Bulletin Board Material

           The other day, Rashard Mendenhall (Rookie RB for the Pittsburgh Steelers) sent his buddy, Ray Rice (Rookie RB for the Baltimore Ravens) a text message.  So why is that football news?  Because LB Bart Scott of the Ravens made it so!  Mendenhall’s text was only intended for his buddy Ray.  It claimed how great of a day Rashard was going to have against the vaunted Raven’s Defense.  Ray Rice took it upon himself to let his defense know about the text message…Bart Scoot took offense.

           You see, the Steelers play the Ravens on Monday Night Football this week.  Bart Scott had this to say about Mendenhall, “He said later that he was just joking, but it’s too late.  Thanks for the bulletin-board material, rookie.”  Obviously, Bart is beside himself…what was the Rookie to say?  Was he to predict he would have an awful day…that he would fumble 3 times…that in his 1^st NFL start (Willie P. is down and out for the contest) he would be labeled a bust…that the Steelers wasted a first round pick on him?  Of course not!  He said in a simple text to his friend that he was going to have a good performance.  Should he not be confident in his abilities?           

           What’s worse about Bart Scott is that he is a wiley veteran player…does he need a Rookie to motivate him?  Isn’t getting paid millions of dollars to play a kid’s game enough motivation?  Do the Ravens even have a bulletin board?  And if so, who is in charge of the posting?  Is it a dry erase board, or an old-fashioned corkboard?  Could I have that job?  Please!  Enough!  Just play football! 

           Football is a violent game, played with emotion…the object is to smother the man with the ball in his hands…does Bart Scott not understand that he shouldn’t need bulletin board material for motivation?  I expected more professionalism than that from Bart…here’s some motivation…do your job, Vet!