Pittsburgh Steelers Feature Stories

Transcription

Pittsburgh Steelers
Feature Stories
Ben Roethlisberger ... He's got it.
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SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL
Thursday, October 09, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
The Steelers entered their off week 4-1 and leading the AFC North,
largely because of Ben Roethlisberger.
His teammates tried to describe their quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger won another AFC player of the week award
yesterday, three days after his extravaganza in Jacksonville.
"The kid, he's just a winner," said Hines Ward, who caught the touchdown pass from Roethlisberger with 1:53 left that gave
the Steelers a 26-21 victory.
"I don't know what it is about it. He just has a knack. He has that 'It' sort of thing."
The victory sent the Steelers into their open date at 4-1 and pushed Roethlisberger's personal starting record in the regular
season to 43-17 (.717), second best only to Tom Brady (.784) among current NFL quarterbacks with at least 40 starts.
Jacksonville was not just another victory on the pile for Roethlisberger; it represented an important milestone. Not only did
he lead his team to his 15th winning drive in the final quarter or overtime and second in the past two games, he did it without
his top two halfbacks and starting fullback and by throwing 41 times and topping 300 yards for only his fifth time in the
regular season. He did it against a defense that expected the pass, he did it with a sore right shoulder that was hurt
again, and he did it in spectacular fashion at the end.
With a lame Jeff Reed not knowing how far or how accurate he might be on a field goal, Roethlisberger scrambled to his left
and with two Jaguars hanging on him, completed an 18-yard pass to Ward on third down from his 31 in the closing minutes.
That allowed him to find Ward from 8 yards out four plays later to win it.
"Unbelievable," said defensive end Aaron Smith yesterday. "It's incredible. I've kind of given up on being shocked because it
seems like every time I see him do something, he does something more miraculous. Unbelievable."
"Amazing," tackle Trai Essex described it. "That's one of the best games I've ever seen from a quarterback. Just the plays he
made in the clutch with people hanging on him, like that throw he made to Hines on third-and-8, that's one of the best throws
I've ever seen. I don't know how he did that.
"We have a great quarterback and we're going to ride with him."
The kicker to it all? Roethlisberger did not practice last Wednesday or Thursday and was limited Friday.
"For a guy not to practice and go out there and put up over 300 yards passing, I can't describe how a guy can do that," Ward
said. "He's done a phenomenal job to this point. We'd like to save him a little bit and keep him fresh. But he's going to show
up every Sunday and give us all he's got."
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10/9/2008
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They hope he can show up every Sunday.
Roethlisberger has been sacked 18 times in five games, putting him on a pace for nearly 58 sacks, which would be a record
for a Steelers quarterback and more than his awful 47 sacks last season.
"I don't know what type of toll it's taking on him," Ward said.
Roethlisberger's right shoulder took another blow when it was wrenched by Jaguars defenders as he threw the 18-yard
completion to Ward. He got up slowly, his right arm dragging, but said he never thought of leaving the field.
"Not unless they were bringing a stretcher, gurney, ambulance out there," Roethlisberger said yesterday. "I was going to stay
out there until Mike wouldn't let me stay out there."
He told coordinator Bruce Arians after that hit that "we might have to hand the ball off for a couple of plays. Of course, two
plays later he throws the ball."
All in all, though, he said he is in decent physical condition.
"I don't have anything too serious, bumps and bruises and stuff like that. For me, it's getting those bruises worked out and
feeling good next week."
His teammates say they're not overly concerned about his health.
"He's taken a lot of beating, but he seems pretty durable," Aaron Smith said.
"I guess that's the nature of this business."
Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com.
First published on October 9, 2008 at 12:00 am
10/9/2008
Big Ben leading the way - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Big Ben leading the way
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor didn't recognize the incoming number on his cell
phone when he answered one day in late February.
"Who is this?" Taylor asked.
"Ben."
It took Taylor by surprise.
"I said, 'Wow.'"
"Ben" of course is Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers franchise quarterback, a
first-round draft pick in 2004 who became the youngest starting quarterback to
win a Super Bowl, who eclipsed Terry Bradshaw's team record for touchdown
passes in a season last year.
Taylor was a fourth-round draft pick in 2003. He lost his starting job for several
games in 2006 under former coach Bill Cowher but has rebounded to become
the Steelers' top cornerback under second-year coach Mike Tomlin.
Offensive and defensive players normally don't spend much time together
because they're often in positional meetings and tend to gravitate toward
players on their side of the ball.
Taylor was impressed that Roethlisberger took the time to call.
"He could have called an offensive guy to see what's going on. But he called
me. That's big, coming from the quarterback," Taylor said.
Roethlisberger, 26, and Taylor, 28, are private men who are as different as they
are alike.
Roethlisberger is from Findlay, a small town in northwest Ohio. Taylor grew up
in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans, where friends and family members
experienced the devastation of Hurricane Katrina three years ago and
Hurricane Gustav last week.
Once they began talking, the two relative strangers realized how much they had
in common.
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"Now when we talk, it's not just about football," Taylor said. "It's, 'Hey, how you
doing, how's the family?' From the time I'm in Pittsburgh to whenever, (the
friendship) is on."
A couple of days after he called Taylor, Roethlisberger agreed to an eight-year
contract extension worth as much as $102 million, making him one of the
highest-paid players in the NFL.
Taylor was floored.
"He didn't call me about his contract. He called just to see how I was doing,"
Taylor said. "That was deep."
Reaching out
That simple phone call may be one of the signs of Roethlisberger maturing -not only as a player but as a leader of the Steelers. He makes his 56th career
NFL start in today's season opener against the Houston Texans at Heinz Field.
"Ike was one of the guys I wanted to reach out to, one of the first guys I
reached out to this offseason, because I felt like Ike is misunderstood
sometimes by the media and by fans because -- like he said -- he's a quiet
guy," Roethlisberger said.
"Whether people take him as cocky or he thinks he's too good, well, let me tell
you something -- Ike's one of the best cornerbacks in this league. Physically
and mentally, he's just a phenomenal player. I wanted to reach out to him to try
to develop a friendship.
"We're not best friends, we're not talking every day and hanging out, but I
consider Ike more than just a teammate now," Roethlisberger said. "I consider
him a friend and someone I would go to bat for any day of the week. If I had to
play against him on Sundays, I would be afraid to throw to that side."
Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said he's noticed a difference in how
Roethlisberger interracts with his teammates.
"Ben is a great quarterback, and great quarterbacks are leaders of their
offense. He understands that a little bit more this year," said Keisel, one of
Roethlisberger's closest friends on the team. "He knows that Alan (Faneca) is
gone, and Alan was a big leader on the offense. Someone needs to pick up that
slack and what better person than the quarterback?"
The normally reclusive Roethlisberger offered rare insight into his character and
subsequent personality change in a recent interview.
"People may think that I'm mean or I'm stuck-up or I'm snotty. No, I'm just a
quiet person. I'd rather know about you than you know about me,"
Roethlisberger said. "Once you get to know me, you realize that I can be pretty
outgoing and goofy and fun."
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During three weeks of training camp and the Steelers' four preseason games,
Roethlisberger was a popular figure, pulling aside teammates for private
conversations, or engaging them in horseplay as he did with Pro Bowl
linebacker James Harrison during a recent practice.
Prior to the final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field,
Roethlisberger greeted every one of his teammates during warm-ups.
"It's that time. As the quarterback, the Steelers have made a long-term
commitment to me," said Roethlisberger, whose teammates voted him an
offensive co-captain for the first time.
"It's time to be more of a leader, but being sensitive that we still have leaders on
the team -- Hines Ward on offense, (James) Farrior on defense, as well as
other guys. I didn't want to come in and step on anybody's toes. I easily could
have.
"I know guys that have done it, that could come in and be like, 'Listen, this is my
team. I'm the quarterback. I'm the leader. You guys listen to me.' And they're
hootin' and hollering. That's just not my style."
Roethlisberger said that although he has always been close with his offensive
teammates, he realized he needed to reach out to more players.
"I made the conscious effort this offseason of trying to interract with everybody,"
Roethlisberger said. "I wanted to reach out to the defensive guys because I
haven't gotten to know those guys, spend much time with them, and talk to
them.
"I've been so caught up last year and the year before. Trying to learn the
offense last year, and the year before trying to get back from the injury
(resulting from a severe motorcycle accident). Not necessarily tune guys out,
but I was so concerned with myself in trying to get right, that I almost lost focus
on what was important in how to be a good teammate."
Said Taylor: "Regardless of how people want to look at him or what they want
to say about him, Ben's very quiet. He minds his own business. He came into
his own as being the leader of this team. Everything pretty much rides on his
shoulders. Especially after signing that new contract. It's his team."
Roethlisberger said the changes have been good for everyone.
"Sometimes when I'm on the sideline or at practice, we're not always talking
football," Roethlisberger said. "I'm a little more comfortable with this offense
now, I know what's going on. I can afford to go talk to guys, joke around. I've
been able to open up to them as they've opened up to me. We've all become
closer and better friends for it."
John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.
9/8/2008
Steelers’ Parker Finds Stardom Comes in a Flash - NYTimes.com
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September 19, 2008
Steelers’ Parker Finds Stardom Comes in a Flash
By JUDY BATTISTA
PITTSBURGH — On Sundays, Willie Parker sat in front of the television with his father, their home in tiny
Clinton, N.C., turned over to a love of the Dallas Cowboys. One day, when the boy was about 5, he turned to
his dad, Willie Sr., and said, “Me going to play that one day.”
This was before little Willie Parker became Fast Willie, so his father told him to sit down.
But just a few years later, Willie Sr. did not even recognize the blur on the field during a recreation league
game because his son was running so fast. A few years after that, Willie Sr. watched in front of his house on
Royal Lane and saw Willie, by then in high school, lining up against Tyson, a pit bull that belonged to a family
member. At the sound of a whistle, the dog took off at full gallop. So did Willie, in his latest scheme to hone
his speed. Willie did not beat the dog, perhaps the last race he lost.
“I knew there was something special since he was 5 years old; it always lingered in my mind,” Willie Sr. said.
“He prophesized it from the time he was 5. It’s amazing. As long as I live, I’ll never forget it.”
Willie Sr. spends Sundays at Heinz Field now, where Fast Willie Parker is reshaping the image of the
Pittsburgh Steelers’ running game. Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis were perfect, hulking stars for
Pittsburgh, a city built on a muscular, industrial image. But they have been replaced by Parker, a compact
symbol for a high-speed age.
Since 2006, Parker is second in the N.F.L. with 3,053 rushing yards, behind only San Diego’s LaDainian
Tomlinson (3,412). And Parker led the league in rushing through 15 games last season, until he broke his leg
in the regular-season finale. He opened this season with two consecutive 100-yard games.
Still, he is not among the N.F.L.’s most heralded runners. Even his coming-out moment — an electrifying 75yard touchdown sprint in Super Bowl XL — was overwhelmed by the prospect of Bettis’s winning the
championship in his hometown of Detroit in his final game.
“He’s made a name for himself,” receiver Hines Ward said. “If people are not taking notice of that, I don’t
know what film they are watching.”
Perhaps they are stuck in the endless loop of Parker’s screech-to-a-halt college career. Parker led Clinton
High to the state championship in his junior year. He gave his father the ring. By then, his 11.8 yards a carry
and 20 touchdowns had drawn the attention of a regional scout named Dan Rooney and of the University of
North Carolina, which gave him a scholarship.
In his freshman year, he had 84 carries for 355 yards. Then the coaching staff changed, and so did Parker’s
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fortunes.
John Bunting, a former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles — the Steelers’ opponent on Sunday —
preferred a power running game for his Tar Heels. So his staff asked Parker, who has long carried 209
pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame, to bulk up. Parker, already burdened by the killing of his best friend back
home during his sophomore year, balked and spent the bulk of the remaining three years on the bench.
“I take the blame — 50-50 — for letting it go the way it went,” Parker said. “I should have showed how I love
the game. But when they made me mad, I was like, whatever, I know I’m the best you’ve got anyway. To be
honest, I just couldn’t stand those coaches.”
Parker was right about one thing: he was the best they had. That is what his father, struggling to keep Willie
from quitting, kept reminding him. Parker would tell his parents they did not have to attend the games,
because he was not going to play.
“When I wanted to go in there and blow up the building, I would breathe really deep and said a little prayer
and held back,” Parker said. “My dad was always thinking positive. He’d say: ‘You’re going to play this game.
I feel it.’ He had me thinking, I probably will play. He’d play mind games with me the whole season.”
Parker has not spoken to the coaches since; Bunting was fired from North Carolina in 2006. At the Tar Heels’
Pro Day, Parker ran the 40 in a mediocre 4.51 seconds, according to Gil Brandt, the former Cowboys
personnel chief. He has since run it in 4.28.
But Rooney, the son of the chairman of the Steelers, had kept tabs on Parker all those years. And after Parker
was not one of the 16 running backs drafted in 2004, the Steelers signed him as an undrafted free agent.
As a low-rung rookie, he was practice fodder for the starting defense, whose players started complaining
about how tiring it was to chase him around. When the Steelers’ former coach Bill Cowher first saw Parker in
camp, he wondered aloud why he had not played in college.
“The more we saw his ability to get to the corner, you were waiting to see what the kid’s weakness was,” said
Cowher, who told Parker that all those hits he had saved in college were a blessing in disguise. “From that
time on, I didn’t look at the North Carolina stars. I looked at the backups.”
Parker, 27, has lost none of the ebullience of an undrafted player who suddenly finds himself at the center of
one of the N.F.L.’s most successful teams. Like the 5-year-old, he still makes bold proclamations, looking at
himself in the mirror on game day to announce what he wants to accomplish: run hard, score a touchdown.
He thrives on people doubting if he can run between the tackles the way Bettis did. He can, Cowher said, after
learning to be patient by watching Bettis play. And he keeps all the slights in a mental bag that he delves into
when he needs to get mad and motivated.
This off-season, people wondered if he would lose speed after his first major injury.
“If you game-plan the Pittsburgh Steelers, it would be smart to seal off the edges,” Parker said. “At the same
time, you have to seal off some gaps, too. I love being Fast Willie. I’m not fat like Jerome was. I’m not a 240-
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pound running back.”
Parker laughs when he needles Bettis, but as he walks the hallways of the Steelers’ offices, replete with
oversized photographs of the team’s great players, Parker jokingly wonders where the pictures of him are. In
at least one way, Parker is very much like them. Harris, a Hall of Fame runner, was prized more for his
blocking at Penn State.
“I never would have painted this picture,” Parker said. “When I won that Super Bowl, I still didn’t believe it
was true and real until a month later.”
A few months after that, Parker went home to Clinton to give his father a Cadillac. He told him to look in the
trunk. There was his Super Bowl ring, glittering in the hot sun.
“Wow — I never suspected he would really give it to me,” Willie Sr. said. “I couldn’t take what was happening,
it was too much. Me and my friend, I said, ‘Let’s take a ride.’ I always say we rode off into the sunset.”
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Starkey: Willie Parker's no fraud - Tribune-Review
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Willie Parker's no fraud
By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 12, 2008
Maybe it's because he isn't built like the larger-than-life running backs of
Steelers lore - Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis and John Henry Johnson.
Maybe it's because he let down so many fantasy football owners last season.
Maybe it's because he will never match the man he replaced - Bettis - as a
media darling.
Maybe it's because he was undrafted.
Whatever the case, "Fast" Willie Parker can't seem to outrun his critics. They
call him a track-star back who can't get tough yards, or, as Baltimore Ravens
defensive end Trevor Pryce so memorably put it last season, "a fraud."
I must be missing something.
Are we talking about Amos Zereoue here, or a back who needs just 48 yards to
pass Johnson for third place on the Steelers' all-time rushing list?
Parker has the best per-carry average (4.5) in franchise history, not to mention
three of the club's top eight rushing seasons and two of its three highest singlegame totals. He finished second in the NFL in 20-plus-yard runs last season,
likely would have led the league in rushing if he hadn't been injured and had no
problem grinding out tough yards two years ago, when he scored 13 rushing
touchdowns.
Know what else? He keeps getting better. He has learned to change speeds
and run more patiently.
But you go ahead and question Parker. Keep pointing out what he can't do.
Keep finding reasons the Steelers should replace him.
He likes that.
"He's the first guy in here every day and probably the last guy to leave,"
receiver Hines Ward said.
True to form, Parker was among the last off the practice field Thursday.
Dripping sweat and still trying to catch his breath, he considered the question
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9/12/2008
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carefully.
Why isn't he automatically mentioned when people speak of the NFL's top
backs?
Fast Willie leaned forward, squinted and said, "One day, they are going to talk
about me as one of the best. They'll have no other choice."
About the rap he is stopped too often at the line of scrimmage (31 times last
season, fifth-most in the NFL according to an article on ESPN.com) and has too
many negative-yardage carries?
"Watch me this year," Parker said. "That's all I'll say."
Then, he said some more: "In the past, I probably got too greedy and wanted to
make the big play every time. Barry Sanders had that same problem. I know
what to do now. I'm trying to get positive yards, even if it's two yards."
Parker's teammates back him on that. He flashed his form Sunday with a 138yard, three-TD opener against Houston, stiff-arming tacklers, spinning away
from them and running right through them.
"A lot of people think of him as a little back, and he's not," offensive coordinator
Bruce Arians said of the 5-foot-10, 209-pound Parker. "He's a handful - a
violent runner. I wouldn't trade him for anyone."
I would, but after LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, I'd have to think
hard before trading Parker for any other runner - and it's not like Peterson has
proved his durability. Parker has the third-most rushing yards (4,012) in the NFL
over the past three years.
Ward was among those who eased Parker's concerns when the team drafted
Rashard Mendenhall, pointing out that it could help him.
Pardon Parker if he didn't pop a bottle of champagne that day.
"I'm the type of person where I jump to the craziest conclusions anyway,"
Parker said. "I thought the worst. That's the way I was thinking. But then, after
talking to some people, they made me calm down."
Seems to me, Mendenhall was brought in to preserve and enhance Parker, not
to replace him.
Parker isn't perfect. He's just one of the best running backs in the NFL, and
already, at age 27, one of the best in Steelers' history.
"If he didn't get hurt, he would have led the league in rushing last year," said
backup quarterback Charlie Batch, who is on injured reserve but has seen
numerous elite runners in his years in the league. "He's a proven runner,
deserving of all the credit he's getting."
9/12/2008
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Or not getting.
Joe Starkey can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com or 412-320-7810.
Images and text copyright © 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
9/12/2008
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MONDAY OCTOBER 6, 2008 :: Last modified: Sunday, October 5, 2008 12:20 AM EDT
Business trip for Moore
By Mike Bires
Times Sports Staff
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Whether it’s football, the financial crisis or anything in between those wide
ranging topics, Mewelde Moore is a man in the know.
A running back who will make his first start with the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight, Moore is among the
most intelligent players in the National Football League.
He’s a graduate of Tulane University, the same school that produced Omar Khan, the Steelers highlyregarded football & business administration coordinator. Khan, who negotiates most of the team’s
player contracts, often calls his alma mater “the Harvard of the South.”
“It is,” Moore said of Tulane’s reputation as one of five “Southern Ivy League” schools. “Of course,
Omar went through Tulane a few years before I did. But we were in the same business school.”
Moore, signed by the Steelers via free agency in March, is such a smart guy that he earned two
degrees (finance and accounting) while playing two sports as a collegian. Besides playing football for
the Green Wave, Moore also spent three summers playing baseball in the San Diego Padres’ minorleague system.
An outfielder, Moore was selected in the fourth round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft after
his senior year of high school in Baton Rouge, La.
“Man, you don’t know what it meant to me to get my degrees,” said Moore, who had a 3.8 gradepoint average in high school. “I always promised my mother that I would graduate. And for me to do
it, I had to take 24 (credit) hours in my eighth and last semester.
“I never had the chance to take summer classes because I was playing baseball. And if I didn’t
graduate on time, I would have had to pay for school out of my own pocket.”
Not that money is an issue now for Moore, 26. When he signed with the Steelers, he agreed to a
three-year deal worth $4.95 million, a $1.35 million signing bonus included.
Besides the money Moore makes by playing football, he and his wife Tymeka, who has a Master’s
degree from Tulane, are astute business people. They own a real estate business and plan to
franchise health foods.
“I’m already an entrepreneur,” he said.
But what Moore wants to do more than anything right now is fully display his talents as a football
player. He wants to prove to the Steelers that they invested wisely by signing him.
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At Tulane, which competes in Conference USA, Moore had a prolific career. He rushed for 890 yards
as freshman, 1,431 as a sophomore, 1,138 as a junior, and 915 as a senior. He’s one of only two
players in NCAA Division I history to rush for over 4,000 yards and accumulate over 2,000 receiving
yards in a career.
He was selected in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft by Minnesota where he developed into a
valuable role player. He started11 games for the Vikings, and rushed for over 100 yards in four of
them. He also caught 116 passes for 1,093 yards in a four-year stint in Minnesota.
That’s why the Steelers signed him as their third-down back.
But tonight when the Steelers (3-1) take on the Jaguars (2-2), Moore makes his first start since Dec.
4, 2005. He’s starting because Willie Parker will sit out a second straight game due to a sprained
knee and because rookie Rashard Mendenhall is done for the season with a broken shoulder.
“In the meeting room, Mewelde is very observant,” running backs coach Kirby Wilson said. “He takes
a lot of notes. He asks intelligent questions. He’s an attention-to-detail guy.
“It took him awhile to get untracked here, but I’d like to think he found his groove just in the knick of
time.”
In the Steelers’ first three games, Moore seldom played on offense. His only touch was a 6-yard carry
two weeks ago in Philadelphia.
But when Mendenhall and fullback Carey Davis (ankle) were hurt last week against Baltimore, Moore
carried eight times and caught three passes. His 24-yard run after catching a short toss from Ben
Roethlisberger in overtime set up Jeff Reed’s game-winning field goal.
“I believe I’m capable of doing everything a running back is supposed to do … ball-carrying,
protection, route-running, catching the football,” Moore said. “That’s what I’m preparing to do.
“Ever since I got in the NFL, I always put everything I have into my playbook, my studies, my film
work, so I can be best prepared for my situation. This is no different than any other week.”
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10/6/2008
Ward gathers no moss at WR
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Thursday, November 27, 2008
Peter Diana
Hines Ward is having a nearly identical season to Patriots receiver
Randy Moss this year.
The veteran receiver will take the field in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, still a threat, still productive, still one of the best at
his position in the NFL in his 11th season.
Randy Moss of the New England Patriots? Yes, him, too. But, for all the reputation Moss has had as a game-breaking, bigplay wide receiver, fellow 1998 draft-class member Hines Ward can stand toe to toe with him this season, even if he is four
inches shorter.
At 32, Ward is on pace for his best season since 2003, his first 1,000-yard season since 2004 and virtually matching the
faster, taller Moss statistically.
Each has caught 54 passes with Moss having just 22 more yards than Ward's 718. As it is, Ward's 13.3-yard average per
catch would be the third highest of his career since he became a starter in 1999, his second season in the league.
"It's kind of fun because we came in together and we're still going," Ward said yesterday. "I get jacked up to see him. I try to
tease him and challenge our defensive backs. He's 6-5 and has speed, he's everything a team wants to have.
"I always had tremendous respect for him as a ballplayer. People thought he was washed up in Oakland and he came back
and got into a great offense with a great quarterback. He still has the skills to go out there and beat you."
The same could be said for Ward. Some thought he was on the downhill side when his average per catch dipped to the lowest
of his career last season at 10.3 yards. He missed a career-high three games with injuries, and his yardage dipped to a sevenyear low of 732.
A knee injury dogged him last year and, after offseason surgery, he has been healthy this season. He leads the Steelers in
receptions, yards and with five touchdown catches. He is on pace for 1,044 yards, which would be the most since his Pro
Bowl season of 1,163 yards in 2003.
"Hines is a complete player; he is a tough guy to play against," New England coach Bill Belichick said yesterday. "He has
very good quickness, he is physical and he has tremendous strength for his position. He is a very experienced player that
knows how to play and how to get open against man-coverage; he knows how to find the holes against zone."
Among the keys to Ward's effectiveness in his second decade in the league? He never was fast, so he did not have much to
lose.
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"I know with age people start questioning, but it's different at the wideout position," Ward reasoned. "My game has never
been predicated on speed anyway. It wasn't like I was a blazing guy anyway. When a guy's game is based on speed and they
lose it, they don't know how to react. A guy who doesn't have blazing speed but knows how to run routes, you can play in
this game a long time."
This was supposed to be the season in which Santonio Holmes took over as the No. 1 receiver for the Steelers, but he has 15
fewer catches, 154 fewer yards and three fewer touchdown grabs than Ward.
There is no doubt that Holmes and Nate Washington remain the team's top two deep threats, but with umbrella defenses
using cover-2 and cover-3 alignments against the Steelers lately, Ward is invaluable running the possession stuff over the
middle.
"Hines is showing people this year it's not age, it's knowledge of the game," Washington said. "Hines prides himself on
making big-time plays. We joke about him being the older guy but we know Hines is still doing a lot of things we're doing at
a young age, and a lot of times he's doing some things we can't do.
"His knowledge of the game is impeccable."
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he and Ward never have been as close on the field as they are this season.
"He's made me a lot better quarterback. Just the understanding and the level that we are on now, I think you'll see us
communicating a lot better. You'll see us on the same page more than we've ever been, just because it's been five years
together and we understand each other."
Ward vs. Moss
The Steelers' and Patriots' veteran receivers are puting up comparable numbers this season:
Ward.....Category.....Moss
54.....Receptions.....54
718.....Yards.....740
13.3.....Yards per catch.....13.7
5.....Touchdowns.....8
48.....Longest catch.....66
First published on November 27, 2008 at 12:00 am
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11/27/2008
Nothing dirty about Ward's rugged play
Page 1 of 2
Ron Cook
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
So the Cincinnati Bengals want a piece of Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward when the teams play again Nov. 20?
Please.
They had better get in line.
It is a very long line.
Baltimore Ravens safety Rod Woodson threatened to get even with Ward after his nose was bloodied by a Ward block in
2001. Ravens linebacker Bart Scott threatened to kill Ward after he was flattened by a Ward hit in '07. Cleveland Browns
cornerback Daven Holly called the Ward block that left him with a concussion last season "a heinous act." Ravens
cornerback Chris McAllister used a vulgar term to describe Ward in '04 for no other reason than, well, Ward is Ward.
Now, along come the Bengals after Ward's hard-but-clean block knocked rookie linebacker Keith Rivers out for the season
with a broken jaw Sunday.
"Too bad he can't hit someone face up," Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe said. "It's the type of guy he is. He's a blind-side
guy. That's all right. We play them again."
That didn't bother Ward in the slightest. "They all hate me in the division," he said yesterday. "I don't worry about someone
trying to take me out. I don't even think about it. I know they're going to try to hit me hard any chance they get. That's why I
always try to hit them hard first."
But this bothered Ward greatly: "I hate that they're saying I'm a dirty player when I didn't do anything wrong. How can it be
a dirty play when I don't get penalized? How can it be a dirty play when all I'm doing is playing football and trying to help
my teammate get extra yards?"
Those are good questions.
There are a lot of ways to describe Ward. I like Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's version: "Hines plays the game the way it's
supposed to be played. ... He's a football player first and a wide receiver second." Ward prefers former Ravens coach Brian
Billick's description: " 'I hate the S.O.B., but I'd love to have him on my team.' "
But Ward a dirty player?
Sorry, I just don't see it.
Of all of Ward's many vicious blocks, the only one I can remember coming late and drawing a penalty was his hit on the
Browns' Holly last season. Just about everything he does -- though unusually violent for a receiver -- is within the rules.
Of course, that didn't stop the NFL from fining Ward for "unnecessary roughness" on plays that weren't penalized in games
against Jacksonville and Baltimore earlier this season. He doesn't think he'll be fined for the hit on Rivers, but who knows? If
the league does fine him, it will stink of hypocrisy. That block is the type of brutal hit that makes the NFL game so popular.
Rivers was sent flying; his feet must have been 10 feet off the turf. It's the type of play the league surely will market and sell
on its 2008 Greatest Hits video.
"It was shoulder to shoulder," Ward said. "If I was a dirty player, I would have gone low on him. I easily could have taken
out his leg. But my intentions weren't to hurt him. I just wanted to block him. I can't help that he broke his jaw when he hit
the ground. I feel sorry that it was broken, but I don't feel sorry for what I did.
10/21/2008
Page 2 of 2
"No one ever sent me an apology note when I was hurt. Two years ago against Cleveland, Sean Jones hurt my knee with
what I thought was a bad hit. Last year, [San Francisco's] Patrick Willis hit me directly on my knee. No one felt sorry for
me ...
"I'm a 200-pound wide receiver. [Rivers] is a first-round linebacker out of USC. If I were him, I wouldn't want people
talking about me being blocked like that. I'd be embarrassed about it."
Lost in the controversy surrounding Ward's big hit and fines is the fact he's having another superb season. He caught his fifth
touchdown pass in the 38-10 victory against the Bengals, taking a cheap hit from safety Dexter Jackson long after he scored.
Ward bounced up and grinned in Jackson's face as the officials called Jackson for a personal foul. "I knew that hit was
coming," Ward said, shrugging.
Ward didn't take it personally.
"I hardly ever allow it to become personal," he said. "I can only think of one or two times in my career when I lost my cool
and allowed it to be personal. I caught a touchdown pass in Seattle and spiked the ball in front of [Ken] Lucas. He had been
grabbing me and talking all game. That was personal. After I hit [Earl] Little in Cleveland [in 2001], I stood over him
because he called me a 'Chinaman [bleep]' a few plays earlier. I said to him, 'How do you like that from a Chinaman
[bleep]?' I know I shouldn't have done it and I deserved that fine.
"But these fines this year? I didn't do anything wrong. I just played football."
And if the opponents disagree?
"If I'm in their head and they're worried about me, I figure I've won already," Ward said.
In the game against the Ravens last season when Ward drilled Scott, he also sent All-Pro safety Ed Reed flying with a block.
"The next few plays, all he cared about was getting back at me," Ward said. "He didn't care about his responsibilities. That's
not helping his team. That's helping my team."
I'm thinking Ward will be ready for the Giants' best shots Sunday and the Washington Redskins' the next week and the
Bengals', Ravens' and Browns' down the road.
Certainly, they had better be ready for his best.
"I'm not going to allow this silly [stuff] to change the way I play," Ward said.
Nor should he.
Tomlin's point is worth repeating one more time:
Hines plays the game the way it's supposed to be played ...
Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author
10/21/2008
Steelers' Miller is the total package
Page 1 of 2
His statistics might not wow everyone, but the Steelers tight end is the total package
Monday, November 03, 2008
Steelers tight end Heath Miller
entered the weekend with 21
catches, which ranked 11th
among tight ends.
Heath Miller has one of those jobs few in his profession covet. He plays tight end for the Steelers, and if a tight end wants to
star in professional football, that's the last place to work.
Miller is on his fastest receiving pace since he arrived as the team's No. 1 draft pick in 2005, and he is moving up the list of
all-time Steelers tight ends. On the grand NFL landscape, though, it's merely a ripple.
Miller's 21 receptions in seven games has him on pace to catch 48 passes, which would top his career high from last season
by one. He also will soon become the team's fourth-most productive receiving tight end with four more receptions and could
become their second-best scoring tight end by season's end.
But compared to other tight ends, it's a drop in the bucket. There will be a pass-catching tight end on the field tonight in
Landover, Md., but he'll be wearing a Redskins uniform.
Chris Cooley's 40 receptions are second in the NFL among tight ends behind Jason Witten. A converted fullback, Cooley
made the Pro Bowl last season when he caught 66 passes.
Yet Bruce Arians, the Steelers' offensive coordinator, said he'd take Heath Miller over all of them.
"Pro bowls have nothing to do with the best tight ends going to the Pro Bowl," Arians said. "It's the guy with the most
catches who goes. Those are glorified wide receivers. I've said it every year, Heath's the best tight end in the AFC."
The Steelers have placed just one tight end in a Pro Bowl in the past 45 seasons: Eric Green made it after the 1993 season,
when he led Bill Cowher's second team with 63 receptions.
It's Miller's own fault. If he weren't so good at blocking, or so willing, he would likely be Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates,
or even Chris Cooley -- he just would not have been drafted by the Steelers.
"Heath Miller could be whoever he wanted to be if he were a tight end in their offense," Arians said of the Redskins. "He
could be all those guys, because those guys can't block. He can block."
Miller could make a run at becoming the Steelers' second Pro Bowl tight end in 46 seasons because the traditional top AFC
tight ends, Gonzalez and Gates, are off in their production with 33 and 30 receptions, respectively. But he would have to
pick up the pace, and on a team that has three good wide receivers, it's more likely Miller will catch fewer than 50 passes
instead of more.
"In our offense I think it's in our best interests to spread the ball around and use all of our weapons," Miller said. "I think
that's when we pose the biggest threat to defenses."
11/4/2008
Page 2 of 2
You check your ego at the door when you become a Steelers tight end.
"This offense is not made for it," Hines Ward said. "It's hard for any receiver, tight end or anything, to really be compared up
there with everybody else.
"You look at the guy in Houston [tight end Owen Davis with 32 catches] -- they're passing the ball all the time. A lot of that
has to do with them playing behind all the time. When we jump up on somebody, we're pounding the ball all the time so the
opportunities won't be there as much."
No Steelers player has 100 yards receiving as the team approaches the halfway mark tonight. There have been 100-yard
receiving games turned in 76 times in the NFL this season. Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have topped 100
yards in the same game twice.
As it is, Miller ranks third on the team behind Santonio Holmes, who has 22 receptions. Ward leads with 31 and Nate
Washington comes in fourth with 16.
"In this offense, we have a lot of playmakers," Ward said. "You may not put up huge stats, you may have 100 yards every
now and then, but it doesn't discredit the type of ballplayer you are.
"Heath is one of those guys when you look at all the stuff he's done on film, he is, in my opinion, one of the better tight ends
in the AFC."
Miller entered the weekend ranked 74th among all receivers with his 21 receptions, which put him 11th among tight ends.
The only thing more surprising than a Steelers tight end catching 10 passes in a game would be to see Heath Miller
demanding the ball more often.
"I think everybody who's a player on offense would like to get the ball," Miller said. "At the same time, you have to
understand the grand scheme of things, and I think I've tried to do that with this offense.
"We all understand we're all in it together and that's when we're most effective."
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11/4/2008
Kemoeatu's work ethic from family - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 4
Kemoeatu's work ethic rooted in family
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The proposed wall in question was four stories high. Too high and apparently
too much for Chris Kemoeatu and older brother Ma'ake to help build.
Manako Kemoeatu gave his two oldest sons only two days to carry various
supplies -- rocks, cement, water -- to the top of a steep hill so he could build the
wall. On the second day, however, Chris and Ma'ake were both so exhausted
they became convinced they couldn't finish their portion of a job that didn't pay
very well in the first place.
That isn't the point, Manako told his sons. If you don't finish, how will we feed
our family with the money I'm supposed to earn for building the wall? He made
them a promise: If they somehow completed the Herculean task, any other
challenges they faced in life would seem small by comparison.
Somehow, Chris and his brother finished the job, lugging the remaining
supplies to the top of the hill. The wall was built, and Manako Kemoeatu earned
enough money to feed his family.
"Dad was real strict when we were growing up," said Chris, a sixth-round draft
pick in 2005 -- the 204th player selected -- turned starting left guard for the
2008 Steelers. "He taught us to be humble and loyal. We grew up in the church,
but we grew up poor, too. It made us realize that we had to work hard for
whatever we wanted."
"Dad is one of the big reasons why Chris is successful today," said Ma'ake, a
starting defensive tackle for Carolina who entered the league in 2002 as an
undrafted free agent and joined the Panthers after four seasons with the
Baltimore Ravens. "Chris worked hard to get where he's at. Dad always told us
if you work really hard, don't be surprised if you get to where you want to go."
PRIDE AND POWER
Born in Tonga in the South Pacific while being raised in Hawaii from the age of
3, Chris is a product of his different environments who learned his father's
lessons well.
He's a self-made NFL starter who overcame his unfamiliarity with football as a
youth to earn a scholarship to the University of Utah. He later becoming an
offensive line stalwart on coach Urban Meyer's undefeated team that routed
Pitt, 35-7, in the Fiesta Bowl following the 2004 season.
10/20/2008
Page 2 of 4
He joined the Steelers as a late-round draft pick but patiently waited his turn
while learning the nuances of his position from Alan Faneca, one of the best
guards in the game who became one of his best friends.
Kemoeatu, 6-foot-3, 344 pounds, is a thickly constructed bear of a man with
surprisingly nimble feet who has been known to polish off defenders while
opening holes for his running backs. He's a potentially lethal run-blocker and
developing as a pass protector.
"First and foremost about Chris is his power," said West Coast-based agent
Ken Vierra, who represents Chris and Ma'ake. "When he hits NFL-caliber
people, it's an awesome thing to behold. What he has as a guard, you can't
coach it, and most guys don't have it. You look around the league, and there's a
lot of good guards, but you don't see guys go flying like you do when Chris hits
them."
Since becoming a starter this season, Kemoeatu has attempted to show that
he's more than just a hard-hitting football player. Exceptionally quiet, he is
slowly emerging from his shell while revealing more of his personality.
"He's got a great sense of humor," said Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex,
who along with fellow lineman Willie Colon, are Kemoeatu's best friends on the
team.
"He's a lot funnier than people think, because they don't think he talks. He has
me and Willie cracking up all the time.
"That man can dance, too. He can get down. Don't let him tell you different. Put
some music on in the locker room when ya'll (reporters) ain't around, and he
can cut a rug."
Kemoeatu agreed that he keeps that part of his personality away from
outsiders.
"When I'm out with the guys, that's the one time you get to be yourself," he said.
"If the fellas weren't there, I wouldn't be dancing. I'll talk to anybody, but there's
certain stuff I'll (say) to them that I wouldn't say to anybody (else)."
FUELED BY ANGER
He doesn't mind discussing how much he has changed since joining the
Steelers three seasons ago.
"When I first came to the Steelers, I was kind of mad," said Kemoeatu, who will
make eighth pro start today against the Cincinnati Bengals. "I got drafted late. I
was disappointed about that. Once I got here, I was glad it happened the way
that it did."
Namely, Faneca happened. The veteran guard went out of his way to help ease
Kemoeatu's transition to the NFL.
10/20/2008
Page 3 of 4
"I'm real thankful that I got to learn from probably the best (guard) I've ever
seen play," Kemoeatu said. "As far as the way he played and his passion for
the game, I respect that a lot. I can't be Alan Faneca and do everything he
does, but I'm going to try to live up to, play and think the way that he does."
Now with the New York Jets, Faneca still maintains close contact with
Kemoeatu.
"Chris is a good friend, a hard worker, and has a lot of talent to go far in this
league," Faneca said in a recent text message.
FOOTBALL ON THE DOWN LOW
And to think Kemoeatu almost didn't get the chance to play football.
In Tonga -- a group of 36 inhabited islands located south of Samoa - rugby was
his father's sport of choice. Manako Kemoeatu forbid his sons from playing
American football. He demanded they concentrate on academics to have a
chance for a better life.
Chris, however, had other ideas. He would rush home from school and finish
his homework and chores so he could sneak outside and play flag football
without his parents' knowledge.
"Growing up, we didn't (have a) TV in our house," Chris said. "We couldn't
afford it. I didn't really understand football until I went to my friend's house and
watched it on TV. I loved played playing it more than I did watching it."
Eventually, Manako came around to his sons' way of thinking and attended
their high school games.
"Dad didn't even know you could get a (college) scholarship through football,"
said Chris, who was named Hawaii's top high school defensive player in 2000.
"That's when he started supporting it."
Ma'ake enrolled at Utah in 1998. Chris and another brother, Tevita, arrived at
Utah three years later.
At Utah, Chris made the transition from defense to offense. As a junior, he
switched from left to right guard under the guidance of Meyer, who had
replaced Ron McBride.
After taking the job at Florida, Meyer tried to recruit a fourth Kemoeatu brother,
Benji, who is now a freshman guard at West Virginia.
Chris said Benji selected West Virginia because of the school's proximity to
Pittsburgh - Tongan families are traditionally close-knit.
When the NFL season ends, Chris, Benji and Ma'ake return home to Hawaii to
reunite with their parents and four brothers and sisters.
10/20/2008
Page 4 of 4
"It's a good thing understanding your traditions and knowing where you're
from," Chris said. "All of that stuff we did growing up, we still do today. The
custom back home is that men do all the cooking. It's been that way my whole
life."
In keeping with that tradition, Chris prepares huge feasts with Ma'ake consisting
of wild pigs, cows and chickens that they personally hunt and cook outside on
wooden poles.
THE TRADITION EXTENDS BEYOND FOOD.
"Tongan is our first language," Chris said. "When we're at home, that's the only
thing we speak in the house.
"At first, I was mad about it. We'd get teased in school because we couldn't
speak English. But now I understand, and I'm glad my parents raised us the
traditional way. It makes you appreciate what you have that much more."
10/20/2008
Steelers' Russell making most of opportunity
Page 1 of 2
By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer
dlolley@observer-reporter.com
PITTSBURGH - When the Steelers released Gary Russell in September, some felt it might be the
beginning of the end for the NFL long shot.
The Steelers re-signed Russell to their practice squad, but with a depth chart that included Pro Bowl
running back Willie Parker, first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall and free agent-signee Mewelde
Moore ahead of him, Russell's future - at least in Pittsburgh - looked bleak.
But Russell is nothing if not persistent.
He didn't mope or give up. Two months later, Russell is filling a pair of critical roles for the Steelers (83) as they head into their final five regular-season games.
Given a chance to return kickoffs because of injuries and failures of other players, Russell has given the
Steelers a much-needed boost in their return game. In the past two weeks, he's also stepped into the role
of short-yardage running back, going three-for-three converting third- or fourth-and-ones. Russell also
scored on a two-yard touchdown run in Pittsburgh's 27-10 victory Thursday night over the Bengals. It
was his first career touchdown.
"He's a young guy who is beginning to seize an opportunity and expand his role," Steelers head coach
Mike Tomlin said. "That is what a team is about, and that is what the season is about."
On nine kickoff returns, Russell has averaged 24.4 yards, including a 43-yard burst against the Bengals
that is by far the Steelers' longest return of the season.
On that play, Russell rumbled through the center of the wedge and oncoming Bengals, breaking several
arm tackles, then ran over Cincinnati kicker Shayne Graham before being tripped.
Nobody is more surprised than Russell at his success returning kickoffs.
"That's for a fast guy," Russell said. "I'm not very fast. I hit the hole. That's all I can do. I'm more of a
downhill runner."
That downhill-running style is what helped make Russell useful in short-yardage situations, though he
weighs just 215 pounds.
"I think Gary Russell's done a great job on our short-yardage and goal-line (runs)," said quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger.
Russell was signed as a free agent two years after he had last played football, at the University of
Minnesota. Russell dropped out of school after gaining more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore. He was
out of football in 2006 and ballooned to nearly 250 pounds. In personal workouts for NFL teams before
the 2007 draft, an out-of-shape Russell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds.
http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Print/11-24-Steelers-Russell-emerging
11/24/2008
Page 2 of 2
The Steelers, who've had plenty of success with undrafted rookies, decided to give Russell a chance
during training camp.
He made the most of the opportunity, making the 53-man roster and getting seven carries in 2007.
Russell impressed the Steelers again this summer. But injuries at other positions forced them to release
Russell in September. He was re-signed to the practice squad, and when Parker and Mendenhall both
went down with injuries in back-to-back games, Russell returned to the roster.
"I never doubted that things would work out," said Russell. "I got an opportunity here. I'm going to keep
building on that."
Odds and end zones
Parker is expected to play Sunday at New England. He left the game against the Bengals in the third
quarter after aggravating knee injury. ... Defensive end Brett Keisel (sprained knee) could miss four
weeks. ... The Steelers have a one-game lead in the AFC North over Baltimore (7-4), which defeated
Philadelphia Sunday.
Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Print/11-24-Steelers-Russell-emerging
11/24/2008
Farrior playing at elite level - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
Farrior still playing at elite level
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Steelers defensive captain James Farrior didn't even bother knocking on wood
for good luck.
Farrior made his 11th start of the 2008 season, and his 54th consecutive start
(including the playoffs) in Thursday night's 27-10 win against the Cincinnati
Bengals.
"My body feels good," Farrior said. "I feel good mentally. I'm just ready to keep
playing football.''
Since 2007, Farrior, fellow linebackers James Harrison and Larry Foote,
cornerback Ike Taylor and tackle Willie Colon are the only starters who haven't
been sidelined because of injury or illness.
Not bad for a 33-year-old who signed a five-year contract extension in August.
Farrior is three years older than Harrison, five years older than Foote, five years
older than Taylor and eight years older than Colon.
Despite the obligatory bumps and bruises that result from a dozen years of
toiling in the NFL, Farrior not only lines up and starts every week, he continues
to excel.
This season, given the success of the Steelers' top-ranked defense, Farrior is
playing at a Pro Bowl level.
Farrior is on pace to lead the Steelers in tackles for the third year in a row, and
the fifth time in six years.
Asked about the longevity and endurance that belies his age, Farrior credited
his intense offseason workouts with famed speed and conditioning coach Tom
Shaw at Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports.
"To be in good shape at this time of the year, you've got to do a lot of work in
the offseason," Farrior said. "Tom Shaw, I don't know what I would do without
him.
"I give him a lot of the credit to keep me this healthy this time of season. Guys
are usually starting to get banged up. Injuries are starting to be a hassle. But if
you train and work out good during your off-time and keep your body healthy,
you get yourself ready for that stretch run at the end of the season.''
11/24/2008
Farrior playing at elite level - Tribune-Review
Page 2 of 2
Shaw said Farrior is a special talent because he continues to work hard even
as some of his peers are resting their bodies from the rigors of the previous
season.
Other Steelers who trained regularly with Shaw last offseason included Taylor,
fellow cornerback Bryant McFadden and receiver Santonio Holmes.
"James really is good at what he does, but (his) body has to adapt to the stress
that he's going to put on it," Shaw said. "That's why we continue to work hard in
the offseason. We're trying to work them but not kill them. We train hard - but
smart. I want you to work as hard as you can to get your body in shape.''
The hard work paid off. Farrior entered his 12th training camp at a physical
level not much different from when he joined the league as a first-round draft
pick.
"We test - that's the big difference in our program,'' Shaw said. "I want to make
sure that if your vertical jump was this high when you came out, it's the same
thing for your 12th year.''
Said Farrior: "This is what I expected. This is what I go down there and do all
that hard work for, to feel like this late in the season.''
11/24/2008
No question, Farrior's the team leader
Page 1 of 2
"The young guys should be watching his every move."
James Farrior hopes to play at least two more seasons. There's no
reason to doubt he'll make it even if his body aches a little more
than it used to.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter got another sack yesterday against the Denver Broncos and -- at the ridiculously old
age of 31 -- leads the NFL with 11 1/2. "I don't feel like I'm anywhere near done playing football," he growled. "Look at
Potsie. He's my man. What is he? Thirty-three or 34? And he just got a new deal. He's still playing at a high level. A high,
high level. Right there is inspiration for me."
You know Potsie, right?
Steelers linebacker James Farrior.
Porter couldn't pick a better role model.
Safety Troy Polamalu gets most of the attention on the Steelers' defense. Linebacker James Harrison is virtually
unblockable; "A monster," Farrior calls him, with good reason. And defensive end Aaron Smith might be more
indispensable.
But there is no more amazing player on the Steelers than Farrior.
Potsie!
For one thing, there's Farrior's durability. He plays at 225 pounds in an era when most inside linebackers go 250 or 260.
That's Jack Lambert-like. Yet, Farrior hasn't had -- knock on wood -- any type of surgery. Since joining the Steelers as a free
agent in 2002, he has missed just three games because of a couple of knee sprains and a fourth because former coach Bill
Cowher kept him out of the meaningless regular-season finale in 2002 to get him ready for the playoffs. "I've got good
genes, I guess," Farrior said, shrugging.
For another thing, there's Farrior's consistency. He hardly ever makes a mistake despite never leaving the field and playing in
all of the Steelers' defensive packages. Farrior said he shouldn't make mistakes. This is his 12th NFL season and he's
approaching his 34th birthday, Jan. 6, right around the time the Steelers hope to begin their playoff push. "The game gets
easier when you understand what's going on," Farrior said. "It definitely slows down. When you can diagnose plays before
they happen, you're going to play better."
For a third thing, there's Farrior's production. He is again leading the Steelers in tackles. This will be five times in six seasons
if that holds up. "I think I'm playing my best football," Farrior said. "And, hopefully, my best is yet to come."
11/4/2008
Page 2 of 2
Tonight would be a great time for Farrior's best game. There's not much doubt what the Washington Redskins will try to do.
"They're going to be feeding the ball to [Clinton] Portis all night," Farrior said.
The NFL's rushing leader.
"He's ran for 944 yards," Farrior said, knowing the figure by heart.
It's nice to think the Steelers will keep Portis from going over 1,000. If they do, their chances of winning will be excellent
because they'll force quarterback Jason Campbell to beat them. It's true, Campbell hasn't thrown an interception all season,
but he's not the same threat as Portis, who's averaging 118 rushing yards a game and 5 yards a carry, and has scored seven
touchdowns.
"He's got all the running back skills, but his best attribute is his vision," Farrior said. "He's able to find the smallest crease
and get through it when no one else can. Then, it's off to the races. ...
"We've got to be perfect with our technique and we can't be out of position. We all know that. We welcome the challenge.
We love going against the best and seeing how we stack up."
Know this: Farrior will be in the middle of all of it. His teammates count on him more than any player. Ben Roethlisberger
and Hines Ward might be offensive leaders, but Farrior is the team leader. No one is a close second.
That's why Farrior made it a point to speak with wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who was cited for marijuana possession
before the New York Giants game last weekend and was deactivated by coach Mike Tomlin. It's no coincidence the Steelers
lost, 21-14.
I'm thinking that little chat with Farrior might have done wonders for Holmes, who will start against the Redskins.
"I didn't have to say much," Farrior said. "I know 'Tone pretty well. He understands now how valuable he is to this team. He
learned his lesson. He stood up like a man in front of us and gave his apology. I thought it was heart-felt. I was OK with it."
If Farrior was OK with it, all of the Steelers were OK with it. That's the kind of weight he carries in the locker room.
A lot more than 225 pounds, you might say.
That's another reason the Steelers signed Farrior to a five-year, $18.25 million contract in August. He didn't want to go
anywhere. "No player wants to go somewhere and have to start over again. I like it here. I'm on a good team. I've got good
players and good coaches around me."
Steelers management didn't want Farrior to go anywhere. His age wasn't a problem. Nor was the team's unsettled ownership
issue. The Rooneys and Tomlin knew Farrior's value.
"James shows you: 'This is how we do it here. This is the right way,' " cornerback Deshea Townsend said.
"The young guys should be watching his every move," Polamalu said.
Farrior hopes to play at least two more seasons. There's no reason to doubt he'll make it even if his body aches a little more
than it used to. "There are days I'm so sore I don't even want to get out of bed," he said.
Farrior grinned.
It was pretty easy to read his mind:
So what if tomorrow is one of those mornings? Who cares if Portis is feeling just a little worse?
Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
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11/4/2008
Even injured, Harrison's a terror
Page 1 of 2
Ron Cook
Monday, December 01, 2008
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- James Farrior didn't know. Neither did Aaron Smith. None of the Steelers had any clue that
linebacker James Harrison couldn't walk across the Gillette Stadium field at halftime yesterday because of a hyperextended
back and needed to be wheeled on a cart to the locker room.
"Just imagine what he would have done in the second half if he had been feeling good," Smith said, fairly giggling.
No kidding.
Harrison made another strong case for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award by
leading the Steelers to a 33-10 victory against the New England Patriots in a game they
desperately needed as the playoff race hit the three-quarter pole. Twice in the second half,
he blew by Pro Bowl tackle Matt Light, rattled quarterback Matt Cassel and forced
fumbles that the Steelers recovered. They were his 13th and 14th sacks of the season and,
with four games left, he will surely break Mike Merriweather's team record of 15 set in
1987.
What made this Harrison performance so amazing -- in a game the Steelers' No. 1-rated
defense also forced Cassel into two interceptions and held the Patriots to 267 total yards - was that back issue. He said he was hurt on a missed field goal by the Patriots on the
next-to-last play of the second quarter.
Steelers' sack artists
James Harrison needs one sack to move into a firstplace tie on the Steelers' all-time single-season list:
Rk.
Player
Year
Sck.
1
Mike Merriweather
1987
15
2
James Harrison
2008
14
Kevin Greene
1994
14
Keith Willis
1983
14
Jason Gildon
2000
13.5
5
"Honestly? No, I didn't think I was going to be able to [play in the second half]," Harrison said.
Credit modern medicine.
"They put something hot on it that's still hot right now," Harrison said, nearly an hour after the game. "It still feels like my
skin is on fire ...
"I'm sure I'm going to really hurt tomorrow. But that's OK. That's football. This isn't ice skating."
Harrison can take comfort knowing Cassel and the Patriots are aching a lot worse today. Their playoff chances took a huge
hit with this loss. Their offense clearly was overmatched by the Steelers' defense and was shut out in the second half. The
game's key statistic: The Patriots were 1 of 13 on third down.
Harrison wasn't the only star.
"The defense, well, they were their usual selves," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
Fired-up nose tackle Casey Hampton -- angry about a defensive holding call against him two plays earlier -- busted up center
Dan Koppen to sack Cassel on second-and-1 at the Steelers' 31 early in the third quarter to take the Patriots out of field-goal
range. "Yeah, I was mad," the man they call Big Snack said. "After the sack, I told the ref, 'Hold that!' "
Smith played his usual terrific game, sharing a sack of Cassel with Farrior and tackling running back Kevin Faulk for a 5yard loss on a screen pass. So did safety Troy Polamalu, who hit Cassel to force an incompletion on a third-and-2 play at the
Steelers' 11 and later had an interception for the third consecutive game, his sixth of the season.
This just wasn't Cassel's day.
It's funny. There was much talk in New England last week about the Patriots maybe trading injured Tom Brady and going
12/1/2008
Page 2 of 2
into the future with Cassel, who had thrown for 400 yards in the two previous games against the New York Jets and Miami
Dolphins.
Two quick observations:
One, that wasn't the Jets' or Dolphins' defense that Cassel faced yesterday.
And two, Cassel ain't no Brady in any way, shape or form.
"Tell you the truth, I don't think he's ever been hit like that," Steelers nose tackle Chris Hoke said.
Cassel was sacked five times. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley got him late in the game, bringing his sack total for the season to
11 1/2. He and Harrison are the most prolific pair of pass rushers in Steelers history.
No wonder Cassel had a rough day.
"It seemed like we had him flustered," Hoke said.
Harrison has been known to have that kind of impact on quarterbacks. In addition to the two strip sacks of Cassel and the
forced fumbles, he was credited with a team-high nine tackles, two tackles for losses and a quarterback hurry.
"Not to take it for granted, but that's what we've come to expect from him," Tomlin said.
"He took over the game," Farrior said. "It just seems like he's able to take it to another level whenever he wants."
"It's unbelievable what he does," Smith said. "I don't know how to describe it. Every time we need something, it seems like
he comes up with it for us."
You might guess who gets the Steelers' vote for that NFL Defensive Player of the Year thing.
"I know there are some great players in this league," Smith said. "But find me someone else who does it with his
consistency. Find me someone else who does it week in and week out the way he does it."
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and the Cowboys are next for Harrison and the Steelers.
I'm happy to report Harrison said his back should be fine for the game Sunday at Heinz Field.
On second thought, maybe that isn't such a good thing.
Said Smith, "We all should be lucky enough to play healthy the way he plays hurt."
First published on December 1, 2008 at 12:00 am
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12/1/2008
It's time to recognize Harrison
Page 1 of 2
Ron Cook
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Peter Diana / Post-Gazette
Steelers' James Harrison
View all related images
Last season, linebacker James Harrison was a curious and wrong-headed choice by the Steelers as their MVP. He had a big
year and made the Pro Bowl, but he wasn't the MVP. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was. But this season? The crime will
be if Harrison isn't NFL Defensive Player of the Year. No one has been more dominant. No one has been more of a gamechanger.
"A beast," teammate Larry Foote called Harrison.
Even that doesn't do the man justice.
It's not so much Harrison's 12 sacks, second-most in the NFL behind old pal Joey Porter's 13 1/2 in Miami, or his team-high
28 quarterback hurries or his four forced fumbles or the "splash play after splash play" -- coach Mike Tomlin's words -- that
he continues to make, game after game. It's that he does it as the most marked man on the field.
We're talking double- and triple-team blocking.
We're also talking holding by the opponents on a lot of pass plays.
James Harrison
The 2008 numbers
Category
It's almost enough to make you think Harrison is unblockable one-on-one, at least legally.
"No one is unblockable," Harrison said, flatly. "There were plenty of plays [Sunday] where I was
blocked."
Really?
No.
Tackles
67
Solo tackles
45
Sacks
12
Interceptions
1
You could have fooled me.
Probably could have fooled San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, too.
Harrison definitely wasn't blocked on one of the most significant plays in the Steelers' 11-10 victory. He took advantage of a
rare, incredible mismatch with tight end Brandon Manumaleuna on a third-and-9 play from the Chargers' 3 early in the
second quarter. It was cruel and inhumane punishment for the San Diego coaches to ask Manumaleuna to block Harrison
11/18/2008
Page 2 of 2
without help. Harrison blew by him to the outside and crushed Rivers, forcing a fumble that resulted in a safety for the
Steelers.
Maybe that play wasn't quite as huge as the one Harrison made to save the Steelers' fannies in a game Sept. 29 against the
Baltimore Ravens when he sacked quarterback Joe Flacco and forced a fumble that teammate LaMarr Woodley returned for
a touchdown. But it was awfully important in a one-point game. So was Harrison's interception of a horribly thrown Rivers
pass from the Steelers' 17 late in the second quarter.
Splash play after splash play ...
All of this doesn't happen by accident.
"His work ethic is second to none," Tomlin said of Harrison.
"You should see him in the weight room," Foote said. "Pound for pound, he has to be the strongest guy on the team. You put
that together with his speed and his mind-set and you've got an unbelievable player making spectacular plays."
Smallish size generally works against NFL players, but it works for Harrison. At 6 feet with a low center of gravity and
explosive quickness, he's often impossible for big offensive tackles to handle. "He can turn the corner and he has enough
power to run through and lean through contact," Tomlin said.
That's exactly how it happened when Harrison ate Manumaleuna's lunch, dinner and bedtime snack.
It's no wonder Harrison's teammates line up to push him for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They love the season that
linebacker James Farrior is having and they'll tell you defensive end Aaron Smith might be their most indispensable player.
But Harrison's season is off the charts. In addition to sacking the quarterback, forcing fumbles and making interceptions, he
has found the time to have 10 special teams tackles, second only to Anthony Madison (15) on the Steelers.
"It's sick what he does out there," Smith said.
"He and Joey [Porter] are battling it out, but he has to be the [defensive] MVP of the league," Foote said.
Harrison said he is "flattered" by the attention. That's a mouthful from him. When you perform the way he does, you don't
have to say much about your game. It speaks for itself.
This is how consistent Harrison has been: He has had sacks in seven of the Steelers' 10 games. With six regular-season
games left, he should easily shatter Mike Merriweather's team sacks record (15 in 1987) and maybe even move into the same
general neighborhood as NFL sacks record holder Michael Strahan (22 1/2 in 2001).
That is one very exclusive neighborhood.
Not that Harrison acts haughty.
"I'm not going to lobby for [Defensive Player of the Year]," he said. "If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
Harrison has something more important on his mind at the moment -- the Cincinnati Bengals, the opponent Thursday night
at Heinz Field. He had a huge game against them in the Steelers' 38-10 victory Oct. 19, getting two of the Steelers' seven
sacks and five quarterback hurries.
Get this: The Bengals allowed eight sacks Sunday in their 13-13 tie with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that is only the
beginning of their troubles. Veteran left tackle Levi Jones was in and out of the game because of a knee problem. If he can't
go Thursday night, rookie Anthony Collins probably will make his first NFL start.
Harrison will be waiting, no matter what.
For him, Thursday night can't get here soon enough.
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11/18/2008
Harris: Harrison emerges as NFL's best - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
OLB Harrison emerges as NFL's best
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison is the best defensive player in the
NFL.
Now that I have your attention, let's ask Harrison what he thinks.
That's right, the same James Harrison who wasn't drafted out of Kent State in
2002. The same James Harrison who was released by the Steelers three times.
The same James Harrison who watched and learned behind Joey Porter before
finally receiving his opportunity at stardom.
"I feel like I am," Harrison said following Sunday's 11-10 win over the San Diego
Chargers when asked if he's playing better than any defensive player in the
league.
"I think my play should speak for itself."
Loudly and clearly.
Harrison may be second in the NFL in sacks, trailing Porter, now with the Miami
Dolphins, but Harrison is the best player on the league's top-ranked defense
who has nearly twice as many tackles as Porter.
Yesterday, Harrison finished with four tackles, one sack that resulted in a safety
and an interception deep in Steelers territory that ended a San Diego threat late
in the first half.
Without Harrison's safety and interception, the Steelers lose -- pure and simple.
"James Harrison continues to make splash play after splash play; he is one of
the main reasons we were successful today," coach Mike Tomlin said.
The Steelers don't normally talk contract with their players during the season,
but they should make an exception with Harrison, who is in the third year of a
four-year, $5.5 million contract that is well below market value.
Considering that Harrison likely will be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his
first two seasons as a starter, the Steelers should tear up his old deal and sign
him to a new one ASAP.
11/17/2008
Harris: Harrison emerges as NFL's best - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 2 of 2
"Oh, man. I really can't say enough about the guy," defensive captain James
Farrior said of Harrison. "I got a lot of respect for the guy, not for what he's
doing now but where he came from. He started out at the bottom. He was a
rookie free agent when he first got here. He got cut three times, went to a
couple of different teams, came back and stuck with it.
"You can just see in his eyes the determination he plays with. I think he holds
that in the back of his head, all the stuff he went through to get to this point."
Harrison came up big twice in the second quarter. On third-and-9 from the San
Diego 3, Harrison beat the blocks of two players to drop quarterback Philip
Rivers for his 12th sack of the season.
Not only did Harrison's sack cause a fumble, he also tackled offensive lineman
Marcus McNeill, who recovered the fumble in the end zone, for a safety.
"They had the tight end, and the back tried to give me a little bump. He tried to
chip, and I ended up going around him. (Rivers) held the ball too long,"
Harrison said.
"When you single block him, he's going to cause something to happen," Farrior
said. "You can't block him with nothing but linemen, and there'd better be two of
them."
On his interception, Harrison said he was surprised Rivers threw the ball with
Harrison standing so close by.
"I didn't think he was going to throw it, considering I was already out there. I
thought he would throw it a little wider, but he threw it straight to me," Harrison
said.
Harrison galloped 33 yards to the Steelers' 43 with 1:23 left before halftime. His
interception set up a 21-yard Jeff Reed field goal that sliced San Diego's lead to
7-5.
Harrison was directly responsible for five points. It's difficult to imagine the
Steelers pulling out their one-point win without his two big plays.
11/17/2008
The Steelers in 2008: Lamarr Woodley
Page 1 of 2
Friday, September 05, 2008
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
After spending just one week at training camp as a volunteer assistant, Kevin Greene discovered all he needed to know about
LaMarr Woodley, an outside linebacker playing the same position in the 3-4 defense Greene manned for three seasons with
the Steelers in the mid-1990s.
"He's 20 pounds heavier than I played," Greene said. "If he realizes what kind of pain and punishment he brings to the table,
weighing 265 pounds, he could be hard to stop.
"I think if he gets a ticked-off, mean streak and starts running over people, at 265 pounds, I don't know if there's anyone who
can block him."
Say hello to the next generation of Steelers linebacker.
There were great ones who didn't weigh more than 225 pounds, players such as Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Greg Lloyd.
There were massive ones such as Levon Kirkland, who played in the middle at 280 pounds. And then there were players
such as Greene, who weighed 245, and Joey Porter, a four-time Pro Bowler who weighed 250.
Then there is Woodley, last year's No. 2 draft choice whom the Steelers almost couldn't wait to insert into the starting lineup
this season.
He registered six sacks as a rookie, even though he spent most of the season sitting on the bench, watching and learning from
the player he would eventually replace, Clark Haggans. He has such raw ability and power that The Sporting News named
him as the National Football League's Breakout Player of 2008 -- the player most likely to make a big impact this season.
And, make no mistake, he is big -- 6 feet 2, 265 pounds -- the biggest outside linebacker the Steelers have employed as a
starter.
"He can lay into you," said right tackle Willie Colon, the player who faces Woodley in practice. "He's a great threat for us.
The sky's the limit what he can do."
"I look for big things from him," said inside linebacker Larry Foote.
"I hate to use the 'P' word -- it's gotten a lot of people in trouble -- but he has all the potential in the world," Greene said.
"What I saw was a lot of instinct. What I saw was him come up the field, contact the offensive tackle and then do something
else to catch the tackle off guard. I saw a lot of instinct. That's not a coach-able thing. You got to have that instinct. That's a
non-coach-able attribute."
The Steelers return 19 of 22 starters from last year's 10-6 team that won the AFC North title. The only new starters are center
Justin Hartwig, acquired in free agency from the Carolina Panthers; guard Chris Kemoeatu and Woodley. Woodley is a
converted defensive end who does more than just rush the passer -- he knows how to rush the passer, a player who combines
the power to bull rush with a quick first step to speed rush.
He showed all that at Michigan, where he won the Lombardi Trophy as the nation's top lineman, the Ted Hendricks Award
as the nation's best defensive end and was named the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year. But, because he was
not very tall, he slipped to the second round of the draft, where the Steelers quickly selected him with the 46th overall pick.
"He has the talent, he has the skill that it takes to be successful, but there's a lot more to the position," said former outside
linebacker Jason Gildon, a former three-time Pro Bowler. Like Greene, Gildon spent a week as a volunteer assistant at
training camp in Latrobe, working with the linebackers.
"He's going to have to approach it from that standpoint that it's not college. You don't have the luxury of sitting back
sometimes and learning. In his position, he has to go out and play this year. He's going to have to play at a high level this
year. I think he's going to have to get that mind-set where he gets himself up every week and go out and produce.
9/5/2008
Page 2 of 2
"Right now, he's in a new position. He's a starter. He didn't have that last year. But he's the guy this year. Right now, more
than anything, he has to be mentally tough to accept that responsibility because, when you step on the field, guys depend on
you to produce. It's a lot different than coming off the bench to play in spots."
Despite getting a lot of playing time in the preseason, especially in pass-rush situations, Woodley rarely played in the regular
season. He appeared for only 80 of the defense's 933 snaps, yet still managed to register four sacks (the same as Haggans).
He added two more sacks in the playoff loss to Jacksonville, leaving only James Farrior (6.5) and Pro Bowl linebacker
James Harrison (8.5) as the only Steelers players with more sacks in 2007.
"That's what he's been doing since he's been at Michigan," said Foote, who also played at Michigan. "He showed last year he
can rush the passer. It's just the mental stuff, like with coverage, that's going to be his only challenge. As far as rushing the
passer, he's born with that.
"With his power, he's going to be hard for tight ends and running backs to block him. Anytime a tight end or running back is
matched up on him, it should be a sack."
The Steelers are counting on just that. After registering 39 sacks in 2006 and only 36 last season, they are hoping to get more
pressure off the left side. Haggans was not re-signed in free agency because the Steelers wanted to get Woodley on the field
on a regular basis and were grooming him to be the heir.
Opposing offenses are going to face a quandary: Should they be more concerned with Harrison on the right side or Woodley
on the left?
"I had confidence that once I got out there, I had the desire and the power in me to go out there and compete," Woodley said.
"One thing about me, I hate to lose. When I'm rushing at you or whatever I'm doing, you're always going to get my best and
I'm going to keep coming and coming and coming."
Greene, who had 160 career sacks in his 15-year NFL career, more than any other linebacker, said good pass rushers have
more than one move and, more importantly, can adapt their move in mid-rush. That's why he said Woodley has the instincts
to be a good pass-rusher -- he can transition on the fly.
"You always have to have a counter move," Woodley said. "Some guys you go up against might be good stopping a speed
rusher, but they might not be good against somebody who's a speed rusher who will fake inside and chop your hands down."
"There are a lot of elements to his game that prove he definitely has the potential to be a Pro Bowler the next couple years,"
Colon said.
There's that "P" word again. The Steelers hope it stands for production.
First published on September 5, 2008 at 12:00 am
9/5/2008
Polamalu brings work ethic - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 3
Polamalu's preparation pays dividends
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A new Nike commercial shows parallel tracks of two players who have become
faces of the NFL.
It starts from their respective childhoods and runs through their college years. It
ends with their lives intersecting on the football field as Steelers strong safety
Troy Polamalu tackles San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
For the final scene of the commercial, Polamalu and Tomlinson ran full speed
but ultimately past one another over and over to simulate the play. Extras were
called in for the actual collision. Make that collisions.
"We sat back and watched them hit each other about 50 times at full speed,"
Polamalu said.
There will be no watching for either player today when the Steelers host the
Chargers in a pivotal game for each team. As for Tomlinson and Polamalu, their
paths have diverged since the Nike shoot in July. Tomlinson, a perennial AllPro, has struggled - he is averaging 3.8 yards a carry, well below his career
average of 4.5.
Polamalu's season has taken an opposite course.
He leads the Steelers with three interceptions, is fourth on the team with 46
tackles and is tied for fourth with six passes defended. The most significant
number associated with Polamalu, though, may be zero.
The four-time Pro Bowler has not missed a game after injuries sidelined him for
eight of them over the previous two seasons and hampered him in numerous
other contests. A return to health for one the most disruptive players in the NFL
is a big reason the Steelers' defense has been ranked the best in the league.
Polamalu staying relatively healthy - a concussion knocked him out of a game
against the Cincinnati Bengals last month - can be traced to many things,
including fish oil and overcoming his reluctance to reel himself in during the
offseason.
The sixth-year veteran has added more healthy fats to his diet and his intake of
fish oil, coconut oil and milk have allowed Polamalu to maintain his playing
weight of 215 pounds.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/sports/print_598678.html
11/16/2008
Page 2 of 3
The 5-foot-10 Polamalu played at around 205 pounds the previous two years,
and he said he dropped weight so he could keep pace with fleet-footed wide
receivers. Given the way he seeks out collisions on the field, Polamalu
concedes that the added weight is probably something he needs to make it
through an entire season.
"I hit a lot more in the box than play man-to-man (coverage), so this might be
where I have to stay for the rest of my career," Polamalu said. "At 205, I would
definitely say I feel faster."
He sure hasn't looked any slower, and part of that can be attributed to what he
did during the offseason. Polamalu, with the Steelers' blessing, skipped all of
the team's voluntary practices and trained in southern California.
He worked out at Sports Science Lab, where an emphasis is placed on how
fast an athlete can move a weight and on exercises that simulate movements
that are specific to a sport such as football.
"How much weight you lift is absolutely irrelevant to me," said Gavin MacMillan,
president of Sports Science Lab. "The guy that lifts the most weight is never the
guy that can run the fastest or jump the highest. In fact, it's quite the opposite."
That is not the only area in which MacMillan emphasized to Polamalu that less
can be more.
"Honestly, what I think he did the two previous years was he over-trained, and I
think that is really what hurt him," MacMillan said. "I think this summer he was
able to kind of control that better."
Said Polamalu: "There were times when I would go there, and (MacMillan)
would just send me home. I think I probably over-trained a lot."
It looked like Polamalu had overdone it when he arrived at training camp in late
July with a slight hamstring pull. He aggravated the injury later in camp and sat
out most of preseason practice.
The missed time hardly hurt him as Polamalu intercepted a pass in each of the
Steelers' first three games. He has since re-established himself as one of the
premier safeties in the NFL.
"Some of the things he does, you just don't teach," said ESPN analyst and
former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson, who made five Pro Bowls while
playing for Dallas from 1992-2004. "He understands angles.
"You know who he reminds me of? Junior Seau. Now, Junior took a lot more
chances than Troy, but he was always making plays because he took great
angles to the ball."
Polamalu is not nearly as verbose as his fellow USC alum and is, in fact, one of
the quieter players in the Steelers' locker room. That makes him a silent
11/16/2008
Page 3 of 3
assassin in another sense.
"In preseason, he gave me a water bottle and was like, 'Man, you've got to
taste this Gatorade,' " Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. "And he
loosened the top and I tried to squeeze it in my mouth and the whole Gatorade
fell on my face. You wouldn't think of it from a guy like that. He can get a lot of
guys because he's so soft-spoken. He's definitely one of those prankster guys."
But, as Tomlinson may find out today when the action is live, Polamalu is
anything but a joke to the opposition.
Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.
11/16/2008
Adversity making Clark stronger - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 3
Adversity making Clark stronger
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thanksgiving dinner at Ryan Clark's house didn't just serve as a celebration.
It also marked how far the Steelers' free safety has come in the past year.
Clark enjoyed a full meal with his family after forcing down small portions of
turkey and mashed potatoes in 2007 because of an illness that ultimately cost
him his spleen and gall bladder.
Fully healthy after a harrowing ordeal that cast doubt on his playing career,
Clark has his sights set on feasting on a New England offense that did the
same to the proud Steelers' defense a year ago.
Tom Brady carved up the Steelers' secondary for 399 passing yards and four
touchdowns, but he won't play Sunday after suffering a season-ending knee
injury in the first week of the season. Perhaps more significant than who is out
for the rematch of contending teams -- Brady's replacement, Matt Cassel, has
emerged as one of the NFL's biggest surprises in his absence -- is who will play
in Sunday's 4:15 p.m. game.
That would be Clark and starting strong safety Troy Polamalu, each of whom
made the trip to New England this past December but were reduced to
spectators in the Steelers' 34-13 loss.
"It made us miserable to watch our guys out there and go through what they
had to go through and to take the ridicule before," Clark said.
Clark's replacement at free safety, Anthony Smith, made an ill-fated guarantee
that the Steelers would beat the unbeaten Patriots. New England went after
Smith and beat him on two long pass plays.
Clark will try to do what Smith did not last season and keep the Patriots' wide
receivers, six-time Pro Bowler Randy Moss in particular, from getting behind
him.
"I think if we stop (big plays)," Clark said, "we're going to have a good chance to
win."
Not that Clark figures to lose much sleep while pondering his responsibilities as
the Steelers' last line of defense.
11/28/2008
Page 2 of 3
If the last year has taught him anything, it is perspective.
Clark missed the last 10 games of the 2007 season after the high altitude in
Denver triggered his sickle-cell trait. That led to two separate operations and
Clark spending more time in the hospital than at the Steelers' South Side
facility.
Back and better than ever
Steelers free safety Ryan Clark has overcome a lot in the last year and is on his way to the
best season of his career. Here is a look at what Clark, who made the NFL as an undrafted
free agent, has done through the years.
Year
Team
G
Tackles
Int
Passes defended
2002
Giants
6
1
0
0
2003
Giants
16
23
0
2
2004
Redskins
15
91
0
1
2005
Redskins
13
72
3
3
2006
Steelers
13
75
1
4
2007
Steelers
6
24
0
2
2008
Steelers
11
78
0
5
Note: Clark has also been credited with 2[1/2] sacks during his career
Clark also lost his close friend and former teammate Sean Taylor a year ago
yesterday when the Redskins' safety was fatally shot during a botched burglary
of his home, and his parents' house in New Orleans burned down in August
after a storm caused electrical wires to fall on it (no one was hurt).
What Clark endured has only made him stronger if this season is any indication.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder is second on the team with 78 tackles, and he has
provided a stabilizing force at free safety for the Steelers.
"Ryan is having a heck of a season for us," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
"The added bonus is that he does a nice job of communicating with others and
making sure that people are on the same page, exhibiting leadership qualities
that you desire from a guy who stands in the middle of the field."
Clark has been, perhaps, the most unsung player on a unit that is No. 1 in the
NFL in rush defense, pass defense and total defense.
"He's one of those guys that don't get much recognition," Steelers inside
linebacker Larry Foote said, "but pop that film in on Mondays, and he's all over
the place making tons of plays."
The Steelers will need him to make plays Sunday -- as well as prevent big ones
by the defending AFC champion Patriots.
11/28/2008
Page 3 of 3
"It's an important game for us. They've been the benchmark for the AFC the
last few years," Clark said of the Patriots, who have beaten the Steelers six out
of the last seven times the teams have played. "Offensively, they put up a lot of
yards the last two games (1,041) and if we want to be the No. 1 defense, we
want that claim at the end of the year, we have to hold them down."
11/28/2008
The water is back in Steelers' well
Page 1 of 2
With Ryan Clark healthy again, there is no talk of competition at free safety
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Keith Srakocic/Associated Press
Ryan Clark, right, steps in front of Limas Sweed to knock away a
pass on Day 4 of camp yesterday in Latrobe.
As much as the defense suffered late in the season without defensive end Aaron Smith, he might not have been the player the
Steelers missed most in 2007.
It might have been Ryan Clark, their free safety.
He missed the final 10 games after having surgery to remove an inflamed spleen, and the pass defense was never the same.
His replacement, Anthony Smith, foolishly guaranteed a victory against the New England Patriots and was benched because
coach Mike Tomlin grew weary of watching passes get completed behind him.
Smith was replaced by veteran Tyrone Carter, who missed two big tackles in the AFC wild-card playoff loss to the
Jacksonville Jaguars -- on a 43-yard touchdown run by Maurice Jones-Drew and on a 32-yard scramble by quarterback
David Garrard in the final seconds that set up the winning field goal.
"It's a shame that to be appreciated, I had to be sick and my friends had to not do as well as usual," Clark said.
Nobody at the start of the 2007 season thought one of the Steelers' most indispensable players would be Clark, not even the
coaches. But, with all the problems and big plays allowed by the secondary late in the season, his loss might have been the
most damaging, maybe even more so than the torn biceps injury that ended Aaron Smith's season Dec. 9.
"You never miss the water till the well runs dry," said defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
That's why there is no talk of a competition at free safety this season. Clark, 28, is back, healthy and ready to go after a scary
period last year in which his weight dropped to 172 pounds -- 34 pounds below his playing weight -- and he thought his NFL
career might be over.
And he is lining at free safety with the first-team defense, not alternating series -- or even plays -- with Smith, not like he did
last year.
"When I came back, everybody was different," Clark said. "Even Ben [Roethlisberger] came up to me and said, 'We're so
different with you out there.' Even walking up here [from the practice field], last year when I was signing autographs, the
fans were like, 'Ryan, try hard, but Anthony is going to beat you out.' There's none of that anymore."
Clark said it bothered him last year when he reported to training camp and had to split time in the first-team defense with
7/31/2008
Page 2 of 2
Smith, a No. 3 draft pick in 2006 with whom he is good friends. He said he was upset because after signing with the Steelers
as an unrestricted free agent before the 2006 season, he thought he performed well enough as a starter to merit the position.
But the coaches wanted to get Smith, an aggressive, explosive hitter, enough playing time to groom him as the eventual
starter. So the Steelers began the regular season with Smith playing every third series at free safety.
"I felt like I outperformed whoever I was competing against at my position, but I still had to alternate," Clark said. "If I had
been outperformed against people I was competing against, I wouldn't have got that same luxury.
"No matter how much of a man you are, you say you don't care about other things, [but] it bothered me. Not because
Anthony was playing, because I think Anthony is going to be great, but because I wouldn't have been extended the same
courtesy had I been outplayed. That bothered me. To me, that ain't right."
LeBeau said Clark shouldn't feel that way.
"Ryan has always been appreciated, I can assure you of that," LeBeau said. "Our goal here is, we don't look at our players as
starters and backups. We're trying to get everyone ready for that day when they have to take every snap. We feel we have a
good talent in Anthony Smith. These guys have to get game experience so they can grow. It was no reflection on Ryan in
any shape or form."
After a 31-28 loss Oct. 21 in Denver, Clark was admitted to a hospital and told the problem with his spleen developed from
complications of exerting himself in high altitude. At the time, Clark said he had similar problems in Denver when he played
for the Washington Redskins two years ago, but the problem was diagnosed differently.
Now, with his weight returned to 206 pounds and feeling better than ever, Clark is ready to resume his career. He has to take
six shots a year, monitor his health daily and be careful where he travels. But he will not forget the problems of last season,
nor the death of his friend and former teammate, Sean Taylor.
Still, Clark said he is a better player because of everything that happened, mainly because he doesn't care as much about the
little things that used to bother him.
"What can they do to me?" Clark said. "What can they do to me that will be worse than last year? Me being where I was,
then turning on the NFL Network and seeing Sean Taylor has been shot while I have tubes in me, to see that happen to
someone who is indestructible? To come out here now, it's just football."
Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1466.
First published on July 31, 2008 at 12:00 am
7/31/2008
It's time for Steelers' Reed to get his due
Page 1 of 2
Jeff Reed, among the most accurate kickers in the league, has never been to the Pro Bowl. Maybe it's
time.
Jeff Reed celebrates with Paul Ernster after kicking a field goal in
the fourth quarter against the Bengals Thursday at Heinz Field.
Not much bothers kicker Jeff Reed. Not Rob Bironas. Not Shaun Suisham. Not even the slippery surface at Heinz Field, the
bane of all kickers. He has stood up to them all at various stages of his seven-year career with the Steelers, never flinching,
never backing down, though occasionally slipping and sliding on his home turf.
"That's one of those things where you just kind of deal with the hand you've been dealt," Reed said. It might seem ironic to
say that Reed, 29, has stood up to the challenge when sometimes he ends up on the seat of his pants. But, despite the
elements he has to deal with at home, Reed has become every bit as dependable and rock-solid as the Steelers' top-ranked
defense.
After being the NFL's most accurate kicker last season (23 of 25), he has continued that pace in 2008, converting field-goal
attempts of 37 and 38 yards in Thursday night's 27-10 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. That improved his season total
to 18 of 19 (94.7 percent), his only miss coming in the Nov. 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Since the beginning of the 2007 season, Reed has converted 41 of 44 field goals, a 93.2 percent conversion that leads all
NFL kickers.
"When you're kicking here, it mentally wears on you," Reed said. "I never say I'm a head-case because I'm not. That's why I
can kick through this stuff. If you're a kicker in this league, you're not ever a head-case."
Reed's misses weren't just routine attempts, either.
Consider:
• A 65-yarder in Denver in Week 6 last season that was attempted on the final play of
the first half, only because the Steelers were playing in rarefied air, where the ball
travels farther.
• A 44-yard field goal against the Miami Dolphins in the muck and goo at Heinz Field
last year, the first game played on a new sod surface that became water-logged from
heavy rains and a broken tarp. "It was horrendous," Reed said. "It about hit the pylon."
Accuracy counts
Coming into the weekend, the Steelers' Jeff Reed is
among the most accurate kickers in the NFL with at least
15 field goals made.
Kicker
Team
FGM
FGA
Pct.
John Carney
Giants
21
22
96
Jeff Reed
Steelers
18
19
95
John Kasay
Panthers
18
19
95
Olindo Mare
Seahawks
15
16
94
Stephen
Gostkowski
Patriots
24
26
92
11/24/2008
• A 51-yarder into the wind on a squishy field against the Indianapolis Colts two weeks
ago at home.
Over the years, his accuracy -- heck, his dependability -- has increased, even at Heinz
Field.
Page 2 of 2
Phil Dawson
Browns
22
24
Jason Elam
Falcons
21
23
92
91
Joe Nedney
49ers
18
20
90
Neil Rackers
Cardinals
18
20
90
"Even when it's nice in the preseason, or the first couple games of the season when Pitt plays at 6 p.m. and we play at 1 [p.m.
the next day], it's torn up, and that's when it's 90 degrees outside," Reed said. "You slip, you slide, sometimes better than
others. Some spots are better than others, like that Miami game last year. My first attempt was horrendous. Thank goodness
Ben got sacked on the second one. It was a perfect spot."
Not surprisingly, Reed is even more accurate on the road. Since missing a 41-yard attempt Nov. 28, 2005, in Indianapolis -in the climate-controlled RCA Dome, no less -- Reed has missed just one field goal away from Heinz Field, and that was the
65-yard attempt in Denver.
Since the miss in Indianapolis three years ago, he has converted 35 of 36 field goals (97.2 percent) on the road, including all
seven attempts this season.
Even though he has never been selected to the Pro Bowl, maybe it's time Reed is considered among the best, if not the best,
kickers in the NFL.
"It's tough," Reed said. "There are 32 kickers in the NFL and probably at least 100 capable of playing at this level," Reed
said. "I have friends who are just as good as me, if not sometimes better. You're like, man, how does he not have a job. And
there are some guys you wonder how they keep their jobs, but they're veterans who make big kicks and that's what's
important to people."
"That was always coach [Bill] Cowher's saying -- it's tough to get in the league, but it's even tougher to stay."
Reed not only has stayed, he has outlasted training-camp competitions from other young kickers brought in to challenge him.
Among the candidates: Bironas, who was brought to training camp in 2004, and Suisham, a strong-legged kicker who was in
training camp with the Steelers in 2005.
Bironas eventually signed with the Tennessee Titans and set an NFL record with eight field goals in a game against Houston
Oct. 21, 2007. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and named to the All-Pro team last season.
Suisham has kicked for three teams since being cut by the Steelers, but he spent the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Washington
Redskins. He has converted 56 of 69 field-goal attempts (81.2 percent) with the Redskins.
"Every time I've had a kicker in camp competing with me, they've made 85 percent of their field goals that I've seen. I know
they're capable of kicking. I'm talking about in actual games and practice that I see them.
"[Bironas] was good at the time. That time was trying for me because that was coming off my hip surgery and they didn't
know if I would be able to last. He was always consistent and strong-legged. He was a one-upper. If I hit a 50-yarder, he'd go
back to 58 yards and say, 'Come back here.' I wouldn't fall into that trap. He's done very well for himself."
So has Reed.
Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com.
Buy Steelers Jersey
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11/24/2008
Tomlin's early career looking an awful lot like Cowher's
Page 1 of 2
Sunday, October 19, 2008
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Though Mike Tomlin's head coaching career is still in the very early stages of its very early stages, Steelers linebacker Larry
Foote was recalling its actual postpartum hours the other day, the first days after the quick and clumsy coaching search of
January 2007.
"A lot of people," Foote was saying, "did a lot of bickering. But coach Tomlin came in and earned his respect. Now the
locker room is with him. He tells you the truth. I wasn't here when [Bill] Cowher was first here, but Tomlin is a little bit
tougher.
"Make no mistake."
There'd be no productive result in comparing the head coach of the Steelers to his predecessor on one random weekend 21
months into the current administration, except for this little flash point on the broad historical overlay of successful head
coaches.
Don Shula, with more wins than any NFL coach in history, started 15-7.
Bill Cowher, with more wins than any Steelers coach not named Chuck Noll, started 15-7.
Mike Tomlin, without undue interference from the Cincinnati Bengals this
afternoon, will start his NFL head coaching career 15-7, and though any semiarbitrary 22-game window should have no conceivable relevance as a
professional barometer, the fact that Tomlin's regular season record might read
15-7 by sundown is at least significant in the way it differs from just about every
coach in Steelers history except Cowher.
Other than Tomlin and The Jaw, only Buddy Parker had even a winning record
over his first 22 games in Pittsburgh (among those who even lasted 22 games),
and Parker's 12 wins weren't anything like a guarantee of looming success. Noll
himself went 5-17 until the cavalry arrived in the draft rooms of the early '70s.
As it happens, Tomlin's start would not be merely identical to Cowher's, it would be inextricably linked to Cowher.
"He didn't come into a situation where we were a losing team and the coach had been fired," tight end Heath Miller said
quite correctly. "I remember it was said that coach Tomlin was a guy who could get our attention, and that's a good quality in
any football coach, but I don't think we really needed someone to get our attention."
Just about everyone at Tomlin's new address had his hands on the same Lombardi Trophy that Cowher hoisted in Detroit
only a year before, so they weren't exactly in the dark about what had to be done. They might have been in the dark as to the
extent of Cowher's personal reflections on job, family, compensation and on the vague sense that he had to start taking piano
lessons, but Tomlin didn't miss on his only opportunity at a memorable first impression.
"They're very similar in their passion for the game, their work ethic, and the energy they bring to it; it's kind of contagious,"
Miller said, "but the thing I admired right away about coach Tomlin was that he was himself; he was his own coach, and he
knew how he wanted to coach."
The other richly evident aspect of the transition that Tomlin was so smart that he was plainly too smart to outsmart himself.
There was no apparent purpose, Tomlin recognized instantly, to reinventing a team that had most of its Super Bowl
components still developing.
"Most times a guy in his first job comes in and wants only his guys around," said veteran corner Deshea Townsend. "But
coach Tomlin did the right things. He kept coach [Dick] LeBeau, kept pretty much the same systems. That's when I knew
this was a smart guy. Most times smart people are going to be successful.
10/20/2008
Page 2 of 2
"He and coach Cowher, their personalities are different, but they're similar in a lot of ways. They let you play. They want
you to prepare hard and study hard, but when the game comes, they let you play. They correct you on Monday. Coach
Tomlin, like coach Cowher, really understands the game and everything about the game, on and off the field. He knows little
things are important, on and off the field."
What Tomlin understands about this afternoon is that no one is going to be terribly impressed with the first 22 games of his
head coaching life if he ends up gagging on what the Bengals introduce, even as an 0-6 entity that hasn't been able to beat the
Steelers the last six times they've met in Ohio. He understands that you don't look ahead in this business, because if you did,
you'd see the next six games as a fairly threatening sandwich: Cincinnati, the Giants, Washington, Indianapolis, San Diego,
Cincinnati -- a quadruple meat seasonbuster on two slices of thin white toast.
Yeah, 15-7 would be satisfying for about 24 hours, but were it to morph into something like 15-11 by mid-November, there'd
surely be no use in recalling that memorable Bill Cowher line, "I couldn't be more prouder."
10/20/2008
The man, coach Tomlin has become - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 4
Tomlin: The man and coach he has become
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The offensive line appeared to be suspect even before it lost perennial Pro
Bowler Alan Faneca to free agency. Depth is a major concern for a defense that
went from very good to middling in 2007 following the late-season loss of Aaron
Smith.
"We've got," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, "a bunch of questions to be
answered."
The Steelers embark on what essentially is a fact-finding mission today, when
the players report to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe.
No one is on the hook more than their second-year coach if answers aren't
found to pressing questions such as, will Ben Roethlisberger get ample
protection this season, and what happens if Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason or
Ryan McBean is thrust into a starting role because of an injury?
Such is the reality for an NFL head coach. Tomlin is particularly attuned to how
heightened expectations are in Pittsburgh since he walks past a display that
boasts five Lombardi Trophies when he is at the Steelers' South Side practice
facility.
Tomlin won 10 games and a division title in his inaugural season. Yet fans may
have grumbled more about the fact that the Steelers lost four of their final five
games, culminating with a 31-29 setback to Jacksonville in the playoffs.
Fans will demand more from Tomlin in his second season.
"When you lose, you're always subject to judgment," Tomlin said. "I don't shy
away from that. I embrace that."
There is a reason why Tomlin is unfazed - and it stems from his understanding
of pressure.
One woman's struggle
Julia Copeland raised two sons as a single parent for almost 10 years, and she
did so with tough love and creativity. An example of the latter: When meat
became too expensive for Copeland to buy, she simply told her young sons that
the family had become vegetarians.
7/27/2008
Page 2 of 4
"That's my mom's beautiful spin on a tough situation," Tomlin said. "She's the
ultimate coach to me. I've watched my mother deal with pressure, trying to feed
two boys. I get to do what I love to do for a living. I'm blessed."
Such perspective may be traced to Tomlin's upbringing in the Tidewater area of
Virginia.
Shortly after he was born in March 1972, his mother went to work in a Newport
News shipyard, and she also took a part-time job at night. Copeland and her
husband separated when Tomlin was less than a year old and later divorced.
After she moved out of her parents' home and before she married her current
husband, Leslie, Copeland supported her sons for roughly five years by herself.
Money was tight, and Copeland, 62 and now retired, took the part-time job to
buy Christmas presents for her sons: Mike and his older brother, Ed.
Copeland taught her sons various cards games, which they played endlessly.
They also watched movies together during the weekends when Copeland
couldn't afford to take them out.
Then there is the dietary ruse she and her sons laugh about to this day.
"She said we were going to be vegetarians because it was healthy - all the
meat wasn't real good for you," said Ed Tomlin, a former University of Maryland
football captain who is director of football development for Under Armour. "So
we were going to school bragging about the fact that we were healthier than
everybody else because we were vegetarians and we ate right."
Added Copeland: "I didn't realize they weren't eating the meat at school, either,"
Copeland said. "I didn't find out until later that they were turning down meat,
even at school."
Education first
Not telling her sons about her financial situation isn't the only way Copeland
tried to protect them.
If she didn't like the friends Ed had started hanging out with, she moved the
family. And she made education her sons' top priority, once pulling Ed off his
youth football team because she was unhappy with his grades. She didn't let
him rejoin the team, despite pleas from his coaches, until he agreed to tackle
extra schoolwork as well.
Copeland did more than just talk about the importance of education. In between
working two jobs and driving her sons to and from football, basketball and
baseball practices, she found time to start taking classes at a local community
college.
Slowly but surely, she worked toward a degree in finance. By the time Mike
Tomlin was a star wideout at William and Mary, she had engaged him in a
7/27/2008
Page 3 of 4
contest over who would graduate from college first.
Tomlin graduated in 1995. And his mother?
"He beat me, but I did get my degree the following semester," said Copeland, a
graduate of Christopher Newport University.
The example set by his mother can be seen in Tomlin, from his work ethic to his
rejection of excuses, something he did last season when injuries dealt several
crippling blows to the Steelers.
The way in which he might most be like his mother: Tomlin doesn't dwell on
problems and instead focuses on finding solutions.
"He doesn't blink," Ed Tomlin said. "He's never flustered. That's just my
brother."
"He just has that type of wiring," said Bill Johnson, who has been one of Mike
Tomlin's closest friends since they met in grade school.
Room to grow
Tomlin's first season as a head coach qualified as a success, though he would
be the first to point out that it ended with a thud.
Through it all, his players express faith in Tomlin.
"He's already a good coach," Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith said. "I think
he's going to be a fantastic coach, just his demeanor, his personality, the way
he approaches it. He's a natural leader. He gets up there and talks."
Case in point was a commencement speech at St. Vincent in May.
Administrators asked Tomlin if they could read his speech before he spoke. But
he told them there was nothing to read.
Tomlin's speech on trust, preparation and dreams drew a rousing ovation from
the graduates, some of whom twirled Terrible Towels.
That his speeches are not scripted or rehearsed may lend a sort of sincerity to
them that resonates with those he is addressing, be it recent college graduates
or his players.
"People relate to his heart," Ed Tomlin said. "That's what he speaks from, and
that's usually something that you can't transcribe, memorize or go over. I think it
has everything to do with how effective he has become as a coach."
The Steelers learned quickly that Tomlin is direct. In his first meeting with the
players, he acknowledged the elephant in the room when he told them he knew
there had been disappointment and anger over the decision to hire him instead
of then-assistant coach Russ Grimm. But, he said to the players, no matter how
7/27/2008
Page 4 of 4
they had gotten to this point, they had to move forward together.
The Steelers improved their record and won a division title, yet Tomlin couldn't
escape criticism over the team's finish. The pressure will be ratcheted up this
season since it's safe to say that any grace period he had with fans has
passed.
As much as he is second-guessed or criticized, no one holds Tomlin more
accountable or to a higher standard than himself. That probably explains
something Tomlin used to do in college.
Parents of the players always held a group dinner after home games, but if
William and Mary didn't win, Tomlin retreated to the solitude of his dorm room
and stewed over the loss.
Sometimes he wouldn't arrive until a couple of hours after the dinner had
started, and by then it was time to say goodbye to his mother and stepfather.
Losing isn't any easier now for Tomlin, which is why the pressure he feels totally different from the kind his mother once knew - is generated from within.
"We're always going to have issues until we win the ultimate prize. I've got no
problem with that," Tomlin said. "I don't care what's written, I don't care what's
said, what kind of spin is put on our story. The reality is I'm going to do what it
takes for us to win."
Just like his mother did.
7/27/2008
The type of thing that makes a grown man cry
Page 1 of 2
Dick LeBeau -- Might be the most beloved coach in all of football
The Heinz Field crowd for the Steelers-Cincinnati Bengals game Nov. 20, though late-arriving because of abhorrent weather
conditions, still was sizable 20 minutes before kickoff when the Steelers honored defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau at
midfield for his 50 years in the NFL. Dan Rooney was there. So was his son, Art II. But LeBeau only had eyes for No. 51
and No. 43 and No. 98 and the rest of his defensive guys -- every last one of 'em -- who were on the sideline to pay tribute to
the man who has to be the most respected and beloved coach in all of football.
"I didn't see anybody but those players," LeBeau said the other day in a quiet moment.
It was quite a scene when they swarmed around LeBeau after the brief ceremony. One by one, they shook his hand and
hugged him. What an odd way, it seemed, to prepare for a big game, a division game no less.
"I would have stood out there for an hour and froze my butt off if I had to for that man," defensive end Aaron Smith said.
This isn't the first time the defensive players have honored LeBeau. Late in the 2005 season, they each spent $300 to buy a
retro LeBeau No. 44 jersey from his playing days with the Detroit Lions and hung them in the locker room before they
played the Lions. LeBeau cried. Last season, they dug out those jerseys and wore them to their exhibition game in Canton,
Ohio, a not-so-subtle suggestion that they think it's a tragedy LeBeau isn't in the Hall of Fame despite his 62 interceptions as
a Pro Bowl cornerback and his long-time brilliance as a defensive genius. LeBeau cried. Then, on the eve of LeBeau's 70th
birthday Sept. 9, 2007, they gave him a gold-and-silver Rolex watch. LeBeau cried.
Now, this 50-year thing.
"Sure, I can put it into words what it meant seeing them on the field -- everything. It meant everything to me," LeBeau said.
"I'm trying not to cry right now..."
This season, LeBeau's defense is making opponents cry. Going into the game today at New England, it ranks first in the
league in run defense, pass defense and total defense. That's one amazing hat trick.
Really, the players' strong performance is the best way to honor LeBeau, isn't it?
"They're playing as if they want me around for another year," LeBeau said.
Another year?
"If he leaves, I don't know how much longer I would want to play," Smith said. "After him, I don't want to play for anybody
else. I couldn't imagine this place without him."
12/1/2008
Page 2 of 2
Smith need not worry.
Even though LeBeau is 71 and the oldest coach in the NFL, he said he feels the way he did, well, 50 years ago. "The stress
and strain of the job aren't any worse than they've always been," he said.
As for the Steelers, they seem pretty satisfied with LeBeau's work. "He's doing all right," coach Mike Tomlin said, grinning.
No one has a job for life -- Joe Paterno aside, of course -- but LeBeau comes pretty close.
"You can count me among the amazed group when it comes to Dick LeBeau," Tomlin said.
LeBeau hesitated when asked what keeps him going in what clearly is a young man's game. Fortunately, Arizona Cardinals
coach Ken Whisenhunt -- a former Steelers offensive coordinator -- did not when asked about LeBeau's longevity.
"I can tell you what keeps him going. I've played enough golf with him to know. He's got a competitive streak that's second
to none."
That's it, sure. But there's much more to it. There's the joy LeBeau feels each day when he goes to work with a group of men
to pursue a common goal. He loves being around James Farrior (No. 51), Troy Polamalu (No. 43), Casey Hampton (No. 98)
and the rest as much as they love being around him.
"They're the greatest," LeBeau said. "I think anybody who comes in contact with them is struck by what good people they
are. In today's athletic world, that's not always the case. I'm just so proud of them, on and off the field."
To LeBeau, great defense isn't just about getting sacks, forcing turnovers and preventing touchdowns. The beauty comes
from 11 guys working as one. To him, football is the ultimate team sport.
"Our guys grasp that," he said. "I don't have to preach to them about it. They all have great skills and take great pride in
themselves as individuals. But the pride in the group is even greater. Gosh, I love that."
The players will tell you it all starts with the man in charge of their unit.
"If he tells us to jump off a cliff, I believe we would do it," Smith said. "If he tells us to do anything, we do it because we
know it's the right thing."
It seems funny now the Steelers picked the Bengals game to honor LeBeau. That day, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis sent star
wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco home for violating a team rule. The problem is believed to have started when Ocho Cinco
disrespected offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski during a meeting the night before the game.
"For one thing, that would never happen with coach LeBeau," Smith said. "And if by some chance it ever did, the guy
wouldn't make it out of the room in one piece. The rest of us would take care of him."
That's respect.
That's devotion.
That's -- and this is a strange word to use with big, powerful men who play a brutally physical game -- love.
Can you blame LeBeau for crying?
Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
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12/1/2008
Steelers sing LeBeau's praises - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 3
Steelers sing LeBeau's praises
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, October 31, 2008
The architect of the NFL's top-ranked defense remains as overlooked now as
his playing career has been taken for granted by Pro Football Hall of Fame
voters through the years.
Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said he couldn't care less.
"It's the quality of men we have playing for us - I'm blessed to coach them,'' said
LeBeau, whose unit ranks No. 1 in the league in total defense for the second
consecutive season.
"It's their effort, their execution. All I do is call the defense. They're the people
that make it happen.''
LeBeau has earned the respect of his players.
"It's been the greatest joy of my career,'' defensive end Brett Keisel said of
working with LeBeau. "Since he came here, I think it really lifted all of us up. We
all just really respect him.''
Defensive captain James Farrior also praised LeBeau.
"He's the general," Farrior said. "He's the guy who puts it all together. That's
why we all love him.''
Another testimonial comes from linebacker Larry Foote.
"Coach LeBeau is in our corner," he said. "He listens to the players. If we don't
like something, he'll throw it away. When he comes with that love and respect,
you have no choice but to give it right back.''
To a man, LeBeau's defensive players believe he should be enshrined in the
Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. When the Steelers played in the Hall of Fame
Game in Mike Tomlin's first game as coach, some of the players honored
LeBeau by wearing special jerseys bearing his name and number.
"Last year, when we played in Canton, they showed me I was on their Hall of
Fame team," LeBeau said. "That's the only team I want to be on.''
Cornerback Ike Taylor's career probably mirrors LeBeau's more than any
10/31/2008
Page 2 of 3
Steeler player. Both played running back in college before switching to
cornerback full-time in the pros. Both were selected late in the draft -- LeBeau
was a fifth-round pick; Taylor a fourth-round selection.
Taylor credits LeBeau for his development as a top-flight defensive back.
"We play for ourselves. We play for our families. We play for each other. We
play because we represent this organization. But we play for coach LeBeau,''
said Taylor, the only defensive back to start every game since the Steelers
became the league's top-ranked defense last season.
Taylor said he reached a comfort zone with LeBeau, who compiled 62 career
interceptions in 14 NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions.
"He's probably harder on the corners because he played the position," said
Taylor, a fourth-year starter. "I kind of had to win coach LeBeau over, me being
an athlete. Coach LeBeau is a technician. Throughout the years, he just kept
preaching to me, 'Work on your technique, your game will be better.' ''
LeBeau, though, refuses to take credit.
"Ike Taylor's production and steady play is because of Ike Taylor,'' LeBeau said.
"He put in the time and the hours necessary to hone his skills. He's one of the
best tackling corners in the league, and I don't think he gets enough credit for
that.''
LeBeau added: "Perhaps I can help those guys because I learned the hard way
from getting burned so many times myself. It's amazing what we learn to hold
our position and how we learn to do it -- basically, trial and error in my case. It
still holds up pretty doggone well.''
LeBeau's coaching philosophy resonates with his players.
"It seems like we've been in the top five in defense for the past 6-7 years," said
Keisel, a starter since 2006, who had a career-high 11 tackles against the New
York Giants last Sunday. "It's a place where we expect to be. It's a place where
we work hard to be.''
Foote, who has started every game since 2004, appreciates LeBeau's strategic
ability.
"If he gets into a chess match with offensive coordinators, he's just that much
better than his competition,'' Foote said.
Farrior, long regarded as the Steelers' most consistent tackler, is another one of
LeBeau's favorites.
"Coach LeBeau knows the game,'' Farrior said. "He's been around it for 50
years as a player and coach. When he talks, everybody listens.''
10/31/2008
Page 3 of 3
A soft-spoken teacher, LeBeau rarely yells when making a point to his players.
When he does, they don't take it personally.
"It's not often that he yells at you - he gets me once a year,'' Taylor said. "It
means you're in trouble, you ain't doing something right. At the same time, I
understand coach LeBeau.''
LeBeau also understands his players and how each of them contributes to the
league's top-ranked defense.
"Our goals are top-10 in all categories,'' LeBeau said. "If we can meet those
goals, we'll play pretty good defense and give our guys a chance to win.
"They're as unselfish a group of athletes as I've ever been around. They don't
really care who gets the sack, they don't care who makes the big play. They
fight and play together. I'm proud of them.''
10/31/2008
Steelers' Mitchell holds line - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 6
Steelers assistant head coach a pioneer on and off the field
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
He sat in a chair, just as one of the great statesmen of the 20th century had
done before a speech that offers a glimpse into why the Steelers' defense is as
leak-proof as they come, and he seemed just as comfortable talking about the
fine arts as he did about football.
John Mitchell may be the caretaker of a defensive line that has been
impenetrable but to label him a coach is to say the Steelers are just a football
team.
Mitchell collects wine and art and visits museums all over the country. He is an
avid reader and is especially fascinated with historical figures such as Winston
Churchill. After a recent Steelers practice Mitchell talked about a
commencement address Churchill delivered late in his life, before which the
former Great Britain prime minister pushed himself out of his chair just so he
could stand.
"When (Churchill) got up to the podium, he put his right arm down and his left
arm down," Mitchell said. "Looked to his right, looked out center and looked to
his left, paused, and he said only six words. The six words he said were 'Never,
never, never, never, never quit.' "
Mitchell frequently repeats those words to his players, and it is safe to say they
are not tuning him out.
Since Mitchell took over as the team's defensive line coach in 1994 -- he added
the title of assistant head coach in 2007 -- the Steelers have given up more
than 100 rushing yards per game in just four seasons. The significance of that
is the Steelers' defense has long been predicated on shutting down the run.
And making offenses one-dimensional is akin to setting a trap for them given
how Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau confounds and harasses
opposing quarterbacks with his blitzing schemes.
"Our players are blessed to learn the game from a coach like John Mitchell,"
LeBeau said. "Everybody that comes through his room gets better and I don't
know a better compliment you can give to a football coach."
Mitchell's success as a coach is rooted in the six words that were seared into
his consciousness long before he started reading about Churchill.
They resonate with him and, by extension, his players for a simple reason: they
11/24/2008
Page 2 of 6
tell the story of his life.
A player and a pioneer
A friendly visit between two legendary coaches in 1970 changed the course of
Mitchell's life.
Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant had been talking with John McKay when
Southern Cal's coach mentioned that he had gotten a commitment from a
defensive end who had starred at an Arizona junior college but hailed from
Alabama.
The only thing Bryant could tell his assistants when he called back to Alabama
was that the kid had grown up in Mobile and that he had the same first and last
name as the man who had been with McKay.
Bryant's directive: find him.
They did, and Mitchell didn't think twice about picking Alabama, which had won
three national championships in the 1960s, over Southern Cal.
The kid who simply wanted to play football and get an education also signed on
as a pioneer. Mitchell became the first African-American to play in a game for
Alabama, and it came in 1971 when the Civil Rights movement had advanced
equality for blacks but also exacerbated racial tensions in the deep South.
Mitchell said he heard his share of name-calling in the two years he spent at
Alabama, but only he will ever know the isolation and ridicule he endured while
playing for the Crimson Tide.
"It's hard to understand what someone black had to put up with in the South
because it wasn't pretty," said Bobby Stanford, a former teammate of Mitchell's
at Alabama. "There was a lot of animosity and there still is to a certain extent
between blacks and whites. John wasn't part of that. He didn't want to use
being black as an excuse. It's just the way he was and the way he is now."
If he has any scars from his time at Alabama, Mitchell does not show them.
Players who feared the unknown of having a black teammate were more scared
of Bryant, Mitchell said with a laugh. The relationship he forged with Stanford
also helped Mitchell have what he describes as a fairly typical college
experience.
Stanford, who is white, did not hesitate to room with Mitchell. The two became
best friends -- they still talk as often as three times a week -- and Stanford's
parents opened up their home to Mitchell and also treated him like a son when
they visited Alabama.
"Whatever they brought Bobby, they would bring to me also," Mitchell said. "His
father would come up on Sunday before they left, wake me up, shake my hand,
11/24/2008
Page 3 of 6
kiss me just like he kissed Bobby. They didn't see color. That's why Bobby and I
got along so well."
Mitchell's parents had ingrained the same thing in him -- to see people as
individuals, not through the prism of race -- which is one reason why he said his
father and Bryant were the two biggest influences in his life.
The elder Mitchell worked for the Coast Guard and his duties included locating
and recovering smaller boats when stormy weather hit the Gulf. He tended to
the restaurant the family owned and also set an example for his son as a loving
husband and father.
Despite spending most of his life working and providing for his family, Mitchell
said he never heard his father complain.
Bryant, a legendary taskmaster, wasn't any more interested in excuses.
But, Mitchell said, players that went to Alabama entered into an unwritten
covenant. And if they gave Bryant everything that they had while they were at
Alabama, they had someone in their corner for life.
"Coach Bryant was like my second father," Mitchell said. "I am where I am
today because of him."
Impressive body of work
Mitchell bypassed a chance to play in the NFL after Bryant offered him a
position on his staff. He coached the defensive line at Alabama from 1973-76
and, like many of his peers, had his share of travels before settling in
Pittsburgh.
His players have responded to the same exhortations that Mitchell did while at
Alabama -- and specifically to the challenges that Bryant issued in the fourth
quarter of games when lungs burn and legs turn to putty.
The Steelers have led the NFL in rushing defense four times during Mitchell's
tenure, and they did not allow a 100-yard rusher over a span of 34 games from
2005-07.
What makes Mitchell's body of work here particularly impressive is the Steelers
have rarely addressed their defensive line early in the NFL draft. Since 1994,
the Steelers have only used three first- or second-round picks on a down
lineman.
"I was really the only first-round pick he ever had," said nose tackle Casey
Hampton, the 19th overall pick of the 2001 draft, "and just look at the defensive
lines we've had throughout the years."
The current one is a testament to Mitchell's ability to mold players and get the
best out of them.
11/24/2008
Page 4 of 6
Starting defensive ends Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel were picked in the fourth
and seventh rounds of the draft, respectively. Nose tackle Chris Hoke, an
invaluable reserve, made the Steelers as an undrafted free agent.
All have thrived under Mitchell's tutelage.
If his players don't blink in the face of adversity that is because their coach
became an All-American at Alabama, the first co-captain of Alabama's football
team and earned a degree in social work while dealing with the kind of outside
pressure that most people could not imagine.
Their level of respect for Mitchell is such that Smith said, "I really wouldn't want
to play for anybody else at this point of my career. He treats you like a man."
Indeed, Mitchell never undresses a player in public, something he said he
learned from Bryant. He also limits his position meetings to no more than half
an hour and encourages players to leave the room for a drink of water if they
start to nod out.
Mitchell, otherwise, is about as soft as a sheet of ice.
He demands punctuality and attention to detail and is particularly hard on the
younger players that he breaks down and builds back up. The Churchill speech
he quotes to his players is much like his coaching style: direct and without room
for interpretation.
"We make jokes that we're kind of like robots," Hoke said with a laugh. "We're
always on time, we're always taking notes, we're always doing things the right
way."
"Watch the older guys," Smith said. "They all stand around (Mitchell) because
when you were a rookie and you didn't stand around him you got your butt
chewed."
Not that Mitchell is above the good-natured ribbing of his players.
When Hampton says Mitchell is "old school" he is also referring to the clothes
that are considerably tighter than the garb preferred by the younger generation.
And his players joke with Mitchell about when he is going to leave for a head
coaching job elsewhere.
It is worth wondering given his success, pedigree and results.
"Oh, I think that's passed me by," Mitchell said, though he admittedly would be
intrigued by the right job at the college level. "I'm 57 now. I like what I'm doing. I
don't want a job where you go in and kill yourself and don't have a chance to
win. If I can find a job that has the resources, has the financial stability, I would
be interested."
Not that Mitchell loses any sleep about what the future holds.
11/24/2008
Page 5 of 6
There are more museums to visit, defensive lines to curate and stories that are
not unlike his own to discover.
"I like to read about people who won't give up," Mitchell said, "people who have
the fortitude that they're going to fight on and say 'Hey, I might get knocked
down a dozen times but if I get up, I'm going to achieve my goal.' "
Yes, with Mitchell it always comes back to a half-dozen words.
Never, never, never, never, never quit.
Getting to know John Mitchell
Here are some facts and tidbits about the Steelers' assistant head
coach/defensive line coach.
• Mitchell is in his 15th season with the Steelers and is the longest-tenured
member on the coaching staff. This is his 36th season as a coach.
• He has coached for four different college teams, two different NFL teams and
the USFL's Birmingham Stallions. Mitchell became the first African-American
coordinator in SEC history when LSU coach Mike Archer promoted to defensive
coordinator in 1990.
• He is an aficionado of fine wine but also appreciates the simpler things in life.
Mitchell's favorite thing to eat is a "greasy" cheeseburger with ketchup and
sauteed onions.
• When he served as an assistant coach under Lou Holtz at Arkansas from
1977-82, Mitchell regularly played in pick-up basketball games with a law
professor by the name of Bill Clinton.
Running on empty?
The Steelers have consistently shut down opponents' running games since
John Mitchell became the team's defensive line coach in 1994. Here is what the
Steelers have given up on the ground per game in Mitchell's 15 years with the
organization.
1994: 90.8
1995: 82.6
1996: 88.4
1997: 82.4
1998: 102.6
11/24/2008
Page 6 of 6
1999: 122.4
2000: 105.8
2001: 74.7
2002: 85.9
2003: 108.1
2004: 81.2
2005: 86.0
2006: 88.3
2007: 89.9
2008: 66.5*
*Through first 11 games of season
11/24/2008

Pittsburgh Steelers Feature Stories

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