It’s a Fan Friday!
A colleague offered us family passes and we accepted. My son was the only person sitting at the doors where the players exit to the hill down to the field. Some players gave Carlo a ‘high five’, but Ben was the one who noticed him sitting there wearing a #7. He turned around and said, “How are you big guy?”. Ben was incredibly nice. If that didn’t make Carlo’s day!!
Afterwards, getting to meet him on the field was something he will never ever forget! He and Ashley were so nice and down to Earth to us both! I wish I could thank them for making this last minute daddy/son day so great!
Throwback Thursday
Since we’ve reached the “Dog” days of summer (watch the video, you’ll get the reference), it’s only appropriate to bring this one back!
From June 18, 2015:
Benjamin Jr. wanted to share this video his dad made of him singing the months of the year:
It’s safe to say that his little sister Baylee is mighty impressed with both his singing skills and his memory skills!!
It all started with Big Ben
From Rinatta Signorini at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
There was a time when Julie Gurnick was shy and quiet.
“She used to hide behind my legs,” said her mother, Irene Gurnick. “She wouldn’t talk or anything.”
And then she saw Ben Roethlisberger.
She hasn’t stopped talking since.
It’s been a whole team love affair that started in 2004 after Julie Gurnick’s parents took her to her first Steelers training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Unity. Since then, the Jeannette woman, 21, has amassed about 400 photographs with players — including quarterback Roethlisberger — and has created almost a science of getting autographs.
She has two large three-ring binders — but she needs bigger ones — packed full of 8-by-10 photographs of her smiling next to players at training camp, games and area stores. The pictures — the majority of them are signed — are organized by the players’ jersey numbers so she can easily flip to a page and tell a story. She can spout off what college that player attended, his position and make a good guess as to his height and weight.
“When I was 8, I didn’t know anything about sports,” said the 2014 Jeannette City High School graduate.
Gurnick has photographs with every player on last year’s roster except for former quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who was released by the team in May.
“As of right now, the only people I need pictures with are the rookies … and the first-year guys for the Steelers,” she said. “In the last three years, I’ve only missed three days of camp.”
Watch out, rookie linebacker T.J. Watt, you’re at the top of Gurnick’s list.
That has netted her signed jerseys, footballs, helmets and gloves from numerous players. She strategically planned her outfits for the first couple days of camp — a free safety Mike Mitchell T-shirt on Friday and her punter Jordan Berry jersey on Saturday.
But Roethlisberger is still No. 1.
“Me and Ben literally grew up going to Steelers camp together,” she said. “Literally, football is my life because of Ben. Just because he showed up for work that day.”
You can read the rest here.
Not your typical, run-of-the-mill Monday
Baylee & Daddy at training camp
When I was a baby, you would hold me in your arms.
I felt the love and tenderness, keeping me safe from harm.I would look up into your eyes, and all the love I would see.
How did I get so lucky, you were the dad chosen for me.There is something special about a father’s love.
Seems it was sent to me from someplace up above.I will love you forever & I just wanted you to know,
Can’t wait ’til camp is over for the return of my Super Hero!
Big Ben talks retirement, Super Bowls, Bradshaw, legacy
“I don’t know what I’m going to do when I’m done. I’m hoping that it’s not any time soon. But when the time comes, I know No. 1 is to be the best father and husband I can be.” — Ben.
From Mike Prisuta for Steelers.com:
In the wake of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger contemplating retirement over the offseason, center Maurkice Pouncey has come up with a potential exit strategy for Roethlisberger at the conclusion of the season ahead.
“I’m pretty sure he wants to ride off on his nice, big horse or his big yacht with a Super Bowl win,” Pouncey said.
From Roethlisberger’s perspective, Pouncey got it half right.
“Let’s just say the Super Bowl is the plan,” Roethlisberger said today in a one-on-one interview with Steelers.com. “Let’s try and get that first and we’ll go from there.”
Pouncey is hoping Roethlisberger will play at least three or four more years.
Roethlisberger, 35, isn’t ready to commit to anything beyond 2017.
“I’m going to take it one year at a time,” he said. “In five years could we be having this same conversation? Yes. Could it be next year? I don’t know, and that’s why I’m not going to look past this year.”
Roethlisberger has thought about “all kinds of things” in terms of what he’d do next, but none with any degree of certainty.
As his family has grown and matured, Roethlisberger has acknowledged “new priorities come into play,” in terms of how long he intends to play.
He and his wife Ashley are the parents of son Benjamin Todd Jr. (4), daughter Baylee Marie (3) and son Bodie (1).
“I want to be able to play catch with my kids when I’m older,” Roethlisberger said. “I want to be able to go to games. I want to be able to coach them at home and do fun things like that.”
He perceives the season ahead, Roethlisberger’s 14th with the Steelers, as ripe with possibilities on offense assuming running back Le’Veon Bell eventually signs and wide receiver Martavis Bryant is ultimately fully reinstated from suspension.
“Yes, because we have a great offensive line,” Roethlisberger said. “I know Le’Veon’s probably the best back in the game, Martavis does what he does, ‘A.B.” (wide receiver Antonio Brown) is who he is. But […]