Just added: new photos from training camp!

Fans Sarah Swenson, Billie Jo Yakubik and Renee Stredney attended camp this weekend and took quite a few photos of #7 to share with the rest of Steeler Nation!


You can view them all here (pages 1 – 4).


*Thank you so much to all three ladies!



If you would like to share your photos from training camp, please email me (BigBen7website@gmail.com)!



Also Today:

“NFL’s Top-Three Headed Monsters”

From Vinnie Lyer, the Sporting News:

Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace, Steelers. Although Big Ben is well established as a top NFL quarterback, Mendenhall and Wallace have only recently broken out as 1,000-yard performers, and along with it, have given Roethlisberger and the entire offense a renewed energy.


You can read more here.

“It’s kind of refreshing to come into camp to just, you know, focus on football and focus on what I want to do in this ‘second half’ of my career, if you will. It’s kind of a fun time right now.” — Ben, from the interview.

From an interview with Ed Bouchette in today’s edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

There is no news, and that is significant. The Steelers quarterback has been a hot newsroom topic for too many of his previous seven training camps in Latrobe, and it is a relief to him, his teammates and management that the storms have subsided, that every major news organization in America has not descended onto the tiny college campus to focus on Roethlisberger for a change.

He has noticed.

“I know, it’s been nice,” Roethlisberger said during an interview with the Post-Gazette in a Saint Vincent dorm. “Walking off the field, normally they’re swarming me — and they’ve been swarming other people. It’s been very refreshing.”

He is 29 years old, married for two weeks and entering his eighth NFL season with the luxury of hearing more football questions these days than in previous training camps.

Roethlisberger has formed a bond with his linemen; many were in his wedding party. He sounded no alarms about a unit that, despite its critics, has played in two Super Bowls in the past three years.

“I think our line is as deep as it’s ever been,” Roethlisberger said. “We have guys who can bounce around to different spots. I just hope the guys can stay healthy because I don’t know when I had the same five guys to start and end the year.”


You can read the full interview/article here.

Ben, Heath Miller and Brett Keisel pose in the Steelers locker room today just before they suited up for their roles as the Gotham Rogues in the movie, “The Dark Knight Rises”.



The home team Rogues, coached by Bill Cowher, will take on the Rapid City Monuments at Heinz Field, which has also been transformed for it’s role in the movie!


For a larger version of the photo, click here.



And:

From Michael A. Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this afternoon:

Steeler Nation went Rogue this morning, as extras cheering for the new hometown team, the Gotham Rogues, for a scene being filmed for “The Dark Knight Rises” at Heinz Field.

The Rogues are playing the Rapid City Monuments in a fictional game at the stadium.

Decked out in the Rogues’ colors of black and gold, thousands of fans cheered as some Steelers, including Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward, appeared, playing members of the Rogues. Bill Cowher returned, prowling the sidelines in his first coaching gig since leaving the Steelers after the 2006 season. Kevin Colbert, the Steelers director of football operations, is reuniting with Cowher as an assistant coach for the Gotham Rogues.


You can read more from Mr. Fuoco here.


For more movie news, check out Friday’s post below!

Ben was a guest on WDVE -102.5’s Morning Show today!





Also Today:

“Batman, meet Big Ben!”

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this afternoon:

Roethlisberger and about a dozen of his veteran teammates will take part in the filming of Dark Knight Rises playing — what else? — football players at a familiar venue for them, Heinz Field. The production, which has been filming in Pittsburgh, moves Saturday morning to the Steelers home, where thousands of extras playing fans have been recruited. The Steelers will return to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for a real football practice under the direction of coach Mike Tomlin Saturday afternoon.

The Steelers quarterback has become close with Thomas Tull, the film’s executive producer who joined the Steelers ownership group two years ago.

“I’m kind of getting everybody together,” Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette today. “I heard it’s going to be a neat thing at the stadium. I don’t think it will be a big part, it’s not like we’re chasing Batman down or anything. It’s something neat that in 10 years or 20 years we can tell our kids we were in a movie. Thomas does movies big and I’m sure it will be a big-time movie and something fun to be part of.”

Among teammates expected to join him are Hines Ward, Willie Colon, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Wallace, Heath Miller, Aaron Smith, Ryan Clark, Troy Polamalu, James Farrior and Casey Hampton.


You can read more from Mr. Bouchette here.


From the Associated Press about their movie roles:

About a dozen Steelers are playing members of the Gotham Rogues, the home team taking on the equally fictitious Rapid City Monuments in a new Batman movie currently filming in Pittsburgh. Thousands of extras playing fans also have been recruited for Saturday’s shoot for “The Dark Knight Rises” at Heinz Field.


You can read more here.

You can see photos of the field transformation and costumes for the players here.

You can also read about Coach Cowher’s role in the movie here.



And:

Check out some great photos from fan Lexi Fanty of her trip to Steelers training camp yesterday right here.

“Steelers have a great opening to their 2011 training camp”

From Christina Rivers, independent contract journalist for the Examiner:

If you’ve never attended a Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent College, you’re missing out on one of the most exciting camps in team history.  The media frenzy on opening day was one thing, but the crowd of loyal fans standing along the sidelines, in the bleachers or across the lawn was impressive.  Moving-in day on Thursday saw players with items for their dormitory rooms, baggage and reporters nearly jumping at the chance for an interview.

The atmosphere, not unlike a family reunion, had many players greeting each other with hugs and handshakes.  Since Super Bowl XLV, most of the players haven’t seen each other except for those few who worked out together unofficially while the NFL lockout continued for nearly four months this year.

Christina also breaks down camp by player position:

If there is any doubt that Ben Roethlisberger isn’t a leader and won’t be the starting quarterback this season, they should be put to rest.  Even though Roethlisberger was recently married, he didn’t look like he was on a honeymoon on the field. His passing was clean and sharp for the most part, and during an early scrimmage he showed he can still scramble gaining over 20 yards and a first down. Batch is still a great leader and isn’t shy about helping out those in camp. Byron Leftwich showed why he will most-likely be Roethlisberger’s backup this season….


Check out Ms. Rivers’ full column on training camp here.



Quote of the Day:

“Unfortunately I got traded and myself and Ben parted ways, but we had a great deal of fun leading our team to the Super Bowl, just winning game after game, Monday night games, Sunday night games, Thursday night games, no matter where we played at, we were always ready to play for each other.” — Santonio Holmes, from an ESPN Radio New York interview about working with Ben.

According to Ben’s agent, Mr. Ryan Toller this afternoon, Ben has agreed to restructure his contract to help the Steelers get under the salary cap.

The Steelers organization has not yet confirmed the deal.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote earlier today that, “the team is attempting to restructure the contracts of five players to get under the $120 million salary cap by Thursday. If they do so, the team may not have to release any more players.”



This weekend:

ESPN‘s Monday Night Football commentators Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski will host “Year of the Quarterback SportsCenter Special: The Total Quarterback Rating” on Friday, August 5th at 8:00 PM.

The one-hour program will formally unveil ESPN’s new quarterback rating system. The program will also include insight from current NFL quarterbacks Matt Cassel, Joe Flacco, Matt Hasselbeck, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Tim Tebow and Michael Vick.


You can read more here.