December 10, 2009

We have a WINNER for the Photo Caption Contest!

But firt, let's run down the runners-up...

1."See, I told you Troy wears a wig!" -- Jill Ollier

2."Hey, Chuck. Look how much it cost me to take the O-line to dinner?" -- Justin Hancock

3."And this is my new three-story clothes closet with the elevator, just like Tiki Barber's". -- Nanit Noyb

4. Charlie: "Okay Ben here is a print-out of all your matches from the E-Harmony site."
Ben: "Okay great, umm...I'll take her, yep this one right here!!" -- Ashley Dancy

And tied for 5th place:

"Charlie, is that your name on Santa's naughty list?" -- Jen Smith

"Uh oh Charlie, looks like you made the naughty list this year!" -- Kim R.

All of these captions were added under the photo description in the gallery here.

On to the winner...

Now, it's not often you get a contest winner who sends TWO winning entries. Fred Carrow's first one, using the initial contest photo (top) was the unanimous winner:

Ben: "This is where I crossed off the Zhu Zhu Pets I really wanted, thinking Santa might then get Troy back in the Line-Up."

....but then he took my "creative caption" question on Tuesday's post to heart and sent a second caption with a reverse photo of his own (left), which we liked even better:

"Charlie Batch and Big Ben make some last minute changes to his wish list to Santa."

We decided to add them both!

So actually, Fred Carrow won twice!

Congratulations Fred!

You can see both photos and their captions here.

Thank you to everyone who sent in caption ideas! We had so many that it became obvious we would have to do this again in the near future!

And thank you to Trish, the site manager for both Brett-Keisel.com and Heath-Miller.com, and Jan, the site manager for TroyPolamaluFans.com, for helping me select the winner and runners-up!

And a shout-out to Anna and Lexi for their help with the photoshop assistance!

Also this afternoon:

Fred wasn't the only winner today...the Cleveland Police Department was too!

From NewsNet-5 in Cleveland:

Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl Champion Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced Wednesday that The Giving Back Fund and the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation will distribute a grant to the Cleveland Division of Police.

The Cleveland Police Department has been seeking financial assistance for the purchase of vital training equipment for their K-9 Unit.

Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath said "Mr. Roethlisberger's commitment to public safety will once again enable us to enhance the security of our Patrol Officers and their K-9 partners and, ultimately, the people of the city of Cleveland.

"We had a specific need that through the generosity of the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation we were able to fill. We cannot thank our native Ohio son enough."

December 9, 2009

The Browns get ready for Big Ben...again!

Ben is 10-0 in his career against the Browns. The only other quarterback since 1970 to win his first 10 games against an opponent is John Elway. The Broncos quarterback beat the Patriots 10 straight times on his march to the Hall of Fame.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer this evening:

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been having his share of headaches this season, but he's been causing the Browns headaches his entire career.

The Steelers' first-round pick in 2004 and a native of Findlay, Ohio, Roethlisberger has a perfect 10-0 record against Cleveland and will go for No. 11 Thursday night.

During the streak, he's:

- Thrown 14 TD passes and eight interceptions; and

- Posted six 100-plus passer ratings during the streak, including a 120.0 in the Christmas Eve massacre on Dec. 24, 2005.

"You've got to keep him in the pocket," said former Steeler Arnold Harrison. "He loves to get out of the pocket and create plays for his team. You've got to really try to get pressure on him and force him into some bad decisions, which he really doesn't make many. You've got to take him out of his element and make him make his reads from the pocket."

Said David Bowens (unable to keep his grasp on Ben during the October 18th game above): "Ben can make something out of nothing. Usually you see the receivers play off the quarterback, but he plays off his receivers. If something is broken, he's tough, he'll stay in there and take the hit, but he's not going down."

Added Matt Roth: "He's taking over that role of one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. They're throwing the ball a lot more and it's mostly due to him. You definitely have to throw him in there with the Mannings and Bradys. He's a proven winner, especially at this time of year."

To read the full article, click here.

Also this evening:

Ben adds his thoughts on athlete obligation to the community, from the Athletes for Hope site:

"Personally, I feel obligated to give back to my community. I can’t speak for other athletes, but like both Jeff [Gordon] and Mario [Lemieux] said, athletes are given so much by their community, that it is only right that they give back in spades. I was raised to appreciate my blessings and always try to help others who may not be as fortunate. I feel honored to be able to do so. My particular passion is helping police and firefighters, as it is important that they have the proper resources needed for them to protect their communities and be able to return home to their families each day. By providing police and fire department canine units in Pittsburgh and each NFL city I visit, I look to give back in a unique way that benefits every community that has touched my life. I am grateful for the opportunity."

To read the responses of other athletes, click here.

To learn more about Ben's Foundation, click here.

December 8, 2009 - Afternoon Update (see below)

Caption Contest!

Can you think of a creative caption for this photo?

If so, send it to me!

The winner will receive a Ben Roethlisberger Hallmark Keepsake ornament (new in the box, and just in time to put on the tree), and will have their caption added to the photo in the site's gallery.

Trish, the site manager for both Brett-Keisel.com and Heath-Miller.com, and Jan, the site manager for TroyPolamaluFans.com, have graciously offered to help me select a winner.

The deadline to get your caption ideas in is this Thursday, December 10th at 12 noon.

The winning caption and the runners up will be posted right here on the news page later that afternoon.

If you'd like to see a larger version of the photo, click here.

You can see the rest of the album here (and you'll also see that I am really not good at captions!).

*Remember, this is a kid-friendly site, so please keep it appropriate!

Also Today:

Ben spoke to the media this afternoon about the game against the Browns on Thursday evening, injuries to players, and last Sunday's game against the Raiders.

To watch the video, click here.

And:

From Coach Mangini's press conference today:

On the Steelers' offense -

"The one thing with Ben (Roethlisberger), whether it's been my time here or New York or New England, is he is able to generate so many plays that go longer than the standard play would. He's very strong in the pocket. He's elusive in the pocket and the receivers do an excellent job reading out and creating some opportunities. It hit us two or three times last game. That's something that you have to deal with, something that everybody deals with and he's outstanding at it."

On what makes Ben "unique" -

"There's a lot about him that makes him unique. He's got great arm strength. He's got tremendous strength. He's got the ability to avoid to his right, to his left and throw really accurate passes on the move. He can scramble and hurt you that way. We had him last game where they were going to throw a screen, the screen was covered. He was able to scramble to his right, our left and pick up 13 yards. We had the play covered. He had the awareness, found a seam in the pocket and picked up 13 yards. Not every quarterback can do that. He's got a real good sense of where the rushers are. Even though he's not looking at the rush, he's got a good feel of where his pressure points are and where he can escape to."

On the fact that Ben had good numbers against the Raiders, despite the loss -

"His numbers have been good all year. He has a 100.2 quarterback rating. I've played him multiple times over a lot of different years and he's created problems regardless of what team I've been involved in. He's a really good quarterback. I think he's gotten better each year, not just in the things that he can create from a broken play perspective, but coming up to the the line of scrimmage, assessing the defense, seeing where the weakness is and taking advantage of it. Just the mechanics of running the offense, he's got great control of that and he has the ability when things don't go well to make something happen."

To read the full transcript from Coach Mangini's press conference, click here.

December 6, 2009

"We've always been a team. We've always stuck together through thick and thin, good and bad."

Excerpts & quotes from Jim Wexell's Post-Game Report after another tough loss:

Roethlisberger completed every pass in the second half – except for a last-gasp Hail Mary – in twice helping the Steelers overcome fourth-quarter deficits. But once again, Roethlisberger’s final touchdown came with too much time on the clock for what’s become a porous defense.

The Steelers allowed three Bruce Gradkowski touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the last with nine seconds left in the game. And even then, Roethlisberger was able to hit Limas Sweed in the hands in the end zone with his final desperation heave, but it was broken up by the Raiders as the clock hit triple zeroes.

"I've never commented about the defense when they've played great because it's not my side of the ball," he said after the game. "And I'm not going to comment on anything on the other side of the ball because you have to ask them. I'm proud of the way this team played. We lost the game. I'm disappointed about that. I'll comment on offensive linemen, receivers, tight ends; I thought they played great.

"We've always been a team. We've always stuck together through thick and thin, good and bad. We just have to get ready for Cleveland."

Roethlisberger appears back on track after missing a game and opening Sunday’s contest with a sluggish first half. He's now thrown for over 3,000 yards for the fourth consecutive season...but the statistic that matters is all knotted at 6-6 after losing to another NFL bottom-feeder.

"To me it's tough to lose to anyone," Roethlisberger said. "I hate it. It burns. It hurts. You dwell on it for the night and you move on."

To read Mr. Wexell's complete post-game report, click here.

To see photos from the game, click here.

Ben stats: 18-for-24 for 278 yards today with two touchdowns and an interception.

December 3, 2009

Thursday Presser

A few Q&A's from Ben's press conference today:

Of course, the first question is about the comments made by Hines Ward. Ben is asked about their conversation after the fact:

Ben: "He reached out to me and I told him I was just more hurt than anything. We got over it, we moved past it, and now we're preparing."

Did he feel the media made too much of the comments/situation?

Ben: "You know what, it's the media. You guys make a lot out of everything. Like I said, we're moving on and getting past it. Like I said, it hurt, but it's over now. "

On how he is feeling this week :

Ben: "I feel great. I’m ready to go. Practiced yesterday and felt good; no headaches. Ready to rock and roll. "

On whether he was trying to "cover up" his headaches last week:

Ben: "I felt fine, but what it was, it was exercise-induced headaches. So when I'm standing here talking to you guys I was fine. But as soon as I went out there and started practicing is when I started to get the headaches and stuff, so that's what concerned the doctors. They took what was my best interest in mind. A lot of people forget the accident that I had. [The doctors] remembered that. It was life-threatening. I almost lost my life before in an accident to my head and face...and the five plates that I have in my face right now. They knew it was in my best interest, and when you have symptoms like that they felt it was best to not go. And that was their decision, not mine. I wanted to play, but on Saturday morning they made that decision."

Was he surprised that he was removed as the starting quarterback?

Ben: "Yeah, Saturday morning coach had me come in a little bit earlier than everyone else. We talked to doctors and were going to workout and stuff, but he basically pulled me up into his office and told me. I was kind of in shock. I was upset, shocked, but respected what they said."

On the reports that he tried to talk Coach Tomlin into allowing him to play up until the start of the game:

Ben: "I tried. I even tried after the national anthem. I was standing next to him, and I said, 'Are you sure I can’t go?' And he said, 'Nope, you're down.' "

Will he try and hide injuries in the future to stay in the game?

Ben: "Well, when it comes to your brain, I don't think so much. If it's a bad shoulder, a knee, an ankle, of course guys don't tell a lot of stuff. I've fought through a lot of injuries myself that I didn't tell coaches about. But when it comes to your brain, you only get one. You hear stories about Merril Hoge, how he flat-lined in the locker room. There are some scary things out there that you don’t want to mess with, so if I have headaches, if I have symptoms, I'm going to let them know because it's not worth losing your life over. If you have to miss one game to hopefully play 10 more years in this league, that's OK with me. "

On whether he feels there is still a level of "ignorance" when it comes to head injuries:

Ben: "Well, we're football players. We play one of the most violent sports in the world. You have to be tough. You have to fight through a lot of injuries, and a lot of guys do that. I think guys are, not waking up, but seeing how important the brain is and the head is. You see guys like Muhammad Ali, and I've heard things about Wayne Chrebet, you know, tough things and situations you don't want to be put in. You do have to think about your future and your family. It's not fun, but you can get knee replacement surgery, you can have rotator cuff surgery, but you can’t get a new brain, so that's something you need to be careful of."

Did his teammates show support?

Ben: "I got a lot of calls, and a lot of guys even told me before the game, they were telling me, ‘Please, don’t play. We want you out there but this is not the end of the year, it’s not the end of your season or your career,’ all that stuff. Got a lot of calls from older guys as well, and it’s tough because you do want to be out there and play. I want to be out there with my guys. I’ve always been one of those guys who wants to be out there no matter what, so it was frustrating, but probably the smart thing in the long run. "

Are the headaches gone?

Ben: "Yeah, I have no symptoms right now, so I feel great. I mean, I passed all my tests last week. The doctors cleared me for the post-concussion tests. When you have symptoms when you work out and stuff, that’s what made them nervous. We have one of the best doctors in Dr. (Joseph) Maroon, and what he says goes."

On the NFL's new rule concerning concussions:

Ben: "Without saying anything bad about the commissioner and that rule, I think you have to be careful because with the new rule, guys who have a concussion can't go back in the game. I think the risky part about that is guys will try to be too tough and they might not tell about their symptoms, they might not tell about the full effect of what they just got hit in the game because they want to go back in the game. I really thought I could've gone back in the Chiefs game. Now, with this new rule I wouldn't have been able to. So you get a game like a Super Bowl or a playoff game, where a guy feels he can go back in, he may not tell. That's the only kind of scary part of it."

Would he consider wearing a more protective helmet?

Ben: "At the end of the year I'm going to look into different helmets. I know that helmet is one that supposedly isn't the best, but it's one that I've been comfortable with and I've worn. After the year we're going to go and explore. I know the helmet companies are doing a bunch of tests. We'll do what's smart and I'll do what's best, but you still have to be able to have a helmet you feel comfortable playing in. But I will explore new options at the end of the year."

Moving on....

On what he thinks the team's situation is right now?

Ben: " It's not really desperate, but we know it's do-or-die, our backs are against the wall. We're a wounded dog in a fight. I hate to use that term, but we need to come out swinging."

On talk that Coach Tomlin may consider using Dennis Dixon in some type of package:

Ben: "That’s news to me, so if I see him coming in I’ll know to come out."

His thoughts on Dennis Dixon's performance last Sunday:

Ben: "I thought he played great. With the things that he was asked to do, he did more than we asked him to do. Played well. I know he took it hard with that interception at the end, but it’s not his fault. I said it a thousand times: I was probably just as proud of him as his dad was after the game."

You can check out the video from WPXI here.

*Thank you Trish for the link!

November 30, 2009

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation

Big Ben giving back in a Big Way...

It has been a busy season already for Ben's Foundation. So far, Ben has given grants to police departments in Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Denver, Kansas City (MO), and most recently last week to the Baltimore City Police -- making it possible for these departments to purchase police K-9's.

On September 18th, the Cook County Sheriff's office in Illinois received a grant to purchase a new K-9 to replace another dog that had recently been retired.

At that time, Sheriff Tom Dart told the Chicago Sun Times that adding another dog to the canine unit "will enable our department to even better serve the citizens of Cook County. We are honored to be the first recipient of this year's grant and thank the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for its generous support to local law enforcement."

A week later, on September 26th, the Cincinnati Police Department received funds to purchase a dog to replace a retiring K-9 as well.

On October 10th, grants from the Foundation purchased two K-9's for the Detroit Police Department. WWJ-950 News Radio in Detroit insisted that although Ben "may want to beat the Detroit Lions Sunday afternoon at Ford Field, he's helping the Detroit Police Department."

Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans was happy to accept the help, "In these difficult budgetary times we must rely more and more on outside sources of funding to support our officers’ efforts. This grant will provide our officers additional resources to protect the citizens of Detroit."

On November 10th, Ben and his Foundation came through again with a grant for the purchase of a new K-9 in Denver. At the time, Colorado's 9-News wrote "Broncos fans may not be excited to see Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but the Denver Police Department is ecstatic."

On November 17th, the Foundation made it possible for the Kansas City, Missouri police to purchase a new dog.

"We are thrilled to receive this grant, especially because of how tight our budget is this year," Chief James Corwin said in a press release. "This money will be used to replace Rambo, one of our canines who will be retiring because of arthritis. The police department can now keep our Canine Section fully staffed, which is critical to our patrol operations."

And from CNN.com today:

"K9 Storm's canine armor and communication systems help keep working dogs safe on the front lines of wars and police actions"

It's a tough world for man's best friend. Patrol dogs dodge bullets every day at home and risk their lives sniffing out trouble in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a result, K9 Storm in Winnipeg, Canada, makes $5 million a year selling custom armor for dogs in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Special Forces; police departments in 13 countries; and security firms worldwide.

"This will change the way dogs are managed in emergencies," says Glori Slater, 47, vice president and co-founder of K9 Storm. "It will extend the range of the handler to 300 yards."

Slater's husband, Jim, is a former dog handler for the Winnipeg police department. For two terrifying days in 1996, he and his German shepherd Olaf helped subdue a prison riot in which the inmates were armed with makeshift weapons. Slater worried more for Olaf than for himself.

"He was out working ahead of our lines," he says. "I realized it would be a bad way for him to go down, stabbed with a screwdriver."

After the riot, Slater retrofitted a human flak jacket for his canine partner. That prompted orders from fellow canine officers, and soon K9 Storm was in business.

The Slaters spent 11 years perfecting the vest.

But it doesn't come cheap -

The Intruder system starts at $20,000.

There also are plenty of donors stepping up to help cash-strapped municipalities buy the vests. Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, gave $250,000 to the Pittsburgh police and fire departments for canine armor.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which treats 50,000 animals a year, has received a $5,000 grant for dogs at Boston's police department from Roethlisberger.

"Suspects pursued by police will stab, shoot and kick working dogs," says Brian Adams, spokesman for the MSPCA-Angell veterinary hospital in Boston. "They are like any officer of the law. We want to protect them."

To read the entire article, click here.

To learn more about Ben's Foundation, click here.

To see a K-9 tribute video to Ben and his Foundation that is featured on YouTube, click here.

To see a larger version of the first photo, click here.

To see a larger version of the news photo and story above, click here.

November 28, 2009

Report: Ben out for tomorrow's game against the Ravens

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette:

"In a stunning development, Dennis Dixon and not Ben Roethlisberger will start at quarterback against the Baltimore Ravens tomorrow night after Roethlisberger experienced headaches recently after practicing this week.

"Dixon took most of the snaps in practice on Friday while Roethlisberger took a few here and there."

To read the rest, click here.

From FOXSports' senior writer Jay Glazer:

"Big Ben was suffering from exercise-induced headaches as the week progressed and the team's medical staff deemed him unfit for the contest."

To read the rest, click here.

November 25-26, 2009 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Ben on the cover....

Ben is featured on the cover and in an article/interview in the this week's USA TODAY Sports Weekly (Nov. 25 - Dec. 1) issue.

From the article entitled, "Roethlisberger: Calm, collected amid chaos":

One vision of the big, strapping dude, viewed through this hard-bitten city's prism of black and gold, is that of a scraggly, disheveled Gen-Y quarterback who often seems to scramble from potential trouble, balancing the football chip on his shoulder with the wild-child in his soul.

Yes, Ben Roethlisberger, a risk-taker on and off the field, has a lot of experience trying to flee the rush of life as it pursues him from all sorts of angles.

All swagger, the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback sometimes stumbles and gets slammed. Other times, he avoids harm's way. Roethlisberger continues to operate in a hurry-up mode this season, often shrugging off would be pursuers - be they hard-charging defensive ends, fawning fans or hovering news media.

Big Ben is even more brilliant as the clock ticks and the Steelers quickly operate their no-huddle offense, something he has done since his high school days in Findlay, Ohio. Roethlisberger, remarkably mobile for his size, seems most effective when a play breaks down and chaos ensues.

The quarterback's deft improvisational skills often enable him to avoid peril but not always. He has been sacked 169 times since the 2006 season, by far the most in the NFL.

"My favorite thing (as a kid) was playing backyard football," he says, looking every bit the college kid with a curly mop of tousled hair and stubble beard. "I've always loved that. I guess that's what I'm doing, just out there playing ball. I try to play the game with a lot of heart and passion. I hope it shows."

And later in the article:

"I like being the hunter - not the hunted," Roethlisberger says. "I realize that if you are the hunted, it means you're on top. To me, I want to hunt you - then beat you at the end. To go undefeated would be a great feat. But all the crap that goes with it - everybody chasing you - well, I want to be the guy who sneaks up from behind. That's just my mentality.

"I absolutely hate to lose in anything. Hate it. It burns me, drives me crazy."

You'll have to purchase a copy of the issue to read the rest of the lengthy interview/article! It is available now on newsstands and bookstores that sell USA TODAY.

You can read the article online, through USA TODAY, but it does cost a fee. Click here for info.

Also on Wednesday:

Ben back at practice!

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Scott Brown this afternoon, Ben is "practicing without a helmet as the Steelers ease him back into action during their first practice of the week."

Mr. Brown also added that Ben "passed a battery of neurological tests Monday" and will continue to be tested and monitored leading up to the Sunday evening game against the Ravens.

And:

Detective Roethlisberger?

During a Q&A in the latest issue (November 28th) of Steelers Digest, Law & Order SVU actress and Steelers fan Tamara Tunie was asked what Steelers player she thought would make a good detective on the show:

Tamara: "I think Ben Roethlisberger would. He sees everything. He sees the big picture. He sees everything."

When asked who from the team she'd like to have appear on her show:

Tamara: "The entire team. Can we do that?"

*Thanks Trish!

Thanksgiving Day:

Ben practiced Thursday and plans on playing in Sunday's game against the Ravens.

To read the transcript of Ben's press conference held after practice, click here.

Ben Stat:

Ben needs one 300-yard passing game to break the team’s single season record. He currently has four 300-yard passing games this season, which is tied with Tommy Maddox (2003) and Neil O’Donnell (1995).

November 24, 2009

Coach Tomlin on Ben: "He felt normal, he felt fine."

From Coach Tomlin's Press Conference today:

"As you guys know, Ben sustained a concussion in the game. To give you a little background in terms of what happened with him after that, Monday, yesterday morning, we brought him in and he took a battery of neurological tests done with our medical staff. He was asymptomatic. He was fine. He passed all those tests. He felt fine. So, given that information, we can anticipate him practicing and preparing to play this week, provided he remains to be symptom-free and he remains to feel fine.

"I met with Ben yesterday; he felt normal, he felt fine. The battery of tests that he took showed that he showed no symptoms. So we will continue to monitor his condition and where he is on a day-to-day basis and let that guide our decision-making. But as I sit here today, he is symptom-free and feeling fine. So we anticipate Ben practicing tomorrow.

"In terms of playing in the game, we are simply at this point going to go with Ben - providing he remains symptom free from his concussion and feels fine - and of course, Dennis Dixon."

When asked if Ben "officially" suffered a concussion:

"It could be characterized as a mild concussion. I hesitate to use the term 'mild'. Concussions are not anything to be taken mildly. He was symptomatic at the game. That’s why after the game he was down with concussion-like symptoms. When we were able to do appropriate testing yesterday, he was symptom-free. He felt fine. So we're proceeding with caution, but we will monitor him each and every day this week as we push forward towards game day, because if any symptoms re-occur, or he feels less than fine, we’re going to act appropriately."

You can watch a short video segment of Coach Tomlin's presser as it related to Ben here.

Also Today:

You can check out Ben's Thanksgiving Day greeting to the fans and the military men and women overseas (as well as the greetings from his teammates) here.

And:

Check out this video of some great helmets designed to represent each of the Steelers players personalities. The helmets will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting Deshea Townsend's foundation, Pay It Forward.

The organization provides free health care clinics and SAT/ACT tutoring for underprivileged students in Pittsburgh and Batesville, Mississippi, which is Townsend's hometown.

For more information on his foundation, click here.

November 23, 2009

Ben featured in "Outdoor Life" magazine

Ben is featured in a short interview on the back page of the latest issue (December) of Outdoor Life magazine.

He talks about his love of fishing and hunting and his memories of enjoying both as a child.

From the interview:

Q: How did you start out?

Ben: "I grew up in Ohio and have been fishing and hunting as long as I can remember with my dad and grandpa. Whether it was bobber-fishing for bluegills or spin-fishing for bass, I'd do it. I'd get out often."

Q: What's your favorite place to fish?

Ben: "Anyplace there's water! Seriously, though, I've taken my dad to Wyoming to fly-fish and it's been a great experience."

Q: How about hunting?

Ben: "I've always been more of a bird hunter than a deer hunter. I love to hunt ducks, geese, quail, grouse and turkeys."

Q: What's your most memorable hunting experience?

Ben: "As a kid, hunting with my dad on the Ohio River, I once got three ducks with one shot."

Q: How does playing football compare to hunting or fishing?

Ben: "I think my dad said it best when he said, 'Being outdoors is still better than anything else you can do.' It's hard, but we always manage to get a day off and I'll get outdoors."

You can check out Outdoor Life's website here.

Injury Update:

According to NFL.com, Ben will have testing today to determine if he suffered a concussion on Sunday, according to a league source.

Also, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Charlie Batch suffered a wrist injury during Sunday's game and will reportedly be out for six weeks. He is scheduled to have surgery this week to repair the damage to his wrist.

November 22, 2009

Ben leaves game with an injury

Coach Mike Tomlin said in his post-game press conference that Ben suffered a "concussion-oriented thing."

Ben was hit in the helmet by Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson's knee, injured on the Steelers’ fourth play from scrimmage in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium this afternoon.

Charlie Batch replaced Ben, who did leave the field on his own power, although somewhat wobbly. He stayed on the sideline for the rest of the game while being attended to by the Steelers medical staff.

The Steelers had to punt on their first possession in overtime.

Ryan Succop kicked a 22-yard field goal to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 27-24 victory.

The game-winning boot was set up by a 61-yard passing play between Matt Cassel and Chris Chambers on third down.

Ben completed 32-of-42 passes for 398 yards (his fourth 300-yard passing game of the season) with three touchdowns and two interceptions today. Both Heath Miller and Hines Ward also had a big day - Heath had seven catches for 95 yards and a 10-yard TD that gave the Steelers a 17-7 halftime lead. Hines had 10 catches for 128 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown that put the Steelers on top 10-7 with 5:32 left in the first half.

Rashard Mendenhall had 80 yards on 21 carries.

After the game, Coach Tomlin said, "Ben took a blow. Needless to say it was a concussion-oriented thing. So I doubt he was going to come back in the football game. I don't have a lot of information in terms of where he is or his level of availability."

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Ben said in the locker room that he felt "okay", but did not know whether he had suffered a concussion.

To see video of the "Ben highlights", click here.

To see video of the play and hit that knocked him out of the game, click here.

To see Coach Tomlin's post-game press conference, click here.

To see game photos, click here.

Reminder: Ben on the cover

Ben is on the cover and featured in an interview/article of Men's Fitness magazine's December issue which is available in stores and on newsstands now.

From the interview/article entitled, "Big Ben! Toughest QB in the NFL" written by Chris Strauss:

"Ben Roethlisberger isn't afraid to take a hit. When he does - either from Hell-bent defensive players or life - he picks himself up from the turf and moves on."

"For the Pittsburgh Steelers' leader, toughness isn't about bulldozing defenders. 'It's about playing the worst game of your life but not backing down,' says Roethlisberger."

To watch a behind-the-scenes video of Ben's cover shoot, click here.

To see the full cover, click here.

Also Today:

Pro Verses GI Joe -

Ben, Darnell Stapleton, Willie Colon and Trai Essex played "Guitar Hero" using a live Web feed with Pittsburgh area soldiers in Iraq Friday.

According to WPXI, the non-profit "Pro Verses GI Joe" organization sets up real-time video game competitions between professional athletes, musicians, celebrities, high-ranking military officials and politicians here in the states with troops stationed overseas using the Internet and PlayStation, Xbox Live and/or Nintendo Wii.

To see video from WPXI of the Steelers garage band playing the Three Doors Down hit, "Kryptonite" in concert, click here, (word to the wise: watch it with the sound off!).

To see photos from Steelers.com, click here.

November 19, 2009

Thursday Presser

Nearly all the questions were about the game last Sunday against the Bengals, rather than the game this Sunday against the Chiefs...

A few Q&A's from Ben's press conference:

Q: What are your thoughts on the Bengals loss after having had time to evaluate it?

Ben: "You know what? I had a bad day. It's going to happen sometimes. No excuse. But those days will happen sometimes. You have to learn to correct it, and I think we will. I think we'll be just fine in the red zone, on third down, on first down on second down whatever it is."

Q: Santonio Holmes said the offense moved the ball well in between the 20s. What are your thoughts on that?

Ben: "If you ask me, I'm kind of a perfectionist. I think I struggled all the way around. I think we could have done a lot better and done more things but if you look at the tape we did move it well before we got to the red zone."

Q: You didn't call the plays on the last drive against the Bengals. Don't you usually call them in that situation?

Ben: "Yeah, B.A. (Bruce Arians) was and I'll never second-guess Bruce and he doesn’t ever second-guess me so it's not something where we said 'Why didn't we do this, why didn't we do that?' He wanted to call them and I believed in him. I just have to execute them."

Q: What were you thinking at the end of the Bengals game when you got the ball back with a chance to win it?

Ben: "When we were down 6 having the ball, I knew we were going to win the game. It just didn't happen that way and I think one completion kind of gets the ball rolling and it's just unfortunate that when the quarterback has a bad game it just kind of affects the whole offense. That's unfortunate, but that's why you can't afford to have too many bad games."

Q: Do you do anything different preparation-wise if you are coming off a bad game?

Ben: "To me, it's just about looking at it, evaluating it and then moving on, not dwelling on it because if you dwell on it, I think it can carry over. It's just about being able to put it behind, learn from your mistakes and say 'Listen, don't let it happen again.' Hopefully it doesn't."

Moving on...

Ben had a chance to watch the Chiefs on film on Wednesday morning and knows that they are going to present some challenges for the Steelers offense:

Ben: "They do a lot of different things where they walk their ends out and their linebackers are moving around. (Mike) Vrabel is such a heady guy; he's crafty, stuff like that. We're going to have to know and identify where guys are at and where they’re going to be blitzing from just to be able to get a hat on a hat.

On how important Sunday's game is:

Ben: "We look to this as the biggest game of the year, and we're preparing that way, and our backs are against the wall, so we have to come out and fight like that."

November 18, 2009

Voting Update: 2010 Pro Bowl

According to NFL.com, Ben ranks third in AFC quarterback balloting behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady:

Peyton Manning, Colts - 532,455 votes

Tom Brady, Patriots - 295,477 votes

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - 291,466 votes

Ben ranks eighth overall in the "Top 10 Pro Bowl vote-getters":

1. Drew Brees, Saints (539,228)

2. Peyton Manning

3. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (529,319)

4. Brett Favre, Vikings (476,799)

5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (328,451)

6. Cedric Benson, Bengals (321,552)

7. Tom Brady

8. Ben Roethlisberger

9. Andre Johnson, Texans (279,395)

10. Dallas Clark, Colts (274,400)

The AFC and NFC All-Star squads are based on the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group's vote counts 1/3 towards determining the 43-man rosters that represent the American Football Conference and National Football Conference in the Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on December 22-23.

Balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl will conclude on Monday, December 21 following the conclusion of Monday Night Football (New York Giants at Washington Redskins, ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET). The teams will be announced at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, December 29 on a special NFL Total Access 2010 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.

The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and televised live on ESPN at 7:20 p.m. ET from Dolphin Stadium in South Florida, also the site of Super Bowl XLIV a week later on Sunday, February 7.

Let's send Big Ben back to the Pro Bowl!

To cast your votes, click here.

November 17, 2009

Grant from Ben's Foundation helps Kansas City Police

From FOX 4-Kansas City this evening:

An $8,000 grant from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will go towards buying a new Kansas City, Missouri police dog.

It is the fifth grant this year from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund and will help replace a retiring canine.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is distributing grants to Police and Fire Departments in Pittsburgh and in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away opponent for the Steelers in 2009. The Chiefs play the Steelers this Sunday. Police and fire departments detail their needs in an application for the grant.

"We are thrilled to receive this grant, especially because of how tight our budget is this year," Chief James Corwin said in a press release. "This money will be used to replace Rambo, one of our canines who will be retiring because of arthritis. The police department can now keep our Canine Section fully staffed, which is critical to our patrol operations."

Also Today:

Helping out a fellow Steeler fan can help with your holiday shopping list too!

From an email I received -

"My name is Dan Hopkins. I am a Steeler fan living in Galesburg, Michigan. I have been collecting autographed memorabilia for many years, and my collection includes many autographed items from the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Champion team from last year. Among the items I have are two footballs autographed by Ben, and an autographed leather Steelers hat. I have recently become disabled, and am selling my entire collection to help pay bills. I am contacting you to see if you or anyone you know might be interested in any of my autographed items. I want to see these things go to other fans, not to autograph sellers who are just going to turn around and resell them for a profit. None of these autographs were signed for me in person, but I purchased everything from people I trust, and all include certificates of authenticity."

As Dan said, he is selling his entire collection which includes many autographed Steelers items, and would like to see them go to fans who will appreciate them.

Please feel free to contact Dan at dvhforu@aol.com for a full list of items and pricing.

November 15, 2009

"He's in a class by himself"

From the column of sports writer and anchor John Steigerwald this weekend:

How can anyone watch Ben Roethlisberger and not see that he is the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL? He's still prone to throwing bad interceptions and losing the ball in the pocket from standing there too long, but if I need one long touchdown drive to win a championship, you can have Peyton Manning; I'll take Roethlisberger.

Keep in mind, too, that, as pass-happy as the Steelers are compared to Steelers teams of the past, they don't run the kind of offense that Indianapolis and New England run that make it much easier for a quarterback to fatten his stats. Going into last Monday's game, I heard "experts" everywhere debating whether Roethlisberger was in the same class with Phillip Rivers and Eli Manning.

I don't think it's even close. He's not.

He's in a class by himself.

To read Mr. Steigerwald's entire column, click here.

Post-Game:

Bad day for Big Ben...

Ben completed 20-of-40 passes for 174 yards with one interception and no touchdowns in this afternoon's loss to the Bengals.

The Steelers used a pass-heavy attack but ran into a Bengals' secondary that is quickly becoming among the best in the league.

"We just didn't make the plays we normally do," said Ben. "Give them credit. As an offense, we don't say that they affect us at all. We don't do things because of them, we have to do things because of ourselves. We didn't do it today.

"You know you're going to have a bad day, it's just unfortunate we couldn't put it together to get a win."

Ben took plenty of shots down the field but couldn't get anyone open. Look for him to bounce back in a big way against the Chiefs next week.

But there were some highlights, to watch the video, click here.

Ben's post-game comments are here.

To check out the game photos, click here.

November 13, 2009

Thursday Presser

A few Q&A's from Ben's press conference:

Q: Last summer you'd commented on Bill Cowher's prediction about the division. Does that still drive you?

Ben: I don't even remember what he said. What'd he say?

Q: He said last January that the Bengals would win the division this year.

Ben: He's a mastermind. Obviously he knew something we didn’t know.

Q: Is this game a little bit more important?

Ben: Any time you play a divisional game it means a little bit more. We want to win every game, but when you're playing in the division there's a little extra motivation.

Q: What are the Bengals doing well defensively of late?

Ben: Both of their cornerbacks are playing very well. They’re also blitzing and doing some different things. They've thrown a couple of different blitzes in that have caused people some problems.

Q: Do you have greater anticipation to beat a team that had beaten you earlier?

Ben: Any time you lose a game you want to come out and prove that you can beat them, but, I don't know, if you need extra motivation to play any AFC North team there's something wrong with you.

Q: In the previous meeting, the defense took a lot of grief for not closing out the game. Offensively, is there something you'd have liked to have done differently?

Ben: Yeah, we could've closed the game out. We don’t have to put it on the defense. We could've done it on offense. We feel that offensively we left a lot out there. Credit goes to their defense some, but that was early for us and we’ve improved every week. We're not where we want to be yet, but we keep improving. It's going to be a big test for us, but we're moving in the right direction.

Q: After the Denver game you said that Chris Kemoeatu was beating himself up after the sack/fumble return and you went and snapped him out of it a little bit. Could you appreciate where he was coming from?

Ben: Oh, yeah.

Q: How much more assuring is it now that you're able to shake that stuff off?

Ben: I've always said that's what's special about this group. And it's more than just the fumble and the touchdown for them, it's me getting hit. That probably hurt them more than anything. That's what's special about this group. They don't like me getting hit or hurt, so I just had to smack him around a little bit and tell him everything's going to be OK and to just move on. That's what's good is that these guys can put it behind them and move on. As you can see today, he’s put it behind him.

Q: It's necessary for quarterbacks, but when did you feel comfortable being able to chew out your linemen?

Ben: I don't like to embarrass guys. I don't think I embarrassed him. I just talked to him. I'm not one of those guys you'll see slamming the ball on the field after an offsides or really start screaming at them. They know by my look. Sometimes they joke about that. But for me it's just about being able to step up as that leader. I think last year was kind of the first year that I was really able to do that, or felt comfortable in doing that.

Q: With five consecutive wins, are you guys feeling pretty good?

Ben: No, not on offense. Offensively, we have a long way to go. We feel that we're not playing up to our level of expectations – at least I don’t think that way. Yeah, we've won five, but really it's about our next game.

*Thank you Trish!

November 11, 2009 - Veterans Day

"I've never been a flashy guy, I'm just me."

From an interview/article in USA Today:

Ben Roethlisberger digs Bob Marley. This much was evident on Monday night, as the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback accented his blue jeans with an oversized T-shirt that blared with a huge image of the late, dreadlocked reggae legend.

The casual look was a statement of sorts, Roethlisberger's way of showing that he doesn't want to be anybody's GQ model, despite having such a high-profile job.

"People ask, 'Why aren't you dressed up?' " he said on his way out of the locker room after throwing for three touchdowns in the Steelers' 28-10 dismantling of the Denver Broncos. "Well, most of the people in Pittsburgh, they don't wear suits to work. I try to represent the city and the people. I've never been a flashy guy. I'm just me."

Roethlisberger made an even bigger statement on the football field in helping the Steelers (6-2) win a fifth consecutive game. He demonstrated that, two Super Bowl rings and all, he keeps getting better with experience.

It wasn't a perfect game. He fumbled while taking a lick from Broncos defensive end Kenny Peterson, which rookie Robert Ayers returned 54 yards for Denver's only touchdown. He threw an interception in the red zone, when a pass to Hines Ward sailed away at the goal line.

But it was plenty good. Roethlisberger's first 3-yard touchdown toss to Ward, crossing in the back of the end zone in the third quarter, was a pinpoint throw that floated just above the reach of a linebacker. It capped a quick, four-play, 80-yard drive that included a 35-yard laser to Santonio Holmes.

That sequence was Roethlisberger's no-sweat response to the fumble.

"That's what's so special about him," said Ward. "He doesn't get rattled too easily."

At the halfway point of his sixth season, he's completed 70.6% of his throws. He entered the season with a 62.4% rate and last season — which ended with that perfect pass to Holmes in the corner of the end zone that won Super Bowl XLIII— was at 59.9%.

Roethlisberger's also on pace to throw a career-high 524 passes as the Steelers — who got a 155-yard rushing night from Rashard Mendenhall against Denver — increasingly open up the offense to ride the quarterback's big arm.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin suspects this all points to a comfort zone bolstered by time.

"He's about seen it all," Tomlin says. "He's been in just about every situation you can be in. I think that plays into his favor.

"I give him credit, I give our offense credit. It wasn't a fluid start for us. But he didn't blink."

To read the entire article, click here.

*Thank you Jan!

Also Today:

If you missed Ben's appearance on ESPN's E:60 program last night, you can read about the interview here.

November 10, 2009 - Evening Update

Vote For Ben!

Quarterbacks PHILIP RIVERS of the San Diego Chargers, BEN ROETHLISBERGER of the Pittsburgh Steelers and KURT WARNER of the Arizona Cardinals are the finalists for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week honors for games played on November 8 - 9, the NFL announced today.

Fans can vote on NFL.com/FedEx from 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday through noon EST on Friday to determine the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week. The winners will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com.

Fans will be voting for more than their favorite player. As part of the Air & Ground program, FedEx continues its support of Safe Kids USA – a national non-profit organization that works to prevent accidental injury among children – by making weekly $1,000 donations in the winning players’ names. The funding, allocated to local Safe Kids coalitions in that team’s city, is used for pedestrian safety improvements throughout the year, from upgraded crosswalks and street signage to traffic barriers and educational training.

For a second season, fans can tune into the "FedEx Air & Ground Lowdown" posted exclusively on NFL.com/FedEx starting Wednesday mornings. The show examines the nominees in the Air & Ground categories through exclusive video highlights and expert analysis. NFL Network’s RICH EISEN and MARSHALL FAULK host the weekly five-minute show.

A closer look at the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week finalists:

-- San Diego’s PHILIP RIVERS completed 24 of 36 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions in the Chargers’ 21 – 20 win over the New York Giants. Rivers led an 80-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes of the game to get the win.

-- Pittsburgh’s BEN ROETHLISBERGER completed 21 of 29 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in the Steelers’ 28-10 win over the Denver Broncos.

-- Arizona’s KURT WARNER threw five touchdowns completing 22 of 32 passes for 261 yards in the Cardinals’ 41 – 21 win over the Chicago Bears.

Again, to place your vote for Ben, click here.

*Thank you to both Allison Sobczak, FedEx Ground Manager for External Communications AND Dan Kurash, Weber-Shandwick Public Relations for the press release!

Speaking of Big Ben...

Not only did he complete 21-of-29 for 233 yards passing with three touchdowns and one interception (116.0 passer rating), but last night's win...

- Marked his 32nd career 100-plus passer rating game, moving him into sole possession of first place on the team's all-time list ahead of Terry Bradshaw (31).

- Marked his 12th career game with at least three touchdown passes.

- Improved him to 57-22 as a starter in his sixth season.

*Thanks Trish!

And one more reminder...

Ben will appear on the season finale of ESPN's E:60 this evening at 7:00pm.

For more information on the show, click here.

UPDATE: You can watch the video from the interview here!

November 10, 2009

Big Ben and the Steelers take down Broncos, 28-10

"That guy you can't ever stop. He just makes things happen." -- Steelers wideout Mike Wallace.

From articles in the Philadelphia Enquirer and at FOXSports.com this morning:

Ben Roethlisberger was missing reads and his receivers, and it had the Pittsburgh Steelers reeling in the first half.

It was all so very unlike Roethlisberger. The situation only got worse after halftime, when his sack and fumble led to Robert Ayers' long touchdown return.

If Big Ben was rattled, he didn't show it, needing just four plays to march the Steelers 80 yards for the touchdown that put them ahead for good in their 28-10 rout of the Denver Broncos on Monday night.

"I kind of rushed a little bit," admitted Roethlisberger, whose team has now won five straight. "I think offensively we've got a long ways to go. We made a lot of mistakes and we've got to keep searching for the ceiling because we can't play the way we've been playing and continually beat good conference teams."

There definitely was a good/bad element to Roethlisberger Monday night.

The good came with a pair of 3-yard touchdown passes to Hines Ward and another to rookie wideout Mike Wallace.

The bad was losing a fumble when he was hit from behind by Kenny Peterson, the ball flying free and Ayers scooping it up for a 54-yard TD. Roethlisberger also threw an interception with the Steelers poised to put more points on the board when Andre' Goodman stepped in front of a pass that sailed behind Ward.

"I told the guys, 'They're not stopping us. We're stopping ourselves,'" Roethlisberger said. "Chris was beating himself up because he let the guy through. I said, 'Listen, there's nothing we can do about it. Let's move on. Block the next time and we'll score.' We did."

But when the Steelers (6-2) needed him most, Roethlisberger delivered.

And quickly. It took only four plays for the Steelers to march 80 yards and take a 14-10 lead they never relinquished once Roethlisberger hit wide receiver Hines Ward. That was the first of Big Ben's three touchdown passes.

"It wasn't a fluid start for us," Tomlin said. "Ben didn't blink."

There was no argument from the Broncos, who dropped their second straight after opening the season 6-0 under rookie coach Josh McDaniels.

"Great quarterback," Goodman said. "He doesn't panic, no matter what the situation is. His head is always in the game."

Part of the reason for the Steelers' second-half turnaround was trying out a new tactic , the nonstop no-huddle. The Broncos certainly weren't ready for it.

"Caught us off guard a little bit," Goodman said.

The Broncos shouldn't have been surprised; the Steelers talked all week about employing the no-huddle at Denver.

The Broncos prided themselves on halftime adjustments that worked like magic the first six weeks as they outscored opponents 76-10 after the break during the six-game winning streak.

They've been outscored 45-14 in the last two games.

Ben had three touchdowns, threw for 233 yards, and completed 21 of his 29 attempts despite being severely pressured early on by Denver's pass rush.

The Steelers host the Bengals on Sunday.

To see video highlights, click here.

To see photos, click here.

Also, check out the column of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook this morning on last night's game.

And don't forget...

Ben will appear on the season finale of ESPN's E:60 this evening at 7:00pm.

For more information on the show, click here.

November 9, 2009

"Broncos fans may not be happy to see Ben...

But the Denver Police Department is ecstatic!"

From 9News.com in Colorado:

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has given a grant to the police department's K9 program. The department has been looking for help to buy a new police dog.

Roethlisberger is giving grant money to K9 units in every city the Steelers have an away game this season.

For more info on Ben's Foundation, click here.

*NOTE: My internet connection this evening is "iffy" at best, so photos and game news may have to wait until tomorrow!

November 6, 2009 - Evening Update (see below)

Ben to be interviewed...

WTAE-Channel 4 will air their interview with Ben this evening during the 5:00 pm broadcast.

From their Promo:

"Big Ben carries something with him everyday. It's gotten him Super Bowls and super stardom. What is it?"

Perhaps it's the "Don't Quit" poem that his college coach and friend Terry Hoeppner taught him....

But you'll have to tune in to find out!

POST-INTERVIEW UPDATE: What does Ben carry around with him? A chip on his shoulder!

To check out his interview, click here.

And next week...

Ben will be featured on the season finale of ESPN's E:60 show on Tuesday, November 10th at 7:00 pm.

*Thank you to both Trish and Becky for the heads-up!

November 5, 2009

Excitement: Steelers. Electrifying: Big Ben.

From an article in the Sporting News entitled, "What happened to the Power Divisions?":

The toughest divisions to make a living in the NFL these days are not the NFC or AFC East. This popular notion has gone the way of the efficient offense in Washington and Buffalo. It's disappeared.

To find the most competitive climate in pro football, look to the north. The AFC North probably is the best sector in the league, followed closely by the NFC North.

Does that mean the Vikings will face the Steelers in the Super Bowl? Or the Packers will take on the Bengals? Hardly.

But for weekly excitement and excellence, the old Black and Blue Divisions are golden.

Consider how the Steelers (5-2) built on their championship not by diving even deeper into their time-tested philosophy of winning with the running game and big-time defense. No, these Steelers can pass with anyone, which has been especially significant because their running game has stagnated.

What's more electrifying in the NFL than Ben Roethlisberger creating big plays that seem to come straight from the sandlot, not the playbook? He did it on the decisive touchdown in the Super Bowl, and he's kept right on doing it, altering the style of his team along the way.

I think some of it comes from that being what the Steelers always did in the past. I always say you have to keep up with the times," Roethlisberger said. "That's kind of evolving into a passing offense league-wide. People talk about the Steelers and the run game because we want to be physical. When you want to be physical, people assume that's the run game. But that can mean a lot of different things.

"I guess you can go all the way back to the '70s and we were a grind-it-out team. We're not that '70s team. We're our own identity and that includes a lot of no-huddle stuff. It's been good."

To read the rest, click here.

Also Today:

Big Ben is "the key to the game" -

From John Clayton's column "First and 10" at ESPN.com:

Now, as the Steelers prepare for a visit to Denver for a "Monday Night Football" game, we'll see whether the Ravens' plan can work again or whether the Broncos' coaches can adjust their way out of the difficulties created in Baltimore. There is no question the Steelers will try to use the no-huddle offense to throw the Broncos' defense off stride. Ben Roethlisberger loves the no-huddle. He'll go to it at any point in a game to spark Pittsburgh's offense if it isn't moving the ball.

This game is huge for several reasons. If the Broncos win, they'll maintain a nice lead in the AFC West and set themselves up to get a No. 2 seed in the playoffs. They've already beaten the Bengals, Patriots and Chargers, giving Denver a potential tie-breaking advantage. One bad week doesn't erase what the Broncos have accomplished. Even in the 23-point loss to the Ravens, the surprising Broncos' defense kept rallying and making tackles behind the Ravens' line of scrimmage.

The Steelers have concerns on defense because of injuries. They are down two defensive ends -- Aaron Smith for the season and Travis Kirschke for three weeks with a torn calf. Safety Ryan Clark is expected to sit out of the game because of a sickle-cell problem that caused him to become extremely ill the last time Clark played in the thin air of Denver.

The key to the game, though, is Roethlisberger, whose presence and domination on the field grows by the week. He has turned the Steelers from a running team into a passing team. His completion numbers in the fourth quarter and in play-action situations are off the charts.

For Mr. Clayton's complete column and video report, click here.

November 2-3, 2009

The NFL's Quarterback Class Of 2004

Among Roethlisberger, Rivers and Manning, who's the best in the NFL?

From an article in Forbes Magazine today, written by Monte Burke:

The 2004 NFL draft is often compared to the 1983 draft class for producing true franchise quarterbacks. The former yielded the New York Giants' Eli Manning, San Diego Chargers' Philip Rivers and Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger.

The latter: John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. The 2004 quarterbacks, only in their sixth year in the NFL, have already produced three Super Bowl championships among them. The 1983 class produced two (Elway won them both).

Elway, Kelly and Marino averaged 15-year professional careers (we're including Kelly's two years in the USFL). By that measure, the class of 2004 is more than a third of the way through their careers. It's time to take stock. Who is the best quarterback of the class of 2004?

To get an answer, we used four metrics: Super Bowl wins, regular-season winning percentage, career quarterback rating and the "clutch" factor, as defined by pro-football-reference.com researcher, Scott Kacsmar.

Our answer: It's the Steelers' signal-caller, Roethlisberger, then Rivers, then Manning.

Here's why: Big Ben leads the trio in all but one of those categories. He has won two Super Bowls (Manning has won one, Rivers zero), has the highest regular-season winning percentage (71% versus Rivers' 67% and Manning's 59%), and is the second most clutch active NFL quarterback (Manning is No. 3; Rivers is No. 5).

The only category Roethlisberger doesn't win is quarterback rating. His career rating is 90.9. Rivers has the edge with a rating of 93.4. Manning's is 77.1.

Giants fans may have a problem with Rivers ranking second, since Manning won his team the ultimate game, a feat Rivers has yet to accomplish. But would anyone argue that Trent Dilfer, a Super Bowl winner in 2001, was better than Dan Marino, who retired without a championship? Not a chance.

Right now, Rivers is better than Manning. And Big Ben is the best of the 2004 crop.

To see Forbes list of "The NFL's Most Clutch Quarterbacks", click here.

October 29, 2009

"Young quarterbacks have NFL coaches throwing out old beliefs"

From an article written by NFL analyst Rick Gosselin in the Dallas Morning News today:

Ken Whisenhunt was about to find out how good a coach he was.

Whisenhunt was the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004. The Steelers were a veteran team with a Pro Bowl running back, a Pro Bowl wide receiver, a couple of Pro Bowl blockers and a top-10 defense. It was a team with aspirations of greatness.

But suddenly Whisenhunt had a rookie quarterback taking the snaps. Tommy Maddox suffered an elbow injury in the second week, forcing the Steelers to promote Ben Roethlisberger to the starting spot.

Disaster loomed.

There have been 58 rookie quarterbacks since 1960 who have been primary starters, which is to say they started at least half of their team's games in a season. Of those 58, only 13 posted winning records.

So Whisenhunt was in a bind. This was way ahead of Pittsburgh's timetable for the development of its young quarterback. Roethlisberger wasn't ready yet. He was supposed to be their future, not their present.

With Maddox out and Roethlisberger in, the Pittsburgh season was about to take a turn ... for the better. Roethlisberger started 13 games that season and won every one of them on his way to NFL Rookie of the Year honors. The Steelers finished 15-1.

His success was shocking but would represent a growing trend.

A rookie quarterback limits what an offense can do. That's why so few NFL teams over the years have committed to playing rookies at the position. Old school thinking is that it takes three years for a quarterback to figure out all the nuances of the position at the NFL level.

So coaches long feared the prospect of a rookie taking the snaps. Go with a rookie and you're going to lose.

But not lately.

Since 2003 there have been 11 rookie quarterbacks who have been primary starters. Seven have posted winning records.

Kyle Boller started the roll for the Baltimore Ravens in 2003, posting a 5-4 record as a starter on a 10-6 team. Roethlisberger won his 13 games in 2004, then Kyle Orton went 10-5 with the Chicago Bears in 2005.

"It all goes back to Boller and Roethlisberger," said Whisenhunt, who is now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. "Baltimore had as good a defense as anyone in 2003. They sought to play defense and manage the offense. The same thing with Pittsburgh and Ben. They had a very good running game and the defense played well.

"Those two guys gave all these other teams the formula for how to do it – which was not to expose him to as much as you have in the past, protect him with the running game and play good defense. ... People saw it and thought, 'They had success with a young quarterback. How did they do it?' That led to the Matt Ryans and Joe Flaccos."

Roethlisberger skipped his senior season to turn pro, so he was already a year behind in the NFL learning curve for the position. He also came out of the Mid-American Conference, so he had never seen the speed or caliber of defender on Saturdays that he would be seeing on Sundays.

Still, Roethlisberger had the best physical tools at his position in the 2004 draft. He was the biggest, strongest and fastest quarterback in a class that featured Eli Manning and Philip Rivers. But Manning went first overall, Rivers fourth and Roethlisberger 11th.

The scouting consensus was that Roethlisberger was the least ready of the three to play coming out of college – but in three years time might be the best of the three because of those tools.

Whisenhunt wouldn't have the luxury of grooming him for two years.

"We had to find out what Ben did well, what he was comfortable with," Whisenhunt said. "The tendency when you game plan is to put all these good things up on the board and then ask your quarterback to run them. But when you have a young quarterback, you can't do that. You have to limit what you can do and find ways to do them repeatedly from different formations and sets. You have to disguise them – and protect your quarterback with the run game.

"You had to focus on giving him just enough that he could feel comfortable and execute what we were asking him to do. So we downsized to the things that Ben did well and worked around that."

In his first 11 starts in 2004 Roethlisberger never threw more than 25 passes. He threw for more than 200 yards just twice. He averaged 21.1 passes per game in 2004 as the Steelers ran the ball 62 percent of the time. But his attempts increased as his offensive package expanded in 2005, passing 22.3 times per game.

Two Super Bowls and a Pro Bowl into his career, Roethlisberger is averaging 34.4 passes per game this season.

Two more rookie quarterbacks are hoping to crack the list of winners in 2009. The Detroit Lions are starting the draft's first overall selection Matthew Stafford, and the New York Jets are starting the fifth overall choice Mark Sanchez.

Stafford has a top-shelf running back (Kevin Smith) and Sanchez both the running game (Thomas Jones and Leon Washington) and a Top 10 defense that give them a chance to succeed in their debut seasons.

Stafford studied the list of rookie starters on a Monday last month at the Lions practice facility. Elway's name jumped out at him. So did Aikman. Peyton Manning. He studied the statistics that documented their struggles as rookies – all the losses, all the interceptions, all the sacks, the low completion percentage. The Highland Park product was undaunted by the list.

"Every single one of us on this list got to this point for a reason," Stafford said. "We're confident. We can make plays with our arm. But there's a fine line in taking that out there on the field and thinking, 'I can put that ball in there. I can make this play.'

"But you have to take chances in this league to be successful. You can't lose your confidence as a playmaker – but at the same time you have to learn to take what they give you. That's easier said than done."

Because of Boller and Roethlisberger, more and more rookie quarterbacks are getting the chance to do just that.

To read the entire article, including an interesting graph on rookie quarterbacks, click here.

October 26, 2009

Vote For Big Ben!

2010 Pro Bowl voting is here!

This year's Pro Bowl will take place on January 31, 2010 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida....one week prior to the Super Bowl.

Ben appeared in his first Pro Bowl in February, 2008.

To vote Ben back to the Pro Bowl, click here.

Vote early, Vote OFTEN!

You can learn more about the Pro Bowl by checking out NFL.com.

October 25, 2009 - Evening Update

"Our defense showed up in big way and it was fun to watch 'em!"

The Pittsburgh Steelers took advantage twice of fourth-quarter mistakes by quarterback Brett Favre to end the Minnesota Vikings' six-match unbeaten start to the NFL season on Sunday with a 27-17 victory.

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley scrambled 77 yards after scooping up a Favre fumble to put the defending Super Bowl champions ahead 20-10 with 6:23 to play.

Five minutes later, fellow linebacker Keyaron raced 82 yards from an intercepted Favre pass to seal the win after Minnesota had rallied to 20-17 on Percy Harvin's 88-yard kickoff return following Woodley's score.

"Our defense showed up in big way & it was fun to watch 'em," Ben said during his post game interview. "I enjoyed watching them play, today they showed up when we needed them to. They did it."

The tough-minded Steelers three times repelled Favre bids for touchdowns in the second half to win their fourth consecutive game and remain at least in a tie for the AFC North lead.

Brett Keisel sacked Favre at the Pittsburgh 8 in the fourth quarter, forcing a fumble that Woodley returned for a touchdown thanks to key blocking by his teammates.

Then, after the speedy Harvin got Minnesota back in the game at 20-17 with his kickoff return, Favre had the Vikings at the Steelers 19 when his pass went off the hands of Minnesota running back Chester Taylor and into those of Fox, who scored the game-breaker with a minute to play.

"Both teams fought hard, it was one of those nail biters but we happened to score more points than they did," said Ben.

Earlier, in the third quarter, Pittsburgh held Minnesota to a field goal after the Vikings had first-and-goal at the Steelers 1.

"They were dropping guys deep and we were trying to trying to dink & dunk underneath and a couple of their lineman batted a bunch of balls down and that's what they did," Ben said. "You gotta give them credit 'cause they gave us a lot of looks that we weren't necessarily prepared for because we didn't see it on film or they were just doing some good things. So, offensively we didn't have our best game...but that's why we're a team...the defense picked us up when we needed them."

Asked if he talked to Brett Favre after the game, Ben said, "No, he'd just gotten smashed by James Harrison, he wasn't in the mood to talk."

Ben completed 14-of-26 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown that included an eight play, 91-yard drive in one minute and fifteen seconds at the end the second quarter.

The Steelers have their bye next week before going to Denver in Week 9.

"Bye time is good time...a good time for guys who have injuries to get rested and healed up and get ready for a quality opponent in a couple weeks."

To see photos from the game, click here.

To see Ben's post game interview, click here.

*Thank you to Trish!!

October 25, 2009

Big Ben vs Brett Favre

From an article by Alan Robinson in the Canadian Press News this morning:

There are numerous subplots to Sunday's important game between the unbeaten Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers, one that matches a team playing like a champion against one that's proven twice in the last four seasons it is a champion.

Ultimately, it may come down to what nearly everyone wants to see: Can a still-young quarterback who's already won two Super Bowls prevent an ageless quarterback he admired as a youngster from taking a small but significant step toward winning his second?

Even more intriguing is that while Roethlisberger spent his first five seasons mostly managing the Steelers offense, he's quickly transforming himself into a modern-day version of Favre.

"They are playing to their quarterback," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "He's (Roethlisberger) obviously come a long way from making eight throws in a game and handing the ball off. I don't think they are that type of football team. They are not trying to deceive."

Roethlisberger leads the NFL in yards passing, something no Steelers quarterback has done for a full season since the 1970 merger, and has three 300-yard games this season. Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw had only four during his entire Steelers career.

Asked if the 27-year old Roethlisberger reminds him of Favre, Childress said, "A young Brett Favre."

Curiously, at the same time, the 40-year old Favre is becoming more like the younger Roethlisberger, a player whose most impressive statistic is his winning percentage, not his completion percentage.

"I've just practiced and gone about it as if I was 25," Favre said.

Favre doesn't know where this 6-0 start will take the Vikings. He might have a better idea after going against a Pittsburgh defense that led the league the last two seasons and is capable of making any quarterback feel like he's 40, much less one who is that old.

"This Steelers scheme makes it so hard to prepare. It's pretty stressful. You're sitting there going, 'AHHHH," Favre said, gripping a table and shaking it. "At times you play into their hands, and that's what they want you to do. It really comes down to making plays when they are there. You get limited opportunities against a team like this."

You can read the entire article here.

You can see a larger version of the brief handshake between Ben and Brett from a 2007 Preseason game here.

October 23, 2009 - Afternoon Update

Big Ben has a message for Trent Dilfer

From an article by Jim Wexell this afternoon:

From the middle of a mob of reporters, someone asked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger why his pump fake has been so effective this year.

"I have no idea," said Roethlisberger.

It was a surprisingly terse answer from a guy who's become more thoughtful with the media as he's come of age as a team leader.

As the mob dissipated, the reporter told Roethlisberger that he's from ESPN.

"I know you are," Roethlisberger said as he walked away. "And tell Trent Dilfer to get his stuff together."

Dilfer, of course, is an ESPN analyst who said this week that Kyle Orton – along with both Mannings, Drew Brees, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers – has been a better quarterback this season than Roethlisberger, who leads the NFL in passing yards and yards per attempt, is second in completions and completion percentage, and is fourth in passer rating.

Dilfer explained that his rankings are based on "Do you win football games?"

Roethlisberger has four wins in six games – and two rings in five seasons.

To read the rest of Mr. Wexell's article, click here.

October 23, 2009

Ben looks forward to meeting and playing against Brett Favre

From KDKA and NFL Network's coverage of Ben's interview today:

Ben Roethlisberger was just 9-years-old when Brett Favre was drafted into the NFL.

"I've yet to meet Brett Favre, so I'm looking forward to it," said Roethlisberger. "I'll probably be the guy asking for an autograph."

So now that Favre and Minnesota Vikings are coming to Heinz Field, Big Ben is ready to square off against the football legend.

"It's going to be fun. I grew up watching Brett and idolizing him and molding a little bit of my game after him. It will be fun to play him for the first time."

Favre and Roethlisberger are ranked three and four in passer rating in the NFL this year, but Roethlisberger is nowhere close to matching Favre's 275 game consecutive starting streak.

"At this position – unbelievable," said Roethlisberger. "And you know what, a lot of it is toughness, but I'm sure he'll tell you, a lot of it is luck. You have to get lucky, especially in this sport and with guys rolling into you, hitting into you, just anything little can happen and he's gotten lucky and he's incredible tough."

When asked if he compared his game to Favre, Roethlisberger said, "I don't compare myself to Brett Favre. He's a legend, and I'm just trying to get to his level.

October 22, 2009

"He ain't no fragile quarterback"

From the Vikings Locker Room News & Notes in the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The Vikings are well aware that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger loves to hold the ball a long time and is capable of getting off a pass even with defenders draped all over him because of his size and strength. That's why more than one Vikings defensive player used the phrase 'tackle his right arm' today when describing how to approach Roethlisberger.

"You lick your chops when you see him sitting there holding it, but it's also a plus for them because he makes a lot of plays with those receivers staying active," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "You have to lock onto him and just get him to the ground when you have opportunities because he makes more plays after he scrambles than he does sitting in the pocket."

Roethlisberger ranks in the Top 5 in the NFL in passing yards, completion percentage, completions and passer rasting. His toughness and ability to make plays when the pocket collapses is what impresses the Vikings.

"He's real tough," defensive tackle Pat Williams said. "He ain't no fragile quarterback. He'll get off the ground and just keep on throwing it."

Said linebacker Chad Greenway: "His big body obviously helps him be able to get rid of the ball with people hanging all over him. We have to be mindful of that. We have to tackle the right arm. That's the biggest key. Even if you do that, he can probably throw with his left. We just have to keep playing hard and aggressive."

To read the rest of the Vikings Locker Room Report, click here.

October 20-21, 2009

Event: In the Pocket with Charlie Batch

Join Charlie, his teammates, and the WDVE Morning Show hosts for the Third Annual "In the Pocket" event.

The event allows you the opportunity to play ping-pong, pool or poker with your favorite Steelers players for a good cause!

Proceeds from the event benefit the Best of the Batch Foundation's reading & computer literacy program.

Date: Monday, November 16, 2009

Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Place: J. Verno Studios - located at 3030 Jane Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Some of Charlie's teammates that will be in attendance include Ben, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Casey Hampton, Rashard Mendenhall, Mike Wallace, Chris Hoke, LaMar Woodley, Dennis Dixon and Ryan Clark.

Tickets start at $100 per person for spectators, $250 per person for players and $500 for "High Roller" players (which includes one-on-one time with the celebrities).

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

To learn more about Charlie Batch's Foundation, click here.

*Thank you to Trish!

October 19, 2009

Monday: Notes & Quotes

Ben on the cover...

Ben will be on the cover of the next issue of Men's Fitness magazine (December, 2009).

He will also be featured in a short interview/article entitled, "Big Ben! Toughest QB in the NFL".

The issue should be on newstands by mid-November.

To see the full cover, click here.

*Thank you to Men's Fitness for the heads-up email!

Bid for Hope:

Heath Miller and his wife Katie will be hosting the event this evening from 7:00 pm-11:00 pm at Bossa Nova Restaurant (123 7th Street in Pittsburgh).

Proceeds from the sold-out charity event benefit Breast Cancer Awareness.

Several of Heath's teammates are expected to attend, including Ben, although he generally does not RSVP.

For more info, check out Heath-Miller.com!

Speaking of Big Ben...

Through six games, Roethlisberger has thrown for 1,870 yards and 10 touchdowns:

"This is the best I've ever seen him play. I've seen him play pretty darn good sometimes. I just think the more you do something, the more comfortable you are with it and Ben has full command of this offense. He's had full command for a few years now, but he just keeps getting better and better." -- Heath Miller, from an article at SteelCity Insider by Jim Wexell.

"He's really good. He's in total command of the offense. It's fun to watch at times." -- Mike Tomlin, from an article at GoErie.com.

"We know if we give Ben even a small amount of time, he's going to make something happen. He's fun to watch." -- Willie Colon, from an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"Defensively, just too many big plays. That's who that quarterback is, and that's what this offense can do." -- Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini, from an article in the Tribune-Chronicle.

From an article entitled, "Big Ben Tops Pass Rankings" by a AP sports writer Alan Robinson:

Brady, Brees, Brett. Now, Big Ben?

Ben Roethlisberger is big on winning — he is 55-22 as a starter, the best record for any NFL quarterback not named Tom Brady.

After throwing for 417 yards Sunday while beating Cleveland 27-14 for the most by any Pittsburgh quarterback during a victory, Roethlisberger leads the NFL with 1,887 yards passing, 77 more than Houston's Matt Schaub. Roethlisberger also is No. 2 in completion percentage (72.5), No. 2 in yards per game (314.5) and No. 4 in passer rating (104.5).

There's been no major alteration in Roethlisberger's game that's led to his greatly increased statistics. Rather, it has been more of an ongoing progression, with former coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and now Arians increasingly handing over more of the offense to him.

Only the Colts (326 yards) are averaging more yards per game passing than Pittsburgh (296.7). At his current pace, Roethlisberger would become not only the first Steelers QB to throw for 4,000 yards in a season — Bradshaw passed for 3,724 in 1979 — but for 5,000.

From an article written by Jim Wexell at SteelCityInsider.com:

From the notebook of a sportswriter who wonders how far Ben Roethlisberger will fall on those national media MVP lists after Sunday’s performance:

With his 417-yard passing day, Roethlisberger’s on pace for 5,032 passing yards this season. That would not only smash Terry Bradshaw’s team record of 3,724 yards, but would put him within 52 yards of Dan Marino’s all-time NFL mark.

The all-time NFL mark – that’s good enough for a mention in Peter King’s column, isn't it?

You can normally ignore the lack of respect Roethlisberger garners at any given time, but it’s just been ridiculous this season.

Usually, the higher the passing yardage, the lower the winning percentage, but Roethlisberger’s low two numbers this season occurred in the team’s two losses.

From the blog at Mondesishouse.com:

Thoughts from the 12th consecutive victory of Hammer over Nail:

1. I realize it was "only" the Browns, but Ben Roethlisberger's grasp of the offense is bordering on scary right now. Even fantasy football fans have fallen for the big guy, who threw for 417 yards, 3rd all-time for a single game in Steeler history, on Sunday. In case you were wondering, the top two: Tommy Maddox's 473 in 2002's "The Tie" against Atlanta, and Roethlisberger's 433 in 2006 against Denver.

2. Just to give you an idea of how accurate Roethlisberger has been throwing the ball, his 73.8 completion percentage is 10.4% above his career average of 63.4. For comparison's sake, Derek Anderson is completing 46.4% of his passes, which probably has something to do with the fact that his team has one win.

From Ben's post-game press conference...

On his performance -

"We played OK. I still think we left some things out there -- and that's a credit to the Browns. They played well on defense. I have to complete more passes. I can't be turning the ball over."

On the no-huddle -

"It was just: 'Let's get in the shotgun and start slinging it around. It worked for us. If you asked the receivers, I think they like it."

On Heath Miller's TD catch in the second quarter -

"Heath was getting held the whole way, then he out-muscled the guy when I threw it to him. The line did a great job."

On playing against Brett Favre next week -

"I've never played against Brett. He's a guy I looked up to, so I look forward to that. They have a great defense, obviously. It's going to be a good challenge for us. We're going to have to be on our A-game on offense."

October 18, 2009

Ben ties HOF'er Terry Bradshaw in win against Browns

Ben Roethlisberger, second in the league in passing and on pace for what would easily be the best statistical season of his career, had two touchdown passes and completed 23-of-35 passes for 417 yards - the second highest total in his career, to defeat the struggling Cleveland Browns 27-14 at Heinz Field Sunday.

One of Ben's scoring strikes was a 52-yarder to Hines Ward, who had eight catches for 159 yards. The other TD pass was an eight-yard hook-up with Heath Miller in the second quarter.

Ben improved to 10-0 lifetime against Cleveland.

He also tied Hall of Fame QB Terry Bradshaw for first on the team's All-Time list with 31 career 100-plus passer rating games.

The win moved the Steelers (4-2) into a first-place tie in the AFC North with the Bengals (4-2), who were beaten at home 28-17 by the Texans.

Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, who replaced an ineffective Brady Quinn after 2½ games, finished 9 of 24 for 122 yards.

After the flurry of turnovers ended the third quarter (four turnovers in a span of 1:25 - two by each team), Reed kicked a 39-yard field goal, and the Browns gave the ball back yet again — their fourth turnover and 32nd in their last 12 games — when Anderson was intercepted by Ryan Clark near the goal line with 4:21 to play.

Cribbs also was intercepted by Troy Polamalu, who returned after a four-game injury layoff, out of a wildcat formation during yet another dreadful first half by the Browns offense, which was outgained 289-71 in the half and 231-14 in yards passing.

But even with the win, Ben wasn't happy with the sloppy play by the Steelers.

"We gotta keep reaching for the ceiling, we're not playing good enough," He said moments after the game. "We've got a long way to go."

To see video of "Ben" game highlights, click here.

To see video of Ben's post-game interview, click here.

To see photos, click here.

Congratulations to Heath Miller!

Heath Miller had his 25th career touchdown catch, passing Eric Green to move into second place in team history among tight ends today when he caught Ben's pass in the first quarter to give the Steelers a 7-0 lead.

October 16, 2009

The Browns Talkin' Big Ben...

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer today:

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, during his presser -

(On Ben Roethlisberger) - "He's a great player, obviously. I'm not going to state the obvious. He's fantastic. He's a great competitor. Things you can't ever practice against, that's who he is. He's this great big guy with a strong arm, a great will, makes his team successful, Super Bowl champion a couple times. He can make all the throws, makes people miss. He does everything. Obviously he is an extremely successful guy."

(On Roethlisberger making moves to get away from defenses )- "He's done that, probably not just to the Cleveland Browns, I think he does it to everybody. He's just a great big guy. You really have to wrap those guys up around the waist, like you're slow dancing with them, and throw them down. That's what you have to do to the guy to be most successful. The big macho, kill shot or the head shot doesn't work against this guy. You have to wrap your arms around him and rodeo tackle him."

To read the rest, click here.

From an interview/article on Browns defensive end Corey Williams in the Akron Beacon Journal:

Browns defensive end Corey Williams was still smarting from the $7,500 he was docked for roughing Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards last Sunday.

But even as Williams planned to appeal his fine from the league, he vowed not to back off as the Browns visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

His task Sunday will be to take down Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has led the Steelers to Super Bowl victories in two of the past four seasons and is 9-0 against the Browns.

"It's not going to slow me down," Williams said of the fine. "I'm going to keep on rushing like I normally do and every chance I get to hit him, I'm going to hit him. If it takes for them to fine me every week, that's just what's going to happen."

Browns coach Eric Mangini knows the challenges Roethlisberger presents.

"He's made a lot of guys miss sacks," Mangini said. "He's strong. He's really strong in the pocket and he has good awareness. He doesn't let the pressure affect his vision down the field, but he's very aware of where it's coming from. Sometimes he just pulls it down and goes.

"He's not an easy guy to get down. Usually, those bigger guys, once you're on them, you're on them...You may have to drag them down a little bit. He's actually got some short area quickness for a guy that size. You can work on avoiding in the pocket and feeling the pressure and doing things like that. In terms of shaking guys off, you can thank your parents for that."

Williams said Roethlisberger can shed tackles "almost better than some of the running backs can."

"We're going to have to hit him hard and get him on the ground. That's our main focus," Williams said. "How you get him on the ground and how hard you get him on the ground, it doesn't matter. Hopefully the refs won't throw a flag just because we hit him; he's a big guy just like we are."

To read the rest, click here.

Quote of the Week...

"He's a winner. I don't care about stats; I don't care about fantasy points. You can't knock the man for winning and for what he's done his six years in the League. Fourth quarter he comes back and wins games and everyone wants us to go out and throw the ball all the time. That's not going to happen we like to run the ball. Ben just feels comfortable with his role." -- Hines Ward, from an article in the Pittsburgh Sports Examiner.

Stat of the Week...

Ben needs ONE 100-plus passer rating game to tie Hall of Fame QB Terry Bradshaw for first on the team's All-Time list. He currently has 30 career 100-plus passer rating games in the regular season, trailing only Bradshaw's 31.

*Thanks Trish!

Check out...

This great story on McComb High School junior Tyler Brown.

October 15, 2009

Thursday: Notes & Quotes

From an article entitled "Arians, Roethlisberger make winning pair for Steelers" in the Canton (Ohio) Rep Today:

Long before Arians was calling plays for the Cleveland Browns and then the Pittsburgh Steelers, he played quarterback at Virginia Tech. As the quarterbacks coach in Indianapolis, Arians worked with a young Peyton Manning.

"I'm glad the Browns got rid of him so we could get him," Roethlisberger said Wednesday.

Arians took over Pittsburgh's offense when Whisenhunt, a former NFL tight end, became head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Mike Tomlin, whose background is on defense, became Arians' new boss.

Roethlisberger's stats are off the charts. He is on pace to top 4,700 passing yards. In five previous years as the starter, his passing totals have been 2,621; 2,385; 3,513; 3,154 and 3,301.

Through five games, Roethlisberger trails only Manning, 1,645 yards to 1,470. Roethlisberger’s passer rating is 102.6, close to the career-best 104.1 he posted the year Arians became his coordinator.

"I've been blessed to have him. We work well together. I don't think he views his role or his job as telling me what to do. We both look at each other in terms of helping each other. He’s made me a lot better quarterback."

To read the entire article, click here.

From the "Browns Notebook", also in the Canton Rep today:

Who's smiling now?

As he grows older, Roethlisberger admits he was sore that his home-state team, Cleveland, passed on him in the 2004 draft.

"I'm happy now," he said. "Back then, I wasn't, but now I am. I wouldn’t trade where I am for anything."

The topic seemed to get his wheels turning. When he was finished answering, he broke into laughter.

And, on a serious note...

Defensive end Aaron Smith has seen more of the Browns than any Steeler this decade. Smith has started every game during Pittsburgh’s incredible 17-1 hot streak against Cleveland.

His streak will come to an end because Smith was placed on injured reserve this week.

"Huge," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said of the loss.

"He’s one of the most destructive defensive linemen and maybe one of the best in the game. He should be a Pro Bowler every year. "We're gonna miss him."

If you'd like to read more from the "Browns Notebook", click here.

October 13, 2009 - *Post-Show Update (see below)

Television Reminder...

Don't forget:

Ben will appear (via satellite) on the Jay Leno Show tonight at 10:00 p.m. on NBC tonight.

He will take part in a segment called "10 @ 10". The skit has Leno asking a celebrity 10 'off-the-wall' questions.

*Post-Show Update: For caps and quotes, click here. To see the video (which includes only a few questions), click here.

Also Today:

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook in his column entitled, "Steelers' Roethlisberger shows flashes of Elway" -

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the John Elway of this generation.

There are a number of ways to support that supposition, starting with Roethlisberger's two Super Bowls in his first five NFL seasons. All quarterbacks are judged by their won-loss record. Roethlisberger's is a staggering 54-22 in the regular season, including 22-5 against AFC North Division opponents. He has 30 career 100-plus passer rating games, including a 123.9 in the 28-20 victory Sunday in Detroit when he threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns.

Those are hard, fast numbers. Indisputable numbers. But just as clear is Roethlisberger's winning mindset. He is aware of everything on the field at all times. Nothing frightens him, not even 285-pound defensive ends with evil intentions. Nothing throws him off his game, not even the occasional interception that is returned for a touchdown.

Roethlisberger loves the no-huddle offense because he's more in charge of the game, calling the plays himself based on what he sees from the defense. Here's the sequence he came up with on that next possession: a 4-yard run by back Rashard Mendenhall, a 10-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller, a 1-yard run by Mendenhall, an 11-yard pass to Miller, a 9-yard pass to Miller, a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward.

Four passes. Four completions for 47 yards and a touchdown. A 21-13 lead for the Steelers.

"I don't feel like I'm playing well," he said. "I'm disappointed in my performance today. Even offensively, I'm disappointed in the way we played."

The Steelers will try to do better Sunday when they play the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field. The Browns have scored an offensive touchdown in just two of their past 11 games, going back to last season. Somehow, they beat the Buffalo Bills, 6-3, Sunday despite quarterback Derek Anderson completing 2 of 17 passes for 23 yards.

Do you think the Browns would love to have the Steelers' offensive troubles?

A better question:

Do you think the Browns would love to have Roethlisberger?

To read Mr. Cook's entire column, click here.

Speaking of Big Ben...

"He's playing phenomenal. I don't know why he isn't mentioned with the best quarterbacks in the league because in my eyes he's right there at the top." -- Steelers Tight End Heath Miller on Ben, during an interview with Mike Prisuta, SteelCityInsider.com.

October 11, 2009

Ben throws three touchdowns in win over Lions

Ben went 23-for-30 with 277 yards and a pick while Rashard Mendenhall had 77 yards on 15 carries with a score for the Steelers (3-2), who have won their last two games. Hines Ward, Heath Miller and Mike Wallace each caught a score in the 28-20 win.

James Harrison had three sacks and eight tackles. The Steelers defense had seven sacks in the game.

Trailing by eight points to start the second half, Detroit went on a 13-play drive that ate up almost seven minutes. But the Lions came away empty as Jason Hanson's 49-yard field goal attempt went just wide right.

The Steelers needed just four plays to get in the end zone, as Ben sent a deep pass to Wallace, who caught the ball in the end zone for a 47-yard score and a 28-13 lead with 6:05 left in the third.

The Lions were driving on their next possession and got into Steelers territory, but Culpepper threw the ball away as he was being pressured and Ryan Clark picked off the floater.

With under eight minutes to play in the game, the Lions started a drive at their own 18 and eventually scored. Facing a 3rd-and-5, Culpepper moved the chains on a five-yard dump pass to Dennis Northcutt. Three plays later, Culpepper again turned to Northcutt, who made a leaping catch in the middle of the end zone from 25 yards out to make it a 28-20 game with 4:57 to play.

Detroit's defense then forced the Steelers into a three-and-out, and the Lions took over at their 29. Catches of 18 and 19 yards by Derrick Williams got the ball across midfield, and a 22-yard reception by Northcutt got Detroit into scoring position at the two-minute warning.

However, the Steelers defense sacked Culpepper on the next three plays, and on 4th-and-34 Culpepper's desperation heave to the end zone was knocked down by Ike Taylor to seal the win.

Pittsburgh answered quickly, using six plays to get a TD. Mendenhall had a 27-yard run up the middle to keep the Steelers going, and later ran around the right end untouched into the end zone from seven yards out.

With a drive that spanned the first and second quarters, the Steelers took an eight-point lead, as Ben found Heath Miller on a tight end screen over the middle. Miller took it in from 15 yards out with 10:37 left in the half.

A three-and-out by Detroit got the ball back in Ben's hands, but he was picked off by William James, who took the pick into the end zone from 38 yards out to make it a 14-13 game with 6:52 to play.

Pittsburgh, though, got a 47-yard kickoff return from Stefan Logan. Six plays later, Ben dumped the ball over the middle to Ward, who stretched into the end zone on a 17-yard TD for a 21-13 lead with 3:51 left.

To see video of "Ben" highlights from NFL.com, click here.

To see video of game highlights from NFL.com, click here.

To see photos from the game, click here.

October 10, 2009

Big Ben the Good Samaritan

Ben helps out the victims of a vehicle accident in the Strip District Friday evening:

Otis Mitchell, the victim in the accident, said a car pulled out in front of him, forcing him to slam into a pole. The driver then left the scene.

Mitchell, a huge Steelers fan, said, "Roethlisberger was right behind me. He stopped, helped me out. He's a real good guy, nice guy. Called the police and gave me an autograph."

Mitchell and his two passengers were checked out by medics and are OK.

Apparently police are still looking for the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident.

(news sources: WTAE-4, WPXI)

Two K-9's for Detroit Police Department...

From WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit:

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may want to beat the Detroit Lions Sunday afternoon at Ford Field, but he's helping the Detroit Police Department.

Roethlisberger's Foundation announced it will be distributing grant money to the police department to buy two new canines that will replace two other dogs who are retiring at the end of this year.

"We are deeply appreciative to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for this grant," Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans said in a statement. "In these difficult budgetary times we must rely more and more on outside sources of funding to support our officers’ efforts. This grant will provide our officers additional resources to protect the citizens of Detroit."

To learn more about Ben's Foundation, click here.

REAL men wear pink!

From the Post-Gazette's Steelers Notebook today:

Maybe he's just superstitious, but Ben Roethlisberger liked the pink shoes he wore against the Chargers so much he will wear them again against the Lions.

Roethlisberger and several of his teammates wore pink shoes, gloves or wristbands against the Chargers as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But, after passing for 333 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions against San Diego, Roethlisberger got a new pair of pink shoes to wear at Ford Field.

"I like 'em," Roethlisberger said.

To read the rest of the Steelers Notebook, click here.

Spreading the Wealth...

From an article by the Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac:

Receivers no longer wonder when their next reception might be coming. Just how soon.

It began in the season opener against Tennessee when the Steelers had three receivers -- Holmes (9), Ward (8) and Miller (8) -- with at least eight catches. The following week, Holmes had a season-high 14 passes thrown in his direction, even though he caught only five and dropped three in Chicago. Wallace had a team-high seven catches for 102 yards in Cincinnati and Ward and Miller each had eight catches against the Chargers.

"Ben has total command of the offense," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said.

"We don't have to have a favorite go-to guy. We have enough capable guys who just take what's there and we'll move the ball downfield."

That is one of the reasons Roethlisberger's passing numbers are among the best in the NFL. But here is another: He is healthy.

Last year, Roethlisberger separated his throwing shoulder in the opening game when he was sacked by Houston's Mario Williams, then aggravated the injury Nov. 3 in Washington sneaking for a touchdown. Because of that, Roethlisberger rarely practiced during the week and, when he did, barely threw the ball beyond 10 yards.

"Ben didn't practice for seven weeks at this time of year last year," Arians said.

"Now he's practicing and he's full-go. He's seeing everything as good as you can see for a quarterback."

He leads the NFL is completion percentage (73.2), is second in completions (104) and third in yards (1,193) and yards per attempt (8.4).

To read the complete article, click here.

Speaking of Big Ben...

Quotes from an an article/interview in the Beaver County Times -

"Ben does a great job making sure we're part of everything. We like the fact our quarterback takes an interest in us. He wants us to be part of his life, and he wants to be part of our lives as well." -- Steelers right guard Trai Essex.

"Ben's our dude. He's really close with us guys. He's a leader for us on and off the field." -- Steelers starting left guard Chris Kemoeatu.

To read the entire article/interview, click here.

October 8, 2009

Ben to appear on Jay Leno

According to Late Night Lineups...

Ben is scheduled to be a guest (via satellite) on Jay Leno's new talk show on Tuesday, October 13th at 10:00 p.m. on NBC.

Also on Leno that night will be actor John C. Reilly (Talledega Nights, Stepbrothers, Chicago).

Ben won't be the only Steeler to chat with Leno this month -- Terry Bradshaw will be a guest tomorrow night.

October 7, 2009

Ben on the cover...

...of the October 12th edition of The Sporting News.

Ben and the Penguins Sidney Crosby are featured on the cover and in the cover story "Black & Gold mettle: Pittsburgh is Best Sports City".

From the cover feature:

"It's been quite a year in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers winning the Super Bowl, the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup and our local college football and basketball teams having successful seasons as well," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl says. "Sports fans in Western Pennsylvania have had a lot to be proud of these last 12 months. Pittsburgh truly is the City of Champions once again."

In fact, it may always be sunny in that other city across the state, but citizens there can lay claim to only one title team during the past 12 months. Over here—where an elected official changed his name temporarily to "Steelerstahl," just so, y'know, there was no question of which team he supported when Baltimore came to town for an NFL playoff beatdown in January—you've got two titles, basketball tournament teams aplenty, and a bowl-bound and Backyard Brawl-winning football team.

Oh, and fans like no other.

"We thank them," Super Bowl 43 MVP Santonio Holmes says, "for being our 12th man."

To read the rest, click here.

To see the video of Ben and Sidney's cover shoot, click here.

To see a larger version of the cover, click here.

Quote of the Day:

"Again the mastery of Big Ben was apparent when on the first play Chargers safety Clinton Hart came within a whisker of knocking that ball away from him while rolling out. The man is becoming Ninja-like. No one can sneak up on him." -- Craig Wolfley, from his "Wolfley: A View From The Sideline" feature at SteelCityInsider.com.

How "RAW" Rated:

Going up against the toughest competition that he will face until he stands across from the Baltimore Ravens’ defense on Nov. 29, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger more than held his own.

With Roethlisberger as guest host of Raw Monday night, the show held up remarkably well going head-to-head with the "Monday Night Football" game between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers on ESPN that was the most-watched show in cable television history.

RAW did a 3.3 rating (4.7 million people), which was up from the 3.1 rating of last week’s show that was hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton. WWE has to be very happy with that number.

It looks as if Steeler Nation was more interested in seeing their QB ham it up with WWE talent than watching Brett Favre’s grudge match against his former team.

-- From the Baltimore Sun's Ring Posts Wrestling blog.

Ben was WIRED....

Check out this video from NFL.com of Ben from the game against the Chargers last Sunday. He was wired throughout!

*Thanks to Kathy for the link!

October 6, 2009

How Ben spent his Monday night off...

Ben guest-hosted WWE's Monday Night RAW at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, but he didn't do it alone - he brought his offensive linemen with him. And it turned out to be a wise move, because he needed the backup later in the show when he was challenged by the 7', 485 lb wrestler known as The Big Show, and his fluffy-haired tag team partner Chris Jericho.

Enter Willie Colon, Justin Hartwig, Darnell Stapleton, Trai Essex, Max Starks and Chris Kemoeatu, who all took the stage and the ring to help out their star quarterback.

After the men got in their three-point stance to help Ben run a "quarterback sneak" against the wrestlers, The Big Show realized pretty quickly that he was no match for the combined 1,945 lbs worth of Steelers offense and backed off...right out of the ring!

Shawn Michaels and Triple H. of D-Generation X then joined the Steelers in the ring where they shook hands, posed and did their famous "crotch chop" with the members of the Black and Gold.

Ben presented the main event: D-X versus the Big Show and Jericho. But during the match Jericho, who had obviously had enough of the beating he was taking in the ring, tried to sneak away but Ben and his O-Line came back out on stage and blocked his progress, sending him back into the ring to be finished off by D-X.

Ben started off the program by introducing the "Diva Bowl", featuring the WWE's lovely lady wrestlers in football 'attire' squaring off against each other. Later in the show, he did a skit with The Miz and another with Santino Marella, who was dressed as a NFL referee.

Ben's Foundation was highlighted throughout the show and during commercial breaks.

To check out some great photos from the show, click here.

To see videos from the show, click here and here.

You can read more about the show by clicking on the links below:

Rum Bunter - Another Outstanding Performance On WWE

WTAE-4 - 'RAW'thlisberger Scores As WWE Host

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Roethlisberger talks the talk at WWE event

PWTorch - ESPN SportsCenter features Ben Roethlisberger's appearance as guest host of Raw

If you attended the event and would like to share your photos with the site, just email me!

October 5, 2009

Ben: 333 Yards and 2 Touchdowns in Win over Chargers

Ben Roethlisberger's throwing got fast-starting Pittsburgh going on its first two drives, Rashard Mendenhall surpassed his previous career total with 165 yards rushing and two scores and the Steelers opened a 28-point lead, then held on to beat the San Diego Chargers 38-28 on Sunday night.

"We put up 38, and I think it could have been more," said Roethlisberger.

The Chargers (2-2), outgained nearly 4 to 1 until late in the third quarter, made an apparent blowout close as Philip Rivers threw touchdown passes of 30 yards to Antonio Gates and 13 yards to Chris Chambers and Jacob Hester scored on a 41-yard fumble return, all in the fourth quarter.

Running back Mewelde Moore caught a touchdown pass and threw for another to Heath Miller on a goal-line play as the Steelers (2-2), beaten in the closing seconds by Chicago and Cincinnati the previous two weeks, built such a big lead that they withstood another bad fourth quarter. Jeff Reed finished it off with a 46-yard field goal in the final minute.

"I feel like we are playing great for three quarters, then in the fourth we can't seem to finish things out," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "We are lucky our offense came up so big today."

Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward for 15 yards each and rookie Mike Wallace for 35, and Mendenhall — subbing for the injured Willie Parker — needed three carries to cover the final 14 yards for his first career touchdown with only 3:11 gone.

Roethlisberger finished 26 of 33 for 333 yards and Ward had eight catches for 113 yards.

"We had to answer the bell," He said after the game. "We did it all night long on offense. [Mendenhall] did a great job running the ball. The offensive line did a great job opening up holes."

To see photos from the game, click here.

To see video of "Ben" highlights, click here.

To see video of game highlights, click here.

Don't Forget...

Ben and the O-Line will guest host tonight's WWE Monday Night RAW.

The show airs at 9:00 pm on the USA Network.

To check out their website, click here.

October 1, 2009

The Chargers, the WWE and Breast Cancer Awareness...

From an interview with Ben today in the Steelers locker room:

Q: "Is this basically the same Chargers team as last year? "

Ben: "In a way. I think they’re a little bit better. They’re a year together more. They’re playing good football now. "

Q: "Who do you know at WWE? How did this wrestling exhibition next Monday come to pass? "

Ben: "I got asked to do it. Vince McMahon asked me to do it, and I said, ‘Sure. Why not?’."

Q: "Are you a big wrestling fan? "

Ben: "Back in the day I was. I used to watch it all the time. Of course. Everybody was. When they come here to Pittsburgh I’ve come to watch it and become friends with some of those guys. It’ll be fun. "

Q: "Who are some of the guys you liked? "

Ben: "I was a Hulk Hogan guy, the Ultimate Warrior, Jake the Snake. Some of those guys. "

Q: "Is LaMarr Woodley going with you? "

Ben: "No. I’m taking my linemen, offensive linemen. "

Q: " What do you do? "

Ben: "I can’t tell. "

Q: "Do you get a script in advance? "

Ben: "I’m getting one on Friday. "

Q: "Did you have to run this by Coach Tomlin? "

Ben: " It’s our off day. I talked to him about it, but I didn’t really ask for permission. I kind of went and talked to him and got a feel for if he was going to have a big problem with it. I figured he would tell me. But like I said, it’s our off day. I want to let everyone know: I’m not coming off any top ropes or anything. People are freaking out that I’m going to be doing something. I’m not going to be doing anything crazy, so relax. "

Q: " If you had a finishing move, what would it be? "

Ben: " I was trying to work on it with Chris Kemoeatu. Me and Juicy, I was going to come off the side rope, jump, and he was going to catch me and spin me around. We were going to call it the Helicopter Kick and I was going to take everybody out. We’ve been practicing at Chris’s house, right Chris? (Kemoeatu gives no response because he's asleep on floor.) "

Q: "Who would win a Battle Royale of the offensive linemen? "

Ben: "I’d take me and my five guys over anybody. "

Q: "This week is the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and some of you guys are wearing pink shoes with the throwbacks. What are your thoughts on what the whole thing means? "

Ben: "I’m not afraid to get made fun of for wearing pink, especially when it’s for a good cause like this. To raise awareness for such a vicious disease, I’m all for it and I will have some pink shoes on most likely. "

Thanks Trish!

September 29, 2009

Ben helps open new Ronald McDonald House

From WPXI today:

Ben Roethlisberger and Art Rooney II cut the ribbon at the new Ronald McDonald house attached to the new Childrens’ Hospital in Lawrenceville on Tuesday morning.

"This facility here is great because it’s a place for the families to come to live to be close to home as possible," said Steelers quarterback Roethlisberger. "Not just put them in a hotel room, but to put them in a place they can actually call home while they’re going through a tough time."

You can check out a video of the ribbon cutting and an interview with Ben here.

If you would like to help support Ben's efforts for the Ronald McDonald House, please visit http://www.rmhcpgh.org.

September 28, 2009 - Evening Update

Ben to guest host on WWE Monday Night RAW next week

...and he won't be alone!

Ben will bring his entire offensive line with him as he hosts an evening of WWE Monday Night RAW action on October 5th!

The show kicks off at 9pm on the USA Network.

Don't miss it!

To check out their website, click here.

September 28, 2009

"It's going to be good to get back home to play in front of our fans"

From Ben's post-game press conference:

Q: "Does the winning streak against the Bengals in Cincinnati being stopped mean anything to you?"

Ben: "Six years. Not bad. It's a tough loss for us. It was a tough, divisional fight. Stuff happens."

Q: "Can you put your finger on what's not clicking with the Steelers offense?"

Ben: "I thought we played well offensively. We put up a lot of yards, moved the ball and scored. We just have some room for improvement."

Q: "What happened on the pass play that Johnathan Joseph intercepted and returned for a touchdown?"

Ben: "It was a miscommunication. We won't point fingers or point blame."

Q: "It's early in the 2009 season, but what does it mean to stand at 1-2?"

Ben: "It's adversity that we have to face, but we’ve faced similar situations before. We need to find our character and overcome a situation like this."

Q: "Coach Tomlin talked about the details needing to be addressed. Do you see the same thing?"

Ben: "It's one thing here or there. So, to answer your question, that's probably an accurate statement. You've got to continue to improve. I'm really proud of the way our guys fought, especially in the first half. The offensive line did a great job. We only gave up one sack, and that was a coverage sack. We did a good job offensively."

Q: "Talk about your running backs..."

Ben: "Willie did a great job. So did Mewelde. The line did a good job of opening up holes for the run game. They made things happen."

Q: "Talk about your offensive performance..."

Ben: "We played good football. It was a tough situation to put us in. It was third-and-long and it was too long for us to get with a hot route. Everyone was on the same page. There are little adjustments we need to make, but things I think we can do."

Q: "This marks two weeks in a row where you could have put games away, but lost. Did it feel like you were one play away from winning this game?"

Ben: "They are a great football team. I don't want to take anything away from them. We feel like we beat ourselves a little bit. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times and came away with three points when we should have scored touchdowns. Some of that is my fault for missing receivers. We'll improve and score some more points."

Q: "What did you tell Limas Sweed after the incomplete pass to the end zone in the third quarter?"

Ben: "To be a professional. You've got to be able to put things behind you. I told him I'll come back to him when the time comes. In no way shape or form was I going to go back to pass, see him, and not throw it to him. I'm going to have the confidence that he's going to make the play the next time he has the chance. It was a tough play."

Q: "Does it help at all to know that you are going home to Pittsburgh for your next game after consecutive losses on the road?"

Ben: "It's going to be good to get back home to play in front of our fans."

To see video of game highlights, click here.

September 27, 2009

A loss, but another solid outing for Big Ben

A last-second TD from Carson Palmer to Andre Caldwell pushed the Bengals past the Steelers 23-20 on Sunday and pushed the defending champions' losing streak to two.

The Steelers dominated most of the game but failed to take care of chances to put the Bengals away. Ben threw an interception, Jeff Reed missed another field goal, and Limas Sweed dropped a pass in the end zone, letting the Bengals take their third straight game down to the final seconds.

Ben was 22 of 31 for 276 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown pass to Willie Parker and a 1-yard scoring sneak. He was sacked near midfield on a third-down play as Pittsburgh tried to hold onto a 20-15 lead, giving the Bengals one last chance with 5:14 to play.

The interception came when Ben and Santonio Holmes had a miscommunication on the third play of the second half — Ben made a quick throw, but Santonio kept going and Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph intercepted and ran 31 yards for a touchdown that made it a game.

It was Ben's first loss as a Steelers quarterback in his native state of Ohio. He was 11-0 in Cleveland and Cincinnati.

"We feel like we beat ourselves," he said after the game.

Something to celebrate from today's game - Hines Ward did become the first Steeler to have 10,000 yards in catches during his career!

To see photos from the game, click here.

September 26, 2009

Cincinnati gets a K-9

From WCPO - Channel 9 this morning:

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and Miami University graduate Ben Roethlisberger is giving back to the Cincinnati police department.

Roethlisberger announced on Friday that the department will receive grant money to replace dog who served in the K-9 unit.

The Cincinnati police requested the money after one of their K-9 dogs recently passed away.

Quote of the Day:

"We need to try and score on every possession, We need big plays, little plays. We drive the ball up and down the field, and we just can't score. We've got to find a way to be an offense that teams fear." -- Ben, during an interview that appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this morning.

And...

Today's "Big Ben Stat":

-- Ben is 22-4 in games against the AFC North. At Cincinnati, he is 5-0 with eight touchdowns against three interceptions and a QB rating of 104.5!

September 22, 2009

Jay Cutler Wishes Ben Well

From an article in the Chicago Tribune today:

Jay Cutler took a moment to greet quarterback counterpart Ben Roethlisberger after the Bears upset the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers 17-14 Sunday.

"I just told Ben to stay healthy and good luck with everything," Cutler said. "They're going to be fine. They're a good team. They're going to bounce back from this. It's hard to win on the road. That showed tonight."

Cutler had bragging rights, at least for one afternoon. But Roethlisberger could humble the Bears quarterback by flashing his Super Bowl rings.

"He's accomplished a lot more than I have, in a short period of time too," Cutler said of Roethlisberger. "That's what makes him so great, makes him the elite quarterback that he is. The four, five years he's been in the league, they're always there. They're always winning Super Bowls.

"He's the guy who has raised everyone's level of play. Everybody else is trying to catch up with him."

To read the entire article, click here.

September 20, 2009

Ben strong in Steelers loss

Ben completed 23-of-35 passes for 221 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the Steelers' 17-14 Week 2 loss to the Bears.

He also rushed for one touchdown in the loss.

Ben completed 8-of-9 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown on the Steelers' opening drive and made it look easy against a Brian Urlacher-less Bears defense.

But on the next drive he was intercepted by Charles Tillman when his arm was hit and he floated the ball up in the air for an unlucky pick.

In the first quarter, he moved the Steelers 92 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown, completing 8 of 9 passes on the Steelers' first possession.

The Bears tied the score late in the second quarter when Jay Cutler orchestrated a 13-play, 97-yard drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Davis.

The score remained tied until Rashard Mendenhall's big run set up Ben's touchdown with five-and-a-half minutes left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Ben led the team down the field to set up two potential go-ahead field goals for Jeff Reed, but Reed ultimately missed both.

I have all the confidence in the world that next week (Jeff) may kick a game winner, you never know," said Ben after the game. "We're not down on him one bit, and I'm not especially. We left some things out there offensively. We shouldn't have to put Jeff in that position, we should go down and win the game. But it's a team loss and you move on."

The Steelers fell to 1-1, while the Bears improved to 1-1 in front of a crowd of 60,323.

"Ben will pick you apart if he has time back there," said Bears middle linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer. "Toward the end, we did a better job of getting to him."

To see video of the post-game press conference, click here.

To see game photos, click here.

September 18, 2009

For Ben, it's not just about the Bears...

It's about the dogs too!

From today's Chicago Sun-Times:

Ben Roethlisberger comes to Soldier Field this weekend bearing gifts.

The Super Bowl champion quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the first grant of the year for the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the Giving Back Fund will go to the Cook County Sheriff's Police Canine Unit.

The department will use the grant to purchase a new police dog to replace one that recently retired.

"It's incredible to see the strong bond that is formed between the dogs and their partners both on the job and at home," Roethlisberger said.

Adding another dog to the canine unit "will enable our department to even better serve the citizens of Cook County," said Sheriff Tom Dart. We are honored to be the first recipient of this year's grant and thank the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for its generous support to local law enforcement."

On the field this weekend, Roethlisberger will be looking to target Hines Ward, who is 117 receiving yards away from 10,000 for his career -- a feat that could be achieved Sunday at Soldier Field. Unlike the canine, it's a gift most Bears fans would most likely prefer he save for another city.

To read the entire column, click here.

Also Today:

From an article in the DeKalb (IL) Daily Chronicle entitled, "Big Ben a Big Challenge for Bears":

Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye might want to practice tackling his own linebackers to prepare for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday.

"Oh, man," Ogunleye said. "He's a big quarterback. They call him 'Big Ben' for a reason."

At 6-foot-5 and 241 pounds, few quarterbacks create a deeper footprint than Roethlisberger. The Bears know that they will not just have their hands full with Roethlisberger – they will have their arms full.

"A lot of quarterbacks will go down," said defensive lineman Israel Idonije, who has chased quarterbacks for six seasons with the Bears. "But he'll just fight it. He’ll stay standing up."

Roethlisberger's sheer size makes him tough on defenders, but plenty of tall quarterbacks have had small careers in the NFL. What distinguishes Roethlisberger is his ability to shed defenders, linger in the pocket to create extra time for his receivers to get open, and fire accurate throws downfield.

"He's a fierce competitor," Ogunleye said. "Doesn't let plays die. He's the kind of guy you've just got to stay after. Maybe the first guy might miss, second guy might miss, even [the] third. So we need all four guys, especially with the front four, getting after him."

The Bears will have to stay disciplined without team leader Brian Urlacher, who will miss his first game since 2004 because of a dislocated right wrist. Cornerback Zackary Bowman said he would make his first start of the season, which likely means that Nathan Vasher will watch more from the sideline.

More than ever, Ogunleye said, the defensive line will have to lead the way.

"This week, it definitely is going to be on the D line,” Ogunleye said. "We do have a veteran group. Most of the guys are healthy. We've got to help the defense out."

Otherwise, "Big Ben" could present bigger problems for the Bears.

To read the entire article, click here.

September 17, 2009

Speaking of Big Ben...

From an article by Alan Robinson of the Canadian Press today entitled, "Fourth and Ben? Steelers quarterback excels in tight games":

Fourth quarter, team's down by four, 75 yards to go, 2:30 to play. Exactly the situation in which games are won and lost, careers are made or ruined, coaches get hired or fired.

Hines Ward, you have two choices to lead your team down the field: Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger. Which quarterback do you choose?

"Uh, Ben, of course," the Steelers' leading career receiver said. "Brady's a great quarterback, but to compare the two? They're both winners. You can't really compare Ben's stats to some other guys. ... What he's done in a short career, the playoffs, AFC championship games, Super Bowl, I love to associate myself and play with a winner all day. ... Some people's going to like Ben, some people's going to like Brady. You're entitled to your opinion. But we love Ben."

In reality, Ward couldn't give a wrong answer. When it comes to pulling out victories in games in which their team trails or is tied late, Brady and Roethlisberger are quickly moving up the list of all-time leaders. And each needed only one game this season to do what he does best.

By leading the Steelers back from a 10-7 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Tennessee 13-10 on Sept. 10, Roethlisberger led his 20th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime since his rookie season in 2004 - seven since the start of last season. Brady, back from a year off with a major knee injury, threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:06 to rally the Patriots past the Bills 25-24 on Monday for his 29th such victory.

If Roethlisberger keeps this up, and the Steelers certainly expect him to, he could finish his career being called the king of the comebacks, as John Elway now is. The Broncos credit Elway with 47 victories in 15 seasons when his team was behind or tied in the fourth quarter.

"What do you think about when you think about Elway?" Roethlisberger said. "The Drive (against Cleveland in the 1986 season playoffs) and all the stuff that he's done."

To Roethlisberger, it's about having the same attitude as Michael Jordan in the closing minute of a tight game. It's all about knowing how to win, and being supremely convinced you are the player who can get it done.

"You have to be confident and you have to want the ball," Roethlisberger said. "It's like wanting the ball for a last-second shot, wanting the ball at the end of the game. You know you can do it. When you can't, it's not like you get down on yourself, you just get stopped somehow."

That's where Roethlisberger finds playing in the NFL no different from his high school days in Findlay, Ohio, or his college quarterbacking career at Miami (Ohio).

"For me, it's fun," Roethlisberger said. "It turns back to when you were back in high school or just playing in the back yard and you're running around making plays. I've done the no-huddle and that last-minute, throwing-it-around stuff in high school and college, so it just kind of brings back my childhood."

No matter how long he plays, Roethlisberger is likely to be best remembered for the 78-yard touchdown drive that ended with his six-yard touchdown throw to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds remaining to beat Arizona 27-23 in the Super Bowl.

No wonder his teammates were certain Tennessee wouldn't get the ball back after the Steelers won the coin toss to start overtime last week.

"That's what he's best at, I think, and he's proven it time after time," tight end Heath Miller said.

To read the entire article, click here.

Speaking of Heath Miller...

From Jim Wexell of Scout.com:

Ben Roethlisberger only speaks to the media on Wednesday ... unless you can entice him with some interesting subject matter on Thursday. That happened a few hours ago. The Steelers' quarterback was walking unmolested through the reporter-infested locker room as he typed on his cell phone. He put it all down when I approached and asked these questions:

Q: How’s Heath Miller developing as your right-hand man on the field?

Ben: "I’ve said this a thousand times: He’s one of the best -- if not the best – tight ends in the game. It’s unfortunate he doesn’t get the recognition or credit for it. I wish analysts would just take the time and watch him play the game – the way he blocks, the way he catches the ball, the precision, the way he finishes plays. He might be one of the only guys on the field who, when a guy catches a pass, is trying to push the pile – on every single play. One hundred percent of the time he’s giving 100 percent effort, and it’s all the way through the whistle. He’s as good as a lineman blocking and he’s as good as a receiver catching the ball. I like to give him crap about not having a lot after the catch, but he’s hard to bring down. He doesn’t have a lot of moves, so I like to give him a hard time about that, but he truly is one of the best in the game. I can’t say enough about him."

Q: When you’re on the run, is he always where you think he’s going to be?

Ben: "He plays ball. You know, it’s one of those things. We don’t practice it; you don’t have to with a guy like that. It’s just that I know where he’s going to be. And it’s easy to throw to a guy like that when he can catch anything in this area (stretches his arms to illustrate the wingspan), and then some. I mean, when he drops a ball in practice – normally our receivers will drop maybe one a week, two a week, whatever – he’ll drop one every other week and people are like (facial expression of wonderment) – and then they make fun of him. It’s just easy to throw to a guy when you don’t have to concentrate on putting it right here (small chest area). When you’re scrambling and you find him, he’s always looking for the ball and it’s comforting."

*The interview was one of many about the popular Miller for a feature in next week's Steelers Digest.

And speaking of Steelers Digest...

The Steelers Digest player of the week is Ben!

"Never will he be a first-round pick in a fantasy league draft, but there is something special about Ben. when the outcome of a game is hanging in the balance.

"From the time the Titans took a 10-7 lead early in the 4th quarter until the Steelers got in position for Reed's FG in OT, Roethlisberger completed 16 of 18 for 171 yds. One drive ended w/a tying FG, the 2nd ended with a Ward fumble at the Titans 4-yard line and the 3rd ended with Reed's game winner from 33 yds out."

Others considered for the player of week were Farrior and Holmes.

To read more about Heath Miller, click here.

September 16, 2009

Wednesday Presser

Ben talks to the media...

Some excerpts:

Q: What do you know about the Bears and what they might try to do to you guys?

Ben: They’ve copied, it looks like, a lot of stuff from the Eagles. They’re bringing blitzes and mugging linebackers in and blitzing guys from all over. It’s going to be a big challenge for us this week.

Q: How does their defense change with (Brian) Urlacher out?

Ben: You hear them say that guys have to step up and we can’t miss a beat, but when you’re missing one of the best defensive players in the game, it’s going to be different. They’re definitely going to miss him, but I’m sure they have guys who are ready to step in and play. We still have to be prepared for whoever is there.

Q: In the moment, do you enjoy the comebacks and last-second drives or do you have to wait until it’s over to enjoy it?

Ben: During, I don’t really think about it. I just think about having to do it now. Afterward, it’s more fun to think about. I’d prefer not to have to do it at all and just to be up and sit on the sidelines at the end. It’s fun when it’s over and you can look back on it.

Q: Isn’t that something that defines a quarterback?

Ben: One of the things, yeah, I think so. What do you think about when you think about (John) Elway? The drive and and the stuff that he’s done. So, yeah, it’s a neat thing for a quarterback.

Q: Who besides Elway do you think of with the comebacks?

Ben: For me, I was a Montana guy. Anytime, at the end, when he had the ball in his hands, it seemed like Joe was going to get it done.

Q: The coach seemed to be very pleased with your passing game.

Ben: Yeah, it’s one of those things where the media here and around the country say that if we throw the ball 25 times, we can’t win. So we quietly laugh at all of you guys - more than usual. It’s fun to win it that way and the o-line takes pride in that as well, just as much as the running game. We take pride when we can throw it too.

Q: Does that include Jerome Bettis?

Ben: Absolutely. Jerome knows he’s the media. I would laugh in his face too.

Q: What do you make of Jerome’s criticisms this week?

Ben: I haven’t seen one thing, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. I honestly don’t. I guess someone will have to tell me what he said.

Q: He was critical of your running game and the offensive line.

Ben: Coming from an old running back, that doesn’t surprise me.

Q: Do you remember that Chicago game being what jump-started you for that Super Bowl run?

Ben: It was a big win for us. It was cold, it was snowing, kind of one of those motivational-type games.

Q: people overemphasize that Steelers mentality?

Ben: I think some of it comes from that being what the Steelers always did in the past. I always say you have to keep up with the times. That’s kind of evolving into a passing offense - league wide. People talk about the Steelers and the run game because we want to be physical. When you want to be physical, people assume that’s the run game. But that can mean a lot of different things. I guess you can go all the way back to the ‘70s and we were a grind-it-out team. We’re not that ‘70s team. We’re our own identity and that includes a lot of no-huddle stuff. It’s been good.

Q: What is it about the fourth quarter comebacks?

Ben: The want to win.

Q: When you played high school basketball, did you score all of your points in the fourth quarter?

Ben: A lot of them.

Q: So it’s been a life-long attribute?

Ben: Yes.

*Thank you Trish!

September 13, 2009 - *Afternoon Update - we have a winner!

It Could Be Yours!

To celebrate the start of the 2009 NFL Season...

BigBenNews.com is offering an 11-1/2" X 14" open edition of the fine art print, "The Rookie" signed by artist Bob Cherewick.

All you have to be is my 51st emailer and the print is yours, for free! Contests don't get any easier than that!

Just email me at BigBenNewsSite@Yahoo.com.

I will announce the winner this evening.

Why the 51st? Because that's the number of regular-season wins that Ben had as a starting quarterback in his first five NFL seasons.

To see the complete version of the print, click here (obviously the Victory Prints watermark will not be on the print itself).

Now...

...if you don't win today and you would still like to purchase "The Rookie", you can click here as a BigBenNews.com reader for a special price on the limited "Findlay Ohio - Reserved Edition" print that is autographed by Ben (just mention this site to receive the special offer pricing).

A "Super Bowl XLIII Edition" of the print will also be available in the near future as well. You can learn more about that edition here.

Once again, thank you so much to Mr. Cherewick!

*Afternoon Update:

We have a winner...

Congratulations to Lynn Ross! She was my 51st emailer.

Thank you to everyone who emailed today!! I'll have more contests in the future!

September 11, 2009 - Afternoon Update

Speaking of Big Ben...

Just in case you missed some of the talk today...

"Now it's proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Roethlisberger is like Brady in that when the critical situation comes up, he's going to find a solution. Not a lot of quarterbacks can do that.

" Let me use these names, and people are going to shake their heads as they're listening, but I'm going to bring these names up and I think Roethlisberger is in this group: Unitas, Bart Starr, Montana, Brady. I think Roethlisberger is in this group. The ability to get out of trouble, find the answer, deliver the ball accurately and make big plays in critical situations. And he proved it without a shadow of a doubt at the end of the Super Bowl last year. That pass to Santonio Holmes, in my opinion, is the greatest play in the history of the National Football League - the way he threaded the needle over three defenders, and Holmes making that catch, that was phenomenal. And last night he proved, once again, that he can do it." - ESPN's Sal Paolantonio on the Colin Cowherd radio show.

"It was very frustrating because we had this guy in our grips and most people don't understand how big and how strong this guy is, how athletic he is. And there were times when I played against him that he had the ability to go outside the pocket and make plays and throw 280lb defensive linemen off him. So imagine as a safety coming in and trying to sack this guy! It was very tough and very frustrating. He could be a pocket passer, but he prefers to get outside the pocket, buy some time and let his legs manipulate the defense and make plays on the go. As you saw last night, he did a lot of double-pumping, a lot of pump-fakes, faking out the Titans defensive line and making them bite - forcing them to play aggressive and Ben did a terrific job." -- Former New England Patriot Rodney Harrison also on the Colin Cowherd radio show.

"Great players still trump motivational ploys -- as Ben Roethlisberger showed again Thursday night in the season opener. He can look awkward at times and he's like a human pinball machine the way he bounces off defenders. But at crunch time, he's approaching Tom Brady." -- Vito Stellino, Florida Times-Union

"Ben Roethlisberger leads the discussion for being the best quarterback in the sport not named Tom Brady or Peyton Manning." -- ESPN's Mike Greenberg on his show "Mike & Mike" this morning.

"It's funny, but all I can think about when I watch the Steelers play late in games is that Ben Roethlisberger must have been the best schoolyard quarterback at recess of all time. Can you imagine?" -- Sports Illustrated's Ross Tucker from his Inside the NFL column.

"Even when you have a practically non-existent running attack and even when the Steelers lose Troy Polamalu, who looked like the defensive MVP the first half of the game, they can still win games because Ben Roethlisberger is just that good! We really need to be speaking of him in terms of one of the elite quarterbacks in the League: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, because maybe he doesn't put up their numbers but he finds ways to win. He's been doing it ever since his rookie season. Two Super Bowls rings to his credit and last night you saw it on display, his patience in the pocket, his resilience, his ability to bounce back and escape the rush, and his ability to find receivers all over the field. So Ben Roethlisberger, almost single-handedly, won that game for them." -- L.A. Times sports journalist J.A. Adande on ESPN's "Around the Horn" program.

And:

From the column of Sporting News NFL writer Clifton Brown:

In a happy Steelers locker room late Thursday night, Ben Roethlisberger yelled across the room to Hines Ward.

"I love you Hines," Roethlisberger said.

"I love you too, Ben," Ward said.

All the Steelers should love Roethlisberger. When he has the ball in game-winning situations, you expect Roethlisberger to make big plays. You cannot truly be a franchise quarterback unless you can move your team consistently when it matters most. Roethlisberger did that in Super Bowl 43.

And he did it again Thursday night, leading the Steelers to their 13-10 overtime victory over the Titans.

Roethlisberger (33-for-43, 363 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) and wide receiver Santonio Holmes (nine catches, 131 yards, one TD) picked up where they left off at the Super Bowl. And it was not easy, because the Titans played terrific defense, sacking Roethlisberger four times, and pressuring him many times more.

But the Steelers' two-minute drill was lethal, and Roethlisberger was the main reason. He hit Holmes with a 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 left in the first half. Then with 1:50 left in regulation, and the score tied 10-10, Roethlisberger marched the Steelers from their own 42 deep into Titans territory.

It looked like the game would end there. But after catching a Roethlisberger pass, Ward had the ball stripped from behind by Titans safety Michael Griffin at the 5-yard line. The fumble was recovered by Tennessee's Stephen Tulloch with just over a minute left in regulation. Instead of a looking at a game-winning field goal, now the Steelers were looking at overtime.

Not for long. The Steelers won the coin toss in overtime, and Roethlisberger led them down the field again. That is what he does. And that is a large reason why the Steelers have a legitimate chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

"When the rubber meets the road, he's at his best," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Roethlisberger. "In those moments, he sees it with great clarity."

To read Mr. Brown's complete column, click here.

September 11, 2009 - Always Remember!

Ben and the Steelers orchestrate another come-from-behind win: 13-10 over Titans

"I told coach [Tomlin] I didn't want to start this already. I struggled early, that's just jitters and excitement. I'm really proud of the way we bounced back." -- Ben during his post-game comments.

Game Summary:

Jeff Reed's 33-yard field goal split the uprights in overtime -- allowing Hines Ward to exhale -- and giving the defending Super Bowl-champion Pittsburgh Steelers a 13-10 victory over Tennessee in the season opener for both teams.

Without a ground game, Ben Roethlisberger worked in a no-huddle offense down the stretch in orchestrating his 18th come-from-behind victory since 2004, the most in the NFL during that stretch.

"I didn't want to start these fourth-quarter comebacks already. But a win is a win. And we will take it," said Roethlisberger.

Big Ben threw for 363 yards on 33-of-43 passing, with Santonio Holmes hauling in nine passes for 131 yards and Ward catching eight passes for 103 yards.

Despite the 100-plus-yard game, Ward made a mistake late in the fourth, as he fumbled at the Titans four-yard line when he could have fallen to the ground and allowed the team to attempt a chip shot field goal in the waning seconds.

However, Pittsburgh (1-0) regrouped in overtime, moving authoritatively down the field for the game-winner, set up by a 22-yard pass to rookie Mike Wallace. The final drive took four minutes, 32 seconds and 10 plays, moving the team 63 yards right into Reed's range.

Pittsburgh won without its normal rushing success, averaging just 1.6 yards per carry with 36 net yards on 23 attempts, and losing star safety Troy Polamalu to a second-quarter sprained MCL. The time frame for such an injury is 3-to-6 weeks, according to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, but more will be known in the coming days.

Willie Parker ran for just 19 yards, leaving Roethlisberger on an island, bobbing and weaving in fourth-quarter play reminiscent of his final drive to win Super Bowl XLIII. Heath Miller caught eight passes for 64 yards as the Steelers have won seven straight season openers.

Tennessee (0-1) saw its usually reliable kicker Rob Bironas miss a field goal and have another blocked in the loss. Kerry Collins threw for 244 yards with one touchdown and one interception, dropping his first game in four career games versus Pittsburgh. Chris Johnson ran for 57 yards, but 32 of those came on one play, and Justin Gage caught seven passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.

"We played the world champs. If we get some things corrected, we are doing to be a good football team," said Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.

A game with so little scoring featured so much action.

The first quarter saw Roethlisberger scramble into a 19-yard sack, taking the Steelers out of long field-goal range, and Polamalu grab an interception with one hand on a Collins deep ball intended for rookie wide out Kenny Britt.

The main star of the first quarter was Tennessee's defense, which held Pittsburgh to one total yard, while the main goat was Bironas, who missed badly wide right from 37 yards away.

The game finally picked up as each offense spread the field late in the first half. After Bironas' 31-yard boot was blocked by Aaron Smith, Roethlisberger navigated the Steelers on a five-play, 79-yard scoring drive culminated by the first touchdown of the 2009 NFL season.

Roethlisberger used the pump fake to perfection, freezing former Steeler safety Chris Hope on the drive's two big pass plays. The first was a 12-yard crossing route to Holmes, and after a four-yard swing pass to Mewelde Moore, Roethlisberger again held Hope with a pump fake and tossed a spiral to a streaking, and wide open, Holmes for a 34-yard score.

With Polamalu out -- and joined on the sideline by cramping linebacker Lamar Woodley -- Collins completed two long passes to tie the game. The first was 57-yard strike to Britt, and the second a basic 14-yard out-and-up route to Gage, as cornerback Ike Taylor was late rotating in the zone. Gage's score capped the first-half scoring with 48 seconds remaining.

The third-quarter was a battle of field position. Pittsburgh gained it early after recovering a Bo Scaife fumble. The tight end strained his left knee on the play and didn't return after catching five passes for 48 yards.

However, Tennessee flipped the field, and by the end of the period, the Steelers were backed up inside their own 20-yard line.

The Titans took advantage on their next drive as Britt hauled in a 15-yard pass then Gage worked the sidelines for 15 yards. The drive eventually stalled, but not before Bironas was true from 45 yards out for a 10-7 lead with 11:03 to play.

Pittsburgh then went into the no-huddle, spreading the field and leaving the game on Roethlisberger's right arm. The 12-play, 56-yard march late in the fourth took over eight minutes off the clock and included a 15-yard pass to Holmes on a 3rd-and-12.

Reed eventually kicked a 32-yarder that wasn't without drama. His plant foot gave out and his right foot struck the ground first, but the low line drive escaped any hands and sailed just over the cross bar.

Tennessee's next drive stalled, setting up what appeared to be Pittsburgh's game-winning march before Ward's fumble caused by Michael Griffin.

"We really wanted to try and utilize the guys inside," Roethlisberger said. "It wasn’t anything in particular we saw against [the Titans defense], it was just utilizing our weapons."

Titans defensive tackle William Hayes, who had four tackles and a half sack, also expressed frustration over Roethlisberger’s elusiveness.

"I thought we got great pressure on him all night, but some way he seemed to make a way out of no way," Hayes said. "We stuck to our gameplan, but it just didn’t fall our way."

To see photos from the game, click here.

To see video of Ben's post-game interview on the field, click here.

To see video highlights of Ben's play, click here.

To see a list of all the game highlights, click here.

(portions of the game summary from LA Times, Miami Herald and Titans Radio)

September 10, 2009

"Repeat rests with Roethlisberger"

Excerpts from an article written by ESPN's James Walker today:

According to Santonio Holmes, the Steelers are similar to a large black-and-gold locomotive seeking Miami as its final destination.

And the lead car of that train is Ben Roethlisberger.

"He’s the front man," Holmes said of his quarterback. "If he derails, the rest of the team is probably going to fall back."

Though a team consists of 53 players, the Steelers cannot -- and will not -- reach their ultimate goal of repeating as Super Bowl champions without a healthy No. 7.

"He’s definitely the most important [player] to our team," Pittsburgh tailback Willie Parker said. "He’s the centerpiece, and he’s the leader to our offense. He rallies the troops and always gets us ready to play. And he plays with tremendous heart, and that’s what a lot of people overlook."

Every year Roethlisberger is overlooked, and he effortlessly deflects questions about it with the same technique he swats would-be defenders in his latest television commercial.

"I picked them too," said Roethlisberger, when asked why the Patriots and San Diego Chargers are considered Super Bowl favorites.

Another reporter could barely finish a quarterback question before Roethlisberger interjected:

"Tom Brady," he said. "...or Drew Brees."

Is Roethlisberger worthy of a first-round fantasy pick?

"Nope," Roethlisberger said smiling. "I’m a sleeper this year."

You get the sense that somewhere deep within, Roethlisberger has a mental reserve where he keeps all of these nuggets as motivation. How else can you explain his instant success, from a quarterback at a mid-major college program to one of the NFL's winningest players in just five seasons?

But for as much credit as Brady gets for his three Super Bowl rings, no one seems to give Roethlisberger the same acclaim for being one behind the New England Patriots’ star quarterback. In fact, Roethlisberger, who was 26 last February, won his second Super Bowl at the same age Brady did.

"You look at the Bradys and the Peytons, and they’re huge with precision-routes, timing-routes and that type of stuff," Steelers left tackle Max Starks said. "But when Ben plays the game, sometimes it looks crazy with him moving all around the pocket. Some guys move defenders with their eyes or with formations. Ben moves them with his feet. He’s just a special quarterback."

To read the entire article, click here.

September 9, 2009

SI's QB Roundtable

If you haven't gotten the latest issue of SI (with regional QB cover boys Ben, Matt Ryan, Tony Romo, and Aaron Rodgers) yet....

Excerpts from the Peter King interview:

Peter King: What were they like? My impressions: Roethlisberger is as opinionated as a two-time Super Bowl champ should be. Palmer is thoughtful and honest. Romo is serious, smart and circumspect. Rodgers and Ryan are bright but were reserved, likely in deference to their more experienced colleagues.

On toughness...

Ben: I don't think toughness is when a quarterback says, "I'm going to run somebody over." Toughness is playing the worst game of your life but not backing down. You don't want to sit on the sideline. You want to stay in there and win. You know, down 21 points and the defense is getting through in every single way, and you throw three interceptions. Staying in that game, keeping your head up, trying to drive your team down the field when everything's going wrong—that's the kind of toughness I want in my quarterback.

On fear...

Ben: Even if I do ever feel anything like that, and I'm not saying I ever feel scared or nervous, I'll never show it. We can't. Not at our position. Everyone's looking at us.

On big moments or big games...

Ben: I love that. I want the ball. Our defense does some amazing things, but I want to have the ball, and that's the way I've always been playing sports.

On the last drive of the Super Bowl...

Ben: On that drive I ran out and thought, This is going to be really hard. Because we had kind of struggled late in that game. Not saying I definitely couldn't do it. I just knew it would be tough regardless. When I got in the huddle, I told the guys, "I don't have any speech. Just think of all the extra work we put in, all the extra film study we did together. It'll all be for nothing if we don't do this." Then we get a holding call on the first play, and it's going bad. But here's the thing about playing quarterback in this league: Even if you don't feel [confident], you have to show you feel it, so when your teammates are looking at you, they believe it.

On what you hate about the job...

Ben: The Bengals. [All laugh.] No. It's the scrutiny. We know the craziness of the fans. You know, we get too much credit when we win, too much blame when we lose. After a loss it can be tough. Living your life under a microscope. I mean every little thing. People don't treat you like a human. They don't think you eat normal food. They think you just float instead of walk. I'm a private person, so people always form a judgment when they meet me for 30 seconds or five minutes. And they never go tell 20 people when you're the greatest guy in the world. They go tell 20 people when you're the worst. So that scrutiny—people driving by your house to take pictures, people bothering you at dinner—that to me is the worst part.

On the one job you'd like to have if you weren't an NFL quarterback...

Ben: A relief pitcher, like Mariano Rivera, coming in every once in a while, making lots of money; or a fighter pilot, like Tom Cruise in Top Gun.

To read the entire interview featuring all the quarterbacks and more from Ben, click here.

September 6, 2009

Cap'n Ben

From Scott Brown in today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Hines Ward, inside linebacker James Farrior and kicker Jeff Reed will again serve as captains for the Steelers.

Also named as captains were outside linebacker James Harrison and inside linebacker Keyaron Fox.

The announcement was made today after practice.

September 2, 2009

Hey Good Lookin'!

From an article in the Wall Street Journal today:

Scientific research overwhelmingly points to facial symmetry as an indicator of success. Studies show infants with more symmetrical faces are given more attention. Symmetrical workers also tend to earn more.

Football is supposed to be egalitarian, of course. The players with the strongest and most accurate throwing arms should become the quarterbacks while the biggest, most powerful players should be linemen.

Somewhere along the way, it seems, good-looking kids are steered toward the glamour position. "Socially, we've been trained to think that the quarterback is the most beautiful person on the team," says Ursinus College Prof. VanGilder.

Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons is playing in only his second NFL season but he's already the league's top quarterback in at least one category: handsomeness.

According to researchers, his face is almost perfectly symmetrical—a trait that shows a strong correlation to a person's perceived attractiveness. While the average person's face is somewhere around 90% symmetrical, Mr. Ryan scored a 99.8%, which puts him in elite territory.

Professor Jennifer VanGilder and former student Lisle O'Neill, who conducted the study in conjunction with Southern Utah University economist David Berri, said Mr. Ryan isn't the only NFL signal-caller with a nicely balanced face. In fact, every starter in the league scored above 96%.

The Handsome Meter -

Here's a list of the top 10 best-looking QBs in the NFL, ranked by how symmetrical their faces are, by percentage:

Matt Ryan (ATL)-- 99.82%

Brett Favre (MIN) -- 99.78%

Aaron Rodgers (GB) -- 99.59%

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) -- 99.56%

Kerry Collins (TEN) -- 99.49%

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) -- 99.43%

Shaun Hill (SF) -- 99.35%

Tom Brady (NE) -- 99.14%

Philip Rivers (SD) -- 99.04%

Kurt Warner (ARZ) -- 98.98%

Wait...Ben only rates at 99.3%? So much for THAT research!! I hope the government didn't fund this! lol. Apparently football season can't start soon enough!

To read the rest, click here.

And speaking of our symmetrically handsome quarterback....

Ben on the cover of Sports Illustrated's NFL Preview Issue:

He is one of four regional cover boys for this week's SI, joining the Falcon's Matt Ryan, the Cowboy's Tony Romo, and the Packer's Aaron Rodgers.

Peter King interviewed Ben, Carson Palmer, Tony Romo, and Aaron Rodgers for the issue. A sample of the exchange between Ben and Carson Palmer:

Peter King: There must be some- body or some team you really hate. Fess up.

Carson: Since I've been in the league, the Steelers have been at the top of our divi sion. We just happen to be in the same division. You always want what you don?t have. You're always jealous because you all want the same thing. [Palmer turns to Roeth lisberger.] He's got two Super Bowl rings, and we all want one. You're jealous, you're envious, you want what they have. Ben, don?t take this the wrong way, but when the Steelers were in the playoffs, after I got hurt [against Pittsburgh in January 2006], I was watching in California, Jon Kitna was back in Cincinnati, and we were talking during every playoff game. It was like, 'I just can't watch. I can't believe they're winning.' And I'm just pissed off and mad, throwing bottles against the walls because [the Steelers] just kept going. It's nothing personal; it's about pride. Everybody at this table wants to win.

Ben: I don't hate anybody. I dislike certain teams because of their defense. I don't like playing the Ravens because they're so complicated, they do so many different things. They've got great players, and [safety] Ed Reed is back there. Everyone hates the Steelers because we're the Steelers.

Carson: No. We hate the Steelers because you're on top.

Peter King: What's the one job you'd like to have if you weren't an NFL quarterback?

Ben: A relief pitcher, like Mariano Rivera, coming in every once in a while, making lots of money; or a fighter pilot, like Tom Cruise in Top Gun.

The issue should be on news stands now!

August 31, 2009

"Big Ben's Big Arm..."

From an article in the Canadian Press today:

Throwing one perfectly timed pass after another during a long scoring drive, Ben Roethlisberger answered any questions about how ready he is to start the season.

He fired a 16-yard strike to Limas Sweed, followed by another perfect throw to Hines Ward. Then he waited for Heath Miller to get open and feathered an 18-yard completion to the tight end.

The 87-yard touchdown drive against Buffalo on Saturday looked routine: Roethlisberger was 5-of-7 passing for 74 yards.

Roethlisberger, it seems obvious, can't wait to start playing games that count.

He looks loose, he looks confident, he looks in charge.

His throwing arm? Never looked better.

"Overall, I'm really happy," Roethlisberger said after going 15-of-19 for 168 yards and leading two scoring drives during the first half of Pittsburgh's 17-0 victory over the Bills.

At first, much like it was with [Terry] Bradshaw, the Steelers won the Super Bowl with their quarterback along for the ride, relying on their running game, defense and trick plays to beat Seattle 21-10 in February 2006. Then they won a Super Bowl because of Roethlisberger and the clutch drive that ended with his TD throw to Santonio Holmes in the final minute of their 27-23 victory over Arizona nearly seven months ago.

To close friend Charlie Batch, Roethlisberger's backup, that win-or-else drive signaled the Steelers are truly Big Ben's team.

"Really, it all comes down to Ben growing in the offense and the offense being built around him," Batch said. "That's something when Bruce took over a couple of years, he sat down with Ben and said, 'What do you like? And based on what you like, I'm going to build an offense around you.'

"I think that's something that's really paid off. You can see in the '07 season that Ben kind of blossomed and everybody said, 'Hey, we didn't realize Ben could throw the ball like this.' He knew he can."

Roethlisberger hasn't hinted at what kind of season he expects, but he wants this to be the year the Steelers are known for having more than the NFL's No. 1 defense.

"We need to improve as a total offense. We're setting our goals high," he said. "We need to be better. We just can't rely on our defense to win every game for us."

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

Congratulations to Brett Keisel!

The Steelers have finalized a four-year contract extension with defensive tackle Brett Keisel (seen getting a hug from Ben before the start of Super Bowl XLIII).

The deal will keep him with the team through the 2013 season.

Keisel has started 42 games over the past three seasons in Pittsburgh and was entering the final year of his contract.

For more on Brett, click here.

For a larger version of the photo above, click here.

August 29-30, 2009

Big Ben and the Steelers beat Bills 17-0

"Meanwhile, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger showed why he has won two Super Bowl rings in the past four seasons. He hit 15 of 19 passes for 168 yards in the first half. He stymied Bills defenders with his ability to shrug off pass rushers. He had a passer rating of 103.5." -- Sportswriter Mark Gaughan, Buffalo Bills official site.

Post-Game Notes:

Ben Roethlisberger played a nearly flawless first half in his first game since injuring his right foot, James Farrior had a 22-yard interception for a touchdown and Buffalo's starting offense struggled yet again as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Bills 17-0 in a preseason game Saturday night.

Roethlisberger led two scoring drives while going 15 of 19 for 168 yards and 103.5 passer rating before sitting out the second half — showing why coach Mike Tomlin didn't seem all that worried when his quarterback bruised his foot during the final training camp practice on Aug 20. Roethlisberger didn't play in a 17-13 loss to Washington two days later.

Rashard Mendenhall, getting most of the carries with the starting offense with Willie Parker (hamstring) out, fumbled inside the Bills 30 on the Steelers' opening possession. Mendenhall came back to score from the 4 on a 13-play, 87-yard drive in which Roethlisberger looked regular season ready, finding Limas Sweed for 16 yards, Hines Ward for 19 and Heath Miller for 18.

The Steelers' regulars are expected to play only a series or two Thursday against Carolina, so Tomlin called this a dress rehearsal for the regular season. He stayed with the same practice and meeting schedule as during the season, and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians opened up the playbook more than usual for the preseason.

For more from the AP, click here.

For video highlights, click here.

For photos, click here.

August 29, 2009

"Best quarterback class ever?"

Trio from '04 makes its case over '83

From an article in Sports Illustrated by NFL Insider Don Banks:

For years now, it has been accepted gospel within the NFL that the celebrated 1983 first-round quarterback draft class is the best in league history, and with the three Hall of Fame careers of John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, how can anyone argue?

But this much is also now just as apparent: No crop of first-round quarterbacks has ever matched the start to the careers of the top three quarterbacks from the 2004 class: Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, who were selected first, fourth and eleventh that year.

In the first five years of their NFL careers, Manning, Rivers and Roethlisberger have accomplished the following:

- They've won three of the five Super Bowls that have occurred since they entered the league, with Pittsburgh's Roethlisberger earning rings in 2005 and 2008, and New York's Manning in 2007. New England's Tom Brady (2004) and Indy's Peyton Manning (2006) have won the other two. The Class of 2004 is 3-0 in Super Bowl appearances so far.

-- In the seasons in which they have been their team's fulltime starting quarterback (the past three seasons for Rivers, the past four for Manning, and all five for Roethlisberger), they have combined to make the playoffs 11 out of a possible 12 times, and led their clubs to division titles eight out of a possible 12 times.

-- They've been to a combined three Super Bowls, five conference title games (with all three qualifying at least once), and are a gaudy 15-8 (.652) as starters in the playoffs. All three have made one Pro Bowl trip each.

-- Roethlisberger is 8-2 in the playoffs, and 51-20 (.718) as a starter in the regular season. Rivers is 3-3 in the post-season, and 33-15 (.688) in the three regular seasons since taking over for Drew Brees in San Diego. And Manning is 4-3 as a playoff quarterback, with a 42-29 record (.592) in the regular season. He and Rivers are a combined 7-of-7 in terms of taking teams to the playoffs as fulltime starters. Roethlisberger is four of five in that department, missing only when the Steelers went 8-8 in 2006.

"I knew they were all off to good starts, but to be honest you startled me with those facts," said [retired Giants general manager] Accorsi, who drafted Rivers at No. 4 that year, but of course traded him to San Diego on draft day for the rights to Manning, the No. 1 pick. "That's overwhelming. As a quarterback in the NFL, it's about winning. That's their job. And to hear those numbers, you can't refute this is the best start ever for a class. This is unprecedented. All those guys from 1983 were great players, but only one guy (Elway) won a Super Bowl. I'm not going to predict Hall of Fame, but they're on the road, these guys. It's quite a remarkable thing, when you figure they went No. 1, 4 and 11."

Accorsi quickly reminded me that as the Colts general manager in 1983, he was the guy who picked Elway first overall, but later traded him to Denver when Elway refused to play in Baltimore. In 2004, the Giants had Manning rated the highest, but they also loved Roethlisberger and considered trading back to No. 6 Cleveland and taking Big Ben there. At least until they got wind that the Browns loved him too and would likely take him in the Giants' No. 4 slot if a deal was made.

"We liked all three of them," Accorsi said. "We wanted to try and get Eli, but we would have been happy with any of them. We were very clear that we were picking a quarterback that year, because my philosophy was that it was a quarterback year, and you better get one when you can. You don't get many chances.

"I really believe this is just the beginning. Anything can happen, but all three of these guys are going to win more. I see more championships coming. They're all with good teams, and they're young and getting better. It's a remarkable achievement, winning all those games and division titles and championships already. But I think there's a lot more to come."

Take the time to read the entire article here.

*Thanks to Jan for the "heads-up"!

August 26, 2009

Ben talks to the media...

"It was a total accident," Roethlisberger said of last week’s collision with left tackle Max Starks. "It was a pretty scary thing to have a three–hundred-and-(cough)-heavy-pound guy step right on the back of your foot, on your Achilles. And he went down, too, so you know he didn't just graze it. We both went down. Everyone thought they heard a pop, too, so we didn’t know what happened, but luckily it was a bruise and it’s coming along. It’s not a hundred percent, but it's coming."

On Wednesday, Roethlisberger again participated in drills at the South Side. The Steelers are hoping he can get a sizeable tune-up for the season at Heinz Field on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills in the third preseason game.

That's the game in which coaches best like to simulate a regular-season game.

"We try to make it as close as we can," Roethlisberger said. "We do the game-planning a little bit. We have scouting reports. We try to simulate it as best we can. I think a lot of us will get a lot of playing time, a half or so, but we do go into this more like a regular game."

Will Roethlisberger play a half?

"Whatever feels comfortable," he said. "It's kind of hard to say now. I think it's more along the lines of how you feel when you're out there. We'll see how the flow of the game goes."

For more of Ben's interview, click here.

To watch the video, click here.

August 25, 2009

Ben back at practice today...

Ben returned to practice Tuesday after missing the team's second preseason game against the Washington Redskins with a foot injury.

According to the Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette, "Coach Mike Tomlin, though, has said Roethlisberger should be okay and he looked every bit of that as the Steelers began their first practice on Pittsburgh's South Side after breaking training camp last week."

The Steelers will host Buffalo on Saturday night at Heinz Field.

August 23, 2009

Hines Ward: "This ain't fantasy football!"

From Joe Starkey's column today in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review entitled, "Big Ben is one of a kind":

Philip Rivers?

I'm still reeling from my recent radio interview with Aaron Schatz of profootballoutsiders.com. The topic was NFL quarterbacks. Schatz said the top four are Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Rivers, and that Ben Roethlisberger doesn't belong in the conversation.

Wow.

If someone as knowledgeable and respected as Schatz — his Football Outsiders Almanac is a must-read — doesn't include Roethlisberger in that conversation, you have to wonder how many others fail to comprehend Roethlisberger's greatness.

How is this possible, five years into such a decorated career?

If you polled the 32 defensive coordinators and asked who would cause them more sleepless hours — Rivers or Roethlisberger — I'd be doubly stunned if two said Rivers.

Roethlisberger isn't merely great. He has "changed the position," as teammate Charlie Batch puts it. We're talking about a 6-foot-5, 241-pound mammoth with a cannon arm, an uncanny ability to extend plays with his feet and a flair for the biggest moments.

There has never been anyone quite like him.

I'm not saying Roethlisberger already is an all-time great. It's too early for that. I am saying that his first five years were historically successful and that he is a unique player for his position.

Those who undervalue Roethlisberger invariably point to his alleged lack of gaudy statistics. Here's the thing: He has gaudy statistics, even after an injury-plagued season in which he threw for 17 TDs and 15 interceptions.

It depends on which stats you emphasize, and as Steelers receiver Hines Ward says: "This ain't fantasy football."

Roethlisberger owns the seventh-best passer rating in NFL history (89.43), the most wins (51) through five seasons since 1950 and the second-best winning percentage (.728), including playoffs, among active quarterbacks. Brady is first at .789.

Roethlisberger's postseason record is 8-2, third in NFL history (10 or more games) behind Brady (14-3) and Bart Starr (9-1).

Manning is 7-8, Rivers 3-3.

And yes, he has two Super Bowl rings.

The issue really boils down to this: If I had to put what's left of my 401(k) on one active quarterback coming through in the final minutes of a big game, I'd have to think long and hard between Brady and Roethlisberger.

Philip Rivers wouldn't cross my mind.

To read Mr. Starkey's complete column, click here.

Also, to see a few photos from last night's game, click here.

August 22, 2009

No Worries!

Big Ben traveled with the team to Washington DC, further proof that his foot injury is not serious!

Ben is not expected to play tonight against the Redskins in pre-season action. He was hurt Thursday during the team's final practice.

Both Ben and Coach Tomlin have declined to discuss the injury.

August 20, 2009

GQ Photo Shoot Video

Ben will be featured in the September, 2009 issue of GQ Magazine (see August 18th news below) and while you wait for the new issue...

You can view a video here of the "Behind the Scenes" photo shoot from WPXI.

You can also check out a few screen captures here.

*Thank you to Trish!

August 19, 2009

"Big Ben Bests Shaq"

From WTAE this afternoon:

There's a good reason why No. 7 is so good. When all was said and done, and Shaq took on Ben, Roethlisberger's skills were superior. But according to Ben, the outcome wasn't completely in his control.

"Shaq said he's got the final edit. So, he's going to edit some stuff out," Roethlisberger said.

But Shaq didn't have the heart to edit out Ben's 21-14 victory.

If you missed Shaq's matchup with Ben, catch it again next Tuesday at 8 p.m. The episode airs on WTAE before a new episode where Shaq goes up against beach volley boll champs Misty Mae-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

To read the rest, click here.

To see a video of Ben's appearance from WTAE, click here.

Photos are here, screen captures are here.

Speaking of Big Ben...

"Ben takes somewhat of a beating because of the way he plays the game. He plays to win and he doesn't back off on certain plays. He's trying to kill people on every play and he puts himself in harm's way because of it, but he also creates a bunch of plays in how he plays the game. I don't equate what happened with him with what happened with the running game. He got sacked just as much in 2007 when we were third in the league in rushing." -- Coach Tomlin in an article on Yahoo Sports tonight.

"You never want to see your quarterback get hit, especially when it's a guy who's so important to this team like Ben. Collectively, we can help that. Me, Willie, Mewelde, the offensive line." -- RB Rashard Mendenhall, from the same article.

August 18, 2009 (*see update below)

Doing my part to "shout it from the rooftops"

And so is the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette:

The right arm of Ben Roethlisberger feels so good the quarterback wants everyone to shout it from the rooftops.

The Steelers quarterback asked the media after practice today to spread the word.

"You guys made such a big deal about my arm being sore like, the first three days of practice that, hopefully, you guys will start writing that my arm's looking better.

"It feels good," he said after a long afternoon of passing drills. "Today, the red zone period, 7 on 7, we completed every pass. I think we completed all but one in the team red zone, so it's really starting to come along ... It just took about a week; that's kind of what we anticipated."

To read Mr. Bouchette's complete update, click here.

Also Today:

Ben in GQ Magazine's September issue -

Ben sat down with GQ Magazine correspondent Jeanne Marie Laskas for an interview entitled, "THE GOAL IS FIVE RINGS".

As the questions tried to get personal, Roethlisberger, for the most part, kept it professional as he has been known to do with the media and with the fans.

"It's just my nature. I'm kind of a reserved person. Some people take that as me being too cocky, like I think I'm too good. No, that's just me being a quiet person. Once you get to know me, you realize I'm still the goofball big kid," Roethlisberger said.

At 27, Ben already has two Super Bowl rings and a $100 million contract with the most storied franchise in football. We know about his incredible success on the football field, but many fans want to know more about his character and his personal life.

"I've tried to stay out of the limelight. I'm not trying to draw attention to myself, because that's not who I am. I think that's why I stay in Pittsburgh. Because Pittsburgh fans respect that. The blue-collar thing. Like I'm not trying to be in movies. To me what's important is winning. Playing football. Winning championships. Winning," said Ben.

Laskas asked Ben if he has already achieved all of his goals.

"I haven't done it all. I want to win more than anyone else has ever won. The most a quarterback's had is four, so my goal is five," he said.

To read the interview, click here.

And don't forget...

Ben will guest-star in the premiere of "Shaq Vs." tonight at 9 p.m. on ABC!

*To see a few screen caps, click here.

August 17, 2009

Ben: "I'm just going to try to be me..."

Excerpts from an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review today written by Scott Brown:

The specter of what Terry Bradshaw accomplished in Pittsburgh has hung over Ben Roethlisberger after he became the first quarterback the Steelers used a top draft pick on since Mark Malone in 1980.

What Roethlisberger has done as deftly as he sidesteps an opposing pass rusher is embrace the challenge of Bradshaw's legacy and not get overwhelmed by it.

"They were big shoes when I first got here, and I'm still not going to try and fill them," Roethlisberger said Sunday. "I'm just going to try to be me because he is the all-time Steelers quarterback. I'm not saying I'm the next Terry Bradshaw, because he is one of a kind."

Roethlisberger is proving to be an original as well.

He is the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl. And at age 27 and just entering the prime of his career, Roethlisberger is poised to take aim at the record Bradshaw shares with Joe Montana for most Super Bowl victories (four).

In five seasons, Roethlisberger has engineered 17 fourth-quarter comeback victories, including in the Super Bowl last February.

"It's a dream come true," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said of coaching Roethlisberger. "You want to be a coordinator when you have a quarterback who can play like this one and (be) the leader he is. I've been in this situation with guys who didn't have this much talent, and it's hard. If you don't have a quarterback, you're not going to win in this league."

Roethlisberger, whose 51 wins in his first five seasons are the most in NFL history, has been using training camp to play his way into shape. The 6-foot-5, 241-pounder said his arm strength is where it needs to be following an offseason in which he did very little throwing.

"I'm always trying to get better," Roethlisberger said. "For me, it's just learning the offense, learning what plays work with certain defenses."

To read the complete article/interview, click here.

Also Today:

The Steelers #7 is #2 in 2009....in jersey sales!

From USA Today:

The trade that sent Jay Cutler from Denver to Chicago has made the Bears QB's jersey the most popular one sold by the NFL in the past four months.

The league sold more Cutler jerseys than any other player's from April 1-Aug. 7. Following behind Cutler were two members of the Super Bowl-winning Steelers, QB Ben Roethlisberger and S Troy Polamalu.

August 16, 2009

Reminder: Ben's appearance on the premiere of "Shaq Vs" is this Tuesday

Don't forget...

"Shaq Vs.", a new reality show will premiere on ABC this Tuesday, August 18th at 9 p.m.

The series will feature Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal stepping out of his comfort zone of basketball and challenging other high-profile athletes in competitions in their sports.

The first show will feature Shaq in a visit to Ben's home and then on to a challenge against him on the football field.

This particular competition worked off a 7-on-7 football premise: a skeleton passing formation with receivers and backs with Ben quarterbacking one team, and Shaq quarterbacking the other.

A handicapping system was worked out between the two-time Super Bowl winner and Shaq to make the competition more balanced.

The series will also include Shaq challenging Olympic champion Michael Phelps in swimming, Wimbledon champion Serena Williams in tennis, Oscar de la Hoya in boxing, St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols in baseball, and two-time Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor in beach volleyball.

For more on Shaq's challenge of Big Ben, see the July 25th news below...

August 14, 2009 - Afternoon Update

"Big Ben helps Beny"

From the Valley Independent this afternoon:

The city's K-9 unit received a grant this week from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.

The Foundation donated $8,000 to the Ringgold Rams Booster Club on behalf of the city.

The money will fund care and maintenance of Beny, the city's police dog. Monongahela police Officer Larry Maraldo and dog handler sought the grant, according to Mayor Bob Kepics. Maraldo has completed special training in the use of the patrol dog and will make Beny available for investigations in the local area.

The grant was made through the Ringgold Rams Booster Club to the city because the grants are made through nonprofit agencies.

"We are proud to be able to assist Ben Roethlisberger in accomplishing his goals while simultaneously benefiting the Ringgold School District," said Don Devore, treasurer of the Ringgold Rams Booster Club.

"Ben and Beny will now become honorary members of the Rams Club."

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

"Ravens focused on solving Steelers, Big Ben"

Excerpts from the column of ESPN's Sal Paolantonio:

You can't blame the Ravens for being a little obsessed with the world champion Steelers -- after all, Baltimore lost all three games to Pittsburgh in 2008.

So, it's no surprise that when you ask the Ravens venerable general manager, Ozzie Newsome, what it will take to beat the Steelers this season, he has two quick responses: "Get No. 7 down," and "Be better in the passing game."

"We've got to be more consistent in the passing game, move the chains, control the tempo on offense with balance," said Newsome.

Newsome said that won't matter if the Ravens defense, which finished second in the league to Pittsburgh last season, does not do a better job of sacking Roethlisberger.

"We've got to get No. 7 on the ground," said Newsome, without missing a beat. "We get clean shots at him, but we're not getting him down. I remember we used to have trouble getting to Steve McNair and bringing him down. But Roethlisberger is much tougher. His movement out of the pocket, his ability to throw on the run is what killed us."

In all three games against the Ravens last season, using his creativity to stay alive in the pocket, Roethlisberger hit Holmes with killer touchdown passes that proved to be the margin of difference between the play of the two quarterbacks, and the score.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh insisted that his training camp was focused on many things, but he did admit to this: The Ravens' defense is learning to make sure the quarterback goes down. "We are working here a lot on the scramble drill," said Harbaugh. In other words, when the opposing quarterback starts to move out of the pocket, the defense has certain rules of engagement: engage and, hopefully bring down.

To read the entire article, click here.

August 14, 2009

Pre-Season Game 1

Steelers 20, Cardinals 10

The Steelers and the Cardinals went with their starters for two series, and both starting groups left with the game scoreless.

Ben completed 4 of the 6 passes he attempted for 33 yards. Charlie Batch was 1 of 2 for 45 yards, and both veterans were done before the end of the first half.

"Overall, without looking at film, I think it was OK," Ben said. "I think we had a couple plays with a few breakdowns, but it just felt good to go against someone other than your own guys."

Neither team scored a touchdown until rookie Joe Burnett intercepted a pass by third-teamer Brian St. Pierre, a former Steelers backup, and returned it to the Arizona 3 to end the third quarter. Issac Redman scored on the next play, and scored on a 5-yard run about 7 minutes later to end an 80-yard drive led by No. 3 quarterback Dennis Dixon.

From Ron Cook's column this morning in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

In some ways, it was as if last season never ended.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked to be in midseason form when he shook off defensive end Calais Campbell and turned a safety into a 3-yard gain.

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who sacked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner twice in Super Bowl XLIII, tormented him again with a sack to end an early drive. Linebacker James Harrison didn't get a sack, but was all over backup quarterback Matt Leinart enough to scare the heck out of him and force an incompletion that ended another drive.

Did I mention there were no key injuries?

To read his column, click here.

To see video highlight's from the game, click here.

To see photos from the game, click here.

August 11, 2009

Big Ben, the NFL King of Comebacks?

From an article by J.J. Cooper at NFL Fanhouse:

Ben Roethlisberger has been pretty masterful at coming from behind during his short career, but how good has he been. The answer is very good. He's only five seasons into his career, but right now Ben Roethlisberger is on pace to outdo Elway and Marino.

Only five seasons into his career, Roethlisberger already has 15 come-from-behind fourth-quarter victories -- as many as "Captain Comeback" Roger Staubach, including of course his most famous comeback last January in the Super Bowl. Elway played 15 seasons and Marino played 17 seasons. If Roethlisberger plays as long as Elway did, he's on pace for 45 fourth quarter come-from-behind victories. Peyton Manning could have topped Marino by then; he has 28 in 11 seasons, so the record is in his sights.

To give you a better idea of how remarkable Roethlisberger is at authoring comebacks, he had six in his rookie season. Chad Pennington, a relatively solid quarterback with a nine-year career, has seven. Roethlisberger has only one Pro Bowl appearance right now, but with two Super Bowl rings, he's already edging towards Hall of Fame status. There are 10 quarterbacks who have won two or more Super Bowls. Seven of them are in the Hall of Fame and two (Roethlisberger and Tom Brady) are not eligible yet. But if Roethlisberger can land the comeback "record" as well, it will just add to his Hall of Fame chances.

To read the rest, click here.

Also Today:

From an ESPN Press Release:

ESPN will kick off its Monday Night Football Exhibition Season schedule with a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers host wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 8 p.m. ET.

Jon Gruden will make his debut in the MNF booth alongside play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski in the first of four ESPN MNF exhibition games in August. Reporter Suzy Kolber will also be in Pittsburgh as the two teams take the field for the first time since Santonio Holmes caught the game-winning touchdown pass with 35 seconds to play and the Steelers defeated the Cardinals 27-23 for their sixth title in franchise history.

The Cardinals-Steelers matchup will be preceded by a one-hour Monday Night Countdown (7 p.m.) hosted by Chris Berman with analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen, whose three-week NFL training camp bus tour will make a one-day visit Thursday to the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac about Thursday's game:

Coach Mike Tomlin said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the other starters will probably only play a "couple series" Thursday night when the Steelers open their preseason against the Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field.

To read the rest, click here.

From Ralph Vacchiano in an article for Athlon Sports today:

"NFL: The league's top five quarterbacks"

1. Tom Brady, Patriots

2. Peyton Manning, Colts

3. Drew Brees, Saints

4. Eli Manning, Giants

5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers :

His remarkable rookie year, when he won 14 straight games before finally losing for the first time in the AFC Championship Game, was impressive, but probably a product of managing the game behind an outstanding team. Ditto for the Super Bowl he won a year later, despite his own hideous performance in the final game (9-for-21, 123 yards, two interceptions).

He broke out of his shell, though, two years ago when he threw 32 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. And while he fell back statistically last year, he took another step forward by leading the Steelers through a bruising schedule all the way to Super Bowl XLIII.

His performance there will be recalled someday when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame. (Don't laugh. Every retired quarterback with two Super Bowl rings but one has been inducted.) He went 21-of-30 for 256 yards and saved his lone touchdown pass for the end, connecting with Santonio Holmes with 42 seconds remaining. It was a brilliant catch, but give Roethlisberger credit for escaping trouble several times on that drive and giving Holmes a chance to catch it.

That's what Roethlisberger does. He makes plays. It isn't always pretty, but it doesn’t have to be.

To read the rest, click here.

(photo above from his 2006 Athlon NFL Preview cover appearance).

And, an update from Training Camp...

From Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.com:

Roethlisberger threw the ball particularly well in the third-down scrimmage in which Coach Mike Tomlin put the offense back inside its own 10-yard line with mainly four-receiver formations.

Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon were also perfect in the drill as all 11 passes were caught. Dixon did hand off on one of the 12 snaps as he and the motioning wide receiver faked an option the other way.

Roethlisberger remained sharp throughout the rest of the drills. Two drops by Heath Miller and an errant throw on the final play of practice were the quarterback’s only incompletions of the day.

"I thought the execution was pretty impressive this afternoon," said Tomlin. "We're really pleased with the quality of execution. It needs to be moving in that direction as we enter our second week of training camp and push forward for a game on Thursday night."

To read Mr. Wexell's full report, click here.

August 9, 2009

"Great QB debate: Bradshaw vs. Big Ben"

Another interesting piece from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gene Collier this morning:

"This is one of those things you might be thinking but generally don't express, as it carries with it an evident blasphemous component. It did not occur to me explicitly, but when it appeared in print from a reliably eloquent, consistently insightful correspondent, one Gordon Bloom, it looked an awful lot like the truth.

"Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than was Terry Bradshaw."

...And with that said, click here to read the rest of Mr. Collier's column to find out why!

August 8, 2009

"There's no simplifying genius."

Excerpts from Gene Collier's column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

In today's game, most on-field espionage is completed in the second or the first few after the snap. It's then that schemes often break down and instantaneous alterations are made.

"The ability to adjust away from the scheme," said Steelers personnel chief Kevin Colbert, "is often the difference between being a good player and a great player. The perfect example is our quarterback."

Roethlisberger's improvisational gifts have been tirelessly documented, and while that part of his game has never gone underappreciated inside or outside of pro personnel offices, it's Big Ben's ability to flash through his usual progressions is what sends the game's top minds into reverent testimony.

The most conspicuous example remains -- and could for a long time -- his Super Bowl snatching arrow to Santonio Holmes at the only spot he could have delivered it Feb. 1, 2009.

"We were anticipating a blitz," Arians said. "There was play action and we were in blitz protection, and his progressions were flat, curl, corner, and the tight end dragging across the backside. He pump-faked on the curl and they jumped it, then he put it over the top to 'Tone. Unbelievable. Defensive backs are coached to watch the quarterback's eyes, and when he cocks his arm, they're supposed to break on the ball.

"So Ben knows you can use your arm and your eyes to get people open."

In a game where simple things still matter, there's no simplifying genius.

To read Mr. Collier's full column, click here.

August 4-5, 2009 (Updated Wednesday*)

Tuesday on ESPN's E:60 - "The Big 33"

The Big 33 Football Classic will be at the center of a segment Tuesday, August 4th on ESPN. The annual summer football game for recent high school graduate standouts will be focused on during the show E:60, which airs at 7 p.m.

For the piece, ESPN had a crew film over 30 hours of the week-long Big 33 experience this past June. Former athletes to play in the Big 33 that will be part of the piece include Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Dorsett, Ricky Watters, Kyle Brady and Jon Ritchie.

*To see a few screen caps from the show, click here.

August 3-4, 2009

Training Camp, 2009

"Hey everyone! Erin posted more pictures!"

But first, an update from Latrobe:

Ben Roethlisberger is having no trouble with the two-a-day practices at the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp. His throwing arm is.

Roethlisberger missed some deep throws he felt he should have completed Monday, then said his head is ahead of his right arm three days into camp.

The quarterback said it usually takes him the first week of training camp before his right arm is where it should be.

"I don't throw a lot before I come into this for that reason, I don't want to get worn down late in the year,'' Roethlisberger said. "It just takes a couple of days to get into it. I hope by Wednesday I'll be getting better and by the weekend I'll be in pretty good form."

You can check out the latest pics here.

*News excerpts from the Dayton Daily News and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. To read more, just click on the links.

August 1-2, 2009

"This is what I do, it’s football."

Excerpts from Teresa Varley's article on Steelers.com:

The Steelers held their first practice of training camp on Saturday morning and afterwards quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made it clear that his focus is on one thing and one thing only, football.

"I'm playing football,” said Roethlisberger. "It's what I love being out here doing."

It was the first time back on the field for the Steelers since the end of coaching sessions in mid-June and it was a welcome return.

"I feel good," said Roethlisberger. "The arm is going to be sore this afternoon but it was good, it was fun. It's good to get out here with the guys again and see some of the rookies in pads and see how they play."

Roethlisberger is happy to have tight end Heath Miller under contract through the 2014 season.

"I am really glad," said Roethlisberger. "When Heath first got here I told him I think we are going to be here together for a long time and we are. To me Heath does not get even close to the credit he deserves. He is one of the best, if not the best, all-around tight ends in the game. He doesn’t get that credit because he doesn’t put up the big numbers. If you ask anybody that goes against him or anybody on this team, anybody that knows tight ends they will tell you how good he is.

"He was very deserving of what he got. I am glad he is gong to be with me for a long time. He is a pretty good player."

To read Ms. Varley's complete article and interview with Ben, click here.

To check out a few photos from this weekend's start to training camp, click here (I'll add 'em as I find 'em).

July 31, 2009

Lookin' For New Photos?

None from training camp yet, but...

You can check out WPXI's "behind the scenes" slideshow from the taping of Shaquille O'Neil's new reality show that took place last week. Shaq challenged Ben (and lost!) to a 7-on-7 non-contact passing competition, which was the first in his new series that will air on ABC next month.

To see the slideshow, click here.

*Thanks Trish!

July 25, 2009

Fans Pack The Stands

With close to 5,000 fans watching Friday night at Moe Rubenstein Stadium, the Steelers’ star quarterback led his team to a 21-14 win against a team that lined up the 7-foot-1 NBA center at QB.

Big Ben arrived about 6 p.m., and was greeted with a roar from the crowd that had already gathered, as he walked toward the locker room wearing a black T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. He was listening to some music on his earphones. A line of fans cheered and clapped for him, and many wanted autographs.

By the time the gates opened, much later than advertised, Shaq had left the field after warming up, leaving the field for Ben, who played catch with fans in the bleachers for about 20 minutes before the taping began.

People clad in Steelers gear, some chanting, "Here we go, Steelers, here we go!" added to the anticipation.

Finally, at 9:15 p.m., the game was on!

Ben was introduced to the expected loud cheers, and Shaq, wearing a gold No. 8 jersey (the same color as his alma mater, LSU), was also greeted with a loud cheers from the crowd.

But by the end of the taping, Shaquille O’Neal was already 0-1 on his new TV reality show. He was no match for Ben Roethlisberger when it comes to throwing a football.

"Ben, you got lucky,"Shaq said after a 7-on-7 non-contact passing competition against Ben for "Shaq Vs," a one-hour reality show that premieres Aug. 18 on ABC.

"I let you win, Ben. I let you win. Coach Tomlin threatened me before the game."

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and his family did watch from the sideline. Like most fans in attendance, Tomlin got several chuckles out of the hour-and-a-half production that was more show than actual competition.

While the other players, members of the Pittsburgh Colts semi-pro team, wore full pads, neither Ben nor Shaq wore pads or a helmet in the 7 on 7 passing scrimmage format.

A handicapping system was agreed upon that required Ben's team to go 40 yards for a touchdown while Shaq's needed to travel only 20.

Shaq threw a touchdown from 20 yards on his third snap.

Ben, looking as if he could have thrown a touchdown just about every time he dropped back if he really wanted to, also looked like he was taking it easy on Shaq, only tossing three touchdowns to the two scores by the show's star.

Last night's taping will air Aug. 18 on ABC.

To see a couple of photos, click here.

Excerpts taken from the Beaver County Times, the AP, the Post Gazette and the Tribune-Review.

Have you seen...

Ben's commercial for Dick's Sporting Goods yet?

Ben helps a young customer with a purchase decision for the Nike Air Marauder D.

I have some "not so great" screen captures here (too much action = fuzzy screen caps).

You can check out the video of the commericial here.

...And you can check out the D's at Dick's Sporting Goods here.

July 22, 2009

More on The Shaq Challenge...

On Friday, Ambridge's Moe Rubenstein Stadium will be the site of a taping of "Shaq Vs.," a new reality show which will premiere on ABC on August 18th at 9 p.m.

The series will feature Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal stepping out of his comfort zone of basketball and challenging other high-profile athletes in competitions in their sports.

The first show will feature Shaq in a challenge against Big Ben on the football field.

This particular competition will work off a 7-on-7 football premise: a skeleton passing formation with receivers and backs with Ben quarterbacking one team, and Shaq quarterbacking the other.

A handicapping system will be worked out between the two-time Super Bowl winner and Shaq to make the competition more balanced.

According to producer Will Staeger, senior vice president of Dick Clark Productions, "Part of the fun of the show will be seeing what Ben and Shaq decide on what is a fair challenge. The overall format will be much like a heavyweight bout. You will see the lead-up, some verbal banter back and forth, and then the competition. It is a whole experience and interaction between the athletes leading up to the event, not just the event, that will have people interested."

The series will also include Shaq challenging Olympic champion Michael Phelps in swimming, Wimbledon champion Serena Williams in tennis, Oscar de la Hoya in boxing, St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols in baseball, and two-time Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor in beach volleyball.

Again, Friday's game is free and open to the public but attendance is limited to about 7,500 fans. Gates will open at 5 p.m., and taping is scheduled to start about 6 p.m.

If you do attend, remember: no cameras or cell phones will be allowed.

Also Today:

Ben on NFL Network...

NFL Network caught up with Ben last weekend to talk about the upcoming season and about winning his second Super Bowl -

While Super Bowl XLIII is arguably the greatest Super Bowl played, the thing most people talk about is the winning drive and the pass to Santonio Holmes. Roethlisberger says it is something he has dreamed about since he was a kid.

"It's one of those ones you almost wish it was your 15th year and you can retire on it. Just because its something that you you dream about, that's not just a drive to win a football game, that it's a drive was to win the Super Bowl. To end it that way was amazing.

"Say we got to the one yard line and Willie Parker ran it in, it would have been the same. It would have been a great play and unbelievable that we won the game. great we won the game, But as a quarterback to throw that pass and win that game, that's something you've been dreaming about since you were a kid in the backyard as Joe Montana."

Ben also talked about how he disappointed he was in his performance in Super Bowl XL and how it hurt that he almost lost it for his guys.

"It's the natural maturation of being from year two to five,, being the captain,and more vocal. The first time I was so overwhelmed being my second year and being in the Super Bowl. This year I was able to enjoy it and it showed."

Asked about the difference between this off-season and the last Super Bowl off-season, Ben said, "It's been a lot different. The nice thing for me and for a lot of the guys is we've been there before. The last time, my third year, we were going into it like we were going to repeat.

"This time we are going into it like it's another season, It's 'go play one game at a time.' There's going to be other teams gunning for us, So I think the mindset of the guys who have been here before has really changed, and it is more laid back. It's 'lets take it easy and win some football games.'"

July 18, 2009

Shaq Challenges Big Ben!

From the Beaver County Times this morning:

Shaquille O’Neal has challenged Ben Roethlisberger to a game of football.

And local sports fans can see the action up-close in Ambridge.

As part of his new reality TV show, “The Shaq Show,” basketball star O’Neal will be at Ambridge Area High School’s Moe Rubenstein Stadium from July 22 to 24. The 7-foot-1 center will get a crash course in quarterbacking, working with the Pittsburgh Colts semi-pro team.

The Wednesday and Thursday practices will be closed to the public, said Randy Cosgrove, athletic director for Ambridge Area. But everyone’s invited to Friday’s 6 p.m. showdown (gates will open at 5 p.m.), in which O’Neal will take turns with Pittsburgh Steelers star Roethlisberger, seeing who does a better job of running the Colts’ offense. Another semi-pro team might be added, too.

“We encourage thousands and thousands of people to show up,” Cosgrove said, adding that the refurbished stadium’s new parking lot off Duss Avenue will be open.

Donations taken at the gate will benefit the Ambridge Quarterback Club and a campaign to buy rings for the state champion Ambridge Area High School boys volleyball team.

Producers of “The Shaq Show” got in touch with Cosgrove through his work as a public address announcer at Heinz Field.

Initially, the show hoped to have O’Neal and Roethlisberger quarterbacking different high school teams. Ambridge and Aliquippa would have been the logical choice, Cosgrove said, but the PIAA nixed the idea. State scholastic football rules forbid teams from competing in uniform before Aug. 15.

And producers of the show wanted to film before Roethlisberger goes to Latrobe for the Steelers’ training camp later this month. So, Cosgrove suggested they use the Colts.

As a precaution for O’Neal and Roethlisberger’s sake, there will be a no-hitting-the-quarterback rule in place for the contest, Cosgrove said.

*If you attend the taping of the show, be advised that cameras and cell phones will not be allowed.

To read the article, click here.

July 17, 2009

Ben On The Cover...

of USA TODAY's USA Weekend magazine, which is available today wherever newspapers are sold.

From the article -

Our USA WEEKEND Magazine cover guys will be [at the ESPY Awards - airing Sunday, July 19th at 9 p.m. on ESPN]: actor Samuel L. Jackson, who's hosting the show for the fourth time, and Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jackson confesses that the show strikes at a primary -- even childlike -- source of joy for him. "When I'm at the ESPYs, the little kid in me who grew up watching sports in Tennessee comes out," he says, taking a break during our cover shoot. "We actors think they're something special, and the sports stars think that the actors are something special. Behind the scenes, you'll hear the top athletes in the world tell an actor, 'I could never do what you do.'

Then you hear an actor tell an athlete the very same thing. It's weird and funny and surreal all at the same time."

Roethlisberger has gone to great lengths to attend the show in the past. He appeared as a surprise guest after suffering serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in 2006. Now, he's returning as a two-time Super Bowl winner. "Sports guys like me get excited about this because many of us are huge movie fans," he says. "When I met Sam the first time, it was great because I know I must have seen 20 of his movies."

From the interview:

Jackson on whether they've golfed together: We've always wanted to. But we just never have gotten together. We did have a near-miss opportunity recently. Ben played in the U.S. Open Challenge. But I couldn't play because I had already committed to another tournament. So Ben played there with Justin Timberlake instead. That J.T. gets all the love!

Roethlisberger on whether he has ever acted: I never have -- unless you count that Disney ad I did after the Super Bowl. But that's not really acting. What Sam does is acting.

Jackson on their common job demands: Both jobs are about preparation. I read my scripts over and over, trying to understand my character. It's the same for Ben. He studies his playbook and practices until the entire complicated process becomes instinctive to him. In the end, we both go out there and perform acts that look spontaneous, as if they're happening for the first time.

To read the entire cover feature, click here.

Also Today:

"Big Ben's Championship Offseason"

To check out Ben's interview on ESPN's Sports Center, click here.

*Thanks to Jan for the heads-up on both of today's updates!

Just a note: Due to scheduled maintenance on my computer this weekend, there will be no news/updates posted until Monday!

July 15-16, 2009

New Photos...

Ben attended the ESPY Awards this evening at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, which will air on Sunday, July 19th at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN. The Steelers won two awards, "Best Game" for Super Bowl XLIII, and "Best Play" for the Ben Roethlisberger-to-Santonio Holmes last-minute touchdown catch.

On Tuesday night, Ben attended the 17th Annual ESPY Awards Celebration Of Champions at J Bar in Los Angeles.

To see photos, click here.

He also played in the ESPY Awards Golf Tournament held at the Industry Hills Golf Club in Industry, California on Tuesday afternoon.

To see a couple of photos from the Tournament, click here.

Hopefully, there will be photos from the American Century Golf Tournament coming out soon, so check back!

Also Today:

And the winner is....Ben Roethlisberger!

From ESPN's Player Survey, AFC North -

When it comes to quarterbacks, it was clear that winning matters most when gaining respect among players in NFL locker rooms.

"You can't argue with two Super Bowls," said one rival when voting for Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger as the division's best quarterback.

Said another opponent, "It's not even a question."

According to AFC North players, the only real question in this category turned out to be who is the second-best quarterback in the AFC North.

Most opponents were split nearly down the middle between Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens. Palmer edged Flacco by a 7-5 vote to earn second place.

Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn also received one vote apiece, which means every team was represented in this category. Quinn and Anderson both saw playing time in 2008 and are competing for the starting job this season.

But perhaps the most telling aspect of this survey question was that Roethlisberger more than doubled the tally of the second-place quarterback.

A year or two ago, Roethlisberger versus Palmer may have been a valid debate. But Roethlisberger's adding another Super Bowl victory to his resume in February clearly put him over the top, according to his AFC North peers.

Players could not vote for themselves or teammates.

Ben also received a vote for "Toughest Player" - the only quarterback to receive such a vote!

To read the entire survey, click here. (thanks Trish!)

And:

From the "How Did I Miss This?" department, check out this great cover from the New York Daily News "Super Bowl Special Edition" magazine from February 2nd!

July 11, 2009

"Ben's Foundation To Donate To Jeanette Police For Care Of Dog"

From this morning's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The Jeannette Police Department will be on the receiving end of an $8,000 pass from Ben Roethlisberger.

"It's great that we're able to acquire this money for the upkeep of our dog," said police Chief Jeff Stahl. "We don't have to request the money from the city."

Wando, a German shepherd, has been with the police department since 2005 and has been the constant companion of Officer Justin Scalzo.

Scalzo and Stahl met Roethlisberger during the quarterback's recent youth football camp at Mars High School.

"He is a real big supporter of police canines," Scalzo said of Roethlisberger. "He has a real good heart for him to do this."

"It was great to spend five minutes with him," Stahl added. "It was nice to see that he could spend time with kids and take a few minutes with us."

EA Sports to televise...

The meeting was captured by television cameras for a syndicated program through EA Sports slated to run in August.

"It's a program about Ben and some of the stuff he does," Scalzo said. "I did about a 25 to 30 minute interview and did a brief (demonstration) with the dog."

Stahl said the department gave Roethlisberger hats, T-shirts and baseball cards featuring the city's canine officer. He said the money will be a great help.

"If Wando would have to have surgery, we have the money. We can take care of the dog," the chief said.

To read the complete story, click here.

To learn more about Ben's Foundation, click here.

July 8, 2009 - Updated with TV schedule for Golf Tournament

Ben Is Scheduled To Appear...

...at the 2009 ESPY Awards which will air on July 19th from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

Host Samuel L. Jackson will be joined on stage by the world's premier athletes and Hollywood's biggest stars when at The 2009 ESPYs co-presented by Under Armour and Land Rover comes to Los Angeles. The 17th annual celebration of the best moments from the year in sports will be taped on Wednesday, July 15 from the Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles and televised Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN HD.

In addition, top athletes scheduled to attend so far include: Carmelo Anthony, Helio Castroneves, Santonio Holmes, Shawn Johnson, Michael Phelps, Ben Roethlisberger, Misty May-Treanor, Kurt Warner, and more.

Fans will determine the winners in all categories (except the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and other special awards) by voting online at www.espys.tv starting June 25th through July 11th.

Now, the link for the ESPY voting is experiencing difficulties on and off, probably due to server issues. If you are unable to connect to their site to place your votes, just try later.

To see Ben's past ESPY appearances, click here for photos and here for screen captures.

And Don't Forget...

Ben will also be participating in the American Century Golf Championship which runs from July 14th through the 19th at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.

The Tournament will be televised:

Friday - ESPN2: 7-9 p.m. ET, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. PT

Saturday - NBC: 3-6 p.m. ET, Noon-3 p.m. PT, Live

Sunday - NBC: 3-6 p.m. ET, Noon-3 p.m. PT, Live

To see photos of Ben's past participation, click here.

For more information on the Championship, click here.

July 2-4, 2009 - Have a happy & safe Fourth of July holiday!

Television Reminder: The 2009 U.S. Open Challenge On Saturday Afternoon

The U.S. Open Challenge, which features Ben, Michael Jordan, Justin Timberlake, and amateur golfer Larry Giegelhausen is scheduled to air on NBC this *Saturday, July 4th at 2:00 p.m.

The Challenge was re-scheduled from Father's Day due to weather delays for the U.S. Open Tournament.

I have added some new photos from the Challenge, click here to view them!

And speaking of golf...

Multiple PGA Tour winner Rocco Mediate, in an interview with WTAE-4, on caddying for Ben in the U.S. Open Challenge:

"The only thing I have to say is, we won. We are undefeated together," Mediate said. "I am a winning caddy now, and I'll probably retire as a winner. We had a great [time]-- he's such a good guy, and he can play."

*Update: Some NBC channels carried the Challenge, while other stations (like mine) carried two hours of cartoons! Ugh! Unfortunately, I have no screen captures to share.

June 29, 2009

Ben's Recent Interview With Swiss Roots

From their website:

After leading his team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, to victory for the second time during this years Super Bowl, we caught up with our Swiss Roots spokesperson, Ben Roethlisberger for the first time since his trip to Switzerland three years ago. Considered a superhero by many, we asked Ben who he looks up to—and a bunch of other questions about why it's fun being "Big Ben."

Q: Who was you favourite super hero as a kid - and why?

Ben: My favorite superhero growing up was superman, because he could do anything!

Q: A lot of people look up to you now - who do you look up to?

Ben: I always have looked up to my Dad and still do.

Q: You did some singing in a Superbowl ad last year-- if you weren't playing football, what else would you be doing?

Ben: Well I would love to play in the NBA, but realistically I would probably be a teacher or coach.

Q: You are 2nd generation Swiss and you visited Switzerland for the first time a few years ago -- before that, what sort of picture did you have of the country?

Ben: I didn’t know much about Switzerland but I knew that it was a beautiful country.

Q: What was the most striking thing about your trip? What was the most fun?

Ben: The whole country is so beautiful. The mountains were spectacular. We loved going to see the small towns and see all the sites that Switzerland has to offer – the dairy farms and making cheese; blowing the alphorns, all of it was fun. Being able to share it with my family was the great I got my dog (Bernese Mountain Dog) from there so that was the best part. He is a constant reminder of the great trip that I took to Switzerland with my family.

Q: Hollywood comes a-calling with several movie offers, your pick would be:
a) A comedy/buddy movie with Vince Vaughn.
b) A sci-fi action movie with VIn Diesel- you're the Bad Guy.
c) A spy thriller with Natalie Portman.

Ben: Any action movie with guns and fast cars, I would probably take the spy thriller.

Q: What do you do to relax or unwind?

Ben: I love to play golf; go fishing, hunting and spend time on the water boating.

Q: The best thing about being in the NFL is ________?

Ben: All the kids that look up to me. It is inspiring to see all of the younger fans at the games and around town. I was one of those kids who loved sports and looked up to the pros and now I get to play the game that I love…its great.

Q: Quarterbacks have more fun because _________ ?

Ben: We always have the ball and everyone wants to be us.

Q: Any advice for the young people out there?

Ben: Don’t ever give up on your dreams...never give up.

To read about Ben's trip to Switzerland in 2006 and about Swiss Roots, click here.

To see photos from his trip, click here.

June 25, 2009

Time To Vote!

The ESPY nominations have been announced, and the Steelers have been nominated for "Best Team", Mike Tomlin for "Best Coach", James Harrison for "Best NFL Player, and "Best Play" for the game-winning touchdown reception between Ben and Santonio Holmes.

Voting begins today through July 12th.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson will host the awards that honor the best achievements, moments and leading athletes of the previous year. They will be presented July 15th at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, with the taped show airing July 19th on ESPN.

To cast your votes, click here.

To see photos from the the Steelers last appearance at the ESPY Awards, click here.

June 24, 2009

"Roethlisberger Ready For Some Rest, Relaxation"

From an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this morning:

Now that the Steelers are officially on break until training camp, what is there for Ben Roethlisberger to do?

Lots, actually, including some youth football, golf, Penguins watching and traveling to Georgia for some rest and relaxation.

"It's been good, a little crazy," Roethlisberger said of the offseason. "It's been a lot of down time, but I get to play a lot of golf, so that has been fun."

Roethlisberger was able to pull himself from the links long enough to play host to his second annual Old Spice Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp at Mars Area High School.

Golf is Roethlisberger's main relaxation and hobby, and he mainly plays at Treesdale and visits Nevillewood and Oakmont when he gets a chance.

Recently, Roethlisberger participated in the U.S. Open Challenge at Bethpage Black along with Michael Jordan and Justin Timberlake. Roethlisberger shot an 81 to win the challenge and called the course the toughest he has played.

The event at Bethpage Black caused Roethlisberger to miss going to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final in Detroit. He was at every home game, cheering for the Penguins, and said he was happy for the city, Mario Lemieux and the fans. He will have a chance to congratulate Lemieux in person when he plays in his celebrity golf tournament this week at Nemacolin.

After that, it will be time for Roethlisberger to head to his house in Georgia. In addition to golfing, he will fish, boat and just enjoy being on the water.

"I just go there to get away and relax," he said. "I just kind of get away from football for awhile."

To read the entire article, click here.

To read an article by the Tribune-Review's Scott Brown, click here.

You can see an interview with Ben and another one with his parents from KDKA here.

June 22, 2009

Ben's Youth Football Camp In Full Swing

From KDKA-Channel 2:

Nearly 500 children from all over the country converged at Mars High School for the Old Spice Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp.

After some warm-ups and basics on taking snaps and stances, it was time to get the footballs in the air.

Roethlisberger showed the kids some of his techniques.

"When he comes, he's very thorough, he wants to understand everything going on," Gregg Derbyshire, from ProCamps, said. "And if you saw today – he makes his way around. We had 460 kids here and he wants to try to interact with all of them."

With just some of the basics down, it was time for them to have some real fun and Roethlisberger was spreading himself around as best he could.

"The thing that the kids enjoy is when he acts like a kid and that's what he does in those games when he's quarterbacking them," Derbyshire said.

"I never thought that would ever happen in my lifetime," said one young participant. "I was impressed."

To see the video at KDKA, click here (on the right).

To see the slideshow of the first day of camp, click here.

June 21, 2009 - Evening Update

NBC Sports Coverage Of The U.S. Open Challenge - Postponed Until July 4th

The U.S. Open Challenge, which features Ben, Michael Jordan, Justin Timberlake, and amateur golfer Larry Giegelhausen has been re-scheduled to air on July 4th. Look for it following the Women's Final at Wimbledon.

The Challenge was scheduled to air today, prior to the coverage of the U.S. Open, but due to weather delays for the Tournament, it had to be postponed.

June 18, 2009

Television Reminder: NBC Sports' Father's Day Coverage Of The U.S. Open Challenge

"Starring" Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Jordan, Justin Timberlake and Larry Giegelhausen!

NBC Sports' Father's Day Sunday coverage is preceded by the second annual Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge from Noon-1:30 p.m. ET, in which Michael Jordan, Justin Timberlake, Ben Roethlisberger and contest-winner Larry Giegelhausen competed at Bethpage under U.S. Open conditions in a quest to break 100.

From Jay Dempsey of the Riverhead News Review, who attended the event:

The idea for the U.S. Open Challenge came from none other than the world's best player, one Tiger Woods, who said that it would be next to impossible for the average 10-handicapper to break 100 on a U.S. Open course. Golf Digest picked up on this and last year held the first U.S. Open Challenge. PGA players Kenny Perry and Chris DiMarco said Michael Jordan would not break 100 in this year's competition. "I'm thinking triple digits," DiMarco said. Perry added: "I've seen [Jordan's] golf game. He won't break 100."

This year the four participants had a combined handicap of 18. We've got some pretty decent players here, folks.

As advertised, media was limited, with only about a dozen of us in attendance. Having a USGA representative at our service, and accompanied by a dozen or so VIPS, which included the participant's wives, girlfriends and fiancées, our intimate little group walked inside the ropes, listening to the chatter between the players and caddies.

Just so you know, the contestants play by the book and take this very seriously. No gimmes or mulligans. The round took over six hours to play, a long time, but I could have stayed out there another six. This was, without a doubt, one of the best days I've ever spent on a golf course.

Following the awards ceremony on the 18th green, we were able to spend time with the players, who could not have been nicer. I asked Michael Jordan what he thought of Bethpage Black. "It's one of the top five courses I've played," he said, "and I've played some good ones."

To read Mr. Dempsey's entire column, click here.

Also:

Ben was a guest on ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption" last night. He was featured in the "Good Five Minutes" segment and talked about playing in the U.S. Open Challenge, his caddie Rocco Mediate and his golf partners...oh, and he wants to win three more Super Bowls.

If you missed it, click here to listen to it! (it is about 10 minutes, 13 seconds into the podcast).

Speaking of Golf...

Ben's next golf tournament is the American Century Golf Championship on July 14th through the 19th, 2009 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.

That tournament will also be televised by NBC Sports!

To see photos of Ben's tournament participation, click here.

For more information on the Championship, click here.

June 14, 2009

"He's A Gunslinger, He Likes To Make Plays"

From an article on Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in the Cumberland County Sentinel this morning:

Arians and his fellow coaches know the risks involved with a quarterback as gun-ho as Ben Roethlisberger. Always the playmaker, Roethlisberger tends to scramble outside the pocket and put himself in harm’s way when a play isn’t developing as needed.

It is, however, a point of endearment for his coaches.

"We don't get caught up with how many times Ben gets hit," Arians said. "If Ben gets hurt, that's a different story, we need him out there. He's the franchise. But we don't want to change the way he plays the game. He's a gunslinger, he likes to make plays."

After all, it was that free spirit that led Roethlisberger to a franchise-record 32 touchdown passes in 2007, Arians' first year as coordinator, with a solid quarterback rating of 104.1.

The veteran coach feels he and his colleagues know exactly what they're doing when it comes to handling their staff. Two Super Bowl victories in four years is reason enough for his confidence.

To read the entire article, click here.

June 12-13, 2009

Afternoon Update: US Open Challenge

Steeler's Big Ben Shoots 81 On U.S. Open Golf Course

From the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette:

The Steelers quarterback shot an 81 at Bethpage Black in Farmington, N.Y., fulfilling a pledge to break 100. It was the best of his group that included basketball great Michael Jordan, singer Justin Timberlake and Phoenix policeman Larry Geibelhausen.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Ben Roethlisberger did what he said he would do -- break 100 at the Bethpage Black -- and then some.

Playing in the U.S. Open Challenge today in a foursome with basketball great Michael Jordan, singer Justin Timberlake and contest-winner Larry Geibelhausen, Roethlisberger easily broke the magic number when he shot 81 at Bethpage Black, site of the 109th U.S. Open that begins next week.

With Greensburg native and last year's U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate as his caddy, Roethlisberger, a 3-handicap, shot 42 on the front that included a triple-bogey 8 at the par-5 fourth hole. He followed with a 39 on the back to finish at 11-over on the 7,426-yard, par-70 layout -- the best score among the four players.

Timberlake, a 6-handicap, shot 88 -- 10 shots better than the 98 he posted at Torrey Pines before last year's U.S. Open; Jordan, who has a handicap index of 1.2, shot 86; and Geibelhausen, a Phoenix police lieutenant, shot 102 after a 54 on the front nine.

And from an AP article:

The 59-year-old Giebelhausen won the contest sponsored by Golf Digest. He earned a spot as a finalist with his six-word essay — "I'm a cop, I'll shoot low!" — then the public selected him through online voting.

Giebelhausen said he's not easily awed by celebrities.

"That doesn't impress me," he said. "What impresses me was that they were nice guys. That they were fun. That they were genuine. That they were pulling for me. That they were supportive."

To read the entire article, click here.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Saturday morning:

"I told you I'd do it," Roethlisberger said.

Do it?

He did it with ease, looking more like a U.S. Open participant than a two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Despite getting a phone call Monday from Tiger Woods, telling him he had no chance of breaking 100, Roethlisberger won the U.S. Open Challenge yesterday, when he shot 11-over 81 on the same brutal course that will play host to the 109th U.S. Open starting Thursday, beating basketball great Michael Jordan by five shots with a round that included two triple bogeys and a double bogey.

"He played great," said his caddy, Greensburg native Rocco Mediate, the U.S. Open runner-up last year who had never met Roethlisberger until yesterday. "That course is hard. What'd he shoot -- 11 over? That's pretty good. He's very strong and he has a lovely putting stroke."

Not only did Roethlisberger break 100, he bettered the low score of 84 posted in this event a year ago by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

"I came in with such high expectations," Roethlisberger said. "But, when Tiger called me the other day and said I had no chance, I got discouraged. But it wasn't as hard as I thought. I'm real happy."

Roethlisberger, a 3-handicap, shot 42 on the front that included a triple-bogey-8 at the par-5 fourth hole. He followed with a 39 on the back that included birdies at Nos. 10 and 15 -- the only birdies produced by any member of the celebrity foursome on the 7,426-yard, par-70 layout.

In each instance, Roethlisberger hit a 4-iron to set up the birdies, the latter coming from 201 yards in the right rough at the uphill 459-yard par 4.

"Maybe the best shot of my life," Roethlisberger said.

To read the entire article, click here.

To see photos, click here.

June 12, 2009

Event Reminder...

US Open Challenge is today at the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in New York!

The Black Course at Bethpage State Park in New York is considered an ominous one for golfers of all handicaps. That's what makes the second annual US Open Challenge even more intriguing this year.

This one of a kind event features three celebrity golfers and one "regular Joe" as they take on the very course that Tiger Woods and the rest of the US Open participants will walk just a few days later.

This year's field consists of Michael Jordan, Ben Roethlisberger, Justin Timberlake and Larry Giebelhausen and their challenge is clear: break 100.

Inspired by Tiger a couple years ago when he claimed the average player couldn't shoot under 100 on a US Open course, this event's fourth contestant, Larry Giebelhausen - the "regular Joe" is what this challenge is truly about.

The Phoenix police lieutenant won an online contest through Golf Digest for the rights to compete with the "who's-who" of the sports and entertainment field. Giebelhausen beat out over 70,000 entrants who all had to submit a six word essay. His words, "I'm a cop, I'll shoot low."

The 18-hole round will be taped by NBC Sports and air on Sunday, June 21st from 12:00pm — 1:30pm ET, immediately prior to the final-round broadcast of the U.S. Open.

From an interview with Justin Timberlake today in USA Today:

Q: "How jazzed will you be to play with Michael Jordan and Ben Roethlisberger?"

Justin: "Between those two you're looking at eight (championship) rings. Ben is a great guy and so is Mike. It will be a fun round of golf. The contest winner, the amateur, is one lucky dude. I feel equally lucky to walk around with two world-class athletes. Michael was my idol when I was growing up. And he's a cool dude. And so is Ben. I'll be there to heckle them and to add some comedic value."

To read the entire interview, click here.

Also Today:

Check out this video on NFL.com of the Steelers receiving their Super Bowl XLIII rings!

*Thank you to Lexi!

June 9, 2009

New Fan Photos Added...

Jessica Ramski attended the Second Annual Hines Ward Pittsburgh Celebrity Softball Game on Saturday, June 6th at the Duquesne Baseball Field in Green Tree.

She took several great photos to share with us.

To see her photos, click here.

Thank you so much to Jessica!

Also Today:

Steelers to receive Super Bowl rings Today at Heinz Field

From USA Today this afternoon -

The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting their Super Bowl rings, four months after beating the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 for the franchise's record sixth championship.

The rings will be presented at a private ceremony Tuesday night at Heinz Field. The ring's design is being kept confidential until then.

Typically, each player gets a ring with their name and number on it. Team president Dan Rooney, retired running back Jerome Bettis and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger designed the team's last Super Bowl ring.

On Monday, coach Mike Tomlin said he was excited about getting his ring, but also that it will mark the end of the 2008 season. Now, he says, it's time to focus on the 2009 season.

You can check out Steelers.com at 6 p.m. to see the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII ring.

June 8, 2009

Win A Trip For Your Child To Attend Ben's Football Camp!

KDKA-Channel 2 is having a raffle - the winners will attend the Old Spice Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp from June 22nd through the 24th at Mars Area High School!

Registration for the camp is closed, but if you click here, you can enter the contest to win your child (ages 7-14) the opportunity to attend.

Campers will be able to join Big Ben and some of the area's top coaches for some football skills and fun! In addition to 9 hours of expert instruction, campers will get a Ben Roethlisberger Camp shirt as well as an autographed camp team photo with Big Ben.

Ben Roethlisberger says his two Super Bowl victories were among the best moments of his life -- and he says it would never have happened without the help of his coaches.

"When I was a kid, my dream was to play pro football," Ben explained. "Now I want to help kids to accomplish their goals!"

To learn more about the Old Spice Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp, click here.

June 6, 2009

"Big Ben Helps Honor Boy Who Saved Brother's Life"

From WTAE-4 this evening:

Dayton Kessler, 11, found it overwhelming Saturday when Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger presented him with a special award -- for saving his own brother's life.

First responders said Kessler learned about calling 911 in school, and a few days later, he had to use it to save his brother's life.

"It's awesome. So many times we talk about heroes, but he is a true hero. He did what he learned," Roethlisberger said.

Kessler and his family got a chance to chat with the quarterback. Kessler was bashful and shy when asked how he felt about being called a hero by so many people.

"Good, I guess. I don't know," Kessler said.

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

Ben participated in Hines Ward's Pittsburgh Celebrity Softball Game this afternoon.

To see a few photos, click here.

*Thanks Trish!

June 4, 2009

"You Know I Don't Like When People Bet Against Me"

From an article/interview by Gerry Dulac in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today:

In five seasons as quarterback of the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger has certainly proved one thing to be true: Don't challenge him on anything.

From being the first quarterback to go 13-0 as a rookie to being the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl to joining Tom Brady as the only active quarterbacks with two Super Bowl rings, Roethlisberger has displayed a penchant for rising to the occasion, no matter how much the odds might be stacked against him.

This time, though, Roethlisberger doesn't get to answer the challenge with his right arm. This time, he has to rely on his golf clubs.

"You know me -- I always welcome a challenge," Roethlisberger said. "Tiger tells me I can shoot 87."

Tiger, of course, is Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1-ranked golfer and fellow Nike endorser. He's the person responsible for Roethlisberger's latest challenge -- trying to break 100 on Bethpage Black, the 7,366-yard course in Farmingdale, N.Y., the sight of this month's 109th U.S. Open.

"I think he has a chance," said Oakmont professional Bob Ford, who was retained to be Roethlisberger's "coach" for the event. "He hits it good. His good ones are really good. I was very impressed."

When asked if the injury to his left knee in practice yesterday will hinder his golf game, he said, "I sure hope not.

"You know I don't like when people bet against me," Roethlisberger said.

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

Training Camp schedule is out -

The Steelers report to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe July 31st and will hold their first practice Aug. 1st.

All afternoon practices are open and begin at 2:55 p.m. The only night practice will take place Aug. 7 at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.

Aug. 1st through 11th, (7th is at 7pm) and Aug 15th through 20th.

June 2, 2009

Ben Attends Jim Kelly's 23rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament

From the Buffalo News this morning:

Jim Kelly held his big charity fund-raiser of the year, his 23rd annual golf tournament, Monday at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia. The event is expected to raise about $225,000 for Kelly’s two charitable organizations — Hunters Hope and the Kelly for Kids Foundation.

Bruce Smith, who is preparing for his induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, was among the celebrities at the tournament. Smith said former Bills assistant coach Ted Cottrell will be introducing him at the ceremony in Canton, Ohio. Many of the Bills from the Kelly era were in attendance. Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, another regular, also attended.

Kelly said the annual auction conducted Sunday night raised about $190,000. One of the featured items was a chance to attend the filming of an upcoming movie, “The Three Stooges,” which will star Jim Carey, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro. The film is being directed by the Farrelly brothers, Peter and Bobby. The top bidder for that item also will get to be an extra in the movie. The Farrelly brothers have directed such hits as “Something about Mary,” “Dumb and Dumber” and “Fever Pitch.” Kelly met them a couple years ago when he appeared in a Miller Lite beer commercial they were directing. The item drew a bid of $50,000.

“I got to know them as friends, and now we’re partners in a production company,” Kelly said.

Every year Kelly auctions off a trip to the Super Bowl. This year that item was enhanced. Roethlisberger got up in the middle of the bidding and added the spikes he wore during the Super Bowl in January and threw in the helmet he wore, autographed by himself and receiver Santonio Holmes. Holmes caught the winning TD pass in the title game. Those items drew $15,000.

To read more about Jim Kelly's event, click here.

For more on his Foundation, click here.

Ben Featured In GM's New Commercial -

General Motors' first media blitz since declaring for bankruptcy begins Wednesday with a flashy television ad explaining why it is cutting brands.

The 60-second spot pitches the future of the American car to disenfranchised GM customers.

The first half of the minute-long commercial explains why those brand cuts -- including Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab -- are necessary.

The second half focuses on the future and a transformed General Motors.

The slick commercial pairs all-American images of the Moon Landing, Joe Louis and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with various pictures of vehicles and General Motors' Detroit headquarters.

The television spot was produced by the advertising agency Deutsch.

To view the commercial, click here (top video).

May 29, 2009

Second Annual Hines Ward Pittsburgh Celebrity Softball Game

The Second Annual Hines Ward Pittsburgh Celebrity Softball game will take place on June 6th at 1:00 pm at the Duquesne Baseball Field in Green Tree.

Hines and several of his teammates will take part in a "rock n' jock style" softball game, along with local celebrities including former Steeler Mike Logan and Ken Laird from 1250 ESPN, Sonni Abatta from KDKA, Sally Wiggin from WTAE, and Megan Parris (featured on "The Bachelor").

Steelers scheduled to appear: Ben Roethlisberger, Brett Keisel, James Harrison, James Farrior, Jeff Reed, Santonio Holmes, Max Starks, Willie Parker, Deshea Townsend, and Ike Taylor.

The event is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit the families and community of the fallen Pittsburgh police officers.

Bleacher seating is limited. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.

Food and beverages will be available for donations, along with a raffle for autographed items.

The event is sponsored in part by the Borough of Green Tree Reed Sports, Save Mor Beer & Pop, Triangle Subs and Universal Windows.

For more information contact the HWCSG at 412-244-4563.

May 28, 2009

New Photos Added...

Ben attended Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Confererence Finals in Cleveland this evening. Also enjoying the game were several Yankees players, in town for their weekend series with the Indians.

To see the photos of Ben, click here.

May 27, 2009

"Big Ben Takes On Bethpage Black For TV Golf Event"

From an article by Mike Bires in the Beaver County Times this morning:

On the football field, Ben Roethlisberger thrives under intense conditions. He’ll soon find out if he can do the same on the golf course.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback, will compete June 12 in the second annual Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge.

Joining Roethlisberger in the 18-hole stroke-play competition will be former NBA superstar Michael Jordan, pop singer/songwriter Justin Timberlake and Phoenix policeman Larry Giebelhausen.

"I love golf, so obviously I’m excited by this," Roethlisberger said Tuesday after the Steelers' organized team activity workout. "I’m a big fan of the U.S. Open. I got to play Oakmont two years ago before the Open. So I got an idea of what those guys (in the Open) are up against.

"Now I’ll get to play Bethpage Black and have an idea of what those will be going against this year."

The Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge will be taped by NBC-TV, which is broadcasting this year’s U.S. Open. On June 21, highlights of the U.S. Open Golf Challenge will be shown from noon-1:30 p.m. before the final round of the Open begins.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Roethlisberger said. "It’s a great bunch of guys I'll be playing against. And (PGA Tour star) Rocco Mediate will be caddying for me. It'll be an honor to play that course with those guys and an honor to have Rocco as my caddie.'

To help prepare for the U.S. Open Challenge, Roethlisberger will head to Oakmont Country Club this afternoon after practice. He has a lesson scheduled with Oakmont pro Bob Ford.

"I'll get some work in with Mr. Ford and hopefully he'll help me get ready for Bethpage," Roethlisberger said.

To read the entire article, click here.

This Afternoon:

"10-Year-Old Cancer Patient Visits Steelers' Practice"

From WPXI.com -

The Make A Wish Foundation arranged a meeting between 10-year-old Heather Miller and her favorite Pittsburgh Steeler, Casey Hampton, while they practiced at the team’s practice facility on Wednesday.

Miller has been fighting Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of cancer that attacks the soft tissue and bone. Trips into Pittsburgh usually mean chemotherapy treatments or surgery for the young girl. However, on Thursday, the trip made a wish come true.

Despite having lost several ribs to her cancer, Miller was even able to throw the football.

"Seeing her throw the football today brings tears to my eyes," said Heather’s mom, Wendy Miller. "They told us she wouldn't be able to throw again."

Her mother said quarterback was always Miller’s dream position on the football field, and the Steelers quarterback showed up to be interviewed by her.

"We got to have fun with her," Ben said. "That’s all that matters to us."

To read the entire article and to see a slide show and videos, click here.

May 21, 2009

Ben And The Steelers Visit The White House

From CBS-4 this afternoon:

Washington, DC - The six-time Super Bowl champion Steelers left the comforts of Pittsburgh today for a trip to Washington D.C. for a special meeting with President Barack Obama, CBS station KDKA-TV reports.

The President invited the team to the White House to congratulate them on their win in Super Bowl XLIII earlier this year.

The visit is an annual tradition for the reigning Super Bowl champs.

The ceremony took place this afternoon right outside of the White House and included Steelers President Art Rooney II, Coach Mike Tomlin as well as team members Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, James Farrior and Jeff Reed.

As part of their visit the Steelers made care packages for troops and wounded warriors.

The President also welcomed about 50 wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center for the ceremony.

In addition to the wounded warriors and the Steelers, President Obama is meeting with Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper and four officers who were the first to respond to the April shooting in Stanton Heights that claimed the lives of three city police officers.

The Steelers last visited the White House to meet President George W. Bush after winning the Super Bowl in 2006.

To see a video of Ben addressing the crowd (from WPXI), click here.

To see photos, click here.

May 19, 2009

A Round Of Golf (Or Two) For Good Causes

From the Gainsville Times (Georgia) today:

NFL stars coming to Flowery Branch -

The Branch Open Golf Tournament, a fundraiser put on by the club each year, will be transformed this year into the inaugural Hines Ward Celebrity Golf Benefit with a portion of the proceeds going to the Falcons football program.

"It is especially pleasing for me to be launching the annual Hines Ward Golf Benefit at the Royal Lakes Golf Club (Georgia) on May 29 when I will be accompanied by my fellow NFL friends," Ward said in a statement, "It is my sincere hope and desire to maintain my commitment to this annual initiative."

Those NFL friends confirmed to attend include current Pittsburgh teammates Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes along with former Steelers teammate Jerome Bettis, the Falcons’ Wayne Gandy, San Francisco’s Takeo Spikes and the Dolphins’ Joey Porter.

All in all, there are 17 current and former NFL players confirmed to play, and they will join 17 threesomes made up of paid participants.

For more information, click here.

Also Today:

Ben participated in the Hoge Starks Ward Celebrity Golf Classic for Children yesterday.

Since 1994, the Hoge Starks Ward Celebrity Golf Classic for Children has raised more than $1,825,000 for children in need.

Former Steelers player Merril Hoge, along with current Steelers Max Starks and Hines Ward, invite Steelers coaches and players, and other celebrities, to golf with foursomes from the area and from across the country to raise awareness and funds for programs of the Highmark Caring Foundation.

To see a video from the event, click here.

To see a couple of photos, click here.

And:

Ben's Foundation aids Cambridge Springs K-9 -

The Cambridge Springs Police Department has gotten an assist from a Pittsburgh Steelers superstar in putting its newest member on the street.

The department has received $8,000 from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the Giving Back Fund for Cash, a nearly 2-year-old Dutch-bred German shepherd K-9 officer that started work last week. The funds will be used for the dog's care and equipment, Cambridge Springs Police Chief Eric Johnston said Monday.

Cambridge Springs police paid $11,000 to buy and train Cash earlier this year with more than $12,000 that was generated through a community fundraiser launched in late 2008.

Johnston said the department sent a letter to Roethlisberger as part of the fundraising effort after learning the Steelers quarterback had a foundation that has assisted other law-enforcement agencies in purchasing police dogs.

Police received word two weeks ago that they were awarded an $8,000 grant. They received the money on Friday, Johnston said.

"We're very appreciative of the support from the foundation. It will help protect the residents of the borough and the county," said Crawford County District Attorney Francis Schultz, whose office provided some funding for the dog.

The money given to Cambridge Springs comes through the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation's second grant cycle, said Stephanie Sandler of the Giving Back Fund. The foundation has given out several hundred thousand dollars in grants to police and fire departments to obtain and use service dogs, Sandler said.

Cash and his handler, Cambridge Springs police Sgt. Bill Ridgeway, went through six weeks of training before starting work last week.

May 18, 2009

New Photos...

I have added a few photos from the Tiger Woods "Tiger Jam XII 2009" that took place Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Following solid sets by opening acts The Sounds and Paramore, Ben took the stage to introduce Tiger Woods and was greeted by cheers and a smattering of boos, to which he replied, "There must be some Steeler haters out there". Ben then took out a piece of paper, and for a second, began a serious speech before stopping and then saying, "Aw, forget this ... Tiger Woods!"

To see the photos, click here.

*Thanks to Trish and Jan!

This Week:

Ben and the Steelers will visit President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday.

They will receive a guided tour of the White House and then a ceremony hosted by the President will be held to honor the team for winning Super Bowl XLIII on February 1st.

They will head back to Pittsburgh immediately after their visit.

To see photos from their last visit to the White House in 2006 after winning Super Bowl XL, click here (bottom row).

May 15, 2009

#1 Cochran's 2009 Limited Edition Big Ben Trucks Are Here!

#1 Cochran Motors announces their new line of Big Ben GMC Sierras:

They come with fan-worthy features, stop-traffic graphics and over 4500 pounds of attitude!

And if that's not enough...their Big Ben GMC Sierras also come with an exclusive get-together with Big Ben himself!

But hurry, these Limited Edition Trucks will be gone before you can say "Roethlisberger".

The Big Ben Truck package includes:

- Two-tone black and gold leather with Ben's signature stitched into the headrests

- 20" chrome wheels

- Chrome door handles and exhaust

- Running boards

- Spray liner

...and more!

Also:

Purchase a Limited Edition Big Ben GMC Sierra and you'll be treated to a picture taking and autograph signing with the 2-time Super Bowl winning quarterback!

For more information, call #1 Cochran at 877-304-1916 or go to BigBenTrucks.com and check out their video and photos!

May 14, 2009

"The Rookie" - Findlay, Ohio Edition

Exclusive to BigBenNews.com readers:

Artist Robert Cherewick has released a special Artist's Reserve Edition of his popular sold-out print, "The Rookie" to fans of this site.

Each 11-1/2 x 14 print is autographed by Ben and is authenticated with Ben's own hologram and signed by the artist.

These limited-edition pieces were originally sold for $499 each, but readers can purchase the Reserve Edition for only $199.

This is a limited-time offer for a limited amount of prints!

This print would make a great addition to your Big Ben or Steelers autographed memorabilia collection or a great birthday, Father's Day or graduation gift! I have one and it is beautiful!

To read more about the print and this special offer as well as some "fun facts", click here. You can also order directly through Mr. Cherewick at the same link....just mention this site to receive the special offer pricing.

To check out Mr. Cherewick's main site and to get a full image of the print, click here.

*Thank you so much to Mr. Cherewick for making this special offer available to us!

May 13, 2009

To The Fans:

I have been asked to post the following message this evening -

From Ben's agent, Mr. Ryan Tollner of Rep1Sports:

Ben positively does not have Facebook or MySpace pages, nor a Twitter account! Any such postings are imposters and should be disregarded.

We are actively working to end this problem with those companies.

May 13, 2009

Big Ben To Appear At "Tiger Jam XII 2009"

From the Golf Las Vegas Now website:

Tiger Woods isn't coming to Las Vegas on crutches this year, as he did for Tiger Jam XI in 2008, the annual fundraiser for the Tiger Woods Foundation. Tiger is healthy heading into the festivities for 2009, and plans call for him to be welcomed to the Mandalay Bay Events Center stage on Saturday night, May 16, by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Woods will then introduce Grammy Award winners No Doubt. Other events surrounding Tiger Jam XII presented by AT&T include golf outings at Las Vegas golf courses Cascata and Rio Secco, and a private reception with live and silent auctions prior to the public concert.

Roethlisberger is a two-time Super Bowl champion, and is an avid golfer. Roethlisberger is also scheduled to play next month with Justin Timberlake, host of Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, Michael Jordan, and a player-to-be named later, during the Golf Digest US Open Challenge at Bethpage Black, site of this year's US Open (see April 17th news below). The event allows the celebrities and an everyday amateur the chance to break 100 just days before the best players in the world try to tame one of golf's sternest tests. Roethlisberger is said to have a single-digit handicap who went from shooting in the 90s to near even par in just a couple of years. Timberlake hosts the PGA Tour's Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open each fall in Las Vegas.

Tiger Jam annually brings some of the biggest names in the world to Las Vegas for fun and a good cause. In 2008, the Tiger Jam raised more than $1.5 million for the Tiger Woods Foundation, and those organizations associated with the Foundation. Some of the celebrities who have attended Tiger Jam in past years include Will Farrell. Kristi Yamaguchi, Carson Daly, Pamela Anderson, Charles Barkley, Ray Romano, Kevin James, Michael Jordan, and many others. Van Halen headlined the concert in 2008. Stick close to Golf Las Vegas Now for the inside scoop on all things Tiger Jam 2009.

For more information, click here.

May 5, 2009

Big Ben Plays Tour Guide For A Good Cause

From WTAE-TV Channel 4 today:

Construction of Pittsburgh's new Ronald McDonald House is coming along, and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger served as a special tour guide Tuesday.

Ben took time today to show a local family around the construction site located on 44th Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood.

He is an honorary chairman of Ronald McDonald House Charities.

"It's going to be a great facility, because what they do for these kids and the families is so awesome, and to be now so close to the children's hospital, it just really is an amazing thing," Roethlisberger said.

The new facility should be completed and open by August.

To see photos and a video of Ben's tour, click here.

May 4, 2009

"Roethlisberger's Super Career Has Yet To Shift Into Overdrive"

From an article by Ed Bouchette in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today:

Move over John Elway, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has his own Drive, soon will own his second Super Bowl ring and he did not have to wait until the end of his career to get it.

Entering just his sixth NFL season, Roethlisberger is way ahead of the Hall of Fame quarterback he idolized as a kid and took his jersey number as a pro. At 27, he's not even in his prime yet, or so his coach believes.

"I believe that he can get better," coach Mike Tomlin said after canceling the fifth and final minicamp practice of the weekend yesterday. "He's still a young guy. He's got a lot of hardware that some young guys don't have, but those are the standards that he sets for himself.

Roethlisberger said he has not watched one replay of the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII victory, won, 27-23, when he led his offense 88 yards that ended with his 6-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds left. Roethlisberger accounted for all 88 yards on that drive, 80 on passes, 4 on a run.

"I haven't watched it," Roethlisberger said, "because I know what happened."

Roethlisberger said it has been mostly a typical offseason for him, except that he has not worked out as often. He has limited his throwing to minicamp and the rest of the spring workouts with his teammates.

"I feel great actually. I took some time. I don't think anybody's worked out until now so it's been good relaxing. I haven't thrown. This is the only time when I throw, is when I come here because there's no reason to go above and beyond and stretch out the arm because we know during the season there will be a lot of throwing, so I take it easy."

His second Super Bowl victory in four years has brought him a few more endorsements, but not many.

"I've been busy, been a lot of requests on my time but it's kind of fun because you know what you just accomplished."

"He's the man," said his friend, defensive end Brett Keisel. "To be able to have the poise that he showed on that last drive and basically all year. We were down several times throughout the year in the fourth quarter where he had to make a drive to win the game. It's impressive.

"He's just a winner, he knows what it takes to win, he gets his guys focused and it's just been great."

To read Mr. Bouchette's entire article, click here.

May 1, 2009

New Photos Added...

First day of mini camp:

I have added several photos from today's workout to the Gallery.

To view them, click here.

April 29, 2009

EA Sports Recreates The Super Bowl XLIII Celebration

From the EA Sports Inside Blog site:

In a second night at the LA Coliseum, EA SPORTS brought the confetti, the Vince Lombardi trophy, and the Pittsburgh Steelers in to re-create their Super Bowl XLIII celebration with a little twist. For the past three days, the EA SPORTS ad team has been in full force in and around the LA area filming scenes for a couple of upcoming commercials and I had been invited to cover the event and share it with our gaming community. On Tuesday night, we once again went live and I had the chance to share some of the pictures as the event was happening during a live chat late in the evening.

The premise of the shoot revolves around an EA SPORTS gamer controlling the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory in a game of Madden NFL. Along with the players, about 200 extras were brought in as fans of both the Steelers and the Cardinals, referees, and even coaches to re-create the celebration. From a touchdown celebration to the trophy presentation, even the player's couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic of the event. The only thing missing was the champagne.

During and prior to the shoot I did get a chance to chat with some of the Pittsburgh Steelers that were in attendance including Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, LaMarr Woodley, and Willie Parker.

Check their site here for videos and photos of Ben and other Steelers taken during the shoot.

April 28, 2009

Autographed Picture Of Ben Promotes Good Behavior In Mississipi Elementary School

From an article in the Rankin County Ledger (MS) about Pennsylvania professor Dr. Anthony Gergely reaching out to elementary school students in Brandon Mississippi:

Dr. Anthony Gergely is well known around his Johnstown, Pa. hometown for his work with the historical society and the town's historical bridges.

He is now building a bridge that reaches down to Mississippi and into Brandon.

A former college professor, Gergely has connected with Vicki Trotter, a first-year teacher at Brandon Elementary School to make a difference in the classroom lives of Trotter's third-grade class.

"Last summer I was reading some reports on grade schools, where they rate the schools across America," Gergely said. "I checked in Mississippi, and they had a very low educational rating and a very high teenage pregnancy rating. I thought 'what in the world could I do to help?'

"I remembered a teacher I met a while back and found out she was going to a school in Brandon, a new position for her. I ended up talking with her and said I'd like to help in some way. We talked about having a student of the month, and I would send an educational gift to that student."

The gifts have ranged from books about Abraham Lincoln (complete with pennies to complete the set) to magnet and metal sets. They come with questions developed by Gergely, and the student is expected to research the subject and present a report to the class.

"He said 'let's do student of the month,' but it grew, it grew into a mentorship," Trotter said. "We've had projects all year long. The kids adore him and it's made a lot of difference in the kids. Our curriculum for what Rankin County has said we need to be accountable for has been centered around what Anthony's done with me."

In addition to helping Trotter kick off her tenure at Brandon with a bang, the timing has worked out well in other ways too. Some of the students told Gergely that they were fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, and could he, since he lives in Pennsylvania, get quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's autograph?

He wrote to the quarterback, care of the team, and explained the situation. An autographed photo arrived at the school, just four days before Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a win in the Super Bowl.

The decision was made by Trotter and Gergely to save the photo and award it to the student who, in effect, is named the student of the year based on behavior and other criteria.

Gergely said that the behavior of the students - especially the boys - has improved remarkably since the announcement.

To read the entire article, click here.

April 27, 2009

"Numbers Don't Matter"

From an article by Dave Hanneman in the Findlay Courier today:

The scoreboard said Ben Roethlisberger scored 50 points Saturday in the third annual Ben Roethlisberger benefit basketball game.

Unofficially — or officially, depending on how seriously benefit basketball games are to be taken — he scored 51.

In the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter to the former Findlay High standout, who has led the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowl championships.

"I've never been a numbers guy. I've never been one to worry about stats," Roethlisberger said. "To me, the only stats that matter are winning and losing."

Roethlisberger's comments came before, not after, he led his team to a 106-96 win over a group of local senior all-stars. And they go a long way in explaining his rise from Findlay High to Miami of Ohio to the pinnacle of the pro ranks.

"For me it's all about playing the game. I just love to go out and play football," Roethlisberger said.

"I might not be the prettiest, you know, when it comes to doing things the way they say you're supposed to do them. But you just have to go out there and get the job done.

"I'll take the wins and the losses and the championships over a passing title any day."

To read the rest of the Mr. Hannaman's article/interview with Ben, click here.

To see photos from the basketball game, click here.

April 26, 2009

Ben Roethlisberger Benefit Basketball Game

From Fox Toledo's Howard Chen this morning:

Before Ben Roethlisberger won 2 Super Bowls with Pittsburgh, he was a star quarterback at Findlay High School.

Big Ben came back to Findlay (last night) for the 3rd annual Ben Roethlisberger Challenge, raising money for both his former high school's athletic department and also to his own foundation in his own name.

Roethlisberger was joined by his sister (Carlee plays for the Oklahoma women's team and had her jersey retired in a ceremony last night prior to the game) and also by Steelers' teammate Brett Keisel on an All-Star Basketball Squad.

The event had already raised nearly $70,000 before the most recent Big Ben Challenge.

To see a short video taken at the event from Fox Toledo, click here.

*According to Trish (www.Brett-Keisel.com), who attended the game, a reporter from ESPN was in attendance so there may be something on SportsCenter today or sometime this week.

April 25, 2009

It's Draft Day...

And it seems like everyone is talking about Big Ben...

Here's a sample size -

From Jaguars.com in an article entitled, "Will Jags get a second chance?":

"How lucky was it that Denver found Terrell Davis in the sixth round? Davis, of course, led the Broncos to two Super Bowl titles. How lucky was it that Tom Brady fell to New England in the sixth round? Brady, of course, has led the Patriots to three Super Bowl wins.

"Here’s an even better example: How lucky was it that Pittsburgh had Ben Roethlisberger fall right into its lap at pick 11 in 2004, two picks after the Jaguars passed on Roethlisberger and selected Reggie Williams? Roethlisberger, of course, is the quarterback of the reigning Super Bowl champions and has collected two championship rings."

From Cleveland.com in an article entitled, "A place called 'hope': Cleveland Browns fans on why the NFL Draft is so important to them":

"We are waiting for that one Browns player to lead and be the face of our franchise, and this is why we watch the draft like the Super Bowl. We are waiting for our Ben Roethlisberger, our Adrian Peterson, and our Larry Fitzgerald. . ."

From SI.com's "Inside the NFL" column:

"Recent history fairly well screams that Stafford would be better served by watching for a while. Remember, Ryan and Flacco were fifth-year seniors. Stafford is a true junior. In fact, of the 14 quarterbacks taken in the first round in the last five drafts, the only junior to have early success was Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, he of the two Super Bowl rings in his first five seasons."

From ProFootballWeekly.com's "NFL Draft" column:

"The list of underclassman quarterbacks who have come in and succeeded in the NFL is short in recent years, with only Ben Roethlisberger (two Super Bowl rings) really proving his worth to date."

From an article in The Syracuse Post-Standard entitled, "Redskins Make Draft a Real Show":

"Mel Kiper is about the only person I trust to talk to about the draft because he has no vested interest and will actually tell you the truth as he sees it. Anyway, Kiper says of Sanchez, 'He has a good enough arm, is super accurate rolling left or right, shows excellent feet in the pocket and has a high football acumen. He's a born leader who plays the game with a great deal of enthusiasm.'

"So, Sanchez is a fine prospect...Kiper also points out that Ben Roethlisberger is the only underclassman to excel at quarterback in recent drafts. So, Sanchez ain't can't-miss."

From a Bleacher Report article by Raiders fan Rick Richardson -

"It is always anyone’s guess who the Raiders will pick in the annual NFL draft, including Mr. Davis. Sadly, Al wouldn’t listen to my telepathic pleas to take Ben Roethlisberger, Shaun Alexander, Luis Castillo, or Nick Mangold. In their stead, the Raiders received Robert Gallery, Sebastian Janikowski, Fabian Washington, and Michael Huff."

Comparatively speaking...

"Kevin O'Connell - O'Connell has a big arm and Ben Roethlisberger-like mobility, but is still raw." -- Boston Globe

"The fly in the ointment is Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman. If he is there at No. 19, it might be impossible for Tampa Bay to pass on him despite having four quarterbacks under contract, including recently signed veteran Byron Leftwich. Morris was an assistant at Kansas State in 2006 and is enamored with Freeman, whom he compared to the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger." -- St. Petersburgh Times

"He's got that Ben Roethlisberger effect where he's hard to tackle once you get back there." -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris talks about Josh Freeman in a USA Today article.

"Mark Sanchez - Has a good, strong arm...Can make every NFL throw with zip and accuracy when he strides into throw and drives ball aggressively...Consistently puts the ball right on target...Makes plays with his feet...Pulls free from potential sacks, resets his feet and still gets the throw off. Can pull the ball down and scramble for first downs. NFL Comparison: Ben Roethlisberger." -- Sporting News Scouting Report.

"But if he does go for Sanchez, it's one heck of a bold move looking toward the future. If the organization believes Sanchez is this year's Ben Roethlisberger, then it's smart not to pass up a guy who has the skill and personality to lead your franchise to the Super Bowl." -- American Chronicle News.

April 24, 2009

Steeler Selected For Madden 10 Cover...

...but it's not Big Ben!

From ESPN.com this afternoon:

If the John Madden curse takes place again this year, it will have to impact two players from last season's Super Bowl teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald are on the cover of "Madden NFL 10," which will be released this summer. It was announced Friday that both players were chosen from a group of nine finalists, which also included Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the AFC North.

Polamalu and Fitzgerald are both coming off Pro Bowl seasons in 2008.

Quotes of the Day:

Both from ESPN Radio talk-show hosts...

"Ben Roethlisberger takes a beating every single game...many times...over and over. He set records in just 5 years, and oh..he's won 2 Super Bowl's already....and yet the new #1 draft pick will have a salary equal to his...that is nuts, just nuts!" -- Mike Greenberg talking about the salaries of drafted players this morning on Mike & Mike.

"I was at a golf tournament last year - played with Ben Roethlisberger and Alex Smith, and I remember how confident Big Ben was. He just exudes this air of confidence. He comes blazin' into the clubhouse, sits down, hat on backwards...Alex Smith was very quiet, reticent, reluctant, 'How are you?' (said in a soft voice). And there is something to that bravado that I think really symbolizes Big Ben's confidence late in games. He's a gamer! I said this the other day, the thing about Roethlisberger that always impressed me was he grew up in Ohio and hated Ohio State. I asked him why and he said, 'Because everyone else liked them!'. Most people are followers - 6% of the people in this country lead, 94% follow - and he was one of those guys that was like 'I don't care, I didn't like them because everyone else liked 'em'. I love guys like that! It's a good sign." -- Colin Cowherd, while talking about the confidence of Mark Sanchez, brought up Big Ben in his afternoon show.

April 23, 2009

Will He Or Won't He...

...be the next EA Sports Madden NFL 10 cover boy?

From their website:

"At the heart of Madden NFL 10 is the Fight For Every Yard. Who wanted it more? Who executed? Who left their heart and soul out on the field? The best players in the NFL are those who epitomize this fight and strive to dominate every snap of the ball. It takes this caliber of star to grace the cover of the Madden NFL franchise, and over the course of the next few weeks, we're going to profile 9 candidates that are up for the cover of Madden NFL 10."

Ben is one of the final nine candidates.

The others:

Troy Polamalu

Peyton Manning

Larry Fitzgerald

Matt Cassel

DeMarcus Ware

Brandon Jacobs

Adrian Peterson

Ed Reed

Ben's profile:

Ben Roethlisberger, QB - Pittsburgh Steelers...2 Super Bowl rings by age 27 and the poster child for blue-collar, Steel City football. Say what you want about his QB rating in Super Bowl XL, the guy just wins games. With Big Ben, it's not about stats, it's about the way he plays the game. At 6'5", 240 lbs, there isn't a tougher QB to bring down in the league. How many times did we see him maneuver around a broken down pocket last post-season, only to find an open Hines Ward or Heath Miller for a key 1st down? Oh, and there there's the brilliant Super Bowl winning pass to Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone, perfectly placed over 3 Arizona defenders. Fight for every yard? No, Big Ben fights for every inch.

You can go by their site and click on the videos to hear Madden NFL 10 announcers Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond share their opinions on each player.

The official cover announcement will be on Friday, April 24th.

April 22, 2009

Redoing The 2004 NFL Draft

From NBC Sports' Steve Silverman:

Actual 2004 Draft Order, 1 through 12 -

1. San Diego Chargers: Eli Manning, QB (traded to NYG)
2. Oakland Raiders: Robert Gallery, T
3. Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald, WR
4. New York Giants: Philip Rivers, QB (traded to SD)
5. Washington Redskins: Sean Taylor, S
6. Cleveland Browns: Kellen Winslow, TE
7. Detroit Lions: Roy Williams, WR
8. Atlanta Falcons: DeAngelo Hall, CB
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mike Williams, WR
10. Houston Texans: Dunta Robinson, CB
11. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger, QB

The Redo -

1. San Diego Chargers: Ben Roethlisberger, QB - Taken 11th overall, he's led the Steelers to two Super Bowls and is still a little underappreciated.

2. Oakland Raiders: Eli Manning, QB - Manning was taken with the first overall pick by San Diego and then traded to the Giants because "The Eli Camp" didn't want him to play for San Diego. Archie never would have signed off on Eli being a Raider, either. Manning's success in the 2007 postseason earns him the second spot in our do-over draft.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald, WR - No. 3 is where Larry Fitzgerald went then. This is where Fitzgerald would go now, although a case could be made for putting him ahead of Manning.

4. New York Giants: Philip Rivers, QB - Rivers was picked in the fourth spot in 2004 as well, though he got shipped to San Diego in exchange for Manning. We could spend a day debating whether his heart-on-the-sleeve act would have been loved or detested in The Apple.

5. Washington Redskins: - Jared Allen, DE - Taken in the fourth round by Kansas City, 126th overall, he has 57.5 sacks. The next highest output from this class? Shaun Phillips with 38.5. Ironically, Phillips was a fourth-rounder as well.

6. Cleveland Browns: Bob Sanders, SS - The 44th overall pick by the Colts and 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Sanders (center) is one of the biggest impact players in the league. Peyton Manning would still be ringless were it not for Sanders' return to the Colts lineup late in 2006.

7. Detroit Lions: Steven Jackson, RB - Taken 24th overall by St. Louis, Jackson has rolled up 7,256 yards from scrimmage and 44 combined touchdowns in five seasons.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Shawn Andrews, G - Taken 16th overall by the Eagles, Andrews is a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro (2006) at right guard. Although he missed 2008 with a back injury, he's the first lineman off the board.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Stacy Andrews, RT - Taken in the fourth round by the Bengals (No. 123), in part because he was extremely inexperienced, Andrews was franchised twice. Now, he's on the Eagles next to the man taken right before him, brother Shawn.

10. Houston Texans: Michael Turner, RB - A fifth-round pick (No. 154 overall) by San Diego, Turner (left) did a long apprenticeship behind LaDainian Tomlinson before joining the Falcons. In his first season there, he ran for 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers: Lee Evans, WR - The second-best receiver in this draft behind Larry Fitzgerald, Evans went 13th overall to the Bills. He's got an under-the-radar 296 catches, 4,744 yards and 32 scores for Buffalo.

To see the full do-over from NBC Sports, click here.

And a little humor:

From The Washington D.C. Examiner - "Looking Back With Sarcasm - The 2004 NFL Draft"

12:57PM - Pittsburgh selects quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Tommy Maddox realizes he'll soon be eligible to win the "Comeback Player Of The Year" award again.

1:15PM - The first misspelled "Rothlisberger" jerseys hit the stores in Pittsburgh.

To read the rest, click here, some of them are pretty good!

April 20, 2009

OTA's Are Here!

From WKDA-Channel 2 this afternoon:

The defending Super Bowl champions reunited on the field today as the Steelers held the first of its "organized team activities" at the team's practice facility on the South Side.

Steelers players - including Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch and others --took part in the first unofficial practice of the season from about 10am until noon.

To see KDKA's video, click here.

April 17, 2009

Ben Roethlisberger Benefit Basketball Game

The Ben Roethlisberger Benefit Basketball Game will be held on Saturday, April 25th at Findlay High School in Findlay, Ohio.

The game begins at 7:00 p.m. and doors will open at 6:00 p.m.

Tickets are $5.00 each and can be purchased at the school's athletic office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and in the cafeteria on Thursday night, April 23rd from 6-8 p.m. in the athletic office. Tickets are also available at Morey's on Tiffin Avenue and Main Street News.

There will be many raffle and auction items, including Ben's signed Super Bowl helmet. Brett Keisel will appear and it is anticipated that other Steelers players will participate as well.

*Thank you to Trish and Barb!

Also Today:

Press Release From Golf Digest -

Ben To Play In U.S. Open Challenge

Golf Digest, the United States Golf Association and NBC Sports have announced that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Justin Timberlake will join Michael Jordan in the 2009 Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge. The three celebrities will play with one amateur golfer who will be determined by online voting.

The foursome will play the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, the site of the 2009 U.S. Open, and attempt to break a score of 100. The 18–hole round will be taped by NBC Sports and air on Sunday, June 21st from 12:00pm — 1:30pm ET, immediately prior to the final–round broadcast of the U.S. Open.

All three celebrities have a single–digit Handicap and have been included in previous Golf Digest rankings of athletes and musicians. On the 2007 list of the top athlete–golfers, Jordan ranked T–30 with a Handicap of 1.2 and Roethlisberger ranked T–121 with a Handicap of 7. Timberlake, the host of the PGA Tour’s Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, was ranked T–15 with a Handicap of 6 on Golf Digest’s 2008 "Top 100 in Music" list. Timberlake played in the 2008 Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge and shot 98 at Torrey Pines.

Butch Harmon, who is ranked No.1 on Golf Digest’s "America’s 50 Greatest Teachers" list, will once again caddie for Timberlake. Fred Couples, the 15–time PGA TOUR winner and 1992 Masters champion, will caddie for Jordan. Roethlisberger’s caddie will be announced at a later date.

Voting for the amateur participant runs through April 30th at www.gdopencontest.com. The four finalists are: Philippe de Kerillis (Erdenheim, PA), Larry Giebelhausen (Scottsdale, AZ), Dale Matthews (McLean, VA) and Bob Ray (Arnold, MD). Voters can make one selection each day and are automatically entered for the chance to win daily prizes and multiple grand prizes, including two trips to the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

In the December 2008 issue, Golf Digest asked readers to submit a six–word statement on why they thought they could break 100 at Bethpage Black. The four finalists were narrowed down from 73,581 entries.

Profiles of the four finalists and additional information about the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge can be found at GolfDigest.com, USGA.org and NBCSports.com.

And:

To see a photo from last night's NFL Players Gala and a couple of photos from the Special Olympics Football Camp yesterday afternoon, click here.

You can also read about the evening here.

Ben was one of only four NFL players honored with the JB Award, you can learn more here.

April 16, 2009

Big Ben News Is Getting A Face Lift

Nathan Schivley of Fourth Dimension Media has designed a great new look for the site, which is scheduled to premiere this weekend - hopefully!

So, if the site should experience a bit of down time through the weekend, please be patient. It may take a little while to get the new site online....but we'll be back!

Also Today:

(WHIO-TV) Ben Leads Charity Football Camp -

He didn't need a helmet or pads, but Ben Roethlisberger returned to the football field Thursday.

Roethlisberger, 27, led a team of NFL superstars in a football camp for Special Olympics athletes in Washington, D.C.

The clinic is one of a series of charity efforts organized by the National Football League and its players' union on behalf of the Special Olympics.

Roethlisberger is quickly becoming the face of NFL charity work and the league itself.

Roethlisberger said, "It's kind of the natural thing that happens when you start winning Super Bowls."

The former University of Miami of Ohio quarterback was honored Thursday with an award by the league and its partners for his community service. He recently made headlines for a series of financial donations to municipal police departments.

*Ben is in the Nation's Capital for this evening's NFL Players Gala at the Washington Hilton featuring the JB Awards, an annual awards presentation hosted by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) to benefit Special Olympics DC (for more on that see below).

To see video from today's first drill, led by Ben, click here.

To see a video interview with Ben from WHIO.TV, click here.

To see a slideshow, click here.

NFL Players Gala Tonight:

From WUSA-9 News in Washington DC -

After a year's worth of stories about Michael Vick being in prison and Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg, it is refreshing to highlight the other side of the NFL -- the good guys., and that's what the league is doing here in Washington tonight. it's the NFL Players Asssociation's annual J.B Awards, hosted by and named after our CBS colleague and good friend James Brown. Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Larry Fitzgerald among the honorees this year for exemplifying leadership, dedication and Commitment to community. Forget rushing yards -- somebody ought to keep stats on that.

Throughout the year an extensive search is conducted to identify the players deserving of these special honors. The recepients are honored at the NFL Players Gala tonight.

Past honorees include Peyton Manning, Emmitt Smith, Tony Dungee, Brett Favre, Jerome Bettis, Warrick Dunn, Darrell Green, Adrian Person and Dan Marino. Proceeds from the gala benefti Special Olympics DC, an organization dedicated to providing year-round trainign and athletic competition in sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Hopefully...

I will have some highlights and photos to post tomorrow on the event! So check back!

April 14, 2009

2009 Steelers Regular Season Schedule

The Steelers will start their 2009 season at home against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, Sept. 10th at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

Pittsburgh is scheduled to play one other nationally televised home primetime game on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:20 p.m. against the San Diego Chargers. Pittsburgh’s other national primetime games include road contests Monday, Nov. 9th at Denver, Sunday, Nov. 29th at Baltimore, and Thursday, Dec. 10 at Cleveland.

The Steelers’ annual bye week will be on Nov. 1st.

The Steelers official site advised that all Sunday games beginning in Week 11 (Nov. 22nd) through the remainder of the regular season are subject to flexible scheduling and could be moved into the Sunday night time slot (8:20 p.m.). The NFL will give at least 12 days notice of time changes due to the "flex" scheduling. Week 17 start time changes could be decided on six days notice to ensure a game with playoff implications. Flexible scheduling will not impact Thursday, Saturday or Monday night games.

You can check out the pre-season schedule and the full regular season schedule in the gray column on the right.

April 11, 2009

John Clayton: "Big Ben Officially Arrived As An Elite Quarterback"

From Mr. Clayton's column on ESPN.com this afternoon:

I spent a few minutes the other day examining two key statistics that are a good barometer of a quarterback's rise from ordinary to extraordinary.

The development of Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, a franchise quarterback on a talented team, prompted the inquiry. Looking back over Roethlisberger's career, I examined two statistical trends -- his record in close games (those decided by eight or fewer points) and his record when asked to throw at least 30 passes.

During his amazing 15-win rookie season in 2004, Roethlisberger was 4-0 in close games, but he wasn't asked to throw 30 passes in any of those games. The next season, he was 1-1 in games in which he had to throw at least 30 passes. In 2006, he was 1-7 in those games, but don't forget that he had the motorcycle accident and the appendectomy that year.

The defining upward trend started in 2007. He was 3-4 in 30-pass games in 2007. Last year, going against an impossibly hard schedule, Roethlisberger went 6-2 in 30-pass games and 6-2 in close ones. Proving he can carry a team when asked to do more, Big Ben officially arrived as an elite quarterback and the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

Others results of the study are equally fascinating. In some ways, it helped confirm a lot of observations that are normally taken for granted. Quarterbacks need time to mature and grow. Asking a young quarterback to carry a team by throwing at least 30 passes in a game in his first year or two as a starter is problematic. It's a major challenge for a young quarterback to carry a team when his running game is shut down or when the offense needs a game-winning, two- or four-minute drive.

To read the rest of his "study", click here.

April 8, 2009

"There Can Only Be One"

EA Sports is looking for a new "cover boy" for their Madden NFL 10 video game and Ben is one of the candidates!

From their website:

"At the heart of Madden NFL 10 is the Fight For Every Yard. Who wanted it more? Who executed? Who left their heart and soul out on the field? The best players in the NFL are those who epitomize this fight and strive to dominate every snap of the ball. It takes this caliber of star to grace the cover of the Madden NFL franchise, and over the course of the next few weeks, we're going to profile 9 candidates that are up for the cover of Madden NFL 10."

This week's Madden NFL 10 candidate profiles include:

Ben Roethlisberger, QB - Pittsburgh Steelers...2 Super Bowl rings by age 27 and the poster child for blue-collar, Steel City football. Say what you want about his QB rating in Super Bowl XL, the guy just wins games. With Big Ben, it's not about stats, it's about the way he plays the game. At 6'5", 240 lbs, there isn't a tougher QB to bring down in the league. How many times did we see him maneuver around a broken down pocket last post-season, only to find an open Hines Ward or Heath Miller for a key 1st down? Oh, and there there's the brilliant Super Bowl winning pass to Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone, perfectly placed over 3 Arizona defenders. Fight for every yard? No, Big Ben fights for every inch.

See their site for profiles on these players:

Brandon Jacobs, RB - New York Giants

Adrian Peterson, RB - Minnesota Vikings

Ed Reed, S - Baltimore Ravens

You can go by their site and click on the videos to hear Madden NFL 10 announcers Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond share their opinions on each player, then check back every Monday to learn more about the candidates, all leading up to the official cover announcement on Friday, April 24th at the NFL Draft.

*And yes, I have heard of the "Madden Curse", so don't email me about it! But if Ben is selected then maybe he's the one that can "Reverse the Curse" (it worked for the Red Sox)!

April 5-6, 2009

Spring Workout Schedule Announced

From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The Steelers will hold their first two of fourteen organized team activities before the draft on April 20th and 21st, according to a list of their spring drills released yesterday.

The OTA's are voluntary activities that include practices without pads. In addition to the 14 voluntary sessions, coach Mike Tomlin will hold a required minicamp the weekend of May 1st-3rd.

The remaining OTA's will take place May 19th-21st, May 26th-28th and June 9th-11th.

Photo Albums from OTA's, Minicamp and Training Camp here.

Sunday Television Alert....

NFL Network has a short tribute (of sorts) on the toughness of Big Ben in an episode of their show "Live Wire" with includes video footage and interview clips.

The show aired at 2:00 pm today and will re-air at 10:00 pm this evening.

According to NFL Network's site, today's episode is entitled "Week 5", which is the episode that is supposed to re-air at 10 pm.

Also:

Check the gray column on the right for the Pre-Season Game schedule!

Speaking of Ben...

Mike Tomlin was in Knoxville this weekend as the featured speaker for Tennessee's spring coaching clinic, the first under new Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin.

He was asked during a press conference if it "helps having a quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger leading the charge":

"Sometimes, you can’t win without one, man. We’ve got a special one. It definitely makes it a heck of a lot easier, when you get in situations that you’ve got to make a play, and you’ve got guys that are willing and capable to deliver a play like that. It’s fun to watch."

April 2, 2009

Ben To Be Honored With Award This Month

(Washington D.C.) On April 16, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and 15 other of the NFL’s biggest heroes will be honored at the NFL Players Gala featuring the JB Awards, an annual awards presentation hosted by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) to benefit Special Olympics DC.

For the sixth consecutive year, the NFLPA and NFL PLAYERS, its licensing and marketing arm, have partnered with James Brown of CBS Sports "The NFL Today" to recognize NFL players for their individual contributions to their communities with the JB Awards. As in years past, award winners will participate in a panel discussion and will mingle with guests prior to the dinner. These honored players from around the National Football League will also join local Special Olympics athletes for a football clinic, an annual event held the morning of the Gala.

In February, he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a second Super Bowl title after orchestrating a fourth- quarter comeback against the Arizona Cardinals. Since being drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round in 2004, he has completed 1,189 passes and thrown for 14,974 yards and 101 touchdowns.

Roethlisberger currently ranks seventh all-time in NFL passer rating (89.4) and yards per attempt (7.86) among quarterbacks with a minimum of 15,000 career attempts.

In 2008, “Big Ben” engineered six fourth-quarter comebacks, and the one in Super Bowl XLIII helping solidify him as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history. In last season’s three playoff games, he completed 54 passes for 692 yards and three touchdowns, one of which was the game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the final 35 seconds of the Super Bowl.

After just five seasons in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger’s name is already written all over the record books. He currently leads the Steelers in passer rating, completion percentage, yards per attempt, 300-yard passing games and 3,000-yard passing seasons. He is second in franchise history in passing touchdowns, passing yards, wins as a starting quarterback and games with a passer rating over 100.

A leader in every sense of the word, Roethlisberger established the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation to support two of his favorite causes. The organization has a local focus on enhancing the quality of life for residents of his hometown of Findlay, Ohio and Pittsburgh. Nationally, the foundation provides support for service dogs of police and fire departments.

Roethlisberger also sponsors the Giving Back Fund, a national non-profit organization dedicated to increasing philanthropy around the world through innovative programs and initiatives.

This year’s honorees are:

Gary Brackett (Indianapolis)

Drew Brees (New Orleans)

Isaac Bruce (San Francisco)

Greg Camarillo (Miami)

Rock Cartwright (Washington)

Brian Dawkins (Philadelphia)

Chris Draft (St. Louis)

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona)

Joe Flacco (Baltimore)

Mike Furrey (Detroit)

Tony Pashos (Jacksonville)

Clinton Portis (Washington)

Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh)

David Thornton (Tennessee)

Kurt Warner (Arizona)

Daniel Wilcox (Baltimore)

Also Today:

Speaking of Big Ben...

"Even the great Steelers franchise, which runs the football and plays defense year-in and year-out with the best of them, went more than 20 years between Super Bowl wins. Why? Because after Terry Bradshaw (who retired in 1983), they had quarterbacks who were just good enough to create a false sense of hope but not good enough to win.

"So five years ago they went out and drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the first round, 11th overall. They’ve won two Super Bowls since. Coincidence? Not a chance." -- Naples Daily News sports journalist David Moulton, in his column on the Chicago Bears trading for Jay Cutler.

And...

"There's a reason they were celebrating in Chicago and we were shaking our heads in Denver on Thursday, even with all those new draft picks. However you felt about Jay Cutler, there is no debate in the NFL about the importance of franchise quarterbacks.

"The past five Super Bowl champion quarterbacks are Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady. Franchise quarterbacks all." -- The Denver Post's Dave Krieger in his column this evening.

April 1, 2009

2009 Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship

From The Desert Sun News:

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was back in competition Tuesday almost two months since winning Super Bowl XLIII.

The setting had shifted, however. Instead of connecting with balletic receiver Santonio Holmes for the winning touchdown, he was unleashing powerful drives at the Kraft Nabisco Championship Celebrity Pro-Am.

"It's a great time. It's a great place," said Roethlisberger, who was paired with Natalie Gulbis, tournament chairman Dennis Belcastro and amateur Sang Chun.

The event is becoming a permanent fixture on the quarterback's offseason schedule.

"Dennis and those guys at Kraft do an awesome job out here, and I said, ‘As long as you'll ask me, I'll come,'" he said.

Roethlisberger was relaxed and down-to-earth on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, joking with fans that he was wearing a bright red shirt to channel Tiger Woods, who wears his signature color on Sundays. He signed countless autographs and thanked fans for their support after his second Super Bowl victory.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound quarterback might not be the only member of his family to win a championship this year. His sister, Carlee, could capture an NCAA women's basketball title.

As a sophomore forward for the Oklahoma Sooners, Roethlisberger and her teammates advanced to the Final Four with a 74-68 victory over Purdue on Tuesday. Fighting for playing time behind more experienced starters, the 6-foot-1 forward has flourished in the tournament, earning more minutes off the bench.

"She's persevered, and I'm proud of her," Ben Roethlisberger said.

The Steeler said he plans on attending the Final Four in St. Louis, but don't count on the Miami (Ohio) alumnus singing "Boomer Sooner" with the OU faithful.

"No, I don't do that. I just cheer for her," he said with a laugh.

Roethlisberger said he has been playing a lot of golf across the country during the offseason, including a recent round at Bighorn Golf Club. He has a 7 handicap, according to a list of athletes' handicaps published by Golf Digest in 2007. That puts him in the middle of pack, tied for 121st out of 220 athletes, placing him behind former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw (2.9 handicap) but ahead of New England quarterback Tom Brady.

Roethlisberger said his handicap has improved slightly, but he was unwilling to disclose the number, joking that his playing partners would think he was playing below his level.

"I can't reveal that because then all the people I play with will think I'm sandbagging," he said with a laugh.

To see photos of Ben from the Pro-Am, click here. (I will add 'em as I find 'em!)

For more on Big Brother Big Ben...

Click here to watch the video of an interview with him talking about Carlee and her Oklahoma team.

*Thank you to Tracy for the video link, and to Jan and Trish for the news and photos while I was out of town with no internet connection!

March 26, 2009

Ben At Valley High School Last Night

Steelers quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch and other members of the Steelers Basketball Team played police officers from New Kensington and Arnold last night in the Annual Tom Cimino D.A.R.E. Benefit Basketball Game at Valley High School.

According to Arnold Detective Sergeant Eric Doutt, between 1,000 and 1,100 people attended the event.

The Steelers won 151-32!

To see a couple of photos from the game, check out the Valley News Dispatch here.

*Thanks Trish!

Also:

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review's Karen Price has a nice interview with Ben's sister, Carlee, in the Friday edition of their Trib Live Sports section entitled, "The Last Name Gives Carlee Roethlisberger Away".

To read it, click here.

March 22, 2009

New Photos Added...

I have added a few more photos from the Premiere of the movie "Watchmen" that Ben attended in Hollywood earlier this month.

To view them, click here.

*The photo above shows Ben posing for a photo with TapouT at the Premiere. You can check out their website here.

"Peter's Take" makes perfect sense...if you're a Ravens fan!

From Peter Schmuck's column today in the Baltimore Sun:

News item: The Ravens reportedly have asked the NFL not to schedule next season's road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in prime time.

My take: They'll get no complaint from me. It's bad enough having to watch Ben Roethlisberger engineer a last-minute touchdown drive every time the Ravens play the Steelers at Heinz Field. Why should I have to miss Jimmy Kimmel Live!, too?

Quote of the Day:

"Unless you grade on a generous curve, the list of franchise quarterbacks in the NFL has only three names on it: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger." -- The Denver Post's Mark Kiszla in his column today on Jay Cutler.

March 12, 2009

Vote For Ben!

Ben has been nominated for the 2008 Boomer Esiason Award at ProFootballTalk.com as part of their PFT Heroes Awards selections (which also marks their final award) for the 2008 season.

The other two nominees are Drew Brees and Kurt Warner. Ben leads the voting, but Brees is gaining ground.

To cast your vote for Ben, click here.

UPDATE:

Saturday, March 14th: Well, Drew Brees may have won their award, but Ben still won the Super Bowl...his second! Thank you to everyone who stopped by ProFootballTalk.com to vote for Ben!

March 5, 2009

"Super Bowl Champs Can Play Some Hoops, Too"

From an article by Mike Bires today in the Beaver County Times:

If you loved the Pittsburgh Steelers on the football field, you’re bound to love them on the basketball court.

Yes, many of those Super Bowl champion Steelers like to show off their hoops skills. They do so in a series of fund-raising games each winter and spring held throughout western Pennsylvania.

The Steelers’ basketball team started an ambitious 66-game schedule on Friday at Ellwood City High School. It plays two to four games a week. Providing the opposition for them are pick-up teams comprised of faculty, coaches, athletes, employees or celebrities chosen by the school or charity staging the event.

"It’s really a good time," said Ambridge athletic director Randy Cosgrove, who’s helping arrange basketball games against the Steelers for his school as well as Cornell. "Because the Steelers are so popular, the games are always sold out. It’s just a great chance for fans to see these guys up close without their uniforms on."

One of the best basketball players among the Steelers is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was a three-sport star in high school. He plays in about 15-20 of the games.

"A couple years ago at Ambridge, Ben did something that really turned the crowd on," Cosgrove said. "At one point as he was running down the court, he just ran up into the stands and sat down with some of the fans. Then someone threw him a ball, and, from the stands, he threw up a shot that went in. The place went crazy."

Among other Steelers who play hoops well are defensive end Brett Keisel, wide receiver Hines Ward, cornerback Deshea Towsend, quarterback Chalie Batch and even linebacker James Harrison, the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.

Tickets for Steeler basketball games are $7 each. And at halftime at each game, the Steelers playing that day will autograph one item per boy or girl.

To read Mr. Bires full article and to see the game schedule, click here.

*Thank you to Kathy for the heads-up!

March 3, 2009

2009 American Century Golf Championship

I know it's early...but it IS the off-season!

Ben is scheduled to participate once again in the American Century Golf Championship which takes place from July 14th through the 19th at the Edgewater Golf Course in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

The Championship will welcome other 'regulars' from the sports and entertainment world including Tony Romo, Drew Brees, LaDanian Tomlinson, Dan Marino, Oscar De La Hoya, Dennis Quaid, Ray Romano and Jack Wagner as well as newcomers Elliot Sadler (NASCAR), A.J. Hawk (Green Bay Packers), Joe Carter (MLB), and Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith.

NBC Sports will televise portions of the Championship.

- For information on purchasing spectator tickets, click here (space is limited, so get your tickets early).

- To download a free Tahoe Celebrity Golf calendar of Ben (above), click here.

To see photos of Ben's past participation in the Championship, click here.

March 2, 2009 - *Updated at 1:45 p.m.

Happy 27th Birthday Ben!!

In honor of Ben's birthday...

If you are my 27th emailer, you will receive the new Super Bowl XLIII Champions DVD.

The DVD contains highlights from the 2008 season, playoffs and Super Bowl XLIII. Extras include Media Day highlights, post-game highlights, profiles on Dick LeBeau, Mike Tomlin, Willie Parker, the Steelers Defense, Steelers Nation, and a profile and interview with "Captain Comeback" - Ben Roethlisberger. Ben talks about the ability of his team to play from behind throughout the 2008 season.

Email me at erin@bigbennews.com (You can copy & paste the email addy if it's easier)!

*Update: Congratulations to Misty Mills - she was the 27th emailer (very early) this morning and will receive the DVD! Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest.

February 28, 2009

A Few Photos From Last Night's Victory Party...

Ben and his teammates celebrated their Super Bowl win with a party at TAO Las Vegas nightclub last night.

To check out some photos from the event, click here!

*Thank you once again to Leah Sushelsky!

February 27, 2009

If You Are In Vegas This Weekend...

Super Bowl Victory Party tonight at TAO Las Vegas, hosted by Big Ben -

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate their big win this Friday night at TAO Las Vegas in the Venetian Hotel.

Doors open at 10:00 pm.

Also attending are Charlie Batch, Darnell Stapleton, Willie Colon and Trai Essex. Come on down and party with your favorite team!!!!!

$20.00 cover charge at the door.

To see a larger, complete version of the invitation/flyer, click here.

*Thank you to Leah Sushelsky for sending along the information to use on the site!

February 23, 2009

2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship Celebrity Pro-Am

Once again, Ben will participate in the Celebrity Pro-Am of the Kraft Nabisco Golf Tournament from March 31 through April 1, 2009, at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

The 38th annual Celebrity Pro-Am serves as the lead-in for one of the biggest weeks on the LPGA Tour. The Championship Tournament will tee off on April 2nd and will draw more than 100 of the best woman golfers in the world including the 2009 defending champion and three time Rolex Player of the Year, Lorena Ochoa.

The Celebrity Pro-Am will be held on both the Arnold Palmer Course and the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club. Spectators are encouraged to bring their cameras and video cameras during both days of the Pro-Am. No cameras are allowed once championship play begins.

For more information on the Celebrity Pro-Am and Tournament, click here.

To see photos of Ben's past participation, click here (pages 4, 8 and 9).

And:

Just in case you missed it the first time...

Ben's appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman" from February 2nd will be repeated tomorrow night, Tuesday, February 24th on CBS at 11:35pm.

For more info, click here.

You can see photos and screen captures from the show's first airing here.

February 21, 2009

No. 2 Sooners Extend Big 12 Lead By Beating Baylor...

...and Ben was there to cheer them on!

From the Dallas Morning News this afternoon:

Courtney Paris had 18 points and 15 rebounds, and No. 2 Oklahoma shut out fifth-ranked Baylor for an extended stretch of the second half to take a commanding lead in the Big 12 with a 66-58 victory Saturday.

The Sooners (24-2, 12-0 Big 12) squandered a 15-point, first-half lead before finding themselves down by six in the second half. That's when Oklahoma came up with a huge defensive stand, holding the Bears scoreless for 11 minutes while reeling off 13 straight points to surge back into the lead.

Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whose sister plays for Oklahoma, stood and raised both arms over his head when Nyeshia Stevenson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 7:20 to play. Paris added another six straight points for Oklahoma.

Roethlisberger watched from a courtside table with a group of his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates, but his sister, Carlee, came up empty on both of her shots — a layup in the first half and a 3-pointer in the second half. They did applaud when she took a charge that started Oklahoma's defensive stand, and got even more fired up when it pushed the Sooners back ahead at 50-49 on Stevenson's 3-pointer.

To check out a larger version of the photo, click here.

February 20, 2009

"Combine Snap Judgments: Draft's Top Two Quarterbacks Leave NFL Uncertain"

From Sports Illustrated's Don Banks in his Inside the NFL column tonight:

I hate to spoil the party before it even starts, but any time spent trying to figure out if there's another Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco-like instant success story lurking in the first round of this year's NFL Draft strikes me as wasted energy.

There are plenty of hesitations within the league when it comes to expecting early results from a highly rated junior quarterback, and the track record of such picks is less than comforting. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger was the exception to the rule in 2004. But for every Big Ben -- and there's only one -- there have been an Alex Smith, a Tim Couch, a Ryan Leaf, a Heath Shuler or an Andre Ware.

"As a general rule, the more games they play in college and the more years they play as a starter, the better their chances of success in our league,'' said Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert, the man who drafted both Roethlisberger as a junior in '04's first round, and the less successful Omar Jacobs as a junior in '06's fifth round. "And if you take a junior, the longer they wait to play [in the NFL], the better they're going to be long-term in the NFL. And that's true for even the senior quarterbacks who aren't forced to play right away."

Roethlisberger and Trent Dilfer are the only junior-drafted quarterbacks who own Super Bowl rings as starters since the league began drafting underclassmen in 1989, and Dilfer's path to that pinnacle was full of early-career setbacks. And even Colbert admits Roethlisberger had no business winning his first Super Bowl ring in just his second season.

"People can look at Ben and say, 'OK, wait a minute. He was a junior, and he was ready,' '' Colbert said. "But two things: He was a redshirt junior, so he had been in school for four years, and second, he wasn't ready to do what he did. And that sounds wrong, because he had a great rookie year. But we never felt he was going to be ready that soon. Tommy Maddox was still coming off a pretty good year for us, and then he gets hurt in Week 2. But we drafted Ben with the thought that he would eventually replace Tommy. We didn't anticipate him playing that early, and we certainly never thought he'd play that well that early."

To read the entire article, click here.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

February 15, 2009

2009 Old Spice Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp

Time to register for Ben's 2009 Football Camp...

Dates: June 22 - 24, 2009

Location: Mars Area High School - Mars, PA

Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Cost: $249 ($6 online and credit card convenience fee not included)

Refund Policy: A full refund less $35 handling fee will be available until two weeks prior to camp.

Open to boys and girls ages 7 to 14.

Each camper will receive:

• Camp T-Shirt

• Camp team photo

• 9 hours of expert instruction

• An opportunity to win contests and prizes

• A fun and educational experience guaranteed!

For more information on the camp, how to register and to see a highlight video from last year, click here.

The site's photo gallery is not working at this time, but you can see photos from last year's camp by clicking here.

February 10, 2009

"Bradshaw Marvels At Roethlisberger's Poise"

From Leslie Visser's column at CBS Sports.com this morning:

Terry Bradshaw roared at the question.

"Is Ben Roethlisberger more mature than I was at 26?" he repeated. "He's more mature than I am now!"

Bradshaw won his first of four Super Bowls with the Steelers when he was 26, and the excitement/debate has already begun. With two Super Bowl titles, Ben is now halfway to Bradshaw. Do they compare?

"He is far more accurate than I was," Bradshaw said, "but I was faster. And I was big, but never this big. I played my first Super Bowl at 208 pounds. Ben's about 260."

Hard to believe Terry would exaggerate -- 240 is more like it. But both men have been known for being hard to bring down. While Bradshaw was more elusive, Ben has been the Plymouth Rock, just standing there when being assaulted on all sides.

"He's so athletic, so strong mentally and physically," Bradshaw said. "At that age, I couldn't even warm him up."

Another slight exaggeration.

Bradshaw threw for 27,989 yards, winning 107 games for the Steelers between 1970 and 1983. None of the Steelers quarterbacks who followed him came close to his combination of skills -- not Bubby Brister nor Mark Malone nor Tommy Maddox nor Neil O'Donnell. Even Kordell Stewart, whose rushing ability equaled his arm, combined for only 15,889 yards, second in Steelers history.

Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at age 23. Back then, he admitted, he was, "along for the ride." The ride was a bus, and everybody piled on to get Jerome Bettis a ring before he retired. Roethlisberger was particularly disappointing, with a 22.6 passer rating -- the lowest in history for the winning quarterback.

This time, Big Ben was in charge.

Bradshaw, the Hall of Fame standard by which all Steelers quarterbacks are measured, never had to bring his team back the length of the field with a world championship on the line. Big Ben was ready.

Roethlisberger's 6-yard symphony to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds left to rally Pittsburgh to a 27-23 victory against Arizona finished an equally breathtaking eight-play drive from the Steelers 22, in which Roethlisberger completed five of seven passes and scrambled for 4 yards.

He told his team it was "now or never," and though the dramatic pass to Holmes had a fancy name, Roethlisberger said it was basically, "drop back, scramble right, scramble left, then find someone open."

He said this drive, this victory, was deeply satisfying, and that the touchdown will "probably be remembered for decades to come."

Roethlisberger's passion and determination, like Bradshaw's, fit the franchise and its people.

"We're both tough, both hard-headed," Bradshaw said. "Pittsburgh loves that."

Neither player should be defined by his statistics. Bradshaw went to only three Pro Bowls in his glorious career. Ben has been to one. Instead, both will be remembered for their punishing plays and the punishment they endured.

"Ben has much more poise than I had at that age," Bradshaw said, "but there's one place we're exactly the same: we're both leaders."

To read Ms. Visser's full columnn, click here.

Speaking of punishment endured....

Given the news and speculation surrounding Ben's injuries the last couple of days, I thought it might be worth a re-post of this article from The New York Times Jeffrey Marcus. The article, entitled, 'Big Ben Needs a Crutch - You're Welcome Pittsburgh" first appeared in the Times on January 26th:

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is listed at 6 feet 5 inches, 241 pounds. Me? I’m a very generous 5-9 (and a ½), 154. So I was bit surprised when Roethlisberger decided to use me as a human crutch to step down from the dais after the Steelers’ first news conference here this afternoon.

"Hold on a second," he called out as I was unplugging my digital recorder. "I’m an old man, I need some help." Roethlisberger, who is seven years younger than me, reached out and put his left hand on my left shoulder. I thought he just needed to get his balance, but instead he put a good portion of his weight on me as he made the six-inch descent from the riser to the floor, grunting the whole way down.

You can’t really fault the big guy. As tough as he is, Roethlisberger has endured quite a beating this season.

Judy Battista reported two weeks ago, before the Steelers won the A.F.C. divisional playoff: "From shoulders (sore or perhaps separated earlier this season) to toes (broken or maybe not in 2005), Roethlisberger’s skeleton has sometimes made more news than his statistics, to the occasional dismay of his coaches and the consternation of a small clutch of online fans who wonder if he is exaggerating his ailments."

There’s no exaggerating the number of times he was sacked this season (46) or the number of times he fumbled (14). Those statistics have prompted some to criticize Roethlisberger for holding on to the ball too long. It’s the one bit of criticism that he finds particularly amusing, and he says it fuels him as he and his teammates prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday.

“I laugh at it,” Roethlisberger said Monday, before asking for my help. “It may sound mean, it may sound rude, but you’re sitting behind a desk, I really don’t care what you think about me.”

(He’s right, I do sit behind a desk for most of my waking hours. But it didn’t stop me from propping him up and avoiding a potentially disastrous spill on the team’s first day in Tampa — you’re welcome, Pittsburgh.)

"I’ll play even worse than I did last time," he said referring to his performance in 2006, when he went 9 for 21 with 2 interceptions in Super Bowl XL. "If we win, I don’t really care. That’s all that matters to me is winning the football game."

Also Today:

Just in case you're missing Steelers football already...

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Week 13: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots (11/30/08) - NFL Network 8:00 p.m.

Steelers force 5 turnovers and outscore Patriots 23-0 in second half to defeat rival Patriots at Foxboro.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Week 14: Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (12/7/08) - NFL Network 9:30 p.m.

Steelers stun Cowboys late, rally from 10-point fourth quarter deficit; loss snaps Dallas' three-game winning streak, damaging its playoff chances.

Thursday, February 12th

Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

FULL GAME on NFL Network, 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

With Bruce Springsteen's Halftime Performance - Ben Roethlisberger leads the Steelers to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in a wild back-and-forth game that set 12 Super Bowl records; Pittsburgh secured its record 6th Super Bowl with the win.

February 9, 2009

"I Play The Game One Way. You Saw It On The Last Drive"

From Peter King's "Monday Morning QB" column in Sports Illustrated:

I need to relive the Steelers' last drive of the Super Bowl. I want to relive it. I watched a DVD of the game sent from NBC the other day, then spoke at length to Ben Roethlisberger Saturday night about one of the great drives in big-game history. Four things that stand out now, eight days after the fact:

1. Roethlisberger still doesn't know why he threw the winning pass into triple coverage to Santonio Holmes. "If I'd thought about it, and now, looking back, seeing what I've seen, I never would have thrown it,'' Roethlisberger told me from southern California, where he was soaking in memories of the best game of his life, getting away from it all, and considering some lucrative endorsement deals.

2. Roethlisberger, playing on adrenaline, toughed out the game with at least two small rib fractures -- which didn't show up in an X-ray the week before the game but did when he got an MRI after returning to Pittsburgh.

I spent two hours examining the eight plays of the drive, which will go down as an NFL classic. I mean an all-timer. I know Roethlisberger's only 26, but this I can promise: Even if he wins three more Super Bowls and goes to the Hall of Fame someday, Big Ben will never have a championship game drive like this again -- 88 yards, trailing by three, final three minutes, starting with a first-and-20, eschewing anything like a play-it-safe mode, ending with one of the great clutch passes thrown in the NFL.

Lofty words. True words.

Before I take you back to the breezy Tampa night, there's a part of Roethlisberger's football personality that you've got to know. Rewind to Nov. 20, a Thursday night in Pittsburgh. With 2:20 left in the fourth quarter, the Steelers led Cincinnati 20-10, and all Roethlisberger had to do was bleed the clock the rest of the way and the Steelers could go home, safely, winners. But he was quarterbacking for points, not to kill the clock.

With a bum shoulder, he took off out of the pocket from the Bengals' eight, dove for the goal line, stretched his arm with the ball out, and crossed the plane for a touchdown. In the locker room I asked him: "Why not play it safe?'' And he said: "Heck no. I will never ... Casey Hampton said to me on the sidelines, 'What are you doing scoring? Why didn't you just go down at the one?' I said, 'Hamp, don't you know by now? That's my heart.' I'm a competitor. I want to get in the end zone. And I want to win. Period. I don't think about running the clock out. I don't think about saving myself. It'll take someone to bring me down. It's the competitive side. [Coach Mike Tomlin] tells me, 'Don't take a hit. Get down, slide.' But in that situation, it's competition."

So here we go in the Super Bowl. Arizona 23, Pittsburgh 20, 2:30 left. Ball on the Steeler 22. But guard Chris Kemoeatu holds on first down, so with 2:24 left, the real drive starts on the Pittsburgh 12. "Hard enough to go 78 yards starting on first-and-10,'' Big Ben said. "But the odds of going 88 yards, with 20 yards to go on first down ... " The Steelers needed about 58 yards to get into Jeff Reed's field-goal range -- but that's not what Roethlisberger was thinking. He wasn't thinking tie and get the game into overtime. He was thinking win.

"Never once," he said. "Not on the entire drive do I think 'field goal.' Never do I think, 'Play it safe.' Subconsciously, I guess I knew it. Of course I knew it, because we were down by three. But I wasn't trying to get us into field-goal range."

Roethlisberger is an interesting case. I've asked other quarterbacks -- Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Tom Brady -- about big plays and big drives, and they remember tiny details. They're like Tiger Woods going shot-by-shot on a Thursday round (particularly Peyton), able to tell you why he went with the three-iron instead of the four-, 278 yards out from the tall grass on the seventh hole. Not Ben. "I don't remember a lot of the plays from that drive," he said. "I just don't remember things in great detail like that." So some of this was pulling teeth, but the insight was good.

"It's one of those throws where you just don't think," Roethlisberger said. "You're just trying to put it where the receiver can catch it, but if you don't, he's the only one who can catch it. When I let it go, I thought it was his ball or no one's. But a second later, I see the corner [Brown] and I think, He's gonna pick it off."

The ball went five inches, maybe six, over the gloved fingertips of the leaping Brown. Francisco was coming in for the kill shot on Holmes. Rodgers-Cromartie reminded me so much of Asante Samuel on last year's miracle catch by David Tyree -- a spectator, strangely and regrettably, on the biggest play of the season, instead of a mugger as soon as the ball hit Holmes' hands.

Holmes had missed the previous throw. Not this one. Leaning over the white boundary stripe, five feet shy of the end line, Holmes snatched the high ball out of the air and got what -- one, two feet down? The Ultra Slow-Motion camera at NBC director Fred Gaudelli's disposal (the network had three of these artsy cameras in use, two low at either end zone, and one on the 50) dispelled all doubt that Holmes got his right foot down. No way referee Terry McAulay would have been able to overturn the call anyway, but Ultra Slow-Mo assured that the Steelers had their touchdown -- and Roethlisberger his drive for the ages.

When he hugged Holmes, Roethlisberger said to him: "The other catch would have been a lot easier. You should have caught that one," meaning the pass on the previous play. And they both laughed.

Now that he's relived it a few hundred times, Roethlisberger wouldn't change a thing. Obviously. "I was just trying to make a play," he said. "Nothing complicated. Looking back on it, if I was a little timid, or if I thought about it, it's a different story. But you can't play football like that. It's a game of reaction. I play the game one way. You saw it on that drive."

Regarding the celebrated ribs:

Roethlisberger was speared in the kidney area in the AFC Championship Game. His midsection hurt so much that he had X-rays before the Super Bowl. They were negative. But a subsequent MRI told a different story. He found out last Thursday.

"Fractured ribs," Roethlisberger said. "Luckily, in the game, I didn't take any big hits to make 'em hurt. But I knew all along there was something wrong. There wouldn't have been anything they could have done about fractured ribs anyway. It was just suck it up and play."

The kid from Miami of Ohio sucked it up pretty good. The Super Bowl win standings of the Quarterback Class of 2004: Roethlisberger - 2, Eli Manning - 1, Philip Rivers, J.P. Losman, Matt Schaub - 0. Look at the three draft picks in the first round before Roethlisberger in 2004 -- cornerback DeAngelo Hall, wideout Reggie Williams, cornerback Dunta Robinson. Think Atlanta, Jacksonville and Houston regret those picks?

To read Mr. King's full column, click here.

February 8, 2009

"Ben Roethlisberger Finds A Way To Win - At Everything"

From the column of L.A. Times sports journalist Sam Farmer today:

Here's a little story about Ben Roethlisberger, one that hints at the skills required to make the kind of precision passes the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback made in the Super Bowl last Sunday.

It happened a few hours after the divisional playoff victory over San Diego, when Roethlisberger was unwinding at a Pittsburgh pub with a group of family and friends. They were playing the arcade game "2 Minute Drill," the object of which is to throw junior-sized footballs through holes for points over the course of two minutes. There are three holes, with the top being the smallest and most valuable. It takes a pinpoint spiral to squeeze through that one.

On his first try, Roethlisberger set a new record for the machine.

Whump. Whump. Whump. Whump. Pass after pass zipped through the top hole.

On his second try, he broke his own mark. On his third, he scored so many points that the three-digit counter rolled over. Two minutes without a miss.

The whole pub erupted in applause.

"You get kind of competitive when it comes to things like that," Roethlisberger said in a phone interview this week. "I wasn't going to let anybody beat my score. It started with me competing with the guys there. But then it got to the point where, well, let me shoot for the high score. So that was the next competition and I blew it away."

(Roethlisberger, by the way, won't be in the Pro Bowl today, not even as an alternate. It's more evidence voting for that all-star game is a joke, but more on that in a moment.)

Among the things separating Roethlisberger from other quarterbacks are his incredibly skilled hands. Those allow him to zip passes on target, whether he's throwing off his front foot, back foot, twisted the wrong way, or with would-be tacklers dangling off him like Christmas ornaments.

"As a quarterback, especially in the NFL, you can't just drop back every time and throw a regular pass perfect," he said. "There's always going to have to be a different angle you're throwing the ball, someone's rushing you, you've got to drop your arm a little bit and throw through lanes, whatever it might be."

The steel-city grip of his right hand also allows him to execute more complete and convincing pump fakes, the kind that can fool an entire secondary into shifting out of position, as he did in the winning drive against Arizona. Whereas other NFL quarterbacks might flinch a fake, Roethlisberger gets three-quarters of the way through his throwing motion before resetting, the ball crazy-glued in place.

"Any time that you get a little pump fake, the more realistic it is, the more the defenders are going to bite on it. It happened in the Super Bowl on the one to Santonio [Holmes]," he said, referring to the 40-yard catch and carry that set up the winning touchdown. "I pumped on it and everyone came flying up and he was open. I bet it happens at least once a game where you can affect multiple defensive players by doing that."

The biggest knocks on Big Ben -- that he holds onto the ball too long and sometimes takes unnecessary hits -- are also some of his biggest strengths. He's a tough quarterback in a tough city.

And it comes back to the hands and the incredible athleticism. Roethlisberger's agents, cousins Ryan and Bruce Tollner, have seen it for years. They've both spent their lives around top athletes -- Ryan's a former Cal quarterback; Bruce's dad, Ted, was USC's football coach -- but they've seen some things from Ben that have left them rubbing their eyes.

They've seen him play as a fill-in in a competitive softball game and, in five at-bats, effortlessly pump five home runs over the fence -- the only five of the game.

They've seen him shoot around with the Phoenix Suns, at the invitation of his buddy Steve Nash, and even beat ex-Suns forward Shawn Marion in a three-point contest.

And they've seen Roethlisberger's epic ping-pong battles with his dad, that ball just a little white blur.

"Anyone that spends any time around Ben ultimately will get frustrated because they'll lose in anything they compete with him in," Ryan Tollner said. "Any little game he comes up with -- which is part of his personality, you'll play games all day long -- he'll win. It's quite humbling."

Last Sunday, a record TV audience watched Roethlisberger work his magic. With his performance in the playoffs culminating with his masterful two-minute drive in the Super Bowl, he went from a very good quarterback to an elite one. His name deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Peyton Manning's and Tom Brady's.

Manning is the AFC's starting quarterback in the Pro Bowl. The reserves are Jay Cutler and Kerry Collins, who is replacing the injured Brett Favre. (Notably absent are both Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers.) Fans, players and coaches vote for the Pro Bowl, and the teams are determined before the regular season ends.

"It's funny because I remember when it got announced," Roethlisberger said of the Pro Bowl roster. "People were coming up to me saying, `Man, I can't believe you didn't make it.' I'd say, `You know what? It's all right. I'll just go out and get a Super Bowl now. I'd rather have a Super Bowl than a Pro Bowl any day.' I'm just glad that it worked out."

Somehow, you get the feeling he's gotten over the disappointment.

Funny how a second Super Bowl ring can do that.

To read Mr. Farmer's full column, click here.

Also Today:

Another article worth a read -

"Steelers final Super Bowl drive eerily similar to Montana and the 49ers" from the San Francisco Examiner this morning.

February 7, 2009

"All Roethlisberger Does Is Win"

From the column of Tyler Huey, sports writer for the small town Washington state newspaper, Nisqually Valley News:

Roethlisberger is not the type of glorified quarterback who gets constant praise for putting up gaudy numbers. He just does what it takes to win. Take Pittsburgh’s final drive, for example.

Pittsburgh trailed by three points with 2 minutes and 37 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. A la Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and John Elway, Roethlisberger led the Steelers 78 yards in eight plays, capped by a flawless 6-yard throw and catch to wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

Holmes was named the Most Valuable player due to his game-winning catch and 131 receiving yards, but Roethlisberger was more deserving of the award. If Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning or any other superstar quarterback did what Roethlisberger had done, they would have been named MVP. No questions asked. All Roethlisberger does is win. At 26, he’s a two-time Super Bowl Champ.

Pittsburgh took a 20-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The game looked like it was over, but it wasn’t. After Pittsburgh was charged a safety for holding on their goal line, Warner and Fitzgerald connected on two separate 1- and 64-yard touchdown passes for a 23-20 lead. And that’s the exact moment when Roethlisberger showed the world what he’s made of.

To read Mr. Huey's full column, click here.

February 5, 2009

Ben In The Bend...

In the latest issue of Sports Illustrated magazine (Feb. 9th).

Ben leads off the "Leading off" photo segment - all photos from the "behind the scenes" album (mentioned yesterday). The issue also has eight pages of Super Bowl XLIII coverage.

To see the magazine photo, click here.

I have also added a photo of Ben from last night's Penguins game. To view it, click here.

Television This Weekend:

NFL Network Steelers Replay Schedule -

Thursday, February 5th

Live Wire: Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

NFL Replay on NFL Network, 8:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.

NFL Network gives viewers the ultimate insider access; letting them listen in on players and coaches during the game on the field. Award-winning NFL Films crews capture exclusive on-field and off-field sound from Super Bowl XLIII.

Friday, February 6th

Live Wire: Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

NFL Replay on NFL Network, 2:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m.

NFL Network gives viewers the ultimate insider access; letting them listen in on players and coaches during the game on the field. Award-winning NFL Films crews capture exclusive on-field and off-field sound from Super Bowl XLIII.

Saturday, February 7th

Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

NFL Replay on NFL Network, 3:30 p.m.

Ben Roethlisberger leads the Steelers to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in a wild back-and-forth game that set 12 Super Bowl records; Pittsburgh secured its record 6th Super Bowl with the win.

Sunday, February 8th

2008 Divisional - San Diego Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (1/11/09)

NFL Replay on NFL Network, 10:30 a.m.

Parker's 146 yards and 2 touchdowns and efficient play from Roethlisberger lead Steelers to AFC Championship game; Rivers' 308 yards and 3 touchdowns are not enough to continue San Diego's late season run.

Sunday, February 8th

Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

NFL Replay on NFL Network, 3:00 p.m.

Ben Roethlisberger leads the Steelers to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in a wild back-and-forth game that set 12 Super Bowl records; Pittsburgh secured its record 6th Super Bowl with the win.

Sunday, February 8th

Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

FULL GAME on NFL Network, 8:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

With Bruce Springsteen's Halftime Performance - Ben Roethlisberger leads the Steelers to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in a wild back-and-forth game that set 12 Super Bowl records; Pittsburgh secured its record 6th Super Bowl with the win.

*You can always check the Television Alert section in the gray column on your right!

February 4, 2009

Marketing Big Ben

From an article in USA Today:

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lost out to teammate Santonio Holmes for the Most Valuable Player award after Super Bowl XLIII.

But Roethlisberger and charismatic young Steelers coach Mike Tomlin are likely to be the winners in the contest for post-Super Bowl marketing bucks, Madison Avenue experts say.

In a recession-plagued economy, national endorsements are few and far between.

Marketers are more likely to go with safe choices such as Roethlisberger or 36-year old Tomlin, predicts Shawn McBride, vice president of Ketchum Sports and Entertainment Marketing.

Tomlin became the youngest coach to lead his team to victory in Super Bowl history with Sunday's 27-23 victory against the Arizona Cardinals.

Agent Brian Levy at Goal Line Football Management said Tuesday his phone has been "ringing off the hook" with book offers for his client.

In a broken economy, Levy thinks Tomlin and others are more likely to land book deals than endorsement contracts since publishing houses can recoup their financial investments quicker than endorsement partners.

"He's a bit of a private guy, so we're going to be careful," Levy says about Tomlin. "Any endorsement that comes out of this will have to fit his personality, his morals and his ethics."

Roethlisberger, who appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman on Monday, is under contract with Nike.

The company "looks forward to continuing to work with Ben as he has proven to be an inspiration to football players on all levels," spokesman KeJuan Wilkins wrote in an e-mail.

The two-time Super Bowl champion has also appeared in ads for Campbell's Soup and Fathead.

With a name like Roethlisberger, it would be a natural for a company like Burger King to name a sandwich after him, says Bob Dorfman, executive creative director at Baker Street Partners.

"He's got a blue-collar, working-class appeal," Dorfman says. "He'd be perfect for any kind of product that gets the job done without glitz and glamour: burgers, trucks, power tools, home-improvement chains. He doesn't have Tom Brady's glamour. He's not as good on camera as Peyton Manning. But if you're looking for a tough, hardworking guy, he fits the bill."

Also Today:

From the entertaining column of sports columnist (and Ravens fan) Tony Giro, in the Baltimore Examiner, entited "Big Ben: the hatred runs deep" -

I'm in an abusive relationship with a guy named Ben.

I met him, geez, I guess five years ago. It was the winter of 2004.

I'll never forget the first time I laid eyes on him. He was just standing around, holding a clipboard for a guy named Tommy. He seemed harmless enough -- almost unassuming and Shrek-like with his super-sized head and unsightly moles.

I didn't really think much of him until he and Tommy exchanged roles.

If I only had known what I know now, I could've saved the $10 I spent on the "Steelers Suck" T-shirt I bought that day.

I mean, how the hell was I supposed to envision a tall oaf like him would make a living ripping my heart out one ventricle at a time?

I get cold just thinking about the first time he broke the huddle. You know how some guys just have a look -- the look that separates them from everyone else? He had it.

All the greats -- Unitas, Jordan, Gretzky, Don Rickles -- had it.

I want to give myself a home lobotomy just to erase the memory of the first time he dropped back, scrambled and threw a dart downfield.

"Lucky," I told myself.

Then Ben did it again. And again.

Then, I didn't feel so good.

Why the hell did Tommy have to get hurt that day? Why, football Zeus, why?

The more I watched him that day, the more I hated him and his, "Oh, look at me. I'm so calm. Watch me act like my spleen was ripped Mortal Kombat-style from my body and come back on an ambulance 10 minutes later to finish you."

I had plans to go to Tampa last weekend, but noooo. Somebody had to make some plays on countless third-and-forevers against the Ravens.

Why can't I just walk away? Better yet, why doesn't he just walk away? Retire. Put me out of my misery.

Isn't two Super Bowl rings enough?

To read the entire article (it's worth it!), click here.

*Thank you Kathy!

SI photographer Ben Roethlisberger...

Teamed up with another SI photographer, Michael LeBrecht, to bring you "behind the scenes" photos from Super Bowl XLIII:

Click here to check them out.

Television Program Reminder:

NFL Network will re-air SuperBowl XLIII tonight at 8:30 p.m.

It will be shown in a 90-minute fast-paced format, without halftime and other elements not critical to the outcome.

February 3, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Victory Parade

The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrated their NFL-record sixth Super Bowl championship with a parade through the city on Tuesday afternoon.

The celebration began with a motorcade through downtown Pittsburgh as fans clad in black and gold waved flags, signs and Terrible Towels. The parade began near the corner of Grant Street and Liberty Avenue before reaching a stage on the Boulevard of the Allies and Stanwix Street.

"I love all you guys," wide receiver Hines Ward said to the crowd. "This is what it's all about. Hey, next year we're gonna bring back a seventh championship. Let's do it again."

After a hug for Coach Tomlin, Ben took the microphone and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Hey Pittsburgh, what's up?" to huge applause. "Hey you guys are the best fans in all of sports bar none, and you know what? We got SIX so no NFL team can touch us! We can argue it all we want now, right? We love you guys so much. Thanks for all your support, we appreciate it!"

The Steelers, who defeated Seattle three years ago in Super Bowl XL, are now alone among Super Bowl winners with six, while Dallas and San Francisco are tied for second place with five. Pittsburgh went 12-4 in the regular season and won the AFC North title for the second straight year. It then defeated San Diego and Baltimore in the playoffs before reaching the Super Bowl for the seventh time in team history (6-1).

I have added photos and screen captures here.

Also Today:

Ben was a guest on the Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio this afternoon after the parade. Below is his interview:

Scott: "Ben, from Letterman to this...your life’s falling apart. That’s a hell of a fall!"

Ben: "Nah….Scott how you doin’?"

Scott: "So the last 24 hours — tell us about it. Must’ve been bonkers."

Ben: "Oh, it’s unbelievable. The game, and then umm, you know, the night with the family and friends, then getting a couple hours of sleep, then flying to New York to do Letterman, then going home last night, and then getting up this morning to go to the parade. Just unbelievable."

Scott: "What was that thing on your head? It looked like a muskrat with flaps."

Ben: "That was my warm hat. It was cold! The hat kept my head warm, my ears. I was trying to be warm, I didn’t care."

Scott: "What was it like today?"

Ben: "Unbelievable. More people than last time we did the parade. People hanging from trees! Our fans are just unbelievable!"

Scott asks him about what it was like "in the huddle" after Arizona took the lead.

Ben: "Well, you know, when I’m on the sideline and they scored, it was just unbelievable. I can’t believe this is happening. Then you snap out of it and say…you know, 'we can do this'. Unfortunately, in the huddle I didn’t have a Joe Montana/John Candy moment. I just told the guys, 'this is what it all boils down to. This is the last 2 minutes of the season, and all the hard work we’ve put in, all the talk, it’s all gonna be for nothing if we don’t do something done about it."

Scott mentions that Santonio Holmes said that when he missed the first pass he felt like he "blew it", and "Ben said when he threw the winning pass he thought HE blew it". Scott asks Ben to take him through that play.

Ben: "He’s right, the first one was probably actually the easier catch. The next play, Ton was the third read. I kind of pumped, and got ready to scramble. I don’t even know why I threw it to Santonio -- he was in the corner with three guys around him. And when I let go of it I thought 'oh my goodness' And Ton went up and like a ballerina he came down on his toes...and any receiver can learn how to do it from that."

Scott asks him about the second time around and how he "got it done".

Ben: "It was a completely different ball game. The first time it was my second year and I was nervous, I was so overwhelmed by making it to the Super Bowl. This time I just went out and enjoyed it, everything, even the media. I didn't have the cotton mouth or weak legs like I did the first time."

Scott: "Does getting two make you hungrier for the third?"

Ben: "Oh, yeah. I am incredibly grateful. I’m enjoying it don’t get me wrong, but when next season starts I want to get another on."

Scott asks him when he will "feel normal again?"

Ben: "Probably right about the day before training camp starts (laughs) no – I’ll start to feel better in the next couple weeks. It’s amazing what a little bit of golf, and some sun, and some water and beach, how it can make you feel better."

Scott: "Where you heading?"

Ben: "I’m not telling – people like to find me and show up."

Scott: "Magic number was 265 (number of texts Santonio Holmes had) What was your number?"

Ben: "I had 70 some text messages and about 12 missed calls and voice messages. That’s a pretty big number Ton had."

Scott: "Pittsburgh feels like America’s team - Do you feel like you guys have become not just the property of Pittsburgh, but that this country has embraced you guys for all that you have accomplished?"

Ben: "I don’t feel like the fans of any team, in any sport, can top our fans. Every stadium we go to it’s like a home game. It’s unbelievable. It’s great, you know, and we love playing for them. And you know what this does – it’s kind of magical for our fans. Now our fans have a legit argument on why they have the best team."

Ben laughts as Scott tells him, "You know this means we’re just gonna run the hell out of that commercial you did a couple of years ago."

Scott congratulates him and the interview ends.

*Thank you so much to Jan who took the time to record and transcribe this interview!

And:

According to PR/NewsWire and a report on ESPN News...

Super Bowl XLIII was the most viewed television program in U.S. history with a total audience of 151.6 million viewers, according to official national ratings data released today by Nielsen Media Research.

MOST VIEWED TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN HISTORY (total viewers):

1. Super Bowl XLIII: 151.6 million -- NBC 2009

2. Super Bowl XLII: 148.3 million -- Fox 2008

3. Super Bowl XXVIII: 144.4 million -- CBS 2004

The average viewership of 98.7 million is tops in Super Bowl history, beating last year's game by 1.2 million viewers (97.5 million).

February 2, 2009 - Evening Update

Ben On The "Late Show With David Letterman"

The show aired at 11:30 pm this evening, here are a couple of highlights from Ben's guest appearance:

NEW YORK — When he threw the pass that won the Super Bowl, Ben Roethlisberger thought he'd just blown the game for the Steelers.

The Pittsburgh quarterback went on the "Late Show with David Letterman" Monday night and told the host his pass to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds to play Sunday night was his third read, and he thought a defensive back would intercept it.

"I was getting ready to start running and then I saw about five guys closing on me, I knew my life was about to end," Roethlisberger told Letterman.

"I saw Santonio in the corner and as soon as I let go of it, I saw the defensive back going to get it, and I thought it was intercepted. I thought the game was over. I thought I blew it. And, you know what? He made a heck of a catch, he really did."

Letterman also thanked Roethlisberger for appearing on the show after a night celebrating Pittsburgh's 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

"Long night — but what better way to celebrate the next day than to be here with you," Roethlisberger said.

"Oh, what a guy, what a guy," Letterman said, applauding.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

For screen captures and quotes, click here.

*You can watch the video here.

February 2, 2009

TV Appearance For Ben Tonight...

Ben will be a guest on the "Late Show with David Letterman" tonight on CBS at 11:30 p.m.

For more info, check out the site here.

To see the screen caps from his two previous appearances (screen capture at left is from his appearance after Super Bowl XL), click here (pages 6 & 7).

Big Ben Postpones Disney Visit?

According to several news sources last night, Ben would be riding in the Disney Parade with MVP Santonio Holmes today, however according to Disney's site, MousePlanet.com this morning:

Following the Pittsburgh Steelers' dramatic Super Bowl victory, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Santonio Holmes recorded the latest in the series of "I'm going to Disney World!" spots.

Only Super Bowl MVP Holmes will ride down Main Street USA in a parade today.

Roethlisberger has postponed, and will visit the Magic Kingdom on another day.

The info was posted by MousePlanet writer, editor and podcaster Mark Goldhaber.

Steelers Victory Parade is tomorrow at noon!

According to KDKA.com:

KDKA has learned the Steelers' victory parade will be held tomorrow in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The parade will begin at noon and will take a similar route as the traditional St. Patrick's Day Parade.

The route begins near Mellon Arena, then down Center Avenue, a right turn onto Sixth Avenue, left onto Grant Street then a right onto the Boulevard of the Allies.

If you can't watch the parade live on television, KDKA.com will provide a live web stream beginning at 11 a.m.

The team returns to Pittsburgh International Airport at 2 p.m. today.

Also Today:

You can see Ben's latest "Body By Milk" Post-game print advertisement here. There are also two different size desktop wallpaper images.

For photos from the game, click here (pages 1 through 7).

Quote of the Day:

"I heard all the talk all week, and if you're gonna tell me that Ben Roethlisberger is not an elite quarterback then you don't know what you're talking about!" -- Former NFL head coach, player and current football analyst Mike Ditka on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike show this morning.

Some articles written today that you may be interesting in reading:

Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger takes his place among Super Bowl's best (Tampa-St. Petersburg Times)

Roethlisberger puts 2005 performance behind him (Naples News)

Time has come for Steelers' Big Ben (The Denver Post)

Ben Roethlisberger is Super this time leading game winning drive for Steelers (New York Daily News)

A timely Big Ben Roethlisberger (Boston Herald)

Ben Roethlisberger takes command of the Pittsburgh Steelers (Tampa-St. Petersburg Times)

Big Ben Needs A Crutch -- Your'e Welcome, Pittsburgh (New York Times)

"Big Ben" and Horse Racing (StandardBred Canada News)

Ben Is Pure Steeler (Boston Herald)

Lord of the Rings (Beaver County Times)

And:

Did you know that Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is a die-hard Steelers fan? Well, he is (and so is Sox manager Terry Francona)! Curt and his family were at the game yesteday.

You can read about his Super Bowl Sunday experience on his "38 pitches blog" here.

February 1, 2009 - Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl XLIII: Big Ben & The Steelers Win 27-23

"I thought Roethlisberger was spectacular all night - extending plays, avoiding the rush and making the big plays. " -- Former Indianapolis head coach and NBC football analyst Tony Dungee after the game.

What once seemed on its way to being a one-sided Super Bowl victory for the Pittsburgh Steelers instead became a memorably dramatic triumph for them. They squandered a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, then got a remarkable touchdown catch by wide receiver Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds remaining to beat the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23, here this evening.

Pittsburgh was led by yet another gutsy performance by QB Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger completed 21-of-30 passes for 256 yards and hooked up with WR Santonio Holmes on a 6-yard touchdown that proved to be the game-winning score. Holmes earned Super Bowl MVP honors after hauling in nine passes for 131 yards.

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner lost a fumble on a sack with five seconds to go to seal the outcome.

The Cardinals had rallied with two touchdown passes from Warner, a one-yarder and a 64-yarder, to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and a safety on a holding penalty on Steelers center Justin Hartwig in his own end zone.

Roethlisberger became a two-time Super Bowl winner a month shy of his 27th birthday. Warner lost for the second time in three career Super Bowl appearances, the first two of which came with the St. Louis Rams.

For much of the night, the Cardinals were plagued by mistakes in the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. They looked like the pitiable team that began this season with one winning season since 1984, and the one that went 0-5 on the East Coast during the regular season before going on a magical playoff run.

The Cardinals were hurt by penalties and Warner threw an interception that Steelers linebacker James Harrison returned 100 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first half. The longest play in Super Bowl history gave the Steelers a 17-7 lead at the intermission.

Tailback Gary Russell ran for a second-quarter touchdown for the Steelers. Warner finished with three touchdown passes, the first one to tight end Ben Patrick in the second quarter.

Roethlisberger won the Super Bowl with the Steelers three years ago in Detroit as a second-year pro. But he played miserably that day and spent the buildup to this game vowing to perform better this time around. He also deflected speculation he was bothered by a rib injury, and he got off to a good beginning in this game on the second offensive play.

Roethlisberger rolled to his right and threw a dart of a pass to wide receiver Hines Ward, who was playing with a sprained knee suffered in the AFC title game. Ward showed no ill effects from the injury, getting wide open on the play. He made the catch and raced to the Arizona 32-yard line for a 38-yard gain. Roethlisberger later got the Steelers a first down at the 1 with a 21-yard completion to tight end Heath Miller.

On third down from the 1, Roethlisberger rolled to his right but couldn't find an open receiver. He decided to run but was met by Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett. Roethlisberger bulled his way toward the goal line with Dockett holding on. The officials on the field signaled touchdown. But Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Steelers' offensive coordinator for their last Super Bowl triumph, didn't agree and issued an instant replay challenge.

Roethlisberger had been awarded a controversial rushing touchdown three years earlier in the Super Bowl, but not this time. Referee Terry McAulay reversed the original call, ruling that Roethlisberger's knee had touched the turf before he reached the end zone. Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin decided against a fourth-down gamble, and place kicker Jeff Reed's field goal provided a 3-0 edge.

The Cardinals went nowhere on their opening possession and punted, and the Steelers were back at it. Wideout Santonio Holmes went 25 yards with a screen pass, and Roethlisberger used a nifty escape from the pass rush to buy time to find Miller for an 11-yard completion on a third-and-10 play. All of that led to a one-yard touchdown burst by Russell, a reserve tailback, on the second play of the second quarter.

The Cardinals got another chance when Roethlisberger threw a tipped-ball interception to linebacker Karlos Dansby. Fitzgerald made his first catch of the night. Two catches by Boldin gave the Cardinals a first down at the Steelers 1 and they took a timeout with 18 seconds left in the half.

Harrison, the NFL defensive player of the year, faked a blitz but dropped into coverage. Warner threw a pass toward Boldin but Harrison stepped in front of him and made the grab at the goal line. He rumbled his way up the right sideline, maneuvering around Warner and outrunning tight end Leonard Pope and offensive tackle Mike Gandy.

Fitzgerald and Breaston caught him at the far goal line, 100 yards from where Harrison began his record-setting journey, and pulled him down as the clock reached zero. Harrison fell on his head at the goal line. He remained on the ground for a few moments but got to his feet and walked off the field about the time McAulay announced the replay review confirmed that Harrison had crossed the goal line and the touchdown counted.

To see photos from the game, click here (pages 1-6).

(game summary from several different news sources)

"Holmes, Roethlisberger to Disney World"

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tonight:

TAMPA — Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes and winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will attend festivities today at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., as part of performing the famous "I'm going to Disney World" commercials."

Normally the MVP does the commercial alone, but Roethlisberger, who tossed the game-winning 6-yard touchdown pass to Holmes with 35 seconds remaining in the Steelers' thrilling 27-23 win Sunday night at Raymond James Stadium, will join Holmes at today's parade. The two also will participate in other activities at the popular theme park.

The commercial features selected players shouting the phrase "I'm going to Disney World" while celebrating the team's victory on the field immediately after the game.

More tomorrow...

February 1, 2009 - Super Bowl Sunday (Morning)

"International Ben": Scotland on Sunday

From the Edinburgh, Scotland newspaper, Scotland on Sunday:

"Superbowl: Ben steeled to cash in on any Cardinal sins" by Mark Woods

THE TIES that bind the Pittsburgh Steeler Nation are strong and visible. The Terrible Towel, available only in yellow and black. A sense of history, instilled through the storied franchise's five NFL Championship runs. And a mystique created in the post-war era of Jock Sutherland, that emigrant son of Coupar Angus, which has been passed down the generations through good days and bad, earning an army of devotees from the rundown inner precincts of Pennsylvania's industrial heartland to the sanctum of American power.

Even President Obama, who has belatedly proclaimed himself a Steeler fan, surely exhaled a sigh of relief on Friday morning when Sutherland's latest head coaching successor, Mike Tomlin, uttered arguably the six most significant words among the vast global chatter in the build-up to Super Bowl XLIII. "Ben's fine. He's going to play," he said.

The Arizona Cardinals, unfancied opponents this evening in Tampa, will have duly taken note.

On the health of Ben Roethlisberger rest the Steelers' hopes of claiming a second title in four seasons. Certainly, the return to fitness of wide receiver Hines Ward, Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XL, holds huge significance, as does the league's best defence. Having so many in their ranks with prior experience in dealing with the circus that precedes the game can't have hurt either.

Yet it is a quarterback who, by his own conviction, failed to impose himself during his first appearance on American football's greatest stage, who holds the keys to the trophy cabinet.

It has been Big Ben (Version 2.0) that has been doing the rounds in Florida. Sure, he still might look like a man for whom riding a Harley is a full-time occupation with his baseball cap rarely peak-forward. However, now aged 26, and with the veterans of '06 in retirement, this has become his Steelers. "You have to be as you grow at the position," he admits.

"You kind of naturally have to whether you force it or not. I never tried to force it when I got here. It just naturally became my time."

"It's maturity," insists Hines Ward.

"When he walked into the huddle he was still the quarterback, but he had some legendary guys who were captains – Alan Faneca, Jerome Bettis, Marvel Smith. We had a lot of veteran guys. It was only his second year in the league. Now when he steps into the huddle, it's his team. He doesn't have to worry about other guys.

"When he steps into the huddle, all eyes are on him. He has a presence."

Much of the advance spotlight has fallen on Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner.

The NFC champions have been, for so long, America's answer to East Stirling. However, with Warner at the helm, and with mercurial receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldi as his targets, they are well capable of springing the greatest of many upsets this campaign.

Roethlisberger, statistically at least, is no match for his counterpart, nor does his personal story tug at the heart strings. He has more to gain here though, and – despite the arguments of his colleagues – more to prove. He recalls the evening of February 5, 2006 in Detroit when, while becoming the youngest-ever QB to get a ring, he ended up with the fixture's worst ever passer rating, a meagre 22.6. "It fuels the fire," he insists, "to want to come out and play a better game next time."

That time is tonight, once Jennifer Hudson has belted out the Star Spangled Banner, the smoke has cleared and the towels have begun their relentless spinning.

"I'm sure once the ball is kicked there will be nerves going through it," Roethlisberger admits. "But if you're not nervous for this game, then there's something wrong with you." The Steeler Nation will trust that there ain't.

To read the entire article, click here.

I have more Super Bowl articles here.

Let's Go Steelers! Let's Go!

January 31, 2009

Photos From Today's Final Practice

The Steelers had their final practice today at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

You can see the latest photos of Ben (and his video recorder) right here.

You can also see photos from the "Body by Milk" ads here.

You can see a behind-the-scenes video of the ad and get a desktop wallpaper here.

*Thanks Tima!

Also:

Brett Keisel fan? check out this site:

http://www.brett-keisel.com/

Heath Miller fan? check out this site:

http://www.heath-miller.com/

Troy Polamalu fan? Check out this site:

http://www.troypolamalufan.com/

We've all been a bit busy this week! Enjoy!

January 30, 2009

Ben "Michael Flatley" Roethlisberger

Ben did a bit of Irish step dancing today during practice!

Don't believe me? I have proof...

Click here to see them!

Perhaps he's just working on his moves for a possible trip to Ireland after the Super Bowl!

January 29, 2009

"Hopes Of Steelers Faithful Ride On Roethlisberger"

From the Miami Herald today:

In a back corner of the Blue Martini lounge, a group of NFL hotshots occupied a table that remained relatively quiet for much of Monday night, meaning there was at least some room to move around.

Then, something changed. The energy lifted. A swarm of people -- mostly women -- buzzed through the area because of one person.

"He doesn't even realize I'm scratching his back!" said one fan, yelling over the music to a friend as she spent nearly 10 seconds with her index finger pressed against his shoulder.

Thanks for coming, Ben Roethlisberger.

Like a whale unaware of the suckerfish stuck to its body, the Steelers' star quarterback (and the ultimate VIP of Super Bowl week) cruised through the lounge unfazed by the noise he created. Then again, what else would you expect?

Roethlisberger isn't the type to be daunted by such hoopla. Instead, he symbolizes the city he represents. He is tough and gritty, firm and resolute.

Sure, he also was polite, obliging when asked for photos on the only night when both teams' curfews had been lifted. But scenes such as these earn him the adoration of his hometown fans.

"He's a cowboy," Steelers left tackle Max Starks said. "He doesn't need to be on the cover of GQ. I think he was on the cover of Men's Health once, and he wore a long-sleeved shirt. That's just how he is.

"He doesn't care about the recognition."

As he seeks his second Super Bowl title in five years, Roethlisberger is learning that his blue-collar ethic is one of the reasons why his popularity is growing.

When asked to describe how the Steelers are perceived around the league, Roethlisberger said "hard-nosed, grind-it-out football."

That is the style of play he will try to instill in his team again Sunday, as the blue-collar Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in a game that could build upon Roethlisberger's legacy.

"It doesn't matter where we play; in the mud, in the rain, in bad weather, in snow or whatever it is," he said. "It's just about finding a way to win."

Roethlisberger might as well be describing himself. With his recognizable goatee and 245-pound frame, Roethlisberger isn't hard to miss. He's the one who looks and acts as tough as the city he loves.

That probably is why the city loves him back.

"Sometimes, Pittsburgh isn't that pretty, just like our offense isn't going to be that pretty all the time," tight end Heath Miller said. "But he's always going to be there, getting it done.

"That's why the city embraces him."

To read the entire article, click here.

*Thank you to Lexi!

Also Today:

I have added more photos from Tampa, of course...

To see the latest, click here.

January 28, 2009

Proud Grandparents

From an article/interview in the Naples Daily News today:

As the nation obsesses over the Super Bowl this week, there is a Fort Myers Beach couple even more interested than most people.

Frank and Fran Foust live the quiet old Florida lifestyle for about six months every year. It’s a quiet, well-kept place off the beaten path but only a short walk from the hustle and bustle of the beachfront tourist crowds.

Usually. This week there’s an air of anticipation as Ben Roethlisberger’s grandparents get ready to watch the Steelers starting quarterback try for his second NFL title.

"I’m a nervous wreck (watching the game)," said Grandma Fran, who turns 72 on Friday. "I'm a mess. My husband is even worse. He can't hardly eat."

There's a party planned for Super Bowl Sunday at the park. The Fousts are going, but Grandma admits that if the game is a close one or if the crowd is too noisy she won’t be there.

"If it’s too loud or if they're losing I'll sneak home," she said.

Frank, also 72, said that when Ben was playing in high school in Findlay, Ohio, he'd hoped to see his grandson play at Ohio State. That seems clear from the Buckeye jacket grandpa sports in the picture.

Instead, Ben opted for Miami of Ohio.

"He made that very clear he wasn't going to Ohio State," Frank said. "He made a good choice whatever his reason was."

Fran said she never imagined her grandson would play in the National Football League until she was watching him play in college.

"It never dawned on me," she said. "Then I heard an announcer say 'We'll be watching him on Sunday'."

The first time Roethlisberger played in the Super Bowl it was played in Detroit in 2006.

"We looked at the weather and said 'No'," she said.

This time around the game is in Tampa, but the Fousts are staying at Ebb Tide. There's a big screen TV in the clubhouse, and their own small home-away-from-home is close enough for an escape if it gets too tense.

To read the full article/interview, click here.

Also Today:

I have added a few more photos to the Super Bowl XLIII album in the gallery.

To see the latest, click here.

January 27, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Media Day

Some Highlights:

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has learned to embrace Media Day the second time around.

Three years after he led Pittsburgh to a Super Bowl matchup against Seattle, Roethlisberger appeared relaxed Tuesday even while surrounded by hundreds of journalists.

"You get all kinds of crazy questions on a day like this, but you just have to roll with it," he said.

"Don't be overwhelmed by distractions. Keep your focus on the game ahead. It's been a little easier for me to do that this year."

There's a sharp contrast between Roethlisberger and Arizona veteran Kurt Warner, but both have proven successful in getting to the big stage.

"Nothing I do is typical," said Roethlisberger. "I run around too much, I hold the ball too long, but somehow the job gets done. I think Kurt Warner is a phenomenal football player. I love watching the guy play. I have a lot of respect for him and the way he plays the game."

At one point, a little boy (with a pad and pencil and wearing a press pass around his neck) got Ben's attention and asked him how many plays he had to remember, and if they were all on his wristband:

"We have about 200 plays to remember and most of them are on there."

The little boy then asked, "Who was your hero growing up?"

"My dad. I wanted to be just like my dad. I still do."

He asked the little boy if he had any more questions which prompted a "Do you play Madden?"

"Do I play Madden? I play the college one, does that count? I don't like playing the NFL one, that's not much fun."

Then Ben had a question to ask the little boy, "Do you play Madden?" When the boy responded with a "yes", Ben asked him what his favorite team was to play. The boy said, "The Patriots." Ben's laughed and told him, "The Patriots are a good team!".

Hines Ward on his quarterback:

"He is driving the bus now. The last time, he was coming off a great rookie season. It was his second year in the league. He was in the huddle. But I was there. Jerome Bettis was there. It wasn't really his team. Now, we're only going to go as far as Ben takes us. I'm sure he's looking forward to performing better than he did the last time he was in the Super Bowl."

Brett Keisel on one of his best friends on the team:

"Ben needs to win. I could be joking around, playing basketball....we could be playing H-O-R-S-E, and all of a sudden he wants to bet. When he bets, he just has this face, this look that comes over him that he's going to win. Me, being the smart guy I am, I never bet."

Keisel and some other teammates say Roethlisberger's near-fanatical will to win might be what sets him apart from most other quarterbacks

To see video of Media Day, click here.

To see photos and screen captures from Media Day, click here (pages 1 & 2).

January 26, 2009

More Photos Added...

The Steelers arrived in Tampa today and spoke to the media.

To see the video of their arrival, from the Post-Gazette, click here.

To see all photos from today, click here.

Ben and other members of the team met with the media at 3:00pm today. Interviews were convered by ESPN and NFL Network and are likely be re-played throughout the evening on both networks.

Quotes from Ben's press conference:

On whether Hines Ward will play on Sunday-

"People ask me that question and I want to smack them. It's Hines Ward, he's going to be out here. It's the Super Bowl."

On his relationship with former Steelers offensive coordinator and current Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt -

"You know what, Coach Whis was awesome for me, whether it was on the golf course or on the football field or the meeting rooms. A very good mentor for me. Really helped me become the player that I am today ... and I'm really happy and proud that he's here and that I get to play against him."

On his mindset for playing in his second Super Bowl -

"I'm going to go into it and treat it like it's just another football game and go out and have fun. I'm going to treat it like it might be my last. I've been here before, and I kind of understand what went right and what went wrong last time.

"Just being in my fifth year now instead of my second year, and knowing how to deal with the media, the fans and everything that goes along with being a quarterback."

If you missed his press conference, click here to see the video.

To read the press conference, click here.

To watch his interview with Deion Sanders, click here.

Also Today:

From the "Are you serious?" department:

The Chicago Tribune was apparently more interested in what the Super Bowl XLIII quarterbacks were wearing when they arrived in Tampa today rather than what they said during their press conferences -

"It means nothing, but [Kurt Warner's] fashion statement - we're serious, America - did contrast with Steelers counterpart Ben Roethlisberger's. Big Ben went casual in a yellow golf shirt that made it appear he'd like to be reading greens later that afternoon as well as defenses."

Tomorrow: Media Day!

NFL Network will show Super Bowl XLIII Media Day tomorrow from 9:30am to 4:00pm.

To see their schedule, click here.

January 24, 2009

Findlay, Ohio: "Ben Roethlisberger Week" Jan. 26th - Feb. 1st

From the Proclamation of Findlay Mayor Pete Sehnert:

Whereas: A 2000 graduate of Findlay High School, Ben Roethlisberger was a star athlete in football, basketball, and baseball; and

Whereas: Ben Roethlisberger was a star quarterback at Miami University, and

Whereas: Ben Roethlisberger has been the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers for five years, leading them to four playoffs and two Super Bowls, the second one scheduled on Sunday, February 1, 2009 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Now Therefore, I, Pete Sehnert, Mayor of the City of Findlay, Ohio, do hereby proclaim the week of January 26-February 1, 2009 as:

Ben Roethlisberger Week

In Findlay, and invite all in cheering Ben and the Steelers on to victory at the Super Bowl.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

January 23, 2009

"Cardinals Will Have Hands Full With Ben Roethlisberger"

From an article in the Arizona Republic News today:

Roethlisberger is big and strong, shakes off defenders, runs out of the pocket and never quits.

He takes a beating and comes back with big plays, as he did in last week's AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, leaving briefly with an injury before returning and throwing a touchdown pass in the victory.

"He can read coverages and whenever you have a quarterback who can make the right reads and get the ball in the right areas, it's hard to contain a guy like that," Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson said.

Last week, in the Arizona's 32-25 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles that clinched the Cardinals' first trip to the Super Bowl, Wilson sacked Donovan McNabb twice, including one that forced a fumble.

Wilson said it won't be so easy getting to Roethlisberger, who is bigger and maybe more mobile than McNabb.

"It's hard for us, or any defender, to bring him down," Wilson said. "He does a great job of looking off the safety.

"He's been in that offense for quite a long time now, so we're going to have our hands full. Luckily for us, we've got enough time to try and prepare. Hopefully, we'll have a good game plan going into the game."

The Cardinals are using third-string quarterback Brian St. Pierre to simulate Roethlisberger in practices.

St. Pierre is 6 feet 3, 230 pounds, the closest thing to Roethlisberger (6-5, 241).

St. Pierre was with the Steelers long enough to get an idea of how Roethlisberger works.

"I'm not saying that physically he can do the things that Ben can do," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "But as far as scrambling and moving around in the pocket and those kind of things, extending the play, we are trying to give them a picture for that."

To read the entire article, click here.

*Thanks Kathy!

Also Today:

Don't forget to check out the new Super Bowl XLIII photo album here.

I have added a few more photos from today's practice!

From one Nation to another...

...Jessica, a die-hard fan from Red Sox Nation, sent me the link to a video tribute to Ben and his Foundation that is featured on YouTube.

Jessica's husband is a K9 officer for the Boston Police Department, one of the agencies that Ben's Foundation granted money to (see my news from November 28th for that story). She said that Ben might be surprised to learn how many fans he has in Boston because of his generosity and concern for law enforcement officers and their K9 partners. Apparently the video is "making the rounds" through the deparment.

To view the video, click here.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

...and Anna Harkey, another die-hard member of Red Sox Nation, sent me a Christmas ornmament yesterday that she hand-made from clay, while watching the AFC Championship Game last Sunday!

To check out a photo of her creation, click here.

Hungry for some Steeler football? How about some "Ginger Ben Men"?

Check out these tasty game day treats from Oakmont Bakery as they gear up for all those Super Bowl parties!

Oakmont Bakery is located at 531 Allegheny Avenue in Oakmont, PA.

To order, click here.

*Thank you Becky!

January 22, 2009

New Photo Album Added...

I have added a new album to the gallery for photos leading up to and from Super Bowl XLIII, including a behind-the-scenes photo of Ben during the shooting of the "Body by Milk" ad campaign, which will appear prior to the Super Bowl.

To check it out, click here.

I will continue to add more photos as I find them, so be sure to check back!

January 21, 2009

ESPN Senior Writer David Fleming's "Page 2" Column...

You may remember David Fleming, he is the ESPN sports writer that accompanied Ben and his family to Switzerland back in 2006 shortly after Super Bowl XL. David wrote an entertaining story about that trip (and Ben) upon his return, and in an obvious and funny attempt to get back at Ben for the "ancient clock tower incident ", entitled his story, "Big Ben cuts the Swiss cheese" (complete with the photo at left).

To read that article, you can click here.

With that said, Mr. Fleming has written another fine article for his column today on the Steelers organization entitled, "Are the Steelers the greatest franchise?". You can read it on ESPN's Page 2 by clicking here.

Some of his comments about Ben are below:

Just a few months after the Steelers' 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL, Ben Roethlisberger and his family sat on a Swiss train, tilted nearly vertical, as it clacked and lurched 14,000 feet to Junfraujoch -- the mountain peak known as the "Top of Europe" -- and one of the most spectacular views in the world, which spans a glacier and three countries.

We stopped once to switch trains, and Ben and his family immediately began a snowball fight. Later we would hit golf balls down into the glacier, throw a football around almost five miles into the sky and run around inside a castle carved out of ice. But first, as the train made its way into the stratosphere, Ben reflected for a moment on becoming, at 23, the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Other quarterbacks who had played in the game told him to take a moment before kickoff to soak it all in before it washed away in a blink beneath the hype and pressure of the game. So before kickoff Ben closed his eyes for a moment standing on the sidelines of Ford Field and, months later, he could still remember the fireworks display of flashbulbs that was so strong it penetrated his eyelids.

But without prompting, I was struck by the fact that Roethlisberger immediately mentioned how he was already itching to get back to the Super Bowl and a second chance at playing better in the world's biggest football game. I didn't argue. Against Seattle he was 9-of-21 for 123 yards, no TDs and two picks: a huge letdown for a kid who, in big games, still occasionally crouches under center while daydreaming how the highlights will look on NFL Films.

A few weeks later the entire trip -- and the subsequent story -- were rendered meaningless when Roethlisberger was nearly killed in a motorcycle accident in Pittsburgh. He recovered from that, battled back from several injuries, the pressure of a monster contract and even the heartbreak of losing his college coach and mentor, Terry Hoeppner, to brain cancer in 2007, all to get to where he was Sunday night: a hard-earned trip back to the doorstep of Super Bowl immortality.

It's rare, these days, to still get a kick out of a professional athlete's display of pure joy. But that was Ben on Sunday night. Hugging his linemen. Hugging trainers. Hugging photographers. Bear-hugging coach Mike Tomlin. Telling linebackers he loved them. Graciously shaking Dan Rooney's hand. Giggling to himself. Calling guys "Sunshine." Working the brim of his new "AFC Champs" hat. Looking like he didn't want to change out of his grass-stained uniform. Talking about the Steelers heading to Tampa as a "band of brothers" and celebrating one of life's rare gifts: a second chance.

Also Today:

Ben's Wednesday Press Conference -

Q: The second time going through this, how much easier is it to get ready if it is at all easier?

Ben: I hope my nerves won’t be as crazy as they were last time. Just being calmer, older, more mature in the process will make the whole thing easier.

Q: What is it about you and big games? Why do you seem to respond so well?

Ben: It’s crunch time. It’s do or die, win or go home. You like having the ball in your hand at the end of games. You like having the ball in your hand in big games. It’s all the same.

Q: Some struggle with the pressure of the spotlight, Do you like the spotlight?

Ben: Yes.

Q: How does it change the game for you guys that you are playing against two of your old coaches?

Ben: It doesn’t. It just makes it fun to play them and see them across the field. I am just happy that Coach Whis , and Russ [Grimm] and Coach Spence and the rest of the guys are over there. We are not going to change what we do and who we are. We are who we are.

Q: What were the nerves like in Super Bowl XL?

Ben: They never went away. It was crazy because if I do get nervous for a game they usually go away after the first play. For the Super Bowl it never went away. I think my play really showed it.

Q: Are you one of those guys that throws up?

Ben: You get the butterflies and feel weak. It’s hard to explain.

Q: When did you know that the Super Bowl was different?

Ben: When it never went away.

Q: You didn’t feel that way in the AFC Championship game in Denver two weeks before?

Ben: No, I didn’t feel nervous for those games. I didn’t feel nervous for these games either so we’ll see what happens.

Q: Do you think it will be different this time around?

Ben: I hope so. I think the biggest thing is this is my fifth year. That was my second year and everything was still kind of a big whirlwind. Hopefully being five years in and more of a veteran will help.

Q: There is no way to know about the nerves until you get there.

Ben: No way to know.

Q: Do you think about the Super Bowl in the offseason and wanting to get there?

Ben: Yeah, that is everyone’s goal. You ask anyone in the NFL, they all want to get there. They all think about it.

Q: Did you use Heath Miller enough this year?

Ben: I think an athlete and a player like that, you can utilize him more. I think they took him away a lot more. There were a lot of plays we had called for him. He was one of the main options. Teams watch him. He is the best tight end in football.

Q: Hines Ward expects to play. Your thoughts?

Ben: If anybody asks me about Hines Ward, it’s ridiculous. I expect him to be out there if we play tomorrow.

Q: How do you think he will be?

Ben: 100 percent.

Q: Only nine quarterbacks have won multiple Super Bowls.

Ben: How would it feel to be part of that group? You and Kurt Warner both have one. It will happen. Someone will be No. 10 on that list after this game. If it is me, it’s an awesome category and group to be with.

Q: How much does the big-game experience the Steelers have help?

Ben: I don’t think it matters. I think professionals come to play. Kurt Warner has been there before. He drives that ship and he will make it happen.

Q: Can you talk about the offensive line and the criticism they have taken?

Ben: A lot of talk was made of that early in the year with the sacks and the way they played. I think people made too big a deal of it. We had a lot of guys thrown into positions – Darnell Stapleton filled in, Max Starks filled in because of injury, Justin Hartwig is a new player to this team, Chris Kemoeatu is a first-year starter. We have had a lot of guys who were young and new to the position. They have done a tremendous job as the year has gone on of shutting the critics up.

Q: Can you talk about the Cardinals defense?

Ben: Their defense is phenomenal. Their secondary is young but they have some veteran players, some athletes that cover ground. Linebackers are all over the place. Their d-line seems to be in the backfield every play, run or pass.

Q: The media attention is only going to get bigger next week. What are your thoughts?

Ben: It is what it is. You deal with it. You give people the answers you want to give and not what they want to hear.

Q: Does Ken Whisenhunt have an advantage having worked with you before?

Ben: I think he has an advantage because he has coached in this game before. Coach Whis is a great coach. Him and the rest of the guys have been here before. We aren’t going to change who we are. The players have to play. People make a big deal about the coaches, but when it boils down to it the players have to make the plays.

Q: Can you talk about Hines Ward?

Ben: Hines is a competitor. He is a phenomenal receiver. He is as tough as it gets. That’s why I have no doubt he will be out there.

Q: Is it hard to maintain the normalcy with everything being such a circus?

Ben: It’s getting everything out of the way early in the week, getting your tickets, hotel and flights out the way. After that it turns into a football game. It is what it is. You deal with it.

Q: Do you suddenly have friends you never knew you had looking for tickets?

Ben: All of my friends ask for them and I just tell them no.

Q: Can you talk about Adrian Wilson?

Ben: He’s a very physical safety. He is down in the box a lot. He makes a lot of plays. We’re going to have to keep our eye on him. Where Ed Reed likes to play centerfield, Wil comes down in the box and smacks you and blitzes you. We’re going to have to have a hat for him and an eye on him.

Q: Is experience the only difference in your game from two years ago?

Ben: I hope not. I hope there is a lot of difference. I hope I am a better player.

Q: Did you enjoy the experience last time?

Ben: It was overwhelming, but you have to enjoy it because you don’t know if you are ever going to be back. I am going to enjoy this one just as much as the last because you don’t know if this will be the last.

Q: Did you say you don’t know how the nerves will be this time?

Ben: I have no idea. I