The Sports Monitor

The apology almost has become part of a professional athlete's uniform. Do something wrong, apologize and get along with your career. They all sound the same, probably because those apologies are written by public relations experts. They all know what to have their athlete say -- or not say. So after reading Ben Roethlisberger's apology Monday, I remain skeptical. But I'm not skeptical because of my preconceived notions. I remain skeptical because I've heard it all before. Back in 2006, Roethlisberger apologized to teammates, fans and his family after his near-miss with death after a motorcycle accident. "In the past few days, I've gained a new perspective on life," Roethlisberger said in a statement released by the team. "By the grace of God, I'm fortunate to be alive ..." Good. He's learned his lesson. He'll get his life on track. At least that's what I thought, and I suppose others did too. Then came the sex...

I wanted to see commissioner Roger Goodell step up to the podium Thursday night and announce that the Pittsburgh Steelers traded quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. I didn't care where; I wanted him out of Pittsburgh. Deep down, however, I didn't think it would happen. Despite all his problems, Roethlisberger still means something to the Steelers -- money. If Dan Rooney weren't cashing in his endorsement of Barack Obama with his ambassadorship to Ireland, maybe things would be different. He's more of a no-nonsense kind of guy. But with Art Rooney II calling the shots, I believe character still counts, but Rooney is more of a businessman. And in the NFL these days, it's a business. I don't think it was a coincidence that Roethlisberger's six-game suspension can be reduced to four games. I don't think it was a coincidence that the end of Roethlisberger's suspension would end when the Steelers have their bye week. And I don't think it ...

Maurkice Pouncey is a Pittsburgh Steeler. That's a good thing. The Florida center is a perfect fit for the Steelers. There's a lot to like about him, too. Sure, there are his physical attributes, but I was impressed with how, after he blocks one defensive lineman, he looks for more opponents. Some players hit their blocks and wait for a running back to go by them and head back to the huddle. With Pouncey, he attacks. And then he attacks some more. That will fit in nicely. What I really liked was his excitement with joining Pittsburgh. "I'm so happy to be a Pittsburgh Steeler," he told the Post-Gazette.  "I'm so happy they picked me. I just like the Steelers so much." That's refreshing. I can't wait to see him play.

I love playoff hockey. I really love overtime playoff hockey. I'm convinced there's nothing better. But it stinks when you invest three overtimes in watching a game and see the Penguins fall short. So Thursday's 4-3 triple-overtime heartbreaker isn't the end of their series with the Ottawa Senators. Pittsburgh still is in control with a  3-2 lead. But now I'm worried. Senators goalie Pascal Leclaire stopped about 1,327 shots in the nearly six periods of hockey at Mellon Arena. Or did it just seem like it? For a guy that hadn't seen much action and was making his first postseason start in the NHL, it was an impressive game. It was as impressive as the Penguins' start to the game was sloppy. They were down 2-0 before the NFL draft even got interesting. That the Pens rallied was good. It was even better when they led 3-2 in the third period. Instead, they head back to Ottawa on weary legs looking to close out a team that's found new lif...

The Penguins can advance tonight and we're all waiting to see if Ben Roethlisberger gets traded during the NFL draft or sometime after. Before that action takes place, I just have to write about the Pirates. Did you see the score Thursday afternoon? 20-0. Yes. Twenty. And, if you weren't sure, they lost. That makes it 36-1 against the Brewers in the three-game homestand. The Bucs just can't beat the Brewers. And, for this series, they weren't even on the same playing field. That drops the Pirates to 7-8 on the season. To paraphrase the coach from "Bull Durham," how did they ever win seven? You can check out the scene here , it's one of my favorites from the movie.  Beware, there is some R-rated language there.

The Pittsburgh Steelers should trade quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to send a message. The Steelers should trade Roethlisberger to protect their image, or their brand. The Steelers should trade Roethlisberger because he hasn't grown up. I've heard plenty of reasons why Roethlisberger should be sent packing, and I agree with most of them. But here's one reason that I haven't heard much: Trading Roethlisberger makes sense from a football standpoint. Yes. I think it would be a smart football decision to cut ties with a quarterback that has two Super Bowl rings. There are a lot of numbers that you can discuss when it comes to Roethlisberger. You can talk touchdown passes, interceptions, wins, comebacks and more. But there's one thing worries me about Roethlisberger: The number of concussions he has suffered. He has had at least three concussions. Chances are he has had more than that. How many more hits will it take to his head that will force him to r...

Do you think the St. Louis Cardinals are getting nervous yet? Probably not, but it's fun to think that they might be looking in their rear-view mirror as the Bucs sit one game out of first place after sweeping the Cincinnati Reds this weekend. What was particularly encouraging is the way the Bucs are going about business. They rallied in the ninth inning Friday and Saturday to win the first two games of the series. With a chance to sweep, Paul Maholm had a strong outing on the mound, giving up just four hits. Meanwhile, the Pirates made the most of their five hits, scoring five runs in the fourth inning against the Reds on Sunday. Key hitting. Strong pitching. Good bullpen. It's a recipe for success, and the Bucs have followed it in four of their past five games. Yeah, it's been fun. And I know the bottom can fall out at any given moment for this franchise. After all, they were 9-6 last season. But at least not everyone is satisfied with the start. ...