# The Second Annual Steelers March To The Super Bowl Thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 10, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121 "2004-08-10T00:31:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/141 "2004-09-21T05:12:30Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > It’s funny that you feel that way considering the attack I took at your hands for calling Ray Lewis the middle murderer a while back. There’s a big difference-Ray Lewis never murdered anyone, never had anything to do with murdering anyone (his thug friends did), pled guilty to what he was guilty of (lying to the cops) and served his punishment for it (the thugs walked, remember), and completely learned his lesson and has been a model citizen since. Porter is still a thug, and he revels in it. I’m defending a man who has demonstrated character and contrition since he was put in a bad situation by two people who weren’t really friends. You’re defending a gangster simply because he wears black and gold. Pretty shameful, Doors, you’re smarter than that. At least, I think you are. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/142 "2004-09-21T05:23:32Z")
How is he a gangster? The only person I have ever heard saying that is you. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/143 "2004-09-21T05:32:02Z")
> [@lno](#): > > Jeezum crow, can’t they put points on the board? Tell me 'bout it…that was a sad, sad performance. One the bright side for you, you’re leading the AFC West, and you’re in 11th place in the [Power Rankings](http://www.sirblah.com/1on1pool/1On1Standings.htm). Not all too shabby. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/144 "2004-09-21T12:17:32Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Hmmm. Seems to me that I was saying that gloating wouldn’t be appropriate in that situation, but hey, why read for content? Knee jerking is much more fun. I did read what you wrote but it seems to me that if you weren’t glaoting and you really werent happy about it, there would have been no need to link that pic at all. > [@Weirddave](#): > > As for Porter, you’re damn right I hope he gets shot again. Taking a technically legal but definitely cheap shot at an injured player hoping to injure him further is beneath contempt for most folks, for Porter it’s just another day’s thuggery. Funny thing about Porter, though; he loves to run his mouth but the only time I heard his name mentioned was when he whacked Heap. Ogden owned his sorry ass all day long. Cheap shot? Please. Even a writer from your own stinkin’ town [disagrees](http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.schmuck20sep20,1,3825260.column?coll=bal-home-columnists) > [@](#): > > The Ravens were steamed at Steelers linebacker Joey Porter for knocking down an injured Todd Heap at the line of scrimmage at the end of the first half, but what exactly was Porter supposed to do? Heap injured his leg on the previous play and hobbled back to the line of scrimmage so Boller could spike the ball and stop the clock. Porter really had no choice but to treat him like he was a healthy player, and explained later he thought Heap might have been faking the injury to set up a play in the end zone. Stranger things have happened. If Heap is that injured, he should stay down. If he’s not that injured, you step to the line and play like every other down. There is no inbetween. This song and dance about it being a cheap shot is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/145 "2004-09-21T12:20:19Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > How is he a gangster? The only person I have ever heard saying that is you. Yeah, I’d love some evidence of this as well. I mean, it’s not like he has ever plead guilty to or been convicted of a crime, like some other LBs who you seem to hold in such high esteem. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/146 "2004-09-21T13:56:59Z")
> [@mouthbreather](#): > > If Heap is that injured, he should stay down. If he’s not that injured, you step to the line and play like every other down. There is no inbetween. Despite being a Ravens fan who is a bit depressed that they’re going to be without Heap for 2-4 weeks, i have to agree with this. If you’re in the line, then you’re in the line, and the defense can’t afford to treat you differently than any other player. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/147 "2004-09-21T14:17:34Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > There’s a big difference-Ray Lewis never murdered anyone, never had anything to do with murdering anyone Just a minor nitpick, but he did agree to pay a million dollars to the victim’s family for his role in the murder. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/148 "2004-09-21T14:19:51Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > As for Porter, you’re damn right I hope he gets shot again. Taking a technically legal but definitely cheap shot at an injured player hoping to injure him further is beneath contempt for most folks, for Porter it’s just another day’s thuggery. Funny thing about Porter, though; he loves to run his mouth but the only time I heard his name mentioned was when he whacked Heap. Ogden owned his sorry ass all day long. Are you saying that opposing teams should not hit injured players who choose to stay on the field? If Heap is going to make that decision not to come off the field then he has to be treated like any other player. What if a team decided to start an injured running back (let’s say with a high ankle sprain), handed him the ball on every play and let him hobble and hop his way down the field with it. Should the opposing defense refrain from making a tackle on the grounds that it might injure him more? Anyone who stays on the field with an injury is making a conscious choice to do so and is accepting the risks that it entails. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/149 "2004-09-21T14:20:26Z")
I just wanted to report that the Bengals are currently tied for first place in the AFC North. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/150 "2004-09-21T14:21:33Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Despite being a Ravens fan who is a bit depressed that they’re going to be without Heap for 2-4 weeks, i have to agree with this. If you’re in the line, then you’re in the line, and the defense can’t afford to treat you differently than any other player. I agree that if you’re in, you’re in, and you shouldn’t be treated differently. But that’s where the complaint stems from. He _was_ treated differently. He was the only Raven who got hit that play, and therefore it was an obvious cheap shot at a gimpy player. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/151 "2004-09-21T14:29:12Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Are you saying that opposing teams should not hit injured players who choose to stay on the field? If Heap is going to make that decision not to come off the field then he has to be treated like any other player. But he wasn’t. No other player was hit; only Heap was. That’s a cheap shot. > [@](#): > > What if a team decided to start an injured running back (let’s say with a high ankle sprain), handed him the ball on every play and let him hobble and hop his way down the field with it. Should the opposing defense refrain from making a tackle on the grounds that it might injure him more? Nice strawman. Was Heap carrying the ball? Was anybody on the Browns attempting to advance the ball? Nope, they were spiking it. Your argument regarding ballcarriers is irrelevant. > [@](#): > > Anyone who stays on the field with an injury is making a conscious choice to do so and is accepting the risks that it entails. One of which, apparently, is taking a cheap shot from a classless Steeler. There are some unwritten bonds between all NFL players. You do not criticize another guy’s contract negotiation, because you don’t want others to criticize yours. On other words, you do not mess with another player’s money. You also do not seek to intentionally hurt another player, because that messes with his money. Smeer shit on his facemask, bite him, yank his thumb backward under the pile to make him fumble, all sort of nasty business is par for the course, and the players are aware of it. But taking a cheap shot at a gimpy player when _nobody else on your team makes contact with any opposing player_ is out of bounds. At least, in my opinion it is. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/152 "2004-09-21T14:37:46Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > Was Heap carrying the ball? Was anybody on the **Browns** attempting to advance the ball? Nope, they were spiking it. Your argument regarding ballcarriers is irrelevant. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/153 "2004-09-21T14:45:26Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > :dubious: Yeah, I know, I didn’t notice until I had posted. In my defense, the Browns also had a marquee TE go down on Sunday. Just too many damn injured, high profile TEs in the AFC North, I tells ya! ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/154 "2004-09-21T14:49:27Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Ellis Dee > > Was Heap carrying the ball? Was anybody on the Browns attempting to advance the ball? Nope, they were spiking it. Your argument regarding ballcarriers is irrelevant. > > :dubious: You think that’s bad? Yahoo had a preview of the coming season last week, and they said that the biggest loss the Indianapolis Colts had in the off season was Marcus Robinson. :dubious: :smack: 20 years, people, 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/155 "2004-09-21T16:56:00Z")
So how 'bout it, Dave? Any proof that Porter is a “thug”? I think the rest of us are pretty much in agreement that your impassioned defense of Ray Lewis was a crock, so you may want to salvage something out of this. Where’s your proof of Porter’s “thuggery”? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/156 "2004-09-21T17:31:04Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > So how 'bout it, Dave? Any proof that Porter is a “thug”? I think the rest of us are pretty much in agreement that your impassioned defense of Ray Lewis was a crock, so you may want to salvage something out of this. Where’s your proof of Porter’s “thuggery”? You know, you grew up a little bit over the past year or so and finally realized that blind partisanship is a bad thing in politics, it’s a shame you can’t apply the same maturity to your sports fandom. You think my defense of Ray Lewis was a crock? Find one thing I said in this thread about Lewis that is not 100% true. Porter is a thug because of what he did to Heap Sunday, and especially because when asked about it after the game he didn’t say “my bad”, he didn’t apologize, claim to have been caught up in the heat of the moment or express any concern over Heap’s condition. No, he continued to try and justify the despicable, proudly flying his weasel colors for the world to see. Oh, and in case you were wondering and FTR, if, say Adalius Thomas had done the exact same thing to Jerame Tuman, I would condemn it just as strongly. The difference is that Thomas has proven by his actions over the years that he would be contrite after the fact. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/157 "2004-09-21T17:34:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Anyone who stays on the field with an injury is making a conscious choice to do so and is accepting the risks that it entails. In most cases I’d agree, but not this one. According to ESPN, the injury occured “late in the second quarter.” I really don’t see Baltimore spiking the ball unless it’s the last two minutes and they’re driving. If someone goes down and stays down then, his team will be charged a timeout. If they don’t have a timeout, there’s a time runoff to make up for it. In that situation, the smart thing to do, and the best thing for the team, is to limp back to the line, gut it out until the QB can spike the ball, and get a sub in then. No danger, because you’re not running an actual play, right? Heap is a tough, smart player who made the best decision for his team. Porter (and _only_ Porter) took advantage of what’s essentially a play off to get in one more shot at an obviously injured opponent. That makes him a piece of shit. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/158 "2004-09-21T22:39:16Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > for Porter it’s just **another day’s** thuggery. > [@Weirddave](#): > > Porter is a thug because of what he did to Heap Sunday, and especially because when asked about it after the game Backpedal much? You claim that this was another instance of Porters thuggery, then when called on it, you say “this makes him a thug”. So, following that logic, I guess it’s fair to say that Ray Lewis in Atlanta was just another instance of him being of hanging out with people on the same night they commit murder, and it’s just “another day” of Lewis obstructing justice. This is fun! Everyone, try it! Ray Lewis pleading guilty was just another days of him being a criminal. Jamal Lewis’ upcoming cocaine trafficking trial is jsut another instance of him going on trial for being a drug dealer! Wheee! Sorry amigo, you’re smarter than that. I think. > [@Ellis Dee](#): > > No other player was hit; only Heap was. **ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE.** Thinking you were wrong, I just reviewed the play on Tivo. Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton (Steelers DE and NT) also made contact and hit/locked up with the O-Line on that play. Heap was the only player who went down like a ton of bricks, so of course he’s the one that drew everyone’s attention. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/159 "2004-09-21T23:17:06Z")
How the fuck can you call it a cheap fucking shot when the referees on the field, who are Baltimore fans anyway, do not call a penalty? Did Todd Heap approach the line and say, “Geez, Porter, take it easy on me- I think I just messed up my leg”? It’s something that a teammate would do to get excited, pushing on another’s shoulder pads. You’re going to have to dig farther to find more dirt to bitch about, baltimorons. There is another game, another chance to put Lewis in the hospital. Either one. Just how many unsportsman-like conduct penalties did Ray Lewis have in the game? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121/160 "2004-09-22T00:11:51Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > In most cases I’d agree, but not this one. According to ESPN, the injury occured “late in the second quarter.” I really don’t see Baltimore spiking the ball unless it’s the last two minutes and they’re driving. If someone goes down and stays down then, his team will be charged a timeout. If they don’t have a timeout, there’s a time runoff to make up for it. In that situation, the smart thing to do, and the best thing for the team, is to limp back to the line, gut it out until the QB can spike the ball, and get a sub in then. No danger, because you’re not running an actual play, right? Well, getting back to the line might be the smart thing to do, but if you make that decision, then you have to accept the fact that you’re a part of whatever play happens next. While having a clock runoff might not be the best for the team, it _is_ an option that Heap had. The fact that he and the Ravens chose not to take that option is their own decision. If he was injured badly enough that he couldn’t take a hit, then he should have stayed down ad accepted the loss of time. Also, Heap might have known that he wasn’t going to be involved in an actual play, but there’s no way that the Steelers knew that the Ravens were definitely going to spike the ball. For all the Pittsburgh players knew, the call for a spike could have been a tactic to try and throw them off guard and get into the end zone. > [@Enginerd](#): > > Heap is a tough, smart player who made the best decision for his team. Porter (and _only_ Porter) took advantage of what’s essentially a play off to get in one more shot at an obviously injured opponent. That makes him a piece of shit. Again, though, Porter had no way of knowing for sure that the ball would be spiked. Also, of course it was only Porter who hit Heap, because Porter was the only guy marking up against him. It would have been pretty hard for anyone else to hit Heap, given that no other Steeler player was close enough to do so. Look, i’m a Ravens fan, and i’m happy to mock the Steelers at any opportunity, but i just don’t see how this was a cheap shot. > [@Steelerphan](#): > > How the fuck can you call it a cheap fucking shot when **the referees on the field, who are Baltimore fans anyway** , do not call a penalty? Now you’re just sounding like a sore loser. I just scoured a bunch of Pennsylvania news websites—including the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette—and none of them made a single comment about the officiating. Furthermore, just about every article said that the Ravens dominated the game. You can delude yourself that the referees were the problem, but anyone who actually watched the game knows that’s not the case. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/259121.md?page=9)