Ben talks Burress…

“We have a great group of young guys who I think would welcome an opportunity to play alongside Plaxico as well as they welcome the challenge of running alongside Hines Ward.” — Ben.

From Ed Bouchette at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today:

Ben Roethlisberger laughed today over James Harrison’s comments in Men’s Journal that he was no Peyton Manning, but says it’s no laughing matter about trying to get receiver Plaxico Burress to rejoin the Steelers.

The quarterback said he has been lobbying Plaxico for the past two months to consider re-signing with the Steelers, who drafted him in the first round in 2000.

“I’ve been talking to him,” said Roethlisberer, who was a rookie during Burress’ final season with the Steelers in 2004. “Plax and I have been talking for the last couple of months. I talked to him the other day and said, ‘Would you be interested?’ I’m excited for him to come whenever he comes here.”


You can read more here.



Ben talks to the media…

“We were joking literally that day, talking about it because no one’s going to be harder on me than I am.” — Ben, on his discussion with James Harrison over magazine comments earlier this month.

After Friday morning’s walk-through, Ben took some time to talk with the media before lunch.


Check out the video of his interview here.

Photos are here.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund is still welcoming grant inquiries for support until August 1st for the 2011-12 season!


The Foundation will be distributing grants in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers during the 2011-12 season.

As the deadline approaches, the Foundation is still seeking grant requests from Police and Fire agencies in San Francisco, Indianapolis and Kansas City!!

If your city, county or town falls within the surrounding area of any of these three major cities and your local public safety agency needs assistance with the purchase of K-9’s, rescue or bomb dogs, their equipment or care, please give them this link so they can view the full grant requirements, eligibility and evaluation process to make their request!


For more information, please contact Jessica Duffaut at jduffaut@givingback.org.

From Jason Cato at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this evening:

Big Ben’s wedding is proving to be the event that keeps on giving. At least for the next few days.

Floral arrangements made from flowers used for the wedding and reception of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his bride, the former Ashley Harlan, were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, both in Lawrenceville, as well as the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh in Bloomfield and The Children’s Institute in Squirrel Hill.

“There were a lot of them,” said Rachel Check, owner of Hepatica, the Regent Square florist the Roethlisbergers hired. “That’s why so many people were able to enjoy them.”

Flowers used in the wedding and reception included roses, orchids and hydrangeas.

Hepatica regularly donates arrangements to hospitals and charities after events and weddings, but Check said leftovers from Saturday’s wedding provided more than usual. She declined to say how many arrangements were delivered this week.


For Mr. Cato’s column, click here (left-side, under Photo Gallery).

From Steeler Nation….


I just wanted to say congratulations to Ben and his bride Ashley. May you both have a long and happy life together and have lots of babies. God Bless you both. — Debi Mackey


Just wanted to say we saw the picture of Ben and Ashley on the website and wanted to tell them they make a very lovely couple. Best of wishes for a happy marriage. — The Rodriguez family


Ben and Ashley: A marriage can be a love affair…a friendship…a journey….a partnership. And the family it creates will be the best part of your lives. “This Day I Will Marry My Friend, Whom I laugh With, Cry With, Live For, Love”. I wish all of that and more for the two of you as you are beginning your life together. Best wishes, be happy! — Jan Banko, Nescopeck PA


Ben and Ashley, I wish you both the best throughout your lives together. I hope its full of happiness and joy. I couldn’t be any happier for the both of you. — Kayla Levers, Akron Ohio


Congratulations Ben and Ashley on your marriage. May God bless you and guide you through life’s road together, may the love that you two share grow deeper every day. — Love, Billie Jo and Greg Yakubik, Pittsburgh, PA

Ben and Ashley, CONGRATULATIONS to you on your marriage. I wish for you a lifetime of love and happiness. Your rehearsal dinner and wedding pictures are fantastic. Thanks for sharing them with the public. You make a beautiful couple, and your smiles are contagious! God bless you. — Karen, Wheeling, WV

Congratulations to Ben and Ashley on their marriage!! What a beautiful bride! Beautiful dress! Lovely couple! May our Father in Heaven bless your marriage and give you a long and happy life together! — Regards, Anita Doddroe, Canal Winchester, OH


Just wanted to wish Ben and Ashley the best of luck and happiness!! Go Steelers!! Can’t wait for the season!! — J.P. Grey, Duryea, PA


Ben and Ashley, “Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry.” ~ Tom Mullen. Here is to a wonderful life […]

From Dan Majors and Ryan Brown, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Ben Roethlisberger is no longer the single best quarterback in Pittsburgh.

On a hot but clear Saturday afternoon, Mr. Roethlisberger, 29, and New Castle native Ashley Harlan, 26, exchanged wedding vows before an Ohio Township church full of family and friends — as well as Steelers officials, coaches and players.

After the ceremony at Christ Church at Grove Farm, the bride and groom were whisked by limousine to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown, for a reception in The Spirit of America Ballroom.

More than 600 guests gathered for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the convention center’s Concourse B, overlooking the Allegheny River, then went into the ballroom for dinner and dancing. And, of course, to toast the newlyweds…


You can read more about the wedding here.

The wedding planner shares more fashion, music and reception details here.

More wedding coverage from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review here.

Photos from Ben & Ashley’s wedding here.

From Jason Cato at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review today:

Ben Roethlisberger and his bride-to-be made it known to guests they don’t need a Cuisinart food processor, a set of 700-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets or Mikasa place settings.

They’ll forgo the typical wedding gifts in favor of charitable contributions.

Steelers quarterback Roethlisberger, who has an eight-year, $102 million contract, today weds Ashley Harlan, a New Castle native who works as a physician’s assistant at UPMC Presbyterian in Oakland. The couple plans to distribute guests’ contributions to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

“I have quite a few things here at my house,” Roethlisberger recently told the Tribune-Review. “Rather than get a bunch of wedding gifts, I figured why not do something that’s kind of fun and unique, and she was absolutely all for it.”

“We are thrilled,” said Eleanor Reigel, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing and support for families of children undergoing medical treatment.

This is the first time the local organization has received donations from a charitable wedding, Reigel said. Roethlisberger helped the charity financially with a move from Shadyside to Lawrenceville and sometimes visits families or serves meals, she said.

The wedding money will help cover expenses for families, Reigel said. “We would never, ever turn away a family who needed to stay here. Ben and Ashley’s generosity will help us with that. … I hope it’s a trend.”


You can read more here.