Some Trivial musings on a Monday when a Stiller didn’t get hurt or arrested.

Big Ben:  Everything appears to be on track with Ben’s recovery.  A huge sigh of relief was felt when Ben left the hospital in what appears to be major bullet dodging.  No news is good news, typically, and all reports looks like he will be ready for camp, and most likely the season opener.  Ben went public and apologized for his accident.  Turns out he was driving illegally because he didn’t have a proper license.  He’ll pay a small fine and with luck put a helmet on his melon when riding the bike.  With a little more luck, he’ll hire a chauffer to drive him wherever he wants. 

Santonio Holmes:  Thug or not?  I don’t really care about character issues for pro-football players though his character has been under immense scrutiny by media and fans.  I want him to score TDs and spread the field, hopefully providing the Stillers a vertical threat. We haven’t seen him take an NFL snap yet, but he is the target of already being unloaded and labeled a bust.  Even though I don’t really care what a player does in his off-time, the front office certainly does.  Rooney and company will be watching Holmes very closely.  They don’t like trouble and never have.  Trouble makers seem to find themselves on the quick train out of the Burgh.  We’ll see what happens with the 21 year old, remember that….21.  There are some rumors flying around that Holmes somehow sustained a hamstring injury.  I have not seen anything credible, but he has been going through some workouts.  It is too soon for everyone to jump of the Roberto Clemente Bridge and call him a bust.

Two things have been irritating me since the end of the season.

1.  Ben Roeth’s accident and Carson Palmer’s injury being discussed.  Some of our fellow rivals have called Ben’s accident “Karma” for the injury Palmer received by Kimo.  Some were actually glad Ben was injured.  Post Gazette writer, Ray Fittipaldo, wrote a piece discussing others finding humor or pleasure with Ben’s injuries. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06166/698372-66.stm   I’d be lying if I said I didn’t blow a sigh of relief when I saw the Bungles QB get carted of the field in an important game.  I’d be lying if I didn’t blow a sigh of relief when Harrison was injured in week 3 during the Pats game.  I don’t wish for players to get hurt and certainly don’t want to see anyone have a career ending injury.  My sigh of relief is what I call a competitive advantage in a sport that is violent.  Palmer’s season ended but all we hear is how the roll was intentional. It was an accident in a sport that has contact and often fast violent contact.

Here are some facts.

• Kimo was not flagged for the hit.
• The NFL did not subsequently fine Kimo after further review, which is common in the NFL to see players get fined days after an incident.  The NFL has been over pussified in protecting the QB and they have established a great deal of precedence by protecting the QB and levying fines on defensive players for rough play.  They’ve done it countless times, but not this time.  Reason:  It was a devastating hit, but a legal one.
• The NFL had their annual meeting at the end of March and discussed new rule changes.  One of the changes his hitting the QB below the knee.  The owners and NFL administration reviewed the Palmer hit and Roeth’s knee injury hit as well.  Even with the new rule interpretation that will go into effect in 2006-07, the Palmer hit would not have resulted in a penalty. 
• Kimo used to be a Bungle.
• Palmer, himself, called the hit clean and did not place any blame on Kimo or the Stillers and he is the one on crutches.                   

So Cinci fans, get over it.  It was unfortunate but unintentional.  Palmer had a season ending injury; Ben potentially had a life ending injury.  Big difference between a game and life.

2.  The Super Bowl.  I’m sick of the discussion regarding the Stillers stealing the Super Bowl and the refs wanted the Stillers to win and gift wrapped the game for them.  The media blew this out of proportion and over analyzed it to death.  Some ignorant football fans believe the game was tainted.  I’ve said it before and I’ll spew it again:  If 40 million people hear fat Madden say, “Looks like that was a pretty weak hold call”, a strong majority of those viewers now believe someone was incorrectly penalized.  Again, get over it.  Forum poster Steel68 created a Top 20 list of why Seattle should blame themselves and not the referees.  I thought it was a solid effort on his part and have included his listing to end this stupid debate.

1. On plays when there wasn't any penalties...one team made plays...and one team didn't.

2. The Refs didn't give up the longest run in Superbowl history.................................................Seattle did.

3. The Refs didn't get fooled out of their jocks on a 43 yd trick play, Randle to Ward for a TD, Seattle did.

4. The Refs didn't miss two field goals.......................................................................................Seattle did.

5. The Refs didn't drop 4 very catchable balls in KEY SITUATIONS..........................................Seattle's TE did.

6. And when the same Seattle TE finally caught a pass, he took 3 steps, was hit by the Safety and fumbled. ....But luckily for Seattle, "The Refs" ruled it Incomplete.

7. The Refs didn't carelessly let the 1st half clock tick from 48 seconds ALL THE WAY DOWN to 13 seconds before FINALLY running their next play.................................................................Seattle did.

8a. On this play, 54 yds from a FG, 13 secs. left, who foolishly heaved it deep, trying for a TD, rather than a shorter play & timeout to set up an easier FG try which then missed by just a couple feet ?.....Seattle did.

8b. Then in 2nd half, 50 yds from a FG on 3rd down, Seattle boneheadedly does the same thing again, they go deep, ignoring trying to get a little closer for the FG which, again missed by a couple feet.

9a. On 3rd and 28, Pitt QB Big Ben MAKES a play, scrambling & completing a 37 yd pass to Seattle's 2.

9b. On 3rd and 18, Seattle's QB misreads Pitt's zone defense and throws an interception at Pitt's 5.

10. Speaking of 3rd downs, Pitt converted several 3rd downs with plays like the 37 yarder above, QB Runs when nobody was open, a nifty shuttle pass, a shoestring catch by Ward, etc.

...However, Seattle was only 5 for 17 on 3rd downs, with plays like the INT above, dropped passes, wrecklessly going deep in short yardage situations, etc.

11. Who got a break when Pitt WR Ward dropped an easy TD in the endzone? ......................Seattle did.

12. Who got a break when Pitt CB Taylor dropped an easy INT early in the game? ................Seattle did.

13. With a Pittsburgh WR wide open in the endzone for a TD that would've put Pitt up 21 - 3, who got a break on a gift-wrapped INT from Pitt QB Big Ben?..................................................................................Seattle did.

14. Who got a break when the refs missed Sea. Center level Pitt's DE after play was over?....Seattle did

15. The Refs didn't fail to step out of bounds to stop the clock late in BOTH halves..................Seattle did.

16. Late in the game, needing a TD and FG, in no particular order and currently in easy FG range, who foolishly ignored the FG to fling it deep, throwing incomplete and losing the ball on downs ?.................Seattle did.

17. Who kept repeatedly punting through the endzone giving Pitt the ball at the 20?...............Seattle did.

18. Who outrushed Seattle and contained their star RB Stephen Alexander (the NFL's leading rusher) enough to force several 3rd downs? Pittsburgh.

19. Seattle...the sum total of all the above, your bad coaching decisions & clock mismanagement, breaks on big Pitt mistakes, breaks from the Refs, and your inability to make big plays  adds up to...............NO EXCUSES!!!

I’m confident right now going into training camp, even with Ben’s mishap.  I would have liked to see a little more depth added at linebacker during free-agency/draft.  I’m comfortable with the running game and we’ll see on the receiving. Key: Integrating Health Miller more than last year.  Most pre-season lists don’t have us favored to repeat.  While that offends the typically yinzer as lack of respect, I love it.  I don’t want to be favored to win the Division right now.  One thing about Bill Cowher, he does seem to do well when not expected to.  Being the underdog is fun….so keep disrespecting us, sportswriters.