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PrintThe Steelers need a QB who puts the team first
It is time for the Rooney family to seriously think of getting rid of Ben Roethlisberger. He has continued over his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers to show that he is nothing more than an arrogant, egotistical and extremely self-centered jerk.
This is from a man, and I use that term loosely, who has put himself above the team and organization -- since the so-called broken toes in the 2004-2005 season playoffs to the motorcycle accident to the not one but now two allegations of sexual assault ("Big Ben Accused of Sexual Assault," March 6), and the many, many times that he has been rude and belligerent to Steelers fans.
As quarterback he is expected to be one of if not the leader of the team. Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, James Farrior and Troy Polamalu are some of the leaders on the Steelers. And if you want to look at quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Peyton and Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, etc. These players all have traits that Ben will never have. They are all widely respected among their teammates and fans and, most important, they put the team and their families above themselves.
At what point is enough enough? With the signing of his last contract, instead of becoming more responsible, he has acquired a sense of entitlement and overblown ego to match the huge dollar amount he is paid. I think the Rooneys and the Steelers are due a refund.
JOHN RICHARDS
Butler
Below the standards
Within the past few months, I saw the play "The Chief" at the O'Reilly Theater, read Jerome Bettis' book, "The Bus: My Life In and Out of a Helmet'" and just finished Dan Rooney's excellent book, "My 75 Years With the Steelers and the NFL." I think I did all of this to get me from the lean times between the Super Bowl and mini-camp.
Here's the part I don't understand: Findlay, Ohio, is only three hours away from Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger is from Findlay. Although he may not have grown up liking the Steelers, there is no way that he didn't know what a class act the Rooneys and the Steelers were and are. Their reputation for dignity and pride precedes them.
What Ben seems to do every off-season is find himself unable to maintain either dignity or pride. Although his athletic prowess is remarkable, his inability or unwillingness to hold himself to Steelers' standards is unacceptable. Ben has proved yet again that he is not a team player, let alone a leader, and must have the spotlight solely on him. It's too bad that the '70s Steel Curtain doesn't exist anymore. Those grown men would certainly teach an immature Ben the meaning of being a Steeler. They might even teach him how to be a man.
KATE CARRIGAN
Highland Park
Problem for parents
Big Ben ... an "idol" to my 7- and 10-year-old grandkids. It was embarrassing and awkward to try to explain the last accusation of sexual assault and now we have to address it again. Well, it won't get sugarcoated from this grandma. I thought you had to have some smarts to get in Miami of Ohio. Guess not.
Big Ben ... big jerk! Thanks a lot. You've turned into the biggest problem for the Steelers.
JACKIE DYKSTRA
Solon, Ohio
The writer is formerly of the Canonsburg area.
Steelers need assist
Suggested moves for the Steelers this week:
1.) Send Big Ben to live with Mario Lemieux.
2.) Put saltpeter in the Gatorade.
If at least one of the above suggestions is not used then,
3.) Contact the sex clinic used by Tiger Woods recently and put it on retainer.
FRAN COMER
Manor
Important to us all
We're a sports-loving town, so I was not surprised to see that Ben Roethlisberger made the front page of the Post-Gazette both Saturday and Sunday. And I suppose bat mortality rates hitting 80 to 90 percent warranted half of Sunday's front-page space. I'm not so concerned with what made the front page, but more so with what didn't.
Buried on Page A-6 of the Saturday paper was a minuscule mention of the national debt ("Budget Office: Deficit Swells," National Briefs). The article states that the Congressional Budget Office is predicting President Barack Obama's budget proposal will generate even bigger deficits than advertised for each year for the next decade. By 2020, the cumulative deficits will total $9.76 trillion and debt held by the public would amount to 90 percent of the nation's GDP. According to the CBO, the federal debt will grow to $20.3 trillion by 2020 under Mr. Obama's budget.
I don't care if you're Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or independent -- if that's not front-page news, what is?
BARB McGINLEY
Oakmont
This isn't nothing
Robert Bankert stated in his March 2 letter ("On Clinton's Watch") that "Bill Clinton did nothing, I repeat, nothing" after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the USS Cole attack, thus making the United States, in his view, weak and vulnerable.
I have to remind Mr. Bankert that the mastermind of the WTC bombing, Ramzi Yousef, was captured, tried and convicted along with several of his cohorts and they now reside in federal prison. He can go visit them if he'd like. Where's Osama bin Laden? Most of the Cole conspirators were captured and jailed (in Yemen), but the Yemen government thwarted or botched attempts during both the Clinton and Bush administrations to bring them to U.S. justice.
Mr. Bankert also notes that there were no further attacks under George W. Bush after 9/11. He does consider the "underwear bomber" an attack; so I have to ask if he remembers the "shoe bomber." I'm guessing that anything short of invading a country is what Mr. Bankert considers "nothing."
DON BALZER
Greenfield
Costly jobs
In the Feb. 24 editorial "Senate Breakthrough," the editorial board noted that the $15 billion jobs bill will create "tens of thousands of jobs." The editors fail to mention that, if 10,000 jobs are "created," each job will cost the taxpayer $1.5 million.
And in the Feb. 24 editorial "Real Dollars," the editors note that Pennsylvania has received $11 billion in tax benefits and $13.5 billion in other funds, which have "translated into 12,000 jobs so far." That equates to $2.041 million per job. Please don't tell me that the editors believe the cost per job can possibly be justified.
WILLIAM M. KERNS
Jefferson Hills
Let Congress experience the red tape in health insurance
During the recent health care summit, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., suggested expanding the use of health savings accounts to control medical insurance costs. This is an excellent idea because the HSA program is already in place.
The senator overlooks one important element. To have an HSA, you need a high-deductible, HSA-qualified insurance policy. Unless you have access to such a policy through a group plan that would offer coverage on a guaranteed-issue basis, the individual must submit an application that is medically underwritten. This means the insurance company could decline to offer insurance, rate up the premium or exclude certain treatments due to pre-existing medical conditions.
President Barack Obama seems to grasp the concept of pre-existing condition exclusions that are used in medical underwriting. Members of Congress do not appear to have the same appreciation of the importance of guaranteed issue.
To overcome this obstacle, I suggest that all 535 members of Congress and their families complete an application for health insurance that requires medical underwriting and submit it to an insurance company for review. It would be interesting to know what percentage of those 535 individuals and families would be declined coverage, have premiums rated up or be issued policies with exclusions for specific medical conditions. I do believe this study could be done without violating their confidentiality rights under HIPAA.
Perhaps this process would give members of Congress a better appreciation of what hundreds and maybe thousands of Americans who want health insurance and could use the savings from an HSA are experiencing.
RALPH VITT
Green Tree
Congress, cut through the misrepresentations
At the health care summit, several congressmen pounded on the 2,074-page reform bill, arguing "the vast majority of Americans are against this bill." I doubt if 1 percent have read it, which some estimate would take 48 hours, so how can they be against it? Easy! They are against it because they are influenced by Republicans and right-wingers using scare tactics to declare this a government takeover: It is socialism. The government, not you, will decide the type and degree of medical care you will receive. You will no longer have choice to make your own decisions. It will break the country financially. Sarah Palin declared it would advocate "death panels."
The misrepresentations are unlimited.
As the president pointed out, when asked specifics - for example, should insurance companies have the right to deny insurance for pre-existing conditions; charge exorbitant premiums and extraordinarily high copays for those individuals who are insured; have the right to drop insured who have incurred high medical expenses; raise premiums while reporting outrageous profits - the vast majority answered "no."
I seriously doubt most Americans care about the intricacies, which they would not understand with the "governmentese" language. They want excellent health care at affordable prices. They don't want to be financially ruined because of catastrophic illnesses. They want to make their own health care decisions.
The partisan bickering, political posturing, theatrical gesturing and gridlock have to go. We have serious issues related to joblessness, security, our economy and two wars that require cooperation. That is not happening.
Is there any wonder Americans are disgusted with Congress?
ALEX J. VALLAS
Plum
The student loan middlemen
Peter Metzler, in his Feb. 28 letter ("Student Loan Bill Increases Government Meddling"), laments the call for eliminating the "middleman" in the student loan program. He is concerned this would expand the role of government in an "industry once reserved to the private sector." He classifies the "middleman" as the "free market."
A quick search of history reveals that the first student loan program was a direct loan program created by the National Defense Education Act of 1958.
The Federal Family Education Loan program was created in 1965. That program guaranteed student loans made by the private sector. Economists worried that the government was making financial commitments without accounting for costs. In 1990, under Bush 41, the Federal Credit Reform Act required government to set aside money on every loan made or guaranteed to cover future costs. Under this Bush administration analysis, it was decided that direct loans would be simpler and less costly. A direct lending pilot program was created by Congress in 1992. Under President Clinton in 1993, Congress passed a bill that would phase in direct lending.
In 1994, the new Republican leadership in Congress targeted direct lending for elimination. Due to university officials' satisfaction with the direct loan program, Congress was unable to kill it. However, it did pass a law prohibiting the Department of Education from encouraging colleges to switch to the direct loan program - this, in spite of the fact that all of the government's budgeting and auditing agencies estimated that the direct loan program would deliver the same loans to students at significantly less cost to taxpayers.
The "free market" operates here with the guarantee of the federal government. How "free" is that? And the composition of that "market" - the taxpayer - is being served how? The private sector (some taxpayers) have profit opportunities while all taxpayers assume the risk. This is one "middleman" we can do without.
DWIGHT HOLMES
Hampton
Young people who help
In response to "Call to the Young" (Feb. 27 letters): I want to tell you about my two young neighbor boys. They shoveled my driveway many times this year, always being there not long after the first snowflake. I went outside and found my driveway clean; they never even told me they were doing it.
The first day of the big snow they shoveled four driveways: their own, my driveway, another neighbor's and also that of a neighbor who was out of town. They never take money for their service. They were outside for six hours.
Daniel and Dillon are also the first ones to ask if you need help in the summer when they see you working in the yard or carrying groceries from the car.
We still do have young people today who care and show respect and consideration for others. Their parents are raising two fine boys.
BARBARA McGONIGLE
Ross
Hats off to Pittsburgh hockey fans
As someone who has witnessed and enjoyed the Cincinnati/Pittsburgh rivalries for more than 40 years, I know how much passion Pittsburgh residents have for their teams.
It was wonderful to read about the reception Pittsburgh fans gave to Team USA goalie Ryan Miller last week ("A Glowing Return," March 3; "Silver Lining," March 7). Great to see that national pride exceeds local pride in the United States.
Well done, Pittsburgh, well done.
ROBERT YOUNG
Cincinnati, Ohio
Athletes aren't heroes
I wonder if the newspaper's headline writer recognized how offensive titling the March 2 above-the-fold, front-page story "Conquering Hero Crosby Returns to Penguins" is, as if there is anything heroic in those whose accomplishments consist of competing in a violent sport whose net contribution to society is zero.
The word "hero" has been distorted beyond recognition. It used to signify an individual who is noble, brave and courageous, someone who places his life on the line for others. This would include those such as law enforcement officers, members of the military, firefighters and paramedics. Today it has been dumbed down to mean simply "talented athlete who wins in competition."
Brilliant comedian Bill Maher recently asserted in a television appearance that ours is "a society of dodos." A reasonable and prudent individual would agree.
OREN M. SPIEGLER
Upper St. Clair
My fond memory of theater
I was saddened to read in the Post-Gazette that the Squirrel Hill Theater was closing ("After 74 Years, Losses Force Closure of Squirrel Hill Theater," March 4). One of my fondest movie-going experiences happened when my mother, aunt, sister and friends saw "The Color Purple" there one cold, snowy evening. The movie had just been released and there were long lines to get in.
I remember the anticipation and excitement I felt as we entered the theater and made it to our seats. There was not an empty seat in the theater. We watched this masterpiece and cried with joy at the end. The audience stood and applauded as the credits rolled, deservedly so.
It was by far my best movie-going experience in life; I think about it often as if it were yesterday, and "The Color Purple" . . . still makes me smile each time I see it.
KIMBERLY DUCK
Missouri City, Texas
The writer is formerly of Point Breeze.
Our parents' ways
Regarding North Hills school board member Kathy Reid ("North Hills Official Rapped for Remarks," March 2): I agree with Mrs. Reid. When my parents came from the "old country" they learned to speak and write English as fast as they could. Why should it be any different today?
Oh, I know why - that was 70 years ago and times have changed.
KATHERINE M. BARCASKEY
Reno, Nev.
The writer is formerly of the Pittsburgh area.
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