I Love Hines, But....

(1/25) Let me preface this story by saying that I absolutely love Hines Ward. He is a talented receiver who plays hard all the time, and his place as one of the great Steelers of all-time is secure. He is personally one of my favorite football players ever. That being said, Hines really needs to stop running his mouth so much. His latest rant came today when he lashed out at Ben Roethlisberger after Ben stated that he wanted the Steelers to sign a tall receiver in the offseason. I doubt Ben's comments were meant to put down Hines or even Santonio Holmes. A tall, physical receiver would compliment the offense well, especially since there is a greater focus on passing and because Ben is a tall QB, hence he tends to throw the ball high. But Hines didn't see it that way. "If Ben wants a tall receiver to make him feel comfortable or whatever, maybe the organization will get him one.... To me, I like the four guys we have," said Ward. He also pulled the "I don't hear Tom Brady or Peyton Manning asking for that" line.

I don't even care to debate whether or not the Steelers need a tall receiver (although I certainly don't agree with Hines about "liking the four guys we have" when two of them flat out stink). That's not really the issue here. The issue is that Hines takes offense to EVERYTHING these days, and he always uses the media to air his thoughts about it. I understand the background. When Ward was drafted in the late 1990's, he managed to shine on a very crappy team. What was his reward for that? The Steelers benched him before the start of the 2000 season so that they could play a rookie (Plaxico Burress) and a guy in Troy Edwards who didn't have even 1/100th of the heart or talent that Ward had. So Hines was unfairly forced to work his way back into the starting lineup, and he not only did that, but he became an all-pro player in the process. Even after the Steelers and The Nation recognized how truly special he was, he still got little respect at the national level. Few people mentioned him in the same breath as other star receivers. Hines was a grinder on a run-first team - a guy who gets you the 3rd and 6 or blocks the guy to the outside so that the running back can gain those ten extra yards. That just isn't sexy. It's more fun to see Chad Johnson come up with a new endzone dance or watch Terrell Owens do situps in his driveway or awe at Randy Moss' latest one-handed catch. Hines has a big chip on his shoulder, and I totally get that.

However, at this point in his career, Ward just comes across as bitter and ultra-sensitive. Look at the last two years: The Steelers didn't sign him to a big contract right away, so he was offended. The Steelers didn't hire Russ Grimm, so he was offended. The Steelers dumped Joey Porter, so he was offended. Ben said he wants a tall receiver, so he was offended. He plays the "I don't get any respect card" all the time now. If that motivates him personally on Sunday, more power to him. But there is no reason to trash your owner, coach, or teammates in the media the way he has been doing. He is a Super Bowl MVP and will no doubt go down as one of Pittsburgh's most beloved sports figures, but this constant public whining is not doing anything to help his cause.
 

Subject:   A Pittsburgh Steeler & a soldier on his way back to Iraq   

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ONE SOLDIER'S RETURN FLIGHT TO IRAQ. 

HE SAW A MAN GO INTO THE BATHROOM AT THE PITTSBURGH AIRPORT & THOUGHT HE RECOGNIZED HIM. WHEN THE MAN CAME OUT HE WENT OVER TO HIM & SAID 'EXCUSE ME SIR BUT ARE YOU FRANCO HARRIS?'

THE MAN REPLIED 'YES I AM' & THEN BEING SUCH A BIG STEELER FAN THAT HE IS ASKED HIM IF HE COULD HAVE A PIC OF HIM.

FRANCO WAS AGREEABLE TO THIS. AFTER TAKING THE PIC THEY TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES & HE TOLD HIM HE WAS ON HIS WAY BACK TO IRAQ.

FRANCO ACKNOWLEDGED HIS SADNESS & GAVE HIM ENCOURAGEMENT FOR A SAFE RETURN. THEY THEN SHOOK HANDS & PARTED ON THEIR WAYS... THE END OF THE STORY YOU WOULD THINK, BUT NOT SO.... 

YOU SEE AFTER A WHILE THE SOLDIER'S NAME WAS ANNOUNCED OVER THE LOUD SPEAKER TO COME TO THE DESK...WHICH HE DID...

ONCE THERE THE LADY BEHIND THE COUNTER INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS AN EMPTY SEAT IN FIRST CLASS & SHE WAS GOING TO BUMP

HIM UP TO THAT SEAT IF IT WAS OK WITH HIM. HE SAID HE DIDN'T CARE WHERE HE SAT IN THE PLANE AS LONG AS HE MADE IT TO ATLANTA TO CATCH THE ARMY PLANE.

SO SHE INFORMED HIM THAT HE WAS NOW GOING FIRST CLASS TO ATLANTA . HE THANKED

HER & WENT BACK TO TELL EVERYONE AS HE WAITED TO BOARD THE PLANE.

ONCE HE WAS SEATED ON THE PLANE HE WAS WAVING OUT THE WINDOW TO HIS DAD & PAPAS .

HE FELT A HAND ON HIS LEG. HE TURNED TO HIS SIDE & THERE WAS FRANCO SITTING IN THE SEAT NEXT TO HIM!!!

NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY TALKED ALL THE WAY TO ATLANTA ABOUT THE STEELERS & THEN PARTED WITH FRANCO TAKING HIS ADDRESS & GIVING HIS SIGNED TICKET STUB TO THE SOLDIER AS VALIDATION OF THEIR TRIP TOGETHER.  

THIS WAS A TRIP NOT OF SADNESS & LONELINESS BUT ONE THIS SOLDIER WILL NEVER FORGET & WILL TALK ABOUT FOREVER THANKS TO FRANCO HARRIS.  

THIS ACT OF KINDNESS & GENEROSITY FROM THIS MAN IS ONE THAT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS.

IN MY OPINION, FRANCO HARRIS IS 'THE MAN OF ALL MEN'!!

I WISH I COULD THANK HIM FOR MAKING A SOLDIER'S LONELY FLIGHT BACK TO WAR ONE OF HIS ULTIMATE LIFETIME EXPERIENCES THAT HE WILL TALK ABOUT FOREVER. 

THANK YOU MR. FRANCO HARRIS

 A SOLDIER'S AUNT