Hines Ward News: Pro Sports Daily

Hines Ward nears his fifth 1,000-yard season

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December 27

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Ask Hines Ward what has been the key to 11 seasons of accomplishments, and he'll turn the question the way he turns defenders. "You guys are the key," Ward said during a media scrum this week. "I love it when you write about what I can't do." Most receivers prefer to run and catch without carrying extra baggage around, but Ward seems to play his best when he has that chip on his shoulder. It's uncertain who, if anybody, wrote that Ward wouldn't be on the doorstep of another 1,000-yard season going into the regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns tomorrow. No matter. The former Super Bowl MVP plays his best when everything is on the line. A favorite on YouTube for his devastating ..."

Ward looks toward Baltimore

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December 11

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Hines Ward was asked if he'll be the most hated Steeler inside M"

NFL's perspective baffles Ward

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October 24

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Steelers receiver Hines Ward said it's no secret that the Baltimore Ravens put a bounty on him several years ago. "I'm not griping about the bounty that I've been having for the last five or six years," Ward said before Thursday's afternoon practice. "The league looks at that and they're aware of that." Appearing yesterday morning on a local radio show, Ward said former Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis told him, 'Man, there's a bounty out on you. Be careful.' " A day after a clearing-the-air meeting with NFL officials and then telling reporters that he was ready to move on, Ward said he changed his mind after league executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson explained ..."

NFL reaction to hit bothering Ward

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October 24

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Hines Ward is still upset how his season-ending block on Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers is being portrayed, especially after an NFL executive said the hit, which was not penalized or fined, could be a penalty if the rules are changed next year. Ward was so bothered he called a local radio station yesterday morning after the station played comments by Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations who visited the Steelers offices Wednesday to talk with several players, including Ward, about recent fines and penalties. Even though he said Ward's hit was clean and did not merit a fine, Anderson said video of that hit would be reviewed by the NFL's competition ..."

Ward Has Eye on Ball and a Nose for Cont

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October 23

New York Times

"In discussing Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward on Wednesday, Pittsburgh Coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger were not asked about Ward's considerable skill at catching passes. Instead, they responded to queries about his blocking. "Like a boxer, he delivers a great blow with a short punch," Tomlin said on a conference call. Roethlisberger called Ward "an extra lineman" on running plays. "He is not afraid, like a whole lot of wide receivers are," Roethlisberger said. "He is going to put a helmet on you. Guys are always wondering where he is." Ward is expected to be one of several key performers in Sunday's game against the Giants at Heinz Field, a matchup between division ..."

NFL looking into Ward bounty

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October 23

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president for football operations, says the league is investigating a bounty made against Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward by Baltimore Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs, who appeared on the "2 Live Stews" show on Sporting News Radio. "We certainly are looking into it," Anderson said. "That bounty notion is completely against the rules. We will look into it aggressively." Suggs reversed field Wednesday and told Baltimore reporters that there's no bounty on Ward. "We're watching out for him. We are alert," Suggs said. "If there is a guy loose pulling people's drawers down in the neighborhood, you're going to be alert for him." Ward also ..."

Steelers' Ward avoids fine

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October 22

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Wide receiver Hines Ward will not be fined for a block that broke Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers' jaw, an NFL spokesman said today. Ward flattened Rivers, who is likely out for the rest of the season, last Sunday while blocking after a Matt Spaeth reception. Ward has been fined twice recently by the NFL for unnecessary roughness. Neither play that got him fined drew a penalty. He didn't get penalized for the hit on Rivers, the Bengals' first-round draft pick last April, either. After the Steelers' 38-10 win over the Bengals, Ward said, "I hit the guy clean. My intention wasn't to hurt him. I looked back and saw he was hurt. I said a little prayer for him and that was it.""

Ndukwe rips Ward for hit

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October 20

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe didn't think much of the Hines Ward hit that knocked linebacker Keith Rivers out of Sunday's game. "Too bad he can't hit someone face up," Ndukwe was quoted as saying in today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's too bad he has to wait until he's not looking to get him. "It's unfortunate that's the type of guy he is." Rivers broke his jaw after being blocked by Ward, a Steelers wide receiver, on Pittsburgh's opening drive. Ward threw the block during Matt Spaeth's 6-yard reception from Ben Roethlisberger. Ward said the hit was clean. "I'm not going to wait around until you hit me," Ward said. "It was a clean hit. I didn't get penalized for it." Rivers is the ..."

Steelers notes: Ward still puzzled by fines

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October 16

Beaver County Times

"Hines Ward still isn't sure why he's $15,000 lighter. But he vows not to change his physical style of football. "Coach (Mike) Tomlin said, 'Just keep playing.' I'm going to keep playing the way I play," said the Steelers' star wide receiver who's been fined by the NFL twice in recent weeks for unnecessary roughness. Ward was fined $5,000 and $10,000, respectively, after the Steelers' last two games even though he wasn't penalized by game officials. The first fine came when he hit Ravens cornerback Corey Ivy in the Sept. 29 win over Baltimore. The second fine came after an Oct. 5 win in Jacksonville. Ward said he has yet to be informed exactly what play drew the fine, although the NFL ..."

Ward fined twice for unnecessary roughness

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October 13

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Chalk up another fine mess for Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. "I got fined two weeks in a row," Ward said today, "Jacksonville and Baltimore, unnecessary roughness." Ward said he was fined $5,000 by the NFL for unnecessary roughness in the Steelers' 23-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 29 and $10,000 for unnecessary roughness for his play in a 26-21 win on Oct. 5 at Jacksonville. Ward was not penalized for unnecessary roughness in either game. "It's hard for me to tone things down because that's just the type of player I am," Ward said. "And I'm not getting flagged for anything, that's what I don't understand. "I'm getting fined for plays that I'm not getting flagged on. ..."

Steelers' Ward says players must do too much

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August 23

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The Steelers' first teams will get their most extensive look tonight when they play the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. That's fine with Hines Ward, but he thinks somewhere along the line the NFL should reduce the amount of football its players must endure, either in the preseason or the offseason. "It's long, monotonous, especially with OTAs," said Ward, entering his 11th NFL season. "You do all those OTAs, why not cut back on the preseason games?" Organized team activities, or OTAs for short, are those voluntary practices and meetings each NFL team now conducts throughout the spring, usually from late April through early June. Each team is permitted 14 OTAs, plus a five-practice ..."