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Relax, Bengals fans -- Bettis won't play


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http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../608120368/1022

By Rick Bird

Post staff reporter

Bengal fans may spot an old nemesis on the sidelines during Sunday night's preseason game.

Former Pittsburgh Steeler great Jerome Bettis will be at the game, dressed in the peacock blazer, for his debut as an NBC analyst scheduled to do a halftime segment with Sterling Sharpe.

Bettis said getting his official broadcast start in Cincinnati is fine with him.

"Hey, I have always had success there," Bettis said with a chuckle in a phone interview this week.

Sunday's game will be broadcast by Al Michaels and John Madden, moving this year from ABC's long-running Monday Night Football to NBC's new Sunday Night Football broadcast. ESPN picks up the Monday night game.

Bettis, who announced his retirement moments after the Steelers' Super Bowl win in February, joins NBC as part of its "Football Night in America," a New York-based studio show that debuts at 7 p.m. Sept. 10. It will recap the day's games and set up the night's football event.

Bettis was sympathetic when reminded that Bengals fans have been going through months of what-ifs about the playoff game with the Steelers when Carson Palmer was injured in the opening minutes.

"That's the nature of the beast," Bettis said. "I've been doing a lot of what-ifs through the course of my career losing three AFC championships at home. I've been there."

Bettis, who retired as the NFL's fifth leading career rusher, becomes the latest in the string of former NFL players to move to the analyst's role. He acknowledges that he used to get upset watching former players talk about current ones on such shows.

"All the time," he said. "Especially when they were talking about me. Sometimes it's tough to take the criticism from a former player, especially when it's something that isn't true."

Bettis promised to get his facts right and pull no punches in his new NBC job, even if it means knocking his former teammates.

"One thing I'll always do is call it how I see it. If I think I guy is underachieving, in my eyes, I'm not afraid to say it. I may ruffle some feathers, but that will be a part of it."

NBC's new Sunday pregame show will be co-hosted by Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth with Sharpe and Bettis as analysts. Peter King, Sports Illustrated's NFL writer, will serve as a reporter for the studio show.

"I hope it's going to feel like four guys on the couch talking about football - going at it talking about the issues of the day," Bettis said about the show.

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You know what, F*ck Bettis and his 'tell it like it is' fat ass. I hope he chokes on a hotdog. :angry:

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Because he's Jerome POS Bettis, that's why. How dare you stand up for the one man who single handedly destroyed our rushing defense year after year without exception. No soup for you.

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The Bus was the only good thing about the Steelers. Give the guy some credit, he was class !!!

WHODEY !!!

Because he's Jerome POS Bettis, that's why. How dare you stand up for the one man who single handedly destroyed our rushing defense year after year without exception. No soup for you.

Someone has singlehandedly destroyed our rushing defense every week for the past 10 years, he was just one of MANY !!!

WHODEY !!!

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Well how can you like any freaking Steelers and say your a "T R U E" Orange and Black die hard f**k Pittsburg , Bengals fan????? I cant see it!!!!! :bengal:

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Just because you can respect him as a good player, and that he seems to be a "classy guy" doesn't mean that we have to like him. In fact... I simply don't like him. I don't care how mny nice things he does. I don't like the guy.

“I hate Pittsburgh. I don’t like them. I don’t like their colors. I don’t like their fans.”

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I never stated anyone HAD to like Bettis and I'm sure for the pure and simple reason he played for the Steelers, is enough for many to hate him. I merely pointed out that it is within reason to like a player for his ability and the way he conducts himself regardless of the team he plays for. Nothing more...

WHODEY !!!

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