By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, June 24, 2011

Disillusioned after the Ohio State scandal that further eroded the amateur ideal of college football? Fed up with NFL owners and players still divided over how to share more than $9 billion in annual revenue?

Well, meet Baron Batch.

The newest addition to the Steelers' offensive backfield is a writer, photographer and humanitarian. Last week, Batch, who's not related to Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch, wandered into a news-writing class at Texas Tech, even though he graduated this past December with a degree in communications studies. Batch, who has been working out at Tech during the NFL lockout, plans to drop in on summer Spanish classes just to brush up on the subject he nearly minored.

Such behavior may not be the norm for 23-year-olds or professional athletes, and particularly not 23-year-old professional athletes. Yet it is the essence of Batch, who ranks in the top 10 of Texas Tech's rushing leaders but considers it an insult of the highest order should someone label the 5-foot-10, 210-pounder as "just a football player."

Read more: Steelers' Batch more than just football player - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_743641.html#ixzz1QAPQSduZ