Sales Blitz
Big Ben brings down the house at SF as students raise money for school and charity
In a city where people’s loyalty lies with God, country, and the Steelers (and not necessarily in that order), Ben Roethlisberger is as big a superstar as you can get.
Even after the disastrous 2006 season, he’s still the Super Bowl winning quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that carries no small weight in these parts.
That much was evident when Roethlisberger visited the South Fayette school district recently to mark the end of a fundraising drive in which students sold bottles of Big Ben’s BBQ Sauce to raise money for charity and local sports. The students sold more than 4,100 bottles, raising $6,834. The top salesperson in each school received an autographed football and a personal photo with Big Ben.
The fundraising program, called Team Youth Sports, was created by South Fayette & Neighbors Magazine and Roadside Ribs Catering. Proceeds from the sauce sale benefited school and local athletics and the Ronald McDonald House.
From the moment he drove up to the South Fayette High School football stadium in a black sports car, necks craned, camera shutters discreetly snapped, and “That’s Him” was heard in semi-hushed tones among the adults gathered near the stadium’s entrance.
In the bleachers down below, the assembled students, ranging from elementary to high school, made no effort at decorum. They love Big Ben and they let it be known.
When their hero made his way through the crowd down to the bottom of the stands, the roar was tremendous, especially among the younger students, who went positively wild. The high school students were more subdued, in typical teenage style.
“I know that for the high school kids it’s not so cool to be out here,” Roethlisberger joked.
After giving a brief word of thanks to the students and school district, he took questions from the kids:
What was his favorite subject in school?
“Gym,” he said to a roar of approval from the crowd. Then he said his favorite was actually science which drew a chorus of boos from the younger kids.
How does he remember all the Steelers’ plays?
“The same way you do in school – I memorize it and then I have a cheat sheet.”
What are the team’s prospects like with a new coach and Joey Porter gone?
“Coach Tomlin is a great guy,” he said. “With Joey gone, we’ll miss his presence in the locker room, but there are a lot of guys you don’t hear about who are also very important in the locker room as far as motivating and leading the team.”
What other sports did he play in school?
“I played baseball, basketball, and soccer. My favorite sport is still basketball.”
If you had to pick another career what would it be?
“I’d be a pro basketball player,” he said with a laugh. “No, I’d want to be a coach.”
What football players does he admire?
“The average career is only three years, so anybody who’s been able to stay in the league for 10 years or more, I admire – people like Hines Ward and Alan Faneca.”
What advice does he have for student athletes who dream of becoming pros?
“Work hard, no matter what anybody says. People will doubt you, but put that behind you and have confidence in yourself.” Ben noted that people doubted him in high school and college, yet be believed in himself and made it to the NFL.
After the assembly, Roethlisberger talked about the sauce itself.
Of the different Big Ben products, he prefers the hot BBQ sauce.
“For me, the hotter the better,” he said.
NFL players often joke with each other about the products they endorse, and Ben says he was teased about the sauce – until some teammates actually tasted it while cooking out at his house.
“They were like, ‘This really is good.’”
*To see more photos, click here.