Steelers plan Hines Ward press conference

Steelers plan Hines Ward press conference
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 20, 2012, 8:52 AM EDT


The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced a press conference today with their all-time leading receiver, Hines Ward. Presumably, the announcement will be that Ward is retiring from the NFL.

Although there’s no official word on the 36-year-old Ward’s retirement, it’s hard to think of any other reason that Ward would be making any type of announcement.

The Steelers released Ward early this month, and he has drawn no interest at all in the free agent market. Ward had noticeably slowed down last season, catching just 46 passes for 381 yards, for an average of only 8.3 yards a catch.

(Read More:) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/20/steelers-plan-hines-ward-press-conference/

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I hope he is retiring (or they re-signed him for vet minimum). I'd rather see that than Ward in another uniform. He could always be our insurance policy in case of an injury or if we lose both Wallace and Cotchery. I'm sure he'd come out of retirement in a heartbeat if we needed him.

Hope Ward is retiring also I want to remember him from his good years not the tried to play to long WR.

Wow, I certainly didn't expect this to happen. If it is to announce his retirement, I wonder what changed his mind? He seemed headstrong on playing next season. Regardless, I'm glad I won't have to see him playing in another uniform.

Wallace108 wrote:

Wow, I certainly didn't expect this to happen. If it is to announce his retirement, I wonder what changed his mind? He seemed headstrong on playing next season. Regardless, I'm glad I won't have to see him playing in another uniform.

It takes a lot to wake up to the reality of things sometime, hell, look at Favre.

I hope he does retire. I don't want to see him in another uni.

Well, it's official ... Hines Ward has retired. Leave it to Ward to take a situation that left a bad taste in a lot of fans' mouths because of the way it was handled and turn it into something beautiful.

Two things that stood out to me in the press conference:
1. The love he has for the fans.
2. The love he has for the Steelers organization.

A class act to the end. We'll miss you 86.

I believe it will take decades for another WR to play the game the way that Hines did.

The standard has been established. It started 14 years ago, and continued to climb year after year after year. We may hear people say that this guy or that guy is great at this, but no one will ever be the complete package that Hines Ward is/was.

To our current WR corp, the shoes have been left at the doorstep. Whenever you think you can fill them, please belly up to the bar, and take a shot at making Steeler Nation forget #86!

BGSU A Dub wrote:

Steelers football won't be the same without #86 out there.

Thank you, Hines.

Never is after a great one like Hines retires. I still wouldn't be surprised to see him in a Steeler uniform before this season is up. That is if under current FA rules we could sign him for the minimum?

Farewell, Hines. you were a true warrior on the field and epitomized the way the game should be played. No other receiver in the history of the NFL was more deserving of the title of Pittsburgh Steeler than you. Thanks for all of the awesome memories, leadership, stellar play, winning smile, attitude, and what you meant to this team. You won't be soon replaced.


















P.S.- Stay close to your phone... just in case

Ward: I am a Steeler for life
By Teresa Varley - Steelers.com
Posted 2 hours ago

Just before Hines Ward began to address the gathered media, he looked to the back of the Steelers media room where James Harrison, Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel and Jerome Bettis were sitting.

He smiled as he watched Harrison dab his eyes, a teasing reference knowing that it wouldn’t be long until Ward would soon need a tissue.

“No (James), I am not going to cry,” said Ward, who throughout his 14-year career has shown that he wears his emotions on his sleeve. “I see he is testing me there already.”

Just minutes after he began to speak, starting to acknowledge that yes this was it, he talked about his love for the fans. As he started in, you got the feeling that it wouldn’t be long before Harrison would be right.

“These past few weeks I’ve spent a lot of time reading thousands of emails, Facebook posts, tweets, letters, cards and well wishes from fans everywhere,” said Ward, partially reading from a prepared statement, partly speaking from the heart. “As I read them, I was really moved by the tremendous outpouring of love, encouragement and support from everybody, everywhere. It really got to me. Through it all, I realized there is only one thing that I love more than the game of football, and that’s Steelers Nation.”

And with that, Ward couldn’t hold it in any longer. He got choked up and the tears that he tried so hard to hold back flowed.


(Read More:) http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Ward-I-am-a-Steeler-for-life/a715bb1f-033e-4520-8c39-18991e4031ec

Labriola on Hines Ward
By Bob Labriola - Steelers Digest
Posted 5 hours ago

At a glance, it seemed to be nothing more than the normal lunch time at the Steelers’ practice facility. Based on what then happened about five hours later on that late February day, based on what that happening precipitated today, it deserves to be remembered as something more.

It was Monday, Feb. 27, 2012. Hines Ward had been in the building for a meeting with Steelers President Art Rooney II, and the team’s entire personnel department was on site for a series of meetings following the NFL Scouting Combine. As Ward was finishing up, the personnel meeting was breaking up, and the flow of humanity took the group down the main hallway. What is most memorable about that moment was the sight of Hines Ward and Joe Greene smiling and talking as they walked past the Steelers’ display of the franchise’s six Lombardi trophies.

Joe Greene and Hines Ward. The player who started it all and a player who was critical to the renaissance, side-by-side, walking past the spoils their careers helped bring back to Pittsburgh.

* * * *

In professional sports, there are very few fairytale endings. There can be “living happily ever after,” but getting there from the end of a career as a professional athlete typically contains some ugliness. In this particular situation, that ugliness came on Wednesday, Feb. 29, when the Steelers announced that they would release Hines Ward. Fourteen NFL seasons after using one of their third-round draft picks – the 92nd overall – to bring Ward to Pittsburgh from Georgia, team and player were finished. Make no mistake, it was a difficult decision, a decision accompanied by a sadness that typically has no place in the business of professional sports. But it had to be done. The realities of the NFL salary cap, and the cumulative physical toll of all of the hits over those 14 NFL seasons made it necessary. But Hines Ward was special, and that’s why there was nothing typical about this.


(Read More:) http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Labriola-on-Hines-Ward/4c1bdf71-a137-46b5-ae1a-60e36631837c

BGSU A Dub wrote:

Steelers football won't be the same without #86 out there.

Thank you, Hines.

And this means your account is safe

Nice video.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/pittsburgh-steelers/09000d5d827badfb/Career-retrospective-Hines-Ward

anybody find themselves getting a little choked up watching the press conference...........shut it jon

vasteeler wrote:

anybody find themselves getting a little choked up watching the press conference...........shut it jon

I'd be lying if I said I didn't.
Today was a mixture of sadness and happiness. I was sad to see his career come to an end, but I was happy that it ended as a Steeler.

I can't stop crying!

Bittersweet for sure. I have to admit, I'm deeply grateful that he retired a Steeler. I don't think my heart could take seeing him in another uniform. I don't think we've seen the last of that gorgeous smile, however.

This man is the epitome of black and gold.

WE LOVE YOU HINES -- THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN STEELER NATION!!!

Now, can we PLEASE keep his picture on the banner???

Gingerchip wrote:

I can't stop!

Bittersweet for sure. I have to admit, I'm deeply grateful that he retired a Steeler. I don't think my heart could take seeing him in another uniform. I don't think we've seen the last of that gorgeous smile, however.

This man is the epitome of black and gold.

WE LOVE YOU HINES -- THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN STEELER NATION!!!

Now, can we PLEASE keep his picture on the banner???

Check out the poll thread.

I found this tidbit from Bouchette quite interesting:

Quote :

--- Hines Ward mentioned a lot of people at his press conference yesterday, coaches, teammates, etc. He brought up the names of two quarterbacks, Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. He did not mention Ben Roethlisberger.
A handful of teammates along with former teammate Jerome Bettis attended, as did Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney. Roethlisberger was not among them.
Should we draw any conclusions from this. Yes, that the two former teammates were not chummy. Roethlisberger took the high road when he told me after Ward’s release by the Steelers that the so-called animosity between them was blown out of proportion. Not all teammates are chummy.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/115436-ed-sans-wallace-a-cotchery-ward-might-look-good

Hey Dubs and Va, I don't think Hines would be voting for Ben in the Vote Off thread either.

Wallace108 wrote:

I found this tidbit from Bouchette quite interesting:

Quote :

--- Hines Ward mentioned a lot of people at his press conference yesterday, coaches, teammates, etc. He brought up the names of two quarterbacks, Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. He did not mention Ben Roethlisberger.
A handful of teammates along with former teammate Jerome Bettis attended, as did Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney. Roethlisberger was not among them.
Should we draw any conclusions from this. Yes, that the two former teammates were not chummy. Roethlisberger took the high road when he told me after Ward’s release by the Steelers that the so-called animosity between them was blown out of proportion. Not all teammates are chummy.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/115436-ed-sans-wallace-a-cotchery-ward-might-look-good

Hey Dubs and Va, I don't think Hines would be voting for Ben in the Vote Off thread either.

I think the WR/QB relationship on any level gets blown out of proportion. They don't have to like each other, they just have to perform on the field - AND THAT THEY DID!

They have both been dramatic about their relationship, but none-the-less it worked, now that Hines is retiring it's all water under the bridge, but for some reason - the media can't let it go!

stlrtruck wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

I found this tidbit from Bouchette quite interesting:

Quote :

--- Hines Ward mentioned a lot of people at his press conference yesterday, coaches, teammates, etc. He brought up the names of two quarterbacks, Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. He did not mention Ben Roethlisberger.
A handful of teammates along with former teammate Jerome Bettis attended, as did Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney. Roethlisberger was not among them.
Should we draw any conclusions from this. Yes, that the two former teammates were not chummy. Roethlisberger took the high road when he told me after Ward’s release by the Steelers that the so-called animosity between them was blown out of proportion. Not all teammates are chummy.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/115436-ed-sans-wallace-a-cotchery-ward-might-look-good

Hey Dubs and Va, I don't think Hines would be voting for Ben in the Vote Off thread either.

I think the WR/QB relationship on any level gets blown out of proportion. They don't have to like each other, they just have to perform on the field - AND THAT THEY DID!

They have both been dramatic about their relationship, but none-the-less it worked, now that Hines is retiring it's all water under the bridge, but for some reason - the media can't let it go!

Man, everyone loves to hate the media.

I can understand Ben not being at the press conference. Maybe he was out of town or something. But I find it very telling that Hines didn't even mention him once. That's not the media just making something up ... it's a fact. I thought it was an interesting observation.

Wallace108 wrote:

stlrtruck wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

I found this tidbit from Bouchette quite interesting:

Quote :

--- Hines Ward mentioned a lot of people at his press conference yesterday, coaches, teammates, etc. He brought up the names of two quarterbacks, Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. He did not mention Ben Roethlisberger.
A handful of teammates along with former teammate Jerome Bettis attended, as did Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney. Roethlisberger was not among them.
Should we draw any conclusions from this. Yes, that the two former teammates were not chummy. Roethlisberger took the high road when he told me after Ward’s release by the Steelers that the so-called animosity between them was blown out of proportion. Not all teammates are chummy.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/115436-ed-sans-wallace-a-cotchery-ward-might-look-good

Hey Dubs and Va, I don't think Hines would be voting for Ben in the Vote Off thread either.

I think the WR/QB relationship on any level gets blown out of proportion. They don't have to like each other, they just have to perform on the field - AND THAT THEY DID!

They have both been dramatic about their relationship, but none-the-less it worked, now that Hines is retiring it's all water under the bridge, but for some reason - the media can't let it go!

Man, everyone loves to hate the media.

I can understand Ben not being at the press conference. Maybe he was out of town or something. But I find it very telling that Hines didn't even mention him once. That's not the media just making something up ... it's a fact. I thought it was an interesting observation.

I guess I was just happy to see him retire a Steeler, to say "Thank You!" to the fans, and let him ride of in to the sunset!

As for Ben not being there, he's married, and was most likely finishing off some tasks on his honey-do list. As for Hines not mentioning him, it's his retirement party!

And yes I like to blame the media and/or politicians.

So it's the media's fault for blowing this Hines not mentioning Ben drama out of the water, and it's Obama's fault for Hines retiring and not being re-signed by the Steelers!

Wallace108 wrote:

I found this tidbit from Bouchette quite interesting:

Quote :

--- Hines Ward mentioned a lot of people at his press conference yesterday, coaches, teammates, etc. He brought up the names of two quarterbacks, Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. He did not mention Ben Roethlisberger.
A handful of teammates along with former teammate Jerome Bettis attended, as did Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney. Roethlisberger was not among them.
Should we draw any conclusions from this. Yes, that the two former teammates were not chummy. Roethlisberger took the high road when he told me after Ward’s release by the Steelers that the so-called animosity between them was blown out of proportion. Not all teammates are chummy.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/115436-ed-sans-wallace-a-cotchery-ward-might-look-good

Hey Dubs and Va, I don't think Hines would be voting for Ben in the Vote Off thread either.

speaking of which......come on dubs ben needs help!!!!

vasteeler wrote:

speaking of which......come on dubs ben needs help!!!!

I'm doing my best va. We're fighting and uphill battle, my friend.