The verdict was handed down today on Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and his March 5th incident near a small college in the former capital of Georgia, Milledgeville. Big Ben will be suspended for six games beginning with Week 1 of the 2010 season. Ben can have the suspension reduced to four games if he agrees to counseling sessions chosen by the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. If Ben complies with Goodell's demands, he will still forfeit almost $2,000,000 in salary, if he refuses to comply (highly unlikely), he will miss seven weeks (Pittsburgh has a bye week in Week 5) of paychecks.

If he is non-compliant he will lose roughly $3,300,000. Ben is, I believe 28; therefore he should know better than to bounce around the town and spread mischief as would a 20 year-old. Ben…you signed a $100 million dollar contract not too long back. There are perks to having that amount of money AND some drawbacks. You are a one-hundred million dollar prize for anyone in college - and you knew it. I will admit first and foremost, you have led Pittsburgh to two Super Bowl victories. On the other end of the coin, you are a representative of Pittsburgh. The fans who cheer you on and buy your jerseys, pay your salary. Do not go Pete Rose and think you are bigger than the game. You are not…NOT BY A LONGSHOT!

Ben you are on the verge of being a train wreck or the next Terry Bradshaw. Yeah, I heard you do not like TB. Tough dung! Terry has four rings. You have two. No, you are not the king of the Steel City. As a lifelong Steeler fan, I will personally say right now, I would rather have TB and his depression episodes in my foxhole in a war, than you. At least I know TB is covering my back and not the wet bar. Do not get me wrong, Ben…you are a true gamer. Here is the deal…win two more Super Bowls and then show your rearend. You are yet to be added into the four Super Bowl ring yet kid. That belongs to TB and Joe Montana. You are still in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady's shadow. Let me tell you this in closing, kid, I was a Steeler fan before you took your first step. If it meant partial paralysis and constant pain, I would suit up in the "black and gold" for any game. Yes, I would be carted off of the field, but in my heart I gave 110% for my team. The "Chief" would be proud. Take a cue from a Steeler fan and straighten up or you just may be shipped out before you equal TB.

I mentioned George Lucas in the title for this reason. He was the creator of Star Wars and I see Albert Pujols as Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Yes, there were three previous Star Wars (in reality SW showed parts 4-6, then 1-3) films. I would like to link the first three to former and current baseball players.

The first was Mark McGwire, an extremely likeable individual with a dark secret (steroids) who shattered the single-season home run mark and raised the bar from 60/61 (Ruth's 60 in 154 games; Maris' 61 in 162) to 70. When you think McGwire…think Senator Palpatine in SW I; a charismatic leader who appeared to have the support of the entire galaxy.

As we move on to SW II, think of Barry Bonds. An ego-driven tyrant who is plotting his take-over of the galaxy. A person who pulled the wool over everyone's eyes for so long, it was too late from keeping him from "capturing the single season home run and all-time records."

As we advance to SW III, picture Alex Rodriguez. ARod may be as much Palpatine as he is Anakin. He had gifts beyond imagination and was destined for super-stardom even when he played second-fiddle to, then team star, Ken Griffey. Year after year he obliterated records and was a sure-lock at the all-time home run record, the legal way. After admitting to the use of steroids and further allegations still pending, Alex, once the hope of bringing truth and integrity to the all-time home run record; was disclothed as just another slugger with a little extra help.