GOODELL will be visiting Steeler training camp on August 5. [WPXI]

BREON ALLEN is Pitt's first RB recruit for the Class of 2011. The 5'6", 170-pounder was recruited to Pitt by new LB coach Bernard Clark. [KDKA Sports Insider]

DARNELL STAPLETON, a starting lineman for the Steelers in Super Bowl 43, signed with the UFL's Florida Tuskers. Stapleton missed the entire 2009 season with injuries and was released by the Steelers. [UFL]

HAYDEN PENN of the Pirates will soon be sold to Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines, a team with an apparent opening for a journeyman pitcher. Penn allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks in a memorable 2 1/3 innings for the Pirates this season. [MLB.com]

Today's Headlines

Today's headlines feature another Pirates loss, Big East roses, a former Pitt Panther hosting a local basketball camp, Gammons on the Bucs, a Pedro-Palooza recap, and much more after the jump...

AT THE FAN: THE 31 MOST EMBARRASSING PIRATES MOMENTS POST-BONDS

Being that the MLB draft is right around the corner, expect plenty of bad memories to be dug up in the coming days by Pirate fans, as this is typically a time of year when they bloom at their fullest. 

With that being the case, I've created a handy guide to 31 of these very moments in this week's article for 93.7 The Fan, The 31 Most Embarrassing Pirate Moments from the Post-Barry Bonds Era. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll vividly remember that there's nothing else in sports like being a Pirate fan.

For the discussion portion of this topic, I'll be chatting with Seibel and Starkey at 3:20 today. It's 93.7 on your dial and 937thefan.cbslocal.com on your browser.

The 31 Most Embarrassing Pirate Moments from the Post-Barry Bonds Era 

[93.7 The Fan]

Email your feedback, questions, and tips Mondesishouse@gmail.com

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Today's headlines include news on the Pirates' struggles, Joe Starkey's Aki Iwamura Song,  Big Ben's psychological evaluation, Sidney Crosby's rich new Reebok deal, Ron Cook on the future of John Russell, and more...

AT THE FAN: THE PROS AND CONS OF TRADING A SUPERSTAR

The future of Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh has been a hot topic of late. But what kind of return should the Penguins expect if they ever deal him? 

I'm not proposing any deals for Malkin in this article, because I'm firmly in the camp that the Pens should keep him. What I'm doing with this piece is taking a look at some of the bigger trades of superstars in recent history across all four major team sports. Why did they happen? What happened to the team that traded the superstar? What happened to the team that acquired the superstar?

After looking at some of these deals, it certainly makes you think twice about the future of Geno in a Pens uniform. Ultimately, you will be the judge, as we have the ever-present poll wrapping up the article.

For the discussion portion of this argument, I'll be hashing it out with Seibel and Starkey at 3:20 today. It's 93.7 on your dial and 937thefan.cbslocal.com on your browser.

The Pros and Cons of Trading a Superstar [93.7 The Fan]

Email your feedback, questions, and tips Mondesishouse@gmail.com

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Lots to catch up on, including the Czech Republic/Russia championship game, the possible end of the road for Jack Wilson, Peter Gammons talkin' Bucs, and a trio of bizarre local arrests, along with much more...

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Today's headlines: Pens-Habs Game Seven, Pirates one-hit by Reds, two Pittsburghers on Maxim Hot 100 list, Sweed out for year, legal update on James Harrison's Mom, Steelers at Raw, RMU's new coach, Top 10 speed traps in Pittsburgh, and much, much, much more:

AT THE FAN: 2010 PIRATES PREVIEW

After a one-year hiatus, I thought it was time to bring back the annual Pittsburgh Pirates season preview, for some unknown, self-punishing reason. You can read this year's edition at The Fan website, where it was just posted. 

Also, I'll be on The Fan with Seibel and Starkey tomorrow (Thursday) at 2:40 to talk about the Buccos and the preview if any of you are interested in tuning in.

2010 PIRATES PREVIEW: THE LOVERS AND HATERS' GUIDE TO THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES [93.7 The Fan]

16 Reasons Why the Pirates Streak Won't End in 2008 [MH]

79 Reasons Why It's Hard to Be a Pirate Fan [2007, MH] 

Email your feedback, questions, and tips Mondesishouse@gmail.com

AT THE FAN: "NEW MEDIA, OLD MEDIA, AND HOW THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER"

My first article for 93.7 The Fan is now up on their website, and it tackles the timeless argument of how new media fits in with traditional media. I thought it would be a good place to start, and I'm hopeful that it will create debate among the old-schoolers that the station employs.

I'll be appearing this afternoon with Joe Starkey and John Seibel to have an on-air back-and-forth with them on the topic, and that should happen around 4 PM. Out of towners, don't forget that you can listen online at 937thefan.radio.com.

New Media, Old Media, and How They Can Work Together [93.7 The Fan]

Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group

NEIL WALKER JOINS THE PIRATES

Fresh off of Monday's dropped doubleheader at Cincinnati in front of an estimated 800 fans, the Pirates announced their first September call-ups: pitcher Virgil Vasquez and Pittsburgh's own Neil Walker, a third baseman.

Walker, the Pirates' 2004 1st-round draft pick out of Pine Richland HS, hit .264 with 14 home runs and 69 RBIs in 95 games for Class AAA Indianapolis this season, missing six weeks to a knee injury. He was originally drafted as a catcher but moved to third in 2007. His minor league career has been marred by injuries, most notably by wrist surgery following the 2005 season. He is currently ranked as the #6 prospect in the Pirate organization by Baseball America. A local guy suiting up for the Buccos is nothing new (see: Peters, Chris), but a lot of people will be pulling for Walker to have some level of success.

As for Vasquez, he's already started seven games for the big club this year, to the tune of 2-5, 6.09 in 34 innings. So if you're expecting the second coming of Nolan Ryan, your hopes are probably too high.

Finally this morning, there's an interesting take by Joe Starkey on the Pirates' new regime's judgment so far, specifically relating to their own free agents. For those like me who've been downing Neal Huntington Kool-Aid by the trough, it's a grim dose of what the future could bring.

Walker, Vasquez joining Pirates [PBC Blog]

Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group

ALYONKA LARIONOV IS BECOMING A BIG STAR

This is Alyonka Larionov, shown with a certain Washington Capital you might be familiar with. Ms. Larionov, who once earned a "golden ticket" in American Idol, happened to be the co-star of a Penguin-produced web segment last week co-starring Evgeni Malkin and a batch of homemade pierogies that became quite the instant internet sensation. In fact, it made such an impact that Joe Starkey profiled Larionov recently for the Trib, taking a closer look at the young lady that calls former NHL star Igor Larionov "Dad".

The soon-to-be-22 year-old, who moved to Pittsburgh to attend The Art Institute and major in fashion retail management, joined Penguins TV in December. The "Cooking with Geno" piece has over 58,000 views and counting just a few days after the release, and has created quite the buzz around the net.

So now that Pittsburgh is getting to know Larionov in greater numbers, what's up with her and Ovechkin? Says Larionov:

"I've known him since I was a kid. He asked me to go to the Awards with a large group of friends. I didn't think people would make such a big deal of that. I also took pictures with (Red Wings forward Pavel) Datsyuk, and no one said anything about me and Datsyuk. I've known him my whole life, too."

Larionov goes on to add that she thinks the relationship between Ovechkin and Malkin is fine, and that she would like to arrange for the two stars to join her in another cooking segment, a proposition that Malkin found acceptable.

Could Alyonka Larionov and some webcasted cooking broker a long-term peace treaty between the sometimes-feuding stars? Well, that sounds like a possibility. But if peace between Russian hockey greats was the goal, we probably could've used her last year:



Larionov stars for Penguins [Trib]
Cooking with Geno [Mondesi's House]
Ovechkin parties, gets friendly with Igor Larionov's daughter [Puck Daddy]
Video: Evgeni Malkin and Alyonka Larionov heat up the kitchen [Puck Daddy]

Send your news, tips, and links to Mondesishouse@gmail.com.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND

We'll start off today's news and notes with a tribute to actress Estelle Getty, better known as Sophia Petrillo of the Golden Girls, who passed away at the age of 84.

Many of you will surely deny it, but you used to tune in every Saturday night to watch Sophia, Rose, Dorothy, and "that crazy Blanche". Remember, if you threw a party and invited everyone you knew, you would see the biggest gift would be from me, and the card attached would say, "thank you for being a friend" :

As you can see, the sports news around these parts is slow this time of year. We're leading with a Golden Girl, for crying out loud.

We could talk about Steeler camp, but that hasn't started yet. We could talk about the re-signing of Jeff Taffe, but I'm not sure how long that discussion would last. And we could discuss the first "The Legacy Of..." article, but even after several hours I spent on it last night, it's still not complete.

By default, that leaves the Pirates, who are riding a colossal two-game winning streak following an 8-2 win over the Houston Astros last night. Luckily, the Pirates brought their bats on this trip, although they only arrived in the ninth inning of Monday night's game. Home runs were provided by Ryan Doumit, Nate McLouth, and Freddy Sanchez (for the second night in a row).

Paul Maholm took care of the pitching, holding the 'Stros to one run over eight innings. Funny how the formula of pitching + hitting = victory, no?

So what else could we talk about?

--Joe Starkey wrote a very bloggish-type column that was a 40-item mission statement, "if fans owned the Steelers."

Proving that the art of list-writing isn't as easy as it sounds, Starkey used "We shall provide free beer" jokes not once, not twice, but five times. But it's worth a read.

--Here's an interesting article about the potential balancing act Stanley Druckenmiller would have to pull off if he did take control of the Steelers.

--Pittsburgh author Howard Shapiro has a children's book coming out in October about hockey, which you can find out more about on his website, www.hockeyplayerforlife.com.

The foreword is written by Keith Primeau, who probably conjures up a few memories around these parts.

--Bob Smizik pens the 55,192nd article about how bad Dave Littlefield was at his job.

--The PG had a big article about how cell phones could potentially pose health risks, as per an upcoming advisory from the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers. Fantastic!

Here's a list they provided of 10 tips to limit exposure from electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones.

--In case you missed it, there was a fight in a WNBA game last night involving LA and Detroit, who happens to be coached by former Piston Bad Boys Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn. Luckily, someone was appently taping a WNBA game on their television with a camcorder and posted it to YouTube. Ahh, technology.

Check back later this afternoon for a few items that deserve their own posts.

THE NEWS

--The Pens and Rangers face off at 7 PM tonight, but Shelley Anderson says the perfect start is no cause for pressure.

--The Steelers are rather fired up about the addition of Rashard Mendenhall to the backfield. We can only hope they can come close to the comparison conjured up in this photo:

--Ron Cook goes there: "Hossa isn't finishing well enough to keep his spot on the top group." FYI: The PG has put this to a vote.

--Joe Starkey calls out Sean Avery. Hopefully Avery won't try to take him out next.

--Dejan Kovacevic writes a nice, feel-good piece about how the Pirates' trade-bait players have turned things around. Really sounds promising, until you glance at the standings and see that they're still in last place.

--Anthony Morelli was chosen as a reserve on the All-Undrafted Team. Is that considered an honor?

--Doubt About It did quite well with their NFL Draft predictions.

--Here's a great feature putting the spotlight on the NFL Draft attendee:

--2010: D-day for the Internet as it hits "full capacity"?

--Any Boston-haters out there enjoying the fact that the series between the 37-45 Atlanta Hawks and the 66-16 Celtics is tied 2-2?

--Pittsburgh's Scott Ferrall (of Sirius Radio) shares his love of the Stanley Cup:

--Our great economy rolls on: foreclosure rates jumped 112% and home prices fell by 12.7% in February. But hey, at least the Penguins keep winning!

----Brady Quinn gives Chris Long a Hummer.

--With Leather has screen shots of top draft picks in Madden 2009.

--Scientists in New Zealand are thawing the corpse of a 1,000-pound squid, trying to learn about the species that no one has ever seen living and grown in its natutal habitat.

--The Kelsey Grammer show Back to You, based in Pittsburgh, gives some love to the Pittsburgh Passion and Pittsburgh XPlosion.

--John Daly is comfortable with his own semi-nudity.

--Mom-to-be Jamie Lynn Spears does things all responsible mothers would do, like spending the weekend four-wheeling with friends in Liberty, Mississippi.

A LIST OF TODAY'S TOP LISTS

The 10 best celebrity-themed pinball machines of all time

15 Most Popular Beer Myths Debunked

15 Pet Products It's Hard To Believe Exist

Five key ways to increase your salary

25 Least Inspiring Military Operation Names

21 Most Memorably Inked Movie Characters

10 Most Ridiculous Booze Commercials Of All Time

GOT NEWS? EMAIL IT TO MONDESISHOUSE@GMAIL.COM

YOU COULD WIN STUFF!

We’ve Got Enough Media Hype Here, Thank You

by The Backyard Scrawler

backyardscrawl@gmail.com

There’s something oxymoronic and just plain moronic about The Week Leading Up To The Big Game. Were you at all surprised that a credentialed scribe-to-be wearing a wedding gown proposed to each team’s quarterback at Media Day? Are you at all alarmed that most of the questions were about the “hype” and the enormity of the game rather than the actual game?

Gisele's not going to be happy about this

Didn’t think so.

The farcical fodder of this football fortnight –– alliteration, can you feel it!?!? –– is trivial enough to break a threshold where it’s OK to be ashamed our own misguided sporting interests. Here’s my question: Why limit this to two weeks?

There’s enough manufactured non-stories covered in Pittsburgh during any given week, and, to a greater extent, enough call-in shows, blogs and message boards to equally blow a story out of proportion and marinate it in our cynicism for awhile.

The media set the tone for discussion and sentiments, but there aren’t enough renouncing voices to squelch every story that makes every yinzer yawn or yak over nothing at all.

So here are a few Pittsburgh musings from This Week In Sports Talk, Newspapers and Television (we’ll call it T.W.I.S.T. ‘N.A.T. –– anagrams, can you feel them!?!?!)

Exhibit A, Item #1 for the week was the Big Ben-Whines Hard controversy. Everyone has taken their side by now, but overlooked is the media’s role. Mark Madden said on his show Monday that Ed Bouchette milked Ward so much that he was probably mooing by the end of the interview.

Was Bouchette really creating The Jerry Springer Show on the pages of the Post-Gazette to keep the Steelers in the news? Not when “The Dean” of pro football writers has been known to throw a wet sopping blanket on several hot rumors and ideas. Let’s be real. Half, no, make that more than half (726 words for 55%, I counted), of that article was quoted material by Hines. Remember after Ward broke the Steelers receptions record and talked unsolicited for 20 minutes about himself during the post-game? Yeah, that’s what happened.

Edd-ie, Edd-ie!

This story should not have any legs –– or at least short, possession receiver legs –– for as long as it has. Sorry, John Fedko, this is not going to send “shockwaves” into mini-camp and even into training camp in August.

Submitted for your approval

That, by the way, was my early favorite for Mind-Numbing Exaggeration of the Week until KDKA’s Rob Pratte told FSN viewers that watching the story of “The Game” between Central Catholic and Gateway will “change your life forever.” (That’s explains why my girlfriend left me, but that dadgum hook-and-lateral play there at the end sure did get me right with Jesus again. Thanks, Rob.)

So Hines Ward is diminutive and dismissive. Here are some other musings from the week of Pittsburgh sports media:

Hey, look Pitt has two talented athletes in two different sports, and, you’ll never believe it –– this is where it gets good –– they are both FRESHMEN. Thank you, Post-Gazette, for that revelation. Oh, and you too, Tribune-Review.

Why are people so thrilled –– and in some cases appalled –– about the Pitt women’s basketball team making the front-page, above-the-fold of the P-G?

Joe Starkey has a nifty proposition for all your all-star game fans who are waxing existential.

Dejan, those people who approached you with a “curious glare” at PirateFest, they feel sorry for you being the Bucco beatwriter. If I were you I would stop answering Q&A and start writing obituaries to practice for the season.

Finally, here are my favorite calls on late-night TV sports call-in shows from the week:

Rich from Coraopolis on the Subway Nightly Sport Call claimed –– admitted, more like –– to working in the Pirates front office during the Cam Bonifay Era. He suggested the Pirates sink $5 million into training facilities in Pittsburgh rather that the Dominican Republic. Great idea, Rich, train no-talent ballplayers in the few warm months we have so they can be drafted by other teams. Latin American players are better and exempt from the draft.

Jim from Upper St. Clair, also on the Nightly Sports Call (see a pattern here), was happy to tell us about his arthritic hip and his hip replacement surgery. He suspected that Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons has the same problem after hearing about his symptoms and suggested that the Steelers were hiding something. Yeah, Jimbo, they drafted him when he was only 20-years-old because he’s quickly mutating into a middle-aged retiree from the suburbs. I wondered why Timmons was wearing that “Ask Me About My Grandchildren” shirt.

Stan from Blawnox (probably not) tried to ask newbie-host Jory Rand if the signing of Kris Beech off waivers meant there would be a fire lit under him and former love interest Sonni Abatta. Jory, without missing a beat, answered as if the caller left off the word “and Sonni Abatta” from the question.

If she married Kris, would she be "Sonni Beech"?

Finally, Mike, on the Fedko Fone Zone –– who sounded like Chris from the Family Guy and still came across more informed than the host –– asked three or four questions with the word “awesome” in it and after interrupting Fedko mid-sentence said “I gotta go, man.” You have to love a call-in show when the inmates run the asylum and the host sways back and forth with his hands in his pockets and talks to some inaudible off-camera voice that answers to “Digby.”

Is that you, Mike?

That’s all for now … I’ll hang up and listen to your comment.

The News: Pirates Edition

A recap of your favorite links, named in honor of Mike Tomlin

"I'm not telling a story. I'm reporting the news."

Initial response to the A&E Pirates '79 World Series DVD has been, shall I say, overwhelming. I am buried in an avalanche of emails. I guess it's safe to say that you still enjoy watching the Pirates on some level. I'm gradually working/sorting through them, hence this all-Pirates edition. But keep them coming. And visit A&E's website and buy something so we can do similar promotions in the future!

Plenty of Daniel Moskos reaction today...

--Much-maligned Bucco #1 pick Daniel Moskos has a Myspace page! Consider it a look into the window of a future patient of Dr. James Andrews.

--Joe Starkey hits one out of the park with his "Pirates Must Be Kidding" piece. Best part:

Say this much, though: They issued a whale of a news release upon selecting Clemson pitcher Daniel Moskos.

Keep in mind, he was the fourth pick overall, the second pitcher taken.

The second paragraph of the release ended like this: "(Moskos) was ranked by Baseball America as the fifth-best pitcher available in the draft."

The fifth-best?

--Dejan faces raging Pirate fans head-on in his Q&A. Great stuff, lots of angry Bucco fans. Somehow, a Mondesi's House link slipped into his column. Imagine that, a piece I wrote being mentioned in a Q&A bashing the Pirates!

--Matt C. did the legwork for me on Moskos' College World Series performance today:

From today's super regional against Miss. State. 5 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, Loss.

Yeah, he will fit right in with this group...

--The Buccos thought they got protection for Jason Bay when they acquired Hans Klopek this offseason. Looks like they were wrong. Imagine that.

--The Pirates vs. Yankees series may be a big deal for you, but it's not for the Pirates' players.

--Matt Capps will pitch this weekend, thus ensuring a Pirates sweep.

Lastly, don't forget this minor detail tonight:

Friday, June 08, 2007
Yankee Stadium
Bronx, New York

7:05 PM

Tom Gorzelanny (6-3, 2.53) vs. Andy Clemens (3-4, 2.96)

Tomlin Eats Pasta Alla Ben

SI's Peter King does five pages on Mike Tomlin, and there's some interesting stuff (other than this fantastic photo):

-Tomlin's usual meal at La Tavola Italiana on Mt. Washington is "Pasta Alla Ben", a fusilli-and-sausage dish named after quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

-Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only one team allowed fewer than the 985 rushing yards his Vikings defense allowed last year.

-And my personal favorite:

At defensive meetings each day, Tomlin put two pages on the overhead projector. One was the Loaf Chart, which totaled the number of plays on which each of his players had dogged it during the previous practice. Tomlin preached accountability. The other sheet was called the News, which singled out players for mistakes such as jumping offside or dropping an interception or looking half-asleep. "I'm not telling a story," Tomlin would say, "I'm reporting the news."

I first heard about "The News" in that great Joe Starkey piece I mentioned yesterday. I'll take a pause from King's article to let Joe elaborate a bit further on "The News":

"If you're not up to his standards, you're going to be on the news," said backup nose tackle Chris Hoke. "That's what he does, he puts it up there and says, 'The News,' and everyone holds their breath like, 'Here it comes.' You're hoping you're not going to be up there."

[Hines] Ward found himself in the headlines one morning for spiking the ball after a catch. A new NFL rule prohibits spikes except after touchdowns.

"You don't want to end up in the headlines," Ward said, laughing. "He's not calling anyone out, really. It's just the facts. If you loaf on a play, you end up in the news. If you fumble a ball, you end up in the news. If you throw a pick, you end up in the news. He calls it like he sees it."

Going back to King's article, we'll close with a great Tomlin story about Love Boater Fred Smoot:

Eight games into the second year of a six-year, $34 million free-agent contract, Smoot was not playing well: no interceptions and just one pass breakup. Tomlin opened a midweek defensive meeting by saying, "We're going to have a change at cornerback. Cedric Griffin's going to replace Fred Smoot, and if Fred does not come and compete for the job, Cedric's going to be the corner the rest of the year."

Mike Tomlin, you impress me more and more every day. If there's one thing this team needs, it's accountability. These articles will officially re-ignite your Steeler Fever. Camp can't start soon enough.

Read the articles:

Third Man In [Peter King, SI]

Tomlin deflects controversy with easy manner [Joe Starkey for ESPN.com]

Is Big Ben Underrated?

So says Joe Starkey, in his latest column. Starkey takes umbrage with those in the football media who fail to recognize #7 as one of the top four QBs in the league.

Starkey, a recent addition to ESPN Radio 1250 in Pittsburgh, was the subject of conversation on the network's own Dan Patrick Show this afternoon. Dan and partner Keith Knowitollberman dissected Starkey's argument, and Keith immediately brought up Johnny Unitas, lest we forget that Keith is the most historically rich broadcaster in the media today.

Dan asked if Ben was a top-five quarterback, which, proving Starkey's argument, he said he was not. Predictably, he liked Carson Palmer better. He then brought up the argument of the "system quarterback", and then immediately noted that Joe Montana, while technically a "system quarterback", has seemed to avoid the label. Where he was going with this, I'm not really sure.

I think Ben does what's asked of him, and he has a 27-4 record and Super Bowl ring to show for it. I believe he's totally capable of winning a game on his own, and I think he made all the difference in the championship run. I have grown weary of stories of Carson Palmer's awesomeness and how much better he is than Ben. Yes, Carson's a great QB. But until he can post a career resume like that of Roethlisberger, I think arguing Palmer is better is futile. Thoughts?