TPOP: Requiem for a Backup

Here is my article for The Point of Pittsburgh. They asked me to write a "reaction" to the BB knee injury. I skip past the details of the injury, and talk more about the "what now?"


Requiem for a Backup
by Tiger Rowan

Stop me when this sounds familiar: Ben Roethlisberger is injured.

As a Steelers fan, you simply accept the fact that every so often, Ben will take a viscous hit that knocks him out of a few games. Likewise, as a Steelers fan, you have grown accustomed to the play of the back-up quarterback paling in comparison. What makes matters worse is that while Roethlisberger is mending, not only does the team generally lose games, Roethlisberger feels compelled to return (sooner than he should), which in turn aggravates his injury and/or prolongs his recovery.

So, after the Rams knocked Ben’s knee sideways, we have once again arrived at the age-old debate for Steelers fans: start the back-up at one hundred percent, or, go with Big Ben at sixty percent?


Read more:
http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/requiem-for-a-backup/

If you enjoyed it, feel free to pass it along to anyone who you think might be interested in reading it.


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Good read.

ImperialFan wrote:

Good read.

Thanks, man.


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teegre wrote:

Here is my article for The Point of Pittsburgh.  They asked me to write a "reaction" to the BB knee injury.  I skip past the details of the injury, and talk more about the "what now?"  


Requiem for a Backup
by Tiger Rowan  

Stop me when this sounds familiar: Ben Roethlisberger is injured.

As a Steelers fan, you simply accept the fact that every so often, Ben will take a viscous hit that knocks him out of a few games. Likewise, as a Steelers fan, you have grown accustomed to the play of the back-up quarterback paling in comparison. What makes matters worse is that while Roethlisberger is mending, not only does the team generally lose games, Roethlisberger feels compelled to return (sooner than he should), which in turn aggravates his injury and/or prolongs his recovery.

So, after the Rams knocked Ben’s knee sideways, we have once again arrived at the age-old debate for Steelers fans: start the back-up at one hundred percent, or, go with Big Ben at sixty percent?


Read more:  
http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/requiem-for-a-backup/

If you enjoyed it, feel free to pass it along to anyone who you think might be interested in reading it.  


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Well written, man. I completely agree about the 49'ers game and I think Ben coming back too soon is a show of immaturity from the coaching staff. I understand Ben wanting to be superman as he knows he gives his team the best chance to win, but Tomlin and the front office have to have the maturity to understand the risk is greater than the reward.

Making the playoffs is important, but it's a moot point if your QB isn't healthy going into it. I forgot about Ben's ankle being an issue in that Denver playoff loss (I try not to think about that game ).

lotas wrote:

teegre wrote:

Here is my article for The Point of Pittsburgh.  They asked me to write a "reaction" to the BB knee injury.  I skip past the details of the injury, and talk more about the "what now?"  


Requiem for a Backup
by Tiger Rowan  

Stop me when this sounds familiar: Ben Roethlisberger is injured.

As a Steelers fan, you simply accept the fact that every so often, Ben will take a viscous hit that knocks him out of a few games. Likewise, as a Steelers fan, you have grown accustomed to the play of the back-up quarterback paling in comparison. What makes matters worse is that while Roethlisberger is mending, not only does the team generally lose games, Roethlisberger feels compelled to return (sooner than he should), which in turn aggravates his injury and/or prolongs his recovery.

So, after the Rams knocked Ben’s knee sideways, we have once again arrived at the age-old debate for Steelers fans: start the back-up at one hundred percent, or, go with Big Ben at sixty percent?


Read more:  
http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/requiem-for-a-backup/

If you enjoyed it, feel free to pass it along to anyone who you think might be interested in reading it.  


.

Well written, man. I completely agree about the 49'ers game and I think Ben coming back too soon is a show of immaturity from the coaching staff. I understand Ben wanting to be superman as he knows he gives his team the best chance to win, but Tomlin and the front office have to have the maturity to understand the risk is greater than the reward.

Making the playoffs is important, but it's a moot point if your QB isn't healthy going into it. I forgot about Ben's ankle being an issue in that Denver playoff loss (I try not to think about that game ).

Yep. Most people only remember the Tebow-to-Thomas TD pass... and forget that BB could have won that game in regulation.

Argh... ankle!!!

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I only disagree with the ankle injury.
Reason being is that Ben played. Now I'm not saying it wasn't a bad injury or otherwise BUT he was on the field. Just like last seasons NFC title game for the football god Rodgers, that game will be talked about to the end of time about how his calf was sooooooo bad and it was a wasted Super Bowl run and blah blah blah.
Point is both guys played in their respective games and they lost, it happens. No excuses like Tomlin says.

Any way keep up the good work. I really enjoy your articles.

teegre wrote:

Plus, the fifth round is Pittsburgh’s designated round to draft a cornerback who will be cut by the end of training camp.

Steel Peon wrote:

teegre wrote:

Plus, the fifth round is Pittsburgh’s designated round to draft a cornerback who will be cut by the end of training camp.

I'm glad that someone caught that.

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SteelersNorth wrote:

I only disagree with the ankle injury.
Reason being is that Ben played. Now I'm not saying it wasn't a bad injury or otherwise BUT he was on the field. Just like last seasons NFC title game for the football god Rodgers, that game will be talked about to the end of time about how his calf was sooooooo bad and it was a wasted Super Bowl run and blah blah blah.
Point is both guys played in their respective games and they lost, it happens. No excuses like Tomlin says.

Any way keep up the good work. I really enjoy your articles.

I think the difference is: if they had rested BB in the regular season, he would have been healthy for the post season; there was no real danger of missing the playoffs.  Sure, the Steelers lost the #1 seed, but they ended up as the #5 seed regardless.  

Whereas, Rodgers didn't have the opportunity to sit/heal; he was injured and they had to keep winning in order to even make the playoffs.  

And, thank you for the kind words.

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teegre wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

I only disagree with the ankle injury.
Reason being is that Ben played. Now I'm not saying it wasn't a bad injury or otherwise BUT he was on the field. Just like last seasons NFC title game for the football god Rodgers, that game will be talked about to the end of time about how his calf was sooooooo bad and it was a wasted Super Bowl run and blah blah blah.
Point is both guys played in their respective games and they lost, it happens. No excuses like Tomlin says.

Any way keep up the good work. I really enjoy your articles.

I think the difference is: if they had rested BB in the regular season, he would have been healthy for the post season; there was no real danger of missing the playoffs.  Sure, the Steelers lost the #1 seed, but they ended up as the #5 seed regardless.  

Whereas, Rodgers didn't have the opportunity to sit/heal; he was injured and they had to keep winning in order to even make the playoffs.  

And, thank you for the kind words.

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Well the Packers made the playoffs because the Lions stink and the rest of the division is like the AFC East a bunch of cream puff teams, whereas the AFC North fairly regularly (in recent years) sends 3 teams to the playoffs.
So if you were to rest Ben you run the risk of not making it at all.

Hindsight is 20/20 now since you can't change the past.

onward and upward lol

SteelersNorth wrote:

teegre wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

I only disagree with the ankle injury.
Reason being is that Ben played. Now I'm not saying it wasn't a bad injury or otherwise BUT he was on the field. Just like last seasons NFC title game for the football god Rodgers, that game will be talked about to the end of time about how his calf was sooooooo bad and it was a wasted Super Bowl run and blah blah blah.
Point is both guys played in their respective games and they lost, it happens. No excuses like Tomlin says.

Any way keep up the good work. I really enjoy your articles.

I think the difference is: if they had rested BB in the regular season, he would have been healthy for the post season; there was no real danger of missing the playoffs.  Sure, the Steelers lost the #1 seed, but they ended up as the #5 seed regardless.  

Whereas, Rodgers didn't have the opportunity to sit/heal; he was injured and they had to keep winning in order to even make the playoffs.  

And, thank you for the kind words.

.

Well the Packers made the playoffs because the Lions stink and the rest of the division is like the AFC East a bunch of cream puff teams, whereas the AFC North fairly regularly (in recent years) sends 3 teams to the playoffs.
So if you were to rest Ben you run the risk of not making it at all.

Hindsight is 20/20 now since you can't change the past.

onward and upward lol

Indeed. Hindsight makes me want to draft Eric Reid instead of Jarvis Jones.

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Quote :

So, after the Rams knocked Ben’s knee sideways, we have once again arrived at the age-old debate for Steelers fans: start the back-up at one hundred percent, or, go with Big Ben at sixty percent?

trick question.

everyone knows ben is a drama queen who embellishes all injuries.

tony hipchest wrote:

Quote :

So, after the Rams knocked Ben’s knee sideways, we have once again arrived at the age-old debate for Steelers fans: start the back-up at one hundred percent, or, go with Big Ben at sixty percent?

trick question.

everyone knows ben is  a drama queen who embellishes all injuries.

We also would have accepted:
--It doesn't matter, because BB is not as smart as Peyton Manning.


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