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Thread: Ward: Don't worry about me

  1. #1
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    Ward: Don't worry about me

    Ward: Don't worry about me

    By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
    Sunday, May 2, 2010
    [url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_679142.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 79142.html[/url]

    A strained hamstring limited Hines Ward to the role of de facto coach Saturday at Steelers minicamp, but he said the injury is not a cause for concern -- especially with the regular season more than five months away.

    "I'm trying to go into the season healthy," said Ward, who hurt his hamstring Friday after slipping during the morning practice session. "Trust me: Byron (Leftwich) or whoever's our starting quarterback, I'm going to get plenty of (work) with that guy."

    The quarterback order yesterday didn't change from the day before; Leftwich ran the first-team offense, followed by Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch. One of them will start at least the first four games this season because of Ben Roethlisberger's suspension.

    "I've caught balls from all of them, so I'm not going to go out there and stress myself during minicamp," Ward said.

    Ward spent the past two days giving pointers to younger receivers, and they were no doubt eager to listen to him. Ward is going into his 13th season, and at 34 he is three years older than new receivers coach Scottie Montgomery.

    Of that dynamic, Ward said, "I want him to evaluate me and still push me, because you get to a point where some guys think they know it all. But I'm never one of those guys."

    Going back to Cali?

    After today, the Steelers may not see a whole lot of Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu -- at least until training camp in late July.

    The Steelers will hold their final mandatory minicamp practice this morning. The 12 sessions that follow minicamp are voluntary, and in recent offseasons Polamalu has trained in Southern California instead of attending.

    Asked whether he will participate, Polamalu said, "It all depends on what Coach says, requires of me."

    Under the collective bargaining agreement, coaches cannot demand a player attend voluntary sessions.

    Harrison returns

    Pro Bowl outside linebacker James Harrison returned to the South Side facility yesterday and took part in the afternoon practice.

    Harrison missed the first three practices of minicamp after the death of his uncle. Coach Mike Tomlin granted him excused absences for the time he missed.

    Private bidder

    Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden apparently likes to do -- or, rather, keep -- his bidding behind closed doors.

    When the Steelers reacquired McFadden last month in a trade with the Cardinals, "B Mac" had to go through second-year cornerback Keenan Lewis to get his No. 20 back. Lewis has since switched to No. 23, though McFadden wouldn't reveal what the number cost him.

    "I won't answer that question," McFadden said with a smile. "We had a mutual agreement, a couple of conversations in phone and in person."

    Molon labe

    People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. George Orwell

    ?We're not going to apologize for winning.?
    Mike Tomlin

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  2. #2
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    Re: Ward: Don't worry about me

    Deja Vu all over again!

  3. #3
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    Re: Ward: Don't worry about me

    Hines is a warrior but the reality is he will not physically be able to play 16 games this season. He has had hamstring isssues not that have been lingering for the past 9 months. They aren't going to get better.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

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    Re: Ward: Don't worry about me

    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo
    Hines is a warrior but the reality is he will not physically be able to play 16 games this season. He has had hamstring isssues not that have been lingering for the past 9 months. They aren't going to get better.
    I fear you are correct. That makes the loss of Holmes sting a bit more. ARE and Battle are fine if you need a #3 or 4 WR, but not much more.

  5. #5
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    Re: Ward: Don't worry about me

    Out of 192 regular season games in the past 12 NFL seasons, Hines Ward has played in 186 of them. Twelve years in the league, a total of six games missed. The hamstrings may be a lingering issue for him, but I think Hines is a warrior who will be willing to play through something like that. He played all 16 games in each of the last 2 regular seasons, and the old man ended up with 176 catches for 2210 yards and 13 TD's. I'll never bet against Hines Ward.

    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  6. #6
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    Re: Ward: Don't worry about me

    i have been amazed at some of the games hines has suited up for and played in after sustaining significant injuries. this is the reason i have no problem with hines questioning any players level of toughness. RB is right dont ever bet against hines. he is all heart

  7. #7
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    Re: Ward: Don't worry about me

    Quote Originally Posted by frankthetank1
    i have been amazed at some of the games hines has suited up for and played in after sustaining significant injuries. this is the reason i have no problem with hines questioning any players level of toughness. RB is right dont ever bet against hines. he is all heart
    I agree frank. Nobody can question Hines' toughness. And for those that think he cannot play on a gimpy hammy, rewatch the 2008 playoffs and Superbowl. His hamstring was shredded and he was still respectable in catching the ball. He is a possession receiver, so no one is expecting him to out-sprint the secondary for a touchdown. He can play, bad hammy and all.

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