Ben ROFLberger

So by now I'm sure everyone's heard about "Big" Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident. He showed up at the Steelers' practice facility on Monday, claiming he wants to be back on the field in time for the start of training camp. (Story)

Homeboy's still got a broken jaw (and is only able to eat soft foods as a result), his face is still too scary to be seen in public (he wore a hood when he visited the Steelers' front office), and yet he's lifting weights and trying to start at training camp.

Footlawl has been critical of Ben Roethlisberger in the past (in fact, it's editorial policy here), but much like Brett Favre playing after his Dad died, this is one of those things that shows the kid has heart, and I can only respect it. Clearly he has a love of the game and a desire to play, which is a rare find in many of today's NFL superstars (think T.O. sitting out a season because he felt like he was worth more money).

But here's the thing: he hasn't proven himself to me yet, and every article that comes out hyping this kid up (with the exception of ones like the above, which have nothing to do with his ability to play, just his desire), it's harder for him to live up to the hype. Granted, Roflberger doesn't need to impress only me, but if the Pittsburgh Fanboy section could take some time away from reading Harry Potter/Hines Ward gay slash fic, they'd realize that if they lost some key players (and they did this year: Randle El) they'd be completely fucked.

Please, Ben, prove me wrong this year. I want to respect your skills, and not just your work ethic. Right now you're just Terry Bradshaw with Brett Favre's arm.