Big Ben Makes Love To His Tonic And Gin
By chris
Actually, it was a Captain and Diet Coke.
Video of Ben Roethlisberger singing karaoke at a piano bar surfaced on rumor-mongering website TMZ yesterday. Naturally, this became the lead story on SportsCenter and every other sports talk show on the planet. I didn’t want to dignify this story by paying it any more attention than it deserved (which is none), especially since Pittsburgh Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette did a pretty thorough job of eviscerating it in this morning’s P-G. However, since everybody from Ben to Mike Tomlin was asked about it, I felt I had to at least mention this laugh-out-loud stupid story here.
He was singing Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”
The only negative thing about the story to me is the part about him tipping $200 on an $800 tab. A few bar wenches down on the South Side were probably stewing when they heard that. Not that I have any problem with Ben stiffing bartenders or waitresses on a tip. I don’t tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I’ll give them a little something extra. But tipping automatically or leaving an enormous tip just because everybody knows you make millions a dollars of year playing football, screw that.
He was singing Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”
I’m sorry I keep coming back to that but could he have picked a more bland non-threatening singer and song? My parents listen to Billy Joel. I could see if they caught him doing “Candy Shop” by Fitty. Or “Sexyback” by Timberlake. Maybe he should have dedicated a rendition of Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” to his friends down in Milledgeville.
I am honestly disgusted the media has tried making this into a story. Than again, TMZ “reporters” make their living picking through garbage looking for used condoms outside Charlie Sheen’s house so I guess we should expect it from them. I only wish reputable outlets like ESPN or the major newspapers wouldn’t give them the attention they crave. He went to a piano bar. Where is the video of Hines Ward making it rain at a strip club?
I could see if he was falling down drunk. Which he wasn’t. I could see if he missed curfew. Which he didn’t. The hotel keycards automatically lock the doors at one a.m. so unless he and two or three three hundred pound linemen climbed up a fire escape and through a second story window, they were all back within the allotted time.
When the Super Bowl hoopla began, I knew Ben would be the big story all week. However, the level of media scrutiny and unfair persecution he’s suffered from ignorant fools makes me root for him all the more. Not only do I hope he plays well on Sunday, I hope he wins the MVP. And afterward, he should thank God, his family, his teammates, and Steeler Nation. Then give the middle finger to all the bastards who have tried unsuccessfully to bring him down.