"He should be here," Rooney said Wednesday after the team concluded its morning workout, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. - http://t.co/w62iv5mI
It's obvious that Rooney II isn't pleased with the situation at hand. And rightly so from the standpoint that the Steelers historically don't negotiate deals if a player isn't in Camp. Basically, if the player isn't working, neither are they. And Wallace could come into Camp and put on the red shirt/jersey so that he has much less of a chance of being hit/hurt. So Rooney's stance on this is expected.
Others on the team, though, are more optimistic about Wallace Watch.
"I do anticipate him being here for training camp and looking forward to it," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.
Though he did acknowledge that he doesn't have any inside information: "I don’t know anything. I’m not behind the scenes," he said. "I do talk to Mike. I know Mike wants to be here bad."
"I know Mike will be here. It’s just a matter of when," Big Ben said. "We keep in contact with Mike. We love Mike. We want him here and we need him here. And we’ll get him here. But the guys that are here are doing a great job."
The Steelers could play hard ball and reduce Wallace's salary to 110% of last year's salary, but the word is that they won't do it.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin chimed in and was even somewhat optimistic in his comments. "Mike has always been guy who's in tip-top condition over a 12-month calendar since we had him," Tomlin said. "He's a sharp guy. I'm sure he's working at the learning element of it. But there's no substitute for being here and being around your teammates and learning the nuances and learning from other people's mistakes."
Bottom line for me is that Wallace should be in Camp. As I said earlier, come on in and wear the red shirt/jersey so that you aren't touched. But you at least get to learn the new offense in a team setting. As I said in a previous blog, Bus Cook is not doing him favors right now.
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Ben Roethlisberger spoke to the media Wednesday and made a startling revelation. Ok, maybe not.
"I'm not going to change my game," said Roethlisberger.
Stop the press! (I've always wanted to say that.) Despite Rooney II's statement that the franchise quarterback needs to "tweak" his game, Big Ben has said point blank that he doesn't even know how to do that.
"Coach can do what he wants to add protection and do things like that, but I'm going to play the game the way I know how," Bog Ben said. "It's worked OK for me so far."
Six playoff appearances, three Super Bowls, two Super Bowl rings and a partridge in a pear tree. Yeah, it has worked so far.
He was asked specifically if there was anything that he can do this year to stay healthier, Big Ben said, "Nah, I haven't even thought about that yet. I don't think there's this big revelation like I need to do this, or do that. It's just, don't take hits, but I don't know how not to do that."
When asked If anyone regularly tells him he needs to throw it away or run out of bounds, Big Ben said, "Yeah, all the time. My mom, my wife, my grandma."
Ben, gonna share these words my moms and grandmama used to say to me, "Mama know, baby. Mama know."
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TIDBITS: Antonio Brown was given some rather large shoes on Tuesday. Size 86 to be exact.
The 2011 Steelers MVP Antonio Brown has Hines Ward's old locker, and he is well aware of the significance of it: "It's something special. I feel like there's no other place I want to be but right there."
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"It's feeling pretty good. Of course, I'll take these next five or six weeks that we have off, do another strength program for knee." - Baron Batch
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Rookies DeCastro, Adams busy as minicamp begins per Will Graves of the Associated Press: http://t.co/gOgiR4rk
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Kevin Beachum has been moved to guard. No surprise there. Jim Wexell talks about him here: With all eyes on DeCastro, Adams, Steelers' other rookie lineman impressing: http://t.co/vLhFLfTB
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The second day of minicamp had the Steelers down three linebackers (Harrison, Worilds, and Sylvester) and one wide receiver (Sanders).
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Dwyer, Clay hope to seize opportunity http://t.co/dAQTpBO3
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