Big Ben will be a Pittsburgh Steeler next year, and my guess is for a few more years to come. Don’t think for minute that the comments he made on The Fan in Pittsburgh last week means he’s going to retire. Big Ben is big-time frustrated. Perhaps he’s fed up with some of his under-performing teammates, and also some of the coaching staff. Roethlisberger knows the Steelers are a team that can compete for the Super Bowl, but that his window of opportunity may be closing. He desperately wants to win his third before he retires and ultimately ends up in Canton. So expect Number 7 to be under center when the Black and Gold tee it up next season. But don’t be surprised if there are some big changes made before then, perhaps due to Big Ben.
• Antonio Brown needs to grow up. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the diva wide receiver had his season ending exit interview with Mike Tomlin in a Pittsburgh restaurant instead of at the team’s headquarters. It’s pretty clear that some Steelers’ players are getting tired of Brown’s act. He’s an incredibly talented player with a second to none work ethic. He’s also a guy that’s starting to wear out his welcome. I seriously doubt the Steelers will trade Brown, because they would never get proper value in return. I’m also not buying the talk that they will just release him because of his antics. I expect the Steelers to make signing Brown to a long-term contract a high priority. I also expect them to tell him to knock it off with all the other stuff. If not, they need to.
• Great to see so many guys who played for the Penguins represented in the NHL’s 100 greatest players of all time. Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey, Bryan Trottier and Luc Robitaille all were included. Crosby was one of just six current NHL players to make the list, while Evgeni Malkin was overlooked. I think that was a big mistake, and apparently so do many others. Besides being a two time Stanley Cup champion, Malkin has won the Art Ross scoring title and the Conn Smythe trophy for being the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s a shame he was snubbed, because the future hall of famer definitely belonged in this prestigious group.
• It was interesting to see Jagr in the picture with the other Penguins selected, and standing next to Lemieux. Mario, who can definitely make it happen, says Jagr’s number 68 will one day be retired by the Pens. There’s no question that Jagr is one of the greatest to ever wear the black and gold. When his career is over some may even say he was better than Mario, but I will never go that far. For the record, I would not retire Jagr’s number. Not after he talked his way out of Pittsburgh, and certainly not after he spit in Lemieux’s face when he talked about coming back to Pittsburgh years later, only to sign with rival Philadelphia. Jagr has always been a terrific hockey player and incredibly immature human being. He doesn’t deserve to be booed ever time he comes back to Pittsburgh. And in my humble opinion, after what he pulled in the past, he doesn’t deserve to have his number retired either.
• New England will probably prevail in Super Bowl 51, but I’m taking Atlanta in an upset. They are red hot, and Matt Ryan, who could be the NFL’s MVP, is putting up big numbers in the passing game and plenty of points on the scoreboard. The defense is also doing its job. Look at how they handled the previously red hot Green Bay Packers. If I had to bet I would put my money on New England. This time I’m going with my heart, and that says take the underdog Falcons.
• I’ve seen the Patriots lose to the Bears in Super Bowl 20 and the Packers in Super Bowl 31. I saw them upset the Rams at Super Bowl 36, a game most of us thought the Steelers would play in, and win on another last second field goal at Super Bowl 38 in Houston. There’s no question the Patriots are the gold standard in this era of pro football. I just hope they don’t get another Lombardi Trophy next weekend. Two guys I worked with during my days in the front office of the Carolina Hurricanes currently work for the Falcons. One of those guys has a championship ring from his days with the Florida Marlins and another from the Hurricanes. He can add a third ring from a third different sport if his team wins. I hope they do.
• The Pro Bowl is a joke. I don’t watch it anymore. The players also don’t care about the game. Four of the six Steelers, including Ben Roethlisberger didn’t go. What does that tell you? The quality of the game, and that’s a poor choice of words, is horrible. And the game is filled with so many guys who aren’t Pro Bowl players since so many of the stars don’t want to be there. Time to kill the Pro Bowl, Roger Goodell.
• The Pens limped into the All Star Break on a two game losing streak, following their impressive four game winning streak. No need to push the panic button. The Pens just didn’t play well. I still think they have a great chance to win another Stanley Cup this year. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if Jim Rutherford is contemplating making some deals before the trade deadline. The break will give Evgeni Malkin a few days to get better. Hopefully he’s ready to go when the season resumes.
