Around the league....and close to home

Around the league�

Jamal Lewis should be suspended for the balance of the season.� Am I objective on this one??� Hell, No!!� I�ll be the first to admit that the Steeler fan in me wants the competitive advantage.� If Lewis is not suspended, then, as always, I�ll be rooting for him to break his leg next week.

If it were Martin Grammatica, though, that had been involved in cocaine traffic (�.he might have better South American connections), I would be advocating for a season-long suspension as well, just not as passionately.� Some of you may have read the article on Pete Rozelle in last week�s SI.� He solidified himself as Commish by having the will to suspend Paul Hornung & Alex Karras for the entire 1963 season for betting on games (not against their own team).� In Karras�s instance, I believe, he placed the bets legally in Nevada.� Rozelle described their suspensions as being for �non-criminal� offenses.� SI described Rozelle�s decision as one that needed to have been made to maintain the integrity of the game.

Jamal Lewis needs to be suspended until he�s served his sentence to maintain whatever is left of the integrity of the players who play the game.� Hornung & Karras gambled; Lewis was involved in trafficking cocaine.� He should be done for the year.� If not�..here�s to a season-ending injury.

Genius Mike Mularkey called a naked bootleg by Drew Bledsoe down 7 points, late in the 4^th quarter, with 4^th & 3 inside the Pats� 20.� Bledsoe was promptly sacked by a non-fooled Tedy Bruschi, with Richard Seymour returning the ensuing fumble 68 yards for a TD.� Mularkey reportedly became testy when the media challenged his play calling, putting the ball in the hands of , per the Boston Globe, �his worst runner,� who resembles a �mule running under water.�

Now for the Steelers��

Lay off the Bettis episode.� For the record, he�s been inserted into the game 5 times with ball on the 1�7 carries later he has 5TDs.� Why are we complaining about this maneuver when it�s worked 100% of the time.� Sure�Deuce may have scored as well, but so what!!� It doesn�t matter who scores, and let�s complain about stuff that doesn�t work, like�.

Cowher�s end of the half play-calling, again.� When it looks as though we might have a chance for a last second FG, which would extend the lead to 7�.Cowher elects to throw 2 bombs with the ball on the Cinci 42, with 12 seconds left & a TO in his pockets.� Just a 10-yard completions, and we have a good chance to hang 3 on the board.� Instead, he throws a low-percentage bomb. Leaving us with only 5 seconds left after it�s incomplete, and no recourse but to end the half with another bomb.

We sure caught a break with the interference call on Plax.� If anything, Plax was the guilty party.� Think about it, with no call on that play, we�re left with a 3^rd & 15 from the 22, and probably hoping for a tying FG.

Due to circumstances, not all of them possible, my ass with in Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon.� I�ll be sharing the details of this unexpected Family/Steeler weekend with you later this week.