pittsburghsportsdailybulletin – Page 129 – Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

Scott Young, Pittsburgh Penguins Right Winger, 1991-1992

Scott Young:

First, can you let readers know about your post-NHL coaching career – how you got started and what you enjoy most about coaching?

When I retired I started coaching youth hockey, coaching my kids. I had two sons that were playing, and I was going to the rink anyways for six days a week, since my ids were at different levels.

The St. Marks job came when I got an email asking if I knew of anyone that would be interested in the opening. I learned later that the captains on the team had asked the athletic director to me to take the job. I guess this was their way of doing so (laughing).

How exciting is it for you to coach the team you once starred on as a player?

For me, just to be back on the campus of the school…driving on the same roads I did when I played is exciting. It’s an old school – a small private school that started in 1865. It still has the same feel.

It’s good to be back. Hockey-wise, it’s the same rink just about that I played on. The team struggled the three years before. I knew it would be a challenge to get the program back on track. It was going to take good recruiting, and its happened quicker than I thought it would.

The past three years were really tough. They won ten games over three years, including one season where they won no games. My first year we went 14-3. That made them believe ion themselves – that they were good players. Last year we made the playoffs and went 16-9-3. We lost in the playoffs, but there are a lot of teams trying to make the playoffs.

There’s a ton of interest in the program now. Kids want to play here – it’s a program on the rise. It’s special for me to be a part of this.

Who were some of the biggest influences on you and your coaching style?

All the coaches I had in my playing days, I took something for all of them. The coaches I liked I took things from and the ones I didn’t like I just learned not to coach that way.

I’m a coach that will push players hard. I expect a lot. But I want them to enjoy coming to the rink every day. The season can get tough if its just pressure very day. You can’t get the most out of your players without them enjoying it too. I know that by going through it myself. You don’t get the most from players if they dread coming to the rink. You want them to be dying t get on the ice.

The kids are excited here. I remember once pushing them very hard then telling them that due to a school function there would be no practice the next day. They all groaned. They wanted to go to practice.

Joel Quenneville was a coach I remember well. He gave players respect. It was the little things. No crushing us with meetings. Up-temp practices and quick meetings. He was a player’s coach. I really enjoyed playing for him – he gets the most from his players. Especially in the NHL where it’s a long season. It’s a grind and he kept things short. He was my tops.

How difficult has it for you to transition from the NHL to a second career – and how were you able to do so?

It kind of just happened.

I enjoy coaching and like the age of the kids I’m coaching. Young kids are fun, but when they get older and hang on to your every word, its a lot of fun. These kids all want to play in college. I enjoy having that influence on that and talking to the college coaches about the kids. Its fun to get involved – helping young hockey players on their path to playing in college.

You read today about the struggles many NFL players face in transitioning from football to a post-sports career. How does the NHL help players do so – if at all?

I don’t know. It all depends. There is help from the NHLPA for players who fall on tough times. I;m not sure what’s offered for everyone else. I never felt I needed help that way. I stayed busy.

With my two kids in hockey and one that plays basketball, even though I didn’t work for a couple of years after the NHL, it was like a full-time job. I missed hockey when I went to see a live game – I got that feeling back then. Especially during the playoffs. But I wasn’t going to a lot of games…

You played a number of years in the Hartford organization and overseas in Italy before ending up in Pittsburgh in ’90. How was the experience of playing overseas and how did it help your game?

I played in Italy, in some Olympic stuff and in the World Championships. I liked the big rinks – it was a good change of pace. The European League gave me a lot of confidence. To be on the ice a lot of the time – to have the puck on your stick a lot and score a lot of goals. I wasn’t over there at the end of my career. I was over there working hard to get back to the NHL.

It was a risky move, but the confidence it gave me was not something I was going to get being on the fourth line in Pittsburgh in ’92. I missed being on the ’92 Cup team – but I knew where I stood on that team with guys like Mullen and Jagr ahead of me. I wanted to play. Winning the Cup when I was in Hartford seemed impossible to me. But seeing the dedication in ’92 to win the Cup in Pittsburgh – I learned a lot that year.

How did you end up in Pittsburgh in ’90 and who on the team helped you to adjust to life in Pittsburgh – both on and off the ice?

How would you describe yourself as a player and how did you mesh with that Penguins roster?

With injuries, I could step in to a higher line. I played the point on the power play at times. When Paul Coffey was hurt I played on the power play in the playoffs. When he came back I didn’t play because they decided to keep seven defensemen since Coffey was only playing on the point sue to his jaw injury.

I could play defense if needed too. I had the versatility. I contributed some goals and could move up and down the line.

Who were some of the biggest characters on that Penguins team and what made them so? Any examples of the hijinks/personalities on that team?

To me, Kevin Stevens was the best locker room guy I’ve been around. His game stepped up in the playoffs. And the laughter he brought to the locker room…he made it fun. He was the main guy as far as smiles on faces was concerned and making long road trips more fun. We had a bunch of good guys on that team but he was the catalyst.

There’s a great deal of movement between leagues and cities for hockey players – you were no exception. How does that affect you – both on and off the ice – as a player?

I think they capture it well with the HBO show. I like the way they do that. Fans just see the games and think about how great it is to play in the NHL. It is, but they don’t see us heading to the airport right after a tough game, getting in at three a.m., then getting up for the morning skate and playing again that night. Sometimes we’d get in at five a.m. after games. Fans don’t see that part of it.

I think they are starting to realize the pressure players go through, to come back after injury, or the worry about getting traded. You put your kids in school all the while not being sure if you’ll get traded or be sent down…

There’s a lot of pressure for players. We put it on ourselves, but then there’s that pressure of worrying about being sent down, or being traded. It all adds to the pressure. It’s not all fun and games. It wears you down, mentally and physically.

What are your favorite memories of your time in Pittsburgh?

Early on when I was traded there, I jumped into games in disbelief on how good the team was. We had some good players in Hartford, but I couldn’t believe the amount of goals we scored in Pittsburgh. The system and the way we moved the puck with those guys – it was a shock to my system.

The playoffs and Cup run – and the massive celebration … the Cup in Mario’s pool nd that legendary celebration when the Cup got stuck at the bottom of the pool. To have been there and know the real story…

Which was…?

Well, we were throwing the Cup around in the pool. Not disrespecting it – just celebrating. Then someone – I think maybe it was Phil Bourque – decided to put it in the deep end. By the time they tried to take it out it was stuck – we couldn’t get it loose. A number of guys tried to get it loose and they finally got it out, but the top of the Cup was severed, like it was going to rip right off the top.

At the big rally the next day, we all had to hold it in the middle or else the top would have fallen off (laughing)!

We had a lot of fun – it was a great party. And one of the many reasons I’m sure there is a Cup Keeper now assigned by the NHL.

Did you get to celebrate with the Cup personally?

We didn’t have a schedule then to take it home for every player like they do today. If you were in Pittsburgh you got to take it, but I went back to Boston. There was no schedule like they do today, where there is a set schedule for every player.

Kendall Gammon, Steelers Long Snapper, 1992-1995

First, you’ve been a busy man since your NFL playing days. Can you let readers know what you’ve been up to?

First, I’m the sideline voice for the Chiefs radio network. I started in 2001 on my off days as an intern on a local sports talk radio show, learning the ropes. The next season they gave me my own who, and that’s how I got started with that.

When I retired I took a year off to decompress after a fifteen-year career. Then I was contacted by the Chiefs radio network again to work with them.

Continue reading “Kendall Gammon, Steelers Long Snapper, 1992-1995”

Tony Tanti, Pittsburgh Penguins Left Winger, 1990-1991

Tony Tanti:

First, can you let readers know about your post-NHL career and about Tanti Interiors?

Tanti Interiors is a flooring company that supplies and install’s flooring to developer’s and individuals. Concentrating mainly on big developments.

How difficult has it been for you to transition from the NHL to a second career – and how were you able to do so?

It was a difficult transition mainly because as a player you were told where to be and what to do all the time. Once you retire you don’t have that, you’re pretty much on your own to find a living.

I adjusted because I had too.I find that if you are modest and honest everything will work out.

You read today about the struggles many NFL players face in transitioning from football to a post-sports career. How does the NHL help players do so – if at all?

I’m not sure as once I retired it was up to me to find a new way to make a living. I’m sure that today’s NHL is different.

You were traded in 89′ to the Penguins after seven years in Vancouver – how difficult was that for you and what was your biggest adjustment?

It was difficult but I knew a lot of the players and everyone treated me very well while I was in Pittsburgh. The biggest adjustment was that you weren’t on all the talk shows 24 hours a day and that you could actually go out and not be recognized all the time.

How would you describe yourself as a player and how did you mesh with that Penguins roster?

As a Penguin I tried to be a hard worker and score a few goals. They had a lot of talent with Mario, Kevin Stevins, Mark Recchi and so forth. I could have meshed better but it was difficult as the quality ice time (e.g. power play ) was not there as Pittsburgh was a much more offensive talented team than Vancouver.

You were traded from the Penguins in ’91 before the Stanley Cup run. How frustrating was that for and did you sense the team was a Stanley Cup caliber team?

Very. They had a great roster and everything came together at the right time.

There’s a great deal of movement between leagues and cities for hockey players. How does that affect you – both on and off the ice – as a player?

You live with, it as once you get to the NHL you quickly realize that it is a job.

What is the biggest misperception you think fans have about hockey players and the sport itself?

Hockey players are very friendly but once the puck drops a switch goes on.

What are your favorite memories of your time in Pittsburgh?

I’d say being able to play and practice with Mario. He was the best talent that I have ever played with or watched. Loved watching him in practice too. He made the goalies look bad

Any last thoughts for readers?

I think hockey is in good hands and I think that Pittsburgh is in good hands. Thanks for the memories.

Earl Holmes, Steelers Linebacker, 1996-2001

First, can you let readers know about your post-NFL coaching career and how you got started?

After I retired in 2005, I went home to Orlando Florida. I coached my son’s flag football team – my neighbor was former Bronco John Mobley – his son Tyson was on that team, as was Thurman Thomas’s. It was a YMCA team….

One of the parents said that a coach asked about me – he was the coach at Lake Mary High School. I ended up coaching there for a year then ended up at my alma mater – Florida A&M – as their linebacker coach, then as their defensive coordinator.

Continue reading “Earl Holmes, Steelers Linebacker, 1996-2001”

Jim O’Brien: Teamwork important in health care and basketball for Jennifer

Teamwork important in health care and basketball for Jennifer

By Jim O’Brien From Pittsburgh Business Times

Jennifer Bruce Scott is proud to say she was always a good team player. This attribute served her well as one of the outstanding basketball players in the history of the University of Pittsburgh. It has served her well as a nurse the past 26 years at Allegheny General Hospital. She is the primary nurse for gastroenterologists Dr. Kofi Clark and Dr. Elie Aoun at the Allegheny Center for Digestive Health on Federal Street, just down East North Avenue from Allegheny General Hospital. She is responsible for scheduling tests and procedures and serves as a liaison between physician and patient. Her co-workers give her high marks for her competence and caring manner. There’s a positive glow about her attractive face, like the bright lights in those popular Thomas Kinkade paintings. She reflected on her dual careers in a third floor office at Federal North Medical Offices. “I’m proud of what I have accomplished, as a nurse in the health care field in Pittsburgh, and as a basketball player at Pitt,” she said. “And I still enjoy both.” There was no Women’s National Basketball Association during her student days at Pitt, so even though she gained Kodak All-America honors and set a school record by averaging 24.3 points during the 1984-85 season, she knew she was in school primarily to become a nurse.

She never considered going overseas to play pro basketball. “I went to Tennessee Tech for one year before I transferred to Pitt,” she recalled. “I got homesick. So I don’t think I would have fared well playing ball in, say, Turkey, if I got homesick in Tennessee.” She grew up in the best of homes, a supportive home, with parents and an older brother who looked after her and supported her efforts in school and on the basketball court. Her mother, Marguerite Bruce, was a physical education teacher in the Pittsburgh Public School system, at Gladstone High School, Taylor Allderdice High, Fifth Avenue High and Brashear High. Her father, Clarence, now deceased, was a clerical worker for U.S. Post Office for 40 years. He was a second baseman and teammate of “Cool Papa” Bell for the legendary Homestead Grays in 1947 and 1948, and both are depicted on a plaque at the Homestead Grays Bridge. “As a child, I’d go out in the backyard and play catch with my dad,” she recalled. “I was into swimming, basketball and softball. Swimming was actually my first love. “I went down to the park near my home and played basketball with the guys. My brother Kirk would go with me to make sure someone had my back. The guys weren’t thrilled to have me playing, at first, but after awhile I started getting picked ahead of some of the guys. That’s when you know you’ve made the grade.” A graduate of Carrick High School, she played at Pitt from 1981-1985. She scored a career total of 2,995 points (that total is in her cell phone number), grabbed 998 rebounds and blocked 203 shots. Only Lorri Johnson (1987-1991) of New Castle scored more points (2,312) in women’s basketball at Pitt. Both liked to boast that they scored more points than two All-America players in Pitt men’s basketball history, Don Hennon and Billy Knight. Pitt has retired the jerseys of Hennon and Knight, among others, but no jerseys have been retired for women’s basketball. That oversight needs to be corrected. As Jennifer Bruce, she is a

member of the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and a Varsity Letter-winner of Distinction at Pitt in recognition of her sports and nursing career successes. Her brother Kirk is an assistant athletic director for Olympic sports at Pitt, where he played for a fine basketball team in the mid- 70s, and coached the women’s basketball team for 13 years (1985- 1998). Her daughter Shayla was a starting guard and forward for four years at Pitt and is now an assistant basketball coach for the women’s team at LaSalle in Philadelphia. Her son Tyler is a freshman getting his academics in order to perform for the basketball team at Kent State. Jennifer is an assistant basketball coach for the girls’ team at Plum High School, and previously was the head coach at Gateway High School and Penn Hills High School. She has coached AAU teams through the years, currently the Pittsburgh Bruins. “Being a player is easier,” she says of her two experiences in basketball. “It’s tougher coaching, and I think part of it, for me, is that many players don’t have the same work ethic I did. But I can’t get away from the game. It allowed me to go to college for free.”

Pittsburgh sports author Jim O’Brien has a book out called “Immaculate Reflections,” the latest in his Pittsburgh Proud collection. His website is www.jimobriensportsauthor.com

Dick Capp, Steelers Linebacker, 1968

First, can you let readers know what you have been doing with yourself since your NFL days – and how you got involved in your later non-football work?

I worked for the Butcher Singer brokerage firm in Pittsburgh after being released /cut. It was a great firm with many talented brokers. I learned a lot.

The stock market dropped more than during the Depression. I took a position with Procter and Gamble’s commercial division. We sold quality commercial products to major cleaning and laundry Companies in PA and Nationally. I was successful selling major products in large quantities for many of the best institutional and commercial cleaning contractors in Pa , Ohio and WVA. It was a great Company and great consumers.

Continue reading “Dick Capp, Steelers Linebacker, 1968”

Etta Cox, Pittsburgh Musician

Etta Cox:

First, can you tell readers how you got started as a musician and how you’d describe your music?

I started singing at the age of three. At seven I began piano lessons and voices lessons at twelve. I graduated from college with a degree in Music Education and Voice. In my mid twenties I gravitated towards Jazz.

How did you settle into this style of music for yourself – what made it “right” for you?

I found that there was a freedom in Jazz music that I had never experienced before. And I felt it was a good mix.

What local musicians/artists have you looked up to -and have any helped you over the years in any way?

The first local Pittsburgh band that I performed with was the Al Dowe Band. I truly knew nothing about Jazz and Al Dowe became a mentor to me. I provided me with recordings to listen to and let me sing with his band on a regular basis as I grew into the music.

How has the city been as a venue for your music? There seem to be a number of local talented artists yet there’s not been that one big breakout act yet -is there something more the city can do to “get the word out”?

The City of Pittsburgh is a great venue for Jazz and there are loads of Jazz lovers here. When you say that “breakout” act I guess you are referring to someone or some band that hits it nationally and internationally and makes loads of money. Well if you are working steady gigs and making a living doing it as a jazz musician that is quite an accomplishment.

At the present time there are some “young guns” that are doing great things in the field of jazz. To name a few: Brett Williams (pianist) going to the Monterey Jazz Festival, George Heid II, (drummer), Craig Davis (pianist), Benny Benack III (trumpet). Give them some time. They are really going to “break out”!

Are you a sports fan – if so, what teams/athletes do you follow?

Yes I am definitely a sports fan. STEELERS of course! But on any given Sunday during football season I watch all the games even if the Steelers are not playing; just to see what the Steelers will be up against.

Was a big Chiefs fan before moving to Pittsburgh (I am from St. Joseph, Missouri). I always had dreams of going to the Olympics in gymnastics (that was another life). Love Tiger Woods but I can’t bear to watch him lose. Baseball – Wellllll it’s way too long! Love Michael Vick, MIke Wallace, and the younger Peyton (so gutsy)!

Have you had the opportunity to perform in front of any local sports venues/players? If so, how were those experiences?

I have sung the National Anthem for the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium (years ago), the anthem for the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Great experiences because the crowd goes wild after you sing; not for you but for the fact that the game is finally starting.

I also appeared with Hines Ward for one of his favorite charities at the Vangura plant.

What have been some of the more memorable performances for you -and what made them so?

Opening for Mr. Ray Charles at Heinz Hall, performing at Wolf Trap twice, appearing in my first Broadway Show “I Love My Wife” then “The 1940’s Radio Hour”, “The Me Nobody Knows”, and appearing with Danny Glover and Ossie Davis at NYU.

I was one of the Rod McKuen girls at Lincoln Center an opened and appeared at my first casino Trump Plaza!

Many see the music business as “all glamour” -but the constant travelling, especially as you are trying to establish yourself, can be very difficult. How do you deal with the travel and rigors of the business?

Aside from being a jazz performer I also teach at CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts High School). Teaching is more rewarding for me than you can ever imagine. I keep my travelling down to the summer months; unless something comes up that I just cannot refuse. The glamour for me is in the clothes. After that it’s just a job that you love.

Where can fans (and future fans) find and purchase your music?

I have a website that needs to be updated but you can order cds there. Ettacox.com

Any last thoughts for readers?

I feel very blessed to be doing what I love most. And having the opportunity to share my talent with others. Check out my website for my new cd coming out this winter.

Scott Brown, Steelers Reporter and Author, Heaven Sent: The Heather Miller Story

Scott Brown, Author and Staff Writer, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

First, can you let readers know about your new book, “Heaven Sent: The Heather Miller Story,”. What prompted you to write the story and how difficult of a story was it to tell?

The book evolved from a newspaper story I wrote in late June of 2010 about the unique relationship that Heather Miller formed with a handful of people in the Steelers’ organization during her 16-month battle with cancer. There was so much I wasn’t able to get in the story because of space limitations and I later approached Wendy Miller, Heather’s mother, about turning the story into a book.

We met close to ten times in 2011 but the book never really got traction for several reasons, and then I got busy covering the Steelers again and we pretty much lost contact. We set up a meeting in late January of 2012 to see if we could revive the project, and I don’t think either one of us had much optimism in anything happening. But something clicked that day and from there we met regularly and everything started falling into place, and it came out in early December.

It was a difficult book to write and I’d be lying if it wasn’t emotionally draining at times. But, as I’ve told Wendy and others countless times, I had the easy part. She is the one who had to re-live something no parent should ever have to go through. Without her collaboration there is no book. That and the fact that we incorporated some of her writing from when Heather was sick and after she passed is the reason why I insisted that her name also go on the cover of the book.

What surprised you most as you spoke to the Miller family and wrote the book?

The thing that surprised me most is how open Wendy was throughout the interview process. She said from the start that she wanted to give an honest, unflinching look at dealing with cancer as well as the grief after Heather passed away. She held herself to that standard no matter how tough it was at times. I’ve had many people ask me how did I not cry the whole time while writing the book? Part of the reason for that is, again, I had the easy part.

Clearly, the Steelers organization was supportive of the Miller family throughout Heather’s battles. Can you give readers a glimpse of how the players and front office helped show support to Heath and his family?

The Steelers were, simply put, awesome in supporting Heather and the Millers. Probably what Heather cherished most was spending time with the players and not talking about football but simply hanging out and doing things that 10-year-olds love to do, and I think they really appreciated how she treated them as regular people and not just football players.

One story I do write about in the book is what Troy did before Heather’s first major surgery. He left the jersey he wore in the 2008 AFC Championship Game as a surprise for Heather at Children’s Hospital on a Friday, and she was scheduled to have surgery on Monday. Heather was so excited — and kept guessing what the surprise might be — that it took her mind off the surgery that weekend. Then, after receiving the jersey, it allowed her to take an air of confidence into the surgery, and that is one example of what the Steelers did to pick her up when she needed it.

Book proceeds go to several cancer-focused causes. How did you choose which to support and was the Miller family involved in those decisions?

The book benefits a handful of causes from Western Pennsylvania Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Brian Morden Foundation, an Altoona-based charity that supported Heather and the Millers, to Penn State’s Dance Marathon. Also, proceeds are going to the oncology department at Children’s Hospital in Troy’s name. Since he was so gracious in doing interviews and allowing us to use a picture of him and Heather for the book cover we wanted to make sure some of the proceeds went to a cause of his choosing.

Where can readers purchase the book?

The book is available at a variety of stores in the Bedford/Altoona area and some in Pittsburgh. It is probably best for people to buy from the website www.milsonpublishing.com. Orders are shipped the day after they are received and there is a lot of other cool stuff on the site, including videos featuring Heather and the Steelers.

As a journalist, how difficult is it for you when you become close to the players in your daily coverage of them, especially with the added process of book-writing, and still remain impartial and sometimes critical of them in your reporting?

It wasn’t difficult doing the book and covering the team because before I even doubled back and talked to players like Troy Polamalu, Heath Miller and Casey Hampton, I had accepted a move to cover the newly created Penn State/golf beat. The good thing is I still had access to players and coaches since I covered the Steelers through the end of OTAs in June, but I have not covered them at all since then.

What have been some of the most interesting stories and people you’ve reported on so far in your career, and what made them so?

Wow, there have been so many great stories and people I’ve met since I got into the business. And a lot of the best stories are ones that never saw print because they came in off the record sessions with players or coaches/managers in a small group of reporters they trusted and allowed them to put their guard down.

I covered spring training when I worked for Florida Today, and covered Frank Robinson, who managed the Expos/Nationals for a couple of years and was as old school as they come. He would often chat off the record after his morning meeting with the reporters who covered the team every day and keep in mind spring training is relaxed by nature because of the gorgeous March weather and the fact that every team is still undefeated. Those sessions were so memorable because it was a living legend Frank Robinson telling stories and giving his opinions (and he often had strong ones) about the game.

The one I can relay with some editing is this. Someone asked Frank one day about a player who had been a borderline candidate for the Hall of Fame gain entrance one year. Sparing that player’s name Frank said, “(So and so) is in the Hall of Fame, but I am a Hall of Famer.” It was classic Frank, who I think is one of the most underrated all-time greats in any sport. Another side that people didn’t always see to regarding the person who had a reputation for being gruff and at times surly: Robinson sitting on a golf cart after a spring training practice or game and signing for everything that had waited for him. The only thing he wouldn’t sign were bats because he knew people would try to sell them. Good for him.

You’ve written five books – what do you enjoy about that process versus the daily reporting you do?

The thing that I enjoy about books is the process is so different from the daily grind of newspapers. There is time to actually report and write, and you sure as heck better do your reporting if you are writing a non-fiction book or you are not going to have a very long or substantive book. Plus, there aren’t the space limitations that are reality when working for newspapers, especially now when editors are as convinced as ever that shorter is the way to go given everything else that is competing for readers’ attention.

Which has been your favorite book to write so far – and do you have plans for another book soon?

I’m not sure I have a favorite book but “Heaven Sent: The Heather Miller Story” is the most meaningful thing I have ever done professionally and maybe in my life. It has had such a profound effect on my on several levels, and I have become so close with Wendy and her family that they really have become a second family to me. The most gratifying thing is some of the reviews we have gotten from readers who said reading the book helped put something they were dealing with into perspective and how they drew inspiration from the story even though Heather passed away from cancer. That tells you what kind of impact she had on people.

Mel Holmes, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 1971-1973

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?

First, after reading certain excerpts of your site, I find it to be a good -long overdue. It interviews real players, and get real facts about life in the NFL, and not second-hand opinion from someone that’s never played the game!

Right now life could not be sweeter! Since leaving pro football, I like many present and former players, ventured out into a few private business ventures of my own, most notably as a Burger King Restaurant franchisee/owner.

Continue reading “Mel Holmes, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 1971-1973”

Al Young, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1971-1972

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?

I bumped around a lot and played in the World Football League for it’s two years of existence. Then I got started in teaching and coaching and have been doing that for the last thirty-six years. Football, basketball and track…. Now I just coach basketball – I gave football up five or six years ago.

What lessons from your playing days do you find yourself applying to your coaching career?

The biggest thing is just the organization of things. I didn’t know how to organize practices when I started, for example. Remembering how the Steelers organized their practices and how we learned – I followed those examples.

Continue reading “Al Young, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1971-1972”