Wednesday: Ben on WDVE Morning Show
Ben was a call-in guest on the WDVE Morning Show today at 9:15 A.M.
Some highlights from his interview:
On Hines’ decision to retire as a Steeler –
“I’m actually kind of shocked and surprised, but glad. When he came out and said he had years left, I believed him! He’s a competitor, he can ‘go’. I thought he was going to go somewhere else, that would have been really tough to see. But for him to end it this way, as a Steeler – it’s very fitting because that’s what he is, he IS a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
On the effect Steeler Nation has on the players –
“You’ve heard me from day one say that I want to be a Steeler for life. Hines was so lucky to be a Steeler for life. So few players nowadays get to stay with one team their whole career, if it’s a long career. As I’ve said many times, we have the best fans in all of sports – that’s every single sport, not just the best fans in football, that’s a given – but in all sports. We go out and play for the fans. Hines said it the best, we play for the fans.”
On the expectation as a Steeler to win Super Bowls –
“From knowing guys around the league and hearing them say, ‘Man, I just wish I could get to a Super Bowl’. Obviously everyone wants to win a super Bowl. So many people just want to get to one. We don’t want to just get to a Super Bowl, we want to win it. We feel disappointed…maybe we’re spoiled that way, but we’re not happy just to get there, we want to win it.
“If we don’t win it, it’s not, ‘Oh yay, we went to a Super Bowl. Congratulations.’ No! We’re [ticked], we can’t sleep. We thing about it, we have nightmares! We demand the best from each other and the fans demand it. We demand the best of our fans and that’s who we are.
“I think it starts at the top. We want to make Mr. Rooney and the Rooney family proud.”
To listen to Ben’s full interview which includes more talk of […]
Just one week left…
…to purchase your advance tickets for the Chantilly Show!
Ben is scheduled to appear at the Collector’s Showcase of America‘s Chantilly Sports Show from 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M., which will be held at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA on April 1, 2012. Advance ticket sales ends on Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
The three-day show (March 30th – April 1st) will feature autograph sessions with Ben and teammates Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, Ryan Clark, Cameron Heyward, and Lawrence Timmons (all on Sunday, check times for their appearances).
Other Steelers greats include Jerome Bettis (Saturday), Hines Ward (Sunday), Rocky Bleier (Sunday), Franco Harris (Sunday) and NFL HOF’er Joe Greene (Sunday).
Also signing autographs: NFL HOF’er Joe Schmidt (both on Saturday); seven-time Pro Bowler Jason Witten (Saturday); Miles Austin (Saturday); Matthew Stafford (Sunday); Sam Bradford (Sunday); Robert Griffin III (Saturday); NBA Top 50 players Bob Cousy (Saturday) & Dolph Schayes (Saturday); and MLB Rookies of the Year Wally Moon (Sunday) & Albie Pearson (Sunday).
If you want to wait until the day of the show, tickets will be available for purchase throughout the weekend: March 30th -April 1st.
CSA suggests that you purchase your unsigned merchandise (for autographing) prior to the show to save money. You can do so through their website or over the phone. More info here.
Before and after getting your item(s) signed, you can wander through the Show’s many sports dealers booths.
Please check out their website to read about pricing for autograph tickets and to purchase yours online!
The Dulles Expo Center is located in Fairfax County, VA. For a map and directions, click here. For a list of hotels in the area, click here.
Ben’s appearance courtesy of the Sports Emporium, Gamebreaker Sports, and The Jersey Source.
“Big Ben Foundation” helps Penn Hills police purchase a new K-9
From Patrick Varine, at Your PennHills.com this afternoon:
This year, Penn Hills police will benefit from a grant that will help fund an additional police dog for the department.
Chief Howard Burton said this is the second time his department has benefited from the foundation’s generosity.
“A couple years ago, we got a grant from them for a dog, Riggs, who is a Dutch Shepherd, about 4 years old,” Burton said.
Riggs has been with the department a little more than two years, and came on board as the result of a June 2008 grant from Roethlisberger’s foundation. He is partnered with Officer Ryan Walters (pictured above with Riggs).
“When you get a dog like this, you get the dog and you also have a handler, and you have to pay to train both. The cost is about $14,000 for all of that,” Burton said.
You can read the rest here.
Also Today:
Fan Rick Kennedy of Lima, Ohio sent in a photo of his ‘Steelers Man Cave’ in progress.
“I would like to think I’m Ben’s biggest fan,” said Rick.
One only has to look at the overall theme of his bar to know he is certainly on the right track!
You can check out his photo here.
Golfing in Nashville this week…
Me and Toby Mac playing golf in Nashville, at Toby’s course. — Ben
You can see all of the photos in Ben’s album here.
You can keep up with Toby Mac (and listen to selections from his new album, “Tonight”) on his official website.
Also Today:
Check out this photo of Shelby Morris, who was Ben’s Birthday Contest winner earlier this month, posing with her prize.
Shelby insists she is Ben’s BIGGEST fan in Maryland!
Monday News & Notes…
From ESPN‘s John Clayton this afternoon:
The Pittsburgh Steelers extended one-year offers to six of their seven restricted free agents, including receiver Mike Wallace.
Wallace made the Pro Bowl after leading the Steelers with 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. He’s one of the NFL’s top deep threats with an average of 18.7 yards per reception during his three-year career.
Wallace said repeatedly throughout the season and in recent weeks through his Twitter account that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh, where he has developed a solid rapport with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and is the leader of a talented young group that includes Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders.
You can read more from Mr. Clayton’s column here.
Also Today:
— Coach Tomlin talks Kirby Wilson, Todd Haley, and the 2012 offense.
— ESPN AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley gives his opinion on the Steelers needs for 2012. Do you agree?
— The Steelers Footballers Basketball Team has several up-coming games scheduled this month: one is this Thursday, March 15th at the Poland Seminary High School (OH).
Other games include March 16th at the New Bethel Park High School (PA)! Pregame festivities start at 6 p.m. Cost: $7 in advance, $9 at the door. Tickets are on sale at Evey True Valley Hardware in Bethel Park, Eat’n Park on Route 88 and the police records room at 5100 W. Library Avenue. Proceeds fund the Sgt. Charles Bonczek/Bethel Park Police Association college scholarships.
The team will play on March 22nd in Washington, PA and will play against the Washington School District Faculty. Tickets are $7. You can get more info here.
They will also play three games at West York High School against the Middle school Faculty (March 23rd) at 7:30 P.M., the Elementary School Faculty (March 24th) at 1:00 P.M., and the High School Faculty (March 24th) at 7:30 P.M. You can get ticket information here.
Note: The names of the Steelers players attending/participating are not announced until game day.
You can see more game photos from Jack Megaw here.
— If you are […]
The “Pink Bow Challenge”
…at the recent Archery Trade Association Show (ATA) in Columbus, Ohio!
On the last day of the show, Ben stopped by the Bowtech booth to check out all the new archery products. While he was there, he couldn’t resist challenging friends Nick Sampson and Lonnie Price to a “shoot off”.
The Challenge: who could shoot the most flying targets with Bowtech’s hot pink bow that was on display in the booth!
Who won?
“As much as it hurts to say it – Ben beat us both,” says Nick. “He only missed one target in the whole round!”
Is anyone really surprised?
You can see more photos here.