Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – More than 2,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff PLUS interviews with Pittsburgh actors, musicians, authors and more

Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Woodrow Wilson, 1980, 1982

First off, I know you coached after you were done playing – how did you get started with that?

After the Steelers I went and played for the USFL but I tore my ACL. I had a lot of teams invite me to camp after that – Washington, Tampa – but I couldn’t pass their physicals – my knee wasn’t stable enough.

My high school coach from Hampton, Mike Smith, asked me in 1988 if I could help him coach. I did then stayed on another year then got another job. But that’s when my coaching career began.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Woodrow Wilson, 1980, 1982”

Exclusive with Charley Kiss, General Manager of The Field at Hazelwood Green

First off, how did you get started with this new role?

I spent the last 24 years in public education – 22 years as an Athletic Director in McKeesport. I was born there and played three sports there. I was tasked to find teams who want to use this new space. Central Catholic will play here. I’ve managed countless high school games and sat on the WPIAL Steering Committee – so I know a lot of people in the area. It’s really doing the same stuff I’ve been doing just with another role, working for Sports Facilities Companies as the company that manages and operates the facility. Community outreach, youth football….I’ll be managing those things.

There are a variety of places that I anticipate will utilize the facility once it starts up in August.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Charley Kiss, General Manager of The Field at Hazelwood Green”

Exclusive with Steelers Defensive Lineman Gabe Rubio

First, your dad said the team was showing clear interest in you early- what were they saying to you and your agent?

I didn’t have much of a connection with them before the draft really. I had a conversation with one of the scouts at the Hula Bowl but they mostly communicated with my agent. They told him they were high on me – that they liked what they saw.

What have you learned from your dad’s experience in the NFL and how surreal is it to go to the next team?

It is surreal – he was drafted around the same position I was but was traded to San Francisco. He taught me a lot about technique – and how to play violently with maximum effort.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Defensive Lineman Gabe Rubio”

Exclusive with Pittsburgh Comic Book Creator Tom Scioli

First off, any projects you’re working on now?

At the moment I’m working on a Godzilla project – Godzilla Monsterpiece Theater. I did a book two years ago – Godzilla Versus the Great Gatsby which was successful. Now there’s a whole series of literary Godzilla mashups. Godzilla Versus Robin Hood .. . IDW has been doing 10-15 years of Godzilla stories.

How did you get your start in comics – how did The Myth of 8-Opus start?

I went to college at Pitt to study all kinds of art – sculpture, painting, film-making and comics. When I was there I did an anthology with a few guys my age called Codex Pop – we each did a bit and I did a Jack Kirby-esque style science-fiction story.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Pittsburgh Comic Book Creator Tom Scioli”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Angel Rubio, 1998

First of all, what have you been up to since your time playing ball? ive

When I retired in 2007 I got into fire service. I entered into the EMS and fire academy right after I retired -that was my plan – I was planning to do that the entire time. My dad was a firefighter – it was something I always wanted to pursue after football.

The great thing about football was the locker room mentality, and you have that in the firehouse too. You miss that as a player. The games and plays you make you get over, but you miss that comradery and ability to be with like-minded people. I’ve been fortunate to get into a second field that has that.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Angel Rubio, 1998”

Exclusive with Former Penguins Right Winger/Coach and Phantoms Coach Rick Kehoe

First – what are you up to now?

I’m retired now. When Covid hit I was a scout for the Rangers at the time. After that, I was getting tired of traveling anyway – it was getting to me. So when Covid came down I decided that after 49 years it was enough.

Now we travel out West and back to the East coast – we move around and keep active. I was the Grand Marshall for the Canonsburg parade here last year – I didn’t realize it was the one of the biggest parades in the country!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Penguins Right Winger/Coach and Phantoms Coach Rick Kehoe”

Exclusive with Author Dave Molinari on New Book: The Pittsburgh Penguins: An Illustrated Timeline

First, why hockey? Why did that become your first love?

It inexplicably started as a kid – seemingly centuries ago. Baseball and football were the big sports in Western PA at the time but for whatever reason, even before Pittsburgh had an NHL team, I gravitated towards hockey. We had an AHL team at the time – the Hornets – and I followed them. I can’t tell you what attracted me to the sport. But the attraction arrived early and stayed strong – and is still strong.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Author Dave Molinari on New Book: The Pittsburgh Penguins: An Illustrated Timeline”

Exclusive with Drummer Brian Young of the Posies, Fountains of Wayne and Jesus and Mary Chain

First off, what are you up to now?

Well, Fountains of Wayne have reformed -so we’re prepping for shows now. I also have a home recording studio and do remote drum tracks for people. I’m doing album producing and engineering so I’m still busy.

Since Covid I haven’t toured for years – but with the production and engineering work I get to still stay busy and be at home, which is nice.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Drummer Brian Young of the Posies, Fountains of Wayne and Jesus and Mary Chain”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Kicker Matt McCrane, 2018

First off, how has the UFL been going for you?

Since I was out of college in 2018 my goal was to play in the NFL. I was hesitant at first to play in sub-NFL leagues – I didn’t want to kick in the CFL. But in 2020 my agent presented me with the opportunity to kick in the UFL for the New York team and I took that, and it enabled me to get a job afterwards to kick for the Browns.

Playing in the UFL can help you get an NFL opportunity – it did again when I kicked for Detroit in 2024.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Kicker Matt McCrane, 2018”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Tight End Mark Dufresne, 1978

First off, what have you been up to since your playing career?

I didn’t play football until I was a Senior in high school. After the Steelers I became a graduate assistant for Tom Osborne at Nebraska for two years. It’s a funny fork-in-the-road story – after that second year Coach Osborne told me he liked the work I was doing with the tight ends and wingbacks and said he wanted me to stay on and coach more and start recruiting.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Tight End Mark Dufresne, 1978”