Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

Steelers Nation,

It is great to sit down and write about all things Steelers. My time in Pittsburgh, current state of the NFL and life after Pittsburgh are all things that I will try and cover here.  Wish I could cover everything, but I am sure that I will miss some things.  So Here We Go!

Time In Pittsburgh

I was fortunate or unfortunate, however you want to look at it, to play in a few different cities. None of these cities compare to The Burgh.  I try so many ways to explain to people how special of a place it is, but words do not do it justice.  The city, the fans and the team are all something that I will remember forever.  Obviously, my teammates and coaches are on top of the list of the great memories that I have of my time in Pittsburgh. Being able to play with all of the great men was unbelievable.  I always say that most of our success came from within the locker room.  We enjoyed being around each other, we enjoyed working together and we enjoyed the competition of practicing against each other.  We made each other better.  Going up against Dick LeBeau and his group every day in camp prepared us for everything we could possibly see during the season.  I do not miss playing, but I miss the guys.  I was fortunate to have two great roommates during my time on the road.  Alan Faneca and Mark Bruener were great players, great men and great friends.  Thinking back on all the conversations we had during camp and on the road are times that I will forever remember. Throwing to and handing the ball off to Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, Jerome Bettis and Antwaan Randle El made the game fun to play.  There are too many teammates to name them all, but it was an honor to suit up with each and every one of them.

Continue reading “In His Own Words: Tommy Maddox”

First off, what are you up to now?

I call my retirement a graduation. I still work for the Senior Bowl All Star Game helping to select players for it. I scout half of the Big 10, MAC, Missouri Valley Conference and go to major college games and scout them still – like Texas – Ohio State. I scouted Manning and many of those great OSU players.

It’s fun to re-connect with the NFL and college coaches there – I know a lot of those guys.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Scout/Senior Bowl Scout and NFL Combine Stalwart Mark Gorscak”

First off, what projects do you have going on now that you’d like to discuss?

Currently I’m in post-production for a TV series I produced. It’s a hybrid  competition show and horror movie for Shutter called Guts and Glory.

I’m also the Executive Producer for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – the next season premiered September 7th on AMC.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Pittsburgh Special Effects Creator, Producer and Director Greg Nicotero”

First off, can you go over what your role was back when the new stadiums were being built?

I started in the Mayor’s office working on inter-governmental relations and became the Chairman for the Stadium Authority and was Executive Director of the Urban Development Authority in Pittsburgh.

What were you trying to accomplish early on?

In the early days we tried to develop the Three Rivers area. The city was successful in building a new stadium but as part of the deal, the Pirates were given control of the development of the area and that was a struggle until the newer stadiums were built.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Chairman of Pittsburgh Stadium Authority if Pittsburgh George Whitmer”

First off congrats on retirement – what’s next for you?

I covered some high school games for the local paper after I retired in 2021, then last year I had enough. Now I walk five miles a day, I ski and fish and help my mom out. That’s why I came back. I keep busy.

I covered so much good stuff over the 40-plus years now- now it’s sad to see how the newspaper industry has gone down. It’s heartbreaking to see what’s going on – we’re like malls – on the same path. It’s just not looking promising for newspapers now.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Retired Pittsburgh Sports Writer, Columnist and Editor Ron Musselman”

First off, how did you get involved in film production – and now with Lions Tale Media?

I grew up in Pittsburgh and went to school at Penn State. I always had a passion for sports and a like and knack for writing. When I graduated, I had no idea what to do. I wrote a letter to Steve Sabol at NFL Films and he called me in for an interview. They hired me as a production assistant then – in 2006.

Halfway through that year they hired me as a full-time producer. I was with NFL Films for five years and learned all I know over that incubation period.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Leo McCafferty on “The Football Town” Documentary”

First off – what are you up to now?

I went into real estate after I was done skating. I worked in Small Town USA and soon realized though that it’s not about what you know about construction – it’s about the PTA moms you raise your kids with. People chose their agents because they all raised their kids together. That was interesting but frustrating – that left me out.

Now, I’m a decorator – I’ve been doing that for the past year-and-half. I’ll be putting out a new line soon of furniture made out of pottery – stools, lamps, tables….hopefully it’ll work. I haven’t seen anything like it in the marketplace.

Continue reading “Exclusive: Pittsburgh Olympic Skater Michael Seibert”