Something about Ben just seems different...

I haven't seen anything that looks different, but I did hear a few comments from him where he said all the right things and none of the wrong things. He sounds a little different so far. Perhaps the threat of his career ending humbled him a bit. I've never been a Ben fan as many know, but I will admit that so far this season, he's saying and doing all the right things. I really hope it lasts, because we need Ben at his best for this team to go anywhere.

I know that very few people are a fan of Haley, but look at the Ben we have now compared to what we had under Arians. It's night and day, and I credit that to Haley. Haley taught him to take what the defence gave him. He taught him to utilize his RB's and TE's more instead of always going deep. Haley taught him to stand in the pocket for as long as possible, and use timing, instead of scrambling around arbitrarily and hoping to find an open guy. Sure, young Ben was great at that, but that would never have lasted. IMO, Haley turned Ben into a QB that could play into his late 30's. Under Arians, Ben would have been done by now

 

Hey steel_ben7.

I do not think that you and I have ever chatted before. So, to you I say "hello" and hope all is well in your World. All is good here.

Moving on, Ben is now one of the “Elder Statesmen” in the league and he embraces this. He really has not been mentioned much at all throughout the “101” sports’ media outlets between the Internet and Cable TV.

Ben may or may not, be seeing the Golden Sunset on the Horizon. Only he knows that. We have no contingency plan in place once he leaves. Right? Think about that for a second as I proceed. That, in big part, was my ongoing and unyielding call about getting Andy Dalton. So, is this a sign that Ben has “Carte Blanche” with the organization? To be here for as long as he remains healthy? Maybe that is it? When one has a sense of security, especially job security, a tranquil and relaxed feeling of confidence can reign supreme in one’s life. That is a good thing.

Also, when one has been removed from something/someone, that he/she has a strong emotional connection to, for an extended period of time, it is only natural for a great deal of self-reflection to take place. A brush with a near career-ending injury will do that to an athlete; especially a highly competitive one at that. All of which defines Ben.

My theory is that Ben has maybe found a place of “equilibrium” regarding life, a “balance” in a sense. He is an established professional athlete winner, nothing to prove there. He seems to be a solid, happy, proud and content family man. It seems that his early career off the field problems are well behind him and maybe he has found peace there as well.

From a “holistic” standpoint, maybe he is just feeling “complete” and accomplished regarding these chapters of his life. In turn, he seems to be more relaxed and at peace with himself and the World. I know I got very philosophical here folks but as an Educator, for decades, I have seen these type of things many times throughout my career. In addition, I have experienced some of this as well with my own personal life chapters. I would bet that we all here have as well.

As I mentioned, Ben is an “Elder Statesman” in the league. He really has nothing to prove. He is a track-proven winner by many standards in this league. He has been removed from the limelight for the likes of the new guys who are “carrying the torch” like Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson. I think he fine with this.

I remember his rookie year and how he was on the news every day. Not so much anymore. Like I have said before, the only time the Steelers make the headlines is for something negative or controversial. It is a real shame that there is such a media bias against them as they are an iconic entity of the NFL. Trust me, I watch enough sports to see a trend.

Anyway, he seems to be enjoying himself. He stated something to the effect the other day that he came back for his teammates not himself. That he is satisfied with his NFL accomplishments. Now that, I am not too sure about (smile). If I am a betting man, and I have a gage on Ben, Ben the competitor, he wants another ring. Hey, as many as his body and mind will allow him to compete for.


STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

My wife and daughter would disagree!

 

With Bell and Brown in the rear view mirror, this group of men on the offensive side of the ball appear to be putting the team first. And don’t forget about the great amount of appreciation they have for Ben. With him, they believe they can win. Without him last year, post MR’s concussion they didn’t. So I think those two facets contribute to a different Ben this year.

 

Maybe they love Ben because, in the huddle, he says "can you believe the play that nimrod sent in? Okay, here is what we will run"

And Futchner doesn't even recognize that Ben changed the play.

 

It's refreshing to see our skill position being team first players and not ME first players as in the killer B's era

 

Team first and discipline has never seemed to be a problem for the offense with the exception of AB. Now if that attitude has crossed over to the defense i.e. secondary, we might have something special brewing.

 

It was a problem with Martavis too.

 

I don't think MB was a head case on the field or a bad team-mate, he just couldn't stay out of the poppy fields.

 

Too many times he complained about his role so much that he was deactivated a game because of his comments to JuJu in 2017

Overall, this lockerroom had way too many egos for so many different reasons.

 

I stand corrected, I did not know that.

If mom takes her heathens to the supermarket and let's them run wild, week after week, the world will see that she has problems on her hands, she will be oblivious. Some will even blame the heathens

 

I loved Haley...I still say he's the best we had, But Ben didn't like him...So that was that

 

I believe Haley was a world class offensive mind and a world class ******* who was an addition by subtraction.

 

Tequila Todd was F@#$ed up...But he could run circles around Fitchner!

 

As Jimmy Buffet said, “I’m growing older but, not up”!

 

As my "Old Men Rule" drink cozy says: "The older I get, the better I was!" I feel sorry for school kids these days - back when I was their age school was so much easier, there was no history yet.

 

I still have my first abacus.

 

Was that an I-Abacus or a Wang?

 

M-Abacus

Mesopotamian

 

Although a much newer invention, I just found my Pickett metal slide rules (regular size and mini). Mint condition except for the melted edges where the action got hot and frantic during my Civil Engineer finals.

 

he did lose a fair amount of weight

 

Hey Rush2seven.

I think you are right on point here with Bell and Brown gone and their selfish ways. I think Ben does like those two but man if they did not drive him "nuts" at times. More AB than Bell. Given that, AB was a great competitor. For all his emotional and seemingly psychological "issues" this guy came to work each and every day with hard hat and lunch pail in hand. No doubt!

Nonetheless, as you stated, the new crew that he is working with does seem to put "team first". That is a good thing. And in turn, I think Ben is more at "peace" in a sense without AB riding him when things did not go his way. I think that Ben sometimes forced things to AB just to make him happy and not to have to hear his outbursts. Fortunately, the Ben to AB connection produced way more good than bad.

Oh yeah, thanks for the "Liked" for my other post within this thread. I know it is kind of lengthy but I feel worth the thread (smile).


STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

And can you still do trigonometric functions on it?

I actually have a very nice, well used, wooden slide rule.

I just tried it. The answer was 490. Or 4900. Or 4.9. ......

Go Yinz Stiller’s n’ at

 

And got a bad haircut

 

He’s generally had terrible haircuts