Your opinion of Ben Roethlisberger probably hinges on how he plays tonight in Kansas City.
If he plays well and leads the Steelers to the AFC Championship game, he's the greatest. If the Steelers lose, his approval rating will fall accordingly.
That's how it goes with most quarterbacks.
It would be hard to make a case among Steelers fans that Roethlisberger is "the NFL's Most Polarizing Player," as Sports Illustrated's recent cover screamed.
The magazine devoted 10 pages to an article that left a strong reaction of, "Huh?"
What was the point? It wasn't really clear. Apparently Roethlisberger has issues with his home town, which would seem to be of little concern to anyone other than him and the citizens of Findlay, Ohio.
OK, no big deal. He wouldn't be the first famous person to have that sort of conflict.
The article also detailed some of Roethlisberger's unsavory off-field behavior, which included allegations from two women claiming he forced himself upon them. No criminal charges were ever filed, but it was clear Roethlisberger was embarrassing himself and his employer with his conduct.
The Steelers were infuriated, and seriously considered getting rid of him. When he had a press conference to tell his side of the story, they moved him to a location where the Steelers logo wasn't in the background.
SI also detailed Roethlisberger's reputation as a bad teammate early in his career. He just didn't care about other people, and he didn't care about hiding that.
The Steelers told him they didn't want him to ride a motorcycle. He did and put his career in jeopardy by being foolishly stubborn.
You can make the case he was a self-centered, self-destructive mess who happened to be a talented quarterback.
Roethlisberger can't do anything about his past. It's all there, just a Google away. He can control the present, though, and he's done that.
Since the 2010 incident in Milledgeville, Georgia, Roethlisberger hasn't been in the headlines for anything but football.
It can't be act. It appears he's reconfigured his life, learned how to handle interpersonal relationships and become a better person.
The guy who used to lead a gang marauding through bars in the college town of Milledgeville is now married and has three children.
Some people will never forgive his past behavior, and that's their right. But it would appear there's been a significant attitude shift that's made him a better person.
Sports Illustrated was right that Roethlisberger and his checkered past were worthy of a story.
They just missed the point, which was his redemption.
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--LOOK OUT
Three good reasons to be nervous about tonight's game against the Chiefs:
1. Travis Kelce. Good tight ends who can work the middle of the field have been a problem for the Steelers. Kelce is a 6-foot-6, 260-pound monster. The Steelers kept him in check during the regular season, and they'll have to do that again.
2. Tyreek Hill. He's a formidable kick returner, and the Steelers' special teams have been mostly lousy this season.
3. Alex Smith. Quarterbacks who can run can cause problems by gaining big chunks of yardage at important times. Smith is more likely to be a concern with his legs than his arm. In three career postseason games, he's averaged 66 rushing yards.
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--ANOTHER CHANCE
Ryan Vogelsong signed on for a spring training look-see with the Minnesota Twins.
He turns 40 in July, and he wasn't very good with the Pirates last season, but there's another chance out there for him, even if he's not lefthanded.
If he makes the team, he'll have the chance to make a couple of million dollars.
It's tough to get to the major leagues. It can be even harder to leave.
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