December 3, 2009 News Clippings

Transcription

1 December 3, 2009 News Clippings Pittsburgh Steelers

2 Chuck Noll sparked concussion test Page 1 of 2 NEWS / US & WORLD / NATION Chuck Noll sparked concussion test Thursday, December 03, 2009 By Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette It was a pointed question from legendary Steelers coach Chuck Noll that sparked the development of the test used by nearly all professional sports teams and more than 2,400 high schools and colleges to determine if it is safe for an athlete who has suffered a concussion to return to play. The year was Steeler quarterback Bubby Brister had suffered a concussion. Dr. Joseph Maroon, the team neurosurgeon, told Coach Noll he wouldn't clear Mr. Brister to play the following week against the Dallas Cowboys. "He asked me, 'Why can't he?' " Dr. Maroon recalled. "I said, 'Well, the guidelines say such and such...' "He said, 'Who wrote the guidelines?' "And then he basically said, 'Look, Maroon. If you want me to keep an athlete out of football, I want objective data that you can show me indicating that there is something wrong with his cognitive abilities.' "It was at that point I called Dr. Mark Lovell..." Dr. Lovell was then a colleague of Dr. Maroon's at Allegheny General Hospital. Dr. Lovell was the director of neuropsychology. Dr. Maroon was chairman of neurosurgery. Dr. Lovell searched the literature and told Dr. Maroon there really was no objective test that fit Coach Noll's requirement. So the two devised one on pen and paper. Coach Noll agreed to have all the Steelers take it to establish a baseline. This was the first objective test for concussions, but it was time-consuming, and not as effective as the doctors wanted. "We needed to develop a computer-based program to allow for more broad-based testing of sports at all levels," Dr. Lovell said. The result of their collaboration was ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), a 20- to 25- minute video game that tests different aspects of memory and reaction time. If the athlete has taken a baseline test, a postconcussion ImPACT test can determine the extent of impairment or recovery. It took considerable time to develop ImPACT because, Dr. Lovell said, "every concussion is different. You can't look for just one or two symptoms. We needed to develop the test to test all aspects of concussions. We had to develop something that is sensitive to the effects of concussion, but not so sensitive that we were picking up other things that were not related to the concussion." The first version of ImPACT came out in 1997, at which time Dr. Lovell was director of neuropsychology at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. He returned to Pittsburgh in 2000, where he was the founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Sports Medicine Concussion Program. The year before, Dr. Maroon had returned to UPMC as vice chairman of the department of neurological surgery. Shortly after ImPACT came out, the National Hockey League made it mandatory for all teams. The NFL followed suit in "One of the reasons this really works is that it makes you remember things accurately and work as fast as possible," Dr. Lovell said. "This is very difficult to do when you have a concussion, because it puts the brain under pressure to do multiple things at once." ImPACT becomes more valuable over time, because it makes it possible to track athletes from high school through college and into professional sports, Dr. Lovell said. "We've been doing this long enough that we now have high school athletes who are now in college and we have a file on them. We can actually follow those athletes to make sure they're not having any dropoff in their scores over time." Another benefit of ImPACT, the researchers found, is that athletes are less likely to lie to the computer.

3 Chuck Noll sparked concussion test Page 2 of 2 "A really interesting thing we've found working with athletes, is that even though they'll tell their parents and their friends and their coach that they're fine, when you put them in front of a computer, they'll actually admit to their symptoms," Dr. Lovell said. Dr. Maroon said he hoped the publicity surrounding concussions like that suffered by Ben Roethlisberger in Kansas City will cause more athletes to realize they need to be honest about their symptoms. It would also be good if more fans realized the importance of taking precautions after a player has suffered a concussion. "I'm looking out at the garbage that was left on my front lawn after the Steelers lost to Baltimore," Dr. Maroon said, laughing. Coincidentally, a football concussion he suffered at the University of Indiana set Dr. Maroon on his career path. "It was a very significant concussion that erased two or three weeks from my mind," Dr. Maroon recalled. "It forced me to quit football and apply to medical school." Dr. Maroon has been the Steelers neurosurgeon, an unpaid position, since the late 1980s. "I'd been asked to evaluate [Hall of Fame wide receiver] Lynn Swann for a concussion," Dr. Maroon recalled. "Afterwards, Mr. [Dan] Rooney asked me to become more formally involved." In all his years with the Steelers, Dr. Maroon said, "I've never been asked to change my medical opinion." Dr. Maroon is proof that not all who suffer serious concussions suffer lasting effects. "No more than a few percent [of those who suffer concussions] go on to have significant difficulties later in life," said Dr. Jack Wilberger, Allegheny General Hospital chief of neurosurgery. "The puzzle is, who it is that's prone and why they're prone." Brain metabolism studies suggest brain metabolism stays abnormal for a week to 10 days after a concussion. But Dr. Wilberger indicated more research needs to be done, particularly in how and why individuals differ in their response to concussion. The next frontier for ImPACT is the U.S. military. About half the injuries soldiers have in Afghanistan and Iraq have been from explosions, which frequently cause concussions. "About three years ago we pretested about 5,000 soldiers at Fort Bragg [N.C.] who were scheduled to shipped to Iraq," Dr. Maroon said. "If it's good enough for an NFL quarterback, it's good enough for a soldier in the field." Jack Kelly can be reached at jkelly@post-gazette.com or Washington correspondent Daniel Malloy writes the "Pittsburgh On The Potomac" blog exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on December 3, 2009 at 12:00 am

4 On the Steelers: Ward makes guarantee Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS On the Steelers: Ward makes guarantee Thursday, December 03, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lake Fong/Post-Gazette Hines Ward on the Steelers' remaining schedule: "The playoffs officially begin for us this week. You lose, we're pretty much out of it." Forget the apology Hines Ward delivered to his teammates yesterday. You should have heard his guarantee. While he did not use the precise word uttered by a long-gone young defensive back two years ago before the Steelers played at New England, and while it occurred in a different context, Ward made some assurances about Sunday's game against Oakland in Heinz Field. He did not guarantee a victory; he guaranteed the season would be over if they lose. "The playoffs officially begin for us this week. You lose, we're pretty much out of it," Ward stated. "We know what's at stake. Our playoff season begins this weekend. This team knows if we lose we're pretty much out of it." The Steelers' three-game losing streak has tumbled them from first place to third in the AFC North Division with the possibility that if they are to make the playoffs they must win all five of their remaining games, or at least four, provided the Dec. 27 game against Baltimore is one of them. Their losing streak -- the longest under coach Mike Tomlin -- combined with the tiff over quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's sudden departure in status from healthy and ready to third-team quarterback Saturday, has tested the unity of a team long known for its strength in that area. "I think our locker room is tight, it always has been and I don't expect it to be any different," tight end Heath Miller said. No one would admit otherwise after Ward found it necessary to apologize yesterday to his teammates for stirring stuff up with his interview on NBC when he said the Steelers were "50-50" whether Roethlisberger should have played in Baltimore. "I apologized to the team today for having to even answer questions about this," Ward said. "We've moved on and [we're] getting ready for Oakland." Linebacker James Farrior thought it was needless for Ward to do that. "I think it was more just getting it off his chest than something that we needed. Everybody in here knows what Hines is and what he brings to the table and how bad he wants to win." Ward said he and Roethlisberger talked about it Monday night at length. "The issue's been resolved," Ward said. Roethlisberger, not scheduled to speak with the media until today, said pretty much the same thing in a conference call to Oakland yesterday. "He called me and we talked. We're moving on and everything is fine."

5 On the Steelers: Ward makes guarantee Page 2 of 2 Roethlisberger, who went through a full practice yesterday, also told the Oakland media, when asked about his head, that he was "feeling great. All the headaches are gone. Feeling good." Of course, he said similar things after practice a week ago. Correcting a mistake It's rare when football coaches admit they made a mistake, but the Steelers acknowledged they made one by their actions yesterday. They released cornerback Anthony Madison before the season even though he was one of their special teams dynamos. That, of course, was before they allowed four kickoff returns in five games. Yesterday, they corrected that mistake when they signed Madison to a one-year contract, one day after Indianapolis released him. The Steelers released cornerback Corey Ivy, who signed last week to play special teams. Ivy became the fourth player released over the past three weeks because of their poor special teams play. Ivy was active for Sunday's game in Baltimore. Madison was a special teams ace for the Steelers the past two seasons; he led their special teams with 25 tackles in He played for Cleveland until the Browns released him Nov. 3. Indianapolis signed him Nov. 3 and released him Tuesday. Running commitment If the Steelers can run 38 times against one of the NFL's best run defenses in Baltimore, what might they do Sunday against one of the NFL's worst? Oakland ranks 31st as a rush defense, allowing yards a game. "Last week was the first game this season that we've committed to the run," center Justin Hartwig said. "We ran the ball 38 times. We haven't come anywhere near that this year, so I felt good with the fact that when we did run it we had some success." The Steelers got 153 yards out of those runs, their second best in 11 games this season. They have come close to that total though, rushing 36 times twice, against San Diego and Cleveland. However, it's the first time they threw it so much less on a percentage basis. They ran it 59.4 percent of the time in Baltimore, nearly reversing their season long run-pass ratio and doing so against what was the league's fifth-best run defense. "We ran for 4 yards a carry against a really good run defense," Hartwig said. "That's something to build on, but that's not typically what our offense does week in and week out. "But it is good to know. I think it gives our coordinator some confidence that if we do need to run the ball, we feel we can." Injury update Shortly after saying he believes he can return to start on Sunday, guard Chris Kemoeatu went through a full practice at left guard yesterday. He missed the game in Baltimore with a sprained MCL. For more on the Steelers, read Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on December 3, 2009 at 12:00 am

6 Head injury ends career of Browns RB Lewis - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 Head injury ends career of Browns RB Lewis By The Associated Press Thursday, December 3, 2009 BEREA, Ohio Jamal Lewis has plowed into the line for the last time. Cleveland's punishing running back, who announced last month that he planned to retire following this season, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with post-concussion symptoms, a premature and unceremonious ending to his illustrious NFL career. Coach Eric Mangini, who declined to mention Lewis' injury in two news conferences this week, said the decision to put Lewis and safety Brodney Pool on IR came after consulting with the club's medical team. "As I've said before, organizationally, players' health and safety are paramount in any decision we make with regards to putting them back on the field," Mangini said in a statement. "Jamal has been an integral part of this team and he has exhibited a great work ethic. He worked hard, studied hard and set a good example for the younger running backs." Pool sustained at least his fourth known concussion against the Bengals. The Browns' decision on Lewis and Pool came hours after the NFL implemented stricter instructions for when players should be allowed to return to games or practices after head injuries. Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to the 32 clubs saying a player who gets a concussion should not return to action on the same day if he shows certain signs or symptoms. With a bruising style that flattened would-be tacklers, Lewis rushed for 10,607 career yards, ranking him 21st on the NFL's all-time list, just 36 yards behind Ricky Watters (10,643) for 20th place. Lewis was the league's offensive player of the year in 2003, when he rushed for 2,066 yards with Baltimore. Unfortunately, Lewis' final season was his worst. He ran for 500 yards on 143 carries a 3.5 average and did not score a touchdown. He did not start in Sunday's game at Cincinnati, but came in for the second offensive play and finished with a team-high 40 yards on 11 carries. Lewis' final carry was a 1-yard run with 14:02 left. Earlier this season, Lewis, an offensive co-captain, criticized Mangini for working Cleveland's players too hard in practice. He also questioned the team's lack of an offensive identity. Lewis backtracked on his comments a few days

7 Head injury ends career of Browns RB Lewis - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 later, blaming reporters for "blowing it out of proportion." Lewis seemed content with the idea of retirement, and said he was looking forward to life away from football. He owns several lucrative businesses, including a trucking company based in Atlanta. Lewis signed as a free agent with the Browns in He rushed for 1,304 yards that season the most by any Cleveland back other than Hall of Famer Jim Brown. While Lewis' career is over, Pool is facing a difficult decision on his future. A five-year veteran, Pool suffered another concussion in the third quarter on Sunday and may have to consider giving up the game. Mangini said no decisions have been made about Pool's future beyond "We haven't talked about the long term," he said. "That's a discussion for a later time period. You never want to have a conversation about injuries with anybody, but unfortunately it's something that is a reality and it's never a fun conversation but they are always important." Pool has started 10 games this season and 49 since the Browns selected him in the second round of the 2005 draft out of Oklahoma. In Sunday's 16-7 loss, Pool was injured early in the second half. He walked off the field, was escorted to the locker room and did not return to the sideline. Pool's situation has many of his teammates concerned about his health and their own. With concussions a hot topic in the league, players are learning more about the dangers of head injuries and their lasting effects. Browns linebacker David Bowens has seen a big change in the way teams are treating concussed players. "Early in my career, it was like, 'OK, he's got a concussion, can he count to three?' Now it's a big deal. You see how the older players, how it's affected their lives post-career and it is a serious issue. I think the awareness level has definitely heightened because of it, and the teams are taking better precautions. Safety issues regarding helmets, that's gone up. There's a lot of steps being taken." Browns wide receiver Mike Furrey said he spoke on Tuesday to former teammate Kurt Warner, who missed Arizona's game last week against Tennessee with post-concussion symptoms. "I don't think anybody really has an understanding yet of the symptoms and why things are happening the way they're happening," Furrey said. "There's no answers." Furrey said it's not uncommon for a player to lie to a team doctor to keep

8 Head injury ends career of Browns RB Lewis - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3 playing. "When you're talking about a little headache throughout the week, you obviously feel like you're still going to be able to play on Sunday," he said. "But nobody knows the extremities of those headaches or the difference of a light one or a heavy one or not having any other symptoms, being nauseated and sick throughout the week. "As a competitor you want to keep playing, so obviously you probably would stretch the story just a little bit to get back on the field and it's just the nature of any athlete that wants to play on Sundays." The Associated Press can be reached at or. Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

9 NFL changes return rules for concussions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 NFL changes return rules for concussions By The Associated Press Thursday, December 3, 2009 NFL teams now have new, stricter instructions for when players should be allowed to return to games or practices after head injuries, guidelines that go into effect this week. In the latest step by the league to address a hot-button issue, commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to the 32 clubs Wednesday saying a player who gets a concussion should not return to action on the same day if he shows certain signs or symptoms. Those include an inability to remember assignments or plays, a gap in memory, persistent dizziness, and persistent headaches. The old standard, established in 2007, said a player should not be allowed to return to the same game if he lost consciousness. Wednesday's memo also says players "are to be encouraged to be candid with team medical staffs and fully disclose any signs or symptoms that may be associated with a concussion." Nearly one-fifth of 160 NFL players surveyed by The Associated Press from Nov replied that they have hidden or played down the effects of a concussion. The league said its concussion committee, team doctors, outside medical experts and the NFL Players Association developed the new standards. NFLPA assistant executive director George Atallah said the union is "encouraged by this new policy." He added that the NFLPA "will continue to examine these issues independently to recommend the best possible policies and procedures." The new policy states, in part: "Once removed for the duration of a practice or game, the player should not be considered for return-to-football activities until he is fully asymptotic, both at rest and after exertion, has a normal neurological examination, normal neuropsychological testing, and has been cleared to return by both his team physician(s) and the independent neurological consultant." Teams were told this month they have to find an outside neurologist who can be consulted on concussions, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said this week the league is "very close" to having all of those independent doctors approved

10 NFL changes return rules for concussions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 and in place. Since last month's congressional hearing on NFL head injuries, momentum has been building for changes in league policy. The revised return-to-play rules come about a week after Goodell sent a memo to clubs informing them that the two co-chairmen of the league's concussions committee had resigned and that he has been looking into possible rule changes. On Wednesday, Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis was put on injured reserve with post-concussion symptoms, ending his NFL career. Lewis had previously said he would retire at the end of the season. His teammate, starting safety Brodney Pool, also went on IR after getting at least his fourth known concussion last weekend. They were among 11 players listed on Wednesday's league-wide injury report with concussions. Another eight were listed with head injuries. The two starting quarterbacks from last season's Super Bowl the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and the Cardinals' Kurt Warner sat out last Sunday after saying during the week they planned to play despite getting head injuries the previous week. "The evidence demonstrates that team medical staffs have been addressing concussions in an increasingly cautious and conservative way," Goodell wrote in Wednesday's memo. "This new return-to-play statement reinforces our commitment to advancing player safety. Along with improved equipment, better education, and rules changes designed to reduce impacts to the head, it will make our game safer for the men who play it, and set an important example for players at all levels of play."» Arizona's Kurt Warner said he had his "best day yet" since sustaining a concussion two games ago. Still, Warner split practice time with backup Matt Leinart yesterday, as coach Ken Whisenhunt and his staff took a cautious approach to handling the 38-year-old quarterback's head injury.» Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner sat out practice yesterday but isn't giving up on playing in a crucial game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Turner initially sustained a high right ankle sprain in a Nov. 15 loss at Carolina.» Brian Westbrook remains sidelined with a concussion, and DeSean Jackson's status for Philadelphia's game at Atlanta is uncertain after he sustained a head injury.» Bills starting cornerback Terrence McGee is questionable for the Buffalo's game against the New York Jets tonight because of a knee injury.» Disgruntled Oakland Raiders fans are making a high-profile plea for owner Al Davis to step down as the team's general manager. A billboard was posted on the freeway near the Oakland Coliseum this week, saying "MR. DAVIS, DO THE RIGHT THING, PLEASE HIRE A GM."

11 NFL changes return rules for concussions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3» The New Orleans Saints' win over the New England Patriots was the secondmost-watched cable telecast of all time. The Saints' win to improve to 11-0 on "Monday Night Football" on ESPN was seen by 21.4 million viewers, second only to the 21.8 million for the Packers-Vikings game Oct. 5. The 15.0 rating was the second-highest in the network's 30-year history, also second to that Green Bay-Minnesota game, which earned a The Associated Press can be reached at or. Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

12 Steelers' Ward blames analyst in controversy - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 Steelers' Ward blames analyst in controversy By Mark Kaboly Daily News Sports Editor Thursday, December 3, 2009 Looking back on it, Hines Ward has a good idea why his comments to Bob Costas on NBC's "Football Night in America" before Sunday's game against Baltimore got so much attention Rodney Harrison. After Ward spoke his mind about quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missing last week's game because of exercise-induced headaches after suffering a concussion the week before, Harrison, a former New England safety and current NBC studio analyst, ripped Ward for his comments. "... For him to question his quarterback's toughness really shocked me," Harrison said. "If Tom Brady had a hangnail, never would any of the guys question Tom Brady." Ward wasn't happy with Harrison's remarks and felt that he was the reason why the story was blown out of proportion. "He stirred up the whole thing with me throwing (Roethlisberger) under the bus," Ward said. "It really wasn't that at all." Ward said that he thought he didn't say anything wrong and decided to call him mother, Kim Young-hee, to ask her opinion. "She thought nothing of it," Ward said. "But Rodney Harrison, ex-patriot, goes out and goes crazy and, 'Well, he threw Ben under the bus.'" Ward said he did not reach out to try to contact Harrison. "Why would I talk to him?" Ward said.» Left guard Chris Kemoeatu is hoping his injured knee holds up well enough in practice this week to return to the starting lineup. Kemoeatu missed his first game in two years since replacing Alan Faneca at left guard because of a strained MCL in his right knee and is hopeful to return Sunday against Oakland. "Not yet, but we will take it day by day," said Kemoeatu when asked if he is sure he will be back in the lineup.

13 Steelers' Ward blames analyst in controversy - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 What is concerning Kemoeatu is his lateral movement. Because he is asked to pull quite a bit, his return may be delayed. "Some times opening up and moving laterally, it hurts," Kemoeatu said. "I will wear a brace, and hopefully that will help."» The Steelers made another move to address special-teams woes by bringing back Anthony Madison, who spent with the Steelers. Madison was released in training camp and spent time this season with Cleveland and Indianapolis. He was waived by the Colts on Tuesday. To make room for Madison, the Steelers released cornerback Corey Ivy.» The turf at Heinz Field was replaced for the second time this year Saturday following the four WPIAL championship games. Steelers kicker Jeff Reed is thankful that the turf will have a week to settle before getting used, but isn't thrilled that there will be two games played within 24 hours as Pitt hosts Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. "It would be much better if it had time to grow in a little," Reed said. "But I can't complain. I just wish there weren't games back-to-back." The sod was also replaced following the Oct. 18 game against Cleveland.» Dennis Dixon's father was seen on television wearing a circa-1970s Pirates pillbox cap. Dixon said he bought both a black and gold versions of the cap for his father and believes his dad will wear the gold version this week.» The Steelers signed defensive tackle Steve McLendon and running back Justin Vincent to the practice squad and released running back Isaac Redman.» Not practicing for the Steelers were safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Farrior, wide receiver Hines Ward and defensive tackle Travis Kirschke. QUOTABLE "I think Troy would be upset to be in the same sentence as "unleashing hell." If you know him, there is nothing hellish about him. He doesn't even want you to call him the Tasmanian Devil. It would be more possible to unleash hell without him than it would be with him," Steelers safety Ryan Clark. DIGITS 3 Times Oakland has gained more than 300 yards in a game this year. 8 Times the Steelers has gained more than 300 yards in a game this year. Mark Kaboly can be reached at mkaboly@dailynews .com or

14 Steelers' Ward blames analyst in controversy - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3 Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

15 Ward issues apology to QB Big Ben, team - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 Ward issues apology to QB Big Ben, team By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, December 3, 2009 Instead of discussing ways to get open against Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, Steelers receiver Hines Ward told reporters Wednesday he apologized to his teammates in general and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in particular. Attempting to bring closure to comments he made about Roethlisberger during a nationally televised interview on NBC, Ward denied Steelers players chose sides regarding Roethlisberger not playing in Sunday night's game at Baltimore because of a concussion. "I apologized to the team. I don't want it to be a distraction," Ward told a large group of reporters gathered around his locker. "We spoke for a while," Ward said referring to a conversation he had with Roethlisberger. "The issue's resolved." Roethlisberger was not available for comment with local reporters yesterday, but during a conference call with Oakland-area reporters he said, "He (Ward) called me and we talked. We're moving on, and everything is fine." Ward, who leads the Steelers in receptions (66) and receiving yards (845) and is tied for the team lead with five touchdown catches, said he was upset about not learning until Saturday that Roethlisberger wouldn't play after he practiced most of the week. He said his comments during the NBC interview about the Steelers' locker room being divided about the issue of Roethlisberger not playing were misunderstood. "Maybe it was the wrong choice of words; have guys played with concussions before? I'm pretty sure a lot of guys in this league have, but everybody is different," Ward said. "It wasn't like I was trying to say the locker room was divided, that half (were) mad at Ben for not playing. "Ben's a winner. It's not like we had Charlie (Batch, out with a wrist injury) to be our backup. Dennis (Dixon) was unproven. You really don't want to have your third-string quarterback going down to Baltimore, but Dennis shocked the world. He won over a lot of guys in this locker room." Making his first NFL start, Dixon was 12 of 26 for 145 yards with a touchdown

16 Ward issues apology to QB Big Ben, team - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 and a interception against the Ravens. He also ran for a 24-yard touchdown in the Steelers' overtime loss. Among the offensive starters, tight end Heath Miller said Ward's comments during the NBC interview had no effect on the players. "It's a non-issue to me," Miller said. "It's over and done with. We've got to focus on getting a win this weekend (against Oakland at Heinz Field)." Defensive co-captain James Farrior said Ward's apology was unnecessary because of the respect Ward has in the locker room. "Everybody in here knows what Hines brings to the table and how bad he wants to win," Farrior said. "This locker room is tight. We're a close-knit group. Everybody is in it to win it." Safety Ryan Clark believes the Steelers' three-game losing streak has players on edge. "(Losing) magnifies certain things," Clark said. "If we win that game (against Baltimore), I don't think (any) of this bickering, or having guys say the locker room's divided 50-50, I don't think that happens." Ward said a win against Oakland will put the Steelers in a better frame of mind. "We just need to get back on the winning track," Ward said. "Winning solves everything." John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

17 TimesOnline.com: Palko will stick with Steelers for a bit Page 1 of 2 Wednesday December 2, 2009 Palko will stick with Steelers for a bit By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times PITTSBURGH For Steelers quarterbacks, things have been chaotic the last week or so. For Tyler Palko, that chaos has given him another chance in the NFL. Due to Ben Roethlisberger s concussion and Charlie Batch s broken wrist, Palko was signed by the Steelers, first to the eight-man practice squad, then to the 53-man roster. A former star at West Allegheny High School and the University of Pittsburgh, Palko has never played in a regular-season NFL game. But this past Sunday, he was an injury away from running the Steelers offense against the Ravens. With Roethlisberger and Batch unable to play, Palko served as the backup QB behind starter Dennis Dixon. Yeah, it s been kind of crazy, but it s been good for me, Palko said. I m glad to have the opportunity. In this league, opportunities come in different ways, shapes and forms and you have to take advantage of them when you get them. With Roethlisberger expected to play Sunday against the Raiders (3-8), Palko is now the Steelers thirdteam quarterback. A team source said that Palko will likely remain in that role for at least three more weeks. If Batch s surgically-repaired wrist heals on schedule, he could be back for the Jan. 3 regular-season finale in Miami or for the first round of the playoffs if the Steelers (6-5) make the playoffs. Obviously, football is a violent game and injuries happen, Palko said. You just have to be ready when called upon. I m just trying to do what they ask me to do and learn the offense, and continue to get better while I m here. After finishing his career at Pitt, Palko spent most of the 2007 season with New Orleans, splitting time on the Saints active roster and practice squad. He was released on the final cutdown days the past two seasons, by the Saints last year and by the Cardinals this year. In October, the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League signed Palko to their practice squad. But last week when Roethlisberger and Batch were hurt, the Steelers asked the Alouettes to release

18 TimesOnline.com: Palko will stick with Steelers for a bit Page 2 of 2 Palko so they could sign him to their practice squad. Roethlisberger s absence elevated Palko to the active roster. There s probably about 60 percent of the game plan that I knew, Palko said. I knew enough to go in and play the game and not be handcuffed. Even though he didn t play, Palko said it was a thrill to be wearing a Steelers uniform in such an important AFC North game. It was cool, said Palko, 26. You know growing up in Pittsburgh, being a western Pa. kid and knowing a lot about the Steelers, it was a cool opportunity. I appreciate coach (Mike) Tomlin and the organization believing in me and giving me a chance.

19 TimesOnline.com: Steelers insider: Ben, Ward are fine Page 1 of 2 Wednesday December 2, 2009 Steelers insider: Ben, Ward are fine By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times PITTSBURGH Apparently, the Hines Ward controversy is history. Everything is fine, said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. We re moving on. Ward, the Steelers all-time leading receiver, caused the hullabaloo this past Sunday night during an interview with NBC-TV s Bob Costas when he questioned his quarterback s toughness. Ward began damage control Monday by apologizing to Roethlisberger. Before practice Wednesday, Ward apologized to his teammates. I apologized to the team for having to answer questions about this, he said. The issue has been resolved. We re just concentrating on Oakland. I don t want this to be a distraction. In the interview, Ward said that the locker room was divided over Roethlisberger. But on Wednesday, there was no division. Not with me there s not, tight end Heath Miller said. I don t see that happening here, safety Ryan Clark said when asked if Ward s remarks might hurt team chemistry. Honestly, losing magnifies those things. If we win that game, I don t think we re even having this conversation. I don t even think (Hines ) apology was necessary, said linebacker James Farrior. I don t think anybody in here is worried about it. Everyone in here knows what Hines is all about and what he brings to the table and how much he wants to win. No, I m not worried at all (about what Hines said). BIG BEN SPEAKS Ben Roethlisberger didn t speak to the media who cover the Steelers, but he did speak to reporters who cover the Raiders on Wednesday via a conference call. The first question was about his health.

20 TimesOnline.com: Steelers insider: Ben, Ward are fine Page 2 of 2 Feeling great, said Roethlisberger, who practiced Wednesday without problems. All the headaches are gone. Feeling good. Roethlisberger was then asked about the last time he faced the Raiders. That was in Oct. 29, 2006, just one week after sustaining a concussion during a loss in Atlanta. Against the Raiders, Roethlisberger played one of the worst games of his career, throwing four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. I know you were planning on asking me that, Roethlisberger said. Do I think (my performance) had anything to do with the injury? I don t think it did. I felt good. I felt clear. It was (just) a bad game, to tell you the truth. PARKER WON T POUT In his four years as the Steelers starting running back, Willie Parker used to average between 20 and 25 carries a game. Now that he s backing up Rashard Mendenhall, Parker didn t even get 20 carries in the month of November. I m good with that. I got to accept it, said Parker, who carried 12 times for 45 yards in the past four games. I accepted it when I was the guy. I just have to go out there every day, work hard and have fun doing it. I just have to keep a smile on myself, because I could easily come to work pouting and be a cancer to the team. I just have to be a man about it and remember how it felt when I took over. INJURY UPDATE OG Chris Kemoeatu, who missed the loss in Baltimore with a sprained knee, isn t sure he ll play Sunday against the Raiders. But he was encouraged by the way he practiced Wednesday. The Steelers listed Kemoeatu as a full-practice participant. SS Troy Polamalu is still recovering from a sprained knee and isn t expected to play against the Raiders. He s already missed six games this season due to two different knee injuries. Yes, it is frustrating, Polamalu said after missing yet another practice. DE Travis Kirschke also missed practice, but only as a precaution. After missing three games with a torn calf muscle, Kirschke started against the Ravens.

21 Page 1 of 1 Roethlisberger 'feels great,' set to play against Raiders By: JIM WEXELL Herald Standard PITTSBURGH - Ben Roethlisberger has suffered four known concussions, but after only one of those did he play the following Sunday. And it was one of the worst games of his career. In 2006, a week after taking a helmet to the head and being wheeled into the locker room in Atlanta, Roethlisberger went to Oakland and threw a career-high four interceptions - two of which were returned for touchdowns - in a shocking 20-7 loss that dropped the defending champs to 2-5. But Roethlisberger told Oakland-area reporters Wednesday that the concussion had nothing to do with his poor performance. "I felt good. I felt clear," he said. "I wouldn't have gone out there. The doctors wouldn't have let me. They're very cautious, especially after my accident that involved my head. Extremely cautious with me, so I don't think they'd have let me go if they didn't think I was ready. I think it was a bad game, to tell you the truth." Roethlisberger this week is coming off another concussion. He missed one game and expects to return Sunday to play the Raiders. "Feeling great," Roethlisberger said yesterday. "All headaches are gone. Feeling good." If Roethlisberger has headaches this week, they might be from answering questions about Hines Ward. Roethlisberger was asked about Ward's controversial comments during his teleconference call. "He called me and we talked," Roethlisberger said. "We're moving on and everything is fine." Ward apologized to the team Wednesday "for having to even answer questions about this," Ward said. "We've moved on and (are) getting ready for Oakland." The Raiders are 3-8, and only since beating the Steelers back in But the Steelers, cleaning up a mess on the field as well, are showing the utmost respect for the Raiders. "I don't think anybody is taking this game or team lightly," Roethlisberger said. The Steelers have lost three games in a row for the first time since The loss to the Raiders that year was the Steelers' second of that three-game skid. "A lot of young faces out there," Roethlisberger said of this year's Raiders. "I don't think I can talk enough about their secondary, and then adding (DE Richard) Seymour. They're a really good defense. I don't think they get enough credit, at least on this side of the country." NOTES: The Steelers brought back Anthony Madison and released Corey Ivy. Madison was the Steelers' left contain man on kickoff teams and a gunner on punt teams. He led the Steelers with 25 special-teams tackles and was one of the reasons the kickoff and punt teams ranked first and fourth in the league, respectively + The Steelers re-signed NT Steve McLendon and RB Justin Vincent to their practice squad and released RB Isaac Redman. + Chris Kemoeatu (knee) returned to practice Wednesday. Troy Polamalu (knee) and Travis Kirschke (calf) did not practice. December 03, 2009

22 Page 1 of 1 Ward apologizes to team for comments By: HERALD STANDARD STAFF Herald Standard PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward extended his apology to Ben Roethlisberger to all of his teammates, saying he didn't mean to create a distraction by questioning why a concussion kept the quarterback from playing against Baltimore. Ward called Roethlisberger on Monday to say he was sorry for wondering why the quarterback was held out of the Steelers' overtime loss to the Ravens the night before. Ward wasn't aware a team doctor advised Roethlisberger not to play due to post-concussion headaches that followed each of the team's three practices last week. Roethlisberger hasn't reported any headaches since Friday and practiced Wednesday for Sunday's game against Oakland (3-8). Ward is disappointed he spoke out of frustration in an NBC-TV interview taped Saturday night, not long after learning Roethlisberger wouldn't play in an important game for last season's Super Bowl champions. "In hindsight, we're never going to jeopardize a man's health issues to play a game," Ward said Wednesday. "A lot of people forget, Ben came from a motorcycle incident (in 2006) and still had a lot of head trauma, so we don't want to... push him to play a game. I wasn't trying to really not be concerned about his head injury. We were just frustrated we didn't have our starting quarterback." Roethlisberger talked with Ward at length on Monday night and the two apparently put the incident behind them. "You know what, he called me, we talked, we're moving on and everything is fine," Roethlisberger said. Because Ward estimated his teammates were split over whether Roethlisberger should play, coach Mike Tomlin and other players are being asked if the Steelers are a divided team. "I apologized to the team for having to even answer questions about this.... That was never my intention, I didn't want this to be a distraction," Ward said. "I should have just took the time and took the emotions out of it and just gave the politically correct answer." Linebacker James Farrior said Ward, a team captain, didn't need to apologize. "I think it's over with and it's not going to be a distraction for this team. We're just going to move forward," he said. "We wanted to have all the people out there who could give us the best chance to win, and Hines was just upset." The Steelers (6-5) have lost three in a row to fall two games behind Cincinnati (8-3) in the AFC North race. "No, no, no," Ward said, asked if the team's unity was shaken. "I just think we need to get that taste of winning back. It's frustrating when you lose to Kansas City, you come back and you know it's going to be a tough game in Baltimore, and then not having your quarterback... In the course of losing three games in a row, we just need to get back on a winning track. Winning solves everything." December 03, 2009

23 Oakland Raiders remain headed for fall - Inside Bay Area Page 1 of 2 Oakland Raiders remain headed for fall By Steve Corkran Oakland Tribune Posted: 12/02/ :27:52 PM PST Updated: 12/03/ :12:24 AM PST More Jerry McDonald's Inside the Raiders blog Chat live with Jerry McDonald every Tuesday at noon Follow Jerry McDonald on Twitter Darth Raider: Blogging from the Darkside Discuss the Raiders at ContraCostaTimes.com and InsideBayArea.com Schedule: season Depth chart Buy team gear More Raiders The competitive nature of NFL players prevents them from writing off a season as long as there's still a glimmer of hope. That's where the Raiders stand as they enter the final stretch of the season balancing optimism with a healthy does of reality. Yet, deep down, they no doubt realize that another season has just about slipped away and a seventh straight season without a playoff berth is coming, perhaps as soon as Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. "It just piles on and piles on," third-year defensive end Jay Richardson said. "The frustration, there's no word for it in the dictionary for how that feels. Frustration is an understatement. You just go back to work. Every week you refocus yourself. You find little goals for yourself." For the Raiders, that entails things such as building for next season, finishing strong and, perhaps, avoiding a seventh consecutive season of 11 losses or more. The Raiders' six-year run of such seasons is an NFL record. They need three victories in the final five games to avoid extending that ignominious streak. Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha arrived in 2003, with the team fresh from a Super Bowl appearance. He had visions of perennial playoff runs. Instead, he was ushered into the NFL with a 4-12 season his rookie year. Even so, that first year was somewhat tolerable because he was young, had his whole NFL career ahead of him and didn't know any better. "Every season gets more difficult because you go from someone that's new to the league who doesn't know very much," Asomugha said. "Then you mature and you start to know a lot, but what's going on now is the same as what was going on back then, as far as the losing. Then it just makes it even more difficult because now you know." The Raiders (3-8) already are eliminated from contention for the AFC West title. Their lone hope rests with winning their final five games and hoping 8-8 is good enough for one of two wild-card berths. Advertisement

24 Oakland Raiders remain headed for fall - Inside Bay Area Page 2 of 2 That happens about as often as the Raiders going a game without committing a penalty. Therefore, they are faced with the prospect of playing most of the final month of this season with little more to play for than pride, respect and individual statistics. Meanwhile, the Steelers are 6-5 and still in the playoff hunt, yet they are talking as if their season is unraveling on the heels of back-to-back overtime losses. What Asomugha and his teammates wouldn't do to be 6-5 or even finish with six victories. "They're used to winning," Asomugha said, "so, when you lose three games or something like that, it's the biggest deal in the world. And, for them, that's where they are right now, so they said everyone's got hell to pay the next two weeks. "... That's the nature of what they're going through. They win every year, so a couple of losses puts them in a bad position." The Raiders are 3-8 and on pace for their seventh consecutive season of at least 11 losses and no playoff berth. What follows is a season-by-season look at how the Raiders fared since they played in the Super Bowl in the 2002 season: Missed Season Record playoffs by games games games games games games ? Linebacker Sam Williams also joined the Raiders in He, too, is at the point where he isn't sure what it's going to take for the Raiders to end their losing ways. "When we played so well against San Diego in the opener, it looked as if this was going to be the year," Williams said. "But we just couldn't carry that momentum over. It's frustrating going through this every year, but we know that it's going to taste sweet when we turn it around. Guys like Nnamdi, Justin (Fargas) and me have been working too hard and waiting too long for this not to end up working out in our favor." no seventh heaven Advertisement