Steelers: Gildon says comments by Ward 'unfortunate'

Thursday, October 09, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The Steelers have problems, not the least of which is the 2-3 record they've built the past two weeks at home with consecutive losses to Tennessee and Cleveland. They have enough concerns that receiver Hines Ward felt compelled to speak up during a meeting with the offense Monday to spell some things out, including his continued support of quarterback Tommy Maddox.

	Defensive captain Jason Gildon's reaction to Hines Ward's address to his teammates on Monday: "That definitely was an unfortunate incident." (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette) More on Steelers Steelers Report, 10/09/03 Steelers Photo Journal

Apparently, that talk did not sit well with some teammates, and it was the defensive captain who raised a question about it.

"That definitely was an unfortunate incident," linebacker Jason Gildon said of Ward's speech.

Gildon went on to acknowledge he heard about Ward's talk secondhand from teammates, and he said he understood Ward's frustration. "I definitely would have handled it differently," Gildon said, "but I can't say the same thing about Hines.

"Given where we are, there's bigger things to worry about ... we're sitting here 2-3, and I think the biggest problem we have is righting the ship and I think that's what we should be concentrating on."

Although Gildon said he knows Ward did not mean it that way, he might have come across as selfish because he wanted the ball more. Ward, tied for the NFL lead with 33 receptions, caught the only two passes thrown his way Sunday in a 33-13 loss to the Browns.

Said Gildon: "Given the fact we are 2-3, his comments or his feelings at that time, wanting to be more involved or wanting the ball more, whatever his comments were. There are bigger problems to worry about at this time, being 2-3, you know what I'm saying? We're sitting here 2-3, and as a player you really can't get caught up in personal things, as far as not getting the ball or wanting to be more part of the offense. I think as a team, you have to address the bigger problem -- that's winning games right now. I think at the time, he was just frustrated because he feels that the more he's involved the better chance we have to win. As a competitor and knowing him, that's how I took it as well."

Ward said his talk wasn't about him but about the team, along with his continued support of Maddox.

Told some teammates might have taken it the wrong way, he said: "If they did, I apologize, but wasn't nobody else saying that. We were just sitting in there, everybody's head was down, feeling bad. There's still a lot of games left, I just wanted to let everybody know with 11 games left there has to be a sense of urgency going out there and not having too many mistakes; there's just too many of them. All the games we lost, we lost because of mistakes. It wasn't because we got outphysicaled or outplayed, it was all because of mistakes and that's frustrating. We're grown adults here, this is part of our job. Whatever you have to do at home, put in extra time and study, then so be it."

Some who heard Ward's speech thought it was a good one.

"I felt it was a very positive meeting," said tight end Mark Bruener.

Said guard Alan Faneca, "Sometimes it's good when somebody says something, but we all know what we have to do, we have to start playing better."

Faneca expressed surprise that Gildon had an issue with Ward's talk.

"How does Jason Gildon know?" Faneca asked. "Oh, he heard some things. Oh, well, maybe I wasn't paying attention close enough, I missed something.

Faneca said Ward spoke in generalities and didn't call anybody out.

Ward said he also wanted to make sure his teammates did not misunderstand what he did at the end of Sunday night's game. He said with about 30 seconds to play, while Cleveland ran the clock out, he left the sideline and headed to the locker room, and the TV cameras caught it.

"I didn't want to let my teammates think I was a selfish guy," Ward said. "Just walking off the field with 30 seconds left, it was just me disappointed in ourselves. I saw these guys work hard all of training camp and come out in the Baltimore game and executed the game plan the way we were supposed to. Then to perform like that on national TV was just embarrassing."

Whether a disagreement or a misunderstanding, the flap among teammates underscores the plight the Steelers are in after five games. One of the three preseason favorites from the AFC, they have slipped a half-game behind Baltimore in the cushy AFC North Division and take their two-game losing streak to Denver, a notoriously difficult place for visitors in the mile-high altitude. The Broncos (4-1) are one-touchdown favorites.

"He felt the need to address the team, and he did that," receiver Plaxico Burress said. "Like he said, we're grown men, professionals. Everybody know what they have to do. We know what we're doing wrong."

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