Snow or Not, Bus Running

BY DARREN EVERSON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Jerome Bettis plans to drive Steeler attack in bad weather.

PITTSBURGH - The forecast for tomorrow's AFC Championship Game is not pretty. Ninety percent chance of snow. Six to 12 inches possible. Stiff, steady winds. Low, sub-freezing temperatures.

Roads will be slick. Flights might get canceled.

The Bus, however, will run on schedule.

"The worse, probably the better for me," said Jerome Bettis, the Steelers' 255-pound battering ram, "because I know where I'm going."

So does everyone else, of course, but that doesn't mean anyone can stop him.

As the Steelers prepare for the Patriots - led once again by Bettis, who in his 12th NFL season is having a renaissance - it seems the only thing that can stop their longtime back is doubt - either on the part of Pittsburgh, which acquired Duce Staley last offseason only to hand the offense back to Bettis, or Bettis himself.

He spoke of retirement yesterday, as he stood two victories away from the first Super Bowl championship that he lacks and covets. He said he'll think about it after the season, but that his initial inclination was to retire if the Steelers wind up winning it all.

"(Howie Long) asked me that question, that if I won a championship, would I retire," Bettis said. "I said, 'You know what? Yeah, probably. The job is complete.'

"But he said, 'Well, I'll give you a piece of advice: Think about it. Because I know the way that you play, you love the game. Make a decision based on your love of the game and don't base it on winning or losing.' When he said that, it really struck a chord, so I'll have to think about that. What I'll do is, after the season is over, see how my body feels and let my body determine whether I come back."

It's not easy being the Bus. Bettis has the third-most carries in NFL history (3,369), behind Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. But those running backs had the speed and shiftiness to slip a hit here and there.

Not Bettis. Of the top 10 all-time rushers by yardage, a list on which Bettis ranks fifth (13,294), the Bus has the lowest yards per carry of the group (3.9).

He thrives on collisions, on contact. Twelve years of it adds up.

"It's tough," Bettis said. "I deal with it. The love of the game and the opportunity to play for a championship is what drives me, what keeps me going and what gets me out of bed in the morning. It's what keeps me dealing with pain. But the pain that I have to deal with just going out there to practice, it's tough."

Getting out of bed tomorrow, though, shouldn't be a problem. Coach Bill Cowher said earlier this week that Bettis, who rushed for 101 yards last week in the victory over the Jets - his seventh 100-yard game in seven starts - likely would start again over Staley, although Staley - who rushed 11 times for 54 yards in his second game back from a hamstring injury - should get increased work.

Bettis' two previous AFC title games were Steeler losses, but tomorrow could be different, especially because of the weather. Although it is expected to stop snowing by gametime, the footing might be poor.

That's fine by the Bus. "I'm a mudder," he said. "A fast track doesn't really do much for me."

Originally published on January 22, 2005

Steelers' Trio Receiving Much-Deserved Acclaim

By Mark Blaudschun, Boston Globe Staff
January 22, 2005

PITTSBURGH -- The pecking order is clear. There is Hines Ward, who led the Pittsburgh Steelers in receptions for the sixth straight season and is the only receiver in franchise history to be voted to four Pro Bowls, a mark of distinction on a team that includes Hall of Famers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth on its all-time roster; Plaxico Burress, who is rapidly climbing the ladder of recognition as the team's top deep threat, averaging 19.9 yards per catch, which is second in the NFL among players with at least 30 receptions; and Antwaan Randle El, who serves as a wide receiver, punt and kickoff returner, option passer, and, if he has his way someday, part-time defensive back.

All of this talent on a team where the consensus of opinion is that the passing game is the second choice to the running game.

As the Steelers finished preparations for tomorrow's AFC Championship game against the Patriots, the Pittsburgh receivers were well aware of what they will be up against facing the Patriots' defense.

"It's going to be tough for us to just go out there and maintain our level," said Ward, who caught 80 passes for 1,004 yards during the regular season, the fourth straight year he has topped 1,000 receiving yards. "I'm pretty sure [Patriots] coach [Bill] Belichick is going to have something because Plax is obviously our deep threat and you have to be able to contain him.

"But for us, we've got a lot of threats out on the field, not only just Plax and myself, but you add a guy like Antwaan Randle El and we are just as deadly as the three from Indianapolis.

"But our offense is totally different. We run the ball first and pass the ball second. But when we do pass, we like to take full advantage of the opportunities we do get, and I think Plax made some huge plays in the first game that we played against the Patriots."

In that game, a 34-20 Steelers victory on Oct. 31, Burris had only three receptions for 63 yards, but two were for touchdowns, including a 47-yarder.

Burress recognizes the challenge his team faces tomorrow, but promises not to be overwhelmed by any new wrinkle from Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.

"First of all, he's not playing," said Burress of Belichick. "All he does is call the plays. They have players that are unselfish and make things work.

"We did beat them. Now, that was in the past. And we have to do it again."



The X factor in the Steelers' game plan could be Randle El. All the former Indiana University quarterback did this season was lead the Steelers in punt return yardage (347), finish second in kickoff return yardage (527), and haul in 43 passes (second on the team) for 601 yards and three TDs. He also threw his first touchdown pass in the NFL.

He wants to do more, such as play defensive back.

"I'd like to get a chance to do that," said Randle El with a laugh. "Move over Troy Brown."
When asked who was the better all-around player -- himself or Brown -- Randle El laughed again. "That would have to be me," he said.

As the intensity and importance of the games has increased, so has the pressure.

"If it's too much for you, you're in the wrong business," said coach Bill Cowher. "Our guys are looking forward to it."

"All it is," said Randle El of tomorrow's game, "is something that will put you in a game that you have been looking forward to playing in since you were a kid."

"Just cherish the opportunity," said Burress. "It really doesn't come around too often. From a personal standpoint, playing in the AFC Championship in my second year [the 2001 season], I really didn't understand the significance of the football game and the opportunity we had in front of us. All of the guys are very aware of the opportunity that we have."

"I like that kind of pressure," said Ward. "Just being the guy they can depend on to make a play. But for me, it's not just about me. I think for us, we have a lot of playmakers and given each week, there's someone always stepping up that's big. So if I don't -- for whatever reason -- I have all the confidence in the world that the next guy will go out there and make plays."

© Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company.

Jerry DiPaola: Steelers Upset About Lack of Respect

[Just for the record...Bill Maas and Darren Woodson both said the Steelers were the most physical team in the NFL and predicted a Pittsburgh win on ESPN's "Cold Pizza". Chris Collingsworth, Dan Marino and Bob Costas all predicted a Steelers victory on HBO's "Inside the NFL"...Cris Carter was the lone dissenter on the show's panel. - jtf]

By Jerry DiPaola
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, January 22, 2005

The Steelers shut down most of their preparations Friday for the AFC Championship game, with some lingering resentment about their status as 3-point underdogs to the New England Patriots.
"It's the same old thing we've been going through all season," outside linebacker Joey Porter said. "The respect factor is not there. We beat everybody we played, and for some reason, they (media and other analysts) just don't believe we are a good team.

"It's one of those situations we have to go out there and keep proving ourselves. To make it all good, we have to take care of business on Sunday."

Porter's remarks were about as testy as any of the players' comments this week. They finished practice yesterday in their ice box of a practice facility -- with the heat turned off and the outside doors flung open to simulate game-day conditions -- and Cowher dismissed them with a longer than normal speech and a joke.

"Turn the fans off after practice," he said to his chilled players, and everyone left with a hearty laugh.

Many of the Steelers are facing the biggest game of their careers, but no one appeared nervous.
"You can't be nervous in these types of games," All-Pro inside linebacker James Farrior said. "This is the biggest game of our careers right now. You don't need to be nervous. You need to be excited."

Farrior normally has no trouble sleeping at night, but he said, "I'm going to be like a little kid the night before Christmas. I probably won't get too much sleep."

Defensive end Aaron Smith said he was more "anxious" than nervous.

"You believe in what you are doing," he said. "You feel like you have done all the work you can do to get ready for it. What is there to be nervous about? You feel like you have done all the preparation you can possibly do."

From the outset of the postseason, Cowher's message to his team has been this: Don't deviate from regular schedules or attitudes. They weren't uptight in the regular season; they don't feel there is any reason to change now.

"When you are loose, you play your best football," wide receiver Plaxico Burress said.

The Steelers concluded their second consecutive week of practice, with nearly 100 percent attendance. Linebackers Kendrell Bell (groin), Clark Haggans (groin), running back Verron Haynes (knee), wide receiver Antwaan Randle El (toe) and cornerback Deshea Townsend (hand) are probable on the injury list, but everyone practiced.

"We haven't been this healthy all year," Burress said. "Everybody is ready to go. If anybody has a little something bothering them, the adrenaline will take it away."

"Why be nervous?" right guard Keydrick Vincent said. "It's just another game to get to the Super Bowl."

Jerry DiPaola can be reached at trsp20@aol.com or 412-481-5432.

Steelers Notebook: Bettis Doesn't Count Himself Among Steelers Greats

By Kevin Gorman and Jerry DiPaola
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, January 22, 2005

* Running back Jerome Bettis said he doesn't expect to be listed among the all-time Steelers greats, some of which played in and won four Super Bowls.
"No, no, no," he said. "You can never step among those guys until you get four Super Bowl rings. Those guys are in a class all their own. You win these kind of games (AFC Championship) to be mentioned in the same breath with those guys. But you are never in the same class as those guys."

* Steelers receiver Hines Ward acknowledged that attacking Patriots receiver Troy Brown , who doubles as a defensive back, is something the Steelers are scheming. Brown was beaten for the deciding touchdown against the Dolphins, but he deflected a pivotal third-down pass in the first quarter against the Colts last week. Brown is expected to be matched against Antwaan Randle El in the slot.
"Troy Brown is a hell of an athlete, but he hasn't been out there that long. In that way, he is susceptible," Ward said. "When you've got experienced wideouts like we have going against inexperienced cornerbacks, sometimes, they are susceptible. Is that part of our game plan? Yeah, it is."

* Ward said the Steelers' respect for the Patriots has prevented trash talk or serving up bulletin-board material.
"We know they have a great team," Ward said. "Who are we going to trash talk? What are we going to do, guarantee a win? You'll never hear somebody in this locker room say that."
All of the Steelers participated in Friday's practice, which was held at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex indoor facility. The doors were left open to simulate the chilly conditions anticipated for Sunday's AFC Championship game at Heinz Field.
"I think it was colder inside than it was outside," receiver Plaxico Burress said. "It was a like a big tin can, if you ask me."

* Burress was asked what to say to the average fan wondering about all the talk surrounding Ben Roethlisberger , who has been rumored to have an injured thumb and is coming off a two-interception game.
"Tell him to sit back, grab a six-pack and a bag of potato chips and watch the game," Burress said. "There's nothing to worry about."

* Former Steelers Rocky Bleier, Mel Blount, Joe Greene and L.C. Greenwood and former Patriot Andre Tippett will serve as honorary captains for Sunday's

Jonathan D. Silver: Fans Are Rowdy, But Only to a Point

Saturday, January 22, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In this old steel town with its tough, working-class roots, there's one thing you can count on at a Steelers game: reasonably well-behaved fans.

Rest assured, the black-and-gold faithful at Heinz Field don't hoist tea cups to their lips, pinkies in the air, and say, "Hey, yinz, pass the crumpet."

But they also aren't inclined to toss bottles at players and officials (Cleveland fans), stab someone in the stands (Oakland fan) or be arrested and sent before a judge right in the stadium itself (Philadelphia fans).

If past practice is any guide, when the Steelers host the New England Patriots tomorrow for the AFC Championship in what promises to be a hard-hitting, physical matchup on the field, it's unlikely that similar behavior will be reflected in the stands.

Pittsburgh police Sgt. John Fisher views most Steelers regulars as upstanding attendees.
Fisher should know. Since Heinz Field opened in 2001, he has worked for the Steelers supervising about three dozen off-duty officers in uniform to handle security inside the stadium.
"I think most people know the limit, and they choose not to push the envelope," said Fisher. "The small percentage that we deal with who do choose to go that route, they're not the regular Steelers fan who's there week in, week out."

Just ask William Duffy of Mt. Lebanon. Duffy, 83, figures he's missed only three games since 1947. He's been through Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium, Super Bowl wins and losses, Noll and Cowher. One thing remains consistent.

"Steelers fans, I think, have always been well-mannered despite how raucous they can be at times," Duffy said.

Sure, there are troublemakers. Duffy calls them "insurgents." But they're the exceptions, he said.

"The real season-ticket fan is aglow with excitement, but never improper," Duffy declared.

That doesn't mean that Fisher and his contingent don't have plenty of work on game days, especially during the post-season. Last weekend during the playoff game against the New York Jets, officers were running around nonstop inside the stadium and outside as well, where off-duty police handle traffic duties.

"The playoff game and the AFC Championship, things can be fever pitched. The fans are excited, emotions run a lot higher. Because, I guess, of what's at stake, they're just caught up in the moment," Fisher said. "I run from the time I get there to probably two hours after game time. It's a hectic schedule."

One that includes dealing with bare-chested drunks, rowdy nincompoops, foul-mouthed fans, passed-out people, and that most odious offender of all, souvenir stealers. Yep, Fisher once yelled at a guy in his 40s who swiped a glove that a player tossed to a grade-school kid.
"I said, 'What's wrong with you?' " Fisher recalled. After some "persuasion," the guy handed the glove back.

And that was the worst incident that stood out in Fisher's mind.

Bench-clearing brawls? None. Field encroachers? Not so far this year ("Knock on wood," Fisher said). Arrests? Not inside the stadium.

"In the four years I've been doing this, I think on one hand I could count the number of arrests," Fisher said.

If it's quiet in Steeler country, one need only head west or east -- to Cleveland or Philadelphia -- to find trouble. But we'll get to that in a minute.

First, let's head all the way west to California for some troublemakers extraordinaire. Whether in Los Angeles, Oakland, or San Diego, bad behavior and the Golden State are intertwined.
In 1990, an L.A. Raiders fan severely beat up a Steelers fan during a game at the Coliseum in California. Ten years later, a Raiders fan stabbed a San Diego Chargers fan at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

"Any time the Oakland Raiders make their way south, San Diego gets nervous," began an October story in the San Diego Union-Tribune. "The annual Chargers-Raiders matchup in San Diego typically draws the year's most rambunctious sports crowd. At last year's game, for instance, 61 people were arrested ... "

Sometimes, a whole section of a stadium turns delinquent.

The Cleveland Browns have the infamous "Dawg Pound" at Cleveland Browns Stadium. That's where a bottle-throwing ruckus started in December 2001 during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Players and officials ran for cover, and the game was delayed for 30 minutes.

Philadelphia's old Veterans Stadium had the infamous "700" level.

"It was kind of the code word for misbehavior," said Philadelphia Councilman James Kenney.
Kenney came up with the idea in 1997 of stationing judges right inside the Vet to dispense instant justice to the stadium's notoriously rowdy denizens. Things have gotten better -- so much so that the Philadelphia Eagles' new stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, doesn't host the judiciary.

Kenney watched the Steelers' shellacking of the Eagles in November at Heinz Field. He said he found a family-friendly environment that reminded him of college football games.
What's the difference between Pittsburgh and Philly?

There are several factors. But one might surprise you. Cheerleaders. The home of the cheese steak's got 'em; the home of Primanti's doesn't.

"I'll tell you the truth. Nothing against cheerleaders, but it's more family atmosphere (without them)," Kenney said. "I felt that in the parking lot. Look, they were busting people's chops with Eagles jerseys on, there's no doubt about it, but I never felt intimidated."

Kenney isn't the only Philadelphian to say that. Check out this comment about Heinz Field from "RainMan12" posted last year on the Web site, www.rateitall.com:

"I had the opportunity to see the Titans game last September. Great fans. My seats were in the last row of the stadium. Being from Philadelphia, I assumed there would be drunk and rowdy fans. Much to my surprise, the fans were energetic without being crass, obnoxious, and above all, drunk."

Maybe a Steelers-Eagles Super Bowl wouldn't be so bad. Pass the crumpets.

(Jonathan D. Silver can be reached at jsilver@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1962.)

Gerry Dulac: Steelers Find Cure For Patriot's Spread

Saturday, January 22, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

What: Patriots vs. Steelers.
When: 6:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Where: Heinz Field.
TV/Radio: KDKA/WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970) and the Steelers Radio Network.
The skinny: The winner plays in the Super Bowl Feb. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.
The weather: Track Pittsburgh's hour-by-hour forecast at our Weather page.

Related Articles:
Injured Steelers aching to be part of the team's run to the Super Bowl
Former Steeler Vrabel turns into two-way star for New England
Stadium crews set for snow job
Steelers faithful on pilgrimage from far and wide to be here
Fans are rowdy, but only to a point
Steelers Notebook: Change of plan -- Roethlisberger says he will try to get nervous
Patriots Notebook: Weather forces change in travel schedule
Steelers Nation / Fan photos from around the world
Black & Gold Gatherings Sites for Out-of-Town Fans

Chris Hope was a rookie in 2002, a third-round draft choice from Florida State, and he remembers his first game in the NFL because it was a Monday night rematch of the AFC championship game.

He was not with the Steelers in 2001, when they lost to the New England Patriots in the conference championship at Heinz Field, but what he saw in the season opener at Gillette Stadium didn't differ a lot from what happened to the Steelers the year before.

"They ran the spread all the way down the field," said Hope, a starting free safety. "They were just picking it up and throwing it and running and getting first down after first down."

The Patriots systematically dissected the Steelers in the 2002 opener more acutely than they did in the AFC championship game, and they did it with an empty-set formation featuring five receivers and no running backs.

Tom Brady threw 43 passes in that game, including 25 in a row during a stretch between the first and third quarters, and the Steelers showed little ability to handle the formation.

That, though, all changed when the teams met again at Heinz Field on Halloween. The Steelers were ready for the formation the first time the Patriots used it, and their adjustment was the reason they jumped to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter and ended New England's record 21-game winning streak with a 34-20 victory.

"We adjusted so much as a defense from the first time we played them after 2002 and after the AFC championship game," said Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter.

"We're a totally different defense from then. We got a new coordinator, we got a different adjustment, and I think we played the spread a totally different way. I think we were better prepared. Not taking anything away from Tim [Lewis, former defensive coordinator], but we came at them from a whole different angle, and I think it confused [Brady] more than he thought."

Porter was at the epicenter of what happened to Brady and the Patriots in their first meeting this season. And he hopes to be a factor tomorrow when the teams meet again in the AFC championship game at Heinz Field.

But it was the Steelers' ability to shut down one of the Patriots' favorite formations that turned their last meeting into a lopsided Steelers victory.

Brady threw 43 passes in that game, just as he did in 2002, and he passed for 271 yards. But he threw two interceptions and had a fumble, with two of the turnovers coming on consecutive plays in the first quarter.

And both from the empty-set formation.

"I think we showed 'em we could stop it or contain it," Hope said.

"We anticipated they might try to do that, so we tried to come up with a better preparation in case that may happen again, and it did," linebacker Clark Haggans said.

It happened like this:

After Ben Roethlisberger threw a 47-yard touchdown to Plaxico Burress to take a 7-3 lead, Brady began the next series with a five-receiver formation from the Patriots' 29 -- the first time New England unveiled the formation. But Porter came free from the right side and hit Brady's throwing arm, forcing a fumble that defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen recovered.

Five plays later, Roethlisberger threw another touchdown to Burress, this time from 4 yards, for a 14-3 lead.

"When Joey got that sack and Kimo got that fumble, it was a big, big lift because we got field position and scored," Haggans said.

Undaunted, Brady began the next series with the same empty-set formation, and the Steelers made him pay again.

On first down, Brady's pass in the left flat for Bethel Johnson was intercepted by cornerback Deshea Townsend and returned 39 yards for a touchdown.

Two empty-sets, two turnovers, two touchdowns.

21-3.

"Given the fact that that's what hurt this defense in the past, I think it was very significant of us to come in and make big plays early on," said Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu.

"They had so much success before doing that to us and we came out and showed the ability that we can stop it," Townsend said. "It kind of changed the whole game plan. They were going to put it on Tom Brady's shoulders and spread it out, and we showed some success with it. It just changed the momentum of the game."

"You let 'em know it's not going to be like the time you got us out there at Foxboro where you just threw the ball all over the place every down," Porter said. "We were ready for that. We put ourselves in a situation where we said that's not going to happen."

Like the Steelers, though, Porter figures Brady will adjust.

But all because the Steelers found an answer.

"He's had a week to prepare for that," Porter said. "He watched the film of what we did last time. I guarantee he'll be ready for it this time."

(Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1466.)

Jerry DiPaola: Polamalu Has Emerged as One of NFL's Top Safeties

By Jerry DiPaola
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, January 21, 2005

There are nearly as many theories about Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu's long hair as there are passes that he has intercepted (six).

Family members tell the story of Polamalu growing his hair long as a junior at USC, just like any college kid with little time or inclination to see a barber. Suddenly, the repeated concussions that he had suffered stopped, and Polamalu detected a correlation. He hasn't had a haircut since.
Polamalu said he liked to let his hair hang outside his helmet, because it mirrored his wild, reckless style of play.

"I just let everything hang out on game day," he said.

But this is the best one:
"A lot of people have said, 'Is it the Samson complex?' But my fiancee's mother (Katina Holmes) told me that every great warrior throughout all of world history has had long hair, starting with the Samurais, the Greeks, the American Indians, the Chinese," Polamalu said. "You name it. They've all had long hair. I don't know why it's so different now to have long hair."

Polamalu has no interest in becoming a warrior, however. "I just wear it long, because in college, I just let it go," he said. "It didn't really matter to me."

Now, he said, "It has become the fifth appendage to my body."

The Steelers hope that whatever has given Polamalu his strength this season carries him through the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Heinz Field -- and all the way to Jacksonville, Fla., for Super Bowl XXXIX.

It's safe to say they wouldn't be 16-1 without him.

Polamalu has shown the speed, power and instincts to play close to the line of scrimmage and to stop a running back, or turn and run with a wide receiver. When he was drafted in the first round in 2003, some teams considered him a cornerback prospect.

"I just stepped on the scale a few minutes ago," said Polamalu, 5-foot-10, 212 pounds. "I said, man, I have to lose some weight, so I can play some man-to-man."

Steelers coach Bill Cowher has called Polamalu, who had 97 tackles, 12 passes defensed and five interceptions in the regular season, the best safety in the NFL.

But Polamalu, who asked her brother's permission before dating his fiancee Theodora, gives credit to many outside sources for his success:

His teammates for "being able to make up for my mistakes."

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. "He has made me feel a lot more comfortable. He's a father figure to everybody on this defense. We all love to play for him. He gives you wisdom -- not only through football, because obviously, he has been a great football player -- but wisdom off the field. He has some great stories that definitely give you great lessons in life."

Then, there is Polamalu's faith, which is the strongest guiding force in his life. "God calls upon Christian football players to play with passion, just like the life you live."

Polamalu doesn't watch games that don't involve him (other than USC's victory in the Orange Bowl this year), so he said he acquired his instincts for the game "just playing in the park."
He said his skills are "mostly God given."

"I'm not trying to toot my own horn here," he said, "but it is definitely a blessing from God that he has allowed me to be very instinctual and just go out and play football. My faith has got everything to do with my performance, whether it's good or bad."

Polamalu said his faith has been important to him since he was about in the third grade and his grandmother Ese Pola died.

"It was very hard on me," he said. "I went to church, maybe, four or five times a week before she died, but I didn't really find meaning in that. But from then on, was when I started praying every night and started reading the Bible."

Even today, Polamalu reads the Bible -- and his playbook -- every day.

Jerry DiPaola can be reached at trsp20@aol.com or 412-481-5432.

Boston Globe: In No Time, Ben is Big

When forced into the lineup, hometown hero Roethlisberger quickly became a Steel City star
By Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff
January 21, 2005

PITTSBURGH -- Back in Findlay, Ohio, only a four-hour drive northwest of here, there has been a reluctant but inexorable swing in allegiance. Home to Cooper Tire and Marathon Oil, Findlay is decidedly conservative and positively, beyond a doubt, Cleveland Browns territory.
The Findlay highway department doesn't actually use painted paw prints to denote lanes, but no one would be surprised if some of the local Dawg Pound zealots forced it to a vote.

But just as he's changed football fortunes here along the Monongahela, Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has altered the NFL dynamic in his western Ohio hometown of 40,000.

"Yeah, it's really kind of crazy; what's going on?" said Fritz Wink, manager of the Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar on the eastern edge of Findlay. "I mean, dang, we've got older women coming in here on game days, wearing his No. 7 jersey and Steeler caps -- all the gear -- and I'll bet most of 'em don't have the slightest idea of what football's all about.
"But that's the way it is right now -- everyone's got Ben on the brain."

Now the NFL's hottest young quarterback -- anointed early in the season by Bill Parcells as the game's best rookie QB since Dan Marino -- the 22-year-old Roethlisberger and the Steelers on Sunday night will take on the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Now only five-plus years removed from quarterbacking the Findlay Trojans varsity, Roethlisberger (roth-ulz-burger) was a wide receiver until switching to quarterback his senior year, a sensational season that landed him a full ride down state at Miami of Ohio, where RedHawks coach Terry Hoeppner lured him to the Mid-American Conference with the chance of taking over almost immediately as the starter.

Roethlisberger was a first-year redshirt at Miami, then put together a storied college career the next three years, enticing the Steelers to make the 6-foot-5-inch, 241-pounder the No. 11 pick overall in last spring's NFL Draft. According to Jerry Snodgrass, Findlay High's longtime athletic director, many of the local Browns devotees were devastated when Cleveland, with the No. 6 pick, passed over Findlay's favorite son.

"They really took that hard," said Snodgrass, who also was Roethlisberger's basketball coach for seven years, up through and including the sensational point guard's junior year in high school. "And now, to see what he's doing with Pittsburgh? It's just driving Browns fans nuts. A pal of mine has seats in the Dawg Pound, and when Ben played there [directing a 24-10 Steelers victory Nov. 14], I couldn't go with him if I wore any of my Steeler stuff, or I might have been pummeled. That's OK. I wore my Steeler underwear."

LOCAL BOY MAKES GOOD

The Roethlisbergers moved to Findlay when Ben was in the fifth grade. His father, Ken (these days a vice president of production for Filtech, which makes parts for Honda), was once a promising quarterback for Georgia Tech, until a knee injury made him more a baseball player than a play-caller. It was Ken's work that brought the Roethlisbergers to town.

Ken and Ben's biological mother, Ida, divorced when Ben was an infant. Ben, in a recent published report, revisited the day, when he was 8 years old, that Ida died from injuries sustained in a car crash. Although his parents were divorced and he lived with his father and stepmother, Brenda, Ben had remained close to Ida, and was waiting for her to pick him up for a weekend visit when word came of the crash.

Some 14 years later, when Roethlisberger tosses a touchdown pass for the Steelers, he points to the sky for Ida.

"That's a double meaning," he told the Los Angeles Times. One intended to give praise, said Roethlisberger, and the other for his mother.

Ken and Brenda still live in the same one-level brick ranch in Findlay where Ben grew up, and Ben's sister, Carlee, is a standout performer on the Trojans' volleyball and basketball squads.
"You're talking about one great, rooted, friendly, and loyal family," said Snodgrass. "You see Carlee play now, and just the way she is on the court and everything, you can tell she's Ben's sister. She's a sophomore, and the team's leading scorer, and you can see her passing up shots she probably should take -- but she's more concerned with her teammates and how they feel. That's very much the way Ben was."

Ben was known for similar acts of kindness during his high school days. According to one published report, on graduation day at Findlay, he donated his cap and gown to a mentally challenged classmate.

Roethlisberger, recalled Snodgrass, grew up with the idea of one day becoming a secret agent, perhaps working for the FBI. To Snodgrass, that conjures up the idea of an escape artist, a trait he saw Roethlisberger display time and again on the basketball court and football field.

"When you look at that wish, I mean that's so him," said Snodgrass. "You know, sly and undercover, always finding ways to do things that are beyond the norm. He's like a James Bond 007 or an FBI agent, thinking behind those sunglasses, `How am I going to get out of this one?' "

Snodgrass saw that 007 trait mostly on the basketball court. Roethlisberger finished as Findlay High's all-time leading scorer with 1,095 points, averaging 26.5 per game his senior year. A point guard, he was known for his determined play and his penchant for tossing up shots from all over the court.

"There's a direct parallel to how he plays football," said Snodgrass. "He was a little unorthodox with his shot, but he had an uncanny ability to score. It didn't matter . . . inside, outside, he'd throw that ball from anywhere, and he'd usually score. Boy does he love basketball. I'd bet if he's driving around Pittsburgh, and he sees a basketball game going on, it takes everything he has not to stop and get in the game."

He may be the Steelers' star quarterback, his likeness now molded into a Gladiators of the Gridiron action figure, but back in Findlay, said Snodgrass, he's just Ben.

"Just an ordinary, grounded guy," said the Findlay AD. "He was here at the school before the draft, and he walked right down the hallway, high-fiving the kids. They're all yelling, `Hey, Ben . . . Hey, Ben,' and he's just fivin' 'em. It was just great."

THEY'RE EATING IT UP

Connie Pagliapietra, who describes herself as "somewhat of a manager" at Tony's, a popular Findlay eatery, didn't have her NFL allegiance swayed in the slightest by Roethlisberger.

A bit of a maverick in Browns country, she has always been a Steelers fan. The fact that a local boy is now leading her team's offense just spices things up -- like the barbecue sauce that Tom Brown, owner of Tony's, uses on the restaurant's Big Ben Burger.

"I've got eight of them on the grill right now," said Pagliapietra, reached at Tony's by phone yesterday at lunch time. "People love them. When I first heard that Tom was going to use barbecue sauce, I don't know, that sounded nasty to me. But really, they're awesome."

To assemble a Tony's-style Big Ben Burger: pile two 8-ounce beef patties on a 5-inch sesame bun, and top the patties with lettuce, tomato, and Tony's BBQ sauce. The culinary concoction is not complete, said Pagliapietra, until a cookie-cutter-like kitchen tool carves out No. 7 in the top bun. The tiny No. 7 flag on top makes it official. The cost: $7 (are you following along?). And there's a seven-cent charge (still following?) to drop a slice of cheese on Big Ben.

"Ben's folks were in the other night," said Pagliapietra. "And they brought Ben's grandfather. He had one and he said he loved it."

Across town, Roethlisberger's success has changed the way they do business at Buffalo Wild Wings. According to Wink, the manager, a contingent of some 20 Steelers fans, calling themselves the Black and Gold Brigade, came to him prior to the season, hoping to reserve a niche in his restaurant whenever the Steelers played.

"Fine," said Wink, who figured he could devote one of the restaurant's six big-screen televisions, and maybe a couple of the other 45 smaller sets, to the renegade Steeler bunch. "We'd love to have you." Loyal Browns fan that he may be, Wink even said it with a straight face.

But, just as any toddler knows what happens when you give a moose a muffin, the culture inside the sports bar rapidly changed when big Ben Roethlisberger, the pride of Findlay High School, began a run that now has him with a mesmerizing 14-0 record as the Steelers' starting quarterback.

Wild Wings, once an unofficial Browns sports bar, morphed into a black-and-gold-bleedin' Steelers bar. The joint was so jammed last week that Wink dropped a satellite kitchen in the parking lot, where he served up grilled bratwursts and steaming baked beans.
"It was 5 degrees out there," said Wink. "Lemme tell ya, a lot of work for not a whole lot of return."

Inside Wild Wings, where it's much warmer, all 51 TVs are tuned these days to Ben Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns fans that remain -- those who don't spend their days e-mailing Roethlisberger's stats to the Browns' website -- have learned to coexist in what was once their sports den.

According to Wink, the place turned sullen last Saturday when the Steelers were on the verge of losing to the Jets, but the noise was deafening when Big Ben's team won in overtime.
"You should have seen their faces -- like deer caught in headlights," Wink said, recalling when the Steelers were on the wrong side of the score. "When they came back and won it, it was like being in the stadium."

Adding to the experience, said Wink, is a CD that one customer brought back after going to a game in Pittsburgh. The disc includes a song about the Steelers and Roethlisberger, and the lyrics, "Here we go . . . Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl." When the Steelers are on the march, and TV goes to a break, the crowd at Wild Wings belts out the Steelers' impending visit to the Super Bowl with gusto.

"Hey, I'm a huge Browns fan," said Wink, who kiddingly calls the overdone ode "That stupid Steeler song."

But even though he may have grown up in a different county, with a different NFL heart, Wink is on the bandwagon, too.

"Like everyone else, I guess," he said, "I'm rooting for Ben -- because he's from here."
Talk of the townRoethlisberger appears to have settled in nicely as the latest resident sports superstar in the Steel City, where there hasn't been his like in a Steelers uniform since Terry Bradshaw. He's on an unprecedented roll, with the 14 victories, and he's only one year into a six-year pact that could pay out $42 million.

Because he wanted Pittsburgh to feel even more like Findlay, Roethlisberger recently bought a dog, a rottweiler he purchased from a breeder in Germany. His nickname in high school was "Rotty". His new companion is Zeus.

According to veteran Steelers running back Jerome Bettis, there is an "eerie sort of calm" about Roethlisberger. He keeps his cool under pressure and already has established a trademark toughness, allowing him to shake off hits and withstand defenders' tugs, allowing him to stand that extra second or two in the pocket.

It's a subtle but significant change in style when compared to his predecessor, Tommy Maddox, who unwittingly abdicated the job Sept. 19 when he tore an elbow tendon in the second half at Baltimore. In stepped Roethlisberger, out went the 33-year-old Maddox.

"Tom's got that Arena Football experience, and because of it, a quick release," said Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca. "But Ben's always got this, `I'll-hold-it-for-a-split-second-longer' kind of mentality. Because of that, he'll stay with it a little longer out of the pocket."

Faneca wasn't initially overwhelmed at the prospect of Roethlisberger taking over the job. In two seasons as the starter, Maddox hadn't been great, but all things considered, he had been reliable and effective. For a squad that is struggling, as the 6-10 Steelers did in 2003, losing a proven veteran for a raw rookie wasn't immediate cause to rejoice.

"No, I'm not excited," said a blunt Faneca, immediately following Roethlisberger's relief appearance, what now stands as the club's last and only loss (30-13 to the Ravens). "Do you want to go to work with some little young kid who's just out of college?"

But what a piece of work it has been since. Guiding a run-based offense, Roethlisberger finished the regular season with veteran-like effectiveness when he did go to the air, connecting on 196 of 295 tosses (66.4 percent completion rate), good for 2,621 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Making the job a little easier has been coach Bill Cowher's offseason plan to have the Steelers run more, which had Messrs. Maddox and Roethlisberger directing a show that ran the ball 618 times for 2,464 yards -- far outdistancing the 357/1,299 put up by their opponents.

"I think there was something to say in getting back to what we felt was the foundation of this team -- that we had to establish the run," said Cowher, who based the ground game on the collective legs and backs of Bettis and free agent pickup Duce Staley. "I've always thought that you can develop a passing game, but it's harder to develop a running mentality."

Against the Jets last Saturday night, in Roethlisberger's first postseason game, the Steelers had trouble establishing anything. They flirted with a disastrous upset at the hands of the underachieving Jets, in large part because Roethlisberger (17 for 30, 181 yards, 1 TD, and 2 interceptions) showed up with the record of an accomplished vet but the effectiveness of a raw rookie.

"If I go out there and play like a rookie like I did on Saturday, you lose the game," a self-deprecating Roethlisberger said earlier this week, following what turned into a 20-17 OT win over the Jets. "I'm lucky we have the defense we have, and have 10 other guys on offense that carried the team on Saturday. So I can't play like a rookie this [Sunday], or we'll definitely lose the game."

Mark Whipple, the former University of Massachusetts head coach who is now the Steelers' first-year quarterbacks coach, was one of the most adamant voices at the draft table when it came time for the Steelers to make the No. 11 pick last spring. He had seen Roethlisberger on tape and was impressed, but he was convinced of his potential after meeting him in person.
"Sometimes you just know when you see somebody," said Whipple. "I could tell right away that he understood what it's all about."

Not everything is so clear, as Roethlisberger found out this week. Given his struggles last Saturday, the postgame banter among media and fans focused on the glove that Roethlisberger wore on his throwing hand. Not a big deal, said Roethlisberger, because he often wore a glove in high school and college when the weather turned cold. He said it helps him grip the ball.

But here in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers last won a Super Bowl in January 1980, and haven't been to a Super Bowl since January '96, concerns about the glove have hovered over the team like the gray clouds of winter perpetually hover over this blue-collar town. A day or two after the Jets game, Roethlisberger went to a local mall, his lengthy to-do list in hand, and as he strolled along a voice nearby shouted his way.

"Get rid of the damn glove!" someone shouted at the rookie.

Roethlisberger stopped, looked around, but found no one.

"Get rid of the damn glove!" repeated the hidden heckler.

Whoever it was, he never came out from under cover. And the big kid from Findlay, Ohio, who grew up dreaming of being an undercover man himself, just kept moving.

For Steelers, Perfect Storm For Bonding

By LEE JENKINS
The New York Times
Published: January 21, 2005

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 20 - When the power on their television sets went out and the batteries in their portable DVD players died and the signals on their two-way pagers faded, there was nothing left to do but talk to one another.

Some champions are born in training camp and others in the free-agent signing period, but around Pittsburgh, there is a theory that these Steelers were formed in the Westin Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 25. That night, as Hurricane Jeanne blew through South Florida, the Steelers formed the largest huddle in the N.F.L. Four months later, they can still feel the wind at their backs.

At the time, Pittsburgh was 1-1 and coming off a 6-10 season with no quarterback and no identity. As if the status of the Steelers was not precarious enough, they flew into South Florida as most of the people in the region were flying out. They were scheduled to play the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 26, but no one knew when the game would start, or if it would be played at all.

In the early evening of Sept. 25, players chatted on their cellphones and watched movies on their portable DVD players and typed on their two-ways. But as darkness fell and batteries died, they could hear the wind whistling outside and see the palm fronds falling off the trees, and some players started to cower in their hotel rooms. That is about the time the lights went out.

Players came together because they were scared, they were bored and they couldn't see. The few Steelers who had packed flashlights instantly became the most popular members of the team, and their rooms quickly turned into gathering places. When a few too many 300-pounders crammed inside, some players spilled out into the hallways on the eighth and ninth floors.

Steelers from the heartland sought out Steelers from Florida and asked in the mellowest way possible if they were all going to make it out O.K. The Floridians assured their teammates that hurricanes were nothing new and the area was fully equipped for the most severe storms.

Perhaps they were not aware that this particular hurricane was stronger than anything they had ever experienced.

"I told them everything was going to be cool," said safety Chris Hope, who went to Florida State. "But I wasn't so sure."

Pittsburgh receiver Antwaan Randle El, who is from Illinois and went to Indiana, said: "All of the Florida guys were saying they had been through it before and it was no big deal. I didn't really believe them."

In order to take his mind off the tempest, Randle El flipped open his cellphone and started playing a computerized game of Scrabble. A few Steelers wandered over and asked if they could join him. Randle El decided to change games to something more team oriented, "Family Feud."

The weather was keeping everyone from leaving the hotel and anyone from entering. Family members were not able to call with last-minute ticket requests. Even the most ardent fans stayed away from the lobby. The team hotel, at least for one night, actually belonged to the team.

Before long, there were clusters of Steelers spread around the property - cornerbacks with offensive lineman, kickers with wide receivers. Some of them said they talked seriously with teammates for the first time. They told stories about their families, about their favorite high school football games, about lessons the N.F.L. had taught them. Veteran players cautioned rookies to take care of their bodies, watch their money, enjoy every Sunday.

As cornerback DeShea Townsend surveyed the scene in one of the hallways and saw million-dollar athletes sitting on the carpet with their backs pressed to the wall, he was reminded of his freshman dorm at Alabama, and plopped happily on the floor.

"For a lot of guys, it was the first time that we listened to our teammates' views on serious issues, the first time that younger guys listened to the older guys talk about the game," Townsend said.

"We shared our personal experiences and got to know each other as people. When you're in the pros, guys usually just go home right after practice and don't hang out too much. But that night, it was just like college, like we were back in the dorms after class."

When word spread that Sunday afternoon's game was being moved to Sunday night, the team curfew was pushed back, and the slumber party raged past 1 a.m. Coach Bill Cowher started a game of flashlight tag in the lobby. Randle El loaded more games on his cellphone. No one could go to sleep, and no one really wanted to.

"It was a big moment in our season," guard Alan Faneca said. "To come out of that situation like we did, when guys didn't know what to expect and didn't know each other real well, it was significant."

The Steelers have not lost since. The next day, they pounded Miami to start a 15-game winning streak that they will carry into the American Football Conference championship game against New England on Sunday.

Pittsburgh is not the most athletic or the most talented team in the league, but the Steelers believe the toughness and togetherness that was forged during the storm in September will carry them through.

At a turbulent moment in last week's playoff game against the Jets, Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter gathered his team and screamed: "They can't break us. They can't break us. Because we're tight." His rallying cry exhorted the Steelers to a comeback victory.

"We went through something as a group," Randle El said. "That night in Florida was scary, but at the same time, it was really cool. A lot has happened since then, and we look back on it all the time."

As he spoke, Randle El flung a rubber ball into a group of teammates on the other side of the locker room, and then busted up laughing. When he turned away, the ball came right back at him, and he laughed just as hard. The rubber ball has become a new source of entertainment as Pittsburgh prepares for the Patriots and a game-time temperature of 10 degrees Sunday.
The Steelers have already demonstrated that they do not seem to mind some inclement weather. They were built from the storm, for the storm.

Gerry Dulac: Rooney Savors 'Exciting Times' in City

Friday, January 21, 2005
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Dan Rooney and the Steelers are back in the AFC championship game for the fifth time in the past 11 years, still looking for a fifth Super Bowl trophy to add to the four on display at the team's South Side headquarters.

It has been 25 years since the Steelers won a Super Bowl, but their impact on the National Football League and the dominance they displayed for a six-year period in the 1970s is unmatched in league history.

Curiously, the team standing in the way of a possible trip to another Super Bowl -- New England -- threatens to challenge the Steelers of the '70s as one of the league's foremost dynasties. If the Patriots win Sunday at Heinz Field, they would do something the Steelers never managed to accomplish -- advance to their third Super Bowl in four years.

"I think that has a lot to do with the organization, the coaches," Rooney said, referring to the matchup featuring the AFC's top teams, record-wise -- the Steelers (16-1) and Patriots (15-2).
"If they get someone hurt, they are not going to throw the towel in. I think that both teams have done that. They've had injuries and overcome them, put people in, and the people that they put in rose to the occasion and have done well."

Rooney said "these are exciting times" in the city, which is playing host to a conference championship for the ninth time since 1970, more than any other franchise (San Francisco is second with eight).

The Steelers had the league's best record in the regular season, are riding a club-record 15-game winning streak and have bounced back from a 6-10 season in 2003 in which Rooney said he never considered replacing his coach, Bill Cowher.

"If you have a good coach, you want to stick with him," Rooney said.

"We weren't the least bit excited or depressed last year. The media was, but I think our fans were fine. We had every intention of keeping him here. That was never an issue.

"Teams that makes changes, that's their business and I don't want to call them names. When you make a change, you are starting all over. I think that's foolish because it's almost like an expansion team where you're going back to the beginning.

"Within the last 30-some years, we've had two great coaches. We're very fortunate to have had them and we want to stick with them."

Rooney, who took over the team from his father, Art Rooney Sr., has passed most of the daily operation of the team to his son, Art II. The transition became official -- sort of -- before the start of the 2003 season, when Art II was listed in the Steelers' media guide as team president.

But, in typical Rooney fashion, there was never an announcement on the promotion.

"I think it's an important thing to have families in it because there is tradition," Rooney said.
"As you know, I replaced my father. My son now has replaced me. They talk about passing the torch -- he grabbed it out of my arm. I think that's a good thing."

Ed Bouchette: The Steelers' Way

Free agency? Ho-hum. When it comes to building a champion, the Rooney family still prefers the time-tested model of yesteryear.
Friday, January 21, 2005
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Growing the Steelers, 1996-2004, in .pdf format.
To view the file, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download from Adobe

MORE COVERAGE:

When Steelers' running game is in step, Faneca knows the beat goes on
Q&A with Alan Faneca
Ice and snow in the playoff forecast
Steelers Notebook: Reed shows respect for Vinatieri's feats
Patriots Notebook: Seymour's status stays questionable
Shelly Anderson: Mom knows best; just ask Steelers' Aaron Smith
Patriotic tribute to be part of Sunday scene
Gardocki finds a way to block out record punting streak
Bill Belichick: The Mastermind of New England
A lesson in good things gone bad in '94, '97, 01
Steelers Sound Off: Bench Big Ben for Tommy Gun?
More Steelers/NFL playoff coverage
Steelers Nation / Fan photos from around the world

Few will acknowledge it, but there were those within the Steelers organization who took one look at their team shortly after they concluded their 6-10 stumble through 2003 and wanted to place the call to Affordable Maids.

It was time to clean house. Overpaid and underachieving is no way to go through life in the NFL, son.

The line was a mess, the running game slinked to near the bottom of the league, the passing game wasn't efficient and the defense was getting old and slow.

Coach Bill Cowher and Kevin Colbert, their director of football operations, saw things differently. They would tinker with the lineup, inject some youth where things drooped, but they would not overhaul it. Where others saw a team on the downside, they perceived something else.
"It was certainly disappointing, but I think there were a lot of circumstances that existed that led to our record," Cowher said.

He mentioned injuries. He also acknowledged that the team's passing talent captivated him and he erred by leaning more on that part of the offense in 2003. Cowher vowed to return to what he termed "Steelers football," -- a strong running game and a savage defensive style.

The Ben Roethlisberger factor, unforeseen early on, would come later. First, a philosophic return to Cowher's own roots combined with some strategic plastic surgery on his lineup twisted what appeared to be a sagging, old heap of a club into the shiny model that whooshed to a 15-1 record and finds itself on the Super Bowl's stoop.

Not only did Cowher do it by playing "Steelers football" he did it the "Rooney way," through talent mostly developed on their own. It has been that way since Chuck Noll arrived in 1969, but the Rooneys stubbornly clung to those ideals through the free agency era that began in 1993. They believe in building through the draft and supplementing their talent with occasional free agents.

The Steelers who enter the AFC championship game Sunday are mostly home grown. Of the 53 players on their active roster, 25 are draft picks and 12 joined them as undrafted rookies. Others, such as cornerback Willie Williams and tight end Walter Rasby, began their careers with the Steelers and returned this season.

Only five of their 22 starters played elsewhere -- Jerome Bettis came in a trade with the Rams in 1996, while defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen (Bengals), center Jeff Hartings (Lions), linebacker James Farrior (Jets), and Williams (Seahawks) signed as free agents, as did punter Chris Gardocki (Browns).

There is one more who should count: running back Duce Staley, their lone concession to free agency last year. He signed a five-year, $14 million contract, but he was more than another player. He represented Cowher's determination to recapture the team's ground game.

"It's no secret what we really want to do," Cowher said. "We like to try to establish a running game and the only way that you are going to be able to do that is to take a very physical approach to it. We like to play aggressive defense and I think that everyone recognizes that when they play us."

To do that, they needed an offensive line that could block for the run as it did not do in 2003. Yet Cowher and Colbert made no changes in that line. They banked on their linemen returning to health, and they would do that, with one exception.

Then Cowher wielded his scalpel. He released linebacker Jason Gildon, cornerback Dewayne Washington, safety Brent Alexander, all veteran starters, and let halfback Amos Zereoue disappear as a free agent. He also remade his coaching staff, highlighted by the return of former Bliltzburgh conductor Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator.

The Steelers re-signed their own outside linebacker, Clark Haggans, as a free agent and added Staley.

And then along came Ben. The Steelers drafted Roethlisberger with the 11th pick in April after a slight debate over Shawn Andrews, a big offensive tackle from Arkansas. Roethlisberger was the first quarterback drafted by the Steelers in the first round since 1980. He would become the first quarterback in NFL history to win all 13 of his starts in one season. He would become Big Ben.
Cowher made three changes on defense. He inserted two young, fast, aggressive safeties into the starting lineup -- Troy Polamalu, their top draft pick in 2003, and Chris Hope, a third-round pick in 2002 -- and replaced Gildon with Haggans at outside linebacker.

Injuries would force many other changes on both sides of the ball as the season unfolded.
Williams replaced injured cornerback Chad Scott at midseason. Guard Kendall Simmons, their No. 1 pick in 2002, was lost for the season in August with a knee injury. Keydrick Vincent, with them since his rookie season in '01, replaced him. Linebacker Kendrell Bell missed most of the season because of groin injuries. Larry Foote, a fourth-round draft choice in 2002, started every game in his place. Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton, their No. 1 pick in 2001, was gone at midseason with a knee injury; Chris Hoke, an undrafted rookie with them since 2001, moved into Hampton's role.

On and on it went. The talent that had mostly been in their own system for several years and beyond stepped in for the injured, and the Steelers did not lose a game after Week 2. That included what looked to be the biggest injury of them all to starting quarterback Tommy Maddox in the second game. Roethlisberger stepped in, another talent mined through the draft.

"There is a very good chemistry, always has been around here in regards to the draft, with the scouting department and the coaching department," Cowher said. "I know that Kevin and we are always talking and he has a great feel for what we are looking for. He has a great eye for talent."

The continuity has helped, too. The Steelers, for example, have run a 3-4 defense for more than 20 years. That allows them to develop undersized college defensive ends who are quick and athletic into outside linebackers, such as Joey Porter and Clark Haggans. They prefer their tight ends block rather than worry about catching passes. They also want athletes on their offensive line, not mammoth statues who can't move.

"The system really hasn't changed through the years," Cowher said, "so players, when they are learning through the system when they step in, they are well-groomed players. That's been the one thing that has been good about keeping the continuity on both sides of the ball. I can say that we have changed coordinators on both sides of the ball, but the systems have not changed one bit."
It all paid off in one big way this season.

(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.)

Ron Cook: It's an Honor to Have Ward, His Greatness

Friday, January 21, 2005
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If the Steelers offense is introduced before the AFC championship game Sunday night at Heinz Field, the final player announced won't be the team's best player, Alan Faneca. It won't be the most respected and inspirational player, Jerome Bettis. It won't even be Ben Roethlisberger, who has seized this town like no athlete has since there was hockey and Mario Lemieux was winning Stanley Cup championships a lifetime ago.

"It's a great honor to be the last one out of the tunnel, trust me," Hines Ward said this week.
"I still can't believe I'm it.

"It's funny. Our guys were so used to Jerome coming out last that when he came out right before me for the first time this year, they started to break their lines and take off. I was like, 'Hey, guys, don't forget about me.' "

No one will forget about Ward Sunday night.

Trust me on that.

The Steelers will look to Ward to lead them past the New England Patriots, all the way to Jacksonville, Fla., for Super Bowl XXXIX.

The Patriots have Tom Brady, a quarterback every team wants in January because he's so clutch. He's 7-0 in the postseason and a two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP.

The Steelers counter with Ward, their most dependable offensive player, at least the most dependable not playing guard and wearing No. 66. They need someone to ease the playoff pressure on Big Ben? To make a big catch and get a key first down? To fight for extra yardage and turn an 8-yard catch into a 15-yard gain? Or maybe to spring Bettis or Duce Staley with a big block?

Ward is their man.

It was Ward, whose 10 catches for 105 yards Saturday against the New York Jets produced seven first downs and a touchdown.

It was Ward, who, on the tying drive midway through the fourth quarter, made a terrific 5-yard catch on third-and-3 at the Jets' 22 with safety Jon McGraw hanging on his back, then scored the touchdown on a 4-yard shovel pass.

And it was Ward, who had three catches for 32 yards on the winning field-goal drive in overtime, including one for 17 yards on third-and-6 at the Steelers' 33.

"I want it on my shoulders," Ward said.

We're lucky here. We're used to watching Steelers wide receivers step up at the biggest moments. That goes back to Hall of Famers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.

"I want to be like those guys," Ward said. "I know I'll be remembered by what I do in the postseason. I can't ever remember seeing highlights of Swann and Stallworth from a regular-season game. But I sure remember seeing their spectacular catches in the Super Bowls."
Ward has caught a touchdown pass in three consecutive playoff games, a nice start toward Stallworth's NFL postseason record of eight in a row. Against Cleveland and Tennessee in the 2002 playoffs, he had big games -- a total of 18 catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns. And, before that, he had six catches for 64 yards against the Patriots in the AFC championship game after the 2001 season.

"I still have the picture of me sitting on the bench with a Gatorade towel over my head after we lost that game," Ward said. "I had it framed for a reason. I don't ever want to forget that feeling. I don't ever want to feel that way again."

Earlier this season, Ward had doubts he would be asked to lead the Steelers on a Super Bowl push. After having the three greatest receiving seasons in franchise history -- at least in catches -- his numbers were down. He finished with 80 catches for 1,004 yards, a significant drop from 2002 when he had 112 for 1,329.

But there were mitigating factors. One was the Steelers' commitment to the run. They attempted just 358 passes, fewest in the NFL and 153 fewer than the league average. Two was Roethlisberger, a rookie quarterback. The team didn't want to ask him to win games by throwing.

Opposing players and coaches took notice. They still voted Ward to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl. The Associated Press voters were similarly impressed and voted Ward second-team All-Pro.

What meant the most to Ward was a conversation with Dallas coach Bill Parcells before the Steelers played the Cowboys in October.

"He came up to me during stretching and just said, 'You're one hell of a ballplayer. Keep it going,' " Ward said. "To hear that from a coach like him, at a time when I was wondering if I was having a good year, it meant a lot."

It can't be any better than what the Steelers coaches tell Ward.

"Yeah, right. I never hear anything from them," Ward said, giggling.

Ward probably shouldn't feel too neglected. Nothing happens around the Steelers without Bill Cowher's approval, including the pregame introductions. That Ward is last in line leaves no doubt about what the organization thinks of him.

"Believe me, I wasn't complaining," Ward said. "I'm pretty sure they appreciate what I do."
The Steelers are expected to give Ward a big contract extension after the season. At this point, they wouldn't appear to have much choice. You can argue he's already the face of the franchise. There will be no doubt after Bettis retires, perhaps after this season.

Ward hopes the Steelers also find a way to bring back Plaxico Burress, who plays Stallworth to his Swann role. That seems unlikely. Burress, who will be an unrestricted free agent, will command an enormous contract. It's hard to justify two big deals to wide receivers in the salary-cap era.

Quick, name the Minnesota receiver opposite Randy Moss.

Or the Philadelphia receiver opposite Terrell Owens.

The point is the second receiver usually isn't a big name or a big-money player.

"Of course, I'd love to see Plax back," Ward said. "We've done so much together. We get each other open. It's like we create a pick-your-poison situation for opposing coaches.
"But neither of us is thinking about that right now. We're just living for the moment. If this is our last year together, we want to be able to say we went to a Super Bowl. We want a ring."
It wouldn't just be a nice souvenir for Ward, certainly better than that picture with the Gatorade towel over his head.

It would define his greatness.

And it would put him with Swann and Stallworth forever.


(Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1525.)

Gene Collier: Mark of Greatness?

Fourth 15-1 team in NFL history took a shaky first step, but its chances are still Super
Friday, January 21, 2005
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The complete history of football's three 15-1 teams and the incomplete history of a notable fourth, the 2004 Steelers, bear little resemblance to each other at this writing, and the reliably skittish among Pittsburgh's frothing fan base will doubtless regard that as a bad omen.

Who, after all, do you want as the enduring image of a great team, Joe Montana or Gary Anderson? Mike Singletary or Randall Cunningham?

Such are the questions history beckons, the parameters of a Steelers legacy to be decided in the coming weeks.

These Steelers are only the fourth team in NFL history to go 15-1 in the regular season, and the fourth, like the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, '85 Chicago Bears, and '98 Minnesota Vikings before them, to reach the conference championship. But if there were an historical marker for a postseason's shakiest first step, it would definitely be erected outside Heinz Field.

All three of the other 15-1 clubs won their playoff openers handily; the Steelers won, uh, footily.
That New York Jets kicker Doug Brien missed two field goals in the final two minutes and the Steelers' Jeff Reed made a shorter one 11 minutes into sudden death are merely two facts that obscured a ton of more portentous events Saturday, but the Steelers surely know they're writing an unprecedented script here.

The '84 49ers skunked the New York Giants, 21-10, in their playoff opener, with Joe Montana running for 63 yards and passing for 309 yards, not precisely the way Ben Roethlisberger started his postseason career. The '85 Bears were more impressive, suffocating many of those same Giants, 21-0, sacking Phil Simms six times and frightening New York into a putrid 0 for 12 on third down. The '98 Vikings won their playoff opener, 41-21, against the ... wait ... the Arizona Cardinals?

That ain't right. Let me look at that again.

In their only postseason appearance in the past 22 years, the Cardinals not only got the NFC's sixth seed at 9-7 that year, they beat Dallas on the road, 20-7, before losing at Minnesota. The number of people outside the greater Phoenix-Tempe-Mesa-Scottsdale metroplex who remember this fact: eight, including five former Vikings.

In any case, the 49ers and Bears cruised into the Super Bowl amid very little turbulence. The 49ers squashed the '84 Bears, 23-0, and a year later, the '85 Bears steamrollered the Rams, 24-0. Those Bears held Eric Dickerson to 46 yards rushing on 17 carries. The Rams had nine first downs.

But in the matter of Vikings-Atlanta Falcons in the 1998 NFC title game, Minnesota turned a season in which they set a league record for points into Goatfest '99. They led, 20-7. They led, 27-17, in the fourth quarter. They lost, 30-27, in overtime to a Falcons team under the direction of Chris Chandler, who threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns. With 2:07 remaining and the Vikings about to stretch the lead to 30-20, former Steelers kicker Gary Anderson, who hadn't missed a field-goal attempt all season, failed from 38 yards away. Atlanta tied the score with 49 seconds to go.

Both 15-1 teams that made it to the Super Bowl won it, the Bears being the more dominant. By the time they had overcome a 3-0 Patriots lead to nip New England, 46-10, the Chicago defense of Singletary, Richard Dent, William Perry, Dave Duerson, et al., had limited three postseason opponents to 10 points, 2.5 yards per play, and 3 for 36 on third-down conversion. The 49ers fell behind Dan Marino's Dolphins, 10-7, but got three second-quarter touchdowns and won, 38-16.

Somewhere against that historical backdrop, the Steelers of Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward and Alan Faneca, of Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith and James Farrior must leave their mark.
"The opportunity is incredible," Bettis was saying the other day. "You don't get this kind of opportunity very often in your career."

No opportunity they ignored against the Jets, such as the opportunity to tackle a punt returner and Roethlisberger's opportunities to throw that thing to someone in the same uniform, can compromise what they're capable of Sunday.

The Steelers' offense gained nearly 400 yards; its defense allowed only three points over most of five quarters; its quarterback, in spite of near fateful missteps, hit on six of his final eight passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.

They can bark that underdog's lament right up until game time Sunday, but this team hardly has the look of the doomed.

Otis Wilson and Richard Dent apply pressure to Patriots quarterback Tony Eason in Super Bowl XX. Of the 15-1 teams, these Bears might have been the most fearsome, allowing only 10 points in three postseason games.
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(Gene Collier can be reached at gcollier@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1283.)

Ed Bouchette: The Steelers Want to Prove Oct. 31 Win was no Fluke

Thursday, January 20, 2005
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Tedy Bruschi stands large and menacing on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week in full Patriots helmet and uniform, hands on his hips and the word DEFENSE stenciled across his chest.

New England's defense flexed its muscles Sunday against Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts and looks as dominant as ever as it defends its Super Bowl championship. And if all that attention bothered those on the defense that actually dominated the NFL all season, the Steelers weren't offering a peep of protest.

"I mean, they are the champs," linebacker Clark Haggans said. "They've established themselves as a dynasty-type team and franchise. It's just their time, they've arrived, and I guess they're getting the attention they deserve."

In virtually every defensive category, the Steelers ranked higher than the Patriots through the 2004 season: Total yards (Steelers 1st/Patriots 9th), rushing (1st/6th), passing (4th/17th), sacks per pass (6th/10th), third-down efficiency (6th/21st), points allowed (1st/2nd tie) and more.

That Steelers defense also dominated the Patriots Oct. 31. New England had 5 yards rushing and quarterback Tom Brady threw two interceptions, one which cornerback Deshea Townsend returned for a touchdown. Joey Porter sacked Brady three times, causing a fumble on one that turned into a Steelers touchdown five plays later. New England left tackle Matt Light will line up opposite the Steelers pass-rushing linebacker again Sunday.

"You know Joey, if you have a problem, he'll beat you all day," Haggans said. "I'm quite sure they're going to come out with some stuff to try to slow him down."

Of course, halfback Corey Dillon did not play for New England that day, and the Patriots fell behind so far so fast, 21-3, they weren't about to run the ball much after that anyway.

"We put pressure on Brady, that was the main thing," linebacker Larry Foote said. "Corey Dillon wasn't there, so they basically came out passing, and our offense controlled the clock. They played our game. I know the time of possession was pretty lopsided [42:58 to 17:02].
"They had to pass the ball and you can just pin Joey's and Clark's ears back and just go after the pass, so it's going to be a long day for anybody."

Adding Dillon, the second-leading rusher in the AFC, to New England's offense should make it more balanced. But nose tackle Chris Hoke, the point man against the run, believes Dillon might not make a difference.

"Of course he's tough, he's a great runner," Hoke said, "but, if we play defense the way we did the last time, it's going to be tough for any back."

Only Cincinnati's Rudi Johnson, in the fourth game of the regular season, managed 100 yards rushing against them.

On Oct. 31, Brady finally threw a touchdown pass after the Steelers ran to a 24-3 lead, and he threw his other one in the fourth quarter with the Steelers ahead, 34-13.

"That was maybe our benchmark, as far as turnovers and touchdowns and [considering] the people you're playing," said defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, voted the top assistant coach in the NFL this week. "But our guys have done a consistent job. I think our defense has played consistently well all year."

In the four games at Heinz Field since their 34-20 victory against the Patriots, the Steelers' defense has allowed just two touchdowns and four field goals. They held the New York Jets' offense to three points last week, which is why, along with Doug Brien, they are preparing for AFC championship game Sunday night at Heinz Field.

"I just go back to that fourth quarter against the Jets Saturday night," Foote said. "We were angry, and everybody was full speed every play. It had to be the hardest quarter we ever played since I've been here."

Coach Bill Cowher again gave credit to LeBeau for helping turn the defense from soft and chewy back to the old Blitzburgh style.

"It has kind of been like going back to old times," Cowher said yesterday.
LeBeau spent the early part of the week studying the Patriots. He looked at tapes from the 2001 championship game, reviewed the Steelers' loss at New England in the 2002 opener and took another look at their Oct. 31 game.

"They have a pretty good cornucopia to pick from in there," he said. "They have so much offense and personnel changes that they're diverse. I think they'll do things that got them where they are."

So will LeBeau's defense, which would like to copy what it did Oct. 31, or whatever other date they played in 2004, for that matter.

"Who has the better defense?" Steelers safety Chris Hope said, repeating a question. "Looking at the season, mathematically, we had the better defense. But, until we beat them, until we go on to win the Super Bowl, they have the better defense."

(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.)

The Washington Times: LeBeau's Show

By Jody Foldesy
January 20, 2005

After manhandling the NFL for much of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense took a cue from venerable defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau last weekend.

Showing resiliency reminiscent of LeBeau, who endured seven straight losing seasons between leaving Pittsburgh in 1997 and returning last January, the NFL's top-ranked unit didn't fold after giving up several big plays and 275 yards to the New York Jets in Saturday's AFC divisional round.

By game's end the Jets had no offensive touchdowns and two missed potential game-winning field goals. And Pittsburgh was headed to Sunday's title match against the New England Patriots at Heinz Field.

"Our team never quits," LeBeau said that night. "You saw that. I'm so proud of them all. There were a couple times when it looked pretty dark out there. But they kept coming up, making them kick it from a long way. You don't always make the long kicks, especially this time of year."

Doug Brien certainly didn't, missing from 47 and 43 yards in the final two minutes to aid the Steelers' fifth foray into the conference title game under coach Bill Cowher.

The defensive performance by no means harkened to the Steel Curtain days. But it served notice that Pittsburgh won't wilt against the favored Patriots, even as many pundits point to running back Corey Dillon (who missed the regular-season meeting, a 34-20 Pittsburgh win) and predict a New England uprising.

"We worked hard from Day 1," nose tackle Chris Hoke said. "It wasn't a one-man thing. Everybody worked together as a family. That's why we are where we are. Sometimes we gave up some yards, but when it really counted we stepped up."

The work by LeBeau, 67, has validated his status as one of the game's top defensive minds. More than a decade has passed since he unveiled the zone blitz, which is predicated on mixing up the positions blitzing and those dropping into coverage. The tactic was so successful that, like Bill Walsh's West Coast offense, it now has been copied to the point of ubiquity.

The Steelers' defense was dubbed "Blitzburgh" when LeBeau guided it in 1995 and '96, finishing both seasons ranked among the NFL's top three units. LeBeau, a Steelers defensive backs coach, helped Cowher lead five straight teams (1992-96) to the playoffs, including the 1995 club that went to Super Bowl XXX.

But from 1997 to 2002 LeBeau was with the Cincinnati Bengals, who struggled throughout and recorded just 12 wins in 45 games when he was coach from 2000 to '02. He spent 2003 in Buffalo, where he served as assistant head coach to Gregg Williams on the 6-10 Bills. Then, when Tim Lewis was fired by the Steelers last winter, LeBeau returned to Pittsburgh and finally got back to winning.

"It's good to get back in the playoffs, to be in big games," he said with a grin. "It's been a lot of fun, actually."

The Steelers, too, were a long way from having fun in 2003, when they slid to 6-10. Veteran defensive players credit LeBeau with instilling a new mind-set from the moment minicamps opened in May.

"His whole attitude changed our style of play," said linebacker James Farrior, who has blossomed into a Pro Bowl player this year. "We love it. We all believe in the system. We felt his energy from Day 1."

Added defensive end Aaron Smith, who this season recorded eight sacks (an incredible stat for a 3-4 scheme): "It's just his attitude. We're going to go out and compete on every down. We're going to fight. We're going to come after you."

With stars like Farrior, Smith and linebacker Joey Porter leading a heavyweight front seven and safety Troy Polamalu emerging from a patchwork secondary, Pittsburgh yielded 258.4 yards and 15.7 points a game this year, both NFL bests.

The performance was crucial as Cowher broke in a rookie quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Although Roethlisberger has become a national darling by winning 15 straight games, in the regular season he threw for just 2,621 yards — less than 58 percent of the totals put up by luminaries Daunte Culpepper and Peyton Manning.

And as Roethlisberger threw two interceptions and struggled to a 57.8 rating last weekend, LeBeau's group kept the Jets out of the end zone, and Pittsburgh's magical season chugging along.

"That's one thing our defense has talked about all year: 'If they don't score, we win,' " cornerback Willie Williams said.

Now the unit has another huge challenge. Dillon, a Bengals star/malcontent during the half-dozen seasons LeBeau spent in Cincinnati, rushed for 1,635 yards in 15 games this season. Dillon has solidified the one glaring question about last year's Patriots, who won Super Bowl XXXVIII, and may have made this year's club even better.

But with resiliency to spare and a revived mastermind orchestrating the attack, Pittsburgh's defense believes it is up to the test. "Coach LeBeau has done a great job of putting everybody in position to make plays," Farrior said. "We all just believe we're a good defense, and we believe in each other."

USA Today: Unselfish Ward is Pittsburgh's Man of Steel

Wed Jan 19,11:53 AM ET

Sports - USATODAY.com
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY

One of the defining plays this season by Hines Ward didn't involve a touchdown grab or even a reception. On the TV screen, he was simply a blur.

Pittsburgh Steelers (news) quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had taken off on a scramble during a game at Cleveland. Running full tilt, Ward launched his body and leveled pursuing 320-pound defensive tackle Orpheus Roye.

"I only know one way to play this game, and that's to play each play like it's your last," says Ward, a 6-foot, 215-pound wide receiver who'll bring that approach to Sunday's AFC title game against the New England Patriots (news).

"I don't try to be Randy Moss. I don't try to be Marvin Harrison or T.O. (Terrell Owens). I just try to be the most complete wideout I can be."

Though Ward, 28, is the first Steeler with four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, he had just four touchdown catches after amassing 22 the two previous years. But in an offense rededicated to the running game, his receiving, blocking and hustle earned him his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl berth.

'ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER'

In Saturday's 20-17 overtime playoff victory against the New York Jets (news), his 4-yard touchdown on a shovel pass in the final quarter sent the game into overtime. He had a key third-down catch on the drive for the winning field goal.

On a day Roethlisberger struggled, Ward caught 10 passes, of the 17 completed by the rookie, for 105 yards. Ward accounted for 35.2% of Roethlisberger's completions this season, the highest such percentage for any receiver/quarterback combo in the NFL. (Related item: Ward, Roethlisberger stay on target)

"He's a consummate pro. He does whatever you ask him to do," says Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

"He still makes plays in the pass game when you need him. ... He has been the ultimate team player. ... His production was down a little bit, but he doesn't care. He's focused on us winning games."

During a game, you will see Ward grin after a catch or block. He comes up smiling even after taking a hard hit from a defender.

"When I strap it up, there's no better place to be than being on the field and having 50-60,000 fans cheering for you," he says. "I know I'm blessed each and every Sunday I step on the field, so I'm going to make the most of it."

COMPLIMENTS OF HINES WARD

Wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, now with the Dallas Cowboys (news), wrote a book, Just Throw Me the Damn Ball!

At the Steelers' training complex, Ward has a Bible passage posted that reads, in part: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or a vain conceit. ... Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to interests of others."

Before the Steelers played Philadelphia this season, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson called Ward "a great blocker ... probably the best blocker we'll face all year as far as the wide receiver."

Ward is always mixing it up downfield. Over the years, that has made for exchanges with defensive backs around the league.

As Baltimore Ravens (news) coach Brian Billick put it before a game against Pittsburgh: "Yeah. Hines Ward (ticks) me off all the time, but I'd take him in a New York second. I'd love to have him on my team."

Ward smiles at Billick's remark. "That's probably the best compliment for me that anybody could give," he says.

Ward finished this regular season with 80 catches for 1,004 yards. In addition to his four receiving touchdowns, he had a rushing touchdown. In 2002, he had 112 catches, 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns.

"It's not all just about me and my catches," he says. "I've proven myself for the last four years. I've put up stats with some of the greatest wideouts out there. When people ask me how I feel about my catches going down, I don't have any control of that. I can't throw myself the ball. At the same time, I do other things to help this team win."

FAMILY GUY

Ward, who grew up in the Atlanta area, says his approach to football comes from his mother, Young Ward, a native of South Korea (news - web sites).

Divorced from Ward's father, a former U.S. serviceman, Young Ward worked multiple jobs to provide for her son. "Here's a lady who comes to the country and nobody gave her anything," Ward says.

"She didn't know English. She went out and worked the cashier's job, the produce job, cleaning hotels. ... Everything she got, she earned, and that's how my career is. Nothing was ever given to me."

At Forest Park (Ga.) High School, where Ward starred at quarterback as a junior and senior, he was coached by Mike Parris. Ward says Parris became "kind of the father I didn't have." They remain close and talk by phone after every game.

Parris says that in high school, Ward also starred on defense.

"Hines was as good at free safety as he is anything," Parris says. "He loved to hit people. ... At free safety, I'd put him in some positions sometimes. The next thing I'd know, he'd be lined up on the line of scrimmage."

At Georgia, Ward played quarterback, tailback and wide receiver, while also returning punts and kickoffs. The Steelers made him a third-round pick in 1998. He had hoped to be selected by the Atlanta Falcons (news), but they took Miami's Jammi German in the third round.

"I guess he had a higher rating," Ward says. "My production at Georgia showed I could play. It didn't go that way, though."

German had an undistinguished career. Ward has delivered.

"Of course I'm a little prejudiced, but to me he's the best all-around receiver in the NFL," Parris says. "He is not the fastest. He might not have the greatest hands, but he's going to do everything for you. He's going to block. He's going to do everything he can to win a football game. He's a complete player and always has been."