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      Big Ben apologizes, but situation far from over

      April 12, 2010 /

      Ben Roethlisberger apologized to his teammates, family, friends and fans on Monday for the “negative attention” that he brought upon himself and the Steelers. But he’s also ready to move on and put the situation behind him.

      If only it were that easy.

      Here’s what Big Ben had to say on Monday (via ESPN):

      “The prosecutor’s decision not to bring charges, I know without a doubt, is the right conclusion,” said Roethlisberger, who was wearing a red sports shirt and light-colored slacks. “I don’t intend to discuss any details related to the events of Georgia. I’m happy to put this behind me and move forward.”

      “I am excited to get back to work with my teammates, and I’m more determined than ever to have a great season,” he said.

      “I’m truly sorry for the disappointment and negative attention I brought to my family, my teammates, coaches, [Steelers owners] the Rooneys and the NFL,” Roethlisberger said. “I understand that the opportunities I have been blessed with are a privilege, and much is expected of me as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I absolutely want to be the leader this team deserves, valued in the community and a role model to kids. I have much work to do to earn this trust.”

      Roethlisberger isn’t out of the woods yet. He still has to meet with commissioner Roger Goodell this week and after that, he may face punishment from the league. Considering this is the second time he was accused of sexual assault, there’s a possibility that he may be suspended for his actions – even though he wasn’t charged with committing a crime. Then, whether he’s punished by the league or not, the Steelers will decide whether or not to punish him for sullying their image as well.

      He may think that the situation is behind him, but it’s not. No charges were brought upon him, but the Steelers are clearly fuming over this incident and they may deliver a message just as they did to Santonio Holmes when they traded him to the Jets on Sunday night for a fifth round pick. The entire Pittsburgh organization is embarrassed by the way Roethlisberger has handled himself the past two offseasons and I would be surprised if they didn’t take action.


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      NFL

      David Lee is uncertain about the summer

      April 12, 2010 /

      The soon-to-be free agent has had a career season for the Knicks, averaging 20-12, while shooting almost 55% from the field en route to his first All-Star nod. He told the New York Times that he doesn’t have any idea what’s going to happen this summer.

      “I don’t know how the Knicks are going to do timetable-wise, or if LeBron is going to have a decision made by July 1 or Sept. 1,” Lee said. “I don’t know how it’s going to work. At this point, I’m just going to look at everything as it comes to me and let my agent do his job.”

      Ideally, the Knicks would sign two superstars, with James and Bosh the top targets. That would require renouncing the rights to all of their free agents, including Lee. But there are countless ways to spend the cap space. They could sign one marquee player and have enough left to sign Lee and another solid free agent. Or they could strike out entirely on the marquee players, in which case they will have plenty of room for Lee — and a long line of depressed season-ticket holders.

      Chris Sheridan writes that it’s likely that another team will make him a sizable offer early in free agency and ask him to make a quick decision.

      There’s a significant chance someone makes David Lee a take-it-or-leave-it offer that he’ll have to make a choice on almost instantly, and that could happen on the second or third day of July if the Knicks are still waiting on James. If Lee bolts, their best sign-and-trade asset will have disappeared, too. Gonna be an interesting July, eh?

      I agree with Sheridan. Some savvy, second-tier team with cap space — I’m talking New Jersey, Washington, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City or Minnesota — will realize that their chances of landing a top-tier free agent like LeBron James or Dwyane Wade is next to nil, and will make a move on the Knicks’ backup plan (Lee) when they’re still wooing one of the big-name free agents. (By the way, when I say “second-tier,” I’m talking about the size of the market, the quality of the team and the franchise, etc. I would say that the Bulls, Knicks and Heat are top-tier free agent landing spots.)

      If a team like the Nets makes Lee an offer averaging $10-$11 million per season and puts a time limit on it, it’s going to be tough for Lee to sit around while the Knicks figure out who they can and cannot sign. And if Lee is no longer an option, then there goes the Knicks’ best sign-and-trade chip, which is why Peter Vescey advocated last week that the franchise should re-sign Lee as soon as possible this summer.


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      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      2010 NFL Mock Draft Version 2.0

      April 12, 2010 /

      With the Redskins’ acquisition of Donovan McNabb, it’s a perfect time to update my mock draft. In my first mock, I had the Redskins taking Jimmy Clausen at No. 4, but with their need at quarterback being filled with the trade for McNabb, the dynamics in the top 10 have changed.

      Here’s my second crack at predicting the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

      (Side note: If I have the team selecting the same player as I did in my first mock, then my explanation of the pick will be the same in most occasions.)

      1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
      I have Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh rated as the unquestioned best player in this year’s draft. (Well, I don’t have an official ranking per se, but in my head he’s No. 1.) But that doesn’t mean I think the Rams will take him. Teams usually get quirky about the No. 1 overall pick. They feel as though they have to match the contract with the position in order to justify the player they’re taking, which is completely backwards when you think about it. A team should mostly be concerned with taking the right player that matches their scheme. But I digress. Bradford is the top rated quarterback and the Rams have a major need at the position now that the ultra-brutal Marc Bulger has been released. The Rams feel as though they need to breathe some excitement into their dull franchise and taking Bradford should do the trick. Is he the right player? That’s debatable.

      2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
      Their trade for DT Corey Williams kind of throws me off a little, but I still think that if Suh is available the Lions won’t pass on him. Jim Schwartz built one hell of a defense in Tennessee centered around Albert Haynesworth and he could view Suh the same way. He’s a difference-maker up front and regardless of whether or not he and Williams play the same position, if Suh is as good as I think he is then Schwartz will find a way to utilize him. Offensive tackle Russell Okung has been mentioned at this pick but again, if Suh is available I can’t see the Lions leaving him on the board.

      3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
      If the Rams wind up taking Bradford with the top pick, you might be able to hear the sounds of screams and jubilation coming from Tampa. That’s because the Bucs would love to land one of the two stud defensive tackles in this draft and if Bradford goes No. 1, then either Suh or McCoy would slip to Tampa here. Some people are down on McCoy after he only benched 225 pounds 23 times at the combine, but that’s not a justifiable reason for his stock to slip. A lot of defensive tackles are forced to shed weight for the combine and when they do, they lose strength in the process. Besides, not taking a player because of how he performed on the bench at the combine is ridiculous notion anyway. McCoy would be a great fit for the Bucs.

      Continue reading »

      College Football, NFL, NFL Draft

      Bill Simmons on the Masters

      April 12, 2010 /

      In his latest column, Simmons gives his take on the 2010 Masters…

      [Masters chairman Billy] Payne couldn’t have scripted it any better. Instead of a disgraced adulterer winning with his wife nowhere to be seen, the tournament ended with a married couple hugging. Perfect. Right out of the 1950s. Just like Augusta. The bubble remained secure.

      Unfortunately for Woods, it’s time to leave that bubble and join 2010 again. It’s a world that may include drunken hecklers, catcalls, fans taking photos during his swing, more airplane banners, TMZ cameramen, unsubstantiated rumors and media troublemakers starting trouble just for sport. It’s a world where my wife watches two people hugging and hates Tiger Woods because of it. It’s a world where, if he slips and drops an F-bomb during a tournament, the moment will be replayed again and again. It’s a world where Phil Mickelson is now the most popular golfer in the world, hands down, nobody else coming close.

      Simmons also noted that Augusta does such a good job of controlling its crowd that Tiger didn’t have to deal with much in the way of heckling this weekend. That could change in upcoming weeks, however.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Golf

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