Radio Interview with Ben Roethlisberger
Mark: He's a great man, a great quarterback and a great neighbor - He is the star of stage, screen and football field and now eBay. From the Pittsburgh Steelers, let's welcome back to the show, Ben Roethlisberger.
Ben, if I put in the winning bid on your Denali that's on eBay, will you autograph the dashboard for me?
Ben: I'll autograph any part of it if you win it. (laughs)
Mark: Where did that idea come from? That's certainly unusual to sell a Denali on eBay.
Ben: You know where it came from, Mr. Madden? I wanted to get rid of it, I wanted to sell it so I went to my guy Wayne that does alot of my cars for me and I said, 'Hey, you know I am looking to sell my car, what can you do for me?'. So he came up with the idea, "Let's put it on eBay for seven days and see what happens." And that's where it came from.
Mark: Now it's been a quiet off-season for you and that's a good thing, right?
Ben: (laughs) Yeah, I guess so. Most people would think so.
Mark: Do you think you'll ever adjust to the fact that the media and the fans want to track your every move 24/7 - that you basically have no private life?
Ben: Well, you know, I thought I was used to it. And I thought that I had heard it all and seen it all but now that I'm selling a car and every TV station wants to call and do an interview and find out why I am selling a car, it's pretty amazing to me.
Mark: Now, your new house is a little off the beaten path as opposed to before when you A. lived by me and B. you lived right in the middle of town. That must help some, right?
Ben: Well, it really does. Being up where I live now makes it nice because it's very private. As you know, where we lived before was not real private. The only thing I miss is not havin' a great neighbor like yourself.
Mark: Aren't you the greatest! Hey, how are the dogs? I miss the dogs!
Ben: They're doin' great. They love it where I am because they have all the yard to run.
Mark: Ben, let's talk football. From what I've been told, I like Bruce Arians new offense. What's your take on it and will it use you a bit better?
Ben: You know what, BA (we call him BA), Bruce's offense is gonna be great, I think. I think it's going to utilize our weapons - it's gonna utilize Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, Nate Washington and obviously Hines. You know, it's not gonna count Willie Parker out. I think what it's going to do is it's going to make Willie even better because he, in a lot of pass routes, is one of our first options to Back, whoever the Back is, whether it's Najeh or Willie. You know, a Back is a big part of this offense so I think that the way that we can utilize all the weapons is gonna make it that much better and it does give me some freedom to be able to pick different guys to throw to and to use the weapons that I have.
Mark: I predicted the Steelers will only throw a little more but will throw a lot better...maybe be less predictable. Is that a fair prediction?
Ben: You know what, I do think we'll throw more and I do think we'll be better at it. I think we'll be more precise because it's not going to be just run, run, run, trying to 'hit the home run ball'. I think it's gonna be taking what they give us and "takin' the dinkin' and the dunkin'". I definitely do not think we'll be as predictable because I think last year was 'run on first down, run on second down, well now you've got third and 9, what're you gonna do?'. I don't think it's going to be like that this year.
Mark: We talked about Bruce Arians. Ben, talk about the new quarterbacks coach, Ken Anderson. I know you and Mark Whipple were really close. What's your relationship so far with Anderson? And what's he trying to do with you?
Ben: Well, so far, it's been good with Ken. Obviously, Coach Whip and I had a good...we still have a great relationship - we play golf alot together and I was very sad to see him go, But Ken is doing a great job. He hasn't tried to over-coach which is the same thing Whip did - don't come in and try to change any mechanics or do anything, just try to be a sounding board. When I need to ask questions about the offense or about the personnel or players, things like that.
Mark: Overall, how would you rate the entire coaching transition so far? I know it's early, but so far, how have things gone?
Ben: I think everything has gone great. Obviously, the defense has pretty much the same guys so they're at the mini-camps making us look bad to a point just because they've been running the same stuff. But, I think offensively, the transition has been pretty smooth. I know alot of guys and there's been alot of talk of not having Russ there and I know the Line misses Russ, stuff like that. But I think the new coaches are doing a great job of connecting with the players and the players are really starting to bond with them.
Mark: Now, you mentioned in a recent interview that by the end, you did not necessarily have a great relationship with Coach Cowher. Do you think that affected the way he used you at all?
Ben: Well, you know what Mark? I think the big thing is - that kinda got misprinted I think. I wouldn't say we had a bad relationship. I just say we weren't on a 'friendly' term. It wasn't something where I really wanted to go in his office and just sit and 'BS' with him.
We didn't have a bad relationship by any means. Now, did that affect how he used me? I don't know. I think that he probably...it's hard - you gotta have a guy in your corner and I think Coach Cowher was there most of the time and there were times that, when certain guys were hurt or something - he would kinda roll his eyes and say that they weren't really hurt. You know, I went through that a couple times. But hey, that's the past and Coach Cowher is obviously a phenominal coach. He's a Hall of Fame coach and I feel blessed to have the years I had with him.
Mark: You've always been high on Willie Reid, who was hurt quite a bit last year. Can he step in and play a significant role next year as Receiver?
Ben: I think Willie can. I think...you know, he's coming off the ankle and the leg injury and he has really worked very, very hard this off season and the end of last year to get back and to be able to contribute to the team this year and I think he's going to be a big contributor. I don't know if he's going to be an outside guy - a Santonio? I think he'd fit great in the middle, get him in the slot. He's put on some weight. He looks really good, he looks really strong so I think he'll be able to contribute very good in the offense.
Mark: Now you guys drafted Matt Spaeth as a Tight End out of Minnesota; obviously Tuman and Heath Miller, of course, are coming back...We hear alot from Coach Arians about two and three Tight End formations. Do you think we'll actually see that? I mean, Ben, obviously here in Pittsburgh, we're used to the Tight End never being thrown to at all. Is that gonna change?
Ben: I really do think so. I think he will use three Tight Ends. I think you can do that when you have the athletes like Heath Miller. You know, Heath Miller is a Receiver in a Tight End's body. He's got phenominal hands and I think we're gonna use him alot more this year - split him out, try to get him matched up on some smaller Cornerbacks - kinda like Baltimore does with Todd Heap - and you know, I think that could be to our advantage.
Mark: I felt bad for Heath the last couple of years because he was pretty much just used as a Tackle who lined up just a little bit further outside, wasn't he?
Ben: (laughs) You know what? He was. We liked to use him in the red zone. The first year it was great to use him 'cause no one expected it. Last year, they all kinda knew and really put an eye out for him. But I think he'll get used up alot more this year.
Mark: Now, will you guys want a true spread offense or just in certain situations, Ben?
Ben: I think it's gonna be in certain situations. I don't, you know, for all the Steelers fans out there that are worried that the offense is gonna change to a passing offense: it's not doing that! I just think we're gonna be able to utilize different personnel alot better and I think that we're still gonna pound the ball, but we're going to be able to spread the ball out and run it as well which is something we really didn't do much as...you can run the ball really well in a four Wide Receiver set!
Mark: Absolutely! I think with Willie Parker spreading' the defense out it might actually play to his strengths.
Ben: I do too. I mean Willie Parker is the guy that you spread all the DB's out, you get some nickel guys out there and you run him and you run Najeh 'cause Najeh will run over some of those smaller nickel guys.
Mark: Now, with the changes in the offense, is mini-camp maybe more important this year than usual?
Ben: It is. I mean all the mini-camps, the practices we've had, the voluntary stuff that we've gone through - it's been very important. that's why I've made it a point to be there. Because it IS important. Because this stuff is new! I mean, the offense hasn't changed completely, but there are new things put in and alot more new things than we thought, so it is important. But I'll tell you what; you've got to give all the guys alot of credit that have been here because they're putting in the hard work because we want to be better.
Mark: How are you feeling physically? I believe I'm required by law to ask that question!
Ben: (laughs) I feel great physically. Everyone that sees me says it looks like I've lost some weight. You know, I feel good. I like where my weight's at. I like where my body is and hopefully I won't have any emergency surgeries or anything this off-season.
Mark: What have you done this [off-season]? Anything fun?
Ben: Traveled a little bit. Played alot of golf, tryin' to get my golf game just to where I want it. Just so I have to go to Training Camp and never play again!
Mark: Now, where do you travel to? Because you went to Switzerland which was kind of an unusual destination, obviously tied to your heritage. Go any place unusual this summer or this off-season, I should say?
Ben: Nowhere unusual like that. You know, of course off-season is not quite over yet and you never know where the travels may take me but I made a couple trips down south to Florida, to Texas, hit the Bahamas one time to play in the Michael Jordan golf event and that was pretty fun.
Mark: How'd you do in that? Did you beat Michael Jordan anyway?
Ben: I beat Jordan - that's all that mattered to me! (laughs)
Mark: Tremendous! Now you said something that was very intelligent last year which was that "every once in awhile, over a long career, a team's going to have a bad season. A player is going to have a bad season." That was absolutely correct. What kind of feedback did you get from that? I'm kinda curious.
Ben: I got mixed things back. I got people saying that I was making excuses, which I find funny. But then alot of people, once they thought about it, "Oh yeah, I guess you can't have a winning season every year." You know, I would love to play in this league for 15-16 years, ideally. You're not gonna win or have a winning season every year. If you do, hey, you know what, you are probably going to the Hall Of Fame. But I got alot of mixed emotions and mixed feelings on that comment.
Mark: Well, it's kinda funny too, 'cause you go out of your way to NOT make excuses. I think that's actually been one of your hallmarks since you've been in the league.
Ben: Well, I think so too. I try that because to me, excuses are, you know, they're no good! It's a reason to get out of something. Own up to things - that's my M.O. and I'm always gonna try and continue to do that.
That's why last year, I said, 'I'm not blaming anything on the accident, on the appendectomy, on anything other than playing bad' - that's all it was!
Mark: Now was there a leadership void last year with Bettis having retired, Ben? And can you fill that now that you've been around for three years?
Ben: There was a little bit of a void. I mean, anytime a guy like Jerome's not there. You miss him - on the field, off the field, in the locker room - you miss that. But, I think the guys did a good job! The Joeys, whose gone now, the Hines', Alan, myself. The guys did a good job of being able to step up and fill that void that we lost with Jerome and now we've got to do it again with losing Joey and stuff like that.
Mark: What's your feeling on Alan Faneca? I'm also required by law to ask that! Obviously he's looking for a new deal. I'm not sure he's gonna get it before camp. I assume he's gonna be at mini-camp. What are your thoughts over his dilemma?
Ben: You know what, it's one of those things where I kinda, you know, you have to be careful what you say. I'm always gonna support Alan Faneca in everything he does. You know what, Alan Faneca is one of the best, if not THE best Guard in the game. He deserves probably to be paid the most money of any lineman in the game right now. That's just the way he's played. You know, he's a Pro-Bowler. He's an awesome guy. Now, I'm not gonna sit there and try and make the Steelers mad at me by saying that, but I'm gonna support... both sides have a tough thing. You know, but Alan can take the time that he needs. I don't feel he needs to be here right now.
You know people are making a big deal about him not being here and this and that, well, he's earned and deserves not to be here if he doesn't want to be here. So when he's ready to come back, I'm gonna welcome him with open arms.
Mark: Are you and the Steelers talkin' new contract yet?
Ben: Uh, not yet. They haven't wanted to do that. They've got more pressing needs like Alan and Troy and stuff so we really haven't been talking about it yet.
Mark: Are you confident though that things will work out and you'll be here for the long run?
Ben: I have confidence in that. I want to be here for the long run. I don't want to go anywhere else and I think the Steelers will honor that and I want to honor everything by being a role model and a good quarterback for the Steelers and try to win some more Super Bowls for them.
Mark: Do you still enjoy it here in Pittsburgh as much as you originally did when you first got here?
Ben: I still do. I really do. You know, as tough as it is, and as tough as it continues to get every year, I enjoy it here. I've got good friends that help keep it humble and help me have fun. I enjoy Pittsburgh and I want to be here a long time.
Mark: Well Laddy, it's a pleasure talking to you as always. Keep in touch, let me know what's going on and we'll see you at camp.
Ben: Yes sir, Mr. Madden. You take care!
**This radio interview was transcribed by me on May 10, 2007.