Dunlap: Roethlisberger's Words Were Absolutely Perfect
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - Some people.
Man, some people.
I really cannot believe the way some people condemned Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for his mention on 'The Cook & Poni Show' earlier this week that he feels it is prudent to explore his options into next season --- including retirement.
How in the world can you question a man doing his due diligence?
How in the world do you get off carping about the personal decisions someone else wants to make in their life?
What's it to you, anyway?
This might be one of the biggest examples of how we have dehumanized athletes in society today. Ben Roethlisberger is not your football-playing robot; he's a husband and father, a son and brother.
Ben Roethlisberger is a real life human who has feelings and emotions, who bleeds and breathes just like anyone else.
He isn't your prop or possession, this isn't your decision and he doesn't really owe you a darn thing.
And to be quite frank, I applaud Roethlisberger for admitting that he will be taking some inventory of his landscape before automatically just jumping into next season. We only get one chance to live this life and what Roethlisberger --- a man who has already accumulated great wealth --- said to a couple radio hosts earlier this week sounded like one of the most responsible comments I have heard in a long time.
To be sure, after all the contemplating is finished, it is my opinion Roethlisberger will decide on being the quarterback for the Steelers next season. That said, it was enlightening to hear someone admit he is doing a personal cost-benefit analysis; it seemed so sincere and real.
But that's the thing with Roethlisberger's words. So many people cannot take them at face value. A sandwich just can't be a sandwich in terms of how many look at him.
Surely, there must be a problem with Todd Haley!
Certainly this is Roethlisberger mad at Antonio Brown!
Ben just loves to be in the center of drama!
This has to be Big Ben firing a shot over the head of Mike Tomlin!
What's the ulterior motive from Roethlisberger here?
There has to be one!
So many Steelers fans refuse to believe his words on the radio were just, well, what they were.
I say garbage. I say garbage to all of that.
To me, this was just a man being sincere, just a person guilty of nothing more than being honest.
If we believed Heath Miller wanted to get out of the game to be with his family, why in the world can't we believe Ben Roethlisberger wants to simply have a discussion with his wife about it without having some sort of sordid motive?
This is also an NFL where --- just in the past 24 hours or so --- the Miami Dolphins were chided by the league for not protecting their quarterback enough, for not paying attention enough to a possible head trauma.
When quarterback Matt Moore was walloped by Bud Dupree in the Wild Card game earlier this month and missed just one play after the booming hit, several raised their eyebrows.
But now there is a quarterback (Roethlisberger) simply talking about his long-term health and some have the nerve to be critical? Give me a damn break.
This is a guy --- in Roethlisberger --- who at 35 is thinking out loud in an interview about his future and some want to whine about him owing the Steelers more or him being a Drama King.
Seriously, just go away. I can't stand fans such as that. I can't stand media such as that.
Good for you, Ben.
Good for you for thinking about your future and life after football.
Good for you for being honest about it.
What you said to Cook and Poni was among the most responsible things I've heard in awhile from a professional athlete.
Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.
