Batch keeps his focus

[SD2042]

http://news.steelers.com/article/103776/

Charlie Batch walked out on the field at Raymond James Stadium hours before Super Bowl XLIII, capturing every moment with his camcorder. It was a similar scene in the week leading up to the game in Tampa, with Batch catching every moment from the time the team left Pittsburgh, to media day and interview sessions and everything in between.

But there was something missing for him because all of the memories will be of his teammates as they prepared for the game, while he remained on the sidelines.

Batch suffered a broken shoulder in the preseason and was eventually placed on injured reserve. So instead of being the one in front of the camera, he spent much of the week behind it. While he had fun with the video, there are other things he would have rather been doing and it really hit him on Media Day and escalated as the week went on.

“It started with the team picture,” said Batch. “I was in the opening day team photo and the Super Bowl team photo. Those were the only two times this season I put my uniform on. You put it on a little more special because of that. Media day and the game day I knew there was no way I could get into the game.

“Dealing with that was tough. You always want to be prepared ready to go in. And when you have no shot it’s tough. Super Bowl Sunday was like any other Sunday when I couldn’t play, but elevated 100 times more because this was the game you really want to get in. You aren’t even in uniform. You are excited but sad at the same point. You are excited to be there, but sad you aren’t able to play.”