Ron Cook: A few things we wish Ben Roethlisberger would say Tuesday

[hawaiiansteel]

Ron Cook: A few things we wish Ben Roethlisberger would say Tuesday

RON COOK
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
MAY 20, 2019

Ben Roethlisberger is expected to address Steelers fans through the media Tuesday after the first of the Steelers’ organized team activities. It will be his first public comments since he endured the most tumultuous personal offseason in franchise history.

Roethlisberger was criticized by former teammates, former opponents and just about every national media personality with a microphone or laptop.

For every Garth Brooks, who said, “I’m in love with Ben Roethlisberger … he’s my guy,” there were handfuls of Deion Sanders, who called Roethlisberger a bad teammate.

For every Kevin Colbert, who said of the offseason controversy surrounding his quarterback, “It never changed our minds who he was, what he could do, who he is,” there were handfuls of Emmanuel Sanders, who questioned Roethlisberger’s leadership. One accused him of fumbling intentionally to spite his offensive coordinator. Another went way out of bounds and unconscionably called him a racist.

Roethlisberger’s response could be priceless. But it won’t be.

I see Roethlisberger taking the high road. I’m guessing he briefly will respond to the fumbling accusation and the racist charge by saying: “It’s nonsense. Anybody who knows me knows that I’ll cut your heart out to beat you. Anybody who knows me knows I don’t care if a guy is white, black, yellow, green, purple or fuchsia as long as he helps the team win.”

But other than that?

There’s no way Roethlisberger will get into a hissing contest with a couple of snakes, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, who went after him hard.

“I loved those guys as teammates,” Roethlisberger probably will say. “I’m putting all that stuff behind me. It’s going to make me a better person. It’s going to make our team better. We’re closer than we’ve ever been.”

It will be nice if Roethlisberger’s veteran teammates — Maurkice Pouncey, Cam Heyward, Joe Haden, Ramon Foster, among others — stand behind him in a show of support for him and his new two-year, $68 million contract extension.

“I’ve said all along I only want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Roethlisberger will say one more time.

At least that’s what I expect him to say. Here’s what I wish he would say:

• On Brown’s claim that Roethlisberger has an “owner’s mentality, like he can call out anybody including coaches”:

“What A.B. won’t tell you is how many times I covered for him by not calling him out. Do you know how many times he ran the wrong routes? Or pouted when the ball wasn’t thrown his way enough? I constantly was trying to keep him happy. I’m glad he’s gone. Best of luck to Derek Carr in Oakland.”

• On Bell, who said Roethlisberger wants to win his way, freezes out teammates he’s not happy with and is tough to play with:

“We won two Super Bowls and played in a third before Le’Veon got here. We’ve won more games than any team but New England. We must be doing something right. And we would have won a lot more if Le’Veon wasn’t hurt so much or suspended twice for weed. Talk about a good teammate. By the way, ask Le’Veon how things are going for him so far with the Jets. Ask him if his new coach is kissing his behind the way Mike Tomlin did here.”

• On former teammate Hines Ward criticizing Roethlisberger for calling out teammates on his 93.7 The Fan radio show, saying “Keep my name out of your mouth” when talking to the media:

“This one tickles me. Didn’t Hines go on national television and call me out for not playing in a game in Baltimore when I had a concussion? I’m not perfect, but I’ve taken a beating over the years and played through just about everything. Hines can kiss my …”

• On former teammate Josh Harris accusing Roethlisberger of fumbling intentionally because he didn’t like the play call from Todd Haley:

“Josh Who? Tell me again why a nobody like him was playing? Oh, that’s right. Le’Veon was hurt again.”

• On former teammate Rashard Mendenhall calling Roethlisberger a racist:

“Consider the source. Mendenhall is the guy who supported Osama bin Laden. You think I care about his opinion?”

Now, that would be fun.

I don’t know how Roethlisberger will be able to control himself.

I know I couldn’t.


https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron-cook/2019/05/20/Ron-Cook-Steelers-Ben-Roethlisberger-Antonio-Brown-Le-Veon-Bell-NFL-OTAs-Heinz-Ward-Josh-Harris-Rashard-Mendenhall-offseason-comments/stories/201905200041?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_ PGSportsNow

[Oh wow]

This article smells like someone forgot they had a deadline and wrote it at 3AM.

[Northern_Blitz]

This article smells like someone forgot they had a deadline and wrote it at 3AM.

Most articles can probably be filed in this category.

[Oh wow]

Most articles can probably be filed in this category.

I guess. This one seems extremely lazy.

A montage of the offseason drama. It’s like those movies who ran out of dialogue and plot so they spend few minutes showing you all the highlights from the movie.

[Buzz]

Ben makes apology for criticism of AB's route-running


https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/Article/Ben-Roethlisberger-apologizes-to-Antonio-Brown-132181599/?utm_source=247Sports%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=190520_120952_Pittsburgh%20Steelers&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=90-99-08-DA-7C-14-0D-96-C1-BB-13-70-0D-FB-56-2D190520_120952PittsburghSteelers

[Eich]

Ben makes apology for criticism of AB's route-running


https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/Article/Ben-Roethlisberger-apologizes-to-Antonio-Brown-132181599/?utm_source=247Sports%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=190520_120952_Pittsburgh%20Steelers&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=90-99-08-DA-7C-14-0D-96-C1-BB-13-70-0D-FB-56-2D190520_120952PittsburghSteelers

Unnecessary IMO.

[Eich]

Ben Roethlisberger is expected to address Steelers fans through the media Tuesday after the first of the Steelers’ organized team activities. It will be his first public comments since he endured the most tumultuous personal offseason in franchise history.

The most tumultous person offseason in franchise history???? !!! I think NOT. Ben had himself in a FAR worse situation several years ago IMO.




Another went way out of bounds and unconscionably called him a racist.

Roethlisberger’s response could be priceless. But it won’t be.

I see Roethlisberger taking the high road. I’m guessing he briefly will respond to the fumbling accusation and the racist charge by saying: “It’s nonsense. Anybody who knows me knows that I’ll cut your heart out to beat you. Anybody who knows me knows I don’t care if a guy is white, black, yellow, green, purple or fuchsia as long as he helps the team win.”


Apparently you can add Ron Cook to the list of people who didn't get the ABSURD "point" that Mendenhall was trying to make.

[Oh wow]

Unnecessary IMO.

I think it’s a big of him to do admit it.

While folks think it’s ok to call out players for their mistakes I think it’s dead wrong for another player to do so... especially on air.

[hawaiiansteel]

Antonio Brown
Verified account
@AB84

Two face


https://twitter.com/AB84

[Buzz]

Antonio Brown
Verified account
@AB84

Two face


https://twitter.com/AB84

Everything AB says makes him look like an even bigger moron.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Antonio Brown
Verified account
@AB84

Two face


https://twitter.com/AB84

Sure, Ben's had a couple of different faces.

The pre-motorcycle crash face and post-motorcycle crash face look a bit different.

http://bigbennews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/draftday1.jpghttps://b.fssta.com/uploads/application/nfl/headshots/5626.vresize.350.425.medium.2.pnghttp://www.post-gazette.com/images4/20060614tm_beninjuries_450.jpg

But that's nothing compared to the Lego Head, the Ed Grimley, and the "Got Bleach?" faces that AB has sported.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ4BEgVRoz63vZuVMVambzVONBApy-sg8SIGkQFaXs84N9tYML4https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKUcvO4BDKLOXTS43to66vXfq9tFAjL 6JzJU6ZUGc_RIQixyMp

[AzStillers1989]

Will he finally say,” YEAH, I RAPED HER! AND I’D DO IT AGAIN. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

[fordfixer]

This article smells like someone forgot they had a deadline and wrote it at 3AM.
I did most of my homework at 3 AM. I’m guessing this isn’t normal?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ben Roethlisberger says he still views Antonio Brown as a good friend
By Mike Florio | May 20, 2019, 9:02 PM EDT

The full KDKA-TV interview of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, coincidentally (or not) timed to land one night before Roethsliberger is due to face reporters for the first time this offseason, has landed. Among other things, Roethlisberger contends that he still considers a former teammate who has criticized Roethlisberger mercilessly in recent months to be a friend.

Roethlisberger explained to Bob Pompeani of KDKA-TV that the quarterback has tried on multiple occasions to contact Antonio Brown.

“Haven’t heard back,” Roethlisberger said. “I’m sure he’s getting busy with his season, and getting ready as I am with the guys we have here. I really am looking forward to reconnecting with him, talking. Because like I said he’s a good friend of mine. I still call him a good friend. I hope that we can reconnect and I hope that our friendship can continue to grow.”

The friendship has done anything but grow in 2019; Brown has systematically obliterated it. And the tipping point apparently came when Roethlisberger called Brown out on a weekly radio show after Pittsburgh’s loss to the Broncos.

“It’s a fine line to walk sometimes of giving information out, giving kind of some cool things for the fans to be a part of, and maybe saying too much,” Roethlisberger said of his in-season appearances on 93.7 The Fan. “And I know that I took some heat and deservedly so for some of the comments that I’ve made on that show, especially towards him. And I genuinely feel bad about that and I’m sorry. Did I go too far after that Denver game? Probably.”

Roethlisberger arguably went a little too far in trying to explain away his past criticism of Brown, whom Roethlisberger said in late November should have “flattened” his route on a play that resulted in a game-deciding end-zone interception.

“I can see where that comment was perceived to be negative towards A.B. but it wasn’t meant that way,” Roethlisberger said. “It was more — just like everything during the season, it’s a compliment to A.B. because he’s doubled every single play. . . . . It’s still so amazing, is that he was able to do it through all the adversity of double- and triple-teams. And so it was more meant that I should have gone to JuJu [Smith-Schuster] because he was single covered.”

Roethlisberger also was asked about the personal impact of widespread criticism, provoked by his good friend, of the quarterback’s leadership skills.

“They were hurtful,” Roethlisberger said of the critical remarks, “and it was hurtful to myself. It was hurtful to my family. I always want to get better. I always strive to be the best that I can be. And last year we weren’t good enough. We lost six games, we didn’t make the playoffs. So I need to, as a leader of that football team, because leadership is ultimately about winning football games, and I didn’t a good enough job of being a leader because we didn’t make the playoffs.”

A little more leadership may be needed this year, from Roethlisberger and others. That “two face” tweet posted by Brown after excerpts from the Roethlisberger interview emerged on Monday afternoon was “liked” by Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds, who has since “un-liked” Brown’s tweet but also has “liked” tweets criticizing Edmunds for “liking” Brown’s tweet.

[Buzz]

Antonio Brown
Verified account
@AB84

A little more leadership may be needed this year, from Roethlisberger and others. That “two face” tweet posted by Brown after excerpts from the Roethlisberger interview emerged on Monday afternoon was “liked” by Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds, who has since “un-liked” Brown’s tweet but also has “liked” tweets criticizing Edmunds for “liking” Brown’s tweet.

That's more concerning to me than anything Brown says. Maybe Edmunds is the next "moron" the team will need to be "cleansed" of.

[Steel Maniac]

Not Edmonds! That was coach Tomlins secret long term weapon which was hand pick! Say it ain’t so!

[AzStillers1989]

This is all so stupid. Bunch of millionaire babies.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Not Edmonds! That was coach Tomlins secret long term weapon which was hand pick! Say it ain’t so!

Why is Terrell Edmunds always mentioned as some special selection that was "hand-picked" by Tomlin? Same is often said of Artie Burns as well.

However, why aren't guys like T.J. Watt, Juju Smith-Schuster, or James Conner ever considered to be Tomlin's "hand-picked" guys?

The head coach has the same degree of input in all of these selections, in conjunction with our GM Kevin Colbert.

[flippy]

Why is Terrell Edmunds always mentioned as some special selection that was "hand-picked" by Tomlin? Same is often said of Artie Burns as well.

However, why aren't guys like T.J. Watt, Juju Smith-Schuster, or James Conner ever considered to be Tomlin's "hand-picked" guys?

The head coach has the same degree of input in all of these selections, in conjunction with our GM Kevin Colbert.

You're overthinking this. It's like Colbert and Tomlin are mom and dad. When the kid's are bad, they're mom's kids. When we're proud of them their dad's.

[Buzz]

You're overthinking this. It's like Colbert and Tomlin are mom and dad. When the kid's are bad, they're mom's kids. When we're proud of them their dad's.

Wait a minute -- I thought they were Ben's kids???

[Eich]

I think it’s a big of him to do admit it.

It would have been big of him to do it a few weeks after he made the comments. It's been MANY months.

Apologizing now after AB went full out crazed lunatic serves no purpose IMO.

[flippy]

Wait a minute -- I thought they were Ben's kids???

Ben needs to start a new Make A Wish charity called Ben's kid's and then tweet AB asking for a donation.

[Buzz]

Why is Terrell Edmunds always mentioned as some special selection that was "hand-picked" by Tomlin? Same is often said of Artie Burns as well.



Personally, I don't care who picked him. When they took him, I was concerned that he was a reach (a round or two early). Now, he's exposing himself as a meathead who is doing exactly what we don't need -- stirring up drama. Hope he changes things up, because he's been a disappointment so far.

[Steel Maniac]

Personally, I don't care who picked him. When they took him, I was concerned that he was a reach (a round or two early). Now, he's exposing himself as a meathead who is doing exactly what we don't need -- stirring up drama. Hope he changes things up, because he's been a disappointment so far.

He WAS a reach; and when a guy is a reach, that means management looked at him with a microscope and determined he was something no one else did. Meaning, he was hand picked..not a consensus. That also means that that is YOUR special baby. So when/if he bust, then you went against common thought on that guy and you were flat out wrong.

That's what "special" selection means..all those things I just said.

[Steel Maniac]

So, If Ben man's up and said what he did was wrong, that's a bad thing? What if he choose not to address the issue at all? Then they'd rail against him about not "manning up". You see? You see how you can't win regardless? No matter what you do, they will spin it in a negative light.

Me personally, I'd have said nothing ever and let people say what they want to say about a situation that doesn't matter anymore.

[Eich]

So, If Ben man's up and said what he did was wrong, that's a bad thing? What if he choose not to address the issue at all? Then they'd rail against him about not "manning up". You see? You see how you can't win regardless? No matter what you do, they will spin it in a negative light.

Me personally, I'd have said nothing ever and let people say what they want to say about a situation that doesn't matter anymore.

If there was going to be an apology, I think Ben waited far too long. AB has shown he is the most childish, idiot diva on the planet. I don't see what good comes from apologizing NOW. Ben went this long saying nothing. I would have just kept it that way and let AB continue to make himself look stupid. It looks a little odd on the part of Ben for him to say he still considers Brown a good friend. How can you possibly think he's actually a good friend???? It sounds disingenuous to say that he considers him a good friend when Brown took a dump all over Ben on his way out of town.

[RuthlessBurgher]

He WAS a reach; and when a guy is a reach, that means management looked at him with a microscope and determined he was something no one else did. Meaning, he was hand picked..not a consensus. That also means that that is YOUR special baby. So when/if he bust, then you went against common thought on that guy and you were flat out wrong.

That's what "special" selection means..all those things I just said.

When people say immediately after the draft happens that a player is a "reach" or a "steal" that means that he was taken higher or lower than talking head draftniks like Mel Kiper had him projected to go.

But these "draft gurus" are outsiders and only have some of the available information. They can see college stats, they know how players did at the various athletic tests at the combine and pro days, and they can watch their college games. However, most of the time, they are watching television feeds of college games, or even worse, looking only at YouTube highlights. Plus draft analysts are ranking all of the players in a vacuum without regard to specific scheme fits and the like.

Meanwhile, team scouts have access to All-22 coaches tape, can talk to the players directly, plus their college coaches and the guys who work in the weight room, etc.to learn about a guy's work ethic, intelligence, love of the game, and such. They also have full access to medical reports that the public is not able to obtain.

So when someone is deemed to be a "reach" or a "steal" it's not that the NFL teams are misinformed and making bad picks. It's more likely that the rankings of the Kipers of the world are all messed up because of the limited information they get access to compared to professional NFL scouting departments.

Immediately deeming Terrell Edmunds a "reach" essentially means that you trust what a Mel Kiper type tells about who should be a top player more than you trust what Kevin Colbert is saying about what players he thinks would help his team win.

[Steel Maniac]

If there was going to be an apology, I think Ben waited far too long. AB has shown he is the most childish, idiot diva on the planet. I don't see what good comes from apologizing NOW. Ben went this long saying nothing. I would have just kept it that way and let AB continue to make himself look stupid. It looks a little odd on the part of Ben for him to say he still considers Brown a good friend. How can you possibly think he's actually a good friend???? It sounds disingenuous to say that he considers him a good friend when Brown took a dump all over Ben on his way out of town.

Oh, I'm in your camp. But since he did say it, it's a super bad thing? But him saying Brown is a good friend is stupid; Its as stupid as Rob Pelinka saying yesterday how much he likes and admires Magic Johnson. Hahahahahahaha

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ben Roethlisberger considering his radio show again

Posted by Darin Gantt on May 21, 2019, 7:44 AM EDT

Ben Roethlisberger isn’t going to do his weekly radio show anymore. Unless he is.

Despite suggestions in March that he was finished with what became appointment radio (Hey, when the quarterback is willing to toss teammates under the bus live, you listen), he has apparently had a change of heart.

During an interview with KDKA-TV, Roethlisberger said he’s still considering it.

“I haven’t made a final decision yet,” Roethlisberger said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We talk a lot about it with my family and my agents and the Steelers. I think people like it. That we can give some inside access. We’ll make a final decision moving forward. . . .

“If we do (the show), it’ll be the best we’ve ever done. If we don’t, there will probably be a reason, too.”

That reason might come from his bosses, as he has not always created a positive workplace environment with his comments. But it’s clear Roethlisberger likes having his own platform, and the ability to shape his message in a controlled environment.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/21/ben-roethlisberger-considering-his-radio-show-again/

[flippy]

When people say immediately after the draft happens that a player is a "reach" or a "steal" that means that he was taken higher or lower than talking head draftniks like Mel Kiper had him projected to go.

But these "draft gurus" are outsiders and only have some of the available information. They can see college stats, they know how players did at the various athletic tests at the combine and pro days, and they can watch their college games. However, most of the time, they are watching television feeds of college games, or even worse, looking only at YouTube highlights. Plus draft analysts are ranking all of the players in a vacuum without regard to specific scheme fits and the like.

Meanwhile, team scouts have access to All-22 coaches tape, can talk to the players directly, plus their college coaches and the guys who work in the weight room, etc.to learn about a guy's work ethic, intelligence, love of the game, and such. They also have full access to medical reports that the public is not able to obtain.

So when someone is deemed to be a "reach" or a "steal" it's not that the NFL teams are misinformed and making bad picks. It's more likely that the rankings of the Kipers of the world are all messed up because of the limited information they get access to compared to professional NFL scouting departments.

Immediately deeming Terrell Edmunds a "reach" essentially means that you trust what a Mel Kiper type tells about who should be a top player more than you trust what Kevin Colbert is saying about what players he thinks would help his team win.

I think a lot of teams listen to Mel Kiper. Heck, the Raiders made Mayock their GM.

There's no way everyone comes away in general rating so many guys in the same ball park. Scouting is so inexact, there's no way collectively so many teams come to the same conclusions. I think it's a big marketing like conspiracy where good agents go out and sell their clients and get them a lot of hype to get them up a draft board.

As soon as there's an article about anyone moving up the draft boards, that player seems to move up everyone's draft board collectively.

And maybe there's some general consensus on the top 10 or so because that becomes obvious in some situations because some talent is other worldly. Sort of a potential game changer. But then for me as a fan, sometimes I can't tell the difference between a 3rd rounder and a UDFA. And I don't think most people can without first hearing a suggestion that guy is a projected 3rd round pick vs guy b not being projected to being drafted.

[Oh wow]

Ben Roethlisberger considering his radio show again

Posted by Darin Gantt on May 21, 2019, 7:44 AM EDT

Ben Roethlisberger isn’t going to do his weekly radio show anymore. Unless he is.

Despite suggestions in March that he was finished with what became appointment radio (Hey, when the quarterback is willing to toss teammates under the bus live, you listen), he has apparently had a change of heart.

During an interview with KDKA-TV, Roethlisberger said he’s still considering it.

“I haven’t made a final decision yet,” Roethlisberger said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We talk a lot about it with my family and my agents and the Steelers. I think people like it. That we can give some inside access. We’ll make a final decision moving forward. . . .

“If we do (the show), it’ll be the best we’ve ever done. If we don’t, there will probably be a reason, too.”

That reason might come from his bosses, as he has not always created a positive workplace environment with his comments. But it’s clear Roethlisberger likes having his own platform, and the ability to shape his message in a controlled environment.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/21/ben-roethlisberger-considering-his-radio-show-again/

Here we go.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

Ben Roethlisberger on how he processed the messy divorce with Antonio Brown: He never gave me the chance to apologize.


https://primary-cdn-shortstop.espn.net/f7953768-9035-4369-9595-aba8aba152c4.png

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ben Roethlisberger plans to be around OTAs more this year

Posted by Josh Alper on May 21, 2019, 12:56 PM EDT

The Steelers kicked off their organized team activities on Tuesday and the day’s activities included a media session for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger did a television interview on Monday that addressed the fracturing of his relationship with Antonio Brown and other topics related to last season. He revisited some of those topics on Tuesday while also talking about his plans for the coming season.

Those plans include being at OTAs more often than he was last year in order to make the transition smoother for new members of the team. Being around more often could also address an area where the quarterback feels he fell short last season.

“When it comes to leadership, we didn’t make the playoffs last year,” Roethlisberger said, via Will Graves of the Associated Press. “We didn’t win our division. So I lacked in leadership because that’s my job as the leader of this team is to get us to the playoffs.”

As with all quarterbacks, wins and losses overshadow most other things for Roethlisberger. They offered no defense from this offseason’s drama, which makes it all the more important for him to find a way to land in a better spot in the standings this time around.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/21/ben-roethlisberger-plans-to-be-around-otas-more-this-year/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ben Roethlisberger said what he had to say to end the saga with Antonio Brown

Many fans were upset Ben Roethlisberger didn’t continue the war of words with Antonio Brown, but Roethlisberger said what he had to say to end the saga.

By Jeff Hartman
May 21, 2019, 1:35pm EDT

Well, I fell for it.

And I’m sure many of you reading this article fell for it too.

When KDKA news started to promote Bob Pompeani’s one-on-one interview with Ben Roethlisberger, I was excited to hear what the Pittsburgh Steelers’ franchise quarterback had to say after Antonio Brown, and a myriad of others, bashed his name, legacy and integrity this offseason.

The interview would be broken down into two parts. One at 6 p.m. ET, and one at 11 p.m. ET. I watched both, and was left with a, “What did I just watch?” feeling.

I fell for the bait, hook, line and sinker, and watched every second of the interview waiting for Roethlisberger to say something which resembled what the fan base felt as they witnessed their former All-Pro receiver talk his way out of town running over as many as he could before heading to the Oakland Raiders.

I wanted to see Roethlisberger talk about being angry, upset and frustrated.

I wanted to hear Roethlisberger’s side of the story.

I wanted Roethlisberger to say something other than, “I’m sorry.”

But that is the difference between myself and Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger saw the big picture, while I was staring directly in front of me. I wanted the immediate reaction, while Roethlisberger understood his actions would benefit the team more than bashing Brown would.

With Roethlisberger taking the high road, many have voiced how Roethlisberger missed a golden opportunity to clear his name. But what Roethlisberger did was attempt everything he could to finally put an end to this whole Antonio Brown saga. If Roethlisberger were to go on the air with Bob Pompeani and talk about how Brown was a horrible teammate, and give several different examples, then this feud would continue to fester and be a toxic poison for the Steelers moving forward.

He avoided all that by just saying he was sorry. He apologized to Brown for his comments made during his radio show, for anything which might have offended him and hopes the two of them could continue to be friends.

Needless to say, Brown took to social media with a tweet which just said two words:

Two Face.

And this just cements the reasoning behind Roethlisberger’s words/actions.

Rather than turn defensive, Roethlisberger stuck to his game plan and allowed Brown to say whatever he wants. As he was talking, the page was turning to the 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers season. And with Organized Team Activities (OTAs) starting Tuesday it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Was this prepared? You bet.

Was it planned? No doubt. But the timing of everything was impeccable.

Say what you want about Roethlisberger, his leadership and his most recent comments, but he has essentially closed the book on the Brown and Ben saga once and for all. I think I speak for all of us what I say, “About time!”

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/5/21/18634217/ben-roethlisberger-said-what-he-had-to-say-to-end-the-saga-with-antonio-brown-steelers-raiders-nfl

[RuthlessBurgher]

Tuesday, May 21, 2019 02:18 PM

Ben: 'It does start to hurt'


Teresa Varley

Steelers.com


It is what Coach Mike Tomlin affectionately refers to as ‘football in shorts.’ The first day of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. A day to celebrate football being back in a sense.


And while it’s not the intensity you will see at training camp when the pads come on, it’s not what you will see on game day, for Ben Roethlisberger and his teammates it was the first time they were on the field in football mode since the 2018 season ended without a playoff berth.


It was a fresh start, a chance to erase what was a trying offseason and move forward with the players currently in the locker room.


“It’s good to throw it around, be around a bunch of guys who love football,” said Roethlisberger. “It’s fun. All of the laughing and joking that is going on. You can throw balls all you want, but to have a defense out there. My first pass was intercepted by Joe (Haden). I told Joe I did it on purpose to get him ready for the year.


“We have come here a couple of times for just workouts and stuff, but this is the first football thing. To be able to come out here and put a helmet on, get under center and get snaps, throw to guys, go against the defense. It’s turning back to football again. It’s fun.”


Roethlisberger understands coming off a season without a playoff berth combined with some new faces in the receivers room, including third-round pick Diontae Johnson and unrestricted free agent Donte Moncrief, makes this year’s OTAs a bit more important than in the past and he plans on being there for all of it.


“I plan on it,” said Roethlisberger. “I think it’s important with young guys, with new guys, to make sure we are all on the same page and figuring out what we need to win games.


“Whether it’s young guys, rookies, guys we have brought from other teams. It’s a new kind of challenge. That is what makes it fun. You love the challenge, you love working with the guys, communicating. That will be the biggest thing, communication. Being able to talk to guys and tell them exactly what I am thinking and asking them. Today with Moncrief I asked him a couple of times did you feel good with your depth there. Just working some things out. It’s definitely going to take some big focus.


“I am excited. You see James (Washington) and the work he has done. Moncrief is doing some great things. You know what you are going to get in JuJu (Smith-Schuster). It’s fun. Some of the guys I was just kind of eyeballing, some of the new guys. You have to watch them. I don’t get to throw to them, but I get to watch them work.”


One person missing from that group is Antonio Brown, who was traded to the Oakland Raiders this offseason and also made comments that Roethlisberger admitted were hurtful.


“As professional athletes we always talk about thick skin,” said Roethlisberger. “Naturally we have to have it. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it bothered us at times. It does start to hurt. It affects your family. When it affects your family then it can definitely affect you. Things bother you. You think about it. But you also have to understand we live in an amazing country, people have opinions and people can say what they want. You just have to focus on the guys that are here and make sure they are good and everybody I have talked to is good with me.”


Roethlisberger said he tried to reach out to Brown ahead of the Steelers season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, a game Brown didn’t play in, but he never heard back from him.


“It was hard to process it because I didn’t know anything,” said Roethlisberger. “The last time we spoke was on Thursday before the last game. We hugged. We had a great talk. Everything was good. I knew nothing. So it was hard for me to know anything. I heard from a third party there were issues and I reached out to him many times. Sent him texts, called him. This was before the season was over. Never heard back. I could never find out what was going on.


“For me that is why it was so confusing. I didn’t know where it came from. The week before it was the Saints game. He had an unbelievable game. I never saw any of it coming. I would have loved to have had the chance to talk to him. That is why I said whatever I did to offend him I apologize for it. I tried to do it in person and he just wouldn’t allow me to.”


Roethlisberger did not comment on the Brown issue, or any of the criticism he received all offseason, instead taking the high road, a road that wasn’t always easily traveled.


“It’s always tough. It’s easier when you don’t do social media,” said Roethlisberger. “The biggest thing for me in the offseason is I thought he was coming back. No one knew what was going to happen. I anticipated we would have a chance to get back together and talk. Once he was gone that is not my style to come out and say anything. I just focused on the guys we have here, moving forward. That is what it most important to me.”


https://www.steelers.com/news/ben-it-does-start-to-hurt

[RuthlessBurgher]

Roethlisberger: 'I lacked in leadership' in 2018

3:29 PM ET

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger took accountability for the Steelers' 2018 season in four important words.

"I lacked in leadership," said Roethlisberger after the team's first organized team activities session Tuesday. "Because that's my job as the leader of this team, to get us to the playoffs. I'm gonna need to focus and refocus my energy and time on, how can I be a better leader to get us back to the playoffs?"

Addressing the local media at large for the first time this offseason, Roethlisberger discussed his future and the aftermath of the Antonio Brown trade, which placed a spotlight on the quarterback's leadership style. Brown and several other ex-teammates criticized Roethlisberger for publicly calling out teammates on his weekly radio show last season. Roethlisberger acknowledged in an interview with KDKA-TV Pittsburgh that he probably went too far in publicly criticizing Brown's route running after a Week 12 loss to Denver.

Roethlisberger, 37, said because leadership challenges change every year with new locker room personalities, he plans to get to know his teammates on and off the field.

"You just have to focus on the guys that are here and make sure they are good," Roethlisberger said. "Everyone I've talked to is good with me ... We've been attacked from all angles this year, this offseason. We just need to stick together and have each other's backs."

Guard Ramon Foster anticipates that Roethlisberger will only grow as a leader.

"If you have a relationship with him, you know how he is, what kind of person he is," Foster said. "If you ask something of him, he's going to be able to deliver."

While Roethlisberger hasn't decided whether to continue his radio show -- he doesn't plan to offend anyone if he stays on air, he said -- he noted that his recent three-year contract extension is a firm commitment. The new deal takes Roethlisberger to age 39.

"I've always honored my contracts and I'm going to continue to honor it," he said.

That is the future, but regarding the past, Roethlisberger was introspective when asked how he processed the messy divorce with Brown. Roethlisberger explained he never got the chance to apologize to Brown, who tweeted in February that the quarterback has an "owner mentality."

Said Roethlisberger about Brown's eventual departure: "It was hard to process it, because I never knew anything. Last time we spoke was on Thursday before the last game. We hugged. We had a great talk. Everything was good. I knew nothing. So, it was hard for me to know anything. Then I heard from a third party there were issues. I reached out to him many times, sent him texts, sent him calls -- this is all before the season was over. Never heard back. So I could never really find out what was going on. For me, that's why it was so confusing. I didn't know where it came from. The week before was the Saints game, right? Unbelievable game. I never really saw any of it coming. I would have loved to have had the chance to talk to him. That's why I said yesterday, whatever I did to offend him, I apologize for it. I tried to do that in person, talk to him. He wouldn't allow me to."

Roethlisberger thought the two would talk once Brown returned to the Steelers, but the team traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders in March.

They might not ever have that talk. Brown tweeted the words "Two face" on Monday, shortly after Roethlisberger's quotes from the KDKA interview surfaced online.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26795476/lacked-leadership-2018

[ikestops85]

I think a lot of teams listen to Mel Kiper. Heck, the Raiders made Mayock their GM.

There's no way everyone comes away in general rating so many guys in the same ball park. Scouting is so inexact, there's no way collectively so many teams come to the same conclusions. I think it's a big marketing like conspiracy where good agents go out and sell their clients and get them a lot of hype to get them up a draft board.

As soon as there's an article about anyone moving up the draft boards, that player seems to move up everyone's draft board collectively.

And maybe there's some general consensus on the top 10 or so because that becomes obvious in some situations because some talent is other worldly. Sort of a potential game changer. But then for me as a fan, sometimes I can't tell the difference between a 3rd rounder and a UDFA. And I don't think most people can without first hearing a suggestion that guy is a projected 3rd round pick vs guy b not being projected to being drafted.

I'm sorry Flippy but if there is a team in the National Football League that uses Mel Kiper's ranking of players as there own then the GM, Scouting Team, and Coaching Staff needs to be fired and the owner forced to sell their team. Now, having said that, it doesn't mean that Kiper is always wrong or the teams are always correct in their assessment. Like you said it is an inexact science so everybody's is different.

What I would like to know is what team's draft board have you seen to compare it to the so called media draft expert?

[flippy]

I'm sorry Flippy but if there is a team in the National Football League that uses Mel Kiper's ranking of players as there own then the GM, Scouting Team, and Coaching Staff needs to be fired and the owner forced to sell their team. Now, having said that, it doesn't mean that Kiper is always wrong or the teams are always correct in their assessment. Like you said it is an inexact science so everybody's is different.

What I would like to know is what team's draft board have you seen to compare it to the so called media draft expert?

I don't have a team's board to compare. My point is that teams generally select players around the time that Kiper and others predict. Sometimes a couple guys are off, but overall most guys land close to where guys like Kiper projects them to go. To me that seems a little suspicious.

Not saying team's don't do their own work/scouting, but I think they use pundits as a litmus test to validate how they rank guys.

Another way to look at it is to look at the grades different folks hand out. Most teams generally get high marks for the most part and few come out failures. And all the draft grades are is how did your picks match my board and how I rated guys. The fact that there's so much consensus in the media is mind boggling to me.

If team's did their due dilligence in isolation from the outside, I think we'd see a lot more teams making picks like Artie Burns. Any time I'm not surprised by a pick, I feel like something is a little fishy.

[Shawn]

Yeah whoever coached Ben into saying that nonsense needs fired. AB is a sensitive douche. And that's what Ben should have said.

[Oh wow]

Yeah whoever coached Ben into saying that nonsense needs fired. AB is a sensitive douche. And that's what Ben should have said.

Fired for being professional and making Ben look like the bigger man?

[flippy]

Yeah whoever coached Ben into saying that nonsense needs fired. AB is a sensitive douche. And that's what Ben should have said.

I'm sure it's a misunderstanding. Ben tried to call him, but AB was probably just busy calling God.

In all seriousness, I wish there was a way AB could temporarily donate his brain to science so they could check him for CTE. He's a relatively small guy that's taken some shots. Every time he speaks, I seriously wonder if he's all there mentally. And I mean no disrespect toward him. I'm just guessing something isn't right. After that shot he took from Burfict in the playoffs, I remember having a feeling AB would never be AB again. I hope I'm wrong.

[Steel Maniac]

Well, to me , it's really much ado about nothing at this point. Let's just enjoy the meltdown come week# 10 when ACB realizes that he's not approaching his normal numbers for the season and he's tearing Carr's ear off.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

When people say immediately after the draft happens that a player is a "reach" or a "steal" that means that he was taken higher or lower than talking head draftniks like Mel Kiper had him projected to go.

Think about a high first-round reach. What would that be? How about a guy who nobody seemd to have going in the top 15 going in the top 5. You almost never see a guy who everybody says is that far out going top 5.

It happened this year, and nobody is calling out the idiot GM who made such an outrageous reach. Why is that?

Because the pick of Clelin Ferrell was made by Oakland GM Mike Mayock, who up until last year was one of those talking heads.

Presumably, if Mayock was still on TV, he (and I'm sure that dozens of others would have followed) would have had Ferrell going fourth overall to the Raiders. Did Mayock reach? Was it an absolutely horrible pick?

That is why I will always defer to a team's FO on a draft pick over what the mocks say should happen. This is not a case of me being a Steeler homer, I feel that way about any team who drafts a player before some well coiffed guy on TV said they should.

**Note, the historic exception to this rule is the Cleveland Browns. I don't always know who they should take, but you can usually be sure that whoever they did take was wrong.

**Note #2. It seems that the previous exception no longer applies.

[Buzz]

Think about a high first-round reach. What would that be? How about a guy who nobody seemd to have going in the top 15 going in the top 5. You almost never see a guy who everybody says is that far out going top 5.

It happened this year, and nobody is calling out the idiot GM who made such an outrageous reach.
Not true. I've heard a number of people say that the Raiders reached with their first pick. And I would concur. IIRC, they could have had Josh Allen with that selection. Or, they could have traded back and picked up an extra pick and still drafted Ferrell. However you want to slice it, it sure looks like they could've done better.

[Eich]

In all seriousness, I wish there was a way AB could temporarily donate his brain to science so they could check him for CTE. He's a relatively small guy that's taken some shots. Every time he speaks, I seriously wonder if he's all there mentally. And I mean no disrespect toward him. I'm just guessing something isn't right. After that shot he took from Burfict in the playoffs, I remember having a feeling AB would never be AB again. I hope I'm wrong.

I hear you. But I'm not sure I've EVER heard him speak where I thought he was really all-there mentally.