83-Steelers-43
12-06-2006, 11:09 PM
Steelers Notebook: Batch awarded for community service
Thursday, December 07, 2006
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Charlie Batch has Ben Roethlisberger's back as the Steelers' No. 2 quarterback. Yesterday, his teammates showed Batch is No. 1 off the field when they voted him the Steelers' Walter Payton Man of the Year for his service in the community.
Batch will compete with 31 team nominees for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award his former teammate, Jerome Bettis, won in 2002.
"I always said if I had the opportunity to give back I would do that," said Batch, a Homestead native and Steel Valley High School graduate.
"I started when I was in Detroit. When I came home, I was a lot more hands-on to do what I wanted to do in the community. Being so close to home, it made a lot of sense to do that."
Batch established a project that helps a youth basketball league in Homestead, and also helps disadvantaged communities in the area through his The Best of the Batch Foundation. The foundation also is conducting a Toys For Tots drive.
He has spent his own money to fund many of his projects, including $50,000 to refurbish basketball courts in the Homestead and Pittsburgh area.
Batch also is the Steelers' United Way representative.
"It means a lot more to me because I know what it's all about and I'm from here," Batch said. "I don't do this for any of the awards, I do it just from the heart. It's touching to be able to do this."
Big back attack
Reuben Droughns will start at halfback for Cleveland tonight. The Browns' leading rusher with 546 yards, Droughns did not play against the Steelers Nov. 19 in Cleveland because of an injury.
Droughns became the first 1,000-yard rusher for the Browns in 20 years when he gained 1,232 yards last season. But he has had little success against the Steelers, who held him to 91 yards rushing in his three career games against the team.
"Reuben's a great back," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "He always runs hard against us so that's a key addition for them to have back."
Droughns, 5 feet 11 and 215 pounds, is in his seventh year in the NFL, second with the Browns, who acquired him in a trade last year.
"He's just a big, bruising back," Keisel said, describing Droughns' running style more than his size. "He runs downhill. He's not much of a cutback runner or things like that. He just gets the ball and lowers his head and he's moving forward. He's tough to bring down.'
The Steelers have allowed just one back to rush for 100 yards against them in the past 46 games, including playoffs -- none this season.
Confidence in Crennel
Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel received votes of confidence both from general manager Phil Savage and owner Randy Lerner last week. His Browns then went out and upset the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime for their fourth victory and a chance to still beat out the Steelers to avoid last place in the AFC North Division.
"I've been in this business a long time," said Crennel, in his second season coaching the Browns after leaving Bill Belichick's staff in New England. "I appreciated that vote of confidence, but we all know that if you don't win games that confidence goes down the drain pretty quick."
Big numbers
Ben Roethlisberger's 2,727 yards passing ranks fourth in the AFC and Willie Parker's 976 yards are third. Parker can become the third Steelers player to record consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Franco Harris and Bettis also did it.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06341/744255-66.stm
Thursday, December 07, 2006
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Charlie Batch has Ben Roethlisberger's back as the Steelers' No. 2 quarterback. Yesterday, his teammates showed Batch is No. 1 off the field when they voted him the Steelers' Walter Payton Man of the Year for his service in the community.
Batch will compete with 31 team nominees for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award his former teammate, Jerome Bettis, won in 2002.
"I always said if I had the opportunity to give back I would do that," said Batch, a Homestead native and Steel Valley High School graduate.
"I started when I was in Detroit. When I came home, I was a lot more hands-on to do what I wanted to do in the community. Being so close to home, it made a lot of sense to do that."
Batch established a project that helps a youth basketball league in Homestead, and also helps disadvantaged communities in the area through his The Best of the Batch Foundation. The foundation also is conducting a Toys For Tots drive.
He has spent his own money to fund many of his projects, including $50,000 to refurbish basketball courts in the Homestead and Pittsburgh area.
Batch also is the Steelers' United Way representative.
"It means a lot more to me because I know what it's all about and I'm from here," Batch said. "I don't do this for any of the awards, I do it just from the heart. It's touching to be able to do this."
Big back attack
Reuben Droughns will start at halfback for Cleveland tonight. The Browns' leading rusher with 546 yards, Droughns did not play against the Steelers Nov. 19 in Cleveland because of an injury.
Droughns became the first 1,000-yard rusher for the Browns in 20 years when he gained 1,232 yards last season. But he has had little success against the Steelers, who held him to 91 yards rushing in his three career games against the team.
"Reuben's a great back," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "He always runs hard against us so that's a key addition for them to have back."
Droughns, 5 feet 11 and 215 pounds, is in his seventh year in the NFL, second with the Browns, who acquired him in a trade last year.
"He's just a big, bruising back," Keisel said, describing Droughns' running style more than his size. "He runs downhill. He's not much of a cutback runner or things like that. He just gets the ball and lowers his head and he's moving forward. He's tough to bring down.'
The Steelers have allowed just one back to rush for 100 yards against them in the past 46 games, including playoffs -- none this season.
Confidence in Crennel
Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel received votes of confidence both from general manager Phil Savage and owner Randy Lerner last week. His Browns then went out and upset the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime for their fourth victory and a chance to still beat out the Steelers to avoid last place in the AFC North Division.
"I've been in this business a long time," said Crennel, in his second season coaching the Browns after leaving Bill Belichick's staff in New England. "I appreciated that vote of confidence, but we all know that if you don't win games that confidence goes down the drain pretty quick."
Big numbers
Ben Roethlisberger's 2,727 yards passing ranks fourth in the AFC and Willie Parker's 976 yards are third. Parker can become the third Steelers player to record consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Franco Harris and Bettis also did it.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06341/744255-66.stm