January 17, 2011

"I give Ben Roethlisberger a lot of credit. He's man enough to stand in the pocket and look down the barrel of a gun and take the hit."

"There's not a lot of quarterbacks in the league that do that. Most quarterbacks don't like getting hit. They get hit and they turn into a totally different person.''

How does football fit into the new civility? As Original Mike said in the comments yesterday:
Oh, great. The Packers are playing the Bears for the NFC championship and it's "let's all be civil" week.
Maybe a civil AFC game would make more sense, but I'd rather watch Roethlisberger look down the barrel of a gun and take the hit. (I've got to admit, it seems wrong to write that... even though Sports Illustrated wrote it.

35 comments:

Fen said...

My fav episode of Burn Notice is the one where Micheal assumes the persona of El Diablo. With a snap of his fingers - sniper fire and explosions occur and send the perps running. The reason its my fav is because of one perps expression - he always seems to roll his eyes at this, a funny combination of "ah hell not again" and "O Really!".

Thats the image I had of Mike when I read his comment: Oh, great. The Packers are playing the Bears for the NFC championship and it's "let's all be civil" week

Scott M said...

I played for 13 years total. There simply is no civility on the field outside the rules of the game. The older I got, the less civil it was.

I'll ask it again...why is it that most self-described liberals dislike (some I know actively hate) American football? Is it the alpha male thing or just the male thing in general?

garage mahal said...

Milk this mofo for all this is worth. Because calling for armed revolution against congress is just like a football game. Just don't link to Mediate. That's "out of bounds". Haha.

Fen said...

Garage chokes on his Tu Quo.

This will be a fun week.

Phil 314 said...

You mean the accused rapist Ben Roethlisberger?

traditionalguy said...

Big Ben really is a man's man with that all it takes...except for a relationship with a nurturing woman. For that he will have to learn to be all that he can be running emotional plays. Running over a woman like she is another man with a vagina is not the best way to reach the Super Bowl of bliss. But I hear Ben has recently evaluated several draft choices and he is seeking a role player on the developing team of Ben and His Lady. Go get em Ben. Just learn from Crack and avoid the French ladies.

Anonymous said...

Milk this mofo for all this is worth. Because calling for armed revolution against congress is just like a football game. Just don't link to Mediate. That's "out of bounds". Haha.

First, who called for armed revolution against congress? Nobody.

Good God, garage, our nation is the product of a revolution.

Here's a quote from that Tea Party crazy, Thomas Jefferson: Every generation needs a new revolution.

TMink said...

I saw some strong verbal aggression on TV this week. It was generated by adults toward their children.

I watched "Himself" by Bill Cosby.

This whole reduce verbal conflict meme is a ruse to protect the ruling elite from any criticism.

Ignore it and criticize vigorously!

Trey

Known Unknown said...

Here's a quote from that Tea Party crazy, Thomas Jefferson: Every generation needs a new revolution.

But TJ was a slaveowner, so he's automatically disqualified.

Crimso said...

"But TJ was a slaveowner, so he's automatically disqualified."

Similarly, everything he wrote should be disregarded. Which explains a lot about the political views of some people.

garage mahal said...

Wasn't Thomas Jefferson recently replaced with Aquinas and Calvin in Texas schoolbooks in the world history section? Thanks for the laugh Thomas.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't Thomas Jefferson recently replaced with Aquinas and Calvin in Texas schoolbooks in the world history section? Thanks for the laugh Thomas.

Certainly, my post was directly related to Texas schoolbooks.

Although I live in New York, I dog whistled those book reviewers in Texas. They responded to my telepathic directives just as I wished.

I'm almost as lethal as Sarah Palin.

Calypso Facto said...

"But TJ was a slaveowner, so he's automatically disqualified."
When a lefty friend was hating on the "Tea Party's" tree-of-liberty slogan last week, I pointed out that it was actually a TJ quotation. At which point, just as predicted by EMD, she went immediately to TJ's slave ownership and Sally Hemings as a conversation re-direct.

"You mean the accused rapist Ben Roethlisberger?"
Gives "look down the barrel of a gun and take the hit" a whole new meaning, doesn't it?

Unknown said...

Agree with Ann on QBs willing to stand their ground. There haven't been many in the last 50 years.

PS You're right, Meade. She does pick it up in a hurry.

(didn't doubt it for a minute)

Cedarford said...

Phil 3:14 said...
You mean the accused rapist Ben Roethlisberger?
=================
Easy to do.
I accuse you of rape.
Now you are the accused rapist Phil 3:14.

ricpic said...

Job #1 for the Steelers offensive line is to make sure the pocket holds so that Roethlisberger isn't hit as he releases. If he's hit after he releases that's a 15 yard penalty. So their job boils down to keeping the pocket intact until he throws. Centers, guards and tackles who fail to do that have very short careers, justifiably so. When Roethlisberger has to be "manly" that's a sign his offensive line has failed him.

save_the_rustbelt said...

Having known Ben since he was 11 he is one huge dude, I think his official listing is too short and maybe a few pounds light.

(I would like to drag him behind the barn and kick his very tall ass for his drinking and carousing, his dogs behave better than he does.)

The O-line has been very inconsistent and that will not work in the next game if it continues.

But since high school he has been willing to get smacked to get the offense moving, and I suspect that may shorten his career.

Automatic_Wing said...

In defense of the offensive linemen, Roethlisberger holds onto the ball for an awfully long time, much longer than most NFL QBs. And he is one fearless dude on the football field, gotta give him that. Off the field is another story, but he's a hell of a player.

Scott M said...

Maybe they should switch to an option-based offense. It's really a shame that the option doesn't work well in the pros because a) it's fun as hell to run and b) it's fun as hell to watch.

Prosecutorial Indiscretion said...

There's nothing civil about the AFC championship game coming up. You have a bunch of thugs led by a racist vs. a bunch of loud-mouthed jerks led by an obsese foot fetishist. Best case scenario: the blimp crashes, catches fire, and takes out both teams. I'm pulling for the Packers to go all the way, but the Bears are still a much better alternative to whoever the AFC puts forward.

save_the_rustbelt said...

Prosecutorial:

So which one is the racist and which one the obese foot guy?

Automatic_Wing said...

Rex Ryan is obviously the foot fetishist, so that must make Mike Tomlin the racist. I must confess that's a new one to me.

Phil 314 said...

C4;
Read all of the testimony and documents. I won't deny that this woman put herself in a "difficult" situation but Ben's actions (and those of his crew) were despicable.

But he can sure stand up there in the pocket!

Prosecutorial Indiscretion said...

Damn it, that's a nasty typo - "racist" should read "rapist." I actually like Mike Tomlin, I just think an awful lot of guy son his team lack any little bit of character.

Trooper York said...

Ben Roethlisberger should be looking down the barrel of a gun held by the male relatives of the women he has raped.

If there was any justice in this world that is.

Trooper York said...

At least LT pays for it.

garage mahal said...

Hey Troop
Catch any football this weekend? Particularly the clinic that started at 7:00 cst

garage mahal said...

7:00cst on Saturday that is.

Trooper York said...

Congratulations to you and your team Garage. Well done.

You still haven't won uh-gotz but you have won everything you had to do so far.

Once again, well done.

Trooper York said...

One of the most consistently interesting historical facts about the origin of the NFL is how teams got their names. For example the New York Giants were named after original owner Tim Mara’s penis which was remarkable even for an Irishman as it had be measured at more than three inches when fully erect. The Chicago Bears were named after original owner George Halas's habit of soliciting sex with burly and hairy workmen by promising a tryout with his team. Coach Halas was instrumental in both the creation of the league as well as the popularization of the “Bear “ movement in the homosexual community. Coach Halas hatred of one his main rivals Curly Lambeau also led to the name of another original franchise. You see he always referred to Curly as that “goddamned Green Bay Fudge Packer” and another franchise was christened. Both were seminal moments in the undocumented gay subtext of the league where they play for pay.
(Reverse the Call on the Field, The Secret History of the NFL, Doris Kearns Goodwin, ESPN Press 2010)

Scott M said...

Interesting, York, as the New York Giants first existed as a baseball team formed in the 1880's and the football team actually called themselves the New York Football Giants to differentiate themselves...more than a quarter of a century later.

My irony detector isn't fired up at the moment, so maybe I missed out on some good snark.

Methadras said...

Roethlisraper wins. Highlights at 11.

Jim said...

Last week during the WI/MSU game the announcer said one of the teams, I couldn't tell which one, was "lethal from the perimeter." This hardly fits the new tone, and besides, what if a marginally sane Spartan would hear that and attack a badger with a spear? The horror of it all.
Jimbo in KC

Old RPM Daddy said...

"I give Ben Roethlisberger a lot of credit. He's man enough to stand in the pocket and look down the barrel of a gun and take the hit."

Unsportsmanlike conduct with a mixed metaphor! Half the distance to the goal line, still second down!"

By the way, Steelers, if the whistle hasn't blown yet, the ball is still live!

clint said...

Re: "Maybe a civil AFC game would make more sense..."

*blink*

The Jets didn't exactly set a new standard for civility in the lead up to the Pats game this weekend...