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Silverback92
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 Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 7:55 am |
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:33 pm
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Great article about Batch turning a personal tragedy into a positive. We're lucky to have such a grounded player. Quote: There was a time when Charlie Batch couldn't bring himself to drive down West Street in Pittsburgh's Homestead neighborhood because of the pain that welled up inside him every time he did.
West Street isn't unfamiliar territory mind you. West Street is home to Charlie Batch. It leads through his old neighborhood, to his mother's house and takes him by the football field where his road to the NFL began.
For the past 10 years, West Street has been home to Best of the Batch, the educational foundation of the Steelers' veteran quarterback. It's a place where kids go to learn at what they call The Charlie Batch School, where they can work at one of 26 computer stations and where they play basketball, protected from the danger on neighboring streets.
But located in the same area, Homestead Cemetery sits on 22nd Street, an intersection Charlie Batch must pass through when he travels to his mother's home from practice.
It's the plot of land where his sister has been buried for the past 16 years and a cemetery that for a time, he couldn't bring himself to pass by without all of the anger associated with his sister's murder resurfacing from the depths where Danyl Lynn Settles' memory was once buried deep inside Charlie Batch. http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/good-sp ... estead-nfl
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"Steeler football is 60 minutes. It's never going to be pretty. Throw style points out the window, but these guys will fight till the end."
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SteelThrillsseeker
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 8:30 am |
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Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:02 pm
Posts: 2270
Location: PA
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bradshaw2ben
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 9:14 am |
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Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:37 pm
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quite a story. Charlie's hard to knock, he really is. I have a feeling he has a moment or two coming to him before it's all said and done. I hope he has a chance to go out on top... he truly deserves it. I'm proud that he's a Pittsburgh Steeler.
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"Joe Flacco is the best QB in football."-- Ray Rice
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JackLambert58
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 9:43 am |
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Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:05 pm
Posts: 9444
Location: Rhode Island
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Homestead Charlie has done very good work for the Steelers over the years. Coming in for Ben during the '05 season and also at the start of the '10 season certainly come to mind. I remember when one of his best games was against the Steelers, not for the Steelers. Most people remember the '98 Thanksgiving game in Detroit for the Jerome Bettis coin flip call. I remember it for Batch keeping the Lions in the game until the very end and then winning the game in OT.
Excellent article posted here, and I never knew the story about Charlie's sister. I'm very sorry to hear it. Great sentiment B2B, I'm also proud that Charlie is a Pittsburgh Steeler.
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ReigningSteel
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 10:13 am |
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Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:12 am
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Location: Frederick, MD
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I didn't realize how early in his career, that Batch became a Steeler.
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alhill
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:03 pm |
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 8:05 am
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Batch was actually a better than average starting QB. He didn't become a permanent backup due to diminishment of skills; he got switched over because he was incapable of staying healthy 16 games.
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MeanJoeGreene75
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:30 pm |
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Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:17 pm
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Great article! Thanks for posting it. I'll make no bones about it, Homestead Charlie is one of my favorite Pittsburgh Steelers' and one of my favorite "reserve" players of all time.
Plays with a lot of heart, and a modicum of talent. Aside from some injuries sustained over the past few years, he's more than an adequate backup when you need a start or two, or in relief if necessary.
Great community guy, great character guy, and a very good, experienced, savvy backup. I'd love to see him remain with the team when he finally hands them up in some kind of capacity. You can't do better for a PR guy than Charlie Batch.
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Playing football was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. If I could go out today and suit up, I would do it.--Jack Butler
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BethlehemSteel
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:33 pm |
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Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:29 pm
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thanks for posting.
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Steel NZ
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:27 am |
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Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:03 pm
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Did Batch sort out his money problems? I hope he managed to.
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Laying The Wood
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:39 am |
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Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:54 pm
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Steel NZ wrote: Did Batch sort out his money problems? I hope he managed to. I hope so too. Like MJG said, he's the perfect PR guy for the team. I don't think the Rooneys will let him go broke -- he's done too much good in the community. He also has a local TV show on the Steelers and could easily parlay that into a post-football career.
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