The Steelers and Bears lost big games this weekend, and the frustration mounted to the point of manufactured controversy. On the Sunday Night Football broadcast, Ward opened up to Bob Costas:

This game is almost like a playoff game. It's almost a must-win. I could see some players or teammates questioning, like, 'It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before. I would go out there and play.' So, it's almost like a 50-50 toss-up in the locker room, you know? Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say. I've been out there dinged up. The following week, got right back out there."

Only problem is, Big Ben's brain doctor told him that his brain wasn't in playing shape. So today Ward apologized to Roethlisberger via Facebook, which is apparently what you do when you've got more than 140 characters to write.

I would never question a man's toughness playing in a STEELER unif. I didn't mean to cause such a stir. My frustration was based on the fact that this was a big game for us to stay in the playoff picture and having Ben out there gave us our best opp to win in Balt. I was frustrated because there was no indication of... Ben not being able to play because he practiced a normal routine this week (wed, thurs and fri)."

[snip]

"I know Ben wanted to play this game but the docs told him he's down, and with that we trust our docs with their decisions. We would never jeopardize anyone's health for a game of football. Life is way to precious. One thing about Ben, he is a WINNER. We just wanted this game so badly."

So, all's well in Pittsburgh. These things are easier to get past when you're probably playoff bound. But in Chicago, Urlacher had this to say (obliquely) about Jay Cutler:

I hate the way our identity has changed. We used to establish the run and wear teams down and try not to make mistakes, and we'd rely on our defense to keep us in the game and make big plays to put us in position to win...Kyle Orton might not be the flashiest quarterback, but the guy is a winner, and that formula worked for us. I hate to say it, but that's the truth."

Today, he was asked to clarify. He clarified very little:

I'm not taking a shot at Jay. I'm not one bit taking a shot at Jay. He throws it better, right? And we haven't tried to run the ball as much. That's true. But Kyle has won games. His formula works. So I'm not taking a shot at Jay or Kyle."

Let's translate athlete-speak into English. Urlacher had originally said "the team needs to stop throwing so much, because Cutler is a bust who can't stop throwing interceptions and is costing the team games." His carefully considered remarks two days later are that "the team needs to stop throwing so much, because Cutler is a bust who can't stop throwing interceptions and is costing the team games. But I'm not taking a shot at Jay."

The lesson: get yourself a Facebook page, Brian. As of press time, more than 1100 people clicked the little thumbs-up icon next to Ward's comments.

Hines Ward Facebook Page [Facebook]
Brian Urlacher Says Comments About Chicago Bears Teammates Not Meant To Be Derogatory [Chicago Tribune]

•Dear Texans fans: What the fuck? It would be wrong to paint an entire fanbase with the same brush as the twisted mind who created this...companion, but, yeah, that's pretty much what I'm gonna do.

•A real, practicing judge took the time to rule the Happy Gilmore running swing illegal in the province of Nova Scotia. This is what happens when your court system isn't clogged up with frivolous lawsuits and Guantanamo detainees.

•The talented QB who's unjustly hated because of the snobby team he plays for is likely to be under center this weekend, despite his head injuries. Roethlisberger or Clausen?

•Abe Pollin, the longest tenured owner in the NBA, died yesterday at 85. The Wizards honored his memory with a 1-point win over a 4-9 team.

•Despite a win, Liverpool don't make the Champions League round of 16. This was news to me, as I was under the impression that the soccer season finished Sunday night in Seattle.

•The official douchebag bar of the Upper East Side (Mad River, for those in the know) apparently doubles as a Wisconsin Badger bar, and they could face charges for selling a Wisconsin beer that's not licensed to be sold out of state. Also not licensed to be in NYC: college football.

•••••

Your regular hosts will be with you shortly. Don't forget to starve yourself today.

•Halfway through a wholly unexciting opening night, Troy Polamalu sprained his MCL and could miss 3-to-6 weeks. Steeler fans' humility, however, is listed as doubtful and is expected to report to your office this morning to brag about the game.

•The lawyer for Ben Roethlisberger's accuser says he could ask for a list of all of Big Ben's sexual partners. If just one native Pittsburgh girl is on that list, I'll lose all respect for him.

•Would it shock you to learn that Manny Ramirez has no recollection of ever playing with Jim Thome, his teammate of eight seasons? Well, prepare to be not shocked.

•The Daily News passes along the rumor that Cablevision will offer LeBron James his own TV channel if he joins the Knicks. I know I've used the buddy-cop-show joke before, but I would pay good money to see him fight crime with Darko.

•Two missed practices, and Richard Seymour is nowhere in sight. Still, this is Oakland, so maybe he was just carjacked.

•A judge has raised the possibility that neither Jim Balsillie nor the league will be allowed to purchase the Coyotes. A suggestion: disgraced Predators owner Boots Del Biaggio, in lieu of jail time, be sentenced to buy the Coyotes.

•Maya Angelou gives her predictions for the NFL season, in poem! Obviously it's not really her. But it's a sight better than Gregg Easterbrook's horrible haikus.

•Finally, though my feelings on poker can be summed up as "not a sport," this is the most amazing read you'll ever see:

•Sean Haire, who for some reason went by "Sean O'Haire" while wrestling in WCW, was booked for allegedly hitting and choking his girlfriend. Because he's dating a non-Tila Tequila woman, this is not OK.

•Tim Lincecum misses a start with muscle spasms. The Giants had better hope it's not serious, or they run the risk of getting walloped by the Cardinals in three games instead of four.

•With a court ruling still pending, the NFL says the Vikings' Williamses can play in week one regardless. Keep in mind they tested positive for a banned substance more than nine months ago. And the league claims to have the toughest steroid policy in sports?

•We're reaching serious WTF territory here. Ben Roethlisberger's accuser says she'll drop the lawsuit if Big Ben admits he raped her. I'm no legal expert, but copping to a crime can't help his chances in any future criminal proceedings. Also, she's nuts and has no case.

•Michael Jordan picks David Thompson to introduce him at the Hall of Fame ceremony. Between Jordan, fellow inductee David Robinson, and presenters Isiah Thomas and Larry Brown, apparently it's ruin-the-Knicks'-shit day in Springfield.

•Well, it finally happened. Brad Lidge got yanked after loading the bases in the ninth, perhaps ending his tenure as closer in Philadelphia. Would it be hyping up Albert Pujols legend too much to blame his 2005 home run for Lidge's collapse? Well I'm doing it anyway.

•Nashville Predators part-owner William "Boots" Del Biaggio was sentenced to eight years in prison for bilking investors out of hundreds of millions. The lesson, as always, is don't accept a check from someone nicknamed "Boots."

•Emeritus is trying something a little radical over at New York Magazine. Will Leitch...writing a blog...about sports. Hmmm. Sounds crazy, but what do I know?

•Finally, Ron Artest reaches out to Stephon Marbury, through the magic of Celine:

•The woman claiming she was assaulted by Ben Roethlisberger drafted an e-mail from Harrah's announcing her resignation: "She is with Big Bens child and ... she has relocated to Pittsburgh. We wish her good luck [she will need it] in her future endeavors." Ben better hope crazy isn't a sexually transmitted disease.

•Allen Iverson Twittered that Memphis has made him an offer, and the Grizzlies confirmed it. We're one step closer to my dream of an AI/Marko Jaric reality show.

•According to McAfee, the Internet searches most likely to give your computer a virus are Jessica Biel, Beyoncé, Jennifer Aniston and...Tom Brady! Obviously the safest athlete to search for is A.C. Green.

•After a federal ruling, the list of MLB players who tested positive for PEDs could be destroyed. So you can stop sending in those fake lists that have been circulating. Seriously, Ruben Sierra? Yeah, that's believable.

•Rumors fly that Michael Vick is purchasing a $1.3 million home in Philadelphia. We remind you that his contract is only for $1.6 million. Math fail could explain why he's facing a bankruptcy hearing.

•We heard about those Vikings who preferred Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback. Now comes the emergence of a third faction. First sacrificing goats, now men openly pushing for Sage Rosenfels at QB? It's official, these are signs of the apocalypse.

•Hours after talking about feeling "hatred" from Cubs fans, Milton Bradley drives in three and hears nothing but cheers. Hey, there's a novel solution: stop sucking.

•And, courtesy of Second-String Fullback, comes Alex Smith KTFOing Greg Ellis. Way to risk your body to be a benchwarmer, Alex.

And if that won't suffice as a reminder of our inferior earning power, please note that it takes Ben Roethlisberger just 3.6 snaps to pocket 100 large. Lebron does it in 21 floor minutes; Tiger in 11.2 holes of golf.

And then comes this questionable claim: from the WSJ: "Nascar's Tony Stewart may have to work the most to pay his bills — needing to navigate the oval 124.8 times to make $100,000."

Meanwhile, Roger Federer must grunt his way through 28 games of grueling tennis to match what Tony Stewart earns for turning left. You be the judge.

How Long Does It Take an Athlete to Make $100,000? [WSJ]

•Ben Roethlisberger was pulled out of practice after his lineman rolled up on the back of his leg. If it turns out to be a serious injury, I fully expect to see the Boston papers claiming this season shouldn't really count. Right, guys?

•Another day, another world record for Usain Bolt, this time in the 200m. Honestly, if we doubt all outlandish baseball numbers, and that's in a sport where strength is only a small part of the skill set needed to succeed, why do we get excited over track records?

•Documents on FSU's cheating scandal will be made public after a judge's ruling that will "rip the heart out of the NCAA." The NAIA is waiting to swoop in and eat their heart, thereby gaining all their power.

•A Vick goes back to jail for a probation violation, but it's Marcus Vick, so you won't see teams eagerly awaiting his release. Which is a shame, because it's only a 20-day sentence, so he'll be sprung in time for opening night.

•Because no UFC heavyweight champ has every defended their title more than twice (seriously), you might want to tune in for Brock Lesnar's first defense against Shane Carwin.

•If you subscribe to the Jessica Simpson theory of a certain type of woman ruining a player's productivity, you might want to stay away from Reggie Bush this year. Apparently he's back with Kim Kardashian.

•After Gary Sheffield was denied a contract extention, he demanded his release and was benched last night. The Mets said they won't cut him, but if they really want to punish him, they ought to give him that extention.

•And here's why mascots should be banned:

According to the emails, the woman accusing Roethlisberger of raping her had dinner with him the next day and months later told someone else that she would date Ben if she could. That doesn't really "prove" anything about what happened between them in private, but it does make it much harder for her claims to be taken seriously. On the other hand, most of the emails were sent to "Solider Ben," a guy she believed to be stationed in Iraq, but was actually a woman playing a hoax on her. So I think that sort of undermines the idea that everything that happens on the internet is 100% true.

Ben's lead lawyer, William David Cromwell Jr., is also not shy about the fact that the goal of releasing this now is to get McNulty to drop her case before it even begins. So this will definitely get uglier—"merely the tip of the investigative iceberg"—before it's over.

Roethlisberger's lawyer releases e-mails in defense [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

The subject of his first missive as the Worldwide Leader's Watchdog was ostensibly ("1: in an ostensible manner") about ESPN's foot dragging on the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault story. And he got there eventually. But first a 1,600-word discourse on the nature of service journalism and why people love to complain.

At this point, you have no need to worry about Ohlmeyer's independence from the ESPN corporate structure since it's obvious that no editor touched this thing. (Although it was published at 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, just before the Brett Favre news conference. Not exactly primetime placement.) He may soon be giving Simmons a run for the ink barrel money. Ohlmeyer then takes another 1,800 words or so to explain what the hell happened, why people are upset—including reprinting several of the actual complaints—and giving one of the suits a chance to explain themselves. The answers aren't any more convincing than they were before.

(The crux of their argument for not reporting the story continues to be that Roethlisberger had not publicly addressed it himself, but most people found out about the case because of his own lawyer. From a news perspective, I don't see much difference.)

Finally, Ohlmeyer gets to the reason he's here—delivering his own experienced, unbiased judgment as to what ESPN probably should have done. (Yes, it's Monday Morning Quarterbacking, but that's the job.) I'll just reprint the meat of his response since he pretty much nailed it:

Even if ESPN judged that it should not report the Roethlisberger suit, not acknowledging a sports story that's blanketing the airways requires an explanation to your viewers, listeners and readers. And in today's world they are owed that explanation right away — to do otherwise is just plain irresponsible. It forces your audience to ask why the story was omitted. It forces them to manufacture a motive. And it ultimately forces them to question your credibility.

It appears that in an attempt to tamp down media criticism, ESPN issued a statement to inquiring news organizations that had questioned its lack of acknowledgment of this story. That doesn't cut it. In a situation like this you need to be proactive, not reactive. If ESPN felt it needed to explain its rationale to the New York Times or the Washington Post, then there is no excuse for not giving the same explanation DIRECTLY to its audience. [Emphasis added]

Bingo. ESPN should have anticipated that their viewers would expect a reaction, and even if they didn't anticipate it, they still sat on the story long past the point when it was proper to do so, and after they were forced to make ridiculous statements explaining their non-statements. Ohlmeyer took a long, circuitous route to get there, but he agrees with me so he is a genius.

Don Ohlmeyer: New ombudsman analyzes ESPN's handling of the Ben Roethlisberger story [ESPN]

Far from being upset after what the woman claimed was rape, a colleague said she appeared to be "happy and boastful" about her encounter with Ben Roethlisberger last year in Lake Tahoe. Oh, and there's the matter of wishing for a big surprise from Big Ben:

Rather than indicating that she was afraid or apprehensive about this, (the woman) expressed to me that she was hoping for a 'little Roethlisberger,' " said [Angela] Antonetti, who worked with her at Harrah's between 2006 and 2009.

You really can't win if you're a professional athlete, can you? When a groupie tries and fails to land a meal ticket by lying about being on the pill, you're gonna get sued one way or another.

Woman's Affidavit Supports Roethlisberger's Denial Of Sexual Assault [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

But one question remains unanswered: which Ben Roethlisberger does the Ben Roethlisberger look-alike look like? Pre-motorcycle accident or post-?

Wait, one more question remains unanswered: who would want sperm from a Ben Roethlisberger look-alike?

(Hello, Deadspin. My name is Alex Pareene. I grew up in Minnesota, which means everyone I've ever rooted for has been a loser, with the exception of Kirby Puckett. Every Christmas my mom decorates the tree in purple and gold. It's tragic. Last night I went out and got drunk at a Mekons show, and then when I got home, there was Canadian football on the TV, and so, of course, I continued drinking well into the early morning. That is your customary "hello, I'm hungover this morning" introductory statement.)

The visualization of the inside of Sarah Palin's mind: "Let me go back to a comfortable analogy for me - sports... basketball. I use it because you're naïve if you don't see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket... and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can WIN. And I'm doing that - keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities - smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it's time to pass the ball - for victory." This is what that looks like.

Matthew Stafford, No. 1 pick extraordinaire, sure is having fun on his summer break.

Hey, more Detroit Lions! Who wants to re-live 16 losses in a row? Someone!

Before we witnessed the letdown of LeBrondunkgate, we were led to believe that the throwdown was "as good as it could've been hyped up to be." Insert Zapruder witticism here.

And then TMZ pays $3,000 for the tape before we put out a $10k bounty. Thanks for saving us some cash.

In a meltdown of epic proportions — even for Mad Dog's standards — Christopher Russo admits he needs to find a staff of little Mad Dogs, not little Bow-Wows: "We are the Washington Nationals. Check that: We are the Washington Generals." If only they knew something about the cast of Gone With The Wind.

How athletes are spending their summer vacations: the gallery version. This, folks, is intrepid journalism.

A woman files a civil suit against Ben Roethlisberger, alleging that he sexually assaulted her. ESPN sits on the story for 36 hours.

On July 4, Steve McNair is found shot to death in a Nashville apartment.

If you're reading this, you already know.

Dwight Dixon was shot seven times in broad daylight this morning in North Philly, 15 months after a dispute at Marvin Harrison's bar led to...something. There are no suspects yet, though Dixon told a police officer on the scene that he thought Harrison hired someone to take him out.

Facts are few (much fewer than in the Roethlisberger case) but there it was, among the top headlines on ESPN.com this afternoon. The company policy excuses don't fly, as there was no criminal case brought in last year's shooting. Ironically, there is a civil case pending.

It's only right that ESPN cover Dixon's second shooting. Rightly or wrongly, he's linked with Harrison, and this is news. ESPN made the story their own, with some incredible reporting by Shaun Assael and Peter Keating, and it's in their best interests to follow up.

It might be the most unfair thing in the world to report this story in a sports context. What happened last year may have absolutely nothing to do with this. But this is news, because it's being reported. That might seems a tautology, but when the media comes to a consensus on something, there's no stopping it. And ESPN isn't so big that their abstention can keep something from being news.

Philly man in critical condition [ESPN.com]

Why is that again? Just to be clear, here's a more official statement that ESPN gave to Pro Football Talk:

"At this point, we are not reporting the allegations against Ben Roethlisberger because no criminal complaint has been filed. As far as we know, this is a civil lawsuit that Roethlisberger has yet to address publicly."

The implication is that if there's no criminal action and the athlete himself (or herself) has not publicly commented on it, then ESPN considers it a private matter and not "news." Several readers have already called them on this point, mentioning the Shannon Brown case, the Tony Zendejas case (filed Monday), or the O.J. case, among others. However, in all those instances, ESPN could claim that there was a criminal complaint at least tangentially related to the story. But in all those instances, the story itself was about the civil case. They have also covered many, many purely civil cases like the NFL's current anti-trust fracas, the mess regarding the Dallas Cowboys practice bubble, and—the most glaring of all—the Roberto Alomar "AIDS rumors." It seems pretty clear that they're being selective with their enforcement.

It's also extremely disingenuous to say that Roethlisberger has yet to address the case publicly when an official statement from his lawyer—who is presumably authorized to speak on his behalf—was the very first thing we read about the case. ESPN routinely considers lawyers, agents, and even family members to be valid spokespeople and this is no different.

Athletes, like other celebrities or wealthy individuals, face frivolous lawsuits all the time. So at first glance, a prohibition on covering every complaint that comes down the road would seem reasonable. It doesn't take much, however, for a lawsuit like this to rise above a personal squabble into the realm of real news. Ben Roethlisberger is a national celebrity and a civil lawsuit is a matter of public record. No news organization anywhere would ignore a legitimate story based on the standard ESPN has set for themselves.

Dan Le Batard defended ESPN by saying that it's not being reported by "credible" outlets, which is clearly nonsense. Both of Pittsburgh's major newspapers have covered it. The Associated Press, the wire service that ESPN makes frequent use of, is covering it. Even ABC News, ESPN's parent company, has mentioned it. Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the damn NFL, has addressed it. If it wasn't a news story before, it is now. There is no journalistic or ethical excuse for ESPN to remain quiet.

So why aren't they covering it? Some have suggested that ESPN is deliberately protecting Roethlisberger to preserve their access—access that could benefit both parties financially. Even if they aren't doing it intentionally, their statement sends a clear signal that as long he personally keeps his mouth shut, this case will never reach the airwaves of the biggest sports network in the world.

Perhaps they know what unleashing the ESPN newshounds would mean—Rachel Nichols doing standups in Lake Tahoe, Ed Werder prowling the streets of Pittsburgh, Chris Mortensen on the phones, Roger Cossack's floating head, Outside The Lines, Sports Reporters, thousands of radio jockeys flooding airwaves—and they aren't prepared to do that yet. It's too bad that not covering a circus just because it's a circus is not an option.

Sooner or later, of course, they won't have any choice. Training camps open soon. What if a reporter asks Ben about it and he says, "No comment." Is that addressing the situation? What if there's a settlement? What if there's no settlement? Would they refuse to cover a civil trial?

ESPN's stance is ultimately untenable and they know it. Caution may have been in order when the story first broke, but we are way past the point when this became newsworthy. They are the only major media outlet not covering it and every minute that goes by where they don't address the issue makes them look increasingly foolish and petty. When they do start reporting on this case, perhaps they can begin by explaining their own silence.

Last word on ESPN's civil lawsuit policy [ProFootballTalk]
Full Complaint against Ben Roethlisberger (Opens in PDF)

The complainant is Andrea McNulty, a employee of the Harrah's Casino in Lake Tahoe, where Roethlisberger has been on more than one occasion for celebrity golf tournaments. (Now just put "allegedly" in front of every sentence you read from here on out.) In July 2008, she was working as a "concierge" on the penthouse floor and had several friendly interactions with the football player, whom she had been instructed to keep happy while he stayed in the hotel. (That's what a concierge does, after all.) She claims that one night he asked her to come to his room to look at his broken television and when she got there, she discovered there was nothing wrong with the TV.

She claims that, as she tried to leave the room, Roethlisberger blocked her path, and that he "grabbed [her] and started to kiss her."

She claims that she was "shocked and stunned that this previously friendly man, that appeared to be a gentleman in her previous contacts with him was suddenly preventing her from leaving, was assaulting and battering her."

McNulty admits that she didn't try to fight Roethlisberger, citing his size and strength. She claims that she "communicated her objection and lack of consent," and that he nevertheless began "fondling [her] through her dress and between her legs."

She claims that he pushed her onto the bed, and despite her alleged protests he "pulled her underpants off and proceeded to penetrate her."

If true, that's absolutely disgusting. But there's way more to the story. There are eight other defendants in the lawsuit, most of them current or former employees of the hotel who McNulty is accusing of defaming her; either by refusing to believe her story, spreading misinformation about her, or actively helping to cover up Roethlisberger's conduct after the fact. These charges would probably be in reference to this story, reported by TMZ, that McNulty received psychiatric care because of a separate incident with another married man.

McNulty's complaint does state that she received treatment as a result of her encounter with the quarterback, but one source says that is not the real reason. The story TMZ is telling is that she became involved with a married man, whose wife began emailing McNulty pretending to be a soldier stationed in Iraq. McNulty "fell in love" with the imaginary soldier and when the wife stopped the correspondence, she began telling people he had been killed in action. According to the source, that was the incident that led her to seek help.

So where does that leave us? It has become standard practice in cases like this to make the accuser look like a deranged slut, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she's all there. McNulty did not file a police report after the original incident, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's lying. For every rich celebrity athlete that someone might want to tear down, there are plenty of other people ready to do anything to keep him propped up. These things are always messy and the unfortunate "especially Andrea McNulty" quote from Ben's lawyer is just the tip of the iceberg.

Pro Football Talk is absolutely owning the story (ESPN is still silent) so stick with them for frequent updates.

Bizarre Twist in Roethlisberger Assault Case [TMZ]
In Roethlisberger case, it's important to keep an open mind [PFT]

The final toxicology reports, released this week, say that McNair's blood alcohol level was over the legal limit when he died. Of course, he wasn't driving—-he was asleep on his couch, so that fact is mostly irrelevant. (Though I guess it explains why he was sound asleep.) But just to make sure the Fox News audience got the picture, The Shepard, in his best serious voice and sans teleprompter, broke it down thusly:

It is not illegal to be drunk, it is illegal to drink and drive ... and it's certainly not illegal to sit there and do nothing while you wait for your girlfriend to come and shoot you to death.

So true. By the way, Florio was so professional and dignified that there's nothing funny or embarrassing to show you from his segment. Alas....

A blogger in a suit? Now I've seen everything!

Shepard Smith FOX News Report [Fox News]