“He was always the very first guy I talked to when I came off the field. I’d ask him, ‘What did you see?’ I valued his opinion more than any other player or coach. And that’s no disrespect to anyone else. It’s just what I thought of Charlie. He never tried to impose himself on me. But he was always there when I needed him.” — Ben, from his interview yesterday with Mr. Cook.

From an interview with Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Ben Roethlisberger isn’t quite sure what to expect when the team gathers later this spring for offseason workouts. Batch was with him in the quarterbacks meeting room every day since Roethlisberger joined the Steelers as a No. 1 draft choice in 2004.

“It’s definitely not going to be the same,” Roethlisberger said. “Charlie and I always sat next to each other. I’m going to miss the laughs and the talks that we had. I owe so much to him.”

Roethlisberger was quick to interrupt his round of golf Sunday in Georgia and jump on the telephone to pay tribute to Batch, who became expendable when the Steelers selected Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones Saturday in the fourth round of the NFL draft. Veteran Bruce Gradkowski, who was signed as a free agent in March, will be the team’s other quarterback.

“I feel like I could go on for hours about Charlie,” Roethlisberger said. “He meant so much to me. I told him numerous times, ‘You made me what I am today.’ From on the field to off the field, as a quarterback and as a man. He truly is one of the best guys I’ve ever been around.”

“Don’t throw away the old bucket until you know whether the new one holds water, Swedish proverb.” — Charlie Batch via Twitter (@CharlieBatch16), April 28th.

One of the most poignant moments in an otherwise disappointing 8-8 season in 2012 was an injured Roethlisberger hugging Batch on the sideline Dec. 2 in Baltimore after Batch led the Steelers to an unlikely 23-20 win against the team that would go on to win Super Bowl XLVII. Both had tears in their eyes. You could see their bond. You could feel the emotion between them.

“He just thanked me for all my support and I thanked him for all […]

“I’m willing to do whatever the team asks of me, whether that’s play right away or sit. I want to talk to Tommy and Charlie a little bit about what’s going on. Whatever they’re willing to help me with, I’m going to take it all in.” — Ben, April 26, 2004.

From CBS Sports, “Roethlisberger: Manning, Rivers have nothing on me”:

Ben Roethlisberger arrived Monday in Pittsburgh as the No. 3 quarterback in the NFL draft and, for now, no better than No. 3 on the Steelers’ depth chart.

Roethlisberger, only the second quarterback drafted in the first round by Pittsburgh in 33 years, didn’t predict he would beat out incumbent Tommy Maddox or backup Charlie Batch immediately. He didn’t promise to have better rookie-year statistics than Mississippi’s Eli Manning or North Carolina State’s Philip Rivers, the two quarterbacks drafted ahead of him.

“Eli’s been getting a lot of hype leading up to this, but I said coming in it all boils down to this: it’s just football,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s what I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, just get on the field and start playing.”

Roethlisberger didn’t criticize Rivers or Manning, but said, “I think I bring a little more athleticism than both of them, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

“Everyone seems to think they have better systems, better teams they played on in college, were born into a football family,” said Roethlisberger, who played at Miami of Ohio. “Once I get the field, my will to win is much greater than both of them.”

Roethlisberger has already created more buzz in Pittsburgh than any Steelers quarterback draft pick since Terry Bradshaw in 1970. The Steelers haven’t yet started selling Roethlisberger’s No. 7 jersey, but no doubt they will quickly order up a batch to satisfy fan demand.

They might want to order a few in extra-extra large, too; obviously not accustomed to having 6-foot-4½, 240-pound quarterbacks, the Steelers badly underestimated Roethlisberger’s size and gave him a much-too-small uniform for Monday’s photo shoot.


You can read more here.

“If one of those backs would have slid, we were not going to hesitate to grab him. It’s just like the quarterback position. We felt good about that, but Roethlisberger slid and we got him, […]

April 24, 2004: A long day at the NFL Draft for the future Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback…

“I was in New York. I had my mom and dad with me, my sister was there and my agent. My college coach at the time and his wife were there. Everyone kind of had their speculations of ‘what number’ and what team. The teams we thought were going to take me didn’t, but it ended up working out perfectly for me.” — Ben, from the video, “Recalling Draft Day”.

Ben arrives at Madison Square Garden that Saturday morning with plenty of supporters in his corner – his family, his agents Leigh Steinberg and Ryan Tollner, and his college coach, Terry Hoeppner and his wife Jane.

At 11:20 a.m.: Ben and four others – Eli Manning, Roy Williams, Robert Gallery, and Kellen Winslow Jr. – are introduced to the crowd.

Green Room waiting –

• 12:25 p.m.: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that the San Diego Chargers have selected Eli Manning with the No. 1 pick. Eli emerges from stage right and is greeted by unwelcoming chants by the Chargers fans in attendance.

• 12:58 p.m.: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that the New York Giants have selected NC State quarterback Philip Rivers with the No. 4 pick. Soon thereafter the trade with the Chargers is announced – Eli Manning is headed to New York, Philip Rivers to San Diego. Both fan bases seem pleased with the outcome….as Ben waits for his turn.

• 1:57 p.m.: Pittsburgh is on the clock. “We see Ben Roethlisberger on the phone,” ESPN announces for the television audience. Sure enough, it’s Steelers coach Bill Cowher calling to tell Ben the Steelers are going to select him with the No. 11 pick.

• 2:00 p.m.: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that Ben is indeed headed for Pittsburgh. Ben arrives on stage and dons a Steelers ballcap and holds up a Steelers jersey.

• 2:01 p.m.: The Steelers fans in the crowd begin to chant, “Ben, Ben, Ben….”

• 2:02 p.m.: Just off stage, Ben does a press conference for television reporters and then disappears from the public room to do a few interviews with the Pittsburgh media.

• 2:43 p.m.: Ben emerges from the players’ […]

Just two weeks ago, we shared the story of Linda Harper in a “Shout Out” at the end of the April Fan Photos post.

Linda is fighting breast cancer and informed us that she would wear the jerseys of her three favorite Steelers players during her chemo treatments, because she was sure that this particular trio would help her kick cancer’s butt:

“Big Ben has overcome so many obstacles in his personal and professional life…what an inspiration”, she said in her email. “I will take my next round in my Brett Keisel #99 jersey…big dude…will help me kick cancer’s a**…and the third treatment will be in my Troy #43 jersey…we all need someone to pray for us and I know if he knew me he would say a prayer for me….then I will start the rounds all over again with Big Ben #7!”

Now that’s not the end of this particular “Shout Out”!

Fellow Steelers fan and long-time follower to the website, Steve Bishop, read her story and asked for a favor – an address where he could send something to Linda, something that was very special to him that he hoped might put a smile on her face.

Linda’s husband Lane was happy to oblige Steve with an address, and just this week we received an email from him about that gift:

“I wanted to share with you what one of Ben’s fans from Bridgeport, NY sent to Linda after reading her story on his website.

The power of Steeler Nation is awesome.

She had her second treatment today and we are happy to report that her tumor has shrunk by twenty percent since the first treatment two weeks ago.”

Lane Harper snapped a photo of Linda’s new prized possession – an autographed Jack Lambert photo in a frame with a letter she will always keep:

“I read your post on Ben’s site. And I thought what tougher Steeler has there been than Jack Lambert? So I thought how great would it be to have this autographed picture of the toughest S.O.B. Steeler Nation has ever seen to help kick cancer’s a**! I hope in some small way that this, along with the prayers of my family, will somehow make just one minute of of […]

Grab your clubs and three golfing buddies and meet Ben, his friends and teammates on the golf course at the Sewickley Heights Golf Club on June 3rd for the Second Annual Ben Roethlisberger Foundation Invitational!

The tournament will benefit both the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.

Since 2007, the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has made 107 grants totaling more than $950,000 to 102 police and fire departments and five community youth organizations, including Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Make A Wish Foundation. These 102 canine grants have funded the purchase of 66 dogs, the training of 28 dogs and 50 handlers, safety equipment for more than 50 dogs, and training equipment for 31 dogs, as well as food, vet services and housing for countless more.

“The Montgomery County (MD) Sheriffs Office wanted to again thank Ben Roethlisberger and BigBen7.com for the support you have shown our office in the past. Last year we were able to purchase ballistic vests for all of our K9s because of your support.” – Deputy Sheriff James Johnson, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

A total of 112 golfers participated in last year’s tournament with 27 companies and corporations sponsoring the event, including Apollo Jets, Patriot Homes Corporation, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PNC, #1 Cochran, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The golfers and their host had a great time with the pre-tournament competitions, which included the Chip Shot Challenge, a Super Bowl XLIII Challenge (throwing the football through the hands of a cardboard Santonio Holmes), Shuffleboard Golf, a “Big Shot” Challenge (driving your way through the AFC North), a $5,000 Putt Challenge, and a $1 million dollar Shootout (165 yard shot). During the tournament, golfers had the opportunity to try their hand at other competitions along the course, including Poker & Roulette Golf, a Men’s and Women’s Long Drive, the Straight Drive, a “Coffin Corner” on the 9th hole, and a TPC Sawgrass “Island Green” hole on the 17th.

Space is limited for the tournament, so make your golfing plans now!


You can sign up for the tournament (foursomes only – no single golfers), or learn more about it here.

You can see an album full of photos from last year’s Invitational here.


Is dining and dancing more your […]