Brett Kiesel’s Beard Grows in Awesomeness… Some other things Don’t

Why can't any other part of the Super Bowl buildup live up to those follicles...

Listening to sports talk radio interviews can be mind numbing enough during a normal week, but somehow the stage of the Super Bowl only enhances the stupidity along Radio Row and beyond.

If you hear a media member use the word "redemption," they should be Tased.

Not only is it a tired word in general but it applies to no one playing in the game on Sunday.

It doesn't matter if you're talking about Ben Roethlisberger this year or Ray Lewis 10 years ago.

Misconduct off the field is not "redeemed" with touchdown passes or sacks. "Redemption" is also not achieved by taking a more outgoing approach with the media.

It's something that is garnered over the long haul through proper activity off the field and away from the cameras. When Pittsburgh area waiters and waitresses run out of anecdotes for what a malcontent you are.

But that doesn't happen fast enough and can't be captured in an 8 second sound bite so instead the steps are skipped and an athlete or politician or entertainer is magically granted the crown of the "redeemed" when they gain professional greatness. An accomplishment that has no direct correlation with who they are or how they've evolved as a person.

And Another Thing

A lot of Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees are being interviewed on Radio Row this week. For the love of all that is holy, radio slobs, stop asking them which team they're going to enter the hall of fame with.

That's the Baseball Hall of Fame. In Cooperstown, the plaque of the inductee has a cap with a logo on it chosen by the Hall of Fame. A silly tradition that should be done away with if only because it's useless and divisive.

You'll notice the bust for a Pro Football Hall of Famer does not include a helmet, thus there is no need to attach a team to the player.

By the way, it's also not the "NFL Hall of Fame" and if you don't understand the need for the distinction, please seek out the nearest NFL media relations representative and kindly hand the credential back to them.

In fact, if you are a credentialed member of the media and learned anything new from this blog entry, please just get it over with already and go into PR.