THE PIVOTAL MOMENT OF A SUPERSTAR'S MARKETABILITY

It was December 4, 2005, and the Pittsburgh Steelers had just fallen short to the Cincinnati Bengals, 38-31, for their third straight loss of the season. And Steelers' quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger (pictured), was too upset to even pick up his razor. Looking forward, though, that wasn't such a bad idea.

"I was so mad that we lost the game," Roethlisberger told David Letterman on last Monday's The Late Show. "I kind of went into a depression and didn't shave and we ended up winning the next game. And I am kind of superstitious - just a little bit to people who know me - but we won that game and I said I am just going to keep it going until we lose and we kept it going. I don't really like the beard you know. But we were winning so I had to keep it going."

And so came the scruffiness. Roethlisberger and the Steelers won their next eight games, including Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10. It had to be the beard, right? Well, for Big Ben, it not only symbolized his tough-guy persona on the gridiron, but it was also his marketing juice. His grizzly look made headlines during the playoffs and was even featured on a front-page spread with an accompanying article in the New York Times Sports section. Then, as Gillette prepared to unveil its Fusion five-blade razor in a sharp Super Bowl commercial, the company struck a six-figure deal with Roethlisberger to have him shave off his beard using the new product on CBS' popular late-night talk show.

Whether or not you believe in superstitions, that belies the fact that because Roethlisberger grew a beard, it helped increase his market value to a Tom Brady level. Call it coincidence? Think it's timing? Maybe it's just the blessing of being a superstar. Now that he's won a championship at only 23 years old, he'll be demanding major endorsement dollars and could become the next centerfold of the NFL, according to the Sports Business Journal. Obviously, Roethlisberger's talent can't be denied - the beard didn't get him that ring - but not shaving on that day was the pivotal moment that grew into his newfound recognition.

Here are some other high-profile athletes whose careers were upgraded by a single circumstance that reflected their character and style of play:

1) Kobe Bryant - On January 22, the most loved-hated basketball player on the planet scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, second all-time to Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points back in 1962. What followed? More love for the Los Angeles Lakers' scoring leader. The Hall of Fame wanted Bryant's game-worn shoes. Spalding announced it would make a commemorative ball. The NBA Store started carrying special-edition gold T-shirts with number 81 on the back. NBA TV aired the historic offensive onslaught several times in the following week. Even Google sold the broadcast for $3.95 on its Video Store. And all this came during a time when Nike was advertising his new shoe, the Zoom Kobe I, which is now on sale.

2) Bode Miller - Just a month before this year's Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, the world's best ski racer admitted on 60 Minutes to skiing hung over. What followed? He made the front cover of Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek and the inaugural New York Times sports magazine, Play. Not bad for publicity, especially since he's still got the versatility to compete in all five Alpine events and strike gold in each.

3) Tiger Woods - On the 16th hole during the final round of the 2005 Masters, America's wealthiest active sportsman hit a chip shot that landed about 20 feet from the hole. Then, as if by magic, the ball made a 90-degree turn in the cup's direction and rolled right to its edge with the Nike logo appearing before making a sudden splash. What followed? Nike, which has been paying Woods an estimated $90 million a year, capitalized on the Happy Gilmore-like miracle and turned it into a commercial. No special effects, no stunt doubles. It was Woods proving he's his own reality show - far superior to any other - and why he'll be the first sports billionaire.

4) Derek Jeter - In 2003, the New York Yankees' star shortstop sparred publicly with team owner George Steinbrenner who questioned Jeter's leadership and extracurricular activities (think singer Mariah Carey, former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, actresses Jordana Brewster, Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson, and the latest starlet: MTV VJ and former Miss Teen USA Vanessa Minnillo). Several months after their spat, they apparently made amends. What followed? The two appeared in a Visa commercial where Jeter visits Steinbrenner's office and the owner asks him how he can balance partying and picking up ground balls. The answer: Jeter holds up a Visa credit card. The proceeding montage shows both of them dancing at several New York City night spots and even joining a conga line. Sure, Jeter is sports' ultimate ladies' man, but the ad showed that he still has the boss' support to be the team captain. Being on the world's most represented team, that says a lot.

5) LeBron James - During his senior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, the 6'8" man-child received a 2003 Hummer H2 (not to mention a remote control mini-version). But was the $50,000 hefty gift from his mom or soon-to-be agent? Well, as the Ohio High School Athletic Association investigated the situation, the sports universe tuned into the King James saga. What followed? Even before he was picked first in the 2003 NBA Draft, Nike signed him to a seven-year deal worth more than $90 million and modeled his first trademark sneaker after the Hummer. The bulky vehicle is also synonymous with the Cleveland Cavalier's brute force in the paint.

6) Michael Jordan - Once upon a time, the greatest ever elevated toward the hoop for a jam and kicked his legs out mid-air. What followed? Sports marketing would never be the same. In 1988, one of Nike's main designers, Tinker Hatfield, who eventually became Jordan's go-to guy, came across a sketch of his spread-eagle dunk and used it as the "Jumpman" logo on the Air Jordan III sneaker (and every one thereafter). Then, in 1996, Jordan starred in the movie Space Jam, which featured Seal's song "Fly Like An Eagle" - an ode to the lead character. Its hook was, "Said I wanna fly like an eagle to the sea/Fly like an eagle let my spirit carry me/I wanna fly right into the future." Jordan went on to soar high above everyone else. During his second three-peat with the Chicago Bulls, Nike helped him launch his own apparel line, Brand Jordan, which has grossed more than $500 million. Now three years since retiring in 2003, his name still gets a lot of "Air" time, especially when his new kicks are about to hit stores (the Air Jordan XXI arrives February 18). In fact, you can argue the "Jumpman" is more recognizable today than the NBA insignia.