In a day in age of Owens, Moss, Sprewell, and 'Pacman' making a mockery of themselves, their teams, and their fans. There are still players out there who give me hope about the state of professional sports, players who value the game, team loyalty, and camarderie MORE THAN MONEY.
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By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer
August 16, 2005
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- On a night they ran back an interception and two kicks for touchdowns, the Pittsburgh Steelers' best return came a few hours before they beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hines Ward ended a two-week holdout that concluded just as it began -- with Ward wanting more money and the Steelers declining to give it to him until he showed up and began practicing.
Ward's absence was the longest by a Steelers veteran player since Pro Bowl running back Barry Foster stayed out for nearly three weeks in 1993 before doing exactly what Ward did by returning without a new deal. There is every indication the Steelers want to work out an extension with Ward and quickly, just as they did with Foster.
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What was unique was one of Ward's main reasons for returning: He missed practice and training camp, something few NFL players would ever acknowledge. With training camp coverage now available 24 hours a day by flipping on a TV, Ward began to wish he was in Latrobe, Pa., for the two-a-day drills, the heat, the endless meetings and daylong routine.
``It's the worst thing ever, sitting at home and watching all your teammates,'' Ward said. ``I want to be out there battling, preparing for the season, getting better.''
The Steelers took Tuesday off following their 38-31 exhibition win over the Eagles on Monday night, except to go back to St. Vincent College at night to watch game film. Ward returns to the practice field on Wednesday morning for the final day of two-a-day workouts.
The team has only two full days of camp this week because the Steelers play again at home Saturday night against Miami.
With Ward back, the Steelers no longer must debate whether they have enough depth and talent at wide receiver to win without the player whose production and toughness have personified their offense for years. Ward has three of the four best receiving seasons in team history.
``We needed to get our guy back,'' wide receiver Antwaan Randle El said. ``The younger guys need him because he helps them a lot, critiques their play, and the young guys have been missing out on that. It's good to have him back.''
With Ward back, Randle El is competing again with former 49ers receiver Cedrick Wilson to start at split end, where Plaxico Burress started for five seasons before signing with the Giants.
Ward should get enough camp time, with a combined three practices on Wednesday and Thursday, to play Saturday night against the Dolphins. He said he has no hesitancy to play and practice, although he has not taken out an insurance policy to protect him financially until he has a new contract. He had such a policy last year.
For now, Ward is playing under a contract that pays him $1.66 million this season, well below most contracts for a skill-position player with multiple trips to the Pro Bowl. His agent, Eugene Parker, warned him before he returned to Pittsburgh of the risks he is taking.
``'This could happen: You go back, you get hurt, you could lose everything,''' Ward said. ``'Or you could play this year out, you do well and they can put the franchise player tag on you. Or, for whatever reason, if you don't put up a lot of stats, based on your production or someone else's, you could lose out on making big money as a free agent.'
``But I told him I wanted to retire as a Steeler and I told him to make that happen.''
