The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of The 2014 Super Bowl Selection

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 9:35 AM

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It's official: The NFL has given the nod for a NY/NJ Super Bowl game in 2014, the first ever in the area. While some fans are elated, others have expressed their displeasure of the news. Prior to the vote, I expressed that I personally thought it was a bad idea, for many reasons. And while my stance hasn't changed after the vote, I have tried to look at all of the perspectives regarding the decision to put a Super Bowl in the Meadowlands. Here's my take on the good, bad and ugly outcome of whats to come for the 2014 Super Bowl



The Good: Change Is Always Good

By now we know that most Super Bowls have been played in warm weather. Fans have become spoiled with the idea that every Super Bowl should be played in those elements. The few times that a SB has been held in colder cities, they were accompanied with domes, so the fans weren't outside freezing. But they won't get such luxury at the Meadowlands, where it's outside and the winds are swirling. That being said, change is always good, and maybe this will be another positive change with the NFL

In 2009-2010 alone, the NFL changed their Pro Bowl location (to Miami, the week prior to the SB, instead of it's usual home in Hawaii), as well as NFL Draft time to primetime (1st round was on Thursday night, instead of Saturday afternoon). While most fans complained about it, it was a big success in ratings. The NFL could be looking for similar luck with the Big Apple. We all know New York is the "City That Never Sleeps", so in theory this is a perfect place to have a Super Bowl. If the 2014 Super Bowl isn't a huge success, at the very least they can say they tried it. But a change of pace is never a bad idea.


The Bad: NY/NJ Winter Weather

New York is directly on the east coast, and is known for getting snowstorms (sometimes severe) during the winter months. Since the Super Bowl is in February, this puts Super Bowl weekend as a major risk for weather becoming an issue. This isn't your regular football game, we're talking about. This is SUPER BOWL weekend. This past winter alone, the east coast (NY included) had record breaking snowfall, as well as a blizzard during Super Bowl weekend. I was shoveling my car out hours before kickoff this last Super Bowl. If a snowstorm comes through the area during Super Bowl weekend, it could mean cancellation of flights and not being able to get around from event to event. Snow could mean loss of revenue and I doubt the city or state of NY would put people's lives in danger just to make sure they are at a game or an event.

To make a further point, the NFL is an offensive driven league. Well, let's take a look at some of the high powered offenses. Indianapolis, New Orleans, Dallas, San Diego and Minnesota: All DOME teams or warm weather teams. They do not normally play in these elements. If the NFL wants to put on a great offensive show, the Meadowlands is the LAST place where that will be. These teams aren't built for these conditions and I'd bet that most players would choose a warm weather location for the Super Bowl. I'm sure they'd give us some politically correct crap like, "Oh.... I'd play anywhere as long as it's for a championship." And there may be some truth to that. But let's compare. 78 degrees in Miami or 24 degrees in NYC. Right!


The Ugly: Terrorism

I was reading a blog post from my Twitter buddy and former NFL player, Steve White about the topic. White brought up a valid point that most don't think of. This brings a HUGE target on New York's back for another terrorist act. Of course, I have faith that the NFL, NYPD and FBI will do some serious homework to make sure this doesn't happen. But the fact remains that NY has been a common target area for extreme terrorists. If not planned right, this could be dangerous. Simply because NY is already a city that has tons and tons of people flock to it regularly. Now think of all of the people that visit NYC and multiply that by 10. Now try sniffing out 1 or 2 extreme terrorists in the group. I'm not saying to live in fear and avoid having the Super Bowl there because of them. But I am saying they better come up with a great plan to make sure fans and tourists are safe. Unfortunately this is the way of life in 2010 and beyond. It is a concern that should not be overlooked.

As an NFL fan in a cold winter city, I have no issue with watching a game outside in cold weather. If you ask most die hard fans their take on it, I'm sure they'd say the same thing. But hardcore football fans are not the majority during Super Bowl weekend. Game tickets are over $800, while corporate sponsors and celebrities are all over the stadium in seats and suites, most of them probably there for the politics of the big weekend. Casual fans barely watch the game in the rain, let alone sub freezing temps. I applaud the NFL for thinking outside the box and wanting to see if the NY/NJ project will work. We'll soon find out if it will be a major success, 4 years from now.

Dwayne Bowe- Sitchoazz Down!

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 12:35 PM

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People never cease to amaze me anymore. Just when you think you know some things would NEVER happen... the universe always finds a way to prove you wrong.


Kansas City WR Dwayne Bowe spoke some telling revelations to ESPN The Magazine recently, regarding his teammates and certain "activities" they take part of while traveling for away games. Here's what Bowe had to say:


"My rookie year, we were playing in San Diego," Bowe says. "You hear stories about groupies hanging out in hotel lobbies, but some of my teammates had it set up so there was a girl in every room. The older guys get on MySpace and Facebook a week before we go to a city; when a pretty one writes back, they arrange to fly her in three or four days in advance. They call it importing.

"Younger guys don't have the money to do it," Bowe added. "Anyway, these girls had the whole top floor. They know everything about us -- first and last names, sisters and brothers, salary. This one girl was talking to me like she'd known me for years. 'Hey, D-Bowe, how's Grandma?' I'm like, 'How do you know my grandma?' She knew that I talk about her every time I'm interviewed for a story.

"I told her I had a girlfriend, but she didn't care. She was wearing my jersey, sitting in my lap, making it look like we knew each other. Then she took a picture and put it on Facebook. That almost got me in trouble."


WOW!

First things first, while I'm sure no one is actually surprised of these tales, what is the point in actually making them public? I was always taught that the NFL is similar to a fraternity. Guys look out for each other and have a brotherhood that is similar to being frat brothers. Not only did he rat out fellow NFL players, but these are guys on his OWN TEAM! Guys that he has to practice with, play with, room with... everything. He's totally become the locker room snitch with telling such stories. Where I come from, we had a saying, "Snitches get stitches." I wonder how long Bowe will stay "healthy" this season?? I wouldn't be shocked if a teammate puts a little extra "hot sauce" on a contact drill, come training camp.
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Second, did anyone find it humorous that he tried to clean up his own personal encounter? Sure, he told us the girl was waiting for him in his jersey, sat on his lap and started spilling all she knew about him. But he also stated that he told her he had a girlfriend.

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I don't know about you, but I'm willing to bet that there aren't many Tim Tebow's in the NFL, Bowe included. Funny how his own story pretty much stops at a picture being posted on Facebook, but he went into a little more detail of the "operations" of other players. Yeah.......okay.

And finally, not once did he think about the position his put his teammates in when it comes to their homes. Now, let me say this before I get tons of emails: I DO NOT CONDONE SUCH ACTIONS STATED BY MR. BOWE!!!! What these players have been accused of doing is WRONG, especially if they have a wife and children at home. Cheating isn't cool (unless you have an open relationship. But that's another topic for another day). But let's think about the guys who don't partake in such activities for one second. Because Bowe has put this out there, this could have planted a seed of insecurity in just about every girlfriend/wife of a Chiefs player. The guys out here that are actually faithful to their spouses and significant others now have to go through scrutiny and reassurance of being faithful, all because Dwayne Bowe wants to make nice with the media and spill secrets I'm sure players didn't expect to come from one of their own.

Regardless of what was said, Dwayne Bowe was wrong. This is bitchassness at its finest moment.
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He turned his back on his teammates, and he's creating unnecessary problems in some players homes. If one wants to tell on themselves, I have no issues with that. But to put your teammates into your story isn't right. As a result of his diarrhea of the mouth, he's received backlash from teammates (guilty ones, maybe??) and head coach Todd Haley had a "long conversation" with Bowe. All predictable due to the fact that he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Dwayne Bowe, Sitcho Snitching Azz Down!

What Will JaMarcus Do Now?????

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 10:30 AM

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Now that JaMarcus Russell has been bounced out of Oakland, many wonder what the hell will he do now?! I thought long and hard about Russell's positive attributes, that he can bring to a new situation. I also asked a few of my blogger friends what they thought the former #1 overall pick would be good at. Here are a few things he can do until someone in the NFL is desperate enough to call him for another shot at QB:



Nutri System Spokesperson


Since Lawrence Taylor has recently been dropped due to his rape allegations, this would be a perfect job for JaMarcus. The guy tips the scale at nearly 300 lbs. It would be great to see him transform from a fat boy to a decent sized man. NFL GMs may be interested in giving him a second chance if he can commit to it (since he couldn't commit to be an NFL QB)



MNF Guest Commentator

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This would only be good during Oakland games. We could watch Russell and former Raiders coach Jon Gruden swap war stories about the dysfunctional organization. Gruden can talk about the real reason why Davis shipped him to Tampa.. Russell can talk about how he robbed the blind and senile....... Oh come on... don't act like you wouldn't be interested in this!




Dancing With The Stars

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From Jason Taylor, to Emmitt Smith and even Chad Ocho Cinco... Washed up players and attention whore athletes love to use the popular dancing show to get back into the spotlight. Who wouldn't want to see Russell's practice footage of him being late or a no-show, week in and week out, only to come out and suck during his performance because he wasn't prepared. This has comedy and ratings written all over it. Hell, I'd even vote for him every week, just for the behind-the-scenes footage and the laughs.




Jewelry Consultant To The Athletes
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Clearly JaMarcus has "interesting" taste in jewelry. The chain around his neck shows how "exotic" his taste in jewelry can get. There are tons of athletes that wait for their first big payday to get that big chain they dreamed about since they were young. Even though I find his chain to be horrendous, I'm sure he could sell his designing skills to some jewelry maker. Think about it: Players walking around with their jersey number around their neck, in nothing but diamonds. All it takes is a good selling point and Russell is the ultimate hustler. Anyone that can get $39 million dollars for only 7 wins is serious!




Professional Shrug Trainer
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This is best fitting for his personality. Everytime Russell was shown on the sidelines from being benched, he Kanye shrugged the whole time. He didn't look like he cared or was fazed by it at all. He also did nothing to help get back on the field, like read a playbook, study film or lose weight. The sad thing is, he's really good at it. There are a lot of people that wear their emotions on their sleeves and could learn a lot from his nonchalant attitude. He would be perfect for teaching a , "How Not To Give A Damn 101" class.





Rapper/ "Chunky J"

This would be a perfect job for him, and Chunky J is the perfect name for him. Remember back in the day when there was "Chunky A", Arsenio Hall's alter ego? Well there's no altering about. Dude is HUGE, so the name is a perfect fit. He's already taken the first step to rap stardom with that fugly chain. And with today's music, he won't have to try hard at all, something he's been used to for about 4 years now. All you need is a hot producer and a catchy hook line and you have a hit record. The first song released from his album, "Money To Blow-Remix", featuring Birdman, Lil Wayne and Drake.



Draft Grades- The NFL Chick Version

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 10:30 AM

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Draft weekend has come and gone. By now, you've probably watched or read every possible breakdown of how teams fared with the draft. Of course, I'm The NFL Chick, so folks have been asking me my opinion and how I thought my teams and others did when it came to the draft. I decided to add my own twist and categorized them in groups of how well they did. With all of the analysis you guys and gals received this weekend, the last thing you need is another in-depth look at how teams did.


Hope you enjoy, here's my thoughts on this weekend's draft:


The Hive Fivers
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Seattle- Seattle made out like a fat rat in Pete Carroll's first NFL draft at the Seahawks coach. Not only did they draft OT Russell Okung and SS Earl Thomas in the 1st round, but they also traded for Leon Washington and LenDale White. Seattle had one of, if not THE best drafts of all the teams.
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Cincinnati- For the 2nd year in a row, Cincy has really shown off in the draft. The Bengals needed a TE badly and got the the top TE in Jermaine Gresham. But their next picks only got better. Carlos Dunlap, Jordan Shipley and Carlos Ghee are all very good picks. Great job by the Bengals front office

St. Louis- I thought the Rams had one of the more complete drafts. Say what you want about Bradford, but I think this guy will be a very good NFL QB. Add Saffold and Mardy Gilyard in the mix and the Rams had a very decent draft and filled a lot of holes on their roster.



The Job Well Dones
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Cleveland- This was the 1st draft during the Holmgren era, and he did a very good job. Getting Haden was a good pick, but the dark horse pick was Colt McCoy. I thought that McCoy was the 2nd best QB coming out of this draft behind Bradford. If McCoy works out well, this may be the steal of the 2010 Draft

Dallas- Getting Dez Bryant is what has folks attention, but I think drafting Akwasi Owusu-Ansah should get the brink of the excitement. I think this kid will be a very durable player for Dallas in the years to come.

Detroit- Two words: Ndamukong. Suh. *drops mic*


Kansas City- Loved the Eric Berry pick, but the Dexter McCluster pick is just as big to me. I watched him in a few Ole Miss games and I think he has what it takes to cause havoc in the AFC West. Javier Arenas was a very good pick up for them as well. I think the Chiefs watch nothing but SEC football, their Top 3 picks all came from there.

Arizona- Dan Williams and Daryl Washington fill immediate needs that the Cardinals had on defense. It helped soften the blow to losing Karlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle.



OMG I Can't Believe It
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Oakland- For the first time in a LONG time.. I can say that the Raiders had a very good draft. Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston were very good pick ups, not to mention getting Bruce Campbell in the 4th round. And getting QB Jason Campbell from Washington for a 4th round pick in 2012 is like buying an entertainment center and no making payments for 2 years, interest free.

Baltimore- Coming in the draft, the Ravens were without their 3rd and 4th round picks, from the Boldin trade. But Ozzie and Co pulled a highway robbery on the Broncos, who traded to their 25th overall spot for QB Tim Tebow. The Ravens received the Broncos 2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks and did very well in this draft. Most analysts think that LB Sergio Kindle in the 2nd was a steal.


Ehhh....... Nothing To See, Business As Usual
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New England- The Pats picked up 2 of the best TEs in the draft (in my opinion) in Gronkowski and Hernandez. They also came out of the weekend with 2 1st rounders and 2 2nd rounders for 2011. Say what you want about Belichick, but he is genius at what he does

Indianapolis- Bill Polian drafted at every position that was a need on this team. He had a very solid draft.

NY Jets- The Kyle Wilson pick was very good. I'm wondering if he will try and take Cromartie's spot by the 2nd half of the season..Who am I kidding, Cromartie has too many damn kids to feed to give up his advancement... I mean, his starting job.

Tampa Bay- Getting Gerald McCoy was a huge void filler for the Bucs. Tampa got it right.



The WTFs
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Buffalo- HELLLLLO!!!! You need a QB!!!! There was McCoy, Pike.. hell even Jason Campbell was traded.. am I missing something here?! You also need O-line help yet that went ignored until the later rounds.

Carolina- You drafted 3 QBs in the draft, including Clausen and Tony Pike...... I know you need a QB, but c'mon son............

Pittsburgh- I liked the Pouncey pick. He can help booster up the offensive line. But ummm, how many LBs do you really need?? Three is a bit much.

Washington- How do you get a 4th rounder in 2012 for QB Jason Campbell??? According to the Mayans, we won't even be here by then!

Tennessee- You just gave away LenDale White to Seattle for some Pop Rocks and a ShamWow.


LMAOOOO Really, I Mean... Really?!
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Denver- Giving up WAY too much for Tim Tebow, a guy that may not even see the field until 2 years from now, unless it's a wildcat formation. A major risk and Josh McDaniels is really sending the Broncos to NFL Hell. Now if Tebow actually works out... I'll look like a pure dumbass. But until then, I'll wait...........

Jacksonville- First Matt Jones, now this. The Jags could have waited with their pick in Tyson Alualu. They could have traded down and received more picks while still getting their man.

San Diego- It's hard for me to laugh at AJ Smith, because I think he's a TOP 5 GM. But I think it's safe to say he was reaching when he moved up to the 12th spot for Ryan Mathews. You got punked on that one, Chargers!



And The Rest............ (Nothing bad to say, just nothing to say.....)

Houston
Green Bay
Minnesota- The Vikings didn't have many holes, but plugged the ones they did, minus the QB position
Miami- Bill Parcells produced an effective draft for the Dolphins. No complaints here
NY Giants- I like the Pierre-Paul pick, especially for a team that seems they may get rid of Osi
New Orleans Saints
San Francisco
Philadelphia
Atlanta
Chicago- No 1st and 2nd rounders due to the Cutler deal......


Athletes + Social Networking = Not A Good Look

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 10:30 AM

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By now, we all know that Ten Ginn, Jr has been traded to San Francisco, in light of the Marshall-to-Miami trade. Trades happen all the time. In the past 2 Sundays, we have seen Donovan McNabb become a Redskin and Santonio Holmes become a Jet. It's a part of the game. But what ISN'T part of the game is Ginn's backlash at a fan.


As reported by Black Sports Online, Ginn responded to a fan on Twitter who had some smart words for him on his way out of Miami. Ginn responded to the tweet with an extremely vulgar comment, one that you will have to go to BSO to see for yourself. It was unacceptable, uncalled for and unprofessional, to say the least.


Ginn hasn't been the only victim of being extremely vocal on Twitter. Larry Johnson went on a rampage, arguing back and forth with fans as well as talking smack about his head coach (he was later released from the Chiefs), and Santonio Holmes went off on a fan who was critical of him regarding his alleged drink throwing incident by saying the following:

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Holmes has recently claimed his Twitter account was hacked during this particular situation. Yeah, okay.............. Holmes, Johnson and Ginn are only a handful of players who have misused the purpose of social networking.

I'm a fan of social networking overall. It's a great networking tool, a good way to re-connect with friends and also an innovative way to meet people with common interests. But for athletes, this may be one avenue they want to avoid. Yes, they are still common folk like us and have the same interests. But what they aren't are regular people, and they'd be foolish to think so. With gossip sites like TMZ targeting athletes more and more (see Tiger Woods), it's becoming more evident that NFL players are no different than Hollywood celebrities.

In the past, I was all for players being on Twitter. It was a way for players to connect with fans and get to see their off-the-field persona. But as of late, there have been instances that show this may not be as good an idea as originally thought. Whether players want to be, they ARE role models to thousands of kids and are put on pedestals by those who buy game tickets. While majority of the NFL players on Twitter have done a great job at using the site properly, there's always the few instances that ultimately stick out to the public. I'm a firm believer in freedom of speech. But I also believe in people choosing their battles. Every comment does not warrant a response. Being a football star and cursing fans out on a social networking site is NOT a good look for the player, their team or for the league they play in.

What happens from here will be interesting. Whether Goodell will try to fully ban players from Twitter may be far fetched, but in the long run it may be the only option if we continue to see outbursts, such as Ginn's tweets this past week. Smarten up guys... your social networking lives are trailing thin ice.




What The NFL Schedule Means To You

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 10:30 AM

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Football lovers, fanatics and fiends.... it's April! And two great NFL events happen in April (and NO I am not referring to the McNabb trade as one of them). Yes, I am talking about the NFL Draft and the release of the NFL schedule.


This is one of the most exciting times of the offseason. It's the time we start looking at who we play, when we play them, as well as our draft picks and counting down the days to training camp. If you live and breathe football, this is a month of good fortune.


With the release of the 2010 schedule coming out soon (blog sites and message board have been saying it will be released the end of the week or the beginning of next week, before the NFL Draft), there are a few things hardcore fans go through every single year. You know you're an NFL when you do one or all of the following things listed below:



Play The "Win-Loss" Game


Every year when the schedule comes out, I take a look at it for a few minutes and play the guesstimate game. I guess how many wins and losses the Ravens will have in the upcoming season. Now, usually I'm wrong as hell. Only a few times have I been close to being right (2006 is the last season that comes to mind, when I predicted they would be 12-4.... they were 13-3). But nevertheless, it's something I do. The way you determine wins and losses can be as simple as thinking you're better/worse than your opponent. Or it could mean you get real technical and factor in injuries and the schedule during a certain stretch. In any event, you do this and share your predictions with friends or message boards and compare. I don't know who came up with this idea. But it keeps people going until the NFL Draft the following week.



Potential Away Game Locations
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If you're like me, you love going to away games. It's a 2-for-1 deal in my opinion. You get to take a weekend getaway out-of-town and you get to see your favorite team play in the process. Many of you already have vacation time set aside strictly for away games, all you need is the NFL schedule to come out so you can put in the time with your employer. Travel agencies and airlines pry on this date as well, as they know the interest peaks in certain cities during the NFL season, so football packages and flight inflation occur right after the schedule is released. I won't lie.. I'm waiting on the schedule release so I can confirm my arrangements for a potential away game as we speak. There is nothing like going to an away game and proudly displaying your teams colors in another team's stadium.


Plan Parties/Getaways Around Must-See Games
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I don't make this stuff up, y'all. Yes, people actually to plan their actual life around the NFL season. If you think I'm lying, then think again. I've come across people who tried to change wedding plans, birthday parties and even some vacations due to a football game. If you're a Cowboys fan and you know they play the Redskins on October 22nd, you steer clear of any special events on that date, just so you can post up and watch watch your team play. One year, I planned my son's birthday party during the first week of the NFL season. Worst mistake of my life. People brought in handheld TVs and radios and didn't pay their kids any mind, they were so into the game. If anyone says this sounds absurd, they're probably right. Now if anyone says this doesn't happen, then they are either naive as hell or they are a liar.

To my fellow NFL friends, the schedule will be out soon. You will be free to plan all of your birthday gatherings, anniversaries, events, vacations and predictions when we finally know who our favorite team plays and when they play them. Are you ready for some football???? I sure am. Bring on the schedule!!!!

Did The Steelers Make The Right Decision??

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Posted by The NFL Chick | Posted on 11:58 AM

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When word got out late last night that Steelers WR Santonio Holmes had been traded to the NY Jets for a 5th round draft pick, I was floored. Not just because of the low price, but also because of who it was. Holmes is a Super Bowl MVP and has been a great asset to the Steelers since being drafted out of Ohio State. For him to be traded for a draft pick that may not even make the roster seems as crazy, if not more, than McNabb's big trade a week earlier. But looking past the Holmes trade, it's safe to say that the Steelers organization may have enough- and they are using Holmes as an example.


The Rooney family and the Steelers seemed to be fed up with its key players. Holmes is currently under investigation for an alleged assault incident in FL, and has just been informed that he will serve a 4 game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Holmes also was arrested for marijuana possession and was involved in a domestic violence incident in 2006. This was enough for the Steelers front office to send Holmes to the Jets for very little.

The Steelers are reportedly also looking into disciplining QB Ben Roethlisberger for his previous sexual assault cases. While he has not been charged for either incident, his poor judgement and bad decisions have been enough to keep the Steelers in a light they choose not to be a part of
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While a decision from the DA's office will come today about Ben's fate on his current case, it has been indicated over the weekend that he will NOT be charged for any wrongdoing. Still, that's not enough for the Rooney family, who are looking to taking matters in their own hands and possibly reprimanding him for the previous incidents. Roethlisberger is meeting with NFL commission Roger Goodell in the near future, also about his incidents.

For decades, the Steelers have been proud to be looked upon as one of the most well-run organizations in the league.The Holmes and Roethlisberger stories being highlight stories of the NFL offseason is the last thing the Rooney family wants or needs, especially from a team that is looking to redeem themselves and make 2010 a rebound year with another playoff run. To the average fan, coach or even owner, Holmes' trade value was laughable, considering the fact that he has made some great catches in his career (as a Ravens fan, I will never forget the reversed TD call in 2008). But to the Rooney family, they were looking to get rid of a bad apple at any cost, even if that meant releasing them (which was another possibility had they not traded him). It also doesn't hurt that they have an emerging star at WR, in Mike Wallace. His playing for the 2009 made it that much easier for the Steelers to cut their ties with the disgruntled Holmes

Did the Steelers making the right decisions?? Until we find out what happens to Roethlisberger, that's to be determined. But so far, I can't say they haven't.

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