ROETHLISBERGER IS ONE OF A KIND

I’m usually the last guy who pays attention to what announcers say before, during and after games on TV. But what I heard before, during and after Monday Night Football on ESPN drove me NUTS.

The lowlight was when Matt Millen said that Ben Roethlisberger is tough to coach and tough to coach against, and that he ruins precision. Like a two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback really needs to be evaluated by the architect of the total collapse of the once-proud Detroit Lions franchise, Mr. 0-16 Matt Millen.

In some twisted way, Millen was attempting to compliment Roethlisberger. But it was so ham-fisted, it seemed insulting. When analysts praise Roethlisberger, it usually comes off as clumsy, condescending, or damning with faint praise. It’s never unconditional.

Despite being on pace to break Terry Bradshaw’s team record for passing yards in a season by over 1,000, Roethlisberger still doesn’t get proper respect from jerks like Trent Dilfer. Even now, he’s routinely omitted from on-line polls for NFL MVP.

Are the analysts really that stupid?

Yes. But that’s not the whole story.