Psych Ward

Dictionary.com defines the word agitator as "a person who stirs up others in order to upset the status quo." But answer this for me... Does this guy really look like he could fit that description?


You wouldn't think so. Not with that smile. He has a smile like that on his face all the time. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mr. Hines Ward. Ward is a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and tonight, they will host the Baltimore Ravens to see which team will represent the AFC this year in the Super Bowl. To simply state that the Steelers and Ravens dislike each other wouldn't exactly cover it. I think the Yankees and Red Sox get along better than the Steelers and Ravens. And a game like the one tonight: a low temperature, hard-hitting, intense rivalry... this is the kind of game where Hines Ward thrives. You see, Ward is an anomaly among his peers in the NFL. Most NFL receivers are prima donnas, you know, selfish players where me-first attitudes come standard (i.e. Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson). But not Ward. Ward's favorite thing to do during a game-- his favorite thing-- is to block.

That's right.

Block.

Not your typical wide receiver, huh? And oh, is he good at it. Just ask Keith Rivers of the Cincinnati Bengals. Or Ed Reed, of the aforementioned Ravens. Rivers ended up with a broken jaw after a clean block by Ward this season. Reed, one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, was knocked unconscious courtesy of a "sweep left special" from Ward.

And did I mention he always has that same smile on his face?

Now don't get the wrong idea about Ward and think he's just a thug who can't catch. He has averaged 72 catches per year since he was drafted by the Steelers back in 1998. He has also scored 73 touchdowns during his tenure thus far in Steel Town. But Pittsburgh, historically speaking, has always been known as a "power running" team. They've had bruising running backs in their past such as Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. So what is a receiver to do in such circumstances?

Block.

It's fun to watch. In all actuality, Ward turns offense into defense. He becomes the hunter even though his team has the ball. But his aggressive style does have its setbacks. Ward has a target on his back when the ball is headed his way. Opponents don't just try to tackle Ward. They try to break him in half. So what does Ward do?

Smile, of course.

Is Hines Ward an agitator? Yes. But what is he on top of that? A damn good football player. He's the kind of player you would love to have on your team and hate to play against.

Tonight, in Pittsburgh, the Steelers welcome the Ravens to their snow-covered home. Will the Steelers prevail? We shall see. What you can count on, though, is the fact that Ward will be flying all over the field making plays for his teammates. And who knows? The Steelers may get another shot at a Super Bowl. They won it back in 2006.

And who was the MVP of that game?

You guessed it... Hines Ward.

Smiling, as usual.