Big Ben's utterances deserve our attention
By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, May 11, 2007
It is purely reflexive, in this town, to dissect Ben Roethlisberger's every utterance as if it were a Barry Bonds urine sample.
So let's get to it.
Roethlisberger went deep on various issues Wednesday in an interview with ESPN Radio's Mark Madden -- and put the rest of us in perfect position to play Friday Morning Quarterback.
Quote: On a recent comment that his relationship with Bill Cowher wasn't all that cozy, Roethlisberger said: "The big thing is, that kind of got misprinted. I wouldn't say we had a bad relationship. I'd just say we weren't on a friendly term. It wasn't something where I really wanted to go into his office and just sit down and b.s. with him, you know?"
Analysis: Next time Ben tries to douse a fire, he should use something other than gasoline.
Quote: "You gotta have a guy in your corner. I think Coach Cowher was there most of the time. And, there were times when certain guys were hurt or something, he would kinda roll his eyes and say that they weren't really hurt. You know, I went through that a couple of times. But, hey, that's the past and Coach Cowher was obviously a phenomenal coach, a Hall of Fame coach, and I feel blessed to have the years I had with him."
Analysis: Like, wow. Whatever was happening there, Roethlisberger's record of 34-12 under Cowher speaks to the fact that coaches and quarterbacks don't need to like each other. Oftentimes, it's best that way.
Quote: "To me, excuses are no good. Own up to things. That's why last year I said, 'I'm not blaming anything on an accident, an appendectomy, on anything other than just playing bad. That's all it was.' "
Analysis: We can say what Ben can't -- the accident and the appendectomy had to hinder him early in the year. Actually, he recently told The Trib, talking about whether he was afraid to get hit, "Maybe after the appendectomy a little bit because my stomach hurt; I didn't want to get hit in the stomach." Can you blame him?
Quote: "I think we will use three tight ends. You can do that when you have athletes like Heath Miller. I think we're going to use him a lot more this year, split him out, try to get him matched up on smaller cornerbacks, like Baltimore does with Todd Heap."
Analysis: Amen.
Quote: On Alan Faneca -- "You know what, it's one of those things where you have to be careful what you say. ... Alan Faneca deserves, you know, to be paid probably the most money of any lineman in the game right now."
Analysis: Could have been more careful there.
Quote: "I do think we'll throw more, and I do think we'll be better at it. I think we'll be more precise; it's not going to be just run-run-run, try to hit the home run ball. ... I definitely do not think we'll be as predictable. Last year it was run on first down, run on second down, well, you got third-and-9, what are you going to do?"
Analysis: Somewhere in Arizona, Ken Whisenhunt just removed a dart from his backside. Steelers fans should hope Roethlisberger doesn't throw too much. He had the fourth-most attempts in team history last season, and, as you may have heard, that didn't work out real well.
By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, May 11, 2007
It is purely reflexive, in this town, to dissect Ben Roethlisberger's every utterance as if it were a Barry Bonds urine sample.
So let's get to it.
Roethlisberger went deep on various issues Wednesday in an interview with ESPN Radio's Mark Madden -- and put the rest of us in perfect position to play Friday Morning Quarterback.
Quote: On a recent comment that his relationship with Bill Cowher wasn't all that cozy, Roethlisberger said: "The big thing is, that kind of got misprinted. I wouldn't say we had a bad relationship. I'd just say we weren't on a friendly term. It wasn't something where I really wanted to go into his office and just sit down and b.s. with him, you know?"
Analysis: Next time Ben tries to douse a fire, he should use something other than gasoline.
Quote: "You gotta have a guy in your corner. I think Coach Cowher was there most of the time. And, there were times when certain guys were hurt or something, he would kinda roll his eyes and say that they weren't really hurt. You know, I went through that a couple of times. But, hey, that's the past and Coach Cowher was obviously a phenomenal coach, a Hall of Fame coach, and I feel blessed to have the years I had with him."
Analysis: Like, wow. Whatever was happening there, Roethlisberger's record of 34-12 under Cowher speaks to the fact that coaches and quarterbacks don't need to like each other. Oftentimes, it's best that way.
Quote: "To me, excuses are no good. Own up to things. That's why last year I said, 'I'm not blaming anything on an accident, an appendectomy, on anything other than just playing bad. That's all it was.' "
Analysis: We can say what Ben can't -- the accident and the appendectomy had to hinder him early in the year. Actually, he recently told The Trib, talking about whether he was afraid to get hit, "Maybe after the appendectomy a little bit because my stomach hurt; I didn't want to get hit in the stomach." Can you blame him?
Quote: "I think we will use three tight ends. You can do that when you have athletes like Heath Miller. I think we're going to use him a lot more this year, split him out, try to get him matched up on smaller cornerbacks, like Baltimore does with Todd Heap."
Analysis: Amen.
Quote: On Alan Faneca -- "You know what, it's one of those things where you have to be careful what you say. ... Alan Faneca deserves, you know, to be paid probably the most money of any lineman in the game right now."
Analysis: Could have been more careful there.
Quote: "I do think we'll throw more, and I do think we'll be better at it. I think we'll be more precise; it's not going to be just run-run-run, try to hit the home run ball. ... I definitely do not think we'll be as predictable. Last year it was run on first down, run on second down, well, you got third-and-9, what are you going to do?"
Analysis: Somewhere in Arizona, Ken Whisenhunt just removed a dart from his backside. Steelers fans should hope Roethlisberger doesn't throw too much. He had the fourth-most attempts in team history last season, and, as you may have heard, that didn't work out real well.
