News

August 30, 2010

Preseason winding down

I apologize for the delay in updates. I had some maintenance done on the site and it took a bit longer than expected.

The Steelers are 2-1 in preseason play, and will wrap up the preseason against Carolina on September 2.

For the Panthers game, Coach Tomlin said the starters will play, but they will not play for as long as they did in the game against Denver.

For some notes for the upcoming game, click here.

You can click here to see some recent photos of Brett.

August 18, 2010

Annual Softball Game

The Steelers held their annual softball game on the St. Vincent College baseball field.

From the Beaver County Times:

This year, the offense won 2-0 behind the no-hit pitching of running back Isaac Redman.

The line-up for the offense included quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at shortstop, wide receiver Hines Ward at third base, tight end Heath Miller at first base and wide receivers Mike Wallace and Antwaan Randle El in the outfield. The line-up for the defense included linebacker Larry Foote at shortstop, defensive end Brett Keisel at first base and cornerback Ike Taylor pitching. Coach Mike Tomlin umpired.

Camp and game news:

The last public practice of the training camp season is today. The team will be preparing for their second preseason game, which is Saturday against the New York Giants. The game is at 7:00pm at the New Meadowlands Stadium. You can watch the game on KDKA (for locals), and on NFL Network. You can listen to the game on the radio: 102.5 FM/970 AM and on Sirius: 153.

Site news:

The website will be down for approximately one week for upgrades and maintenance in preparation for the start of the 2010 season. I apologize for the inconvenience.

August 17, 2010

Keisel and Smith on 93.7 The Fan

Keisel and Aaron Smith talked with the crew from 93.7 The Fan today. As is usually the case with Keisel interviews, it's entertaining. The two discuss Aaron's career, which Brett adds some years to for him, and they discuss of course the Steelers defense. Aaron also gives an update on his son, Elijah.

To listen to the interview, click here.

Also, Brett talked to Steelers.com from LeBeau's Hall of Fame Induction. You can click here to watch it.

The photo of Brett and Aaron used for today's news story is courtesy of Brad Jones.

August 13, 2010

It's time for some football!

The long wait is almost over! The Steelers will take the field tomorrow night for their first preseason game of the season. The game starts at 7:30pm.

Coach Tomlin said the defensive and offensive starters will probably play about 8-12 snaps.

I posted some photos sent by Sarah earlier in the week. Her friend Renee attended training camp with her, and Renee sent some photos of Keisel also.

You can view both their photos here.

Good luck to #99 and to the Steelers tomorrow night!

August 11, 2010

Fan Photos

Steelers fans Sarah and Renee attended training camp last Sunday and both said they had a great time. Sarah snapped some great photos of #99 for us.

You can click here to see them.

Thank you to Sarah for sharing her photos!

To read a few notes from training camp, click here.

Reminder:

After the afternoon practice Thursday, there will be no more open practices until Monday afternoon. The team will be preparing for their preseason gave against Detroit. The game is at Heinz Field-7:30 p.m. and will be televised in Pittsburgh on KDKA. Also, WDVE usually has a radio broadcast of the games.

August 10, 2010

Family Day and Fan Photos

From KDKA:

It was back to work for the Steelers after spending Saturday in Canton, Ohio, to watch their beloved defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau get inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Sunday's practice had been a much anticipated one because it was Family Day and the team closed out the session with the very popular goal line drill.

"It's fun; you know, all the families are here watching so you don't want to get put on your back," said Brett Keisel. "You know they're fired up, we try and match their intensity or have our own intensity and, you know, may the best side win."

To read who won the goal line drill, click here.

You can watch the quick interview with Brett, here.

Fan Photos:

Billie Jo Yakubik attended training camp on August 4. She snapped some photos of Keisel, and was nice enough to share them with us.

Click here to see them.

You can also click here to see other photos of Brett at camp.

August 9, 2010

The NFL is better because of Dick LeBeau

And, now the Hall of Fame is better because of Dick LeBeau.

From an article at NFL Draft Bible's website:

The heart of today’s Steel Curtain shared their thoughts moments after their dear coach, Dick Lebeau was enshrined into the Hall of Fame.

Here is what Brett had to say:

“To be able to have his influence in my life the last nine years has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. We all love the guy to death and we are just blessed to be part of this. It’s been a special night I mean Coach not only was he a great player, he’s also a great coach. On top of that he’s a great man.”

The NFL is better because of Dick LeBeau, the players he coached are better men because of Dick Lebeau.

To read the entire article, click here.

The team cheers LeBeau

From Mike Bires column in the Beaver County Times:

Almost all of the Steelers were decked out in white and Honolulu blue jerseys, like the one LeBeau wore when he played for the Lions from 1959-72. Many of the Steelers waved black and gold Terrible Towels when master of ceremonies Chris Berman bellowed, “At long last, Dick LeBeau!”

Most of the Steelers stood while LeBeau kicked off the evening with the first speech of the night.

“Ah, man. It’s such a blessing to be a part of something like this,” defensive end Brett Keisel said. “Coach LeBeau means so much to all of us. For the Rooneys to allow us to come here tonight, it’s just incredible.”

As Mr. Bires mentioned, many of the players wore Dick LeBeau's #44 jersey to the ceremony, including Keisel. To see a photo of Brett in the #44 jersey, and other photos from the ceremony, click here.

Thank you to Erin, site manager of Big Ben News for helping to gather all the news and quotes today!

I will update later with news from training camp, including family day.

August 7, 2010

The perfect 3-4

Coach LeBeau, in his Hall of Fame induction speech, said he has been asked the question: "What's the Perfect 3-4? Who would be the very ideal people at each position?"

LeBeau's answer: "You start with Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel on the defensive line. Seriously, not only are they great players - they're unselfish."

The respect the Steelers organization and players have for Coach LeBeau was clearly evident in Canton tonight. The Steelers shut down training camp and traveled by bus to Canton to watch their coach and friend inducted in to the NFL Hall of Fame. Many defensive players, including Brett, wore LeBeau's jersey to honor him.

If you missed Coach LeBeau's speech, you can click here to watch it. Trust me, it was a genuine from-the-heart speech. He found a way to encompass his whole career, mentioning so many of his teammates, players and coaches. It is easy to understand why his players are so unselfish..they learned it from their coach. A truly classy man.

Congratulations to Dick LeBeau on his induction into the NFL Hall of Fame!

August 6, 2010

Keisel & Woodley:"The one-two punch...

...that knocked Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals out of the Superbowl"-introduction of Keisel and LaMarr Woodley by Jim Krenn and Randy Bauman of the WDVE morning show.

Keisel and Woodley talked about who deserves "possession" of the fumbled ball from Superbowl XLIII. Woodley thinks he should have the ball, but who had last possession of it? Click here to find out.

The two talked about other things also in their entertaining interview. If you missed the interview yesterday, don't worry! You can click here to listen to it.

Friday Night Lights:

The Steelers will host their annual practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium tonight.

Practice begins at 7 p.m. A 15-minute autograph session begins at 6:45 p.m.

Admission for the practice is $5 for adults, and $2 for children under 18 and senior citizens. Children under 12 will be admitted free if accompanied by a parent.

Tickets will be sold at the gates, which open at 5 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Greater Latrobe School District athletic program. The Westmoreland County Food Bank will collect nonperishable food and household items. Giant Eagle will match the donation on a per-pound basis.

Coach LeBeau headed to the Hall of Fame:

As mentioned in the August 3 news, the team will head to Canton, Ohio tomorrow to watch Dick LeBeau be inducted into the Hall of Fame. There will be no public practices on August 7.

More from Brett about Coach LeBeau:

He’s my favorite guy ever. I love the guy to death. I brought my Dick LeBeau jersey to camp so I can wear it at his induction. Not only is he a great coach, but he’s a greater person. It’s his character."

You can read more about what Keisel had to say about Coach LeBeau in the August 3 news.

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

August 4, 2010

Camp news and notes

The team held one practice today, and many of the injured players returned to the field and were able to participate.

Camp updates:

I will update news on Keisel as much as possible. For those who want updates on the whole team and how practice is going, I will include some links below.

For comprehensive daily camp coverage:

Steelers Depot- they update one to two times daily, so be sure to refresh or update the link when you visit.

CBS Sports.com also provides daily running updates.

Twitter is also a great way to keep up with the team. You can follow Jim Wexell's tweets here and The AFC North Twitter page here. You do not need a Twitter account to read their tweets.

Also, Jim Wexell runs a site: www.steelcityinsider.net where you can read many articles and interviews with players and analysts. It is a pay site, but he also includes free articles at times.

Keisel talks about Polamalu's return:

"It's tremendous having him back."

"You can ask anyone in league, he's one of the greater players in our game. There isn't anyone that I've seen in the league who can do what he does and cover ground like he can cover in a short amount of time. To have a guy of that caliber out there doing what he does, it only makes us all better."

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

August 3, 2010

Keisel: "We all think it's very much deserved"

Training camp is in full swing. The players have two practices a day. The morning one is closed to the public and the afternoon sessions are generally open to the public. Click on the link under Keisel Kam to view a detailed camp schedule.

Brett looks to be fully healed from his injury at the end of last season. Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu are back from injuries also. The defense is in good shape and ready to start a new season.

Speaking of defense...

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will be inducted into the Hall of Fame August 7th. Coach Tomlin stated the team will be attending the ceremony in Canton, OH to honor their coach and friend.

More on Coach LeBeau:

From Alan Robinson's article in the L.A. Times:

As the decades passed and Dick LeBeau was repeatedly left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one of the best defensive players of his era began to believe he wouldn't join the three other members of the Detroit Lions secondary who were already enshrined. At least until a very persuasive group of lobbyists took up his cause. How's this for a blue-ribbon panel to sway opinion: Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, James Farrior, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith?

LeBeau's 38-season career as an NFL head and assistant coach wasn't supposed to factor into his candidacy — only his 14 playing seasons — but the key members of the LeBeau-coached defense that helped the Steelers win the Super Bowl twice in the last five seasons didn't care. To them, a football hall of fame that excluded LeBeau wasn't a true hall of fame.

So the players began wearing replica LeBeau No. 44 Lions jerseys to functions such as the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, and to road games where they felt their influence might be felt. Perhaps their best argument came when, relying heavily on the innovative zone blitzes LeBeau developed during his days as a Bengals assistant, the Steelers defense put together one of the most dominating seasons in NFL history as Pittsburgh won the 2009 Super Bowl.

In the article, Brett talks about LeBeau:

I think he's extremely excited and we all think it's very much deserved. It's finally happening for him. I can never remember, even after a loss, coming into work and not walking by him and him not smiling at me, being happy where he's at and happy doing what he's doing," Keisel said. "To have a guy like that up in front of you every day makes you want to play hard. I don't think too many coaches in this league are appreciated as a man the way we appreciate him."

To read the whole article, click the L.A. Times link above.

And:

Doug Farrar, with Yahoo Sports, wrote a two-part article about Coach LeBeau. To read it, click here and here.

Also,

Dick LeBeau spoke with AFC North writer, James Walker about inventing the zone-blitz defense. To read the article, click here.

Keisel on 93.7 The Fan:

Brett tells Paul what to expect on the defensive line this year, and whether age is becoming a factor up front…and James Harrison jumps in with a special guest cameo!

To listen to the interview, click here.

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

FYI:

The Steelers announced that there will be NO open practice to the public on August 7.

August 2, 2010

Training Camp 2010

Training Camp is finally here! The players arrived last Friday and have been busy ever since.

Going Green:

Jim Wexell asked Keisel about his new beard and Keisel replied...

“Yeah, well you know it’s a big thing today to go green. So I’m trying to be a little Kevin Greene, a little Mean Joe Greene.”

Also:

Brett and some teammates spoke briefly to KDKA about the Baltimore Ravens new autograph policy. To read the interview, click here.

To watch the video of it, click here.

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

If you attend camp, and have any photos of Keisel, feel free to send them to me! My email is listed above under Contact.

July 28, 2010

And, the tour continues...

Part two of Brett's tour of the practice facility can be viewed here.

For those of you who missed the first part, the link for it is in the July 20 news below.

Gear for Grades Drive:

Brett and his wife, Sarah are board members with The Homeless Children's Education Fund (and will be honored with an award for their work there soon).

Brett is spreading the word about the latest fundraiser, and you can learn about it here.

For more information on the fundraiser, and to see a nice photo of the Keisel's, click here.

Also,

Jim Wexell, from Steelcityinsider.com spoke with Steelers rookie, Doug Worthington:

“Coming in as a rookie,” Worthington said, “you have the thought that great players such as Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel are going to be jerks, are going to be mean to rookies. But those guys were the total opposite.”

On the first day, Worthington was approached by Keisel, who acted like a common journalist by asking the common question: How do you feel about being a seventh-round draft pick? “I was like, ‘I’m happy and blessed just to have been drafted,’” Worthington told the Steelers’ starting right defensive end.

“It was the God’s honest truth. I told him anybody would like to have been drafted a little sooner, but at the end of the day I’m still going to bust my tail. He stopped me and said, ‘Well I went at the same pick, No. 242 to Pittsburgh, and you see where I’m at now.’”

Keisel, the 242nd pick of the 2002 draft, has one unofficial AFC Championship game MVP honor, two Super Bowl rings, two big contract extensions, and a network of relationships in Pittsburgh that’ll provide for his future once he retires.

Keisel likely wants to leave a legacy on the field, too, so he gave Worthington some tips about making the roster and playing in the league.

“He said it’s nothing but hard work and doing well on special teams, and that when my chance comes I have to make sure I get up there and take advantage of it,” Worthington said. “It was a very meaningful talk, and it sticks with me today. It’s something that I definitely want to keep in mind and continue to work very hard.”

July 20, 2010

Keisel hosts a tour of the Practice Facility

Have you ever wondered what the inside of the Steelers locker room looks like? Or have you wondered how much food the team chefs prepare for the players?

If so, Keisel is here to answer your questions! Fans can see the locker room, weight room, cafeteria and equipment room. In each area, Brett and members of the Steelers organization provide an interesting glimpse of the preparation that occurs to make sure the players are ready to take the field each week.

Click here to see part one of Keisel's tour. I will post part two when it becomes available.

July 2, 2010

Fan photos

Anita Doddroe was at Coach Tomlin's football camp the day Brett was a guest coach. She snapped some photos, and was nice enough to share with us!

To view her album, click here.

Anita said, "Heath & Brett, along with Chris Hoke visited with the campers at the Mike Tomlin Football Camp, and they were wonderful with the kids. My grandson thoroughly enjoyed getting to see and listen to them, and play some football with them."

Anita also sent some photos of Ben Roethlisberger to Erin at Big Ben News. Click on the link to view them.

Thank you Anita for sending the photos!

You can also view a short video of Brett from camp. The link is below, in the June 22 news.

June 30, 2010

Hometown Heros

As mentioned in the June 18 news here, Brett and Sarah Keisel hosted an autograph signing in their hometown to benefit the Greybull Swimming pool. The money raised almost doubled what their goal was! Click here to watch a short interview with Keisel, and to hear about the money raised.

Update to the video: the actual amount raised was reported to be $20,000! The Keisel's and the community really came together to support their hometown!

Thank you to Barbara for the video link, and Myrna for the photo! To see a larger version of the photo, click here.

June 22, 2010

"Sack Celebration Demonstration"

As previously mentioned, Brett was a guest coach at Camp Tomlin today. Of course, he demonstrated one of his famous sack celebrations for the kids.

To watch the video, click here.

It is the video entitled, Coach Tomlin Takes Field for Football Camp.

June 20, 2010

Steelers' assistant lauds defensive line

From John Harris, Tribune Review:

Asked about the state of his defensive line, Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell said he has never felt better about starters Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel.

"You tell me three better guys," Mitchell said. "You ask me any three guys I can pick, those three guys I want."

Since Keisel joined Smith and Hampton as starters in 2006, the Steelers have never been ranked lower than No. 3 in rushing defense. They've led the NFL in total defense twice and were ranked No. 1 in passing defense once during that span.

Since 2000, the Steelers have led the league in total defense four times, rushing defense three times and passing defense once. The 2000 and '03 seasons were the only years when the Steelers didn't feature a top-five finish in total defense, rushing defense or passing defense.

"There's never been a better defensive front in the National Football League," said Mitchell, the Steelers' defensive line coach since 1994. "If you go back and look at the stats where the Steelers defense has finished, people would be shocked how well we've played.

To read the entire article, click here.

June 18, 2010

The Keisel's help out hometown & other news

Brett and his wife, Sarah returned home to Greybull, Wyoming to attend a class reunion, and to help out their hometown swimming pool. Mrs. Keisel was a former member of the Greybull-Riverside swim team. The Greybull swimming pool was in need of a new roof, so Brett signed memorabilia to help raise funds for the roof. Visitors were also asked to bring food for the Community Outreach thrift store.

The Keisel's also pledged to match all money taken in during the signing.

I will update if I get a total of the money raised.

To view a few photos of Brett during the signing, click here.

Thanks to Wade (and his sons, Caden and Carsten) and Todd (who runs a great Steelers page) for sending photos!

The photo above is of Caden (in the yellow hat) and his brother Carsten (Wade's sons) who attended the signing.

Also, thank you to Wade for taking care of all our #99 jersey orders! You are appreciated!

Camp Tomlin

Brett, Heath Miller and James Harrison will be helping Coach Tomlin with his football camp for kids. The camp runs June 21-24.

For information on the camp, or to register, click here.

Training camp 2010:

Players will report to training camp on July 30th. For information about camp, click here.

The calendar is in a Word/PDF document in the link above.

If you attend camp (or if you attended the autograph signing), and would like to share photos of Keisel, feel free to send them to me. My email is in the Contact link at the top of this page.

June 10, 2010

Keisel visits Pittsburgh Stevens K-8

From the school website:

Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel visited Pittsburgh Stevens K-8 on Friday, June 4 to help celebrate the accomplishments of the school’s students in the Pittsburgh Steelers Play 60 Challenge.

The Play 60 Challenge is designed to educate students about staying fit by creating an engaging and fun environment at school that compels students to be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day.

To view a few photos of Brett's visit to the school, click here.

To learn more about the Pittsburgh Steelers Play 60 Challenge, click here.

June 8, 2010

The one (or two) that got away...

Brett and a few teammates competed in the 11th annual Muransky Companies Pro-Am Bass Classic on Saturday (see news from June 3 regarding the event). Danny Sepulveda put his team over the top reeling in a 4.84 pound bass. He and his teammate’s five fish limit weighed in at 17.77 pounds.

Brett's team wasn't far behind...his team's five fish limit produced a total weight of 13.78 pounds.

Congratulations to "Team Danny"...and to the United Way for the money they raised.

Other news...

Coach Tomlin took the team bowling today. To watch a video from the event, click here.

And...

The Third Annual Hines Ward Pittsburgh Celebrity Softball game will take place on June 9 at 6PM at the Duquesne Baseball Field in Green Tree.

Steelers scheduled to appear (list may change): Brett Keisel, Ben Roethlisberger, Antwaan Randle El, Charlie Batch, Mike Wallace, Heath Miller, Max Starks, Willie Colon, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, Casey Hampton, Bryant McFadden, Larry Foote, William Gay, Joe Burnett and of course the host...Hines Ward.

The event is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit the Helping Hands Foundation. Bleacher seating is limited. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.

Food and beverages will be available for donations, along with a raffle for autographed items. For more information contact the HWCSG at 412-244-4563.

The team finishes up with OTA's on Thursday, and then will break until training camp.