Big Ben's foot injury scary, but not serious

Big Ben's foot injury scary, but not serious http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993568-66.stm Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Big Ben's foot injury scary, but not serious Thursday, August 27, 2009 By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Ben Roethlisberger could only sit on a water cooler a week ago and wonder about the severity of his foot injury. You have a behemoth with size-19 feet and a family history in the funeral-parlor business fall on you, and see if that isn't "pretty scary," as Ben Roethlisberger put it. But when it involves an injury to the area around an NFL star's Achilles tendon, when it involves a $102 million quarterback's right foot carrying a steep per-pound price tag, when it involves the dreaded popping noise that he swore teammates heard, it concerns Big Ben more than a little. Speaking for the first time since 6-foot-8, 345-pound left tackle Max Starks accidentally stepped on him while trying to ward off a pass-rushing James Harrison toward the end of practice last Thursday at Saint Vincent College, Roethlisberger recalled yesterday how the incident could have been far more serious. "It is a pretty scary thing to have a 300-and-..." he cleared his throat, sarcastically, "... heavy-pound guy step right on the back of your foot, on your Achilles. He went down, too, so you know he didn't just graze it. We both went down. "Everyone thought they heard a pop, too. We didn't know what happened." Roethlisberger, who sat out the Steelers' Saturday loss at Washington as a result, declined to divulge anything about tests on the foot. Yet, he absolved Starks -- "no need [for an apology]; it was a total accident" -- and rested easier knowing it was a short-term malady. "Luckily, it was a bruise. It's coming along. It's not 100 percent, but it's coming along. I am up, walking. I am participating a little bit [in practices]. We'll just continue to get better every day." Roethlisberger is scheduled to see extensive playing time Saturday night, when the Buffalo Bills come to Heinz Field to wage the one preseason contest that mirrors any resemblance to a game and significance. Coach Mike Tomlin has said as much: "He won't be limited in any form or fashion." All starters and regulars will play at length as is customary in these third preseason games, the last, true tune-up for the regular season before playing but a few snaps, if at all, in the fourth and final exhibition. The question is: How long will Roethlisberger go Saturday? Upon returning to practice Monday for the first time since the injury, he missed the final 10 minutes while encasing the foot in ice. Yesterday, he merely seemed to exit early, with roughly 20 minutes left in the workout. Yet, the Steelers contend the ailment will not hamper his play or playing time Saturday, or thereafter. "Nah, he'll be fine," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said after practice yesterday. Roethlisberger completed four of six passes for 33 yards in little more than a quarter and a half against Arizona. He welcomes the work -- for himself, his unit, the entire club.

Big Ben's foot injury scary, but not serious http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993568-66.stm Page 2 of 2 "This is a big preseason game for a lot of us, especially the offense," he said. "We try to make it as close as we can [to a regular-season game]. We do the game-planning a little bit. We have scouting reports. We try and simulate it as best as we can. I think a lot of us will get a lot of playing time, a half or so. "Whatever feels comfortable. It's kind of hard to say now. It's more along the lines of how you feel when you are out there. It's one of those things where you say to coach, 'Hey, I need another one....' We'll kind of see how the flow of the game goes. Who knows how long coach wants to leave us in there. But we do go into it more like a regular game." Despite his absence, the offense, Roethlisberger said, "did a good job. I thought there were a couple of things here and there that hopefully we got corrected watching on film. I thought Charlie [Batch] did a great job, connected on some big third downs. There is some tuning up we have to do." Asked if he could have played Saturday had it been a regular-season game, Roethlisberger replied, "I'm glad it wasn't. I don't know. It would be one of those tough ones." Starks, for his part, continues to express relief that the quarterback who lockers next to him is fine. Then again, he added, injuries are part of this business: "It's football. Obviously, it isn't ballet." Chuck Finder can be reached at cfinder@post-gazette.com. First published on August 27, 2009 at 12:00 am

7 defendants move for dismissal http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993564-66.stm Page 1 of 1 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL 7 defendants move for dismissal Reno lawyer notes Roethlisberger's case is 'alleged workplace injury and remarkable implausibility' Thursday, August 27, 2009 By Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Attorneys representing seven of the eight Harrah's Lake Tahoe employees named as defendants in the sexual-assault case involving Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have filed a motion to dismiss the case. Roethlisberger and the eighth Harrah's defendant made a similar request through their respective lawyers nearly two weeks ago. The filing, submitted late Tuesday to Washoe County Court in Reno, Nev., includes a point-by-point rebuttal of many of the claims made in the plaintiff's July 17 lawsuit, concluding that "it appears to be more of a screenplay than a legal pleading." "Although steeped in media attention and publicity because of the celebrity status of the first-named defendant, this case is a simple case involving an alleged workplace injury and remarkable implausibility," said lawyer Margo Piscevich, of the Reno law firm Piscevich & Fenner. Piscevich represents defendants John Koster, Guy Hyder, Mark Masters, Dave Monroe, Mike Rosenow, Debbie Neall and Bryan Casuscelli, all current or former Harrah's Lake Tahoe employees. The plaintiff, a 31-year-old woman who was a VIP host at Harrah's, has filed a civil suit against Roethlisberger, claiming he assaulted her in his hotel room while in Lake Tahoe for a July 2008 charity golf outing. She included the Harrah's employees in the lawsuit, claiming they protected the hotel and Roethlisberger. Calvin R.X. Dunlap, the attorney representing Roethlisberger's accuser, could not be reached for comment. The Post-Gazette does not name alleged victims of sexual assault. Piscevich, in her filing, said the plaintiff claims "she was sexually assaulted at her place of employment, during work hours, in the course and scope of her employment as a casino host, by a famous football star." Because the complaint is based on "a claimed workplace injury," Piscevich said, a lawsuit against her co-workers "is banned by the worker compensation statutes in Nevada." The request for dismissal also includes testimony and e-mail records that Piscevich said supports her clients. She also said that it supports the contention that the sex between the plaintiff and Roethlisberger was consensual. According to text messages to defendant Hyder, the plaintiff said Roethlisberger was "hot" and that she was "falling in lust" with him. She also boasted that she was carrying "Big Ben's baby" and that after she "relocated to Pittsburgh," Hyder could be the baby's godfather. "When the complaint in this case is stripped of exaggeration and conjecture, it will be seen as hollow and insufficient to support any claims against these defendants as a matter of law," Piscevich said. "Accordingly, the court should dismiss all claims against these defendants, with prejudice." Dan Majors can be reached at dmajors@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1456. First published on August 27, 2009 at 12:00 am

Steelers Notebook: Polamalu endorses LeBeau for Hall http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993567-66.stm Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers Notebook: Polamalu endorses LeBeau for Hall Thursday, August 27, 2009 By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. If Troy Polamalu had a vote, he would have enshrined Dick LeBeau in the Pro Football Hall of Fame long before now. "As a football player, a special-teams coach, a position coach, a coordinator, a head coach, nobody has done it all like he has," the Pro Bowl safety said yesterday, the day after the Steelers' longtime defensive coordinator was nominated as one of two senior candidates to join 15 modern-day finalists in the February voting for enshrinement. "He's done everything but own a team. He's more deserving than Vince Lombardi, if you're talking to me. "It's because he was a coach the whole time, you know," Polamalu said of Lombardi, noting the 36 years of LeBeau's NFL service. "Somebody like coach LeBeau who knows what it's like to be out of the front office and take bumps and bruises like these guys, players respect that. That's why I feel a player's Hall of Fame would be much different than it is now. "I would argue with anybody that there's nobody more deserving in football to be in the Hall of Fame than him." The record 171 consecutive starts at cornerback, the seventh-most interceptions of all time at 62, you can push those numbers aside, Polamalu added. "Never even missed a practice? That's the most impressive thing." Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger also spoke on LeBeau's behalf. "Coach LeBeau and I have a special relationship," Roethlisberger said. "We are very close. We hold hands in the team prayer before [games]. We spend a lot of time golfing and hanging out. I couldn't be more proud. He is an unbelievable coach. More than an unbelievable coach, he is an unbelievable person. Anybody who spends 10 seconds around him, there is an aura or something that comes off him, and you realize how special he is." Stapleton close Darnell Stapleton, the starting right guard last season who lost his position to Trai Essex in the aftermath of an Aug. 7 arthroscopy on his left knee, aims to return to practice as early as next week. That would put him roughly in the middle of the two- to four-week recovery timetable which coach Mike Tomlin initially estimated. "I'm hoping to get back before the end of training camp," Stapleton said of a camp that ends next Thursday at Carolina, the last exhibition before the Steelers' Sept. 10 regular-season opener. "But I would like to be back as soon as possible." Stapleton, who practiced basically two days in Latrobe before the swollen knee pinned him to the sidelines, said he's doing "annoying, strengthening" rehabilitation at the moment. Whether he wrests back right guard from Essex, "that's not my train of thought," he said. Rather, he awaits the chance to compete again, the chance to return to contact. "It's not frustrating. A little disappointment," he said. "I can't get down. Things happen like this. People get hurt all the time." Tale of the fight tape Several veteran defenders joked that they wanted to wait until they viewed the tapes, but a fight at the end of the scheduled final play of practice yesterday remained the source of conversation and fun long afterward. Reserve offensive tackle Jeremy Parquet and NFL Defensive Player of the Year linebacker James Harrison became entangled at the line and stayed that way while teammates rushed around them, preventing anything further than clutching and shoving. Harrison's voice was audible across the field. Nose guard Casey Hampton kiddingly questioned Harrison's fighting skills.

Steelers Notebook: Polamalu endorses LeBeau for Hall http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993567-66.stm Page 2 of 2 Then, he and others reserved final judgment for videotape review. "Just a little football stuff," Harrison said of the scrape. "Just emotions. Nothing personal," Parquet said. "Out there working." "Things get heated, man," Hines Ward added of what was the biggest fight of camp and the first to involve one of the team's star players. "That's part of football. One thing about us, we leave it on the field. In here, once we get in the locker room, we're family." First published on August 27, 2009 at 12:00 am

NFL Notebook: Sanchez is selected as Jets' starting QB http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993566-66.stm Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL NFL Notebook: Sanchez is selected as Jets' starting QB Former USC star beats out Clemens Thursday, August 27, 2009 The Associated Press The future is now for the new face of the New York Jets, Mark Sanchez. Sanchez was selected as the team's starting quarterback by coach Rex Ryan yesterday, making him the first rookie slated to open a season under center for the Jets. "This comes with a lot of responsibility," a beaming Sanchez said. "As happy as I am, I know that this is just the beginning and I'm just excited, really excited, to get to play with such great players." The fifth overall draft pick out of Southern California beat out Kellen Clemens for the job and will make his regular-season debut at Houston Sept. 13. "This is something I've always wanted to do and dreams are coming true now," Sanchez said. "It's a special opportunity." Ryan said early in training camp he'd like to make a decision on a starter by the Jets' third preseason game. "I think Mark gives us the best opportunity to win," Ryan said, "and I think that's what I owe this franchise." The Jets' next preseason game is Saturday night against the Giants. Sanchez replaces Brett Favre as the starter after generally showing poise and solid decision-making skills during training camp. Ryan met with Sanchez and Clemens and told them of his choice. "I'm glad the decision was made earlier rather than later," said Clemens, who added he thought the competition was fair. The last time a rookie started a season for the franchise was in 1960, when Dick Jamieson quarterbacked the then-titans. Joe Namath didn't start until the third game of his rookie season in 1965. Matt Robinson was the last rookie quarterback to start a game for the Jets in 1977. Sanchez won't have an easy welcome to the NFL, though, facing a tough Texans defense in the opener, followed by home games against New England and Tennessee. Colts Bob Sanders is still on the Colts' physically unable to perform list after surgery on his right knee in the spring. The 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has spent the past few days meeting with orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. "He's making progress," coach Jim Caldwell said. "He feels good about where he is. Dr. Andrews feels good about where he is. That means I should feel good about where he is." Broncos With backup Chris Simms hobbled by an ankle injury, Denver signed free agent quarterback Ingle Martin. Simms sustained a high ankle sprain when Seahawks pass rusher Nick Reed fell on his left ankle during Saturday's 27-13 loss at Seattle, and the Broncos have not said how long Simms is expected to be out. The loss of Simms left starter Kyle Orton and rookie Tom Brandstater as the only healthy quarterbacks on the Broncos roster. Buccaneers Seven months after undergoing major knee surgery for the second time in just over a year, Cadillac Williams will make his preseason debut tonight against the Dolphins. "I'm looking forward to it," he said, his words not nearly matching the excitement in his voice. "I'm sure I'm going to make the most of it." Cardinals Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin sat out practice with a sore right hamstring and probably will miss the Cardinals' game against Green Bay tomorrow night. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Boldin felt a problem with the hamstring late in

NFL Notebook: Sanchez is selected as Jets' starting QB http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09239/993566-66.stm Page 2 of 2 practice Tuesday but an MRI showed no serious injury. Browns Coach Eric Mangini said he'd be comfortable starting defensive tackle Shaun Rogers in the season opener even if the Pro Bowler misses the entire preseason. "I want to see everybody, but I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what he can do," Mangini said. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. First published on August 27, 2009 at 12:00 am

Steelers' Harrison pushing Starks to be better - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_640245.html Page 1 of 2 Steelers' Harrison pushing Starks to be better By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, August 27, 2009 Left tackle Max Starks didn't apologize to Ben Roethlisberger for injuring the Steelers quarterback's right foot after stepping on the back of it. "No need," Roethlisberger said Wednesday. Indeed, that wasn't just anybody that pushed Starks back into Roethlisberger near the end of the Steelers' final practice of training camp last Thursday. James Harrison, who bull-rushed Starks during an 11-on-11 drills, is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. If what happened to Roethlisberger, who has a bruised Achilles heel but will play Saturday against the Buffalo Bills, is the downside to Starks getting a steady dose of Harrison, there's also an upside. Going mano a mano with Harrison on a regular basis is perhaps the best preparation Starks could get for his all-important job of protecting Roethlisberger's blind side. "It makes me more acute because practicing against him, you have to always be on your toes," said Starks, who started the final 14 games at left tackle last season and signed a four-year contract during the offseason. "You get to game day, and you've been on your toes three days straight going against James. And now, bam, you get into a game, and it's like there's nothing this guy can throw at me that James hasn't already done to me repeatedly in practice." Or in games to opposing left tackles. Harrison set a Steelers single-season record with 16 sacks last season. "Any time you go against the Defensive Player of the Year and the things he brings to the table, he will make anybody better, whether it's a back, tight end or tackle," Roethlisberger said. "I know if you ask Max, he will tell you every day he has to go against James, it's a challenge." Yeah, just a little bit. What makes Harrison even more difficult for Starks to handle -- and most left tackles, for that matter -- is that he's 6-foot tall. Starks is 6-8, making it difficult to offset the natural advantage Harrison has in getting leverage, as Harrison did when he drove the 345-pound tackle back into Roethlisberger.

Steelers' Harrison pushing Starks to be better - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_640245.html Page 2 of 2 "Having to go against a guy that's shorter, obviously, that makes me focus more on my technique and what I have to do in order to ward off a defender," Starks said. "He has all the components you look for in a great pass rusher, so he's going to give you a multitude of different moves." Fortunately for Starks, he's used to adjusting. He played right tackle during the first half of his career with the Steelers and started there in 2005-06. The sixth-year veteran lost his starting job to Willie Colon in 2007 but proved to be an invaluable reserve. That was particularly true when back problems sidelined starting left tackle Marvel Smith at the end of the 2007 season and for most of last year. That Starks never put himself before the team after losing his starting job -- and the work he did while starting the last 14 games of the 2008 season at left tackle -- convinced the Steelers that they should include the former Florida standout in their long-term plans. Starks got an early wedding present in June when he and the Steelers agreed on a four-year, $26.3 million contract that includes $10 million in guaranteed money. Starks, 27, signed the contract just a couple of days before he got married. The deal allows him to stay with the team that took him in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft, though sometimes, that may not seem like such a bargain. Not with Harrison lining up opposite him in practice. Starks, however, always has been a glass-half-full sort of guy, so he looks at practice as a way of improving his game. "Max is getting better than he has been in previous years," Harrison said. "Different guys present different challenges." None more so than Harrison, as Starks can attest. Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432. Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

Big Ben practices, but says he's not '100 percent' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_640250.html Page 1 of 2 Big Ben practices, but says he's not '100 percent' By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, August 27, 2009 Steelers fans weren't the only ones who got a major scare last Thursday when left tackle Max Starks fell onto the right foot of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during the team's final practice of training camp. "We both went down. Everyone thought they heard a pop, too," said Roethlisberger, speaking Wednesday for the first time since he hurt his right Achilles tendon. "Luckily, it was just a bruise. It's not 100 percent, but it's coming along." Roethlisberger took part in most of the Steelers' practice yesterday, though he spent the last part of it icing the back of his foot. Barring a setback, he will play when the Steelers play host to the Buffalo Bills in a preseason game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Roethlisberger says he expects to play at least the first two quarters against the Bills. The game figures to be the last time Roethlisberger and the rest of the starters play extensively during the preseason. "Who knows how long coach (Mike Tomlin) wants to leave us in there, but we do go into it more like a regular game," Roethlisberger said. "We do the gameplanning a little bit. We have scouting reports. This is a big preseason game, especially (for) the offense." It's especially important for Roethlisberger since he didn't play last Saturday against the Redskins and has logged just two series in preseason competition. The Steelers held him out of the Redskins game as a precaution. Roethlisberger wouldn't go too much into the specifics of his injury and declined to say whether he had gotten an MRI taken on his right foot. "You know I can't talk about what we have done," Roethlisberger said. "I am up walking, and we will continue to get better every day." TEMPERS, TEMPERS

Big Ben practices, but says he's not '100 percent' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_640250.html Page 2 of 2 Tempers flared after the final play of practice yesterday, as outside linebacker James Harrison and offensive tackle Jeremy Parquet had to be separated by coaches and teammates after the two engaged in some extracurricular shoving. "Just a little football stuff," Harrison said. "We're teammates, man, just playing ball," Parquet added. "It's over." Wide receiver Hines Ward agreed. "Things get heated. You're hot; you're going against the same person. Don't make much of it," Ward said. "That's part of football. Once we're in this locker room, we're family. They went through it. (Today), they'll be talking again." Casey Hampton said he didn't see the scuffle, though he did make an observation about Harrison, arguably one of the most intimidating players in the NFL. "I heard he can't fight. That's the word on the street," Hampton said. "He looks the part, but they say his fighting skills don't look so good, so I'm going to have to go see what happened." When told what Hampton said about Harrison, Ward laughed. "I'm not going to be the one to say that," he said. INJURY UPDATE The Steelers again held running backs Willie Parker and Frank Summers out of practice because of hamstring injuries. Dennis Dixon, the No. 3 quarterback, watched practice with his right arm in a sling. Dixon sustained a mild sprain of his A/C joint during the Redskins game. Guard/center Darnell Stapleton also didn't practice because of a right knee injury. He said there's no timetable for his return. Stapleton, who's missed most of preseason practice, is optimistic he will return soon enough to help the Steelers this season. "I'm hoping I can make it back before the end of the preseason," said Stapleton, who started the final 15 games at right guard last season. Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432. Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

Harris: Holmes hardly noticeable this preseason - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_640248.html Page 1 of 2 Harris: Holmes hardly noticeable this preseason By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, August 27, 2009 So far this preseason, Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes may as well be invisible. The Steelers wide receiver has one reception for 16 yards, and he's been targeted only twice in the first two exhibition games. Holmes hasn't gone diva on the coaching staff, as many of the elite pass catchers in the NFL are prone to do. Not once has Holmes delivered a "do you know who I am?" proclamation to the team via the media. The difference between Holmes and many of his peers is that Holmes mostly keeps his thoughts private. Holmes loves catching the ball, but he appears to love winning even more. "We're not bickering and (complaining) about anything in the preseason. I don't have any focus on if I catch a pass or I don't in the preseason," Holmes said. "It's not going in the stat book. It's not going to count toward us winning the Super Bowl." The Steelers know what Holmes can do. They're not so sure about Limas Sweed and rookie Mike Wallace. They know what Shaun McDonald can do, but McDonald can't stretch the secondary the way that Wallace can. McDonald has been thrown to a team-high 11 times, Sweed has been targeted nine times and Wallace eight times. Hines Ward has been thrown to five times. "It's more so just been the play-calling. We really don't have much (offense) in," Holmes said. "I catch maybe six to eight balls every day in practice. Me going up against the No. 1 defense in the world, it doesn't hurt to not catch a ball in the preseason." Holmes missed a second day of practice Wednesday after taking a helmet to his back against the Redskins in the Steelers' second preseason game. He made his only catch of the preseason last Saturday -- for 16 yards on thirdand-9 in the first quarter. Earlier, during the Steelers' opening drive, Holmes and backup quarterback Charlie Batch hooked up for a 47-yard reception, but it was challenged and overruled.

Harris: Holmes hardly noticeable this preseason - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_640248.html Page 2 of 2 Entering his fourth season, Holmes has come to grips with what he may want to accomplish individually and what the Steelers offense allows him to do. He understands and accepts his limitations. Like all receivers, Holmes is supremely confident in his ability to get open against any type of coverage. There's no way that Holmes should have caught quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's thread-the-needle dart for the winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLIII. In one of the great late-game performances in Super Bowl history, Holmes caught four passes for 73 yards in the final possession. He caught a 13-yarder on third-and-6 and a 40-yarder down to the Arizona 6. And he did it against a secondary that was intent on stopping him with Ward slowed by a knee injury. Roethlisberger threw to Holmes five times in that final drive -- three more times than he's been targeted this preseason. "We have a smart enough quarterback to know where the ball should go when the coverage comes," Holmes said. "You're not going to dictate how you're going to play in the preseason, as opposed to what you're going to do when it really counts. "I don't think any team is going to really show what they want to do as far as playing me right now." The Steelers certainly aren't revealing their hand about how they plan to play Holmes. John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432. Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

.: Print Version :. http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2009/08/27/sports/steelers/doc4a96058bb2bc9726253... Page 1 of 2 Print Page THURSDAY AUGUST 27, 2009 :: Last modified: Thursday, August 27, 2009 12:05 AM EDT Steelers News & Notes: Fight much ado about nothing By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff PITTSBURGH For a brief moment Wednesday, tempers flared as practice ended with linebacker James Harrison and tackle Jeremy Parquet involved in a brief scuffle. No serious punches were thrown before teammates separated Harrison and Parquet. But Harrison could be heard yelling, I want you to be scared! I want you to be scared! Afterwards, the mini skirmish on the last snap at practice was cause for some locker room frivolity. Most of the fun was poked at Harrison, the NFL s 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. Deebo, did you throw an overhand? linebacker James Farrior said laughing. Hey, who was it that grabbed me from the back (to break it up)? said Harrison, who s called Deebo by his teammates. I heard it was a defensive player. I can t believe that. Nose tackle Casey Hampton jokingly said that Harrison isn t as tough as the tough-guy image he portrays. I heard he can t fight. That s the word on the street, Hampton said. I heard his skills (as a fighter) aren t that good. He looks the part, but they say his fighting skills aren t too good. Harrison and Parquet both downplayed the fracas. It was nothing. Just a little football stuff, Harrison said. Nothing personal, Parquet said. We re out there working it was just emotions. We re teammates. It s over. A WORD FROM BEN Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, speaking publicly for the first time since injuring his right leg last Thursday, said he s not 100 percent, but it s coming along. Roethlisberger suffered an Achilles tendon/heel bruise during the last practice of training camp when he was stepped on by tackle Max Starks, who s 6-foot-8 and 345 pounds. It was a pretty scary thing to have a 300-and-heavy-pound guy step on the back of your foot on your Achilles, said Roethlisberger, who sat out last Saturday s preseason game against the Washington Redskins. Everyone thought they heard a pop, too. You didn't know what happened. But luckily, it was (only) a bruise. I m glad it wasn t serious. Roethlisberger returned to practice on a limited basis Tuesday but took part in a full workout

.: Print Version :. http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2009/08/27/sports/steelers/doc4a96058bb2bc9726253... Page 2 of 2 Wednesday. He ll play extensively Saturday against the Buffalo Bills at Heinz Field. INJURY UPDATE For the second straight day, wide receiver Santonio Holmes and running back Willie Parker missed practice. If they don t return today, they'll probably sit out Saturday s game against Buffalo. Holmes took a helmet to the back Saturday in Washington. Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that he didn t believe Holmes injury was serious. But Holmes told the NFL Network that he probably won t play against the Bills. Parker has a sore hamstring. Running back/fullback Frank Tank Summers sat out again with a hamstring injury and will miss his second straight game. Meanwhile, third-team QB Dennis Dixon watched practice with his right arm in a sling. Dixon suffered a separated right shoulder in Washington and might miss the last two preseason games. Center/guard Darnell Stapleton still hasn t practiced since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery early in training camp. He said Wednesday that he s getting better but doesn t know when he ll return to practice. Tomlin didn t speak to the media on Wednesday. But he will today at a press conference to discuss his plans for the game against Buffalo.

Roethlisberger thought his injury to ankle was a lot more serious http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/print/d0093-bc-fbn-steelers-roethli-1stld-write... Page 1 of 2 Roethlisberger thought his injury to ankle was a lot more serious Associated Press PITTSBURGH - Ben Roethlisberger says he feared he was seriously injured after he heard a popping sound when teammate Max Starks accidentally stepped on his right foot during practice last week. "It is a pretty scary thing to have a 300-pound guy step on the back of your foot, on your Achilles," Roethlisberger said Wednesday while discussing the injury for the first time. "He went down, too, so you know he didn't just graze it." Roethlisberger apparently bruised his Achilles' tendon - the team has not disclosed the exact nature of the injury - during the final half-hour of the Steelers' final training camp practice at Saint Vincent College on Thursday. While he was limping badly after being knocked over by Starks, a 340-pound left tackle, the quarterback was not rushed off the field for treatment, as is commonly done with almost every significant injury. Roethlisberger was checked by trainers, who put an ice pack on the back of his foot, and he watched the rest of practice while sitting on an ice chest. Roethlisberger missed Saturday's exhibition game at Washington, but returned to practice with the rest of his teammates on Tuesday. Coach Mike Tomlin, who has never seemed worried about the injury, said the quarterback is "fine" and will play as long as the starters do in Saturday's preseason game against Buffalo - possibly as long as a half. Although Starks said minutes after the mishap that he heard no sound when Roethlisberger went down, the quarterback said there was a worrisome noise from his foot. "Everyone thought they heard a pop, too," Roethlisberger said. "We didn't know what happened. Luckily it was a bruise. It's coming along. It's not 100 percent, but it's coming along." Roethlisberger did not say why he thought the Steelers would risk playing him in a meaningless game, especially with another exhibition game to play next Thursday at Carolina, if his injury wasn't healed. He also declined to say whether a magnetic resonance imaging test was taken, as is usually done even with minor injuries. The tests are done so teams can be certain that an apparently minor injury isn't masking a more serious problem. "I can't talk about what we've done," Roethlisberger said. "You know what? I'm up and walking, participating a little bit (in practice). I'm glad it wasn't (worse).... We will continue to get better every day." While his teammates are certain Roethlisberger would have played against Washington if it had been a regular season game, he's not so sure. "I'm glad it wasn't," he said. "I don't know. It would be one of those tough ones."

Roethlisberger thought his injury to ankle was a lot more serious http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/print/d0093-bc-fbn-steelers-roethli-1stld-write... Page 2 of 2 Roethlisberger doesn't blame Starks, who was shoved into Roethlisberger while linebacker James Harrison was trying to get past him at the line of scrimmage. "No need (for an apology)," Roethlisberger said. "It was a total accident." The Steelers already seem eager to get at another team, although they've practiced only two days at their Pittsburgh training complex since camp ended. Wednesday's two-hour practice ended with a scrap between Harrison and offensive lineman Jeremy Parquet, although wide receiver Hines Ward insisted the workout didn't end because of the skirmish. Defensive lineman Casey Hampton joked afterward that Harrison is overrated as a fighter despite his tough-guy reputation, but Ward said, "I'm not going to be the one to say that." "You're going against the same person, tempers flare, so don't make much of it. Tomorrow they'll be talking again and they'll all be trying to get back and get right," Ward said. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

Records: Big Ben's accuser spoofed e-mail about pregnancy - USATODAY.com http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=records%3a+big+ben... Page 1 of 1 Powered by Records: Big Ben's accuser spoofed e-mail about pregnancy CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) The woman who has accused Ben Roethlisberger (FSY) of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel drafted her own resignation letter in an e-mail as a spoof after having sex with the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, according to court documents filed by lawyers seeking to dismiss the case on behalf of seven casino employees. The e-mail and others between the woman, Andrea McNulty and Guy Hyder, chief of security at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, were included in the motion filed late Tuesday in Washoe District Court in Reno. QB's FOOT: Roethlisberger said injury was 'pretty scary' In one e-mail to Hyder, McNulty apparently spoofed a memo from Harrah's president John Koster to staff, announcing her immediate resignation. "She is with Big Bens child and... she has relocated to Pittsburgh," the e-mail said. "We wish her good luck (she will need it) in her future endeavors." McNulty's lawyer did not immediately return calls for comment Wednesday evening. A VIP casino hostess, McNulty filed the civil suit against Roethlisberger in July, claiming the Super Bowl-winning quarterback raped her in 2008 in a hotel penthouse across the street from a golf course where he was playing in a celebrity tournament. Roethlisberger and his lawyers deny McNulty's allegations, and last week accused her in court documents of fabricating the assault to extort a big payoff from him. McNulty said she reported the incident to Harrah's security but never filed a criminal complaint because she feared Harrah's would side with Roethlisberger and she would be fired. She also accused Harrah's officials of orchestrating a cover-up. The suit seeks a minimum of $440,000 in damages from Roethlisberger, at least $50,000 in damages from the eight Harrah's officials named as defendants and an unspecified amount of punitive damages. In the motion to dismiss, Margo Piscevich, attorney for several casino workers, including Hyder, said McNulty kept the casino security chief "informed with running e-mail commentary about her plan to have sex with Roethlisberger." "Hyder did not report it to management, since having consensual sex with a hotel patron, while on the job, would get her fired," the motion said. It added that her suit "is cloaked in a media-attention-getting, sensationalized and inflammatory pleading" that lacks any legal basis against the casino workers. McNulty alleges Roethlisberger assaulted her after she went to his room to fix his television. In another e-mail exchange with Hyder, she reportedly wrote, "Hail Mary full of grace give me the strength to not go to his room to fix his television." Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/steelers/2009-08-26-roethlisberger-case_n.htm Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Ben Roethlisberger: Foot injury last week was 'pretty scary' - USATODAY.com http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=ben+roethlisberger%3a... Page 1 of 1 Powered by Ben Roethlisberger: Foot injury last week was 'pretty scary' PITTSBURGH (AP) Ben Roethlisberger says he feared he was seriously injured after he heard a popping sound when teammate Max Starks accidentally stepped on his right foot during practice last week. "It is a pretty scary thing to have a 300-pound guy step on the back of your foot, on your Achilles," Roethlisberger said Wednesday while discussing the injury for the first time. "He went down, too, so you know he didn't just graze it." Roethlisberger apparently bruised his Achilles' tendon the team has not disclosed the exact nature of the injury during the final half-hour of the Steelers' final training camp practice at Saint Vincent College on Thursday. While he was limping badly after being knocked over by Starks, a 340-pound left tackle, the quarterback was not rushed off the field for treatment, as is commonly done with almost every significant injury. Roethlisberger was checked by trainers, who put an ice pack on the back of his foot, and he watched the rest of practice while sitting on an ice chest. Roethlisberger missed Saturday's exhibition game at Washington, but returned to practice with the rest of his teammates on Tuesday. Coach Mike Tomlin, who has never seemed worried about the injury, said the quarterback is "fine" and will play as long as the starters do in Saturday's preseason game against Buffalo possibly as long as a half. Although Starks said minutes after the mishap that he heard no sound when Roethlisberger went down, the quarterback said there was a worrisome noise from his foot. "Everyone thought they heard a pop, too," Roethlisberger said. "We didn't know what happened. Luckily it was a bruise. It's coming along. It's not 100%, but it's coming along." Roethlisberger did not say why he thought the Steelers would risk playing him in a meaningless game, especially with another exhibition game to play next Thursday at Carolina, if his injury wasn't healed. He also declined to say whether a magnetic resonance imaging test was taken, as is usually done even with minor injuries. The tests are done so teams can be certain that an apparently minor injury isn't masking a more serious problem. "I can't talk about what we've done," Roethlisberger said. "You know what? I'm up and walking, participating a little bit (in practice). I'm glad it wasn't (worse).... We will continue to get better every day." While his teammates are certain Roethlisberger would have played against Washington if it had been a regular season game, he's not so sure. "I'm glad it wasn't," he said. "I don't know. It would be one of those tough ones." Roethlisberger doesn't blame Starks, who was shoved into Roethlisberger while linebacker James Harrison was trying to get past him at the line of scrimmage. "No need (for an apology)," Roethlisberger said. "It was a total accident." The Steelers already seem eager to get at another team, although they've practiced only two days at their Pittsburgh training complex since camp ended. Wednesday's two-hour practice ended with a scrap between Harrison and offensive lineman Jeremy Parquet, although wide receiver Hines Ward insisted the workout didn't end because of the skirmish. Defensive lineman Casey Hampton joked afterward that Harrison is overrated as a fighter despite his tough-guy reputation, but Ward said, "I'm not going to be the one to say that." "You're going against the same person, tempers flare, so don't make much of it. Tomorrow they'll be talking again and they'll all be trying to get back and get right," Ward said. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/steelers/2009-08-26-roethlisberger-scary_n.htm Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Steelers ready to unleash Timmons August 26, 2009 12:10 PM Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker LATROBE, Pa. -- Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons laughs when asked to compare where he was two years ago as a rookie first-round pick to this season, which he is entering as a full-time starter for the first time. "When I came here, I was really lost," Timmons said candidly. "It was different for me. I felt like I needed to make a big impact and I put a lot of pressure on myself. Now, I see it's not like that anymore. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar If you do your job there are more than enough plays to go around for everybody." Lawrence Timmons begins the season as a starter for the first time in his career. Timmons, who replaces veteran inside linebacker Larry Foote, is one of only two new starters for the defending Super Bowl champions in 2009. But he's also the biggest reason Pittsburgh feels optimistic that its defense has the potential to be more dynamic than the unit that finished No. 1 in the NFL last season. That makes Timmons our choice as the AFC North's Emerging Star for 2009. Timmons' natural athleticism provides new freedoms for coverage and blitz packages that head coach Mike Tomlin and longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau didn't have before. Timmons joins fellow 2007 draft pick LaMarr Woodley and Pro Bowlers James Harrison and James Farrior to form what many believe is the league's best linebacker corps this season. Emerging Stars A series examining a potential breakout player in each division. Tues.: AFC West NFC West Wed.: AFC North NFC North

"Lawrence fits right in with this group," Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler said. "He's playing with some really good guys, and when you're playing with good guys you have a standard to uphold. We know we're going to be a good defense, and we just want him to do his part, and I know he will." For nearly two seasons Timmons was that shiny new toy that remained on the sidelines. He played mostly special teams as a rookie. But things began to finally click for Timmons in his second year. The coaching staff began finding ways to get Timmons on the field by replacing Foote in favor of Timmons in nickel situations and obvious passing downs. Timmons started two games and put up solid numbers mostly as a reserve, recording 65 tackles, five sacks and an interception. His pick was an 89-yard return that helped the Steelers seal a big win against the New England Patriots in Week 13. Last week in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins, Timmons added another interception and five tackles before the starters were pulled. The Steelers are using him to cover a lot of ground in pass coverage in addition to blitzing him from all different angles. Timmons' versatility is a major plus. He played multiple positions in college at Florida State and was the first sub at all four linebacking positions for Pittsburgh last season. "I always try to do everything," said Timmons. "I want to be good inside and outside. You will see me this season blitzing from both, because I've always done that. I don't really see a difference between the two. Coaches always taught me if you do everything a team is going to use you. You can't be one-dimensional." Under Tomlin, Pittsburgh has played and will play some Cover 2 defense. It puts a lot of pressure on the linebackers to cover ground in the middle Thurs.: AFC South NFC South Fri.: AFC East NFC East Lawrence Timmons #94 LB Pittsburgh Steelers 2008 STATS TACK SOLO FF INT SACK 65 43 1 1 5.0 of the field, but Timmons has made it look effortless thus far in minicamps and training camp. Timmons is extremely fluid in his movements. He's able to shadow tight ends when in man coverage and drop back and turn his hips to easily get

to his zone assignments. Timmons also happens to be one of the team's most explosive hitters when flowing to the football. "I think he's just as good an athlete as Troy Polamalu," Farrior said. "And Troy is probably the best we got." Farrior, 34, will be lining up next to Timmons, 23, at inside linebacker this year and is serving as his mentor. Farrior said everything that he is teaching Timmons is mental, because "There is nothing physical that I can teach him. He's got all those tools." Timmons credits teammates like Farrior and his coaches for being patient with him. Pittsburgh's 3-4 scheme is complex and can be overwhelming for a young player, especially when you're trying to find your role and learn both inside and outside linebacker simultaneously. This year LeBeau is installing a lot for Timmons as a new full-time starter. "The coaches' confidence in me is so high, and my game is going up to the next level because the coaches are expanding everything with me," Timmons said. "It's just a beautiful thing and it's fun. I feel like I'm in college again." Timmons may feel like he's in college, but the key is he no longer feels like a rookie. He understands his role in the defense and isn't playing too fast in order to make plays. With Harrison, Farrior, Woodley, Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and Ike Taylor among the names in a star-studded defense, Pittsburgh had the rare luxury of waiting for Timmons to come into his own as an NFL player. Now, in his third season, the Steelers are finally ready to unleash Timmons on the rest of the league. "Two years ago he was just a young rookie with a lot of athletic ability. Typical of any other rookie we bring in, he didn't really know a whole lot about our defense," Farrior said. "He had to come in and go through all the learning pains. I think he's done a good job of that and now he's ready to go."

Team Effort Paves the Way for Vick s N.F.L. Comeback - NYTimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/sports/football/27vick.html?_r=1&ref=football&page... Page 1 of 3 This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. August 27, 2009 Team Effort Is Paving Way for Vick s Comeback By JONATHAN ABRAMS The call came during a break in Jersey Boys on Broadway. It was the call that would jump-start Michael Vick s return to the N.F.L., and his agent Joel Segal dashed across the street to take it. Joe Banner, the president of the Philadelphia Eagles, was not calling me on Saturday night to ask me how my weekend is, Segal said, so I thought it was going to be important. It was the beginning of a steady stream of talks, involving a small group of advisers, that led to Vick s signing a two-year deal with the Eagles. Vick, who was conditionally reinstated by the N.F.L. after spending 18 months in jail for his role in a dogfighting ring, is expected to play in his first game since 2006 on Thursday night in a preseason contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Segal has coordinated all aspects big, small and ugly of Vick s overhaul, part of a team of professionals who cocooned Vick. Together, they handled one of the most daunting crises that an athlete of Vick s status had faced. For Segal, the president of the N.F.L. division of Blue Entertainment Sports Television, whose clients include Reggie Bush and Jason Campbell, the immediate notoriety Vick received stretched far beyond anything he could have imagined. I never went to school for this situation, Segal said. It was unique, different, and we were really just taking it one day at a time. He created a team of highly skilled incubators: Segal handled football and reinstatement issues; Vick s longtime lawyer Larry Woodward and the lawyer Billy Martin navigated the criminal and bankruptcy litigation; and the crisis managers Judy Smith and Chris Garrett brokered agreements for Vick s involvement with anti-animal-cruelty efforts. It s not without risk, what we did, said Smith, who acknowledged initial reservations. For Joel, the risk was that he had all these other clients, and what if he couldn t get Mike back in the N.F.L.? From our perspective, we were taking the most vilified person and trying to get him back on track and back into the N.F.L. Everybody thought I was crazy. Vick had reached the pinnacle of fame and fortune. Segal spent months negotiating Vick s 10-year, $130 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004, the N.F.L. s richest at the time. Now, he is part of a continuing process to reinvent Vick.

Team Effort Paves the Way for Vick s N.F.L. Comeback - NYTimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/sports/football/27vick.html?_r=1&ref=football&page... Page 2 of 3 We knew it was bad, said Martin, a high-profile Washington-based lawyer for Howrey LLP. We didn t know how bad it was going to be, and it was worse than we could have imagined. Segal learned of the dogfighting case as many others did, while helicopters and cameras hovered above Vick s Virginia home during a 2007 raid. Still, he remained faithful, staying aboard what looked like a sinking ship. Segal received the backing of the BEST chairman, Jonathan Blue, even though he joined the agency just a few months after the indictment, bringing Vick with him. There would be a lot of agents who would have said this wouldn t benefit me from staying, said Tony Dungy, the former N.F.L. coach and now Vick s mentor. Vick served most of his sentence at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. There, he received counseling, and his legal team tried to extract Vick from some of his past. To see Michael Vick in a prison jumpsuit was the last thing you would ever imagine after the dynamic figure he was as far as football went, Segal said. It was the most surreal thing I had ever seen. Vick s counselors asked Dungy to become a mentor. Dungy saw the sad, yet familiar story line of wasted potential. This one, he thought, may be salvageable. The two met twice in Leavenworth and continue their relationship through text messages and phone calls. They speak of decisions, consequences, spirituality and football. What they all yearned to see, what N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell and the public had to see in order for Vick to start over, was contrition. For the first time, Martin said, Vick looked inward. He asked himself: Why was I doing this? Why was I hurting these animals? Martin said. And he didn t have answers. I think he needed to understand more things about himself and why he did it, and as he started this process, he realized there was no excuse for what he did. The answer may still elude Vick in the same manner he once slipped out of the grasps of defenders. He had to answer that, and I m not sure he knows, Dungy said. Once Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick in late July, Segal said he sifted through offers from a host of teams. They settled on Philadelphia, partly so that Vick would not have to immediately step into the limelight, and also so that he could play behind the Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb. Meanwhile, Smith and Garrett had developed a 45-page manual on how Vick should work in aiding antianimal-cruelty campaigns. That was like our bible, Smith said. They sought out the Humane Society of the United States because Vick had expressed interest in talking to children. Initially, the interest was not reciprocal. It took six months before Wayne Pacelle, the society s president and chief executive, agreed to meet with Vick. Pacelle is quick to say that Vick is not a spokesman for the society. Nor did the organization endorse Vick s reinstatement or lobby a team to sign him. Instead, Pacelle is cautiously optimistic of their involvement with Vick.

Team Effort Paves the Way for Vick s N.F.L. Comeback - NYTimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/sports/football/27vick.html?_r=1&ref=football&page... Page 3 of 3 I m very hopeful that Mike does steer a lot of kids away from dogfighting, Pacelle said. If he doesn t, it s not a failure of the Humane Society of the United States. It s his own failure. Martin said: This is really the first step in his road back. He s nowhere near the end. He has a long life ahead of him, and there s clearly an opportunity for the world to see a different and the real Michael Vick. For that to happen, Vick will have to step outside his pocket of protection. Mike is the key, Segal said. Everybody else is ancillary. Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company Privacy Policy Terms of Service Search Corrections RSS First Look Help Contact Us Work for Us Site Map

Police to interview Raiders coach Tom Cable about alleged altercation - USATODAY.com http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=police+to+interview+rai... Page 1 of 1 Powered by Police to interview Raiders coach Tom Cable about alleged altercation NAPA, Calif. (AP) Investigators are planning to interview Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable about an alleged altercation that ended with assistant Randy Hanson in the hospital. A spokesperson for the Napa police department told ESPN on Wednesday that Cable would be interviewed as part of the investigation, but did not provide a date. Hanson was hospitalized with a broken bone in his face following the Aug. 5 attack that he told police was initiated by a member of the Raiders coaching staff at the team's training camp hotel in Napa. AOL FanHouse reported that Cable attacked Hanson during a meeting with some of the team's defensive coaches. Cable has said nothing happened. The NFL also is investigating. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/raiders/2009-08-26-police-cable_n.htm Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.