Steelers Nation Unite members had an opportunity to connect with one of the most well-liked Steelers in recent history when former quarterback Charlie Batch spent time talking with fans during an exclusive conference call on Tuesday afternoon. An opportunity that fans can only get through Steelers Nation Unite, members were excited to catch up with the Pittsburgh native.
After spending 11 seasons with the team and being part of two Super Bowl championship squads, Batch will be switching to the television side when he joins the KDKA-TV broadcast team as analyst for Steelers' preseason games this year. He can also be seen on the pre- and post-game shows on KDKA-TV in the preseason, as well as the station's regular-season pre-game shows. Additionally, fans can tune in and catch Batch co-hosting the post-game shows on the Steelers Radio Network once the regular season begins.
Fans talked with Batch about a number of different topics during the session, including his most memorable moments with the Steelers, and his reaction when found out he'd be playing for his hometown team before the start of the 2002 season. While not surprising, it was enjoyable to hear Batch talk about a childhood dream coming true.
"I was just like a little kid. It was a childhood dream of mine to play for the Steelers," said Batch. "When I first put my uniform on I had to look at it a few times because I was in awe that I really had the black and gold on during that time. It was just exciting. It was a dream come true."
A question many members wanted the answer to was Batch's most memorable moment with the Steelers.
"There were so many after spending 11 years with the Steelers," said Batch. "Coming back to my hometown of Pittsburgh, being able to win two Super Bowls, and winning the first one in Detroit where I played for four seasons, and being able to share it with Jerome Bettis was really a special moment."
That wasn't all he had to say about Bettis, though, as Batch cites the example Bettis set for how he tried to shape his career.
"I watched how he conducted himself not only on the field, but off the field too, as he was doing so much community work," said Batch. "That was someone who I emulated and wanted to really do a lot of the great work that he was doing. It was something to just be able to get to know him as a player and really carry on that tradition to be a good player and take care of your community as well."
These opportunities for Steelers Nation Unite members will continue as the team gets set for OTAs in the coming weeks. Fans can join Steelers Nation Unite for free to be notified about these opportunities to connect with the team, as well as get rewarded for their dedication to the Steelers.
To join Steelers Nation Unite and be officially recognized as a member of Steelers Nation, visit http://steelersnationunite.com/ or the 'Steelers Nation Unite' page on the Steelers mobile app. Joining is free, quick and easy and only requires an email address and a password to sign up.
