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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.
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.
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