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UpdatedAug 7, 2011 12:24 AM ETCharlie Batch never knew there was such a thing as a 6 a.m.flight up until a couple months ago.The Steelers' veteran backup quarterbackquickly got familiar with early morning plane rides to New YorkCity and Washington in his role as a member of the NFLPA'sExecutive Committee during the near five-month NFL laborstrife.Batch has been one of the 11 player-appointed toprepresentatives made up of current and former players for the pastfour years, and worked tirelessly over the last five monthsalongside some of the most powerful businessmen in the world toensure a fair deal to his fellow teammates.The new collective bargaining agreement was finally ratified bythe players Thursday, even though the Steelers were the one team thatcasted a no vote."He went through hell dealing with this stuff," 15-year veteranJames Farrior said. "He had a lot of responsibility and a lot ofstuff to do over that last five months. I know it was hard forhim."whether it was in New York City or Washington, Batch was frontand center at every marathon meeting during the criticalnegotiations last month between the owners and players"It was a busy, busy five months, let's put it that way," Batchsaid. "There were times that you were drained, and your body saidenough is enough, and it shuts down on you. That happened a coupleof times."Batch is very involved with his Best of the Batch Foundation,especially during the summer, when he runs the largest program inhis foundation, Project C.H.U.C.K, a six-week basketball league foryouth in his hometown of Homestead.The league took place during the crunch time of the labornegotiations in June and July. Still, Batch was able to be therefor his foundation and even find time to attend some summerfootball camps held by some of his teammates, including Ryan Mundyon July 23, two days before the owners approved a new CBA."There were times that I had to split my time," Batch said. "Iwas here doing my camp, but I always want to support everybody elsebecause the support they give me here in Pittsburgh. When it comesdown to it, they understood that I had to leave, but it was toughtrying please everybody."Batch gained an interest in the financial and labor part of thegame when he was in Detroit and wasn't able to participate inintellectual conversations about pension plans or even the CBA withhis elder teammates."It caught my interest right away," Batch said.Batch soon took on the unofficial role of player rep in Detroitbehind Robert Porcher. He did the same when he came to the Steelers in 2002.Batch was appointed Steelers players rep in '06. He thenwas nominated by teammate Ryan Clark two years later to be a partof the executive committee."You have 32 guys that have to vote for you and unanimouslyvoted for me, from a respect factor, it means a lot," Batchsaid.Farrior said: "We voted him that guy for a reason, and that'sbecause we knew he could do the job. He has it in his blood."So much so that teammate Willie Colon believes Batch would be agreat NFLPA head in the future, a job currently held by DeMauriceSmith."To hear that, that means I am doing my job," Batch said. "Itook my job very seriously."Batch didn't rule out even more involvement with the NFLPA afterhis playing career is over."I'll see what happens down the line," Batch said. "Goingthrough it gives you a different perspective. You are sittingacross from the owners when you are going through this fight. It'snot hearsay. You are right there and I was able to relay that to myteammates. I enjoyed that part of it."Terms & Conditions |Privacy |Copyright |? 2009 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Rickey Jackson Throwback Jersey, Lawrence Taylor Throwback Jersey, John Hannah Throwback Jersey, Irving Fryar Throwback Jersey, Paul Krause Throwback Jersey, fanzz jerseys store, Harry Carson Throwback Jersey, Bobby Hebert Throwback Jersey, Morten Andersen Throwback Jersey, John Randle Throwback Jersey, Andre Tippett Throwback Jersey, Archie Manning Throwback Jersey