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Steelers Radio Broadcast

December 6, 2009 by · Comments Off on Steelers Radio Broadcast 

Steelers Radio Broadcast,This past week’s fiasco surrounding Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the decision not to play him against the Baltimore Ravens was completely uncalled for and overblown on multiple levels.

This particularly applies to the members of Pittsburgh’s media. The beat writers could have done a better job in reporting Roethlisberger’s availability leading up to Saturday’s announcement that he would not play.

Steeler fans had been led to believe throughout the week that Roethlisberger was undoubtedly going to play, despite the concussion he suffered in Kansas City the week before. There were daily reports that Roethlisberger was practicing, and Roethlisberger himself was quoted to say that he had passed all of his medical and neurological exams.

Still, in spite of all the positive daily reports, there were indicators that Roethlisberger was unlikely to go.

The key indicator was that the sports books had still not made the game available for the betting public, even with the favorable news out of Pittsburgh.

In most cases, the bookmakers in Las Vegas, as well as those at major offshore sites, will keep a game off the board until Tuesday or at the latest on Wednesday. Wednesday practice if a key player is still questionable. But once that player practices on Wednesday and all reports are a go (as they were in this case), the books will then post a wagering line.

This was not the case last week.

Despite Roethlisberger practicing on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the sports books still kept the game off the board.

This should have signified to the area’s beat writers that they might not have all the information on Roethlisberger’s status, and that he was still very questionable to play.

Author and private investigator Dan Moldea wrote a fascinating book on this entire subject back in 1989. His book, titled “Interference: How Organized Crime Influenced Professional Football”, is simply a must-read.

There are reasons to follow the Vegas lines even if you’re not a sports bettor.  If there are reports that the starting quarterback is going to play, but there is no line available on the game, then take those reports with a grain of salt.

That way, you won’t be surprised when Dennis Dixon starts and Ben Roethlisberger is listed third on the depth chart.

Dutch’s takes –

— Kudos to Ron Cook and Bob Smizik for jumping all over Hines Ward for his comments in an interview with Bob Costas Sunday night during an NBC broadcast. Cook and Smizik didn’t wait 24 hours to scold Ward and any other player who might have felt that Roethlisberger wasn’t toughing it out by sitting last Sunday. Cook pointed out that there is no one on that team any tougher than Ben Roethlisberger. I don’t always agree with Cook, but I have to call it like I see it. That was some of Cook’s finest work. .

— The bad news is that Paul Alexander of Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh should have to make a public apology to Roethlisberger and Steeler fans for his tirade on KDKA’s Sunday Night Sports Showdown. This show is a must-watch for any Pittsburgh sports fan, but Alexander should not be invited back until he apologizes.

Alexander implied that Roethlisberger was simply lying about his exercise-induced headaches to make his concussion seem much worse than it was. Alexander called Roethlisberger a drama queen who had his bluff called by the Steelers who sat him on the bench.

Alexander resurrected the incident from January 2005 (when Roethlisberger said he played in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots with broken toes) to prove that Roethlisberger has a history of fibbing about injuries. It seems like when guys like Alexander get a chance to bash Roethlisberger, they go directly back to that incident. They simply won’t let it die.

As Alexander yelled into the camera, two things became very clear. First, he took the loss to the Ravens harder than most fans. Secondly, Roethlisberger’s accessibility (or lack thereof) to the FSN network must really be eating at him. Alexander has been known to apologize for the pathetic ownership of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he has no problem trying to tear down the Steelers two-time Super Bowl-winning QB.

Could the relationship that FSN has with the Pirates have anything to do with Alexander going through a wall for them? It absolutely does. And what a shame that is.

Of course Alexander is not the only one to join the Ben bashing Party. Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com reported a source within the Steelers told him that Tomlin really doesn’t like Roethlisberger.  Ken Laird, a reporter from ESPN radio 1250 joined in by reporting that a source within the Steelers said that Roethlisberger stood up in front of his team and yelled “good luck in Baltimore playing with Dennis Dixon.”

I have a theory that these guys all have the same source.  That source doesn’t like Roethlisberger for whatever reason. He or she waits for a time when a controversial story involving Roethlisberger hits the news and then he releases a few untruths to these reporters. All this does is further damage the quarterbacks reputation while getting a ratings boost for the outlets that employ the reporters. But of course that same outlet will complain three months later when they are unable to gain access to the star quarterback.

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