Roethlisberger still questioned about answer
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Ben Roethlisberger said he was able to put Sunday鈥檚 loss behind him by Monday, but here he was still talking about it on Wednesday and answering questions with a saltiness that may have surprised even him.
Roethlisberger on Wednesday appeared intent on cooperating with the media, but became combative when asked how much soul-searching he had done.
鈥淣one,鈥� he said tersely.
Roethlisberger did break down football questions, but the interview returned to a third continuing week of melodramas when he was asked about anthems, smacked Gatorade coolers and unintended post-game commentary.
鈥淲ould you guys ask me about football?鈥� Roethlisberger asked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 on you guys, isn鈥檛 it?鈥�
But media didn鈥檛 throw the cooler.
鈥淏ut you guys asked the questions,鈥� he said.
How do you block that stuff out?
鈥淪top having interviews like this.鈥�
Was the post-game comment made out of frustration?
鈥淵eah. It鈥檚 post-game. To me that鈥檚 the hardest thing about having a bad game is letting the fans down, letting my teammates down. That鈥檚 what bothers me the most. It鈥檚 frustrating.鈥�
Did he realize it could open a Pandora鈥檚 box?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 question myself. The ones closest to me don鈥檛 question me. That鈥檚 what matters. No offense to any of you guys, but it doesn鈥檛 really matter to me how you guys question me or not, or the quote/unquote 鈥榩rofessional talking heads鈥� on the other sports networks out there that are supposed experts and things like that.鈥�
What does Roethlisberger do about outside conversations?
鈥淚gnore them, especially your network (ESPN). No offense to you, though.鈥�
Does he desire to practice today?
鈥淣ext question please. Or that could be it,鈥� Roethlisberger said before breaking the huddle with 鈥淏reakfast time!鈥�
ONLY ONE BALL
Roethlisberger did dive into football talk when asked about his playmakers鈥� desire for more work during games.
鈥淓veryone wants the ball,鈥� Roethlisberger said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what got people to this level, their desire, their abilities. As guys grow in their roles and understand the NFL and understanding defenses and looks and reads and things like that, I think guys understand when it鈥檚 a good look, when it鈥檚 not. Last week they had eight and nine guys in the box; not a good week to run the ball. You could try and force it at times, but it鈥檚 just not there.
Sometimes the way the game鈥檚 flowing dictates how a ball is distributed and whatnot. I鈥檓 not really worried about guys complaining about wanting the ball. We鈥檝e got a lot of guys who can make plays for us. We just need to make them.鈥�
Roethlisberger would鈥檝e enjoyed the old story about Terry Bradshaw鈥檚 receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, and how they waited on him hand and foot in order to gain game-day favor. The great Frank Lewis, who was too humble and gracious to force himself upon Bradshaw in such a manner, was traded by Chuck Noll.
THE OL鈥� SPORTSWRITER
While Kansas City Coach Andy Reid believes the Steelers will come to Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday at a high emotional pitch, in light of their embarrassing home loss this past Sunday, but Reid wouldn鈥檛 admit to his own team鈥檚 motivation that comes with losing at home in the playoffs last season to the Steelers.
Reid wouldn鈥檛 even acknowledge the playoff game, so the question was rephrased, and again unanswered.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to get ready for this crew,鈥� Reid said. 鈥淎nything that gets in the way of that thinking is a problem.鈥�
Reid, of course, is a polished professional when it comes to saying nothing before a game.
But Reid did show a humorous side when asked, as a former sportswriter, what angle he would put on this week鈥檚 pre-game story.
鈥淭hat the head coach for Kansas City is a boring guy,鈥� he said to howls of laughter from the Pittsburgh media.
GILBERT RETURNS, PREDICTS TURNING POINT
Marcus Gilbert returned to practice 鈥� as he had the last two Wednesdays 鈥� but this time he promised he鈥檒l be back at Thursday鈥檚 practice and will play in Sunday鈥檚 game.
鈥�(The hamstring) didn鈥檛 respond the way that I wanted it to,鈥� he said of last week鈥檚 aborted plan to play. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to push the issue and have a major setback. I think I took the right approach.鈥�
Gilbert would be the final piece to a completely healthy starting lineup. Even Roethlisberger practiced Wednesday, while only a handful of veterans took the day off.
鈥淚 think this week is going to be a turning point for a lot of the guys out there,鈥� said Gilbert, who explained that 鈥淲e have a demeanor about ourselves. The games that we鈥檙e supposed to win, we didn鈥檛 do so and I think the guys are a little on edge. I have a little bit of urgency, and really fresh legs, and I鈥檓 ready to be out there with my guys.鈥�
鈥淐ontinuity builds everything, especially on the offensive line,鈥� he added. 鈥淥nce you get out of sync, once you get out of rhythm, it slows things down. Being back and having all our guys working in their normal spots, I think that gives us a leg up, especially with moving Chris Hubbard around. He鈥檚 done a great job. They鈥檝e been moving him around to the tight end position and it鈥檚 helped us big time, just to move those big bodies out there. It鈥檚 critical. It helped us last year and I think it鈥檚 going to help us this year.鈥�