For Baker it's all black and gold now

lamberts-lost-tooth · 05-24-2007, 09:35 AM

Thursday, May 24, 2007
By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

He was given his first name because his family loved the Dallas Cowboys and his uncle Wes Chandler is a wide receivers coach with the Cleveland Browns, but there is no doubt that these days Dallas Baker is strictly about the black and gold.

"I was named after the Cowboys," said Baker. "My dad loved the Dallas Cowboys. Most of my family members were Cowboys fans. But I would say all that changed."

It changed after Baker, a wide receiver from Florida, was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. It meant any loyalty to his team growing up or to family, quickly ended.

"That's my uncle, but I'm trying to help the Steelers get to the Super Bowl the same way I helped the Gators make it to the national championship," said Baker. "So I'll just have to apologize for that later."

While the draft was playing out and Baker was waiting to be selected, Chandler sent him text messages telling him to hang in there and be patient. It was a long two days for him waiting for that selection, but in the end, it worked out.

"He was just saying, 'Hang in there and relax. Everything else will take care of itself,'" said Baker. "He was like, 'whatever team takes you just make sure you go in there and you give 110 percent ? and that's on special teams, or playing wide receiver, or whatever. Just go in there and take advantage of that opportunity.'

"I'm not disappointed. I was thinking about going earlier on. I though I would have went early on. But I was just looking at it as a blessing and an opportunity. I mean, who wouldn't want to play football for a living? It's something that I love to do, so to have an opportunity to play it for a living, I'm just going to take it and run with it."

Baker brings a winning attitude with him to the Steelers. He was a member of the Gators National Championship team from last year and didn't get the nickname Dallas Baker "The Touchdown Maker," for nothing, having scored 10 of them his senior season.

"It was exciting and was a dream come true," said Baker. "You grow up as a kid watching the National Championship. So to have an opportunity to play in it, that was just great. And then to come out and score the first touchdown to help fuel my team to victory ? there's nothing greater than that."

And he wants to have that same kind of success with the Steelers.

"I think we have a chance to go to the Super Bowl," said Baker. "We have a great team. I watched them play last year. We have a great quarterback with Ben [Roethlisberger]."

DACEB · 05-24-2007, 09:51 AM

I hope this kid is the real deal. We desperately need a playmaker at WR, someone who can come up BIG when it counts. Here's to 'Baker The Touchdown Maker' having a bakers dozen TD's this season!!

25MVPKing · 05-24-2007, 09:54 AM

I hope he can make it on the roster in an already saturated WR spot. If I remember correctly, he had something like 7 catches per touchdown. And also, if I remember correctly, Florida had at least 2 big name receivers that got more action from Chris Leak. Dallas Baker could be a sleeper because Chris Leak was too busy giving yards to the other guys. But when it came down to scoring, he went to Baker. That says a lot.

We know Ward and Holmes aren't going anywhere. Cedric Wilson, Nate Washington, and Willie Reid may be fighting with Dallas Baker for a spot. And personally, I'd like to see Washington, Reid, and Baker come away with the jobs. And if we want to keep 3 TEs or depeding on how our RB/FB positions play out, it's possible another WR spot won't be available.

***MACH1*** · 05-24-2007, 09:57 AM

I hope he turns out to be a good one. Must be painful for those family cowboy fans to root for a Steeler.

Edman · 05-24-2007, 11:42 AM

Hines isn't going to be around forever, Santonio is a pretty good young talent but he's only in his second year. Washington is raw, Reid may be pretty good, and Wilson....ummm...

Yeah, I really hope Baker can be a Touchdown maker for us. I don't expect a Marques Colston or Randy Moss(Those rookie WR's are a rare breed), just a productive target for Ben.

coachspeak33 · 05-24-2007, 11:55 AM

i really hope he doesnt get cut....i wanna see how good he can be this time next year

ben2hines=6 · 05-24-2007, 03:02 PM

i dont think willie reid will be in the recievers mix this year....i do believe he will be strictly a special teamer so we dont have another ricardo or santonio incident

and i dont think nate washington has anything to worry about with a spot, with a little more work that guy has pro bowl talent

Mistah_Q · 05-24-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcrabt

I hope he turns out to be a good one. Must be painful for those family cowboy fans to root for a Steeler.

If my kid made it to the NFL and latched onto some random team. . I'd still root for the Steelers, even when my kid was playing against them.

GBMelBlount · 05-24-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edman

Hines isn't going to be around forever, Santonio is a pretty good young talent but he's only in his second year. Washington is raw, Reid may be pretty good, and Wilson....ummm...

Yeah, I really hope Baker can be a Touchdown maker for us. I don't expect a Marques Colston or Randy Moss(Those rookie WR's are a rare breed), just a productive target for Ben.

Good Point. I also hope Reid has a shot. Hope B2H=6 is wrong about Reid. Anywhoo. We have alot of receivers, but hope this guy is a late pick rare diamond.

The Duke · 05-24-2007, 09:50 PM

Can't wait to see this guy play

05-24-2007, 09:35 AM	#1
lamberts-lost-tooth Banned Join Date: May 2006 Location: Midwest Posts: 10,829 Gender: Male Member Number: 2363 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	For Baker it's all black and gold now Thursday, May 24, 2007 By Teresa Varley Steelers.com He was given his first name because his family loved the Dallas Cowboys and his uncle Wes Chandler is a wide receivers coach with the Cleveland Browns, but there is no doubt that these days Dallas Baker is strictly about the black and gold. "I was named after the Cowboys," said Baker. "My dad loved the Dallas Cowboys. Most of my family members were Cowboys fans. But I would say all that changed." It changed after Baker, a wide receiver from Florida, was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. It meant any loyalty to his team growing up or to family, quickly ended. "That's my uncle, but I'm trying to help the Steelers get to the Super Bowl the same way I helped the Gators make it to the national championship," said Baker. "So I'll just have to apologize for that later." While the draft was playing out and Baker was waiting to be selected, Chandler sent him text messages telling him to hang in there and be patient. It was a long two days for him waiting for that selection, but in the end, it worked out. "He was just saying, 'Hang in there and relax. Everything else will take care of itself,'" said Baker. "He was like, 'whatever team takes you just make sure you go in there and you give 110 percent ? and that's on special teams, or playing wide receiver, or whatever. Just go in there and take advantage of that opportunity.' "I'm not disappointed. I was thinking about going earlier on. I though I would have went early on. But I was just looking at it as a blessing and an opportunity. I mean, who wouldn't want to play football for a living? It's something that I love to do, so to have an opportunity to play it for a living, I'm just going to take it and run with it." Baker brings a winning attitude with him to the Steelers. He was a member of the Gators National Championship team from last year and didn't get the nickname Dallas Baker "The Touchdown Maker," for nothing, having scored 10 of them his senior season. "It was exciting and was a dream come true," said Baker. "You grow up as a kid watching the National Championship. So to have an opportunity to play in it, that was just great. And then to come out and score the first touchdown to help fuel my team to victory ? there's nothing greater than that." And he wants to have that same kind of success with the Steelers. "I think we have a chance to go to the Super Bowl," said Baker. "We have a great team. I watched them play last year. We have a great quarterback with Ben [Roethlisberger]."

05-24-2007, 09:51 AM	#2
DACEB Banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,480 Gender: Male Member Number: 2911 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now I hope this kid is the real deal. We desperately need a playmaker at WR, someone who can come up BIG when it counts. Here's to 'Baker The Touchdown Maker' having a bakers dozen TD's this season!!

05-24-2007, 09:54 AM	#3
25MVPKing Water Boy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: RCA Dome Posts: 10 Member Number: 5416 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now I hope he can make it on the roster in an already saturated WR spot. If I remember correctly, he had something like 7 catches per touchdown. And also, if I remember correctly, Florida had at least 2 big name receivers that got more action from Chris Leak. Dallas Baker could be a sleeper because Chris Leak was too busy giving yards to the other guys. But when it came down to scoring, he went to Baker. That says a lot. We know Ward and Holmes aren't going anywhere. Cedric Wilson, Nate Washington, and Willie Reid may be fighting with Dallas Baker for a spot. And personally, I'd like to see Washington, Reid, and Baker come away with the jobs. And if we want to keep 3 TEs or depeding on how our RB/FB positions play out, it's possible another WR spot won't be available. __________________ Now accepting donations of Photoshop.

05-24-2007, 09:57 AM	#4
*MACH1* Quest For Seven Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 11,695 Member Number: 3236 Thanks: 150 Thanked 222 Times in 143 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now I hope he turns out to be a good one. Must be painful for those family cowboy fans to root for a Steeler. __________________ Give a lib a fish--he eats for a day Teach a lib to fish--he is back the next day asking for more free fish. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

05-24-2007, 11:42 AM	#5
Edman Living Legend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 5,358 Gender: Male Member Number: 3261 Thanks: 35 Thanked 89 Times in 57 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now Hines isn't going to be around forever, Santonio is a pretty good young talent but he's only in his second year. Washington is raw, Reid may be pretty good, and Wilson....ummm... Yeah, I really hope Baker can be a Touchdown maker for us. I don't expect a Marques Colston or Randy Moss(Those rookie WR's are a rare breed), just a productive target for Ben.

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05-24-2007, 11:55 AM	#6
coachspeak33 Banned Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 559 Gender: Male Member Number: 2231 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now i really hope he doesnt get cut....i wanna see how good he can be this time next year

05-24-2007, 03:02 PM	#7
ben2hines=6 Bench Warmer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: charleroi pa Posts: 206 Gender: Male Member Number: 2277 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now i dont think willie reid will be in the recievers mix this year....i do believe he will be strictly a special teamer so we dont have another ricardo or santonio incident and i dont think nate washington has anything to worry about with a spot, with a little more work that guy has pro bowl talent

05-24-2007, 09:50 PM	#10
The Duke Living Legend Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 7,459 Gender: Male Member Number: 4800 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: For Baker it's all black and gold now Can't wait to see this guy play

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