big ben and small park

It took 4 surgeons 7 hours to fix Ben Roethlisberger's broken face. Yesterday morning, helmet-less Ben's motorcycle slammed into the windshield of a car in downtown Pittsburgh. His head made a six-inch hole in the glass. Thank goodness he wasnt hurt more seriously. When he heals fully -- and nothing suggests he won't -- it'll be time to start talking about how foolish and selfish he was. And to wonder why the Steelers didnt have a clause in his contract prohibiting him from riding motorcyles, or at the very least riding without a helmet. The Browns had a clause in Kellen Winslow Jr.'s deal. Every team should. Riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is irresponsible. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet when you are paid millions to help a football team win -- and after you've been advised against it by your coach -- is beyond dangerous and irresponsible. Here's a prayer for Big Ben. And a hope that when he returns, he makes cycle safety a priority...

Great American Small Park is rapidly becoming a joke. At least they had an excuse in Denver for balls flying out as if they were launched. What's Cincinnati's excuse? Six more homers Monday night, and it's not even summer yet. Wait until the air heats up. Personally, I get no great thrill from seeing yet another baseball leave GASP. I don't know how they fix it, beyond extending the dimensions and/or building a screen. But they need to do something. Try getting free agent pitchers to come to Cincinnati now...

I couldnt believe I saw people doing The Wave last night. What's next, 8-track tapes? Is GASP the only place fans still do that? It's embarrassing. Watch the game...

And stop throwing homerun balls back. That's almost as much of a cliche as doing The Wave.