Ward Mad?

[The Duke]

this doesn't sound good .......

Ward blindsided by Big Ben's comments
Hines Ward spends his time these days at home in Atlanta, recovering from postseason surgery on his right knee. A different kind of hurt was delivered by his own quarterback last week.

Ben Roethlisberger called for the Steelers to acquire a tall wide receiver, specifically to help inside the 20 and for a bailout target when he's under pressure. He said he had that with 6-foot-5 Plaxico Burress, but not since after the 2004 season.

"I'm always going to ask for a tall receiver," Roethlisberger said in an interview with the Post-Gazette. "That's just me. Our receivers are unbelievable, but our tallest guy might be Hines. Or Santonio [Holmes]. Hines is going to say he's 6 foot, but he's 5-11."

That stung Ward, the most decorated Steelers receiver in history.

"I don't hear Tom Brady or Peyton Manning asking for that," Ward said yesterday.

"I don't know, whatever he says. I have no idea. To me, it's a rare combination of receivers out there who are good and tall. We won a Super Bowl, we didn't have a tall receiver then. I don't see Tom Brady caring about who's tall or not. He got Randy this year, but he did it before without him.''

Randy Moss, who is 6-4, is Brady's first good, tall receiver in New England, which is trying to win its fourth Super Bowl in the past seven seasons. Moss joined the team this year after a trade and set an NFL record with 23 touchdown receptions.

Reggie Wayne, one of Manning's stable of Indianapolis Colts receivers, led the NFL with 112 receptions and 1,510 yards this season. Like Ward, he is listed at 6 feet. So, too, is Marvin Harrison, who long has been Manning's favorite receiver.

"To me, I have enough problems to worry about than what Ben wants -- I can't give him the contract,'' Ward said, referring to Roethlisberger's wish to have a contract extension as soon as possible. "He wants a tall receiver? Why did we draft Santonio?"

Holmes, who stands 5-11, led the Steelers with eight touchdowns and 942 yards receiving last season, on 52 catches. His 18.1 yards per catch were higher than any of the top 50 receivers in the NFL. Ward led them with 71 receptions despite playing much of the season with a sprained knee and caught seven touchdown passes. Nate Washington, who stands 6-1, was third with 29 catches.

"I don't buy into height,'' said Ward, one of four finalists for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award that will be chosen next week. "Look at my red-zone touchdowns -- I have as many as anyone in the league.''

Since 2002, Ward is tied for second in the league in percentage of touchdowns in the red zone, described by the NFL as inside the 20. Moss is first with 36 percent and Ward, Harrison and Terrell Owens are tied with 33 percent.

That's why Roethlisberger's appeal for a tall receiver to help in the red zone hurt Ward, who holds most Steelers receiving records to go along with his four Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl MVP award.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08025/852112-66.stm

maybe the media's exaggerating this, but I don't like it

and I agree with hines, height is overated

[ShutDown24]

Good for Hines in my opinion. Ben was totally out of line with that request. He should have went to managment privatley if he wanted to ask for what he did.

[NV STEELERS 723]

Ben has Heath and Matt that are 6'5 and 6"7 ....most of the time those guys are open...I don't think it was a knock on Hines Smile, I think it was a wish for a WR that is tall...

It's no different than a NFL team having 2 different types of running backs.... 1 a slasher,,, one a inside guy.... Like LT and Tuner....

It does not hurt to have 2 different type of Wide Receivers....

Don't let Ben's comments dictate that he dislikes throwing to Hines...thats not what he said at all !!!!!!!!!

[paw-n-maul-u]

What a joke of an article. It sounds bad but I bet it's taken all out of context.

I mean i guess whatever gets Hines motivated. If this is something he can use then great, way to go hines.

But he has to realize that his days are numbered and he is NOT the future of the franchise, and the steelers will be looking to upgrade sooner rather than later.

If Ben wants a tall receiver, give it to him. He is the most important part of our team, by far.


And as far as Brady and manning never bitching ... puhhhhhleaseeeee ... all Brady did in the offseason was bitch about them letting go of D. Branch. Then pats management went, damn, well shit, we can't stop nickle and diming our WR core because, as you can see, the patriots were one drop away from the SB last year. most likely becasue their best receiver would not be a # 2 receiver on ANY nfl team.

[X-Terminator]

Why in the blue hell would Hines be mad? Did Ben come out and say that Ward sucks and he doesn't like throwing to him? NO. All he did was ask for a tall WR to help the offense. Where's the problem?

Once again, the media makes something out to be more than what it is. Once Hines sits down and thinks about what Ben actually said and what he THINKS he said, he'll realize that.

[fansince'76]

Gonna be a long offseason....

[Rhee Rhee]

i actually don't think these are hines ward...

i somehow can't imagine him saying these sorta things...

ben has to just keep quite until his contract is done... he isn't the GM he can't make those decisions...

[MDSteel15]

I think all Ben is saying is that Holmes looks like he could be Hines' eventual replacement and he wants someone in the mold of Plax that is able to stretch the D and help in getting Hines and Co. open more!

[Edman]

Don't you just LOVE the offseason?

[ShutDown24]

If Santo isn't a receiver that can "Stretch the field" I don't know who is O.o