1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Your tunes about drive on Home of the Black and 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: Goals Steelers Nation Radio put the back of the drive. 3 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: I'm Dale l here with Mattson, but it's very, very 4 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: pleased to be joined at this time by Bob Labriola, 5 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: the editor of Steelers Digested Steelers dot Com. Uh, Bob, 6 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: it's been a while we've seen you, but we haven't 7 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: heard you on our airwaves since we changed studios here. 8 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: We finally got the technology working here in our favor 9 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: and glad to have you on. Well, you know, I 10 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: told you just changed the diet for the hamsters that 11 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: are running around in the cage on the wheels and 12 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: powering all the equipment, and it would have been fine, Bob. 13 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: September two thousand and four, We're in Baltimore. Tommy Maddox 14 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: gets hurt. Ben Roethlisberger comes up, walks onto the field 15 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: for the first time. Did you think eighteen years later 16 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: we'd still be talking about this guy? And now I 17 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: have two Super Bowl rooms? Not a coincidence? M uh Um. 18 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what. It didn't take long, um to 19 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 1: know that he was something special. I didn't know about 20 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: eighteen years, but um, you know the one I'm not. 21 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: I'm not a scout or a coach or a really 22 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: a football expert or anything. But for me, what really 23 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: struck me it was early on in that training case, 24 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,559 Speaker 1: you know, uh, at the start of practices when when 25 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: um it's like they called individual um period and I 26 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: remember that was the re establishing the mindset summer. That's 27 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: what Bill Coward Christen did after two years of the 28 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: Tulematics mistake, which is what I Christen don't um so um. 29 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: So they would have the quarterbacks, you know, all doing 30 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: the same thing as they worked on you know, fundamentals 31 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: and one of those things that don't look like the others. Well, 32 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: that's what I mean. I mean it was. It was 33 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: so so dramatic of a difference that I could recognize 34 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: it and I thought, wow, I mean this guy is 35 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: he started. You know, I don't know how good he is, 36 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: but I can see with my own eyes and he 37 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: is better than anybody else out there right now. I 38 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: remember watching him go through drills, those those drills that 39 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: he did with Mark Whipple, who was the quarterbacks coach 40 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: at the time, and he's sprintier right at full speed 41 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: and throw you know, fifteen yard out now I'll do 42 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: it to the left and do the same thing like 43 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: I'm watching just going Holy mackerel, like looks a little 44 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: different than whateverund quarterback running way faster than well Tommy 45 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: Maddics go to or me for that matter, and delivering 46 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: the ball on the mark like every time. Well, and 47 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: let me say this too, I really really believe that 48 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: one of the critical elements. Uh and you know I 49 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: don't I don't wish anybody any harm, but something that 50 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: really helped the Steelers and then was when Charlie Batchan injured, 51 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: his name went on I are because um that made 52 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: then the backup because you know, there wasn't anyone else 53 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: there on the roster that on the training camp roster 54 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: at that time that, um, you know you could put 55 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: him that job. Even though the draft pick was a 56 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: rookie and came from the mac you know, he was 57 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: still the number two guys that you had, and so 58 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: he was kind of forced to be, um, you know, 59 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: coached as the backup, kept backup reps in terms of 60 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: being fourth on the depth start, which he was you 61 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: know when camp opened, and um, you know it got 62 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: him on the field with better players because I remember 63 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 1: talking to one of the scouts and you know when 64 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: it was time for then to go in when you know, 65 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: early in camp, I mean he's out there was you know, 66 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: all the undrafted rookie receivers and those kind of people, 67 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: and it's kind of a waste. They I don't recall 68 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: what the plan was. He was supposed to number three 69 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: season long held. Yeah, and one of the greatest coaching 70 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 1: moves Bill Coward were made. He really didn't have a 71 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: choice because no, seriously, again, I'm not disparaging him either. 72 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: That's just the coaches, you know, that's the way they think. 73 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: That's in their DNA. But imagine if we Naddix. I 74 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: hope they put in Again, I don't mean to disparage anybody, 75 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: Charlie Batch and so you're eight and eight maybe right, yeah, Um, 76 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,799 Speaker 1: so yeah, there was a there were a lot of 77 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,919 Speaker 1: careers made and um, you know, who knows if maybe 78 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: Bill Collar doesn't uh he's on in the Hall of 79 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: Fame now, because maybe the Steelers don't win the Super 80 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: Bowl in two thousand and five because Ben wasn't the 81 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: backup when Maddix got hurt and they were forced to 82 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: play him, you know, in his alent, fine coat told 83 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: Jerry to Paula, No, I'm not excited to see what 84 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: the rookie can do. Well, there's Steeler fans. Oh, Gary 85 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: Baxter not of thanks to b in the Ravens. Gary 86 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,559 Speaker 1: Baxter sack Tommy Mannox in the third quarter of that game, 87 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: and Maddox fumbled and got hurt. Uh. And that shoulder 88 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: it was a shoulder and that led to a touchdown 89 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: by the Ravens that made it twenty to nothing at 90 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: that time. And the next series, to your point, Bob, 91 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: do Staley run, Do Staley run? Do Staley run? Antoine 92 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: rand L run, Ron Haynes run Steelers punt. He didn't 93 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: throw a pass on his first his first NFL possession, uh. 94 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: And then his first pass in complete to Plexico Buris 95 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: Uh incomplete or actually intercepted by a dailiast Thomas on 96 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: his second pass, and then after that it was okay, 97 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: he was he was fine and completed twelve of his 98 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: next eighteen, had a couple of touchdown passes, but it 99 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: was it was not the smooth sailing for the rookie 100 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: in his first game. No. And then in his first 101 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: start was the hurricane right down in Miami in Miami. Um, 102 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: and I remember, um, you know where I was sitting 103 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: where they had that the press box, or at least 104 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: you know, my part of the press box in whatever 105 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: it was called at that time. Maybe he was still 106 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: Joe Robbie stayed in my mode. Um, but I was 107 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: kind of uh close to the end zone of the 108 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: corner where Hines Wood caught the game when he touched 109 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: down passed and UM, you know, I remember the thing 110 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: I remember about it the most was, I don't know 111 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: if he kind of lost I did. I kind of 112 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: lost sight of the ball and then you know it 113 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: was I saw his arm go and then I lost 114 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: sight of the ball, and then the referee put his 115 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: arms up touchdown, and I thought, wow, you know, Hines 116 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: made a really nice catch along the sideline in the 117 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: end zone, and you know, apparently because of the fact 118 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: that it was in such tight quarters, the ball had 119 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: to be right on the money, and as I said, 120 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: it came into it with some velocity and obviously accuracy, 121 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: and um, you know, then I started talking to Ken 122 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: wippen Hunt a little bit more often. UM, and I 123 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: remember a conversation he and I had after the the 124 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: sixth game of the year against Dallas down there, and um, 125 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: I think it was fourteen points the Steelers scored in 126 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter. Comeback and come back. Okay, there you go, 127 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: so um and I just remember saying the Wizzen Hunt. 128 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: I was like, wow, Um, did you know this guy 129 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: had whatever this is that he has? Um? And and 130 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: then that just from there was one thing after another. UM. 131 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: I guess you just kind of eventually gradually get used 132 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: to him doing these kinds of things, and you know, 133 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: you can be impressed, but you're not surprised. And that's 134 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: that's the way I kind of remember the rest of 135 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: that his rookie season, Labs. I even mentioned this to you. 136 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: I mean that his rookie year was the year I 137 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: was with the Browns, and so, knowing that he was 138 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 1: my hometown's quarterback and all that, I went and pillaged 139 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: a bunch of the Browns scouting reports and read them all, 140 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: you know, as been as a draftable prospect, and there's 141 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,679 Speaker 1: things in there. I don't remember what's in them. To 142 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: be honest with you, I'm gonna go look at my 143 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: attic one of these nights real soon and hopefully actually 144 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: find him. But do you remember what the negatives were 145 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: on him coming out of school compared to Eli and Rivers, 146 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: except for small school. I think they they held that 147 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 1: against quarterbacks more eighteen years ago than they do now. Yeah. 148 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: I remember him being build as the least NFL ready okay, 149 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: of the three, and that was largely because of the 150 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: offense that Miami ran. It was it's the offense now 151 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: that everybody runs. You. It was all shotgun and he 152 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: never was under center. And his last name wasn't Manning, right, 153 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: and you know the other thing about and and this 154 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: this isn't wasn't necessarily a negative. But talking to some 155 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: of the Steelers scouts who were employed back then, Um, 156 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: one of them relayed to me that they were in 157 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: you know, the watching film of him, and um, you 158 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: know he's you know, he was doing what he did 159 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: um so often, you know, shrugging off tacklers, running around 160 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: in his shue set deal, uh, explaining that drill that 161 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: Mark Whipple, the quarter quarterbacks coach, was putting them through, 162 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: you know, running the one side outside the one hash 163 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: and throwing to the other side of the field on 164 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: on a rope. And somebody said, um, that looks like 165 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: John Elway, And somebody else said yeah, we'll never get 166 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: a chance to pick him. Um. But you know, the 167 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,719 Speaker 1: Browns had to have the chosen one. Um, And they 168 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: put Kellen Winslow Jr. And there you go, and and 169 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: and the other one. The other one. Maybe it's a 170 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: little bit less um. Well known is Tom Donohoe was 171 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: the TM and Buffalo at the time, and he desperately 172 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: wanted Ruffelisberger and he tried to trade in the Jacksonville spot. 173 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: I believe they were nine. They were nine. Yeah, they 174 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: took Reggie Williams. Reggie Williams right, that the football player 175 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 1: with the basketball player's name, because I don't know a 176 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 1: football player named Reggie Williams. Ever, I can name me 177 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: a couple of basketball players career catches and eighteen touchdowns. Remembering, 178 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,959 Speaker 1: nobody was shocked he went that high, though, I honestly 179 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 1: I remember giving Larry a hard time saying, Reggie Williams 180 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: is going to go ahead of you. Of course he didn't. 181 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: But that was a good draft class. I mean they 182 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: benefited from having a really strong the first half of 183 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: the first draft, you know, of the first round. Well, um, 184 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: that sounds like scouts to me, because you canno convince 185 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 1: me that Reggie Williams was was worthy of being drafted 186 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: where he was, so he was a bossed. I mean, 187 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: but nobody batted an eye when he went, is my point? Okay, Um, 188 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: I'd rather know. It still doesn't excuse Cleveland, which did 189 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: not have a quarterback for twenty plus years, passing on well, 190 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: I know they're the franchise from being there. It doesn't 191 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: mean it's right to pick a tight end a tight 192 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: end that that's more than that's another right there, just 193 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: to make your head spin the paraphrase, Damn, what day 194 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: Mooney said to me about wide receivers. Tight end should 195 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: have to buy a ticket to get into the game, 196 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: especially in that era. You know, tight ends now have 197 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: evolved and you know they offensive coordinators are in love 198 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: with them and all the different things they can do, 199 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: and you know whatever. But I mean, at that time, 200 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: the position was just not that important that you would 201 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: pick one sixth right, six six he was six. Yeah, 202 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: they actually swapped spots with uh Washington to get to 203 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: they knew there to get Sean Taylor or Winslow, who 204 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: Butcher coached in college, and that was the lodgic behind it. Yeah, 205 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: But I mean, if you look at that draft. Eli 206 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: Manning went first, then to the Chargers and they got traded. 207 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: Robert Gallery Larry Fitzgerald went third, Rivers went forth to 208 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: the Giants. People forget about that. They those guys got swapped. 209 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: Then it was Sean Taylor to Washington, Kellum Winslow at 210 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:38,439 Speaker 1: six to Cleveland. Detroit took Roy Williams, D'Angelo Hall at area. 211 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: There's there's there's another receiver. He had three three catches. 212 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: He wasn't awful, but he wasn't Ben roethlisbergect. I mean, 213 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: all these teams were right, not pat not taking bad 214 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: um D'Angelo Hall. Then Reggie Williams Dante Robinson went to 215 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: the Houston Texans, and then the Steelers with the eleventh 216 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: pick in the draft, take quarterback Ben Roethlisberger from Miami 217 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: of Ohio one of the and this is this is 218 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: more of a um. This probably will amuse me more 219 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: than you guys are your listeners. But you want me on, 220 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: you're not paying They set um um. And then in 221 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: the at the draft, it was in New York at 222 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: the time, at least the Steeler's philosophy to who got sent, 223 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: you know, to be in New York considered the table 224 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: and hand in the index cards were two two people 225 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: who it was assumed would not be needed at team 226 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: headquarters hines Field at that point. Or excuse me, Um, 227 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: the south Side wasn't it wasn't the U p MC 228 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: Rooting Sports Complex yet, but we just called it the 229 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: south Side. That's the practice facility, you know, where they 230 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: still are. And that The two guys they came up 231 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:58,239 Speaker 1: with were um Tim Carey, who was the head of merchandise, 232 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: who I grew up with, and UM Scott Phelps, who 233 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: was the uh they didn't even call him an I 234 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: T guy. And then because really I don't even know 235 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: if there was a Steelers dot Com there man, and 236 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: if there was, it was nothing like it is now. Um. 237 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: And so those were the two guys that sat at 238 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: the table. So as I said, I, UM grew up 239 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: with Tim Carey, and so I know we're an awful 240 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: speller who was through grade school, high school. So right 241 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: before they left, and I was just looking through the 242 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: names and I saw Brothelsperger and I said, well, that's 243 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: the most complicated spelling assignment that I could come up with. 244 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: So I called him on the phone. He answered they 245 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: hadn't left yet, and I said, hey, I know you're 246 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: allows the speller. You've been allowed the spelling your whole life, 247 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: and said, memorize this one, right r O E T 248 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: H elios b r g b R l I S 249 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: b r g R. And we ended up picking him 250 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: um and but that was just a guess. But anyway, 251 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: in his basement, UM, I won't call it a man cave, 252 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: but you know, down there in his house he got 253 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: a picture because they brought the number one picks at 254 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: the time over to the tables, you know, with a 255 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: team representatives set for a picture. So um, Tim is 256 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: shaking her number one picks hand at the time. Ben 257 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: ended up signing it for him and this is what 258 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: he wrote on it. Tim, thanks so much for drafting 259 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: me and Ross's perfect. And I told I told him, 260 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: I said, you know, you've got to keep that in 261 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: a very prominent space because the people who worked with you, 262 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: no one knows how totally immaterial you were that entire process. 263 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: Here you are getting credit for it. That's the greatest thing. 264 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: That's that's the guy to give all the credit for 265 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: everybody should Pat Scott Phelps in the shorter too, when 266 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: he when they see him at the facility, than thanks 267 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: for not misspelling my name on the index card and 268 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: not tripping on the way. Right now they have runners 269 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 1: for that. I mean that those guys right to stay 270 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: at a bob. When do you remember it becoming Ben's team, 271 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: Ben's offense, you know, making those around him better, you know, 272 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: realizing maybe you can kind of cornered offensive line because 273 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: you have the stud quarterback. Like, how long did that take? 274 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: Not very long? Because you know, and and justifiably so. 275 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: This version of the offensive line um is criticized and 276 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: I don't know that that too, two thousand and eight 277 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: version was any better? Justin Hartwig, Um, you know Max 278 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: Starts was a legitimate player. Darnell Stapleton, Um, Um, who's 279 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: the other guard? Uh? Now, Fannika was gone. Fannika was 280 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: gone by eight. Oh that's right. He Tankle was gone, 281 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: Gonel Stapleton, Ramon Foster wasn't feeling yet, right? What was 282 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,400 Speaker 1: Willie Cologne was on that team? He might have been 283 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: the right tackle. Um? Yeah, it was enough said that. 284 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: We can't remember, though I can. I can look it 285 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: up here real quick. No, No, I got it, I 286 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: got it. Max Starks left tackle, Chris Kimoyatton left, Guarden 287 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: Heart Wiggets center, Stapleton at right guard, and Willie Cologne 288 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: at right tackle. Was the starting offensive line in Super 289 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: Bowl forty three, and he was under a lot of 290 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,880 Speaker 1: pressure that year. Yeah, and you know, I mean you've 291 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: seen that. I know I have seen that the tweet 292 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: or it's a a video clip when they handed Ben 293 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: because I was standing down on the fields when they 294 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: handed Bend the Lombardi. Um, he said something like, hey, 295 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: on line, who's laughing? Now? Those words first words? Because 296 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: the offensive line got hammered that whole season in the media. 297 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: Fans were not big fans either of that particular position group. 298 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: But I mean Ben, you know, as being a leader 299 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: and being you know, those guys being his guys, and 300 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 1: it didn't take on was the fourth year. Um when 301 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 1: the first words out of his mouth after getting me 302 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: being he ended the Lombardi Trophy after leaving that drive 303 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: down the field winning the game. Um, you know that 304 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: that that says something to me in terms of how 305 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: he interacted with his teammates. And I don't know that 306 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: there's any position closer uh to the quarterback than the 307 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: offensive lineman because even more than the wide receivers who 308 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: catch his passes, the offensive lineman who at least atten 309 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:05,400 Speaker 1: to keep him alive. I would imagine they're there the 310 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: closest in terms of spending time and you know that 311 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. Well, to be fair, they did give 312 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: up forty nine sacks that season, and the team average 313 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: three point seven yards per rushing attempt. It was not 314 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: not a Juggernai's there. Yeah, I mean there there were 315 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: some some true some some things that you can look 316 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: at there and say, well, this is a problem. But 317 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: he covered it up. That was That was the beauty 318 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: of it. He was. He covered it up. And I 319 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 1: still insist to this day. If Peyton Manning or Tom 320 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: Brady or Aaron Rodgers or pick a quarterback, I don't 321 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: care who it is, throws that pass in that spot 322 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:49,199 Speaker 1: to Santonio Holmes, they are the Super Bowl m v 323 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: P instead of Santonio to Santonio Holmes. Oh. I said 324 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: that in leaving the press box to go down to 325 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: the field after the game. Peter King and Ron Jaworski 326 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,480 Speaker 1: we're standing there talking and I said, you guys gonna 327 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: tell me that if Peyton Manning or Tom Brady just 328 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: did what Roethlisberger did. Do you guys give the m 329 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: v P to the receiver who caught the pass? I 330 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: got no answer. Yeah, there's not a good responsor for 331 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: that one. They're really they're really other one. Yeah, I 332 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 1: just I to this day I say that, and it's 333 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: nothing against Antonio. Holmes had a great game, but great 334 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: was a great catch. It was a great catch and 335 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: he got him down. You know, he was a key 336 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: cog in that Super Bowl win. But they don't get 337 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: there with just you know, Joe Slappy playing quarterback well 338 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: and and the other one. I remember saying to some 339 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 1: of the media, um, who I believe you know became 340 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: card carrying members of the Peyton Manning fan club years 341 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: before Um if this was in the r C A though, 342 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 1: because I was leaving the press box and going downstairs 343 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: and I said, you know, you guys all tell me 344 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: that Peyton and he's the greatest quarterback in the leak. 345 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: Do you think he makes that tackle? You think he 346 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: gets that guy on the ground and saves that game. 347 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: It's funny, Labs. For the last week or two, I've 348 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: been asked often, so you know, what are the Steelers 349 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: gonna look at the quarterback position, and are guys like 350 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: Ben a dinosaur? And I would always ask, you know, 351 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: what do you mean guys like Ben a dinosaur? And 352 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,920 Speaker 1: they'd always say, you know, the pocket passers that don't 353 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: move around real Well, I'm like, go back in YouTube 354 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: most of his career. I mean, he's a Josh Allen 355 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: like specimen who slowed down late in life as everyone does, 356 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: but by no means is him as a prospect a 357 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: dinosaurs and the other way around. He was ahead of 358 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: his time physically. To me, then yeah, I mean I've seen, 359 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 1: um a video there was uploaded somebody like put combined 360 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: in or whatever. Um, you know, Ben being Ben they 361 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: called it. And I was teasing Max Starts because you 362 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: know it was when Ben was shrugging off pass rushers 363 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,959 Speaker 1: and running around and he could see Max and a 364 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: lot of them. Um, you know, look trying to find 365 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 1: somebody to block a lot of times, because you know, 366 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: you think you had a guy lined up and then 367 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, then with reverse field and then 368 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: you're chasing them again, trying to chase a guy to 369 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: find somebody to block. And you know, I believe you 370 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: would have been there. Dale, one of the best plays 371 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:43,680 Speaker 1: of Ben Roethlis Burtner's career. I was in the regular 372 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: season game in Baltimore against the Ravens when he somehow 373 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:52,959 Speaker 1: avoided a sack by Terrell Suggs who had him wrapped up, 374 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: umm him off, stiff armed him off, and wiggled free 375 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,360 Speaker 1: and got his right arm with the ball, had enough 376 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: to throw it away. And I believe it was the 377 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: next play was fourth down be through have beens with 378 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 1: a touchdown past to Isaac Redman. And then that what 379 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: that meant was the Divisional round playoffs game was in 380 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:16,199 Speaker 1: Pittsburgh instead of Baltimore. Um, And I you know, I 381 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:21,680 Speaker 1: believe that that was a significant, significant difference because for 382 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: so many of those years I thought that the Ravens 383 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: and the Steelers were the two best teams, if not 384 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 1: just the a f C, maybe in the NFL. Nobody 385 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: can convince me that the two thousand and eight Ravens, 386 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: if they were in the NFC, it would have been 387 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 1: Steelers Ravens in that game, because, um, you know, John 388 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: Madden once famously um miss miss spoken said in the 389 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: nine four, after the Raiders beat the two time defending 390 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 1: champion Dolphins in the Divisional round, you know this was 391 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: the super Bowl, and you know, Chuck Mole used that 392 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: as a little bit of a motivate tool, maybe for 393 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:04,719 Speaker 1: the only time in his life. Um, but if somebody 394 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:09,120 Speaker 1: said after the two thousand and eight a SC Championship game, 395 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: this was the super Bowl, I don't think anybody would argue, yeah, 396 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: those games are unbelievable that you know, yes, it just 397 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:22,920 Speaker 1: so I'm like, yeah, oh yeah, my understanding is just 398 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: another little quick story. Um. And all that stuff was 399 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 1: legal at the time too. In the final Steelers team 400 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: meeting before that UM two thousand and eight a f 401 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,959 Speaker 1: C Championship game, one of the last things Mike Tomlin 402 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: told the team was, um, the most violent team tomorrow 403 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: will win. And that's the kind of game it was 404 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: they were when they built their teams from. It's kind 405 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: of that's why it's kind of fitting that Roethlisberger will 406 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 1: win things Sunday in Baltimore where it all started. Really 407 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: everything comes full circle there. But Bob, we gotta let 408 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: you go ahead. We can sit here and talk Roethlisberger, 409 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 1: well not maybe for maybe not for eighteen years, but 410 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: certainly for the next eighteen hours. But we don't want 411 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: to keep you that long. I appreciate you stopping by. 412 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: Its great to have you on the show here. Um, 413 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: but we're gotta let you go. He is Matt Williams 414 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,159 Speaker 1: and I'm Dale Lally. You're listening to the drive here 415 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: on Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be back with more right 416 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: after this