Author: pittsburghsportsdailybulletin

First, can you tell us about your broadcasting career – how you got started any why?

When I finished with the NFL after playing for the Jets, I thought I’d find something that involved working with my hands. My dad was a NASCAR guy – he built race cars and was good with his hands. I had a friend who was a homebuilder. I figured I’d apprentice under him for a year. That was the plan.

But as I was about to do that I got a call from WPXI. They were interested in having me do their pre and post game shows for the Steelers and some preseason games. I thought about it and told them I’d be happy to do it for a year. But I demanded to do a feature story each week as well. If I did it I wanted to learn the business and do it right. I had no TV background so they were reticent but tried it for a year. Week in and week out I got better and better at it. I asked them for unfettered access to their news reporters so I could learn the business more. They were happy to allow that – they weren’t paying me more to do the extra work. I spent four-to-five nights a week with Sam Nover seeing how they put pieces together. Mind you this was before we had the twins. I’d do mock broadcasts to practice.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Mark Malone, Steelers Quarterback, 1980-1987”

First, as the offensive line coach now for UCLA – tell me about about who has influenced you as a coach, and how?

It’s funny. Reflecting back, my dad was a huge influence. He coached me all the way up to high school in every sport – baseball, basketball…on the travel teams.. He influenced me. always wanted to coach – he was my first ever coach, from day one, since I was six.

Joe Hammond was my high school coach – hs a legendary coach in Maryland where I grew up. And of course I had Joe Walton and Dan Radakovich at RMU. Joe was a top fifty ballplayer at Pitt and coached for twenty-plus years in the league and in college.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Hank Fraley, RMU/Steelers Center, 2000”

First, tell me what you’ve been doing with yourself since you retired?

Well, I’ve been keeping things low-keyed. I’m not on social media – I don’t know what’s going on with anyone except for some of the guys I keep in touch with. The big thing is my family. I retired at thirty. My kids now are nine, six, and five. Taking care of them is a lot harder work – no days off. I used to look forward to the Summer – now it’s the hardest time of my life. But I love it.

I like having that – I didn’t have a father around me when I was younger. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to be with my family. I played long enough to accumulate the wealth I needed so I can take care of my family, Now I can help my wife and be with the kids. Less is more.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Lineman Marvel Smith, 2000-2008”

First, tell us about your job as a Defensive Line coach at Snow College. How did you start your career as a coach?

Well I always knew I wanted to be a coach. Even before I stopped playing I was pursuing a career as  a coach. I asked Coach Tomlin, LeBeau and all those guys advice all the time and wrote notes religiously. I was always surrounded by good coaches and players.

John Mitchell – there was a method to his madness. He was always mad. But I learned a lot from him. How to get players to match a coach’s personality – the toughness that he expected. You knew he meant business. But man, if you give the guy a glass of wine, he’ll sing for you.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Defensive Lineman Hebron Fangupo, 2012-2013”

First, tell us a bit about your work with III and Long – your foundation?

Well, I founded III & Long by myself, with four other people. My son has a rare disease that has plagued my family and cost us lives over the years. Sickle Cell Disease has touched so much of our lives – I lost many family members years do to Sickle Cell.

Personally, I just want to build on who I am as a sports figure and be more proactive in helping families fight against causes they can’t control.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers WR Santonio Holmes, 2006-2009”

First, let us know what you’re up to now?

Well, I’m training. Just waiting for a call. You know, the free agency process.

Has your agent told you anything? Any teams you are hoping for?

Just that I need to take it week to week. We’re just looking for a situation that works to get signed by a team. I’m not looking to get signed by any specific team really.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Shamarko Thomas, Steelers Safety, 2013-2016”

First, can you talk a bit about how being a successful undrafted free agent impacted your approach as a coach?

The biggest deal really of being an undrafted free agent is that people look at it as a terribly hard road to make it in the NFL. But it gives you the mindset to accomplish big things. The biggest thing for me was needing to understand the details quickly – the schematics in coaching. As an undrafted free agent I had to quickly learn all the wide receiver positions – the X, Z, slot…whatever they call it depending on the team. The details that also come with learning the run game and everything else. Just gaining the knowledge of the game. I constantly was learning the game and seeking information.

That’s because as an undrafted free agent you have the humility – you’re humble. And the veterans like that and will help you any way the can because of that humility. That helps me now as a coach – it’s the same deal. I always try to learn the details and be humble enough to ask questions and learn the work as humbly as possible.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Scottie Montgomery, Steelers WR Coach, 2010-2012”

First, let us know what brought you to your role as a scout for the Chargers – how did this come about?

I’ve been a scout for seventeen years now. I thought I’d get into the mortgage business – but the market fell through. I got the football bug so I went back to the University of Washington and finished my degree. I had ten credits left. I worked with the football program after then got a job as a coach at the University of Idaho – I was there for five years then I got a job at Nevada,  I was there for seven-to-eight months  But I had a young family and when the opportunity at San Diego to become a scout came up, I took that. It offered more security for me and my family – I took the job in 2000 and have been there ever since.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Wide Receiver Paul Skansi, 1983”

First, can you let me know what you’re doing with yourself since you’ve retired from the NFL? 

Well, I’m on the path to getting my MBA. I’m working on logistics and strategy in business. The holdup for me is that I have the have a certain amount of work experience – I was conditionally accepted for the program but I need real experience. I tried to convince them that my time on the NFL counted – to twist that, but they didn’t accept that understandably. So I have to build my resume.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers WR Isaac Blakeney, 2016”

First  – you’re a busy guy – tell me about the various things you have going on right now

The first thing is my energy business –  we ship coal to utilities and export them from West Virginia.

But I’m now in the Agro-Med business – we have obtained a license for growing medical cannabis and are constructing greenhouses in Pennsylvania. We were one of twelve companies to be issues licenses by the state and have to have them up and running by the end of the year. So that’s obviously on the frontburner…

And I’m still doing the broadcasts for Penn State – I’m staying busy…

Continue reading “Exclusive with Jack Ham, Steelers Linebacker, 1971-1982”