First Call: Steeler takes a swat at his time in New England; differing national opinions on Ben Roethlisberger; RMU hockey updates
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Wednesday’s “First Call” features a Steeler ripping the New England Patriots, on-air hosts singing very different tunes about Ben Roethlisberger and a few nuggets about the Robert Morris hockey teams.
Cassius chimes in
Steelers linebacker Cassius Marsh is taking another swat at one of his former teams: the New England Patriots.
“The Patriot Way is extremely impressive,” Marsh told the Tom Segura podcast. “They work day in and day out. Their work ethic over there, what they instill, is pretty legendary. But they also treat players like crap. You don’t have a lunch period. You get there and you have to make time to eat in between meetings. And they’re like five- to 10-minute periods where I would literally go scoop food and put it in a cup and crush it real quick before I got to the next meeting. There’s no fun.”
This isn’t the first time Marsh has popped off about the Patriots’ grinding culture. When he was with the San Francisco 49ers back in May 2018 he made similar comments in the San Francisco Chronicle.
“They don’t have fun there. There’s nothing fun about it. There’s nothing happy about it. I didn’t enjoy any of my time there, you know what I’m saying?” Marsh said. “It made me for the first time in my life think about not playing football because I hated it that much.”
Yeah, but the Pats did go to the Super Bowl that previous year, didn’t they?
Schein’s shot
NFL.com ranked each NFL division by the quality of their quarterbacks. NFL Network host Adam Schein put the list together. He ranked the AFC North behind the NFC West and the AFC West.
And the main reason for his logic was taking jabs at Ben Roethlisberger.
“I thought it was close between the AFC West and AFC North, but (Patrick) Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) raised the bar and Roethlisberger lowered it,” Schein wrote. “Big Ben is pushing 40 and his arm shows it. Obviously, he’s a Hall of Famer, but remember: This ranking is based on my expectations for the 2021 season. And those aren’t too high when it comes to Roethlisberger, especially behind Pittsburgh’s patchwork offensive line. In 2021, Ben’s the fourth-best quarterback in his own division.”
I disagree that Roethlisberger is fourth in the AFC North. Let’s see how Joe Burrow performs coming off his knee injury, playing behind a shaky offensive line of his own in Cincinnati.
But regardless of what any of the other six quarterbacks are like, I’ll put Mahomes at No.1 and Justin Herbert second regardless. So, I agree that the AFC West is better. In fact, I might put them in front of the NFC West, too.
Burr on Ben
Meanwhile, former Pittsburgh television personality, Golf Channel anchor and NBC Sports group host Ryan Burr is sending out a different message about Roethlisberger.
“Ben will never mention the beating he has taken in the media but says from a dedication standpoint has never seen anything from Ben close to this in past. Source say obsessed with diet & workouts. “ https://t.co/xiezHzYrUj
— Ryan Burr (@RyanBurr) July 12, 2021
I feel like we hear that narrative about Roethlisberger a few weeks before training camp every year. We did for Jerome Bettis, too. And Mario Lemieux.
I’ll say about Roethlisberger what I have said each of the past four or five seasons when that story pops up, “He can’t diet his way into better knees.”
Anyway, Burr added this one, too.
Find me an athlete and professional sport that gets blamed for everything as much as BR? From source in Roethlisberger camp he is tired of it. His ego is tired of it. If Steelers don’t run ball it’s because BR only wants shotgun. If OL has trouble BR holds ball to long. https://t.co/gVGTsVLWG5
— Ryan Burr (@RyanBurr) July 13, 2021
Eh, I think former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians may have a different opinion for who got blamed when it came to holding onto the ball too long.
I mean, he was the one who got fired after 2011 as a result, right? Not Roethlisberger.
Oops. I mean retired. Did I say fired? I meant retired. Sure. Sure, I did.
Spreading their wings
On Tuesday, I tweeted that there might be some reason for optimism when it comes to the Robert Morris hockey situation.
It’s been nearly two months since the school announced it was canceling the men’s and women’s hockey programs. At the end of June, a coalition of players hired legal help to perhaps get the teams reinstated.
That may be working as I have been told the two sides are at least talking.
Had many inquiries over the weekend abt the #SaveRmuHockey news. Was told “no news isn’t necessarily bad news.” We’ll see what that means. https://t.co/29jHyKajR8
— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) July 13, 2021
However, the players and coaches can’t wait forever. Women’s leading goal scorer Michaela Boyle announced Tuesday she was transferring to Boston College.
Excited to announce I am heading home for my next chapter at Boston College. @BC_WHockey ? #ForBoston pic.twitter.com/YcghzG5TmZ
— Michaela Boyle (@michaelaboyle16) July 13, 2021
And a few former RMU men’s coaches are going to be behind the benches for some national competitions.
More RMU hockey people in the news: 2 former assistant coaches will be coaching for USA. Mike Corbett will be an assistant for the @usahockey 2021 U-17 Select Team at the Five Nations tourney & Mike Gershon will be Head Coach of USA at the 2022 @MaccabiHockey games #SaveRMUHockey
— Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation (@PghCHF) July 13, 2021
Mike Gershon left the Colonials before last season to coach the Chatham Cougars. Mike Corbett was on Derek Schooley’s staff in 2020-21.