Professional
football gives the fans a game full of strategy and superb athletic skill. The men devote much of their adult lives to
being the best football players they can be even though so many retire from the
game with chronic injuries that will seriously affect their quality of life for
the rest of their days, causing even premature death later. Ben Roethlisberger, for example, has had many
injuries…….knee, ankle, foot, shoulder, multiple concussions, etc. This season four injuries knocked him out of
games. These players are beat up for
life. Jerome Bettis, the Steeler Hall of
Fame running back, could hardly make it up and down the steps of his home the
day after a game. This weekly battering
over 5, 10, even 15 years takes a toll on the body.
Too often fans look
upon these football players as gladiators rather than skilled
athletes. They love to see a good hit
even if it takes a player out of the game.
In the Steelers – Bengals Wild Card Playoff game of January 9 it was a
war of attrition. Entering the game, the
Bengals played without their starting quarterback, Tight End, and Defensive
Tackle. During the game Cincinnati’s
stellar safety Reggie Nelson was the first Bengal injured. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick followed him to
the sideline; then defensive tackle Domata Peko; later running back Giovanni
Bernard suffered a concussion on a very questionable high hit by Ohio State
alum Ryan Shazier of the Steelers; and finally Jeremy Hill was injured, who had
previously put Cincinnati on the scoreboard a minute into the fourth quarter.
The
Steelers entered the game without their two top running backs, their All-Pro
Center, and a starting offensive lineman among others. During the game FB Will Johnson (hamstring),
LB Vince Williams (hamstring) and S Robert Golden (shoulder) were injured.
 |
| Ben Roethlisberger being carted off the field. |
Towards
the end of the 3rd Quarter, the Steelers were ahead 15 – 0. The Defensive Back, Vontaze Burfict sacked
Roethlisberger, apparently driving his knee into his shoulder while already
down to put Big Ben out of the game with a severe shoulder injury. Numerous bloodthirsty Bengal fans cheered and
jeered at the Steeler quarterback being knocked out of the game and taken to
the dressing room, even throwing debris……very reminiscent of the gladiators and
their fans in the Colosseum of ancient Rome.
Previously,
after a couple of good blocks by Steeler Offensive Guard David De Castro ended
up in a wrestling match, Burfict threatened in gangster style: “Watch your
knees” and spit in his face. With
Roethlisberger out the Steeler meltdown came as Cincinnati rallied to go ahead
16–15. With less than two minutes left
in the game Burfict intercepted a pass from Landry Jones, the backup
quarterback, that apparently put the game away.
All the Bengals had to do was hold onto the ball.
 | |
| Bengal linebacker Voltaze Burfit (55) closing in on the head of Antonio Brown (84) after the play was over (an incomplete pass) to knock him out of the game and the next playoff game with Denver for a severe concussion (see http://sports.yahoo.com/news/steelers-bengals-clash-results-83-665-fines-221946169--nfl.html). |
Steeler linebacker Ryan Shazier forced a fumble by Jeremy
Hill and Pittsburgh had some life. The
injured Roethlisberger, only able to throw short passes with his injured and
very painful shoulder, completed 5 of 7 short passes. With 18 seconds left, he threw a longer pass
that was incomplete. With the play
practically over and already defensed by a teammate, Burfict (55) made a gratuitous
late hit with his helmet and shoulder for no logical reason to the head of
Antonio Brown, the Steeler star receiver.
That left Brown on the ground with a concussion for a 15 yard penalty. While the trainers were helping Brown off the
field, there was some trash talk as Adam “Pacman” Jones slugged or pushed Steeler
Coach Joey Porter and made contact with a referee for another 15 yard penalty,
putting the Steelers within easy field goal range to win the game 18 – 16 with
only seconds remaining.
Although
the Steelers advanced to the next round on the road to the Super Bowl, no
matter who had won the game, either team depleted by injuries, not to mention
all of the bumps and bruises, would be at a big disadvantage against the next
round opponent who has a bye, thus well rested with home field advantage. With a forced fumble, a sack, and a key
interception, Burfict quickly went from hero to goat, having initiated the
Cincinnati meltdown that will be remembered by both Steeler and Bengal fans for
as long as football is played.
Hopefully, some good will come out of this debacle.
Discipline on the Field.
Vontaze Burfict has a history of dirty play since he played for Arizona State
(see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vontaze_Burfict).
......sad
because he has the potential to be a future Hall of Famer. Teams would not draft Burfict; only the
Cincinnati Bengals took a chance on him as they have done with other problem players
in the past. In the November Steeler -
Cincinnati game, Burfict knocked Steeler star running back, Lavon Bell out of
the game and the season. To add insult
to injury he then celebrated. Thus in
the three encounters he took out of games the three best Steeler offensive
players. In the December game Burfict
was called for three unnecessary roughness penalties and severely fined.
In
each on the three games there were numerous unnecessary roughness penalties on
both sides over $200,000 in fines (3 Bengal, one Steeler player and two Steeler
assistant coaches) this year plus Burfict’s suspension for three games next
season (value $503,000 in salary loss). Coaches
have the responsibility of controlling their players and maintaining discipline
regarding on the field behavior. The
National Football League must clamp down on persistent flagrant violations that
involve the safety of the players. Fines
for these millionaire players are mere slaps on the wrist. Suspensions from one to 10 games must be more
frequent and a player suspended for the third time should be banished from the
game for at least a year. The coaches
and teams should also be disciplined with the loss of draft choices.
Clearly,
the Bengals self-destructed by their lack of discipline and loss of control in
violating the rules of fair play. In the
real game of life where eternity is at stake we so often self-destruct through
what is called sin in religious circles, i.e., serious violations of the rules
of life, the 10 Commandments..….addictions to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, porn,
gambling, sex outside of marriage, not to mention out of control anger, selfishness,
greed, abortion, etc. All of this lead
to worse problems as broken lives and families as well as failure in life.
The
game of football should not be a battle of attrition between the Cincinnati
Convicts and the Pittsburgh Gladiators.
Football in some ways is reminiscent of a battle. Thus the military service academies have football
teams for the development of their cadets.
However, even in war there are rules (the Geneva Convention) although
atrocities are sometimes committed. The
knights of old fought with rules of chivalry and decency.
Fans, coaches, and players must
realize that the objective is to win a game, not to harm the opponent
physically with body counts of players knocked out
of the game. May coaches at all levels
use this Steeler-Bengals playoff game as a teaching tool and as an example of how
undisciplined stupid play against the rules and loss of control will hurt the
team and cause it to lose. According to
Matt Bokovitz, former head coach of Gallia Academy and currently an assistant
coach at Meigs High School, coaches must teach and train the players of a very
rough and physical sport to tackle and block in the proper way without
purposely hurting the opponent. There
should be a zero tolerance on illegal hits that can do bodily harm (eviction
from the game as Joey Bosa of Ohio State in the Notre Dame game) by both
coaches and referees on targeting or dirty play which destroys the basic
justification for student athletics. That
is to play hard, but also to play fair. If
not, there will be more career ending injuries and kids brain damaged or
confined to wheelchairs with spinal injuries.
The
objective of sports at the scholastic and collegiate level is to build
character; teach values; life lessons, and virtue; develop leadership and team
building skills; train the participants how to compete under the ideals of good
sportsmanship; sacrifice self for the common good of
the team; form the athletes with such virtues and traits necessary for success
in life as self-discipline, perseverance, reliability, spirit of hard work, etc. That is in other words the five pillars of
the NAIA Champions of Character program: responsibility, respect, servant
leadership, integrity, and sportsmanship.
It’s NOT to win no matter how, not to form hatchet men or hit men or
gladiators for the arena.
Let
us remember the memorable quote of the great sportswriter, Grantland Rice: “For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark
against your name, He writes - not that you won or lost - But how you played
the game.”
After all, the Super Bowl trophy is
fleeting and will only be a moment of euphoria that in the
years to come is remembered with fondness on occasion. But the real Super Bowl trophy that really matters
is the prize of Heaven and that's forever.
See my blog #151: “You’re in the Super Bowl” at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com
.
As
St. Paul said: “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race,
but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a
perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were
shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and
train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be
disqualified” (1 Cor 9:24-27).
After
the game was over, the players came down to reality from their game as they
gathered up their wounded. A group of
Bengal and Steeler players got together for a moment of prayer. God bless them and the fans too. What transpired was just a game, but at stake
was a lot of money, fame, and glory with great satisfaction for the fans who
identify with the team. But I guess life
too is a game in many ways, but deadly serious; the stakes are much, much
higher……….eternal life and everlasting happiness and glory with God, His
angels, and His saints. Our game plan is
the Bible and Church teaching handed down from the apostles. The trophy is “WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL
SERVANT.…….enter into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew:25:21).
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