pittsburghsportsdailybulletin – Page 162 – Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

George Von Benko

George Von Benko, Witer/Author (August 25, 2011):

First , can you tell readers about yourself – how you got started in broadcasting/sports Journalism and where listeners can find your work now?

I started in radio at the age of 15 on WPQR radio in Uniontown, PA. Just turned 59 – so I’ve been around awhile. Various stops along the way in Morgantown, WV at WTAE during the heyday of sports talk radio.

It was Myron Cope, Stan Savran and then me at night. Play-by-play for football and basketball for the University of Cincinnati and color for Duquesne basketball up until last season. I still do a sports talk show on Saturday’s from 10:15 am to 12 noon on WMBS Radio 590 AM in Uniontown.

I do a lot of freelance writing for MLB.com and the Pittsburgh Sports Report and do a weekly column called Memory Lane every Tuesday in the Uniontown Herald Standard. I also run the Pirates website for
the Scout network and you can find that at pirates.scout.com.

You’ve covered the Western Pennsylvania sports scene for a number of years, including color commentary for Duquesne basketball. What have been some of your most memorable experiences you’ve had doing so?

Covering all of the Steelers Super Bowl appearances was a big thrill and the Penguins first Stanley Cup in 1991 really sticks out. Having covered the team from its first season in 1967 – I never thought I would see that.

Who were some of the athletes you covered that left the biggest impressions with you – and why?

The super Steelers of the 1970’s were great to cover, I really enjoyed working with those teams, just a great bunch of guys. Maybe the most memorable interview that I did was with Muhammad Ali at his training camp at Deer Lakes.

You’ve covered many teams across a number of sports. What sport/team have you enjoyed covering most, and why?

Doing play-by-play for the 1999-2000 Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team. They were number one most of the season until Kenyon Martin broke his leg in a meaningless Conference USA tournament game. It still hurts because I believe they would have won the national championship had that not occurred.

You’ve come out with a new book – “Memory Lane”. Can you tell readers about the book and what inspired you to write it?

Memory Lane is a compilation of some of my favorite Memory Lane columns about athletes from western Pennsylvania and in particular the area where I grew up in Uniontown. When I was unexpectedly let go by Duquesne before last basketball season my father said now you have time to do the book and I did it. Dad who passed away on June 26 was the driving force behind me doing the book.

What are some of the things that surprised you most as you researched the book – and why?

Since I had written the articles previously there were no real surprises, putting the book together and going through that process for the first time was an eye opener.

The book focuses much on some of the more under-appreciated athletes in Western PA. Who were some of the athletes that deserved more accolades than they received – and why in your opinion didn’t they get that attention?

The first black All American quarterback was Sandy Stephens and his disappointment at not being given an opportunity to try to play quarterback in the NFL still sticks with me. He passed away in 2000 and I think it is great that he was just elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, I just wish that honor had happened when he was still alive. T

he accomplishments of some of the black athletes illustrates what trail blazers they were. There are other forgotten gems like basketball player Sam Sims who put up some amazing point totals in the 1950’s and Dick Washington the first black athlete to score a touchdown in Notre Dame football history.

How can readers purchase the book?

You can purchase the book at all Bradley’s Book Outlets, there are eight of them in Western Pennsylvania. Online the best place to get it is this link to buy the book on the front page of the Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame website on the right hand side of the page.

//www.fayettecountysportshalloffame.com/

Taking a step back and looking at the Western PA sports “scene” today versus years ago, how has the Western PA sports landscape changed over the years and what trends have you noticed

The biggest thing for me is the emergence of the hockey franchise. Years ago I couldn’t get any of my friends to go to a hockey game and when I covered a game it was a sparse press box. Now hockey is booming with the fans and the media coverage is amazing. The Steelers remain a constant, but I was a huge baseball fan growing up and the losing has been tough to take – I’m hopeful that the Pirates are on
the right track.

On sports journalism as a whole – how do you think the coverage of sports has changed over the years – and is it for the better now?

I have worked on both sides as a publicity director for the old Eastern Eight basketball conference and as a journalist and it is much more adversarial and contentious than it used to be. Also as far as the broadcasting business experience was the biggest factor in gaining employment. That has changed drastically and in a lot of cases experience can be a detriment – they don’t want to pay for experience these days.

Any predictions for Duquesne basketball this season?

I remain in contact with Coach Everhart and I am hoping he can continue to move the program forward. T.J. McConnell should continue to improve, but they will be hard pressed to replace Damian Saunders and Bill Clark.

Any last comments/thoughts for readers?

Just enjoy the sports scene and be thankful that we have been blessed with some tremendous athletes over the years and we are still lucky to be able to watch some of the talent that wear the uniform of the various Pittsburgh teams

Dennis “Dirt” Winston, Steelers Linebacker, 1977-1981, 1985-1986

It’s 9:00 at night and Dennis is still in his office preparing for the season as the coach of the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff……

First, can you tell readers how you got started in coaching and what you love most about the job?

To be honest with you, two coaches and friends of mine got me involved at Grove City College. Chris Smith had me come over and work with their linebackers. It shot off from there.

I went to Slippery Rock With George Mihalek after that.

I love changing the lives of these young men. Being a father figure and sometimes a friend to them.

I’m about at the end of my coaching career now – I’ve been coaching for 25 years and coached at all levels – from SEC at Arkansas, the Canadian Football League, Division I, II and II – from Grambling to Arkansas Pine Bluff where I am now.

I even coached high school in Texas – one of the states for high school football in the country (ok, I can’t forget Pennsylvania too).

Continue reading “Dennis “Dirt” Winston, Steelers Linebacker, 1977-1981, 1985-1986″

Brian Blankenship, Steelers offensive Lineman, 1987-1991

First, can you let readers know what you are doing now in your post-football playing days?

It’s been twenty years since I last stepped onto a football field.

Since 1996, I have worked with Greer Limestone Company in Morgantown, WV. Greer Limestone is a family owned company that has been in business for over 90 years. We produce aggregates for the construction industry, manufacture asphalt for roads and hydrated lime for the energy industries.

We ship limestone to Pittsburgh by barge from Morgantown to companies such as Trumbull, Lindy Paving, Neville Terminal Services, Lane Construction, Frank Bryan Concrete, Neville Aggregates and West Penn Aggregates.

Continue reading “Brian Blankenship, Steelers offensive Lineman, 1987-1991”

Matthew Algeo

Matthew Algeo, Author, Last Team Standing: How the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia
Eagles–The ‘Steagles’–Saved Pro Football During World War II (July 15, 2011):

First, what made you decide to write the “Last Team Standing: How the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles-–The ‘Steagles’-–Saved Pro Football During World War II?”

In 2003 the Steelers honored the Steagles on their 40th anniversary before a pre-season game in Pittsburgh against the Eagles. I covered the event for the NPR program Only A Game. (You can listen to my story here: //onlyagame.wbur.org/2003/08/30/show-rundown-for-8302003.)

As an Eagles fan, I was vaguely aware of the Steagles, but I hadn’t really thought about them much until then.

How hard was it to track down and interview the surviving members of the Steagles?

I believe nine members of the Steagles were still surviving in 2003. Six were able to attend the ceremonies in Pittsburgh, and I interviewed each of them at that time. I also did follow-up interviews with them later.

I was also able to speak with the other three surviving Steagles on the phone. They weren’t that hard to track down. Between the Internet and an address list for autograph collectors that I bought, I found them all. And they were all very kind and generous with their time.

Who were some of the more memorable players and coaches you interviewed, and what made them so?

Al Wistert, an Eagles tackle, is a real character, and always fun to be around. He had a great career; he played on the Eagles championship teams in 1948 and 1949. He should be in the Hall of Fame. He was a rookie on the Steagles in 1943 and had plenty of memories to share.

Ted Doyle, a Steelers tackle, was also a lot of fun, a real no-nonsense guy with a great sense of humor. I spent a couple hours chatting with him at his home in Omaha.

During the 1943 season the players were required to work full-time in war jobs. Ted worked at a Westinghouse factory in Pittsburgh. Years later he realized he was helping build parts for the atomic bomb!

In researching the book, what surprised you most?

How different football was in 1943.

For the most part the players played both offense and defense. And they were tiny compared with modern players. But, since they played both ways, and even covered kickoffs and punts, they were in amazing shape.

I asked Al Wistert what would happen if the Steagles played a modern team, and he said something like, If we played by the old rules, they’d probably score ten touchdowns against us in the first quarter, but by halftime they’d all be dead.

Can you imagine today’s 300-pound linemen playing both ways as well as covering kickoffs and punts?

What types of characters made up the team – who were the standouts and “stars”?

Lots of characters on the team!

One was Bill Hewitt. He’d retired in 1939, but came out of retirement to play for the Steagles because he was offered something like $500 a game – more money than he’d ever earned playing football.

But he’d never played with a helmet before – they’d been made mandatory since his retirement – and he hated it. He’d throw his helmet off and say, “I can’t wear this!” But he was pretty washed up, and ended up quitting the team in the middle of the season.

The two biggest stars were probably an Eagles back named Jack Hinkle and a Steelers receiver named Tony Bova. Hinkle led the team in rushing, and would have led the entire league except for a scorekeeping error – one of his longest runs of the season was erroneously attributed to a teammate.

Bova led the Steagles in receiving – and he was blind in one eye!

How did the coaches and players mesh and get along as the teams merged? Any examples?

As the season went along, the players got along quite well. Not the coaches however.

The Eagles’ Greasy Neale and the Steelers’ Walt Kiesling couldn’t stand each other. Officially they were co-head coaches, but since they barely spoke to each other, Art Rooney suggested that Neale handle the offense and Kiesling the defense.

This is one of the earliest examples of separate offensive and defensive coordinators in pro football.

Who were the locker room leaders and how did they help unite these two teams?

The Steagles were an interesting mix of veterans and rookies.

In the book I describe an incident in one game that shows how the two teams managed to meld so successfully.

It was late in the game. Greasy Neale had ordered the Steagles quarterback, an Eagles rookie named Allie Sherman, to just run out the clock. (Sherman went on to become head coach of the Giants in the 1960s.) But in the huddle, Ted Doyle, the Steelers veteran, told Sherman, “Just follow me.” Doyle knew he could make a hole for Sherman to run through.

Sherman ended up running for a touchdown. Neale was furious because his order had been disobeyed. But that touchdown shows how the Steelers and Eagles were able to play as one team.

What role did the Rooneys play in the merger of the teams and in making it successful?

Art Rooney and Bert Bell were the co-owners of the Steelers at the time. (Bell, of course, would later sell his share to become NFL commissioner.)

The Steelers had just had their first winning season in 1942, but after that season their roster was decimated because so many players were inducted into the military. I think they had fewer than ten players under contract at one point in the summer of ’43.

Rooney and Bell were on very good terms with the Eagles owner, Alexis Thompson, so they Approached him about the possibility of a merger. Thompson agreed, but only if the majority of the games were played in Philadelphia.

Ultimately, what enabled the team to become successful?

A combination of good coaching and good players.

Greasy Neale was a brilliant coach. He was the second NFL coach to adopt the T formation after GeorgeHalas. And Walt Kiesling was an excellent defensive coach. And the Steagles had a core group of excellent players (like Jack Hinkle and Tony Bova).

Also, in all honesty, the level of play in 1943 was not very high. So many players had gone off to war that the teams the Steagles played weren’t nearly as good as they would have been otherwise.

How did two sets of rival fans come to accept this team? Did they – and if so, how and why did they?

Initially, the Pittsburgh fans were miffed because most of the Steagles’ home games were played in Philadelphia.

I think one pre-season and two regular season games were played at Forbes Field. But as the season progressed, and it became apparent that the Steagles were actually a pretty good team, interest in the team in Pittsburgh increased dramatically.

In Philadelphia, the Steagles produced the first winning season in the history of the Eagles franchise, and interest in the team was very high. The last game of the season, against the Packers at Shibe Park, was probably the best-attended game in the history of the Eagles franchise up to that point.

How was the game different then versus today’s game?

One word: Money.

Some of the players probably made as little as $100 of $150 a game. And the owners weren’t getting rich, either. Art Rooney constantly fretted about money.

Any other thoughts for readers?

Yes: Please buy my book! It’s on Amazon:
//www.amazon.com/Last-Team-Standing-Pittsburgh-Philadelphia/dp/0306815761/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3

Craig Wolfley, Steelers offensive Lineman, 1980-1989

Where can fans find you on the air and online?

My blog is //craigwolfley.com/ and on 970am ESPN Pittsburgh – we moved to 12-2 with our In the Locker Room show with Tunch Ilkin.

What would surprise fans most about this team?

No surprises at this point. Biggest thing about this team is its tremendous belief in one another. Its about their belief that it’s about what WE do – not about the other team. They honestly believe that it’s not about their opponent – that if they do what they need to do as a player and team they will win. The other team doesn’t matter. Its as simple as that.

They don’t believe in emotion as much as enthusiasm. Emotion is too fleeting – this goes back to Chuck Noll days. If you take pride in what you do and have passion for the game, you will win. Emotion only goes so far and is an up and down thing.

Continue reading “Craig Wolfley, Steelers offensive Lineman, 1980-1989”

Carey Davis, Steelers Fullback, 2007-2009

First, what are you doing with yourself now and how much do you miss the game?

I recently participated in a career transition program that helps NFL players work on ideas for their next career. I’ve been speaking at high schools as well as helping coach a local high school football team. I miss the game a lot but I miss the time spent hanging with my teammates on and off the field more.

What do you think of the more pass oriented game/rules of the NFL. Has it improved or worsened the game?

Well I’m a fullback so I love to see a great running game. I think that fans enjoy seeing the ball being tossed around, but in my opinion, in order to be successful you need to do both effectively.

Continue reading “Carey Davis, Steelers Fullback, 2007-2009”

Pittsburgh Penguins Elite

Pittsburgh Penguins Elite:

First, can you tell readers about your program and how it got started?

About eight years ago a group of parents who wanted to create an elite level hockey program for girls in Pittsburgh formed an under-12 team called the Pittsburgh Lady Iceburghs and we competed in a few tournaments every year. The purpose was to create a program here in Pittsburgh, so that elite level girls did not have to leave Pittsburgh to pursue high level girls’ hockey if they didn’t want to. We have achieved that goal and exceeded our expectations by creating an entire program for girls from all over the tri-state region and beyond!

We added the older teams as the girls got older and we kept developing the younger girls to move up in the program. Many of those girls have moved onto college hockey, but some of them are still in our program today. Two seasons ago we proudly joined under the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite banner and our teams are recognized as some of the top girls teams in the Nation, top to bottom. We are now the only all girls USA Hockey organization in Southwestern Pennsylvania, which provides opportunities for girls ages 6 up to 19.

Who can qualify to play and how – and how many people participate?

We hold tryouts every spring for our elite teams, under-12 up to under-19. But, we also have open sessions throughout the year for girls under-10 and under-8, down to 5-6 years old! Any young girl can sign up at any time. We currently have about 150 girls participating in the program between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams and developmental (under-10 and under-8).

Who do you play and what tournaments do you participate in?

All our teams play in the premiere hockey league for girls in the US, the Tier 1 Elite League and our older teams play in the most highly competitive and well scouted tournaments and showcases in the US — to include the Beantown Classic in Boston, North American Hockey Academy (NAHA) labor Day Tournament in Vermont, the Stoney Creek Showcases in Hamilton, ONT and the USA-Canada Cup Series held in Toronto, Detroit and Kitchener where only the top US and Canadian teams play against each other to win the “cup” for their country!

The younger teams also participate in “fun” tournaments such as Hocktoberfest and the Manon Rheaume Foundation Invite. We also host one of the largest hockey tournaments in the US, right here in Pittsburgh — the Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic.

What skills do you focus on most and what techniques do you use with these athletes?

We believe that the fundamentals of hockey (skating, passing, shooting) are the most important to continue to practice at every level. We provide 5.5 hours of on-ice practice every week which focuses mainly on skills, but also works on other team concepts such as cycling, systems, etc.

Many of our girls continue to play and practice with the boys as well, which is completely accepted and supported, so they are getting a lot of ice time and development. One team is not more important than any other and each team whether under-10 or under-19 is
supported with an age appropriate on and off-ice plan.

Do the Penguins get involved and if so, how?

We are obviously proud to be affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins as we bare their name and jersey/logo. They are extremely supportive and provide advisory support and help us to promote girls’ hockey in many ways through their Youth Hockey Network.

How has the increased fan interest in the Penguins over the past 5 or so years enhanced your program and interest in it?

Hockey has grown in general in Western PA, but certainly the popularity of the Penguins has helped us to grow fans and young fans, including young girls wanting to play the sport. We hold regular “open skates” for free for young hockey girls and we have had girls as young as 4 years old come out and skate. This is exciting for the sport and our program. We plan to be around for the next
10 years to help those girls move on to college hockey.

What’s the next step for these athletes – where do they play next?

Just about each and every girl has a goal of playing NCAA college hockey (which is basically the NHL for girls). We have only had u19 teams for the last 3 years and right now we have approximately 10 girls playing NCAA D1 or D3 hockey, including girls at Dartmouth, Cornell, Norwich, Northeastern and more. We already have 4 girls on the current under-19 team committed to NCAA D1 schools for 2012, including Penn State with their new program starting up.

Is there a professional league, and if so, have any of your alumni played there?

There is a professional league called the CWHL (Canadian Women’s Hockey League) which is in its infancy and the players aren’t paid. None of our alums have played there (yet) because we are a very young organization, with all of our alums still of college age.

Where can fans see you play and how does this experience differ from those of other leagues, if at all?

The best place to really check out our teams and girls’ hockey in general would be the Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic held over Thanksgiving Weekend at Robert Morris University and the Iceoplex at Southpointe. There is no gate fee for spectators, and I think that everyone will be surprised at the level of play by the girls!

Any last thoughts for readers?

Any girl out there playing hockey who isn’t involved with Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls should contact us at PensEliteGirls@aol.com While it is great to keep playing boys’ hockey as long as girls are comfortable, we offer elite level girls the coaching (professional coaches who have all played at a high level, including female coaches who played for Dartmouth, St. Lawrence University and Harvard) and more importantly, the exposure to help them play at the next level!

Come check us out!

Bill Crawford

Bill Crawford – (October 3, 2011):

First off, can you tell readers how you decided to become a comic –what was that moment when you realized ” this is it – this is what I am going to do with my life!”

Well, I’m not sure I ever had a single moment when I decided to become a comic; I think it was more of a collection of moments failing to become anything else.

What’s been the most exciting venue for you to play in so far and what’s been the funniest experience you’ve had on stage?

DC Improv was an awesome experience. It was the first time people cheered every time the host said I was from Pittsburgh. I’ve been working in Ohio a lot.I had an old woman flash me as soon as I walked on stage recently. I laughed so hard I forgot my material.

Every set should begin like that.

What about growing up in Pittsburgh has most inspired your comedy and routines?

I started in Pittsburgh, so everything about growing up there inspired my comedy. If you want to get big laughs in Pittsburgh, you learn quickly to have a local spin on your material. You can do other stuff there, but it never gets the same reaction.

Also, my mom fist fought the Pirate Parrot at a picnic in the early 90’s. So that helped.

It’s not all glamour is it? How hard is it traveling constantly and starting off, trying to make ends meet?

No. Its very brief moments of glamour on stage followed by a prolonged state of desperation and anxiety off stage. There is nothing funny about trying to do stand-up comedy for a living.

There are a number of good comedians coming out of Pittsburgh –you, Steve Byrne, Billy Gardell….do you guy’s get at all competitive? How do you help one another and work together?

Billy Gardell and Steve Byrne have helped me tremendously. There is no way I would be where I am without them. Both have been a mentor of mine and Steve has taken me on tour with him.

I would take a bullet for either of those guys. If someone was shooting at them at the same time, I guess they would have to compete. Lots of pressure to be a sports fan in Pittsburgh.

How did this influence your comedy?

I never fully understood the magnitude of that pressure or Pittsburgh’s love of sports until I saw a Statue of Franco Harris beside a Statue of George Washington in the main terminal of the Pittsburgh Airport. We consider the Immaculate Reception to be as prestigious as the Revolutionary War. Then it became clear. Being a sports fan in Pittsburgh is as important as being on the frontlines fighting the British for our independence. It writes itself.

Who are your favorite sports teams and athletes – and what makes them so?

Steelers are my team. I’ve always loved football the most. I watch them every Sunday with my family. And if I’m on the road, I find a Steeler bar and watch it with my extended family.

Ever perform in front of any Pittsburgh athletes or meet any? If so, what was that like?I got to do a black tie event at the Duquesne Club. Mario Lemieux was there. Meeting him was a dream come true for me. If you’ve ever been to the Duquesne Club, you know I can’t sayanything else about it.

If you were the GM of any Pittsburgh team, which would it be, why, and what would your first big decision as GM be?

Steelers. I would fire Steely McBeam and burn his costume before a division game. Then I would draft 4 offensive linemen in a row.

Where can fans see you next and can they purchase your material on Cd/print etc.? If so, where?

I will be on the road for rest of the year, but I am headlining the Pittsburgh Improv December 22nd and 23rd. I will have a cd or a dvd available by then hopefully. You can find out where I will be if you check out my Official Site for Comedian Bill Crawford and my twitter account //twitter.com/#!/Crawfability and my facebook page at Bill Crawford

Any last thoughts for readers?

We are living in hard times. I know we are all busy and worrying about our own problems, but its important to remember that we are all on this journey together. Lets take care of each other. If nothing else, lets at least be empathetic towards people struggling. Unless they are from Cleveland.

In that case, F@#K THEM!!

David Maraniss

David Maraniss – Author, Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero

Tell us about your book and what attracted you to the idea of writing about Clemente?

I grew up in Wisconsin with the Milwaukee Braves, and loved the teams of Aaron, Matthews, Spahn, Burton, et al, but Clemente was always my favorite player.

There was something about the way he looked in his Pirates uniform, the way he walked, the way he worked out the crink in his neck, the way he threw bullets from right field, his outsiderness as a black Puerto Rican, all of that attracted me to him.

But I decided to write about him for other reasons beyond all of that, because he was that rare human being who was growing as his sporting talents were diminishing, and that he died a heroic death.

What surprised you most in your research of Clemente?

I never answer the question about what surprised me most. I look at the research of a book as an endless series of surprises. If you keep an open mind, it is all new.

What is the biggest misperception people have about Clemente, in your opinion?

Some people thought he was a complainer, lazy, the stereotypes of a Puerto Rican in that era unfortunately. He was the opposite. He was a perfectionist, and he was always worrying about his health, a hypochondriac of sorts, but he played more games in a Pirate uniform than any other player in history and always played hard, with a fury.

How was Clemente received early on by fans and players –and how did his race/ethnicity affect that acceptance?

It was not an easy entry for Clemente into the US.

The Pittsburgh sports writers condescendingly quoted him in broken English. None of them knew Spanish of course. And he did not have his first great season until 1960, five years into his time with the Pirates.

As the years went on, he had to overcome a lot of bias against him. I raised a fuss in Pittsburgh earlier this year by suggesting that not everyone who now say they loved him really did love him back then. I didn’t say that he wasn’t beloved – he certainly was, especially by young people, old people, anyone who came into contact with him. But it took a long time for all of Pittsburgh to accept him as a mythological beloved figure. Really not until he died.

You address Clemente’s health issues (from a 1954 automobile accident) as having a big affect on his approach at the plate. How so?

His soreness from the back and neck injury never left him.

It is one of the reasons he was always moving his neck as he approached the plate, trying to work out the kinks. It was not just the lingering injury but also the huge outfield at Forbes Field that affected him, and he molded his batting style, not trying to hit home runs, to compensate for that.

What were some of the major issues you attempted to address in the book and why?

The central themes are, first, the drama of the story of a black Puerto Rican coming to America to make his way, and succeeding, despite all he had to overcome as the first truly great Latino ballplayer, second, the beauty and frustrations of a true athletic artist, and third, the passion and commitment to humanity that distinguished him from most athletes yet led tragically to his death.

What is your impression of how Clemente was received during his playing days in Pittsburgh and how has that changed now?

When Clemente arrived in Pittsburgh he had to build his own sense of community. He felt somewhat apart from both the white community and the African American community and the city at the time had an extremely small Latino population. Over the years he was able to bring a diverse group of friends into his life to make him feel more comfortable.

There’s talk of a Clemente movie. What are your thoughts on how they should approach this?

I hope there is a Clemente movie. His story needs to be told to the largest possible audience. I would want the movie to be realistic, not romanticized propaganda, but present the real man with all of his talents and flaws, and base it in his Puerto Rican heritage, not so much in Pittsburgh.

Leigh Steinberg

Leigh Steinberg (September 10, 2011)

Follow Leigh on Twitter: @SteinbergSports
CLICK HERE to check out Leigh on facebook.
CLICK HERE to check out Leigh’s website.

First, can you tell readers how you got started as a sports agent and the biggest misperception some have about sports agents

Back in 1975 there wasn’t an established field of sports representation, it was more like the Wild Wild West. The right of representation in the NFL was not guaranteed until the 1977 Collective Bargaining Agreement and executives like Mike Brown of the Bengals would say “we don’t deal with agents” and hang up the phone.

I was attending law school at the University of California at Berkeley in the early 1970’s and working my way through school as a dorm counselor in an undergraduate dormitory. They moved the freshman football team into the dorm one year and one of the students was Steve Bartkowski, quarterback on the team, who went on to be selected as the first player in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

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