Giants Owner Says Roethlisberger was Back-Up Plan in 2004 NFL Draft
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 9:06 AM EST
Email
PrintNFL.com got an interesting tidbit Wednesday during all the craziness of Media Day in Super Bowl Week.
According to Giants owner John Mara, if his team and the Chargers failed to execute a trade that sent the No. 1 overall pick owned by San Diego for the Giants' No. 4 overall pick, the Giants would have selected Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger.
The trade did go down, and the Chargers selected QB Eli Manning, while the Giants selected Phillip Rivers with the No. 4 overall pick. The teams swapped those quarterbacks, along with a few other picks, and the Steelers eventually took Roethlisberger at 11 overall.
It's impossible to say with a precise degree of accuracy what may have happened if that trade hadn't happened, but it's certainly possible the Steelers wouldn't have ended up with the franchise passer they currently enjoy in Roethlisberger.
The deal itself was made only after the Giants selected Rivers, and what Mara said was they wouldn't have taken Rivers if there was no deal. Let's assume Manning goes No. 1, the Raiders still take OT Robert Gallery at 2, and the Cardinals take WR Larry Fitzgerald at 3, along with Mara's intentions of taking Roethlisberger at 4.
With Rivers on the board still, would Washington have pulled the trigger on Rivers, instead of the insanely athletic Sean Taylor at 5? Patrick Ramsey and Mark Brunell split starting QB duties that year.
What about Cleveland's decision to bypass a franchise quarterback in favor of TE Kellen Winslow? In reality, they passed on the local product Roethlisberger in favor of the alleged evolutionary Winslow. Perhaps Rivers, who was more polished and had a stronger arm (but funkier release), would have been enticing enough for the Browns to invest in him.
Then again, It's nearly nine years from when they made that decision, and they still don't have a franchise QB. Let's see if they pass on a chance to take Robert Griffin III in this year's draft.
Detroit selected WR Roy Williams with the seventh overall pick, who, sadly, wasn't even the least productive receiver taken in the top 10 that year. The Lions had Joey Harrington, a player whom, incorrectly in retrospect, they believed was a franchise quarterback.
The high-and-low productive CB Deangelo Hall went eighth to Atlanta, and Jacksonville's bust WR Reggie Williams went ninth.
Atlanta had Michael Vick on their roster before he was indicted for animal cruelty (and lied to his owner about it).
Houston felt the same way as Detroit did, and were just as wrong about David Carr as the Lions were about Harrington. They took CB Dunta Robinson instead.
Would the Steelers have grabbed Rivers at that spot, if he was available? If he wasn't, who may have slid down in this revisionist's view of the 2004 Draft?
119 comments
|
Add comment
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Who's better, Eli or Ben?
This could be a very fun debate, particularly going into (and coming out of) Sunday’s game.
Ben. They are similar players, both try to keep the play alive and take all sorts of hits while they try to find open receivers. The difference is that Ben is a bit more accurate.
But they are pretty similar. Different than players like Brady, Brees, and Peyton Manning. Those guys try to get rid of the ball quickly and don’t take hits very well.
Ben, Eli's a little too wild for my taste
plus those receivers make him look better then he is with those impossible catches they grab
5/02/2006The night Raja Bell's Clothesline was heard around the world -- I STILL REMEMBER!
Follow me @_ItsNotUItsMe
by Wichita SunSteeler on Feb 1, 2012 9:52 AM EST up reply actions
ben overall..
clearly, Eli had the better year..Ben has more wins, TDs, less interceptions career wise, i am pretty sure..
A man is innocent untill proven guilty...Even if it's Ben Roethlisberger!
'I rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me'..General George Patton
" I don't care if he has two horns and a tail, as long as he is anti-communist"..General Douglas MacArthur..
"The way to end our dependence on foreign oil is to keep our tires properly inflated"....B. Hussein Obama
"Government is not the solution to our problems, it is the cause of them" Ronald Wilson Reagan..40th President of the United States
by nycsteelerfan on Feb 1, 2012 10:06 AM EST up reply actions
I am happier with Ben but take nothing away from Eli
Eli has done alot with the NYG with a similar team. Great D, great RBs in the past and now and group of fast WRs
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
by Rickfansince76 on Feb 1, 2012 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
We gotta frame that conversation with the right context. No one was taking Eli at this time last year. No one’s taking Ben this year. I don’t feel one year swings the pendulum that far one way or the other.
Eli had a better year all around than Roethlisberger did. There are a variety of reasons for that (injuries, the Giants stable of dominant physical receivers are far more of an advantage for Manning whereas Ben does not have a physical receiver, and on and on).
In the end, I think they’re two polarizing QBs in terms of style. Eli is about as flawless mechanically as any QB in the game. Ben looks like an unfolding lawn chair mechanically. Ben doesn’t throw five INTs in a game the way Eli can. Ben is much more athletic, and for each sack he takes by holding onto the ball too long, he completes a pass to extend a drive. Eli can put together that game-winning drive and throws a better deep ball, but can be intercepted just as easily.
Both are excellent quarterbacks and are in the elite group of passers in the game. Outside of that, I think it’s really apples and oranges. Ben is the least comparable high-level QB in the game, and Eli is right up there with the other studs in terms of ability.
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 10:46 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Behind which OL?
Steelers OL Ben.
Giants OL Ben we think.
If you buy a foreign made product you give money to a person who will not be buying an American made product that you get paid to make. Think about it next time you're at the store.
by SNW on Feb 1, 2012 1:02 PM EST up reply actions
If Ben studied half as much as Eli apparently does...
this wouldn’t be a debate. Eli is probably the better of the 2 at making snap decisions. Ben just “goes with the flow” which works sometimes but isn’t a reliable method of playing.
how do we know how much ben studies?
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 1, 2012 3:54 PM EST up reply actions
especially early in his career he was known for not hitting the books to hard and I think it was a knock coming out of college
As long as he keeps putting up HoF numbers I couldn’t care less whether or not he can even spell his own name.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
Is there any QB that went to 3 SBs not in the HOF?
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 7:47 PM EST up reply actions
Warner
Jury’s still out on him though. He gets my non-existent vote, but people didn’t really like the guy.
Yeah, but he's not eligible yet
He’s got to get in, although not first ballot. He has the top 3 passing yardage totals in SB history, unless Rodgers surpassed one of them last year.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 2, 2012 9:37 PM EST up reply actions
i retract the somewhat.
although if peyton comes back and eli can get one this weekend we’re going to have 4 active QBs that have been to 3 sb’s. idk if thats random or if its a sign that compared to 30 years ago teams know they have to get that franchise QB and build the team around him — causing more good quarterbacks to be in better situations and allowing multiple sb appearances
I disagree. If he continues to play like he’s playing then by the time he is in his mid thirties his numbers will definitely be HoF worthy, not to mention the (at least) 2 Super Bowl championships he has.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
just three years ago he turned in a 17 TD and 15 INT season. During a SB run, while people want to fault Eli for throwing 20 picks in a season where he throws 30 TDs during his 07 campaign (I can’t remember the exact numbers but I know he tossed 5 in the Vikings game that year and 95% sure he hit 20). If Ben’s numbers are HoF worthy, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Peyton Mannings numbers must be good enough to open a new museum. If Ben can mature into any semblance of any of the three and get another ring and another appearance he’ll be considered one of the best ever. Right now to me his numbers are HoF worthy because they are paired with a great postseason track record and sb wins.
They are two great quarterbacks with differing styles and different things that they bring to the table.
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
Rivers wouldn't have fallen.
I’m virtually certain that Cleveland would have taken him. Roethlisberger just didn’t have the fanfare surrounding him. That hype does affect the draft. Between all the hoopla over Rivers or Manning, Ben got lost in the shuffle. And that worked for us.
But if that trade didn’t pan out, and all that drama fell through, you can bet one of the bottom feeders would have taken him, if not Washington certainly Cleveland. Detroit wouldn’t have because Matt Millen is one of the least intelligent beings to ever be important.
As far as Ben Vs Eli. Eli has finally developed whereas it took Ben all of one week to start winning games. But Ben has had a better team around him for the most part. Giants have lacked dependable receivers.
I feel Eli and Ben have such different styles and circumstances that it’s hard to declare one better than the other. At least for now Ben has more rings, I imagine that will be a tie, but Ben has more appearances.
I agree
I wanted this to be a bit more open-ended, but I worked in newspapers in 2004, and I had a whole series of mock drafts I did. I made the prediction Roethlisberger would fall to Pittsburgh at 11, and I remember writing my reason, which was that Eli and Rivers would be swapped. Cleveland doesn’t want Roethlisberger, they want Rivers, and they’ll go with Winslow unless Rivers is on the board.
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
I am not gonna get into a whole Ben v Eli debate
But clearly Eli has grown a lot more since entering the league, Ben isn’t much different from day one.
"My mentality is singular in that I want to be world champs each and every year, so that's what we work toward. I have a tough time acknowledging levels of success short of that. That's just how I'm wired." - Mike Tomlin
didn't he JUST throw 25 ints last year?
5/02/2006The night Raja Bell's Clothesline was heard around the world -- I STILL REMEMBER!
Follow me @_ItsNotUItsMe
by Wichita SunSteeler on Feb 1, 2012 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
Eli?
He threw 16 to Ben’s 14 and played in one more game then Ben. He also threw 29 TD’s to Ben’s 21.
Not sure what any of those stats has to do with what I said.
"My mentality is singular in that I want to be world champs each and every year, so that's what we work toward. I have a tough time acknowledging levels of success short of that. That's just how I'm wired." - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Feb 1, 2012 12:40 PM EST up reply actions
He meant last year
And he’s just pointing out Manning had a much weaker 2010 than 2011, so it may be early to “crown ’em” a la Denny Green.
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
Still don't see how it relates to what I said, but okay, a direct look at stats and nothing else doesn't help the argument
Here is a look at what each guy has done and part of what I am going to throw out there is this – Eli has played in 7 more games than Ben despite playing in 5 less games his rookie year, that is part of what I am talking about when it comes to “isn’t much different than day one”. In the same time frame, Eli has thrown 29 more interceptions and 20 more TD’s across 7 more games and is participating in 1 less Superbowl, although we do not yet know the outcome. Sorry about the mess, spreadsheet don’t paste well here.
Here is a year over year breakdown:
Player Ben Eli
Year 2004 2004
Games 14 9
TD’s 17 6
Int’s 11 9
Year 2005 2005
Games 12 16
TD’s 17 24
Int’s 9 17
Year 2006 2006
Games 15 16
TD’s 18 24
Int’s 23 18
Year 2007 2007
Games 15 16
TD’s 32 23
Int’s 11 20
Year 2008 2008
Games 16 16
TD’s 17 21
Int’s 15 10
Year 2009 2009
Games 15 16
TD’s 26 27
Int’s 12 14
Year 2010 2010
Games 12 16
TD’s 17 31
Int’s 5 25
Year 2011 2011
Games 15 16
TD’s 21 29
Int’s 14 16
Games 114 121
TD’s 165 185
Int’s 100 129
"My mentality is singular in that I want to be world champs each and every year, so that's what we work toward. I have a tough time acknowledging levels of success short of that. That's just how I'm wired." - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Feb 1, 2012 1:18 PM EST up reply actions
Given the level of defenses he faced that year, it really was a great season.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 7:50 PM EST up reply actions
It was a great season in the sense of the number of fourth quarter comebacks he led. he was mediocre and disappeared for large portions of games throughout 2008. if we didnt have a historic defense that year then we probably go 10-6 or miss the playoffs
I know about the offensive struggles that year
but the had a murderers row of consecutive top opponents that season. Although he didn’t put up impressive stats, I still say he played well while understanding the team situation that season.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 2, 2012 9:41 PM EST up reply actions
Respectfully disagree
Ben was very limited, both by the calls and his own abilities early on. His ability to extend plays continues to develop. Hoever, my disagreement is primarily with the day one aspect.
His accuracy, particularly on the long ball has stagnated and he sure as shit needs to throw the ball away, especially where a sack kills a drive. He has failed to do this countless times and actually may be regressing in this area. That said, it’s a tough choice — you got to love Ben’s warrior mindset, but Eli looks like he’s become an elite QB. We’ll see Sunday!
Hopefully, the new OC, whoever he is can help Ben reach his full potential, something I believe he has not done.
"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." -Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction
"Most of the time, the most physical team has a chance to win. That is not a reality we shy away from." --Mike Tomlin
by madanthonywayne on Feb 1, 2012 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
Like I said, not looking to debate
and I agree with your points, key words in what I said are:
isn’t much different from day one– and I stand by that, he is essentially the same guy as 2004 – I am not talking about what he was allowed to do, I am talking about the player. And
clearly Eli has grown a lot more since entering the league– When Eli was first drafted, I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep his job, now he is much better at almost every aspect of what he does, he has grown a lot. That being said, he still has those moments that get chalked up to “well, that’s Eli…”
So as I said: not saying one is better than the other or anything of that nature, just that Eli has grown a lot more as a QB than Ben during the same interval. Had Ben grown as much, maybe the Steelers wouldn’t be looking for a new OC.
If you disagree – that’s fine.
"My mentality is singular in that I want to be world champs each and every year, so that's what we work toward. I have a tough time acknowledging levels of success short of that. That's just how I'm wired." - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Feb 1, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
There was a lot of press questioning if/when Eli was going to do something. Some came from his draft position, while I think a majority was being a Manning. As soon as he was “Eli” I think he opened up as a leader. Plus, Plaxico was harsh on him, demanding the ball. Eli didn’t own the huddle until Burress left. People forget that.
http://tr4f.wordpress.com
Mountainbiking the Continental Divide in 2012 to raise awareness of human trafficking.
by Fifty-Eight on Feb 1, 2012 5:16 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Sounds like the Steelers should hire you for the job
At least QBs coach. At the VERY least, you’d be my QBs coach. 1000 percent agreement with you over Manning and Ben based on what you wrote here.
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
I actually read an an article years ago that said
Bill Cowher wanted Phillip Rivers as his first choice and would’ve selected him had he been available.
Yeah, he was all about Rivers. Interesting thought. A very good QB in his own right.
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 10:54 AM EST up reply actions
However, Rooney, who has final say, said in his book
that he would not have take Rivers but would have taken S. Andrews.
"In football, there are football players and there are footballs. A lot of times in football, a football player will be running with a football, and a lot of times, he carries the football into the end zone. Now, when a football player running with a football takes that football into the end zone, boom! It's a touchdown." - Anthony DeFeo
by chewiesteeler on Feb 1, 2012 11:35 AM EST up reply actions
I just read that recently. Glad we got big Ben!
I wanted Rivers @ the time and was actually disappointed when we took Ben, cuz I’m stupid!
by Steelchamps !! on Feb 1, 2012 11:42 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, I remember his name floating around quite a bit. Good call, I didn’t know he wrote about it. Interesting.
by Neal Coolong on Feb 1, 2012 12:32 PM EST up reply actions
Great, now I can't stop picturing Rivers in a Steelers uniform lol
5/02/2006The night Raja Bell's Clothesline was heard around the world -- I STILL REMEMBER!
Follow me @_ItsNotUItsMe
by Wichita SunSteeler on Feb 1, 2012 11:08 AM EST reply actions
You may have to poke out your minds eye.
If you buy a foreign made product you give money to a person who will not be buying an American made product that you get paid to make. Think about it next time you're at the store.
by SNW on Feb 1, 2012 1:05 PM EST up reply actions
What's wrong with this guy?
Lol
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
I really wanted Rivers to be a Steeler.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 11:20 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Why'd you have to bring that one up?
His only bowl loss.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Any of the three would have worked for me
Any would be good in our system. However, I would make the case that early in his career Ben did more with less WR talent.
At the end of the day I still perfer Ben’s improv skills, ability to move in the pocket and throw on the run.
No regets about how it played out.
Plus Ben is not a giant A-hole that flips the bird to the fans or gets in feuds with opposing players
I can’t stand Rivers. Never could. Plus, he can’t win playoff games. That last part is a tad hindsight of course but, the trend speaks for itself.
"In football, there are football players and there are footballs. A lot of times in football, a football player will be running with a football, and a lot of times, he carries the football into the end zone. Now, when a football player running with a football takes that football into the end zone, boom! It's a touchdown." - Anthony DeFeo
by chewiesteeler on Feb 1, 2012 1:38 PM EST up reply actions
If Ben played agains the hated Patriots with a messed up ACL and almost won he would be hailed as a straight up God
He's done that numerous times against other hated rivals
Most notably with a rearranged nose against the Ravens and most recently with an at the time uncertain injury to his lower leg against the 49ers. For about a second, I did admire Rivers at that point. For about a second.
"In football, there are football players and there are footballs. A lot of times in football, a football player will be running with a football, and a lot of times, he carries the football into the end zone. Now, when a football player running with a football takes that football into the end zone, boom! It's a touchdown." - Anthony DeFeo
by chewiesteeler on Feb 1, 2012 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
er, I guess he hurt it before the 9ers game.
"In football, there are football players and there are footballs. A lot of times in football, a football player will be running with a football, and a lot of times, he carries the football into the end zone. Now, when a football player running with a football takes that football into the end zone, boom! It's a touchdown." - Anthony DeFeo
by chewiesteeler on Feb 1, 2012 3:13 PM EST up reply actions
If you knew Rivers
you’d know he isn’t a giant A-hole.
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 1, 2012 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
I suppose I'm being a bit harsh
but the way he carries himself on the field would make me embarrassed to say he is my quarterback. This is very similar to how I felt about Santonio, Plax and a couple others who have gone the way of the dodo. I am of the old school I suppose, a product of the 70s, a disciple of the Emperor and what have you.
"In football, there are football players and there are footballs. A lot of times in football, a football player will be running with a football, and a lot of times, he carries the football into the end zone. Now, when a football player running with a football takes that football into the end zone, boom! It's a touchdown." - Anthony DeFeo
by chewiesteeler on Feb 1, 2012 4:40 PM EST up reply actions
to each his own
but I love the way he carries him self on the field, its nothing really over the talk, he jus talked a little trash, but that kinda has stopped lately
it can’ overshadow what he does off the field though
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 2, 2012 12:49 AM EST up reply actions
You know Rivers?
He carries himself like a jerk. He speaks poorly and publicly about team mates and opponents. He’s overtly cocky.
And he’s done nothing.
Injury vs Patriots?
Every player is expected to play through injury.
http://tr4f.wordpress.com
Mountainbiking the Continental Divide in 2012 to raise awareness of human trafficking.
by Fifty-Eight on Feb 1, 2012 5:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I agree that he carries himself like a jerk. I remember watching an interview with LaMarr Woodley, and Woodley mentioned that his favorite sack came against Rivers because all throughout the game Rivers was calling Woodley “fat boy”.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
Rivers
I know he has a reputation as a talker on the field, but in any TV interview, I’ve never seen him be anything but respectful. And, I think he has toned down his on the field attitude the last few years. I may have missed them, but I haven’t heard of any issues like that with him since the game where he was roundly criticized for talking to the opposing fans. I believe that was at least 3 years ago.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 7:58 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t care lol. He insulted my favorite Steeler and for that I will always hate him.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
Ok
He was the greatest player at my alma mater since the 1960’s, so for that, I will always like him. :)
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 8:04 PM EST up reply actions
He’s the best player from your college? That sucks :)
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
hopefully Woodley’s skin isn’t as thin as yours lol. I don’t understand what’s so bad about a little shit talk. I mean wasn’t he dead on about Cutler?
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
How is my skin thin? I’m joking around.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
So was I, as a response to this
I don’t care lol. He insulted my favorite Steeler and for that I will always hate him.
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
My bad man.
I was “incapacitated” at that particular time lol.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
What did he say about his team mates? Was it someone specific or an entire unit?
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
yea i missed that one too
Rivers is in the running for the Walter Peyton award, they don’t nominate a-holes for that award.
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 2, 2012 12:47 AM EST up reply actions
the only thing I can think of was when he was just telling the truth about Tomlinson. He was right, Tomlinson’s whiny attitude was affecting the locker room. I used to have so much respect for him, but after that whine job about the Patriots having no class, and his sitting with a stubbed toe while Rivers was playing with a torn ACL, then crying about how SD “disrespected him”. Then just recently, when talking about playing next year, his answer to the question “would you take vet minimum to play for a contender?” his answer was, “I have kids to feed”. He’s so proud that he’d take nothing over the “disrespect” of a minimum contract. The basic point is, I lost respect for him awhile ago.
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
I didn't
i also thought new england acted childish when they won against the chargers .
I think he had turf toe and we all know thats no joke so I con’t blame him too much for sitting out that AFCCG. I get the whole playing tough toughness thing but I would never get upset for a guy sitting out for an injury when there is no way I would play through it. I find it comical, not specifically you, how a lot of fans criticize players for not playing through injuries when they won’t even show up to the office if they have a sore throat.
As for feed kids line, players sacrifice their body and have every right to earn as much as they can get.
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 2, 2012 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
They may have acted childish, but that’s no reason to Flacco to the media.
I don’t criticize players for not playing through injuries, but if you’re supposed to be the heart/star of a team, and your QB is playing with a torn ACL, it makes you look bad, especially when you talk as good a game as LdT
For your last point, I’m not disputing that. But I do have a few problems problems with that. 1) He’s been in the media quite often saying he just wants to win. 2) He said he wanted to play and that he wasn’t done, but then changes his tone to “I have kids to feed” . His options would be minimum, or nothing. If feeding kids was the issue, he’d take anything he could get to help in the future. and 3) It sounds bad (regardless of it’s intention) when a multimillionaire says he has kids to feed.
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
Rivers is a fantasy football QB.
Ben just wins games.
I like Benjamin.
http://tr4f.wordpress.com
Mountainbiking the Continental Divide in 2012 to raise awareness of human trafficking.
by Fifty-Eight on Feb 1, 2012 5:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
People didn't really start talking about Rivers until just prior to the '04 draft.
And if my memory serves me right, he was the guy Pittsburgh seemed to really like (of course, it could have been a smoke-screen). But I do remember his stock rising pretty quickly just before the draft.
It’s fun to compare franchise quarterbacks, but I don’t really care where they rank Ben. All I know is he is a winner.
I remember that draft well
Most of the analyst had Ben rated higher than Rivers, but not as high as Eli. Cowher has ties to NC and scouted Rivers heavily. I truly believe if the Giants had taken Ben, we would have gotten Rivers. Whether or not that would have changed our history for better or worse, I’m reluctant to say. Anyway you slice it though, we made out better than the Ravens, who also picked up a QB in the 1st round of that draft.
guess I don't remember that draft as well as I thought
I thought that was the Kyle Boller draft. Turns out he went one year before. Whoops, my bad.
LOL
Swish! Is Boller still in the league? The NFL, I mean, not the UFL or any other FL?
Rivers and Cowher share the same alma mater, in fact.
Cowher would not have had the final say on the matter in that draft.
I am going to try and find Mr. Rooney’s excact quote from his book but he did not want Rivers. If Ben was off the board, it would have been S. Andrews.
"In football, there are football players and there are footballs. A lot of times in football, a football player will be running with a football, and a lot of times, he carries the football into the end zone. Now, when a football player running with a football takes that football into the end zone, boom! It's a touchdown." - Anthony DeFeo
by chewiesteeler on Feb 1, 2012 3:14 PM EST up reply actions
Looking back at that draft there were a lot of good players in the later rounds
Hindsight being 20/20, we coulda got Stephen Jackson in the 1st and Matt Schaub in the 2nd.
No thanks. I’ll take Ben over Jackson and Schaub all day every day.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
Neither of them
have won playoff games.
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 1, 2012 4:05 PM EST up reply actions
In their defense, they have played on some pretty awful teams, but Ben is just so clutch and has “it”, if you know what I mean.
"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."
That’s not Stephen Jackson’s fault.
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
by John Stephens on Feb 1, 2012 4:27 PM EST up reply actions
oh of course not
i love stephen jackson as a running back, my point there is just that running backs don’t really help you win, quarterbacks do.
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 2, 2012 12:50 AM EST up reply actions
it’s a team game. It’s strange that if it’s a player you like (not you personally, just in general) that has no playoff wins, it’s the teams fault. But if you don’t like the player and they haven’t won a playoff game, its because they suck, or are chokers.
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
that was meant for
the running back positionally is not one that helps win a lot.
I like both guys actually.
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 2, 2012 12:51 AM EST up reply actions
I have a happy place in all of this QB swapping/dealing/juggling from this class.
Roethlisberger: 2 SB wins, 3 trips total.
Manning: 1 (maybe 2) SB wins, 2 trips total.
Brees: 1 SB win (deemed expendable with the arrival of Rivers)
That’s 4-5 SB wins, 6 trips, just between the 3 principle QBs.
Rivers: Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. I. Love. This.
http://tr4f.wordpress.com
Mountainbiking the Continental Divide in 2012 to raise awareness of human trafficking.
by Fifty-Eight on Feb 1, 2012 5:01 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Isn’t it strange how we argue against Flacco far more often than we argue against Rivers?
I don’t share your hatred of Rivers, I think he’s a great quarterback and I wouldn’t be surprised if he took his team to the top at some point, but yeah, he hasn’t really won. Far more talented than Flacco, but doesn’t win his biggest game each season.
Jim Harbaugh >>>>> Norv Turner. It’s not a one man game, and if it was, Flacco wouldn’t even have the chance to complete half of his passes on his way to winning playoff games against the dolphins, chiefs, et al. When the Chargers rebound after starting whatever and 7 to winning 4 straight in December, that’s pretty much Phillip Rivers and nobody else. The defense doesn’t come out of nowhere once the snow starts falling, it stays pretty average for the entire season. Usually below average IMO
Turner
I can’t believe Norv didn’t get fired this year. I knew when the Chargers hired him that it was a mistake. They went from a coach who couldn’t win in the playoffs (Marty) to a coach who couldn’t win regularly in the regular season (Norv). Bad move.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 1, 2012 8:02 PM EST up reply actions
$$$$$
It’s probably due to the amount of money he’s owed, and the fact they’d have to pay a new coach while paying Turner next year.
exactly
i’m really sad about how his career is turning out, no wonder eli didn’t want to go there
I love the Steelers.
by tannofsteel84 on Feb 2, 2012 12:53 AM EST up reply actions
yes, this
Eli KNEW that place is a black hole for players who want to win. His dad probably gave him the heads up. A friend of mine used to say Eli was a B or spoiled baby because he refused to play in SD, so he didn’t like him. Eventually I broke it down for him, he sees the light now.
Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?
Rivers would have fallen to them and passing on him for
Andrews or Robinson would have been a huge mistake. The Browns had just signed Jeff Garcia and didn’t want to miss again as couch had just failed. Det. Jville and Houston were all building around young high picks in Harrington Leftwich and Carr and I think the raiders had signed Kerry Collins to back up Gannon who had been prolific and. They making a run with an old team. The skins really goofed. I think the steelers would have won Sh or two with rivers as well. Just glad we got a franchise qb and a shotevery year he plays
BEN AND GIANTS
THE ROONEYS AND THE MARAS ARE RELATED, YOU KNOW ! CHECK OUT ROONEY MARA, THE ACTRESS !
Something to say? Choose one of these options to log in.
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
"Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history."
Art Rooney Jr.
"Level-headed thinking." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Related FanPosts on Behind the Steel Curtain
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
