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Thread: For Steelers backup QB Bruce Gradkowski, it's good to be home

  1. #1
    Legend

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    For Steelers backup QB Bruce Gradkowski, it's good to be home

    For Steelers backup quarterback Gradkowski, it's good to be home

    August 15, 2013
    by Ed Bouchette



    The boomerang that was Bruce Gradkowski's under-30 NFL career reads like a US Airways flight schedule since it pulled its hub out of Pittsburgh:

    Tampa to St. Louis to Cleveland to Oakland to Cincinnati. Finally, after five teams and seven years, his travels brought him back home at age 30.

    "I think my time in the NFL has been special," said Gradkowski, a Dormont native who played at Seton-LaSalle High School. "I got to see a bunch of cities, live in different places, meet a lot of people, learn a lot of offenses. That's special stuff there. But, of course, it would be nice to be somewhere for a long period of time."

    It would be nice to be the next Charlie Batch, who was a backup quarterback for his hometown Steelers the past 11 seasons. In that time, Batch was among the most popular players and had his own radio shows. The Steelers signed Gradkowski to take his place mainly because they wanted to get younger behind Ben Roethlisberger.

    "Everyone loves Charlie Batch," Gradkowski said. "I'm not trying to come in and take anyone's place or be anyone else. Even my mom and them say, 'We love Charlie.

    Charlie is a great guy, I asked him for advice in the past. He's a guy to lean on."

    Batch also is only a phone call and a few miles away should anything such as injuries happen to Steelers quarterbacks. Gradkowski knows about them, too, because he feels they kept him from establishing himself as a starter rather than an NFL nomad.

    He experienced two of those injuries after his best moment in the NFL. At Heinz Field Dec. 6, 2009, Gradkowski led the underdog Oakland Raiders to a huge upset of the reigning Super Bowl champs in front of many family and friends. He completed 20 of 33 passes for 308 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 121.8 passer rating. He led the Raiders on a 10-play, 88-yard drive in the final two minutes and tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Louis Murphy with nine seconds left for a 27-24 Oakland victory.

    "It was a great night, probably my best game I've played so far," Gradkowski said. "I had my family there for it. It was cool. That was the year I really felt I was coming into my own and understanding football more and more in the NFL. That was a special night."

    It was his third consecutive start in place of the ineffective JaMarcus Russell, and he was establishing something until it all ended the next game in Oakland against the Washington Redskins.

    "After we beat the Steelers, the next week I tore both of my MCLs, I was out the rest of the year," Gradkowski said.

    "That was tough. And the next year I separated my right shoulder."

    He signed with Cincinnati as a free agent in 2011 and played briefly in four games over two seasons before signing a three-year contract with the Steelers this year.

    That came a month after his younger brother, Gino, earned a Super Bowl ring as a backup rookie guard/center with the Baltimore Ravens. That should make those two Steelers-Ravens games a test of loyalties for the Gradkowski family (With Matt Birk's retirement, Gino is competing with former Steelers draft pick, A.Q. Shipley, a Moon native, to start at center for the Ravens).

    "Now, it's my turn," Bruce said. "He has a ring already."

    The Steelers, of course, hope Gradkowski does not play much once the preseason ends, unless he is mopping up for Roethlisberger in runaway victories. But Roethlisberger missed three games in 2012 with shoulder and rib injuries, missed one game and was hobbled in a few others by a sprained ankle in 2011 and has played just one full 16-game schedule.

    Gradkowski is the next quarterback up.

    "This league is all about perseverance," Gradkowski said. "You're going to have ups, you're going to have downs. It's how you persevere, handle it and push through it. I love this game, any way to be a part of it and help a team do it, I'll do that."

    [URL]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2c7RwzO4P[/URL]
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

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  2. #2
    Starter

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    glad to have him on board.. great attitude.. solid player..
    Black N' Gold Til' I'm Dead N' Cold...
    [url=http://img203.imageshack.us/i/32023126285034060670100.jpg/]http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/4...4060670100.jpg[/url]
    [url=http://img19.imageshack.us/i/steelertowngal.jpg/]http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/107...lertowngal.jpg[/url]
    We don't have any cheerleaders but we do have a few of these \m/...

  3. #3
    Legend

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    Gradkowski: 'They inspired me'

    Teresa Varley
    Steelers.com

    Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski credits his parents and a former teammate for being his mentors.

    When searching for guidance in his young life, Steelers quarterback Bruce Gradkowski never had to look far as he found it right in his home from his parents Bruce and Debbie Gradkowski.

    They were the ones who taught Gradkowski about always believing in himself, sharing their strong work ethic with him, and providing the perfect example by living the same values they instilled in him.

    “One thing my mom always taught me was no matter how big or tall you are, how fast or slow, it all depends on how much you want it,” said Gradkowski. “She always told me you can get it if you want it.”

    His father, who coached him all the way through high school, made sure that Gradkowski always gave his all, helping him to reach his potential.

    “He made sure to bring out the best in me and never settled for anything other than that,” recalled Gradkowski. “Watching my dad provide for our family and go through tough times, but always working hard and doing whatever it took. They set me up on a path with a great education. They took the time and effort to make sure I was in good schools, going to camps and growing as a football player and young kid. They inspired me.”

    Gradkowski is one of several Steelers who recently shared the story of who his mentor is with the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania (MPSWPA) in celebration of January being National Mentoring Month.

    “Their stories show that mentoring really does have an impact on everyone,” said Kristan Allen, director of marketing and communications for the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pa. “We know mentoring works. In fact, a recent report confirms that mentoring is linked to improved academic, social and economic prospects. Additionally, the report found that youth with mentors are more likely to report higher engagement in positive behaviors.”

    Gradkowski knows how lucky he was to have his parents there as his mentors every day, to guide him along a path that led to the NFL.

    “I am super blessed,” said Gradkowski. “I thank God every day for my family. I can’t be thankful enough for how many people impacted my life to get me where I am today.”

    His mentors didn’t stop with his parents though. He credits former Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammate and good friend Jeff Garcia, who began his career in the Canadian League before finally getting his shot in the NFL, with providing leadership and a positive outlook.

    “He kept persevering, never took no for an answer,” said Gradkowski. “He always worked hard, is a gritty competitor. I learned a lot from him. We are similar type players, not the biggest guys but have the fight and will to win inside of us. He really helped me grow as a person and knowing anything is possible if you work for it.

    “Mentoring never stops. You continue to grow and look forward to other people helping you along your path. I am thankful for all the people I have been able to be in contact with through this journey.”

    [URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article...f-9aa0ca04f2fa[/URL]
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

    Gloat gloat gloat


    Boom........

    Hahahahahahaha

  4. #4
    Benchwarmer

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    I live in Toledo and he has a few bars here and I talked to him a few times he is a great guy

  5. #5
    Legend

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    A special day got a lot brighter

    Posted 22 hours ago

    Teresa Varley Steelers.com

    QB Bruce Gradkowski never expected a father of a bride would wear his jersey at a wedding.




    Clyde Christy set a goal for himself months ago. To be able to walk his daughter Kaitlynn Shwallon down the aisle on her wedding day. And while serious health issues threatened it, he never gave up the dream.

    A few weeks ago, the dream became a reality. Christy walked her down the aisle with both the bride and dad wearing white. Dad’s, though, was just a little bit untraditional. He wore a white Bruce Gradkowski jersey.

    Christy is a patient of Pilgrimage Hospice, which is owned by Gradkowski, and had the opportunity to meet the Steelers’ quarterback several weeks before the wedding and form a bond. Since his health didn’t allow him to be fitted for a tuxedo, he told Gradkowski he was going to wear a Steelers jersey, and he wanted it to be his because of the connection.

    “He is a huge Steelers fan,” said Gradkowski, who provided him with the jersey. “I was thinking all of the great Steelers players and him wanting to wear mine, I felt honored and blessed. That put everything in perspective. To be able to be there for someone in this time of their life and be a positive influence. This was special.”

    Even up until the day of the wedding Shwallon wasn’t certain her dad would be able to do it, and had her brother on standby. But when she arrived at the wedding venue in a horse drawn carriage, and he was waiting for her, tears flowed.

    “I lost it,” said Kaitlynn. “He had so much determination to do it. The whole way down the aisle I was bawling.

    “Since he is a big Steelers fan we decided he was going to wear a Steelers jersey. I just didn’t know which one. Bruce has been awesome. He was done so much. When Bruce comes to visit dad he gets so excited. It means a lot to him. For Bruce to be able to give that to our dad means so much to us.”



    [URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/A-special-day-got-a-lot-brighter/d3d1e484-fa48-4d16-9dc3-c15a1817ff6c[/URL]
    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.

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