FINDLAY, Ohio -Marla Coppler's barbershop is a shrine to her favorite hometown quarterback.
A Ben Roethlisberger clock is tacked to the wall. Newspaper clippings detailing his breakout rookie season are taped to the mirrors. And a replica of his Pittsburgh Steelers jersey greets everyone who enters the room.
Across town, Tony's Restaurant has its own black and gold display and serves up the Big Ben Burger.
All of this would have been considered treason a year ago in a town that sits in the middle of Cleveland Browns territory, the Steelers' hated rival.
Not anymore.
Roethlisberger's success -he has won his first 14 starts and could become the first rookie quarterback to take his team to a Super Bowl with a victory over New England Sunday -has captivated his northwest Ohio hometown.
Everyone on this side of the Pennsylvania line used to be a Browns fan
Dick Denman said as he got his hair trimmed this week. I defy you to find one anymore.
There are some Browns fans still around. But even they have been caught up in the excitement, covertly buying Steelers gear.
We give them a little hassle said Ronnie Romero, a salesman at Finish Line, a sports store at the town's mall. They always say they're supporting the hometown guy or they say it's for someone else. That's as far as I'll go.
I'm a big Browns fan but Ben's a good guy. I'm rooting for him
not the Steelers. At least that's the way I rationalize it.
Anything with Roethlisberger's name, face or No. 7 jersey is selling -magnets, bobblehead dolls, blankets, flags, mugs, toy cars, hats (pink ones too) and even a Steelers birdhouse. Big Ben merchandise accounts for about three out of four sales at SportsMania, said clerk Rebecca Foltz.
I could write Steelers on a piece of paper and they'd buy it
she said.
His appeal has grown nationwide. His NFL jersey is the top seller this year, according to Finish Line and Reebok.
Those around the town of about 39,000 who know Roethlisberger and his family say their down-to-earth personalities are a big reason why everyone is pulling for the quarterback.
They know him from church or they remember when he played on the high school team with a grandson.
We've always said he is so middle America
said Jerry Snodgrass, Roethlisberger's basketball coach at Findlay High School. He's what middle America wants to root for. You want to wear his jersey.
His father, Ken, stepmother, Brenda, and sister, Carlee, still live in the same three-bedroom house where he lived with them. There was a rumor this fall that their son, who starred at Miami (Ohio) before going to the NFL, bought them a mansion in town.
We just rolled over laughing at that
Snodgrass said.
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