A “look back” at #7 with Senator Cliff Hite
From Jason Jordan, USA Today’s High School Sports writer:
Before any athlete can become legendary they have to lay their foundation in the high school ranks.
Each week I’ll chat with a high-profile athlete’s former coach, mentor, family member, etc., and reminisce about their high school playing days; everything from the greatest moment to the wackiest story.
Today I caught up with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s high school coach at Findlay (Findlay, Ohio) Cliff Hite, now a senator in Ohio.
Jason Jordan: What’s your best memory of Ben on the field back in high school?
Cliff Hite: That’s easy, we were playing a school in week six and they scored with 33 seconds left in the game to go up four. We needed a touchdown. They kicked off and we ran it back to about the 30-yard line. We didn’t have any timeouts and he threw two bombs; one got us to their 30, the second one scored and there were 1.8 seconds left on the clock. That helped us get to the playoffs that year.
JJ: What’s your best memory of Ben off the field back then?
CH: Probably watching him in other sports.
JJ: Besides football, what was his best sport?
CH: He was the most incredible point guard that I’ve ever seen; oh my gosh! He was our all-time leading scorer in high school. If a small guy was guarding him he’d take it inside and if a bigger guy was on him he’d go right by him. Basketball was his favorite sport at the time, but in the fall of his senior year, after we got done with 7-on-7, he told me, “I think football might be my ticket outta here.” I said, “Ya think!”
JJ: Could he have played high major Division I hoops?
CH: I think so for sure. I know Miami asked him to, but the football coaches didn’t want him to.
JJ: What’s the craziest story you can remember from his recruitment?
CH: Probably that he got recruited by Duke and got shown around the campus by Grant Hill. When he came back he was all excited about these basketball guys that he met, but he went there on a football visit. I know he really considered Duke, but they were too far away.
JJ: What personality was he on your team?
CH: Oh when […]
It’s another Throwback Thursday
And we’re going to ROCK Steelers Style!
First, take a look back at these great photos of the Roethlisbergers on the Runway…
Then head over to Steelers.com for their “look back” featuring great photos from past Steelers Style Fashions Shows from the 1970’s to 2014!
It’s not too late to call and purchase tickets for tomorrow night’s show!
ROCK Steelers Style is chaired by Greta & Art Rooney II and Kiya & Mike Tomlin with cornerback William Gay and wide receiver Markus Wheaton serving as co-captains. The event includes dinner and a high-energy runway fashion show extravaganza prominently featuring your 2015 Pittsburgh Steelers and their families.
You can get more information here or call 412-802-8256.
*Thank you to Teresa Varley and Dr. Ronald Cypher for the great photos of the Roethlisbergers!
Ben: “One day at a time”
“Today is Wednesday. I am going to get some treatment, get a workout in, attack practice today and do some seven-on-seven stuff and we will take it one day at a time.”
The latest injury update from him and the Steelers:
Ben Roethlisberger didn’t say if he would be ready to play this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field.
But at the same time, he also didn’t say that he wouldn’t be ready.
“It’s coming. I have been working hard, I am going to get some stuff done now. I am just taking it one day at a time.”
Coach Mike Tomlin didn’t offer any type of injury update during his weekly press conference this week on Roethlisberger, saying he was focused on guys who ‘were on the brink’ of returning to action.
“I am going with the same approach he is,” said Roethlisberger. “It’s just one day at a time. It’s hard to speculate until we do something today. Once we do something today we will know more.”
You can tell Roethlisberger is itching to get back on the field after missing the last two games with a knee sprain. But as much as he wants to return to the action, he doesn’t want to do anything foolish and rush back to fast.
“Just being smart, knowing that once I’m able to protect myself, I’ll be able to get back out there,” said Roethlisberger. “I can walk around just fine and step and throw. It’s being able to avoid a pass rush, make subtle movements in the pocket and out of the pocket.”
Roethlisberger is one of the most competitive guys in the locker room, so for him to just stand and watch even for just a few weeks, hasn’t been easy.
“It’s been tough, because it’s hard to just watch when you want to be out there,” said Roethlisberger. “I’m just trying to be like the guys I had around me when I was playing. Charlie Batch, Byron Leftwich, Tommy Maddox, Bruce Gradkowski, just trying to be the best on-the-sideline guy I can be.
“If Mike Vick has a question, or if I see something, I’m going to talk to him. I don’t want to be overbearing. I don’t want to stand there and wait for him as he’s coming off the […]
The Ben Roethlisberger Show
Athough he didn’t get back from San Diego until 5:30 AM this morning, Ben was on time and ready for his show at 11:00 AM this morning on 98.7 The Fan.
Show recap courtesy of KDKA.com:
On the wildcat formation in the final seconds –
“I thought it was a great call. Obviously we’re all excited because it worked, even if it doesn’t, you can’t blame anybody. You give the ball to your workhorse and let him go to town. He’s truly something special and he gets better and better every week. It’s hard to believe and imagine, but it’s true.”
More on the wildcat formation –
“It’s not going to be a staple of our offense but I think it’s a good mix-up. It’s a good change, I think it’s a change of pace, there’s some different options…I’m not exactly sure how many times we ran it yesterday, but obviously we ran it at a very key time in a key moment that we felt we had to have it.”
On Mike Vick’s 72-yard touchdown pass to Markus Wheaton, and Vick’s assertion that the play was drawn up by Ben on the sideline –
“I just knew that Mike really likes, in all our conversations, to get out of the pocket. And so that’s kind of what happened on that play to Markus. We go over and Coach Haley, myself, Randy, Landry, we start talking about what plays can we get him moving and get him out of the pocket and give him an opportunity to turn it if it’s not there and we came up with that play.”
On the 18-seconds missing off the clock –
“I found out later and I think the coaches did too because usually, something like that is caught on the sidelines, word spreads pretty quick and someone makes a statement about it or tries to get someones attention. To my knowledge, I don’t think anybody even knew at the time…I think it just kind of caught all of us by surprise after the game when we heard about it.”
On Steelers fans taking over Qualcomm Stadium last night –
“It was unbelievable. It’s crazy when the home team gets booed at their place because there’s so many Steelers fans, it’s just a great atmosphere.”
On his rehab –
“I think […]
Jogging….just a little jogging!
Chris Adamski @C_AdamskiTrib
Ben Roethlisberger lightly jogs along the sideline; thousands of towel-waving fans cheer loudly!
From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:
Ben Roethlisberger jogged off the practice field Thursday, guard Ramon Foster confirmed, another sign that the Steelers quarterback is progressing well from a sprained left MCL and a bone bruise.
No, he’s not ready to play this week. He was observing practice in casual clothes.
Teammates even teased Roethlisberger about the job, saying “Don’t do that, 7,” Foster recalled.
Early reports called for a late-October or early-November return to action.
But Roethlisberger hasn’t had any setbacks since hurting the knee 11 days ago in St. Louis. And quarterback Michael Vick said it was “absolutely” good to see Roethlisberger tossing the ball around at practice.
Roethlisberger said this week on Pittsburgh 93.7 The Fan that team doctors are pleased with his rehab but he’s not setting a timetable for return. It’s truly week to week, he said.
In 11 quarters this season, Roethlisberger has thrown for 912 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 75.3 percent of his passes.
More from Mr. Fowler here.
And a bit of fun after the jog…
Kevin Seifert @SeifertESPN
Well done, Ben Roethlisberger. Having fun with reports he had a cell phone on sideline during Steelers’ last game.
From Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com once again:
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was in a joking mood Monday night inside Qualcomm Stadium, holding his play sheet to his ear as a nod to reports he had a cell phone on the sideline last week against Baltimore.
The NFL investigated the matter and determined Roethlisberger was holding his wristband play sheet, which is the size of a smartphone. NBC cameras showed footage of Roethlisberger glancing at the play sheet, then stuffing it back into his sweatshirt.
Alex Flanagan @Alex_Flanagan
Just interviewed Mike Vick who said Ben roethlisberger called the TD play.
“That touchdown pass was all Ben. He put the play together…without him we don’t win. He is like a coach, he drew that touchdown pass up on the sideline.” — Mike Vick during his post-game on-field interview.
Oh…did we mention the Steelers won 24-20 on the road against the Chargers on Monday Night Football?
You can read all about it right