Two foundation grants awarded this week….
Today, Ben announced the third and fourth grants of the 2016 season from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund.
The Foundation will be distributing grants to the Cape Coral Police Department and the Davie Police Department, all in the Miami area where the Steelers play the Dolphins this Sunday.
“Police K-9 are the pro-athletes of the dog world. Keeping our K-9 partners in top form requires daily training and agility equipment is one of the best tools we have to keep our K-9s fit, agile, and ready for anything. I’d like to thank the officers of our K-9 Unit, Officers Jason Matyas, Bob Reese, and Brian Aponte, without whose expertise we would not have even been able to apply for this grant. Thank you to The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for making this possible. This generous donation will help our K-9s continue to keep the citizens of Cape Coral, and the officers who protect them, safer every day.” — Det. Sergeant Dana Coston, Cape Coral Police Department Public Affairs Officer.
The Cape Coral Police Department will use their grant to build a new obedience obstacle course to assist with the training of its K-9 unit. The Davie Police Department will use their funds for the purchase of a new K-9 “bite suit” utilized in training.
“The Davie Police Department exists to serve and protect the citizens of both the Town of Davie and the Town of Southwest Ranches. We are grateful that people like Ben Roethlisberger and the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund, are there in support of the police.” — Sergeant Mark Leone, Davie Police Department.
During the 2016 NFL season, The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers. The Foundation will also distribute several grants to the Pittsburgh area. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.
This marks the 10th season that Ben’s foundation has distributed grants to K-9 units. His mission is to support K-9 units of police and fire departments throughout the United States, with a particular emphasis on support for service dogs in Pittsburgh, PA. Ben also […]
Wednesday: Ben’s “chat” with the media
From Teresa Varley at Steelers.com:
Having a deep threat, a guy with speed to get open downfield, is something Ben Roethlisberger has been fortunate to have in the offense over the years. In recent history it’s been players like Mike Wallace and Martavis Bryant.
Now it’s Sammie Coates who is his weapon, and Roethlisberger said it’s a combination of speed and playmaking ability that makes them effective.
“Being fast helps,” said Roethlisberger. “Throw it far and let them make the pay. There are some things we work on and we do it every day in practice. Most of it goes on them. I just throw it.”
Some of those passes Roethlisberger threw to Coates last week against the Jets ended up right on target, and while Coates made a few big grabs, including a 72-yard touchdown, he also dropped a few. That doesn’t mean for one second, though, that Roethlisberger has lost confidence in him as his go-to guy down field and he shared that with him on the sidelines during the game.
“This isn’t the first time I have said something to him,” said Roethlisberger. “What was encouraging this week is he almost sought me out to let me know to come back and believe in him. I said you don’t have to tell me that. I believe in you and I am going to come back to you. It was good to see that growth.
“You have seen that the last couple of weeks, the growth, improvement and short term memory. That is what you have to have in this sport, for good or bad, short term memory. Things are going to happen constantly. After every play you have to put it behind you and move on. I think he has continued to do that and will continue. I think if I can show him I have faith and belief and a short term memory in him, he will have it.”
More from Ben…
On if Coates is being used in the slot at times:
“We have before. You have to move guys around. Just like we move Antonio Brownaround, Le’Veon (Bell). Everybody’s got to be able to move around. If you keep somebody stagnant it’s easier to defend them.”
On if the plays downfield early […]
The Ben Roethlisberger Show
“I’ll take a championship over an MVP every time!” — Ben, when asked about never being selected for MVP.
Recap of Ben’s show, courtesy of 93.7 The Fan & CBS Pittsburgh:
Coming off another big performance, Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joined The Cook and Poni Show for the weekly #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show in which he talked about the offense continuing its hot streak.
Roethlisberger threw for 380 yards and four touchdowns including a 72-yard touchdown pass to Sammie Coates on their first offensive series, and a large part of his success had to do with the protection he has received from the offensive line.
“We went into the game with the mindset that we were going to get the ball out quick,” Ben said. “As the game went on and as the boys were doing better and better blocking, and when I say ‘better and better’ I mean more time – we were able to take some big drops, some play action, 7-step.”
Ben took us inside the film room as the team reviewed the tape from the victory and said they reached their goal each game, which is to score 30 points.
“Obviously goal number one is to win, we won the game, that’s a great thing. And we scored our 30 point goal, a great thing. But, we do watch the film and say, ‘Boy, coulda-woulda-shoulda’, you know, but you can’t live in the Monday morning film study. We learn from those things, but we move on and see where can we maybe not make those mistakes next time?”.
One of those areas they could have probably had more success was in the dropped pass department. The most guilty player in that department was also the teams most successful receiver on Sunday, Sammie Coates, and Ben talked about the way he played through some pain after receiving stitches in his one hand at half time.
“He won’t make excuses for himself, but to have stitches on his hand and said he couldn’t feel his finger, he still had a great game, and he knows he left a lot out there. He could have had a monster day. He still had a really good day, but could have had a monster day. It’s not easy to go do those things, but we’re not […]
Celebrating a Black & Ghoul Halloween?
Then share it with us!!
If you have a Big Ben (or one of his teammates or coaches) going out for Halloween, or attending a costume party this year, and you’d like to send us their photo(s), we’d love to post it in Ben’s Steelers Halloween Album.
As you can see, grown-up Trick or Treaters & furry Trick or Treaters are welcome to share their photos too!
And we’d love to see those HGTV Halloween decorators who are adding a little Black & Gold in with their scary-themed decor this year!
Just send your photo(s) via email to: bigben7website@gmail.com and we’ll post ’em here on Ben’s website and in his Halloween Album right after Halloween! (remember to give us your name, and the names of those in the photos!)
Game 5: Jets 13, Steelers 31
“I’m so used to Ben just responding like that because it’s just Ben to me now. I don’t look at it like, ‘Oh wow, that’s amazing,’ because I am just so used to seeing it but he is just a special player. I wouldn’t want to play with any other quarterback. He is a guy who is always composed in the pocket. I will watch him, even when I am running my routes, and sometimes when he doesn’t throw me the ball I am just watching him throw it to somebody else and he just never seems rattled. I don’t know how you get that, playing in the pocket, when you have got big guys, 300 pounds, trying to take your head off, but he is so composed and always keeps his cool, and you got to respect him for that, and I am glad I play with him.” — Le’Veon Bell.
From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:
These are the games championship-caliber teams usually win. Shrug off a few sluggish moments to put a bad team away.
And these are the games recent Pittsburgh Steelers teams might have randomly lost — just like two years ago, against this same New York Jets squad in MetLife Stadium.
At least through five games, the 2016 Steelers seem to have a resolve emblematic of the franchise’s history. Fresh off a 31-13 win against the Jets, that renewed attitude will only strengthen their case for a second AFC North title since 2011.
How the Steelers (4-1) responded late in the third quarter illustrates that point. After three flat drives, they came back with a nine-play, 80-yard affair that ended in a classic touchdown moment between Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger. From the 5-yard line, Brown runs a crossing route, sees traffic, then fades to an open spot in the middle of the field for Big Ben, who waits for his guy to find daylight.
Sunday wasn’t always a smooth ride. The Jets were desperate at 1-3. Their defense closed the door on deep plays after Sammie Coates’ dazzling 72-yard touchdown grab on the opening drive. Coates’ beautiful/painful experience continues with two touchdowns and three drops, including one in the end zone so head-scratching that coach Mike Tomlin calmed down his receiver from the sideline after the play.
With New York shutting […]
The 2016 Rock Steelers Style Fashion Show
Backstage….
And ON STAGE!!
You can see larger versions of these photos here.
You can see all the photos from last night here.
And check out these fun, candid shots from our favorite family doctor & photographer, Dr. Ronald Cypher:
