Blake’s Ride Tells His Side

The policeman who resigned after giving Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Jeff Blake a ride home said he was just trying to do what was best for Blake and the public.

Former Addyston (Ohio) police officer Michael Schmidt told the Dayton Daily News Friday that Blake had told him he was lost when he stopped while driving through the village about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 15. The officer said Blake also told him he had had “one or two beers.”

Schmidt said Blake passed a sobriety test.

Schmidt left the village 13 miles west of Cincinnati and drove Blake to his home in eastern Cincinnati. Schmidt said he was outside his jurisdiction for 39 minutes, but said that was not unusual.

Police Chief Michael Ritter said in those cases someone must be available for emergency calls.

“That’s what really got him in trouble,” Ritter said.

Schmidt, 33, resigned his part-time post last Saturday rather than face a disciplinary hearing. He said he did not think he would get a fair deal. Ritter said Schmidt was not forced to resign, but was offered the option.

Schmidt said he called a police dispatcher to see if another officer could meet him halfway to Blake’s home and complete the transport, but was told none was available.

“Maybe I should have called him a cab instead of taking him all the way home,” Schmidt said. “But I honestly thought I was doing what was right at the time.”

*

Pittsburgh rookie cornerback Chad Scott will sit out his third consecutive game when the Steelers play the Ravens at Baltimore on Sunday. He has been out since he sprained his right ankle in the second game of the season against Washington.

Sunday was supposed to be a homecoming for Scott, who was born, raised and attended college in Maryland.

Scott was injured when teammate Donnell Woolford accidentally hit him after a tackle.

Raven tight end Eric Green will be facing his old team. He was the Steelers’ first-round draft pick in 1990. He left after the 1994 season--and two Pro Bowl appearances--to sign as a free agent with Miami. Green joined Baltimore last season.

Green’s last playing time during a injury-hampered partial season came in the Ravens’ final 1996 victory, a 31-17 pasting of Pittsburgh at Baltimore. Green caught a touchdown pass, punctuating it with a memorable taunt directed toward the Steeler sideline.

“I was just talking to my man, Greg Lloyd,” Green said. “He was running his mouth on the sidelines, and he wasn’t even playing. I’ll probably get the chance to block him quite a few times. I’m looking forward to it.

“We can beat [the Steelers]. We know we can beat them. We know they have a lot of good personnel, so we’re not taking them for granted. But last year, we kind of looked at them as icons in the league. That’s not the case this year.”