Ben Roethlisberger has been good for nearly seven years now — good here being descriptive of public behavior, not morality, the way it’s applied to a heedful child or a docile dog. By all appearances the Steelers’ quarterback has acted like a cordial, civilized adult off the field, while on it he has proved to be one of the singular talents in NFL history. Whether that combination signals maturity — much less true redemption — is anyone’s guess.
The Irish-American from Lake Charles, Louisiana — who is now back home selling medical supplies — had been invited into the squad for the week-long American summer trip off the back of a stellar season for his college, Notre Dame, which saw him win the National Player of the Year award. He admits that he was ‘a bit of a fan’ as he trained — and eventually played — alongside some of Irish football’s biggest stars, and it is exactly that part of the story which resonates with so many. Lapira was the first amateur footballer to play for Ireland since 1964, and his international cameo raised a question for Irish football fans everywhere: What would it be like to spend a week with the Boys in Green?
Former WWE star Mick Foley PA Archive / PA Images
PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images
Wrestling was always on my mind; the extravagance and theatrics of it all stimulated my imagination. It transformed my secluded, banal and ordinary surroundings into something huge. No longer did I just sit down on the sofa: I climbed up onto it, reached the highest point, stretched my arms out high, tapped my elbow and then threw myself onto it elbow first, pretending a cushion was a squashed opponent; a vest and pants combo was no longer underwear, it was wrestling attire. At school we would assign ourselves characters at break time, marking out a ring with four school jumpers acting as turnbuckles, and have royal rumbles, performing outlandish moves with zero skill or know-how until we were stopped by tears or the school bell.
Kevin McManamon Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
It has been a struggle. Just like it was for Paul O’Connell, the real battle was internal, wrestling with his own mind. And like O’Connell it took the intervention of Caroline Currid for him to start winning that battle. Players from older generations, especially a few prominent ones from the 1990s, have been loud recently in their scepticism of the benefits of sport psychology, but McManamon strongly believes that view is outdated.
In 2007, as a sophomore cornerback at Chabot College, Renowitzky appeared to have a bright future. He had just earned his real estate license, and the then-20-year-old had no history of juvenile detention or major mischief. But after leaving an under-21 nightclub in San Francisco with some teammates on 2 December, 2007, Renowitzky was robbed and shot in the chest. The shooter ran away and was never found.
There are as many different explanations as there are players on his squad and staff members at his disposal. Defender Gary Cahill stresses the tactical shift, the switch from a four-man back line to a 3-4-3 formation. Striker Diego Costa, revitalized and repurposed up front, pinpoints Conte’s more human touch. ‘Every time, he is making more jokes with the players,’ Costa said.
Joseph Randle AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Randle, the last Cowboys running back to don number 21 — the previous focal point of the Dallas backfield, the guy who was supposed to be running through those gaping holes — is awaiting a court appearance the next morning on charges including aggravated battery, property damage and criminal threat. Sixteen months earlier Randle’s own career had appeared ascendant. At 23 he entered the 2015 season — his third in the NFL — as the starting back for a playoff contender that was laden with offensive talent. That campaign began promisingly enough: Despite sharing carries and despite a passing game that sputtered after Tony Romo broke his clavicle in Week 2, Randle was on pace through five games for more than 900 yards and 13 TDs. It was not hard to imagine Randle, once the offense returned to full strength, converting his line’s ample blocking into gaudier numbers.
Lapira remembers his unlikely Ireland cap and more of the week's best sportswriting
– Sports Illustrated’s S.L. Price on divisive Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
– Will Slattery of Independent.ie tracked down Joe Lapira, a cult hero of Irish football, to reflect on his brief spell as a Republic of Ireland international 10 years ago.
– Daniel Dylan Wray goes in search of his childhood wrestling heroes for Vice Sports.
– Kieran Shannon speaks to Dublin footballer Kevin McManamon for the Irish Examiner.
– Marc J. Spears for TheUndefeated.com on the man who helped teach Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors that ‘Life Goes On’.
– Rory Smith examines the impact of Chelsea manager Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge for the New York Times.
– Dan Greene for Sports Illustrated on the curious case of former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle.
Irish Olympic sailor Saskia Tidey switches to Team GB ahead of Tokyo 2020
Kelly’s retirement another sign of changing of the guard in Cork football
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