In addition...

ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli wrote a column on the Steelers' dominance of the Bengals on Sunday.

I mention this because, if you scroll to the very bottom of the article, there is a reference to pretty boy pseudo-star Carson Palmer quipping that the Bengals were "still a better team" than Pittsburgh.

I now have a new person to hate. He can join the cast of the Baltimore Ravens for making a moronic and egotistical comment which becomes even stupider when considering the timing of the remark.

Thanks for weighing in on the game Carson and don't forget to toss a couple more balls our way when you come to Pittsburgh in December. Nice effort.

Let's clear some things up

There's a couple things on the docket tonight, and they both require me to educate the masses.

ISSUE NO.1: The Cincinnati Bengals are for real.

The Pittsburgh Steelers 24-13 win over the Bengals on Sunday should serve to curb everyone's enthusiasm slightly over the NFL's sexiest team of late.

I'm not even sure where to begin. Through six weeks of the NFL season, all so-called experts had been falling all over themselves to proclaim the Bengals the new up-and-comer in the league. Talking heads sounded off on Chad Johnson as the league's huge play maker, Rudi Johnson was being proclaimed as a dynamic and versatile back and, let's not forget, Carson Palmer who was certifiably the best "new" quarterback of the league because he had managed a +100 QB rating in the Bengals five wins.

Ok, well to paraphrase a great Pulp Fiction character, let's not start sucking each other's popsicles yet.

Sunday the Steelers defence, which struggled mightily on its first two possessions, buckled down and made life hell for Palmer as it has for many QBs. The offence of the Steelers was hit and miss at best, but it got it done and put 27 on a defence that was the trendy pick for all the bandwagon experts to rally behind. Final verdict? The DB's are suspect and the front seven, even though they KNEW, the Steelers were running 70 per cent of the time, still couldn't stop the run game sufficiently.

I'm not sure if the NFL wants it's network experts to verbally rally behind certain teams, but it sure sounded like it through six weeks. After all, everyone and I mean EVERYONE who had a public voice seemed to gloss over the fact that the Bengals only losses had come to the only plus-.500 teams they've faced all season. Five wins over five teams that will be nowhere near the playoffs and suddenly this is the favourite in the AFC? Please.

2. Carson Palmer is the next Joe Montana.

He finally found a defence that shifts things up and gives different looks, a defence that has multiple Pro-Bowlers and a defence that quietly goes about and gives up very little and frustrates opponents, and he crumbled. He threw two crunch-time picks which led to scores and couldn't maintain momentum or sustain drives when his team desperately needed it.

As for Chad Johnson who I actually don't mind, he can officially mark a check under "YES" in the "Who Covered No.85 in 2005" for Deshea Townsend or, more accurately, Bryant McFadden, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Willie Williams. He should remember those names: One of the great playmakers in the game right now was held silent by Pittsburgh. Perhaps he can compare notes with Terrell Owens.

• One other note: ESPN.com's post-game analysis stated "When the Steelers are healthy and able to run the ball, there isn't a more dominant team in the NFL. Ask the Bengals this morning.

"With Ben Roethlisberger back, Pittsburgh went into Cincinnati and took back its title as the AFC North's "team to beat." In what was billed as Week 7's "Game of the Week," the Bengals just looked weak, as the Steelers rolled 27-13."

Really? We needed to do that? Let's be honest here. First off, don't go telling us that we're the team to beat when we're healthy when members of your own network before the Monday game against San Diego had a unanimous pick for the Chargers to win. Fact is, the Steelers are rarely spoken about as being a team to beat and that's fine.

Come to think of it these are the same experts who said the Baltimore Ravens were going to be the odds-on fave for the North. Now it's Cincy? But never Pittsburgh? Ridiculous. Just make sure you get off our bandwagon now. We don't need you.

A few other notes:

• The Willie Parker jersey was in full effect on Sunday and shame on anyone who jumped on his bandwagon and then ditched him because he didn't put up plus-100 games in two starts. You're idiots.

• Hines Ward's TD celebration, mocking Chad Johnson's Riverdance effort from last season, was another in a line of gems from the most underrated WR in the league. Flat out, these guys talk the biggest games but Ward quietly goes out and is one of the most dominant and effective receivers the league has. If you doubt that, check how many big plays he makes and then watch him when he's NOT being thrown to; He's a flat out animal when blocking for other teammates.

• Good to see Minny win one and they're still my pick to win that division.

• Baltimore, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Tennessee, San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston.

The seven teams the Indy Colts have beaten this season. Combined record of said teams? 14-26.

• A poll on CBS on Sunday asked what quarterback you would want to lead your team in a two-minute drill and the selections were "Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe".

Bledsoe, you will note, threw an atrocious interception with his team tied with Seattle and 30 seconds left on the clock which set up the game-winning field goal by former Husker Josh Brown.

Again, don't at least mention Ben? Dude has one interception in five games this season and the league's highest QB rating. But what does that mean after all?

The lyric of the day is the first non-hip hop lyric and it's by punk band Face to Face. I think it applies in my rants somewhat.

Lyric of the Day:
What if I’m right and you are wrong?
What if you knew it all along?
What if I figured out that I did not belong?

What if it always bothered me?
What if I never did believe?
Would it be wrong if I decided I should leave?

If I pretended I was blind
And struck it from my mind
Would it still be there?
What if I’d do anything to make it seem all right
It’s all right

What if it’s all inside my head?
What if those words were never said?
Would it be easier if I could just forget?

What if I didn’t run away?
Could it be any other way?
Would it be wrong if I decided I should stay?
Face to Face Blind

Alright already

Just get off my back.

What do you think this is, some sort of recurring online gathering of my thoughts and opinions to be posted with a sort of regularity for others to read and perhaps involve themselves in so that there should be an exchange of ideas and, if necessitated, educated discourse?!

I didn't think so.

So, yeah, it's been awhile and my regularity for blogging has dropped off to almost embarassing proportions. But I will always hide behind the veil of "what else did you expect from someone as lazy as me?" And of course the answer to that is always, "yeah, he's got a point."

So let's get to addressing a number of the things that have happened since I last blogged.

• Wow, can you believe John Lennon was shot? I didn't see that coming at all.

• Wow, how about that Vince Lombardi? Just a great coach and congrats to the Green Bay Packers.

• Wow, am I the only one who took a huge hit in that stock market crash? I don't know about you, but it's really a great depression.

• Wow, good choice in Queen Victoria to be declared empress of India. Totally who I was pulling for.

• Wow, it's about time Egypt broke away from the Ottoman Empire.

• Wow, speaking of Egypt, can you believe Saladin declared himself sultan?? That's so like him.

• Wow, I didn't see this coming: I mean, Moses, leads the Jews out of slavery, unleashes the Ten Plagues against Egypt, guides the freed slaves for forty years in the wilderness, carries down the law from Mount Sinai, and prepares the Jews to enter the land of Canaan? Way to step up. Big-time players, make big-time plays. I can't believe I didn't blog on this earlier.

If I've missed anything, please feel free to let me know.

In actuality, I haven't blogged since I returned from my trip to Nebraska which might be the greatest thing a sports fan can do. Perhaps not, but a tremendous experience.

Speaking of the Big Red, for those who care, one more win (hopefully it comes this Saturday at Missouri) and the Huskers are back into a bowl game. After last year's debacle, post-season seems like a nice treat.

I'm not saying I don't trust Tommy Maddox, but I'm glad Ben Roethlisberger is back and healthy for Sunday's big game against Cincinnati.

As shocking as this may be, A&W has added another entry into the Worst Commercials of All Time list. Their latest offering has a family — father, mother, son and daughter-in-law by marriage — going to the fast-food joint and rugged, mean ol' Dad orders up "the usual" of a Papa, Mama and two teens.

"Ever since we were kids," the son says.

Well, long story short the chump kid — who apparently has just been taking Dad's lack of fatherly attention and cranky manner in good fun for lo these past 20-plus years — hands the crotchety old coot a Grandpa burger as a means of letting out the big news that he and his oblivious wife are having a kid. Mom tears up, Dad of course doesn't let his guard down and then asks "where are the onion rings?"

Just an abysmal effort from a company that has quickly become one of the true greats in advertising incompetence.

On the other side of the ledger, we have this. Arguably the greatest series of radio ads in the history of the spoken word. I can't even begin to start. Just enjoy.

Hey, who's up for a List of Five? Alright La Bamba, you got it:

The completely random barometer of what is and what isn't, it's....

THE LIST OF FIVE

5. Omar Jacobs. A QB you may never know to watch for, but should.

4. Alexander Ovechkin for NHL MVP.

3. Forget about Michigan-Iowa or Tennessee-Iowa, Texas vs Texas Tech, is the NCAA game of the week.

2. Meet the X-Factor in the World Series.

1. Honouring the wrong star of the 80s, but you gotta give the guy ... ummm ... credit? If I have to serve jail time, I believe I'll choose my own favourite athletes' jerseys to determine my time in the Clink. Y'know Charles Roberts or Cortney Grixby. Luckily I've never been a huge fan of Wayne Gretzky .

That's it for now. Be sure to tune into my next blog when I rant in the past tense about personal hoverbikes, man's first steps on Mars and mind-melding technology that fits in the palm of your hand.