“Wonderful evening with Ben Roethlisberger and Coach Holtz celebrating the values, work ethic, and hope of the Ohio Valley at the Lou Holtz Hall of Fame event.” — Amber Lattner

“Thank You for your speech last night at the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Football Hall Of Fame. I was taken with how much emphasis and credit you give being from a small town and not forgetting your roots. Being from Martins Ferry, Ohio and being in a rich in tradition small town also really moved me, thanks for your professionalism and caring thoughts. you truly are a class act Ben!!!” — Mike Mayle

From Paul Giannamore, at The Review:

Four men were inducted as the 2014 class of the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame during a banquet featuring a keynote address from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Monday evening at St. Florian Hall.

Holtz, the East Liverpool native and NCAA coaching legend, said he comes back to the area because it’s where he learned the values that have served him in life.

“We were poor, but I say I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth because I was born in the greatest country in the world, and there were people who taught me the value of choices. They taught me to take responsibility for my actions. We were very poor, but it’s not what you had. It’s who you had, ” Holtz said.

Holtz said anyone who achieves success had to make sacrifices and overcome adversity along the way.

For Roethlisberger, adversity included the loss of his mother in a car accident when he was 8 years old. He said it doesn’t matter if a person has everything or was born with nothing. Everyone faces adversity, and it always gets better.

“You have to find a way to use it to make you stronger,” Roethlisberger said. “I played as hard as I could to make her proud watching me from heaven.”

He said there are many ways to be a leader, but he has found leading from behind allows him to observe and help teammates.

“You can be the first out on the field and be that rah-rah guy. I am the last one out. I want to see the faces of my team so I can see what’s going on,” he […]

…to bring you the latest from the first day of Steelers mini-camp!


“7 thoughts on #7”

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is entering his 11th season, has been a regular at the team’s practice facility during the offseason, attending the voluntary workouts and OTAs and setting an example for the younger players.

Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner talked about his prize pupil during the team’s minicamp, singing his praises for the work he has put in and how he is looking.


1. On Ben and what he has shown this offseason:

“I’ve seen him a lot and that’s been great. I know with a new baby he is a little more of a home body now so I see him a lot more now. You see him in the building a lot more. He has made a big, conscious effort to be around at every function that we had, all the pre-OTAs, all the OTAs. It’s just great having him in the building.”


2. On if being around shows his leadership and the impact that has on the younger players:

“It does help with the youth, the younger guys on the team. But it also gets everyone excited when they see him in the building.”


3. On the fact that it’s not just the younger guys who benefit from his presence:

“He even pumps up the coaches, old, young, new. When he comes in the building there is an energy. Everyone feels it. We feel it when he is on the field. He has had a great spring, done a really nice job taking care of his body and training. He looks really healthy.”


4. On if there are any difference in his training:

“He tweaked a few things. I know it was nothing he hadn’t done before, maybe just a little more intensity.”


Read 5, 6 & 7 here!



“Haley hopes to build on 2013”

From Bob Labriola, Steelers.com:

Yes, he threw 17 touchdown passes and only six interceptions over the second half of last season. And he went four straight games without a turnover, and he completed 61.2 percent, and he posted a 92.1 passer rating. All of those things are what Ben Roethlisberger did on the final eight game days of 2013 for the […]

Scenes from a full day….well, maybe just a sneak peak!


Campers may have been exhausted after this year’s Two-A-Days camp experience (see bottom photo), but Camp parents and grandparents got their second wind this evening and shared some great photos and comments with us through email, Twitter and Facebook:



“Thank you! It was a great day. Long for a 10-year old (and a 43-yr old, lol) but he had an awesome time.” — Chris Bottisti


Joey @JFM_4
Great day working with Big Ben and co. in Pittsburgh. Long, long day but worth it. @_BigBen7 thanks for having us!


“Thanks Ben! My son had “the best day of his life!” We will definitely be back next year (all the way from Texas)!” — Ann Sivak Nogast



“Had a great time as well. My son said it was the best day ever!!!” — Beth Ann Witmer Kurtz


Rod Huber @hubienation
God bless @_BigBen7 great camp 500 kids!!


“Love Ben, thank u…. I took my Godson Jesse James Gudino this was his first camp & it was a great experience. Thanks for recognizing him & the gift for traveling from Los Angeles, CA out to here for the camp.” — Dulce Steelers



“Our grandson had an awesome first time and wants to attend next year. Very well planned! Thanks for giving your time to “play” with the kids!” — Sharon Nicholls


Rich Hoelke Jr ‏@HoelkeJr
@_BigBen7 2014 @ProCamps Ben Roethlisberger Camp! Year #3!


“Today’s camp was amazing!! Even though it was so hot all the kids did fantastic. My son has not stopped talking about the things he did and can’t wait to come back next year.” — Tricia Lindhurst Watson



Todd Pifer @tpifer
Champion of the Steeler division of big bens pro camp!! Thanks for the great time!! @_BigBen7 (photo above)


“It was a great camp! Thanks so much for taking the time to throw a pass to every kid. My son said it was the best day of his life!” — Joey Parks Mason


“Two of my grandsons attended again this year. They always have a good day. Thanks Ben!” — […]