Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!
More than 1,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff, media and more with those that played in the 50’s through today’s current roster.
First, what are you doing with yourself these days Bobby?
Well, I’m 72 years old, so not too much (laughs). I help my brother in law who’s on the industrial business – cleans up tanks for other companies, that kind of thing. I do that two and a half days a week – otherwise I’m fishing or staying at the house.
Continue reading “Bobby Walden, Steelers Punter, 1968-1977”
First, can you tell readers about your motivational speaking business –how you got involved with this and what specifically it entails?
I saw a need for guidance for male youths.
I got involved when many of my close friends and family were always asking for my advice with their sons. I was asked to speak for a company which led to speaking to schools and juvenile detention centers. I feel if I can reach one person through my story then I did a great part in serving. We all have a purpose to serve in one way or another and I found my purpose.
Continue reading “Bam Morris, Steelers Running Back, 1984-1985”
Ian Moran (August 27, 2011):
First, can you tell readers what you are up to these days and how you got involved in this career?
I am an Institutional Equities Sales Trader …. It took me about 2 yrs to be able to say that.
Basically, I trade stocks for mutual funds or hedge funds that they hold in their portfolios. I always pictured myself staying involved with hockey, but when I retired there were about 45 other guys who felt the same way & I didn’t get much (if any) of a response from the hockey world.
Once I realized there had to be life after hockey, I stalked my friends that work in finance until I finally got hired.
What lessons from your NHL days have you found to help you at Sterne Agee?
This might sound funny, but trading for mutual/hedge funds is very competitive. There are only so many accounts, and so many trades that are going to occur in each trading day and I am competing with everyone else in Boston to get the trades.
So to trade you have to want to win, be willing to grind it out & work harder than your competition …. Just like in professional sports. But the thing that helped me the most is being able to get yelled at & not take it personally. Clients are like coaches & they will let you know when you screw up … and as some of you may remember, sometimes I didn’t use the glass as often as I should have so I am used to getting
yelled at.
Are you looking to get back into hockey at some point – as a coach or commentator?
Right now, I really enjoy what I’m doing. To do well you need have a “team mentality” & our desk is very similar to a locker room.
How’s your health –specifically your knees which have taken a good deal of abuse in your playing days?
I would classify myself as husky or big boned right now, but I’m told that I have an great personality. My health is pretty good, but my knee is shot. I need to get my left knee replaced.
You played for the team for over 10 years –what were the most lasting memories you’ve taken from your time in Pittsburgh and what made them so?
I love Pittsburgh. Really & truly when I think back to playing, I always picture myself in a Penguins uniform.
Our teams were always incredibly close & I think of everyone I played with as family. I consider myself lucky to have had Craig as a GM, to have had EJ as my first coach ( and then Assit GM) & Chico on the coaching staff for the entire time I was a Penguin.
They promoted a team first & family atmosphere that I don’t think you find in other organizations. I could go on & on about what great memories I have, but I always tell everyone that I was really lucky that I got to be part of something so special for so long.
How did you prove yourself as a rookie? Most rookies find the need to prove themselves to veterans … how did you do so and who helped mentor you?
Our veterans treated me great from the start. Kenny Wreggett was incredible from the start. Every single guy from Mario to Steve Latin made me feel like I was part of the team. I never felt like an outsider or like I was on the fringe and as I got older I tried to treat the younger guys the same way I was treated.
The two guys who taught me the most about being a pro were only Penguins for a short time but they had massive impacts on my career. Steve Leach & Craig Muni. They both taught me how to be a pro.
You always had the reputation as someone who could keep the locker room loose with your sense of humor. Was that always received well by your coaches/teammates and what were some of the funniest experiences you had with the team?
I was basically a clown. Who did I avoid? The starting goalie, always. Never talk to them, ever.
Most of the other guys needed to be kept loose. I never had anyone tell me to zip it or to get serious. You kind of get a feel for the room & go with it.
As a group we had an incredible amount of funny moments. Bergevin, Pushor, Leach, Big Mac are very funny humans. I loved going to the rink & I think the other guys felt the same way.
How hard was it for you to be traded to Boston? Did the fact that it was your hometown make it easier?
I was outside playing hopscotch with my daughter when I got the call. I’m not going to lie, I was crushed.
Craig called me at 3:15 and I honestly thought he was going to ask me to go to the airport to meet somebody. Instead he told me that I was going to Boston. So I wrote the Bruins GM’s phone number on my driveway in sidewalk chalk & was on a plane at 7.
Getting traded is easy for the guys. As soon as you’re in the locker room you’re good to go. For families it is hard no matter where you go, but for us it was a little easier to go to Boston.
Former Penguin Steve McKenna joked in an interview with us that the NHL never fully utilized his offensive skills. What facet of your game do you think was least appreciated by fans/coaches?
I bet the fans don’t know that on the 4th PP unit I was at the top of the umbrella. Problem was Mario & Jags. I always thought they were being selfish when they would score in the first few minutes of a PP.
How has the game changed since you played it – and is it for the better? Why/why not?
The game is better now. Less clutch & grab .. more speed. I think it’s very fun to watch.
Any last thoughts for readers?
I had a great time in Pittsburgh. I think the fans are some of the best in all of sports. I really feel as though I grew up in Pitt. I got there as a young kid & left 10 yrs later with a family. I was lucky enough to have played with a core group that was basically the same age & we grew up together.
I can not stress how lucky I was to be in the Penguins Organization & have such incredible people around me everyday.
Peter Taglianetti:
First, can you tell readers more about your Power Play Training Program?
Being a low-to-middle aged man, the toughest thing as you get older is to stay active and do things to the extreme you did when you were 20.
I’m a certified personal trainer and see clients of other trainers being taught to stay active the way the trainers do it. The trainers put their beliefs in others that don’t really need to do things the same way. There are lots of those trainers out there that try to force their clients into one way of doing things – their way,
I can’t stand that. There are many guys who play on men’s hockey leagues at night who want to stay active and healthy. Well I try to give them a quick synopsis of how to get their leg and butt strength muscles stronger in ways that work for them.
We know now you don’t have to stop working out hard after 30 – your body can take it. 40 is now the new 30 and these middle-aged guys playing hockey at night can still do all of the things to train even at 40 – so there’s an untapped market for helping those guys that was being neglected before this training series.
I met Dr. Wright through my son. He plays football at the University of Pittsburgh and she was the orthopedic surgeon there. Her passion was the senior athlete – those over 30 that liked to bike, play hockey, golf, whatever. She had a core set of training principles that worked for these guys and she And developed the series together.
So far the series is going well. Pittsburgh is a growing market – not yet like Boston or Minnesota that has a rink or two in every town – it’s not there yet, but it’s growing.
You came out of Providence college with a record for the most penalty minutes that still stands. Were you just “misunderstood” in college?
I played under Lou Lamoriello – who became the NJ Devils GM later. He was able to pull players out of areas like Boston which was really hard to do. He had our team all in black – black helmets and shirts… He was one of the first people to start off-ice training – aerobics, stress-testing and more – before many pro teams even.
We had guys that were bigger and nastier – but we were good too. We finished 2nd and 3rd there. We were just bigger and stronger – we hit harder and were nastier. There was always lots of pushing and shoving – lots of brawling on that team.
You started off in Winnipeg but were traded ultimately to the penguins and played along Paul Coffey. How was that for you?
When I was in Winnipeg I played next to Randy Carlyle – he was a Norris Trophy winner himself and I learned a lot from him. I was traded first to Minnesota then to Pittsburgh – all in about three months time.
When I got to Pittsburgh it was like coming home – I knew almost everyone from college and the minors already. Coffey already won like 3-4 Norris Trophies. When Larry Murphy and I got in after the trade around 12 and were going to be playing that night, Coffey pulled me aside and talked to me about how we could get involved more offensively, I just laughed and told him he was the offensive
guy – my job was just to keep the puck out of the net (laughing).
What players or coaches do you remember most from those Stanley Cup seasons?
When Bob Johnson was coach, he never yelled, never shouted or said anything negative. When you play sports you’re used to getting yelled at – but he was just never like that. He always explained but never yelled.
As the season went along we’d win a couple games and lose a couple games – we were nothing spectacular. We lost I think 6-1 one game and were just waiting for him to blow up, but he never did. After a while it sunk in – he was for real. We stopped worrying about making mistakes so much. We could play our game.
It was so much fun to play and practice then. The entire philosophy of the team just changed -you could feel it. And we played much better because of it.
After you retired in 1996, you became the hockey coach at Washington and Jefferson College after playing in the NHL – how did that come about and did you enjoy it?
I happened to be doing business there and was talking to the Athletic Director. He asked if I would be interested in coaching. I said I could handle a couple days a week at first and did it.
I loved it. We had some good teams. It was hard to get kids there – the school took so few kids and it was a small school.
The kids weren’t jocks but they worked hard and loved hockey. I stayed there for two years but some parents started creating issues behind my back and I had enough and walked away from it.
What NHL experiences and coaches helped shape your coaching career – and how so?
I was always taught and told the kids I coached that hockey isn’t rocket science. Hockey isn’t all X’s and O’s like other sports – not like football. No matter what you do, the same things come around and happen again in games. You just ave to keep doing what you are doing.
As an example – if I’m n the defensive zone and the other defenseman with the puck gets it to the right side – he has only two options, so you have to anticipate where things are going. Don’t wait – you have to be three steps ahead.
What facet of your game do you think was most unappreciated?
People said I was tough-nosed – I hit the body. But I took more pride in keeping goals out of my net and having a good +/- I strived for that.
I remember playing for Tampa Bay in its expansion season. I was +16 or 17 even though we had only like 20 wins. The next person was round -5.
People look at goals and assists – back then it was all about that. Just like in football – the quarterbacks and wide receivers get the glory – the lineman get no glory.
When we were going to play Edmonton in the playoffs, we had a few games to play first – one against Calgary. I was just traded and Calgary was my first game. We were playing Calgary and their big star stopped short right before the blue line and I nailed him. It caused a bench clearing brawl.
Afterwards GM Ferguson grabbed me by the shirt, dragged me in front of the team and said “this is the kind of guy I want on my team!”
I played with tremendous college players who never found their niche in the NHL. You have to find your niche. You can play for anybody f you find you niche. Find something you can do well. That’s what I did. I found my niche. I knew I was not going to score 15-20 goals and I adapted to that.
Ok –the Yokozuna Bodyslam Challenge onboard the USS Intrepid. What was that about and how did you get involved??
When I played I Tampa Bay all the wrestlers lived there. Jimmy Hart used to come to the games with his kids and he and I became friends – you remember him, the manager with the bullhorn?
When I was traded to Pittsburgh I got a call from Vince McMahon. They wanted athletes from different sports for a charity event for the armed forces. Hart told Vince he knew me and that’s how I got invited.
They brought me and my kids to New York and had a big reception in a hotel there with all the wrestlers.
The next day we went to the Intrepid I remember the Steiner Brothers wrestling on the floor with my kids and the wrestlers talking about the pranks they played on each other – a lot of this stuff well above the kids level (laughing). I think I moved Yokozuna maybe 6 inches when it was my turn (laughing).
And last thoughts for readers?
It’s funny how its been 20 years since those Stanley Cup seasons.
Time has flown by. I never get sick of talking about it. People think we get tired of talking about this stuff but we never do if the questions and people are sincere about their interest.
Next week is the 20-year reunion. I can’t wait to get together with all of the guys in Pittsburgh and relive those stories. And be reminded of ones I forgot about.
That’s one of the great things about seeing those guys – remembering those great times.
Abby Mendelson, Author, The Pittsburgh Steelers: The Official History :
First, can you tell readers about your new book The Pittsburgh Steelers: The Official Team History –– what it entails and how you went about deciding what to include and not include.
I started with Art Rooney’s birth, his life on the North Side, buying the franchise.
The new, Fourth Edition ends with the Super Bowl loss to the Packers. In between there are all the highlights, obviously more time given to the good years than the bad ones. That was part of what went into deciding what I would include.
The other part was largely keeping in mind that this is a fan’s book. I didn’t write it for specialists; I didn’t write it for people who like to read about dirt. Instead, it’s a fan’s celebration of a great football franchise — always written with a sense of humor.
So much has been written on Steelers –– was it hard finding new approaches and stories to tell?
Certainly, I tried to find new information, or new angles, on familiar stories — and of course new or untold stories. I relied a great deal on extensive personal interviews, always looking for something new or fresh.
When stories were unavoidably familiar — the Immaculate Reception, for example — I simply tried to tell them as dramatically as I could. After all, somebody reading this book will indeed be reading about that play, or Joe Greene, or Jack Lambert, for the first time. So making the narrative readable was paramount.
What was the most interesting discovery in your research?
Something that I had suspected but could never state with surety until I began doing many one-on-one interviews: the deep abiding respect and affection everyone in the Steelers organization has, and had, for the Rooney family.
I have covered a lot of professional sports, and written about any number of franchise owners, and this kind of reverence for owners is simply unique. I would add that the genesis of this feeling is the adult, mature, decent way the Rooneys treat their players. That is also very rare.
You covered the Steelers as a reporter in the 70’s. Who from those teams do you remember most – that stood out the most for you –– and why?
Frankly, they all do. For as regimented as football is, these players and coaches were encouraged to express themselves individually on and off the field. So that not only in doing the research for this book, but also in memory, the entire Steelers corps really comes to the fore.
And they were all excellent interviews as well!
Were those teams as close-knit as we hear? Were there rifts and cliques on those teams?
There are always rifts and cliques in any organization, in any group of highly motivated, highly skilled individuals. But that group set aside any possible disagreements because they knew there were on to something special — they were champions. As such, they would do anything to help each other to win.
In addition, the Rooneys, and Chuck Noll, were so focused, were so intent that all distractions be kept to a minimum, that the players could not help but follow suit. Put another way, I’ve never seen another team with that kind of cohesiveness.
What would surprise readers most about those 70’s teams?
Just how smart those players were.
As a group, they were the smartest, most articulate, most motivated group of men I’ve ever known. In many cases their on-field personae might have indicated something else, but they were incredibly precise in their thinking and execution. They simply didn’t make mistakes!
The Steelers went from being a poor team to a Super Bowl team quickly under Coach Noll. What did he do to get the team to believe in its ability to win — and was there resistance to his methods by many of the players?
Certainly, there was resistance — and those who resisted were cut.
If memory serves, only three pre-Noll players lasted into his Super Bowl years. Noll drafted very carefully — once again, he wanted smart, motivated, coachable players. If players proved otherwise, they were let go.
In terms of getting his team to believe in his vision, from his first day he never lost sight of what he wanted, and never let his players lose sight of it, either.
In addition, for as tough as he could be, he always inspired them to do better — and coached them every step of the way in game skills, strategy, and technique. To this day, no player has ever lost sight of that.
Conversely, how did Coach Noll manage to keep the team grounded and hungry once it found success?
There are some sports theoreticians who feel that is the hardest thing in sports — not making it to the top, but in keeping players focused on the team goals once they have made it. Noll, to his great credit, never let his team focus on anything but the game in front of them.
They all enjoyed the experience of it, the sheer playing of football on that very high level, so that they maintained the Steelers corporate culture. Once again, newcomers and veterans who didn’t fit were cut.
Where there players that struggled more with Coach Noll and with success? Who, and can you describe those struggles?
Of course, the stories about Terry Bradshaw’s struggles with his coach are legion. Bradshaw discusses them with great candor in my book, chalking his troubles up to immaturity and chronic depression. (He masked the latter very well during his playing days.)
Noll was not a man to tolerate what he called distractions, and if players fought with him they found themselves on the outside looking in. It is a tribute to these men that as a group they’ve had very few, if any, post-football difficulties.
Sadly, one cannot say that about every star player in sports.
How would you compare Coaches Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin? How did they differ ––and what common traits did they have that enabled all three to find success with the Steelers?
Certainly, there were differences of style. Cowher’s rah-rah sideline pep talks — no, not what the stern, steely Chuck Noll would ever do. Nor would he joke the way Tomlin does.
But in the main, they are cut from the same cloth: extremely focused on the task at hand, interested more in teaching, in creating a finely tuned mechanism, than in berating players or fault-finding.
In identifying each player’s strengths, and in using them to great advantage, each of these coaches had achieved extraordinary results. Incidentally, it’s hardly an accident that Mike Tomlin’s mentor was Tony Dungy, who was a student of Chuck Noll. The Steelers have created a Dynasty in more ways than one!
Who have been some of the more under-appreciated Steelers players/coaches/front office personnel over the years, in your opinion. And what makes them so?
In any given news report there is only so much time for Steelers coverage — even though we seem to be drowning in it these days. And in Steelers coverage, it’s hard not to focus on what Mike Tomlin calls the “splash plays.”
So rightfully so, Roethlisberger and Polamalu, Bettis and Lambert, Swann and Greene, get — or got — the lion’s share of the coverage. There are countless players who do all the little — and not-so-little — things who deserve recognition. Start with virtually anyone on the offensive and defensive lines. Move to the coaching corps — most Steelers fans would be hard-pressed to give a good accounting of who Tomlin’s assistants are and what they do. And so on.
As one historical example in my book, a lot of the Steelers’ Steel Curtain defensive success came through ideas propounded by assistant coach George Perles. If any fans say “who?” that’s exactly my point.
No team has rivaled the success of the Steelers over the past 40 years. What do you attribute that success to? What characteristics of this organization have led to this success ––and why can’t other teams seem to emulate this with close to the same degree of success?
Success starts at the top. The Steelers are justifiably legendary for their patience — the Rooneys choose a coach and leave him alone. That kind of confidence, that kind of focus on stability and excellence, is all-too-rare in professional sports.
Most teams operate on win-it-all-now or how-little-can-we-spend-and-still-keep-our-profits-high? The Steelers are interested only in excellence, and it’s reflected all throughout the organization. Anything less is not tolerated. I have not found this kind of corporate culture anywhere else in professional sports.
I have heard whining, excuses, fault-finding (notably with the fans), and the braying of fast-buck artists who own franchises to fleece the public or get their names in the media. But I have never heard the kind of self-effacing, responsible, mature vision of running a professional sports franchise as I have heard from the Rooneys — and everyone in the organization.
Any last thoughts for readers?
I like to think I’m like the Rooneys, at least a little. I like to take the long view of things. Too much sports reporting focuses on the daily controversies, the minutiae, the trivia that dominates talk radio.
My book avoids all that pettiness. My book instead celebrates greatness, telling stories in a clear, positive, often humorous way. It’s a fan’s book. I highly recommend it. It makes a great holiday gift item. What holiday? Any holiday!
Scott Blasey of the Clarks (September 28, 2011)
First off, can you tell readers what you’ve been up to lately and about your new album and upcoming gigs?
Well, I just wrote a new song last night so that’s exciting. The last Clarks record was in ’09 and I wouldn’t mind making another one in the next year or two. Show-wise, we’re in the college season- lots of schools and our annual Halloween cruise on the Gateway Clipper.
The Clarks have been a stalwart of Pittsburgh’s music scene for a number of years. How did you get started and what advice would you give other local musicians who want to make it as well?
We started as a cover band at IUP in ’86. We put out our first record (on vinyl and cassette!) in’88 and made Pittsburgh our home. WDVE started playing our stuff in the early 90’s and it just took off from there. Starting out in the music business is very different today than it was back then.
Play anywhere and everywhere. Write great songs (easier said than done). Get on the youtube and get yourself out there.
Many see the life of a musician as all bright lights and glamour, but it’s a tough business. What’s been the most difficult aspect of the music business for you and how have you been able to overcome it and stay active for so long?
Traveling is difficult. I’m a homebody. I like routines and working out and eating good, and those things are hard to do on the road. Getting along personally and creatively with three other guys for 25 years ain’t easy either.
How has the band managed to stay together through the years when so many bands seem to struggle doing so?
It boils down to respect. You have to respect each other’s ideas, lifestyles and choices, even if you don’t embrace them. That’s hard. And you have to compromise and have common goals.
I know there are hundreds to choose from, but what have been some of the most memorable experiences you’ve had as a musician and what made them so?
The Late Show with David Letterman was a career highlight. It legitimized us to a lot of people. The first Surge Festival at Starlake Amphitheater in 1997 was a defining moment. We headlined a show with Gathering Field and Brownie Mary that drew over 17,000 people.
Who influenced you most in terms of your approach to music and how have you been able to use that influence to create your own sound as opposed to just “copying” another’s?
We were influenced early on by bands like the Replacements, R.E.M. and U2. The Replacements were a big influence because they embraced the punk ethic of it’s more important to be passionate than good.
I think it took a couple albums for us to find our own sound, maybe Let It Go was the first where we took our influences were more subtle and our own voices were coming through.
What would surprise fans/readers most about you and the band?
I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was in college, same with Greg. I joined the band 6 months later and learned on the job. The Clarks are the only band I’ve ever been in.
The Pittsburgh music scene has been growing in prominence but hasn’t launched that huge local artist recently. Is anything missing from the local scene to foster more musical talent?
Actually, hip hop artist Wiz Khalifa is from Pittsburgh and he broke through huge this year. Mac Miller is next I hear.
As far as rock/pop bands there hasn’t been anything big nationally since Rusted Root in the 90s. Anti-Flag tours internationally but they’re not a mainstream success. I don’t know why it hasn’t happened. There are a lot of talented people here. It’s a tough industry and I don’t think it’s anything that Pittsburgh is not doing that’s keeping it from happening.
On to sports….are you a sports fan –and if so, what teams to you follow most and just how avid a fan are you?
I’m a big sports fan, but not huge one like some folks in this town. I can walk away from a Steelers loss without feeling suicidal!
I was a Pirates fan first. My dad used to take me to games at Three Rivers Stadium in the early 70’s. Steve Blass was a hero, and I’ve had the pleasure of talking to him a few times. Then I became a die-hard Steelers fan. Four Super Bowl victories will do that to a sports-loving teenager.
Then of course the Penguins in the early 90s when I was living in Shadyside made me a hockey fan. I got to drink beer out of the Stanley Cup late one night at Doc’s Place thanks to Paul Steigerwald.
Have you had any experiences playing for/around some of the area athletes or hanging out with them? If so, what were those experiences and players like?
I had the pleasure of performing for the Lemieux family at the home of a mutual friend. The kids are fans of the band and Mario and Natalie are great to talk to. Bob Errey is a fan and I’ve talked to him a few times, same with guys like Craig Wolfley and Tunch Ilkin. Walter Abercrombie came up to me after I performed the National Anthem at a Steelers game, shook my hand and told me I did a great job.
Those things stay with you. Everybody I’ve met has been a class-act.
If you could be the GM or player for any local team, which would it be and what would be the first thing you’d do?
Pirates- sign Derrick Lee.
Any last thoughts for readers?
Thank you for all these years of support. Pittsburgh has been very good to us and we love this place.
Steve Byrne:
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!”
I never sought out to become a comic. I ended up getting a job right out of college at Caroline’s Comedy Club in New York City, sweeping the floor, taking reservations, etc.. I watched all the young comics come in and out of the club and thought “I’d love to try that out”.
After my first time on stage, I knew that stand up is what I was going to do the rest of my life. Never knowing it could be a career. I’ve been very fortunate.
Continue reading “Steve Byrne, Comedian”
First, can you tell readers how you got started in coaching and what you love most about the job?
I guess I always knew that eventually I would get into coaching.
When the USFL first started I interviewed with Rollie Dotsch and the Birmingham Stallions but I wasn’t ready to make the transition. I always felt that I would coach at the high school level but I wanted to wait until my children were out of school. I met John Luckhardt and everything changed. He asked if I could help his your defensive linemen at W&J.
Continue reading “John Banaszak, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 1974-1981”
John Steigerwald, Sportscaster and Author “Just Watch the Game” :
In your book, you detail how you started and how you got to the level of prominence you are at today. How hard was that initial struggle to “make it” and did you ever see yourself finding this level of success then, and did you even want it?
The chapter in the book is called “Look out, Curt Gowdy.” I started out with the intention of becoming Curt Gowdy, who was the top guy at NBC at the time and doing all the major events –World Series, Super Bowls, Rose Bowl etc. I wanted to do play-by-play because, for me, it’s always been about going to the games.
It was a struggle in the beginning but I was thrilled to have every job that I had, including my first one at a Cable TV station in Sharon, Pa. that paid me two bucks and hour. I didn’t make much money doing play-by-play in the minor leagues but I loved every second of it.
People often look back at their struggles to “make it” as some of the best times of their career. Is that the case for you –why/why not and what experiences really helped to motivate you and shape your career?
I can’t think of any specific experiences that motivated me. I was always confident in my ability and – justifiably or not–always felt that I could be good at anything that I put effort into.
In the same vein – what people motivated and inspired you most, and how so?
I was motivated by Bob Prince. Listening to him doing Pirates games beginning when I was five or six years old, made me want to be a baseball announcer…as soon as I realized I wasn’t going to be a Major League Baseball player.
Your book reflects your “no pulling punches” style of broadcasting. How has that helped you over the years and have you ever experienced regret at any point for potentially going “too far”? If so, when?
I think being willing to “tell it like it is” sets you part…especially now when there are so many generic people working in radio and TV. I haven’t really expressed at going to far, but I’ve had several episodes when I had to defend myself against viewers, listeners or readers who thought I went too far. I really can’t think of any one example when I went farther than I wanted to.
In your two-plus decades with the Steelers, who were the people –players, coaches, front office people – that really symbolized for you how the game should be played, and what made them so?
Chuck Noll is the most impressive person associated with the Steelers that I met. He exuded authority, toughness, intelligence and class. There aren’t a lot of people in sports who have as much of all those qualities as Noll had.
The Chief, Art Rooney, was one of the nicest, most unassuming guys I’ve met in sports. No player on the Steelers impressed me more than Joe Greene.
Of all the sports media people you’ve worked with, who were some of the most –and least –enjoyable – and what made them so?
There are too many people who I worked with still working in the media now for me to answer that question.
What do you think Bob Prince would think of today’s Pittsburgh Pirates-and would you agree with him?
Bob Prince would think that this year’s Pirates team was exciting.
He would have become disillusioned and fed up with Major League Baseball a long time ago. I can’t imagine him having any patience for the economic disparity and what it has done to the Pirates.
In your book you discuss the pleasure – and sometimes displeasure –of the hundreds of interviews you’ve gotten to do over the years. Who were some of the most and least enjoyable Pittsburgh sports figures to interview – and what made them so?
Most enjoyable interviews: Terry Bradshaw, Bubby Brister, Chuck Tanner, Kevin Stevens, Joe Greene, Phil Garner, Dwight White, Jerome Bettis
Least enjoyable: Tom Barrasso, Tom Barasso, Tom Barrasso, Barry Bonds, Greg Lloyd, Tom Barrasso, Bill Cowher.
What’s wrong with professional sports today?
The biggest problem in professional sports today is a lack of perspective. Fans and media have assigned way too much importance to sports.
There’s no better example than the violence between grown men wearing opposite replica game jerseys.
In your book, you discuss the “Demise of the pick-up game”. What’s to blame for this –and can it be turned around, in your opinion?
The pickup game is dead. Air conditioning was one of the early reasons for its demise. Overprotective parents and too many kids whose fathers are either not around or too busy to teach them how to play ball and the overemphasis on organized sports at a young age are also major contributing factors.
Video games haven’t helped.
I don’t think it can be turned around. Parents have become convinced that their kids can’t play sports unless they’re involved. It’s sad and pathetic.
What’s the one thing you would like most for readers to take from your book – and why?
I would just hope that people would get a laugh from some of the stories and maybe some insight into the behind the scenes aspects of sports and the media. It’s not exactly ” The Brothers Karamazov.”
How has the venture with Trib Total Media/TribLive Radio going? What have been some of the successes and frustrations so far of being part of Pittsburgh’s first internet radio station?
I’m having fun doing internet radio. It’s a new venture and I’m just glad someone is still willing to pay me to spew my BS. So far, no frustrations.
Jim O’Brien, Steelers Author and Sports Columnist (July 15, 2011):
You’ve covered Pittsburgh sports for over 40 years and won numerous accolades across your journalism career. What stands out as the greatest accomplishment for you, and why?
I am proud that I have had two publishing ventures in Pittsburgh and that I always paid my bills.
Beano Cook and I began publishing and editing Pittsburgh Weekly Sports in the fall of my senior year at Pitt in 1963. and we continued to publish this lively and sometimes controversial tabloid for another five and a half years.
We closed down when Beano went to New York to work as a publicist for ABC TV and I went to cover The Dolphins for The Miami News in 1969. We made good on all our subscription orders and we paid all our bills. That almost never happens in such ventures.
I started publishing and editing books on Pittsburgh sports scene, the first two with publisher and Graphics artist Marty Wolfson, and 18 more on my own in 1980. The books met the test of the market place and have been popular the past 30 years. I have not borrowed any money in either venture and do not owe anyone a dime.
I was the smallest kid in my neighborhood in Hazelwood yet I managed to make it to the major leagues in every sport you can name.
You’ve written a number of books on Pittsburgh sports –Lambert, the Man in the Middle and Other Outstanding Linebackers, The Chief, Fantasy Camp, Pittsburgh Proud and so many more. Which of your books are you most proud of, and why?
My favorite book out of the twenty-three I have written, twenty on Pittsburgh topics, would have to be MAZ and The ’60 Bucs.
That is a coming of age book for me. I entered Pitt as a freshman in September of 1960 and one month later the Pirates were playing the mighty New York Yankees in a World Series less than two blocks from the Pitt Student Union.
I thought I couldn’t have picked a better place to go to college. I would later (1966) meet my future wife Kathleen Churchman, who had an apartment on Oakland Avenue a block from Forbes Field when we were both in grad school at Pitt.
Any new books from you that fans should be waiting for?
I have outlined at least seven future books, but have the next one on hold because the book business has been in a state of flux for the past three years, with Borders declaring bankruptcy and Barnes & Noble being up for sale, and payments not being made on product sales.
I hope to write some more books when the retail market scene improves and the book store chains are paying their bills. Right now, I am concentrating on selling the seven books in my series that are still available. The rest are out of print.
Which of them surprised you most in terms of the learnings derived from the research you conducted to complete them – and what about that research surprised you?
Some of my favorites to interview through the years, who were good ballplayers and know how to tell a story, are J.T. Thomas, Dwight White and Mike Wagner of the Steelers, Bob Friend, Ron Necciai, Frank Gustine Sr. and Frank Thomas of the Pirates, Eddie Johnston , Jack Riley and Pierre Larouche of the Penguins, Joe Gordon who worked as a publicist for the Rens, Hornets, Penguins and Steelers, and I have always appreciated what down to earth guys Bill Mazeroski and Arnold Palmer have remained through the years.
On every successful team there are stars, and Pittsburgh has had numerous ones over the years. But there are also the unsung heroes. Who have been some of the more under-appreciated Pittsburgh athletes/coaches over the years, and what made them so, in your opinion?
Dwight White’s death was a real tragedy. He was doing so much good in our community. He called me “Bookman” and he was real passionate during our interviews. He came from humble beginnings and was a real success story. He often said, “I had to come up to hit bottom.”
What has been your favorite Pittsburgh sports teams to cover over the years, and what made them so?
I liked covering the Steelers because Art Rooney Sr. created a culture that still rings the right bell. I always knew Mr. Rooney was special and I welcomed opportunities to sit and talk with him.My grandfathers were dead before I was a year old, and Mr. Rooney was the grandfather I never had. I learned a lot from the man and I still respond to situations by first asking myself, “What would Mr. Rooney do?”
Highly-regarded Pittsburgh sports historian Robert Ruck in a recent interview (//www.pittsburghsportsdailybulletin.com/page106.html) stated that Pittsburgh has come a long way in regards to improving racial attitudes in sports, but still has a way to go. What are your thoughts on this –what differences do you see between the attitudes of fans towards Pittsburgh athletes now versus 30-40 years ago?
I never had a problem as far as racial relations were concerned in my career in sports.
I started my own track team in Hazelwood when I was 12 years old and I recruited young blacks from another neighborhood to compete for my team. When I worked in Philadelphia, Miami, New York and Pittsburgh, I always thought I enjoyed an edge in interviewing black athletes because they trusted me with their stories. I always thought they had more interesting stories to share.
Wilt Chamberlain was one of my boyhood heroes, and I enjoyed great time in his company and got along well with Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and other great boxers, and Dave Parker of the Pirates.
More than half the athletes profiled in my books are black, and it bothers me that so few blacks – Maybe one per thousand books – ever buys one of my books. If someone is going to have racist tendencies – and that works both ways – sports will not solve their problems in that respect.
You’ve encountered scores of memorable athletes over the years. What players have stood out to you most over the years, and why?
I’ve been fortunate in my lifetime to meet and spend time with some marvelous athletes, and I never took it for granted.
I had one of the four best seats in the house at Madison Square Garden for the first Ali-Frazier fight, billed as “The Fight of the Century.” I have met and interviewed Ali and Frazier, Joe Louis, Joe Greene, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Namath, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Johnny Unitas, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka, Danny Marino, Joe Montana, O.J. Simpson, Billie Jean King, Olga Korbut, Mary Lou Retton, Chris Evert, Donna de Verona, Bruno Sammartino and I once met and shook hands with former President Harry S. Truman in Kansas City.
How have you passed along your experiences outside of your various books and columns?
I am proud that I mentored and helped develop and get jobs for a dozen interns who have become really outstanding public relations executives, sports information people, and writers during my time as the public relations director for the athletic department at Pitt from 1984 to 1988.
I always thought of myself as a teacher disguised as a sports writer.
What are some of your greatest Pittsburgh sports memories –encounters with athletes, interviews, observances…..can you name a few that have stood out to you most, and why you think they have done so?
I attended the 21st birthday party for Muhammad Ali when he was in Pittsburgh prior to his fight with Charley Powell at the Civic Arena in January of 1963.
Myron Cope was there and he had written a story for a national magazine on Ali, who was then Called Cassius Clay. Clay kept calling Cope “Mickey Rooney” during the press conference at the old Sherwyn Hotel, now the main building for Point Park University.
By the way, I met Myron Cope for the first time when I was fourteen and serving as the sports editor of The Hazelwood Envoy. We were both covering the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament at the Pitt Field House.
I asked him, “Mr. Cope, what do I have to do to become a writer?” He replied, in that wonderfully unique voice of his, “Kid, you gotta sit down and start writing!” It’s still the best advice I ever received.
I came back to Pittsburgh in 1979 after a year in Miami and nine more years in New York in time to see the Pirates win the World Series and the Steelers win their fourth Super Bowl in six years. Talk about good timing!
The Steelers were beating the Houston Oilers in the AFC championship game at Three Rivers Stadium, and Rocky Bleier had just scored a touchdown to clinch the contest.
I was standing with the other members of the media in the end zone, so we could get a headstart on getting to the dressing rooms after the game. I think I had a tear in my eye and Joe Gordon,the team publicist, spotted it and recognized my quiet mood. “You OK?” he asked me, and I nodded in return.
But I was emotionally moved because I was thinking, “I’ve come home to Pittsburgh and now I’m going to the Super Bowl with the Steelers? Can it get any better?”
What are your thoughts on sports journalism today with blogging, tweeting and other forms of social media creating a rush to get stories out so quickly, and often creating friction between journalists (as we’ve seen between some in the Pittsburgh sports media industry)?
There’s too much media today for sports, world news, business news, entertainment news and modern technology permits too many people without credentials to write about these things and some unreliable and unreal stuff gets out there.
There are too many tape recorders and cameras everywhere and a lot of irresponsible reporting.
Journalistic judgment is lacking. Sportswriters and sports media don’t care about their personal appearance. Check out the contrast between the media and the athletes. I was told once that if you dress like the equipment manager the ballplayers will treat you in kind. I was told a long time ago to save the tough question for last so you don’t end up with an empty notebook.
Pittsburgh sports journalist Jim Wexell and others have lamented the fact that sports journalism (and to an extent fans as well) has lost the appreciation for getting to know the athletes as people, instead of just their contributions to the team. What are your thoughts on this? Is there truth to this in your opinion? If so why do you think this?
I used to love to spend a few weeks with the Steelers at St. Vincent College during summer training camp. You really got to know the players, coaches and other members of the media, and some great fans as well.
You had great access to the players. You could schedule interviews with them one-on-one and visit them in their rooms.
Now there are too many ropes, too many restrictions, too many rules regarding inter-action with coaches and players, and too many sound-bites gotten on sidewalks outside cafeterias and the like.
I loved to write stories about the players more so than reports on the games. I was able to introduce a lot of great athletes to the readers. There are no true sports publicists anymore. No one offers story ideas. Most of those p.r. people from my early days in the business were former newspapermen and recognized a story when they saw one. There are a lot of good guys in the business, but their roles have changed dramatically.
Any advice for young, aspiring sports journalists?
I would advise anyone interested in being a sports journalist to keep their options open and to be versatile.
The business is going out of business in too many ways. Newspapers and magazines are going out of business. People tell me they don’t have time to read anymore. I feel a little smarter every time I read a book, magazine or newspaper.
If you can write well and speak well you can always get a job. I was a Journalism major for one year at Pitt and then switched majors to become an English major. It was a wise decision. I have worked in every possible form of sports media. Using proper English will still set you apart from the pack.
Any last thoughts for readers?
Some Pittsburgh sports media knock New York, but it was a great place to work when I was in my late 20s. There were twice as many teams in every sport, and I covered some great champions in my day.
But I am glad I am now in Pittsburgh, a great sports town. I enjoyed going to PNC Park and being with good friends and baseball fans in a beautiful ballpark before the Pirates were winning more often than losing.
I always thought going to any kind of game was a good way to spend one’s time. My daughters tell me I never had a real job, and for that I remain grateful. My family is my favorite team.
That’s it. Jim O’Brien
You can get a information on Jim and his books on his website at www.jimobriensportsauthor.com