Big ben turns down pro bowl
BB's shoulder injury will prevent him from going to the pro bowl. He was the first alternate for the AFC and was in line to make the trip when Tom Brady backed out. Not a huge story, but anything Steeler related is good.
about 2 years ago
theatrain
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Brady declined, they bring in Ben, Ben declines, they bring in Schaub.
Rivers declines, they bring in Young.
When Manning eventually declines, who’s next? At this rate Dennis Dixon could make his first pro bowl.
by BluegrassSteeler on Jan 21, 2010 10:10 AM EST reply actions
I read that Young got in..
How absurd is that? He played HALF a year! What about Palmer? Orton? Flacco? Even Garrard had a better QB rating than Young and he played more games.
Optimism. Positivity. Win.
by John Stephens on Jan 21, 2010 11:24 AM EST up reply actions
Even Sanchez
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
by PixburghArn on Jan 21, 2010 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
I was thinking that JaMarcus Russel was on the list but I quess not
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 21, 2010 2:31 PM EST up reply actions
They already filled the waterboy position
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
so thats why he didn't get the call
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 21, 2010 2:46 PM EST up reply actions
yep
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
Who said it was his shoulder injury
I was under the assumption that BB flat out declined not giving a reason.
As for a shoulder injury, I’m not sure anybody can prove if he actually has one or not.
by TheCommish on Jan 21, 2010 10:56 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I heard he broke some fingers
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
by PixburghArn on Jan 21, 2010 11:15 AM EST up reply actions
Shoulder injury
came from a text I got from steelers.com, go there and see if you can find anything on it
Steelers football is 60 mins.
by tannofsteel84 on Jan 21, 2010 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
In the paper this morning
it was said that the team doctors didn’t clear him, and said it needed to heal.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 21, 2010 5:18 PM EST up reply actions
Welllll
Nobody holds their arm the way he was at MIA without there being an injury, am I right? even if it was just a sprain. If it were a playoff game, he would be playing. But you have the rest of the coming months off, why not just let the body heal. Lord knows the guy took a beating during the season.
Just my nickle and a half.
7.5 cents how can you do that?
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
magic
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 21, 2010 2:46 PM EST up reply actions
or tin shears
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
that to
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 21, 2010 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
If the Vikings reach the Super Bowl
10 slots will open for the NFC pro bowl team.
"He had no teeth, and he was slobbering all over himself. I'm thinking, 'You can have your money back, just get me out of here. Let me go be an accountant." I can't tell you how badly I wanted out of there."
- Denver rookie QB John Elway, on Jack Lambert, after Lambert and the Steelers knocked Elway out of his first game as a pro (1983).
I hope they do
It will decimate the NFC and make Gooddell look dumb.
Optimism. Positivity. Win.
by John Stephens on Jan 21, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
And the AFC look......
never mind
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
by PixburghArn on Jan 21, 2010 11:30 AM EST up reply actions
I'd rather see a practice squad bowl
Those guys would be playing full steam, and there is a good chance 5-10 guys who never would have made the nfl due to bad luck/randomness suddenly have promising careers.
you could keep the pro bowl honor (and hawaii vacation when it returns there), but each player selected would choose one practice squad player as his replacement
by vherub on Jan 21, 2010 12:04 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Rams vs. Lions?
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
by PixburghArn on Jan 21, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
They have enough turda to make it real
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
turda=turds
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
I didn't know that you were Italian.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 21, 2010 5:19 PM EST up reply actions
My wife is....
Well at least part..
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
I like that Idea
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 21, 2010 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
I think I'd rather see that too.
That’s really not a bad idea at all. It will never happen… But I like the idea.
'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin
by NYSteelersFan4 on Jan 21, 2010 4:12 PM EST up reply actions
I had an idea a long time ago
for an hbo show called like, “Taxi Squad” about the practice squad players of a team. basically, dealing with the bottom of a roster, how they share crappy apartments, interact with the big stars of the team, and so on.
thanks oxycontin!
Not to panic, but there could be more to this shoulder injury
I believe this is the injury Ben sustained to his throwing shoulder in the 4th Quarter of the Miami game when Jones got the sack/fumble and Porter recovered. It did not look pretty on TV. If you recall, he played the next (and last) series through obvious pain. I wonder if he tore any ligaments or did damage to his rotater cuff.
At the time I remember saying to myself that visually, it looked a lot like the injury that Drew Brees sustained at San Diego. Same kind of situation, where they both were reaching for a loose ball and had someone fall directly on their shoulder/arm (if I remember the Drew Brees play correctly). Let’s hope Ben’s not in line for the same kind shoulder surgery (then again doesn’t seem to have hurt Brees too badly). Of course, Brees immediately left that game, so Ben’s injury probably not in the same league, but something to keep an eye on.
Luckily Ben is much bigger and stronger than Brees, which will hopefully keep that from being as serious an injury.
Still, the big dude has got to learn to look out for himself and his health more than his stat sheet sometime. And that OL needs at least one dominate player to help that happen.
by BluegrassSteeler on Jan 21, 2010 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
I hate to argue
but our O-line really did wonders this year(and every year w/Ben) since BB holds the ball four to seven seconds longer than any other QB on almost every other down.
An O-line is generally expected to give a QB 3-5 seconds of “clean time” to get a pass away. Ben takes 7-10 seconds as often as not. How does anyone honestly expect any O-line group to keep him clen all day every day?
And before all the naysayers jump in to bash the line: no- they’re far from perfect, and could definitely improve. But these guys are absolutely NOT the miserable bunch of do-nothings they’re said to be at times. Yes: their run-blocking has been miserable the last couple years- at times. But they’ve been able to bring two winning seasons, a playoff run and a SB home despite being the target of constant abuse from the “media” and fans.
Would our FO REALLY stick by these guys if they were nearly as bad as some seem to think?
….and here comes the frenzy of argument in 4….3…2…1….
No argument from me
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
I have a crush on EVERY boy
on the O line. (HomeStar Runner allusion there.) Well, maybe not. But I did think they got a lot of grief they didn’t deserve (as well as some they did.) And some of them ARE pretty cute…
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 21, 2010 5:24 PM EST up reply actions
You saying you think Strongbad plays on our line?
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
duh!
They’re ALL Strongbads. It’s just that some of them emphasize the first part of the name, others the tend a bit more toward the 2nd…
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 23, 2010 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
That's just wrong.
SMH :)
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
by PixburghArn on Jan 23, 2010 10:46 AM EST up reply actions
I’m just saying, if you want to run the ball consistently and keep Ben from obvious blizting situations on 3rd and longs you need at least one elite OL I’m not saying that the guys we have now are bad – I think they improved tremendously this year. And I also think that you’re right to say that Ben is responsible for A LOT of the sacks with his utter inability to just throw it away. That being said though, the ceiling on these guys as a group probably isn’t much higher than what we’ve already seen. These guys play hard and obviously love their QB, but they’re limited athletes. There’s a reason none of these folks went in the first two rounds of the draft.
You want to know why the Jets and Ravens have more effective running games? Because they invested heavily in their OL’s. For instance, the Jets OL includes 2 young first rounders in Mangold and Fergeuson, 2 former first round veterans in Faneca and Woody. The Ravens have a 1st rounder in Grubbs, a 1st rounder in Oher, and paid substantial money for Matt Birk in free agency last year.
In contrast, the Steelers starters are from left to right a 3rd, a 6th, a 6th, a 3rd, and 4th. The Steelers back ups were both UDFA. Now your draft positioning isn’t always indicative of your ability to play the game, but it’s no mere coincidence that the Jets/Ravens invested so heavily in their lines and their running games were good. At the very least, the Steelers need to bring an in elite interior lineman.
We can talk about the need for a true FB or for an offensive philosophy that refocuses the attention to the run all we want – none of it will matter unless we have the big bodies up front to push the pile. And my friends, neither Justin Hartwig nor Trai Essex is an elite run blocker or pass protector.
People sometimes talk about Cowher willing the team to a great running game during training camp (as if that’s all it takes), but they often forget that the team invested heavily in their OL then. Just from the 2005 Super Bowl team you had a 2nd rounder LT, a 1st RG, a 1st Center (acquired through free agency admittedly), a 1st LG, and a 3rd RT. Cowher understood that you have to invest heavily in the big guys if you want to be able to run the ball consistently and especially during crunch time.
by BluegrassSteeler on Jan 21, 2010 5:20 PM EST up reply actions
Would you say the Titans run the ball consistently?
I getting tired of saying this: Dick LeBeau’s system is so complex very few rookies can make an impact.
I totally agree
that we could use a top-notch O-lineman, and a 1st rounder.
My spiel was as much aimed at everybody who bad-mouths the O-line as at your comment alone.
Mostly I agree with everything you say though…
I'm glad BB isn't playing in the Pro Bowl but I smell a cover up
I don’t believe Tom Brady or BB are injured to the extent where they couldn’t play in the Pro Bowl. It looks like being a pro bowler isn’t as much of a honor as it used to be.
I really think moving the Pro Bowl to the mainland the week before the Superbowl is blowing up in the NFL’s face. Who’s idea was that anyway?
"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."
Tony Montana- Scarface
Never watrched it before and I just might watch it this time.
Having it the week before fills in the last weekend of football before the great long drought after the superbowl.
If BB had accepted the offer would he be known as 2 time pro-bowler?
Or last minute substituitions don’t count?
"He had no teeth, and he was slobbering all over himself. I'm thinking, 'You can have your money back, just get me out of here. Let me go be an accountant." I can't tell you how badly I wanted out of there."
- Denver rookie QB John Elway, on Jack Lambert, after Lambert and the Steelers knocked Elway out of his first game as a pro (1983).
Good question
"When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here are passed, I want they bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my a**!"
-Bobby Knight
by John Stephens on Jan 22, 2010 9:41 AM EST up reply actions
I'd say if you're suite up for the pro bowl...
you’re a pro bowler. it’s debatable though.
I think it counts
If you make the Pro Bowl and don’t play because of injury, you are still a Pro Bowler (e.g. Brady). Ben was apparently on the team for as long as it took him to decline, so it should still count. But clearly the “honor” is being degraded if the fifth or sixth guy gets in.
or Ogden/Lewis/Faneca
getting sent to the pro bowl based on namesake alone. the players know it means nothigngggg
Nothing Like Hawaii
If you’ve never been it is an experience everyone should have. The beautiful clean water, surfing the North Shore, swimming with the turtles in Turtle Bay, sunsets off the coast on a catamaran etc. The Hilton Hawaiian Village (where the players stay) is immaculate. The players are treated like Gods by the local fans, merchants and politico’s. The wives/girlfriends (or both) are in heaven.
The parking lot at Aloha Stadium fills at about 7 AM. There are different groups of fans everywhere. 49er fans over there, Raiders fans beyond and Steelers fans everywhere. Of course whoever won the Super Bowl walks proudest through the parking lot. The game is a sellout. It is boring on TV (as it will be in Miami) but a Hawaiian Luau just below Pearl City north of Honolulu.
The state of Hawaii loves the Pro Bowl. So do the fans and the players. They should move it back to Hawaii for eternity and get the best players interest piqued to go to a worthless all star game. Just my opinion…
When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen
Grrrr Thanks Alot 5020! Now I'm going to spend all day wishing I were in Hawaii :-)
"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."
Tony Montana- Scarface
Even Carson Palmer turned down the Pro Bowl
Miami fails as the probowl
I getting tired of saying this: Dick LeBeau’s system is so complex very few rookies can make an impact.
Wasn't he injured too? The AFC pro bowl team is looking pretty bad at this point.
"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."
Tony Montana- Scarface
Credit for Pro Bowl
Yes, all you have to do is be named to the Pro Bowl team to get credit as being a Pro Bowler. So Ben is now a 2-time Pro Bowler. He even gets the bonus in his contract if it is in there. Anyone know if Ben has this in his contract and, if so, how much he got for the 30 seconds he was on the PB team? Probably works out to a very nice hourly rate!
Nice work
if you can get it.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 23, 2010 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
I'm not sure about that
I don’t believe he was ever actually named to the team. I don’t think you get credit for turning down an invite as an alternate.
It’s a good question though.
Woodley Named To AFC Pro Bowl Squad
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10022/1030356-100.stm
When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen
but will he play
since he is a LB he doesn’t get to rush the passer because of the probowl rules, I believe
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 23, 2010 10:59 PM EST up reply actions
Remember way back...
When the Pro Bowl was just a bunch of grown up kids playing backyard football? They never played very hard, and it was almost always disappointing.
Oh, wait…
"OOH! A piece of candy. OOH! A piece of candy."
-James Woods
by Steel Spike on Jan 23, 2010 11:14 PM EST up reply actions
not when Sean Taylor played in his probowl and lit up the punter for the bills
at which people were outraged
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"If you give Arians a fullback, he won’t use one. Instead, he insists on using Matt Spaeth, who probably doesn’t cast a shadow because it would require blocking sunlight." steelin with some very true words
by WVPiratesfan on Jan 23, 2010 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
R.I.P. Sean...
"OOH! A piece of candy. OOH! A piece of candy."
-James Woods
by Steel Spike on Jan 23, 2010 11:50 PM EST up reply actions
that was awesome
i miss seeing that dude even though he didn’t play for my team
anyways, i support the pro bowl, but every play should be some weird trick play
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