Big Ben Fires Back At Whis

[Gee!]

Ben fires back at Ken
Associated Press
Mar. 21, 2007 09:29 AM

PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says an off-season motorcycle accident and emergency appendectomy had nothing to do with his subpar performance last season.

Ken Whisenhunt, the Steelers' ex-offensive coordinator and current Arizona Cardinals coach, said recently that Roethlisberger was rushed back into action, but the quarterback told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for a story Wednesday that he doesn't think that's true.

"No, I don't agree with Whis," Roethlisberger said. "There were a lot of things I didn't agree with Whis about, and that's another one."

Whisenhunt said at last month's NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis that he thought Roethlisberger's June 12 accident and an emergency appendectomy early in the season, were partly to blame for his performance in a season in which he threw 23 interceptions. The Steelers went 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

"No, I don't think I was rushed. I think I just didn't play well. I had a bad year," Roethlisberger said. "I'm sure Whis had a bad year once in his career."

Roethlisberger said he "might have still had the same year" even without the motorcycle accident, in which he suffered a concussion, a broken nose and facial fractures.

"Who knows? I'm not going to look back and say, Wow, this is what caused this and this is what caused that,' " Roethlisberger said. "There's no need for that. It's a bad year. It's going to happen. That's just the way it goes."

Roethlisberger said he was confident he was 100 percent healthy last season and that he didn't mislead the team about his health. Nor, Roethlisberger said, did the team's medical staff overlook anything in an effort to get him back on the field sooner.

"Everybody knows that Pittsburgh has some of the best doctors in the country - look at my face for instance," Roethlisberger quipped, referred to reconstructive surgery required after the crash. "We have an unbelievable medical staff. They cleared me and, if they gave me clearance, we never hushed anything."

 

[CtCardinals78]

I got the impression very quickly that these two didn't like each other. I remember when the news broke about Whis coming here. Big Ben was on ESPN on countdown and Berman broke the news and Ben had no emotion at all. In fact he kind of looked relieved and didn't say much.

 

[Skkorpion]

Roethlisberger isn't very bright, in my opinion. He seems a little dense and a whole lot arrogant. Not a good combination.

However, in this tiff with Whisenhunt, my guess is they share the blame for Pitt's bad year.

 

[CtCardinals78]

Roethlisberger isn't very bright, in my opinion. He seems a little dense and a whole lot arrogant. Not a good combination.

However, in this tiff with Whisenhunt, my guess is they share the blame for Pitt's bad year.

Great assessment Skkop, I think the same thing about Ben. It'll be intersting to see how he does w/o Whis.

 

[D-Dogg]

Ben's an overrated idiot. A more talented Trent Dilfer, IMHO.

 

[D-Dogg]

And so basically, Ben just sucked hard last year injured or not. Sweet.

 

[Mulli]

Does this really qualify as an issue? Not really much of a "firing back"

 

[D-Dogg]

Does this really qualify as an issue? Not really much of a "firing back"

"Yeah? Well you tell Whis that I sucked regardless!! You tell him that!! I'm serious. I sucked and injuries are no excuse!!!"

 

[CardinalChris]

Let's hope Whis is smart enough to not reply back and let this fade.

 

[Russ Smith]

Sounds like denial from Ben because he doesn't want to admit that his accident contributed to his bad play and thus to the bad season.

 

[RedViper]

If it were me and because I fly off the handle for just about anything, I'd fire back as follows: Ben's right, the apendectomy and accident didn't have anything to do with it. His skills just dropped off because of poor work habits, no hustle and poor concentration.

 

[AzWins23]

I hate Big Ben so much!!

 

[40yearfan]

"Yeah? Well you tell Whis that I sucked regardless!! You tell him that!! I'm serious. I sucked and injuries are no excuse!!!"

Ain't that the truth. Wis gives him an out for his bad play and he carps about it. Just goes to show you can't outwit stupidity.

 

[perivolaki]

I've seen several interviews with BR and he always seems a little touchy when questioned about the accident.

 

[CtCardinals78]

I've seen several interviews with BR and he always seems a little touchy when questioned about the accident.

I would be too if I were questioned about it 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times, and that's just ESPN.

 

[Mitch]

Does anyone really question that Big Ben was rushed back into action too quickly? It seemed very obvious he was. He was never quite right at any point last season.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Big Ben...Little Brain

Lets see...GREAT defense and a Great running game will make any QB look good. He is the most over rated QB in the NFL. Does he suck...no...but he isn't much above average either. He is arrogant and the fact that he looks not to bright does not help when he goes on his ego trip. What is his problem? Like posters have said, Whiz if anything was defending him and then the idiot goes off over it...don't get it and he does not either.

 

[Mulli]

little brain..fat head.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Lol

good one...fat head!

 

[conraddobler]

Ain't that the truth. Wis gives him an out for his bad play and he carps about it. Just goes to show you can't outwit stupidity.

LOL,

I love how he'd rather just have a bad year than to contemplate his accident might have affected him.

Well Ben so I'd take that to mean you have no excuse for sucking? That's right I suck and you can quote me on that.

 

[seesred]

This is so stupid. Grow up Ben and become a clock in London. A wonder if Big Ben misses the Wiz telling him how great he is.

GBR
40

 

[jefftheshark]

Ben's comments explain a lot about how he survived the impact with a windshield: It is hard to suffer brain damage when you don't have one.

The Shark

 

[vinnymac]

I think it is refreshing to see someone take responsibility for their mistakes. He not downing Whisenhunt for anything, just taking responsibility for his play. He was playing QB and he the one who threw all those interceptions. Did all the offseason stuff have a play in it? sure i think it did, but Rosthisburger is being a man taking responsibility for his bad play. How can anyone hate that?

 

[Pariah]

So what if Big Ben and Whiz didn't get along? Doesn't really mean anything for either of them. Seems to me they've both been pretty professional about it, if that's indeed the case.

And, whether or not Roethlisberger's sub-par season was or was not due to his being rushed back is irrelevant at this point. Water under the bridge.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Honestly, he reminds me of Ryan Leaf before people started hating him.