Media Strikes out on Ben vs. Tiger, Ginn to the Lions? Real Draft History of Defensive Tackles
Open Mike | by Mike O'Hara | 04.14.2010/6:45AM
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Tiger vs. Big Ben: This isn’t about condoning behavior or judging morality for Tiger Woods and Ben Roethlisberger.
It’s about even-handed treatment by my media brethren, and I’m puzzled – and a ticked off (that’s the clean version) – by the disparity in how the transgressions of Tiger Woods and Ben Roethlisberger have been treated in the media.
When Woods surfaced publicly last month, he was universally excoriated for his presentation in a 13-minute appearance before the media. He read a prepared statement and took no questions from the media. Woods was dressed appropriately—- sport coat, shirt and well groomed.
At the very least, Woods looked like he wanted to make the best presentation possible.
On Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers sent out an e-mail advisory that Roethlisberger, their star quarterback, would have a press conference later that day.
The “press conference”? It was Roethlisberger reading a prepared statement in the Steelers’ locker room. He wore a work shirt, hadn’t shaved in a few days, and his hair was wet and matted down. It looked like he had just come out of the shower after working out.
So where was the national outrage over Big Ben reading his statement? Or that he hadn’t bothered to at least shave and dry his hair. (I’ll give him this – he was well groomed for his appearance before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York on Tuesday).
On the global sports tage, Tiger Woods certainly is a bigger star than Roethlisberger. Woods drives attendance and TV ratings by his appearance in tournaments.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will still sell out every game and have huge TV ratings no matter who plays quarterback. Still, Roethlisberger is one of the NFL’s top 10 stars, with two Super Bowl rings and a deserved reputation of being a big-game performer.
But none of that should exempt him from criticism for how he handles himself in his public presentation.
Whether it’s fair to expect more from sports stars can be debated forever.
But there’s no debate about how the media should react – or, in this case, fail to react to Roethlisberger.
Look to Miami, Lions: With the Dolphins and Broncos working out details today in a trade that will send wide receiver Brandon Marshall to Miami, there’s an opening for the Lions to add a critical component to their offense.
They need speed – at wide receiver, and in the return game, and Ted Ginn can provide it. Ginn has failed to live up to expectations since being drafted ninth overall by Miami in 2007. (Blessedly, for the Dolphins, they did not waste the pick on Brady Quinn.)
Marshall’s arrival makes Ginn expendable. The Lions might get him for a mid-round draft pick. Ginn won’t be a star, but he’d make a good third receiver to go with Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson.
Vote for D: Why should the Lions draft defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh second overall? Here’s what one former NFL coach told me recently: “They’ve got one player on defense.” That would be safety Louis Delmas.
Suh and Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma are not standard model defensive tackles. Both can rush the passer, with different styles of applying pressure.
If one bothers to do enough research, the evidence shows that the first defensive tackle drafted can be a franchise player – such as the late Jerome Brown, Cortez Kennedy (one the league’s defensive MVP on a Seahawks team that went 2-14) and Warren Sapp.
At the very least, you might get Dan Wilkinson – a durable 14-year starter in the NFL.
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