Bob Smizik, the long time writer for the Post-Gazette, has an on-going blog about the situation with Ben Roethlisberger. His views are a bit tainted considering he’s been around forever covering this team, and seems to be a bit detached from today’s athlete, feeling they should all go home at 9pm and drink milk and cookies.
With that said, it comes to no surprise to read his ‘blog’ today, saying the Steelers should RELEASE their franchise QB:
The Steelers need to reclaim their special brand. The best way to do that is to trade Roethlisberger.
The plusses of such a move are these:
* The Steelers get several high draft choices, at least one No. 1, and turn those into multiple high draft choices to help rebuild the team.
* The team gets out from under about $65 million it owes Roethlisberger.
* The Steelers do not draft a quarterback with their high draft choices but make Dennis Dixon the starter and they again become a running team.
* The currently disillusioned Steeler Nation rallies around the team for doing it the right way.
Sure, there are drawbacks.
Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers are a lesser team. That’s beyond dispute. But they won’t be a bad team. The multiple draft choices will help the team come back.
To read the rest of this riot, click HERE
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George H
April 14, 2010 at 10:17 am
I just posted this a few minutes ago but I will post it again because its more relevant to this article.
Rumor going around Pittsburgh!! Appearently another girl is coming out and saying Ben assaulted her over the summer. Steelers are catching wind of this and again appearently are listening to a trade offer from the Rams for this years first overall pick and next year’s first round pick. Again this is all purely specualtion and a rumor being floated around. Any thoughts?
DrGeorge
April 14, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Thanks, George H. I hadn’t heard the rumor of yet another assault charge, but it scarcely seems a necessary predicate for the Steelers to consider a trade offer for Ben. There is already motivation enough. If the Rams offer two #1 picks and take over Ben’s financially burdensome contract, I say it’s a good deal. His salary skews the financial structure of the payroll as it is, and the Steelers could use the cash; or to be more blunt, a lot of O-line and defensive talent could be bought with the excess money in Ben’s contract — assuming the same mistake isn’t made in signing a new QB. I hope there is such an offer in the offing.
As for Bob Smizik, he may be older than M. Loede, but he is very well connected to Steelers management. His thoughts were well supported and expressed. In the full article, he describes the differences between Ben’s damage control press conference in 2009 and the one yesterday (the lack of visible front office support is the most telling). His points are cogently expressed and highly credible. In the article, Bob hedges his bets; he says he doesn’t think a trade will happen, but it could happen. My tummy tells me that Bob’s hedge is a way of protecting unnamed sources inside the Steelers front office. If a trade for Ben doesn’t happen, it isn’t because the Steelers haven’t considered it. Clearly, Ben’s services are for sale. And at the Rams, Ben would not likely hurt the Steelers on the field for years to come.
Maybe Smizik really does think pro athletes should be home by 9pm, enjoying milk and cookes. So what? If Ben had taken this sage advice, he wouldn’t be in this mess.
Spanky
April 14, 2010 at 4:29 pm
“His views are a bit tainted considering he’s been around forever covering this team, and seems to be a bit detached from today’s athlete, feeling they should all go home at 9pm and drink milk and cookies.”
You’ve just told me a lot about your own character, M. Loede.
Jay
April 15, 2010 at 7:37 am
What did Marty McFly say in Back to the Future, “Wow, Doc, this is heavy…” This is heavy. Just as I’m getting used to having a franchise quarterback who is actually awesome on the field, he sucks off of it. Yes, a mild under statement and minimilization of the situation but I hope that HASTE does not prevail here! I am someone who errs on the side of morals ( I used to drink a lot and my allergic reaction was handcuffs and assaults and batteries. Now I, being very serious here, drink milk and eat the ocassional cookie and my life has never been better; ergo-there’s nothing wrong with leading a responsible, mature life which doesn’t involve abusing others and spitting in the face of those who have assisted you. To whom much is given, much is expected!) BUT, that being said, I sure hope that EVERYTHING is thought through before we just dump someone who puts Lombardi’s in our trophy case. That’s all. Personally, a number one overall pick and next year’s first rounder!?! Yeah, I would do it but spend night and day researching things to make sure it’s the right decision. I would also parlay the number one overall pick into multiple picks in this years draft (a big portion of the $65 million contract voided by Ben’s departure would inexorably be replaced by the number one overall pick so why use that pick on an actual player?!?…Move back into the high tens or low teens and get another second rounder). I just can’t believe we’re talking about this—WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE TODAY (referring to Ben here)!?!