Steeler Fans Rejoice

[Menudo]

It has nothing to do with thick skin or big ego. It has to do with you being more self-absorbed than any chick I've ever known. Heck, you even have Squeegie telling you to stop talking about yourself so much.

 

Manlove for Big Ben aside, think about it: You create a mess with almost every thread, and yet, you're never to blame. You rag on other teams, but then you deny it. You just have a big heart, you're misunderstood, and you always mean well. You think generally everyone loves you, but there are always those who are jealous of you. They're just haters, and while they hurt, there's really nothing you can do, because everyone secretly wishes they were a Steeler fan just like you.

 

Look at your answer above: There are times you are wired pretty tight? What's that? A little water retention messing with your emotions? We have to excuse irrational behavior because it's that special time?

 

I've anyalzed your typical post banner with some of the nation's top message board linguists, and here is a typical syntactical pattern they've dissected:

"My Big Ben is bigger than yours."

"Your Big Ben is a Small C(l)ock."

"That's not true! You've hurt my feelings! All I do is love, and yet you spew back hate! What have I done to you!?"

"I was just kidding, dude."

"Well, so was I."

 

Tell me that's not a chick in an argument.

 

 

Thanks for your assessment. I will take it under advisement. You seem to have given this a great deal of thought.

Edited June 14, 2006 by Menudo

[msaint]

And once again a Steelers thread is now about Menudo instead of the Steelers....

 

 

Squeeg feels deprived that this didn't careen into an examination of her unhealthy, secret lust for Brady. There'll be plenty of time for that in the regular season, m'lady, worry not.

Edited June 14, 2006 by msaint

[i_am_the_swammi]

The Captain brings up a good point. The helmet can be adapted to protect the areas of Ben's face that were injured. Ben's young and motivated to play.

 

I wonder, if the NFL made helmets optional, would Big Ben wear one?

 

Dude must have the IQ of a handball.

[McBoog]

With all deference to the “Intestinal Soup” thread this has become, I would like to throw my in on Big Ben’s Boo-Boo.

 

I truly believe that he will be physically capable of playing QB for the Steelers come opening day. He will be smaller, weaker and his endurance will be greatly diminished. There will be intense tenderness and “flash pain” on a consistent and continuing basis for well over a year from the slightest touch or movement well after everything feels fine.

 

There will be constant reminders to him in all kinds of situations just how badly he was hurt (SEVEN HOURS OF SURGERY PEOPLE) and his innate self-protection responses will be in high gear (involuntary flinching and ducking are examples of these responses). Some of these reminders will be as simple as the special facemask or padding he will have to wear to protect his injury.

 

What will take MUCH longer to heal will be the psychological damage that has occurred. I don’t buy the “images of granny and her windshield” popping into his head. What I do believe will happen is an intense panic attack when the likes of Merriman is bearing down on him . Is he going to stand there, make the throw and get exploded? Or, is he going to cover-up, not by overt choice, but by this innate reaction for personal preservation?

 

Ben’s head needs to heal. But it will be the psychological healing that will be the hardest and longest “rehab”.

 

I think they should just plan on going with Batch for the immediate future and bring Ben back slowly. He will be much more confident if he is able to regain his size, strength and endurance BEFORE they put him back on the field against defenses that will be gearing up to put more pressure and pop him harder than before. His physical recover won’t be complete until well into the season, and his psyche…might not ever be the same.

 

Anything else just sounds like wishful thinking.

[alexgaddis]

Hey, are they going to change his name to Toothlessberger?

 

[Menudo]

Hey, are they going to change his name to Toothlessberger?

 

 

 

[Fantasy Jesus]

He's going to think he's Troy Aikman for the first 4 weeks.

 

Aftre that he'll be his normal headed self.

[Menudo]

With all deference to the “Intestinal Soup” thread this has become, I would like to throw my in on Big Ben’s Boo-Boo.

 

I truly believe that he will be physically capable of playing QB for the Steelers come opening day. He will be smaller, weaker and his endurance will be greatly diminished. There will be intense tenderness and “flash pain” on a consistent and continuing basis for well over a year from the slightest touch or movement well after everything feels fine.

 

There will be constant reminders to him in all kinds of situations just how badly he was hurt (SEVEN HOURS OF SURGERY PEOPLE) and his innate self-protection responses will be in high gear (involuntary flinching and ducking are examples of these responses). Some of these reminders will be as simple as the special facemask or padding he will have to wear to protect his injury.

 

What will take MUCH longer to heal will be the psychological damage that has occurred. I don’t buy the “images of granny and her windshield” popping into his head. What I do believe will happen is an intense panic attack when the likes of Merriman is bearing down on him . Is he going to stand there, make the throw and get exploded? Or, is he going to cover-up, not by overt choice, but by this innate reaction for personal preservation?

 

Ben’s head needs to heal. But it will be the psychological healing that will be the hardest and longest “rehab”.

 

I think they should just plan on going with Batch for the immediate future and bring Ben back slowly. He will be much more confident if he is able to regain his size, strength and endurance BEFORE they put him back on the field against defenses that will be gearing up to put more pressure and pop him harder than before. His physical recover won’t be complete until well into the season, and his psyche…might not ever be the same.

 

Anything else just sounds like wishful thinking.

 

 

Great post !!!! I agree with the mental aspect that you are talking about. I full expect the Steelers to take the cautious route with Ben. They always have in the past with all of their players, and especially their QB's. Ben wanted to play a few times last year and was over-ruled by Cowher. I hope the Steelers take it slow with him, and wait until he is truly comfortable before throwing him back into the fire.

[louisville lip]

What the Steelers do with their QB situation over the next four weeks will tell us all we need to know concerning their view of Ben's prognosis (ie, availability on Sept. 7).

 

If they sign Maddox, it will mean they are confident Ben will be ready (based on everything they know that we will never know); if they pursue Collins, that would signify uncertainty/doubt on their part that he will be ready to go full speed without jeopardizing his future.

 

Pittsburgh can wait up to four weeks to sign Maddox, and unless another team gets hot after Collins, there's no reason to hurry after him either. If they sign Maddox anytime soon, that means they're extremely confident that Ben will play on Sept. 7.

[PantherDave]

Ben Rothlesberger aka Chip Toothlessberger.......

[kraftykraft]

Well, it looks like Big Ben dodged a bullet. He could have had his brain scrambled.

 

Will he be able to stay in the pocket without getting "happy feet"? Dunno. He might take awhile to come back from this mentally, or he might shrug it off. Personally, I incline towards him being ok within a few games of coming back.

 

That being said, Brainlessberger did get hit with the self-absorbed stupid stick a couple times before he got hit by that car. Riding a bike without a helmet = stupid. Riding a bike without a helmet and a valid MC license = really stupid. Riding a bike without a helmet and a license after your coach, teamates and the press all bring up the issue of your bike riding = duuuurrrrrrr!!!

 

I mean, the man managed to make Terry Bradshaw look smart--Terry Bradshaw!!!!!!

[Menudo]

Well, it looks like Big Ben dodged a bullet. He could have had his brain scrambled.

 

Will he be able to stay in the pocket without getting "happy feet"? Dunno. He might take awhile to come back from this mentally, or he might shrug it off. Personally, I incline towards him being ok within a few games of coming back.

 

That being said, Brainlessberger did get hit with the self-absorbed stupid stick a couple times before he got hit by that car. Riding a bike without a helmet = stupid. Riding a bike without a helmet and a valid MC license = really stupid. Riding a bike without a helmet and a license after your coach, teamates and the press all bring up the issue of your bike riding = duuuurrrrrrr!!!

 

I mean, the man managed to make Terry Bradshaw look smart--Terry Bradshaw!!!!!!

 

 

Well, if he gets the stupid label like Bradshaw, and gets the same amount of rings as Bradshaw, I could live with that.

[Gonkis]

My

 

If you have kids and you've ever told them over and over again the consequences of a certain action and they just don't buy it until they learn the hard way, you understand how Big Ben must feel today. There's another thread floating around from a year ago that points it out. He wasn't going to listen to that no matter what.

 

What do I do with my kids? Pick'em up, brush 'em off, and see if they learned this time.

 

Until I thought about this situation this way, I thought he was an idiot. He'll only be an idiot if he rides again without a helmet. Now I realize he's no different than every other 10 year old.

[McBoog]

... I mean, the man managed to make Terry Bradshaw look smart--Terry Bradshaw!!!!!!

 

 

 

[CaptainHook]

It has nothing to do with thick skin or big ego. It has to do with you being more self-absorbed than any chick I've ever known. Heck, you even have Squeegie telling you to stop talking about yourself so much.

 

Manlove for Big Ben aside, think about it: You create a mess with almost every thread, and yet, you're never to blame. You rag on other teams, but then you deny it. You just have a big heart, you're misunderstood, and you always mean well. You think generally everyone loves you, but there are always those who are jealous of you. They're just haters, and while they hurt, there's really nothing you can do, because everyone secretly wishes they were a Steeler fan just like you.

 

Look at your answer above: There are times you are wired pretty tight? What's that? A little water retention messing with your emotions? We have to excuse irrational behavior because it's that special time?

 

I've anyalzed your typical post banner with some of the nation's top message board linguists, and here is a typical syntactical pattern they've dissected:

"My Big Ben is bigger than yours."

"Your Big Ben is a Small C(l)ock."

"That's not true! You've hurt my feelings! All I do is love, and yet you spew back hate! What have I done to you!?"

"I was just kidding, dude."

"Well, so was I."

 

Tell me that's not a chick in an argument.

 

 

[Pitbull739]

What the Steelers do with their QB situation over the next four weeks will tell us all we need to know concerning their view of Ben's prognosis (ie, availability on Sept. 7).

 

If they sign Maddox, it will mean they are confident Ben will be ready (based on everything they know that we will never know); if they pursue Collins, that would signify uncertainty/doubt on their part that he will be ready to go full speed without jeopardizing his future.

 

Pittsburgh can wait up to four weeks to sign Maddox, and unless another team gets hot after Collins, there's no reason to hurry after him either. If they sign Maddox anytime soon, that means they're extremely confident that Ben will play on Sept. 7.

 

Not Maddox Isn't Scott Mitchell or Rick Mirer still looking for a job? I could not stand another snap with Tommy under center.

 

I agree that there should be no rush to bring Ben back early. They should give him all the time he needs to heal. As long as we finish the 6 seed when playoffs come around, its all good

[hooknladder]

Only you could find an upside to this.

[Menudo]

Wow, Spain posts at more than just the Huddle:

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06166/698372-66.stm

 

Trash-talking NFL fans waste no time reveling in Roethlisberger's misfortune

Thursday, June 15, 2006

 

By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

 

Post-Gazette photo illustration

Click photo for larger image.

 

 

 

 

 

For those who thought Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer displayed a childish attitude in Sports Illustrated a few weeks back when he proclaimed "I hate the Steelers," wait until they get a load of what some Bengals fans had to say in the moments after Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident Monday.

 

As the news and pictures were posted on internet Web sites, Bengals backers at Bengalsforum.com made light of the fact that the Steelers' quarterback had sustained severe injuries, with many of them proclaiming that justice had been served. A few Cincinnati fans said in their messages that it served Roethlisberger and the Steelers right because former Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen, they contended, intentionally injured Palmer in an AFC wild-card game at Paul Brown Stadium in January.

 

"Irony, they cheap shot their way to a Super Bowl, now karma comes in," wrote a poster with the handle Spain.

 

Another poster with the handle jjakg27 wrote: "What comes around ..."

 

Cantonbengal posted: "This is what I been waiting to see happen to the Steelers they all laughed at us when Carson went down. At least, Carson isn't [stupid] like Ben ... hopefully he might miss some time this season."

 

The messages were posted in the moments or hours after the accident Monday when the severity of Roethlisberger's condition was unclear.

 

The ill will toward Roethlisberger and the Steelers was not confined to Cincinnati cyberspace. Message boards from around the NFL were filled with tasteless comments about Roethlisberger and the accident. At The brownsboard.com, a Cleveland Browns fan site, one poster dubbed the quarterback "Ben Toothlessberger" and noted that he is now "right at home with all those Pittsburgh inbreds."

 

A poster with the handle flugel wondered: "who is wearing a bigger turban today? Bin Laden or Ben Ridin'?" Flugel also noted that "there's something about Steelers quarterbacks bouncing off hard surfaces that keeps this rivalry fun."

 

That was a reference to Terry Bradshaw getting dumped on his head by Cleveland defensive lineman Joe "Turkey" Jones at old Municipal Stadium in 1976.

 

Fans of the Baltimore Ravens also got into the act. Only moments after the accident, Revo2001 posted: "HAHA" followed by an expletive. A few hours later CRAVNRAVN posted: "Raven baby are now the favs to claim the division!"

 

So why do some football fans react in such a crazed manner in the wake of a potential tragedy?

 

Dr. Paul Friday, the director of clinical psychology at UPMC Shady Side, said the posters of these comments are people with psychological problems whose brains never fully developed.

 

Friday said the human brain does not fully develop until 25 years of age, which, he said, might explain why Roethlisberger, who is 24, decided to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. Friday said the posters are either too young to know better or are people whose brains never completely wired, which can happen due to a number of circumstances, including class and culture.

 

"The people who are blogging in Cincinnati, they're the ones whose brains never fully develop," Friday said. "They don't perspectivize human tragedy. They don't learn to think effectively. These people are not normal. We're talking about a fringe element. We're dealing with the screaming people who are venting. These are elements that are not representative of their communities. They are representatives of their own minds."

 

Friday said posters on Internet message boards hide behind their keyboards and write things they would never have the courage to say aloud in public. He said posters who write tasteless messages use football and the rivalries between teams as a way of getting out their aggression in a non-violent manner. It's not necessarily a new phenomenon, just one that is more evident because of the instant communication that is available via the Internet.

 

"We have a degree of transference on sports figures," Friday said. "It's a way of vicariously going to battle. People can blog and send thoughts, and feel a self-induced empowerment."

 

The Steelers' success also is part of the equation, he said. If the Steelers had not won the Super Bowl in February, people would not post such vitriolic messages. The Steelers are kings of the mountain, and their players are being transformed from humans into symbols, waiting to be knocked from their high perch.

 

"We identify with our champions," Friday said. "Maybe 3,000 years ago when we were still throwing rocks at each other, the Davids wanted to hit the Goliaths between the eyes. Every year now, we anoint a new Goliath. And we are the new Goliath after winning the Super Bowl.

 

"Our heroes are no longer humans. They're symbols. Ben is no longer Mrs. Roethlisberger's son or someone who is coming to dinner. He is someone who represents the wars that take place. And there are no bigger wars than the ones that take place in the 5 1/2 inches between our ears."

[Menudo]

Only you could find an upside to this.

 

 

Of course I can find upside at this point. When the news was first delivered, I was worried whether he would ever play football again.

[Gonkis]

Wow, Spain posts at more than just the Huddle:

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06166/698372-66.stm

 

 

 

So why do some football fans react in such a crazed manner in the wake of a potential tragedy?

 

Dr. Paul Friday, the director of clinical psychology at UPMC Shady Side, said the posters of these comments are people with psychological problems whose brains never fully developed.

 

Friday said the human brain does not fully develop until 25 years of age, which, he said, might explain why Roethlisberger, who is 24, decided to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. Friday said the posters are either too young to know better or are people whose brains never completely wired, which can happen due to a number of circumstances, including class and culture.

 

 

 

This guy should lose his PhD. People referenced in this article have "completely developed brains" they're just a product of their upbringing. Is he saying that certain people just never grow up?

[Sox]

That's not the Spain that posts here.

 

That's a junkie who lives in Europe who regularly pollutes Bengalzone.com with his drivel.

 

Amazing that a Pittsburgh writer would dig something like that up off of a Bengals forum.He should have printed what was posted on Steelernation after Palmer's knee was wrecked as well.

[Menudo]

That's not the Spain that posts here.

 

That's a junkie who lives in Europe who regularly pollutes Bengalzone.com with his drivel.

 

Amazing that a Pittsburgh writer would dig something like that up off of a Bengals forum.He should have printed what was posted on Steelernation after Palmer's knee was wrecked as well.

 

 

Agreed. Every fanbase has idiots like those described in this article, and that certaily includes the Steelers. I'm embarassed often by things Steeler fans post on message boards. I just don't see how a person can be happy about another player's injuries, regardless of what team they play for. They obviously have no respect for the sport or the athletes playing it.

[Trots]

I love this line the best:

Dr. Paul Friday, the director of clinical psychology at UPMC Shady Side, said the posters of these comments are people with psychological problems whose brains never fully developed.

[Menudo]

I love this line the best:

Dr. Paul Friday, the director of clinical psychology at UPMC Shady Side, said the posters of these comments are people with psychological problems whose brains never fully developed.

 

 

Hate to agree with you.... , but, that is a riot.

[kevin4192]

you must be dissapointed you posted this article nearly 6 hours ago, and not one bite from bengals,ravens, nor browns fans. oh wait a minute you posted this in reference to spain being on other boards. yea right.