By Stephen Smith
Scripps Howard News
Itís doubtful that the recently-retired Shaquille OíNeal and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison have ever appeared in the same sentence together before now, so consider this a historic moment ó kind of.
The fact is, they just donít have a lot in common other than the fact that theyíre professional athletes.
OíNeal was the NBAís dominant force in the paint and a Hall of Fame jokester whoíll be on the TNT desk with Charles, Ernie and Kenny this fall (if thereís an NBA season).
Harrison is the living embodiment of the heavy-hitting defense he plays for and heís all business all the time. Conversely, he has no place on television and might want to reconsider doing any more interviews as well.
The August issue of Menís Journal hasnít even hit the shelves yet (I checked already), but the firestorm surrounding the article, ěConfessions of a Hit Manî is already at gale force.
Some are already saying that Harrisonís days in Pittsburgh are numbered, others say they should end now based on his comments and the general tone of the article.
To both parties, I can only emphatically say, ěGet a grip.î Team brass will be angry and probably put Harrison on some sort of double-secret probation, but heís staying put.
Sure, referring to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as a ěcrookî and a ědevilî wasnít the thing to do. OK, calling out two teammates ó quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Rashard Mendenhall ó for their performance in Super Bowl XLV isnít good for team unity.
And, of course, remarks about Texans linebacker Brian Cushingís positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, saying ěhe was juiced out of his mind,î and other comments on the New England Patriots provided unnecessary bulletin-board material.
Apparently, when it comes to brutal honesty, Harrison dishes it by the ton. But, the problem may not really lie with what he said, but rather how he chose phrase it.
Letís keep it real on two points:
ó 1. Goddell has been inconsistent when it comes to dishing out punishment.
Playersí feet get held to fire routinely for off-field misbehavior as should happen.
But when the Patriotsí Bill Belichickís cheating ways came to light, his feet and those of his organization were only lukewarm at best while the evidence disappeared and the three Lombardi trophies stayed put.
ó 2. Roethlisberger and Mendenhallís mistakes turned momentum in the Super Bowl.
On a first-half play, Roethlisberger re-aggravated a foot injury originally disclosed in Week 11. So, instead of turning losses into short gains and big plays as he did in Super Bowl XLIII, Big Ben was limited to the pocket. And thatís not his game.
And while Harrisonís portrayal of Mendenhall as a ěfumbling machineî was inaccurate, his miscue to open the fourth quarter got the Packers off the ropes.
As for the rest, plop down your own $6 or so in a couple of weeks and make up your own mind ó ravings of madman or brutal, unapologetic truth?
Finally, there was a connection of sorts between OíNeal and Harrison found in an old quote: ěI started out as a football player. I liked to inflict pain,î OíNeal said. ěIn basketball, it was the same thing.î
(Contact Stephen C. Smith of the Wichita Falls Times Record-News in Texas at stephencsmith1@yahoo.com or www.facebook.com/stephencsmith1.)
SHNS
The Associated Press
07/14/11 15:03