Big Ben made up cracked ribs/MRI story

[tony hipchest]

...because espn says so.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3894263

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have no knowledge that Ben Roethlisberger played the Super Bowl with two broken ribs, [nobody did until the mri- TH] as the quarterback told a Web site.

According to SI.com, Roethlisberger said his fractured ribs did not show up on X-rays taken before he led the Steelers to a 27-23 win over Arizona on Feb. 1, but were revealed only during an MRI test he had last week.

"Luckily, in the game, I didn't take any big hits to make 'em hurt," Roethlisberger told SI.com. "But I knew all along there was something wrong. There wouldn't have been anything that could have been done about fractured ribs anyway. It was just suck it up and play."

Roethlisberger did not miss any practices before the Super Bowl, although a pool report from the Wednesday practice said he attempted during the middle of the workout to stretch his torso. He missed one practice during the off week before the Super Bowl because of what the team said was a back injury.

"There's not a whole lot to say," Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said Monday. "Ben was fine to go. He was cleared to play. He didn't miss any [practice] time. There was no doubt he was going to play."

The NFL, in an e-mail to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, said the Steelers did not violate the league's injury reporting policy in the lead-up to the Super Bowl.

"Ben's injury was disclosed in the required injury report the week prior to the team going to Tampa for the Super Bowl," league spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail, the newspaper reported. "He was listed throughout that week with a back injury."

In the e-mail, Aiello noted that during Super Bowl week, pool reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated reported that Roethlisberger took full part in practice and "looked sharp."

"There was no doubt as to Ben's availability. Then, of course, he played the entire game," Aiello said, according to the report.

The Steelers said it would have been difficult for Roethlisberger to play any better than he did in leading the decisive 78-yard drive that ended with a precisely thrown 6-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds remaining.

Several plays before, Roethlisberger -- leading his sixth game-winning drive of the season -- hit Holmes on a 40-yard completion.

Roethlisberger did not mention any possible injury during postgame interviews.

It is uncertain if the validity of Roethlisberger's claim will be proved.

NFL teams do not routinely require players to undergo MRIs or other medical tests during the offseason, [unless they have a lingering injury-TH] and Roethlisberger isn't due back in Pittsburgh until offseason workouts begin in April. By then, any problem that occurred before or during the Super Bowl might not show up in tests.

Roethlisberger has previously exaggerated or misstated injuries he supposedly suffered during his five-season career. [in other words, his motorcycle accident was staged like the lunar moon landing and not only does he still have an appendix, he has 2- TH]

The day after the January 2005 AFC Championship Game, Roethlisberger said he broke two toes during the 41-27 loss to New England. Coach Bill Cowher emphatically denied that, saying the quarterback merely aggravated a toe injury from college. Roethlisberger never brought up the issue again.

Roethlisberger also said during training camp in 2006 that he played the Steelers' Super Bowl-winning season of 2005 with a broken thumb. Roethlisberger missed no playing time after supposedly being hurt on Nov. 28, 2005, in Indianapolis, and the team never revealed any such injury.

After Cowher resigned following the 2006 season, Roethlisberger acknowledged he and the coach didn't always get along -- in part, apparently, because Cowher felt the quarterback exaggerated the extent of injuries.

It also was reported that Roethlisberger sustained a spinal cord concussion against Cleveland on Dec. 28, but the team said only that he had a concussion.

"Ben's health is often the subject of inaccurate reports," coach Mike Tomlin said before the Super Bowl. "He's fine."

when is a concussion NOT a concussion?

everybody knew bens thumb was jacked up in 05. and everyone knew thats why he was wearing the bionic glove with the brace.

what a hack. patfans sould not be allowed to be "journalists/columnists".

[SteelCityKing]

so what? i lied about having herpes because i wasn't having a flare up! HA! kidding! =)

Agree with you completely. The story that started all of this (the toes) was probably blown out of proportion too, and was probably just a case of a rookie not knowing when not to talk to the media. The media will twist anything that players say and work it to fit their needs. I take any story about a sports figure or actor/actress with a grain of salt. You can't always believe what somebody prints up in a paper.

[MACH1]

What about his 140* fever they reported about.

[stillers4me]

I really hope Ben wears his ring on his middle finger.

[HometownGal]

ESPN.

Really - what purpose would it serve for Ben to make up or exaggerate his injuries? He's more than proven himself to be a top tier QB in the NFL in only his 5th season and has 2 SB rings in that time span.

If ESPN can't find a legitimate story out there to report, they'll make up their own. Jagoffs.

[hindes204]

ESPN pisses me off more and more these days...although, i still listen to Jim Rome religiously

[Milkman]

Yeah, it's kinda like how they talk about Brady being on the injured list every week for about 2 years...like he's really got a bum shoulder.

SHEESH!

[iloveben7]

arghhh I hate all this stuff about Ben being a drama queen and making up injuries.

If any of those idiots actually saw that hit, then they would know that Ben fractured 2 of his ribs. I was at that game and I was freaking out because that hit was nasty and then I saw Ben get up slowly and he was having trouble breathing and then Leftwich was warming up. But Ben came back in and toughed it out like he ALWAYS does.

[The Duke]

ESPN, just go invent some stories about the cowboys. Stay away from the steelers!!!!