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In April, running back Rashard Mendenhall became a first-round draft pick, landing with the Steelers.
It almost didn’t happen.
According to the Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette, Mendenhall nearly quit football prior to the 2007 season.
“I sat down and I was like, ‘If this is what football is, I don’t know if I want to do that anymore,’” Mendenhall said. “I’m not soft at all. I’m not scared of adversity. I’m don’t care if somebody’s yelling at me. That’s not what it was about at all.
“I want to be happy in my life. I know I can walk away from this. I know I can finish school, get a job.”
Mendenhall’s brother, Walter, talked him into sticking with it, intervening just as Mendenhall was preparing to walk out of the team’s facility.
Though the specifics aren’t clear (apart from a vague reference by Mendenhall to “things that were said”), Mendenhall had a problem of some sort with coach Ron Zook. “To tell you the truth,” Mendenhall said, “as long as Ron Zook is there it will be hard for me to support the University of Illinois football team.”
We’ve got a feeling that, eventually, we’ll be hearing more about whatever it was that has created a fractured relationship between the two men.
June 15th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Well maybe that explains why his brother just transfered out of illinois to play at illinois st.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
June 15th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Another Ricky Williams in the making?
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
June 15th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Are you gonna write a “Mendenhall should just shut up” article, Florio?
Maybe the Cowboys taking Felix Jones over Mendenhall wasn’t such a bad idea after all, eh?
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
June 15th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Good luck Pittsburgh, there’s a reason the guy fell to 22.
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Rating: 2.65 / 5 with 12 rating(s)
June 15th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Since he was drafted Mendenhall has come across like a pretty grounded guy. Still, he’s still an unknown rookie quantity, I hope he doesn’t decide to quit on the Steelers.
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Rating: 3.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 15th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Willie Parker didn’t get along too well with his coaches at UNC, and he turned out alright. Mark me down for “who gives a sh**?”
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Rating: 4.1 / 5 with 9 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Welcome to Pittsburgh Rashard. You’re joining a team with a Quarterback who doesn’t always look like he wants to play.
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Rating: 3.75 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Tomlin’s a players’ coach and Mendenhall’s in a good situation (and a new tax bracket). On the field he’s a stud. He ain’t complaining about playing now. He had a coach who broke his balls somehow and he got fed up. Now quitting means leaving millions on the table. I wouldn’t worry about him leaving the game any time soon.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 8:31 am
TEX BIG BALLS, You have to be Kidding!!! You have a QB in Dallas that gets side tracked by every little blonde that walks by and you have the nerve to question a Champion like Ben Roethlisberger. thats laughable!!! Get a clue, Big Ben wants and tries to win as much as anyone in the league!!! Despite spending a ton of time on his back last season, he had a fantastic season and finished near the top in most QB categories. GET A CLUE!!!!
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Why are you guys all over Mendenhall for almost quitting. Something must have happened or he must have seen something to destroy his relationship with Zook. I admire him for sticking with it and it has pay off big time for him. At least he will receive some real coaching now.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 9:16 am
The real story on Rashard never comes out. He was a highly touted high school player…but during his first two years at Illinois he suffered from a major fumble problem and his work ethic was called into question. He was beat out for the starting position by Pierre Thomas (who was an undrafted free agent by the Saints last year.)
When Rashard came to Illinois, the team gave a scholarship to his brother Walter as well. (Walter is nowhere as good as Rashard.) After his sophomore year, Rashards mother told Zook that if he doesn’t play Walter, she will take both kids out of Illinois. Zook didn’t give in to his mother’s request.
But Zook’s coaching staff told Rashard to get his head into the game and he turned in an awesome Junior season…capping it with a first round pick. Why did Walter leave U of I recently? He was told that his scholarship will be honored, but he doesn’t figure into the football plans. The Mendenhall family is pissed because they feel that Walter should he the heir to Rashard at Illinois.
That’s the story.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Tex Big Balls
I laugh in your general direction. When your guy wins a post season game, then you can think it. When your wins a Super Bowl, then you can say it.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 11:48 am
“a Champion like Ben Roethlisberger”
haha, a mere technicality. Were his 9 completions on 21 attempts, 0 TD passes and 2 INTs worth accolades like that? The Steelers won in spite of Roethlisberger, not because of him. Dude needs training wheels on his bike!
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 11:50 am
come on mrmagoo, Ben = bus driver.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
He’ll be thinking about quitting again as soon as he sees how bad the Steelers line is.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Well Vox Veritas and TexasBigBalls get the dunce of the afternoon award.
Pretty funny that the only who finished better than Big Ben last year was a guy named Tom Brady. Even with a bad O-line Big Ben set Steelers passing records and and finished with a passer rating second only to that guy up in Foxboro.
And Vox, I guess you forgot about Ben’s performances against the top 3 AFC playoff seeds leading up the Super Bowl. His play was phenomenal against Cincy, Indy, and Denver. I suggest you go review those games before you try and and minimize Ben Roethlisberger. Come to think of it, you should review his entire career. His resume is pretty outstanding and cannot be denied. Players have bad games from time to time. One bad game doesn’t overshadow and entire career.
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Rating: 2.6 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
that bus driver has won a whole lot more then that dbag down in dallas
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
“Pretty funny that the only who finished better than Big Ben last year was a guy named Tom Brady.”
What do you mean “finished better”?
Ohhhh, passer rating. Didn’t you know that the passer rating formula is useless to rate QBs across teams and offensive systems? I guess in your world, Jeff Garcia is the 7th best QB in the NFL and Eli Manning doesn’t make the top 20?
“And Vox, I guess you forgot about Ben’s performances against the top 3 AFC playoff seeds leading up the Super Bowl.”
No I didn’t. I didn’t mention those because they didn’t matter. The guy was talking about Roethlisberger the “champion”, not the playoff winner.
“One bad game doesn’t overshadow and entire career.”
Maybe you’ll remember that next time you criticize Tony Romo.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Yeah he’s also wrecked more bikes than Romo, finch. What’s your point? Neither guy is hanging up their cleats just yet. Hey if you’re happy with a bus driver at QB, I’m happy for you. He’ll go down in history right along with Trent Dilfer.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Our bus driver has a Super Bowl ring. I’m a physical evidence kind of guy.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
He’ll be on the team for at least one year because the team requires a minimum amount of steroids he has to take before he’s eligible to retire and live in the Mike Webster Memorial Car for Steelers Players Abandoned by the Team and its Fans.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Lets not forget that Fat Ben single handedly killed his HoF head coach and offensive coordinator. Fat Ben is always complaining about something.
He’s always throwing his WR’s under the bus, blaming his offensive line or coordinators…even past teammates and coaches are not safe.
He’s basically what Kellen Winslow would be if he were a QB. Let’s go down the checklist:
-Reckless motorcyclist? - Check
-Underachieves on the field and gets bailed out by teammates? - Check
-Shows no accountability and kills coaches? - Check
-Underachieves and demands big money? - Check
-Fat? -Check. To Winslow’s credit, he’s at least pretty fit.
The real bus retired and all you have now is the bus driver. He will drive that team into the ground. 7-9 will not get you into the playoffs.
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Rating: Not yet rated
June 16th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Good luck with Fat Ben. He just ruined your salary cap for the next decade. Now that Cowher isn’t conducting your drafts, you’ll be rebuilding for quite a while.
This is the begining of the end. Last year was not a fluke. There are too many other mediocre teams in the AFC, the Steelers can’t separate.
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Rating: Not yet rated
June 16th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
What do you mean “finished better”?
Ohhhh, passer rating. Didn’t you know that the passer rating formula is useless to rate QBs across teams and offensive systems? I guess in your world, Jeff Garcia is the 7th best QB in the NFL and Eli Manning doesn’t make the top 20?
No I didn’t. I didn’t mention those because they didn’t matter. The guy was talking about Roethlisberger the “champion”, not the playoff winner.
Maybe you’ll remember that next time you criticize Tony Romo.
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Gee what a surprise, a Big Ben hater who’s only course of action is to downplay a passer rating because he knows he literally has nothing else to retort with. It’s going to be fun watching the Steelers pick the Cowboys apart December 7th.
And yes, plyoff appearances have everything to do with “being a champion” because you don’t get to the championship game without winning and performing the playoffs first. And as I said, Ben’s exploits that year’s playoffs were exemplary.
And I never actually said anything about Romo, although I must admit it’s been fun watching him appear as a deer in headlights in the playoffs……but not as fun as watching TO cry in defense of “his quarterback”. LOL. But maybe that’s why you wish to downplay the importance of playoff performance…..because in that case you’d have to apply the same judgement to Romo, who’s yet to taste playoff success. Big Ben as a rookie got to the AFCCG. Don’t ever presume to compare the two.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 16th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Hey Monger,
Can you site any instance of a failed drug test by any member of the steelers? Didn’t think so. And Mike Webster is held in the highest regard by Steeler fans and the organization. The fact that you’d even make such an asenine comment proves you have little to zero clue what you’re talking about.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)