Roethlisberger Is the Picture of Relaxation

If the state of mind of their second-year quarterback concerns the Pittsburgh Steelers entering Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, Ben Roethlisberger may have helped ease their fears Wednesday.

While teammates and coaches sat at tables and podiums surrounded by reporters during a 45-minute interview session, Roethlisberger laughingly worked the room, digital camera in hand and biting comments at the ready.

Tight end Heath Miller’s head was turned when Roethlisberger positioned his camera near Miller’s face and loudly called out his name.

When Miller turned to look, he got a face full of flash.

Overhearing receiver Hines Ward talk about playing quarterback at Georgia, Roethlisberger interjected, “You weren’t a quarterback in college.”

“Threw for 400 yards,” Ward said.

“Your whole senior year?”

Laughs all around.

Said Ward: “Man, that’s rough.”

The Steelers weren’t surprised to see Roethlisberger acting up.

“He’s relaxed, man,” All-Pro guard Alan Faneca said. “Nothing affects him, nothing bothers him -- a bad play, anything. It just goes right off his back and he keeps moving forward. He’s always going to be who he is.”

Said linebacker Joey Porter: “You can forget sometimes that he’s a second-year guy because he’s so poised.”

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Even before Sunday’s big game begins, a significant Super Bowl streak will end.

Bob Oates, the longtime NFL writer for The Times and one of a small group of reporters who covered each of the first 39 Super Bowls, will not attend this year’s game. He plans to stay in Southern California to attend to Marnie, his wife of 64 years, who was injured recently in a fall.

Four other writers have covered every Super Bowl: Jerry Green, Jerry Izenberg, Dave Klein and Edwin Pope.

“Every time we lose one of our group, we regard it as a very sad, tragic situation,” said Green, a longtime Detroit columnist. “I grieve for Bob. Having gone through a similar situation with my own wife, I hope and pray that Mrs. Oates can recover quickly.”

There are six photographers who have worked every Super Bowl: John Biever, Walter Iooss, Dick Raphael, Mickey Palmer, Steve Sabol and Tony Tomsic.

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The Seahawks, who honored their fans by retiring the No. 12 in 1984 and are flying a “12” flag from their team hotel this week, have been served notice that Texas A&M; has received a restraining order from a county judge that restricts the NFC champions from using A&M;’s “12th Man” trademark.

The lawsuit will be heard today in Austin, Texas.

Texas A&M;, which acquired trademarks on the term “12th Man” in 1990 and 1996, objects to the Seahawks’ sale of merchandise emblazoned with the term.

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Former USC All-American Troy Polamalu, on wearing a Notre Dame jersey in honor of teammate Jerome Bettis at Monday’s workout: “I’d rather you not report that. I told Jerome, ‘I’m wearing a Bettis jersey, not a Notre Dame jersey.’ ” ... Antwaan Randle El, after telling a television reporter from Detroit that he was going to the Pistons’ game Wednesday night, was asked which “Big Ben” he preferred, Roethlisberger or Ben Wallace of the Pistons. “I’ve got to go with my Big Ben,” the receiver said. “He throws me the ball.”