Author: pittsburghsportsdailybulletin

First, can you tell me about your coaching career – what got you into coaching and who some of your biggest influences were?

It’s easy – when I was in high school in Tacoma, Washington I graduated early. This was back in 1978. My high school coach asked what I was going to do for the rest of the eight months before college started. I told him I didn’t know and he said he’d try to get me into college early.

Well, I ended up going early to the University of Washington – eight months early And if you can imagine, I was the only one there that early – no orientation. I was on my own. It was sink or swim.

When I attended the football meetings it was the same way – sink or swim. Chick Harris was the coach then and he told me it was up to me – I was in meeting rooms with guys who had been there for one or more years – I needed to learn the system. It was sink or swim.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Secondary Coach Ray Horton, 2004-2010”

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

Well, I own 12 Dunkin’ Donuts franchises now – eight in Oklahoma and four in Kansas City, Missouri. I opened them up in 2012 – the first one in Kansas City and later the first in Omaha in 2013. At the time Dunkin’ Donuts was expanding rapidly Westward – they had an aggressive growth strategy. I was able to got those territories then.

What got you started in that business?

I knew nothing about it really when I got into it. I got started on the operations side and got operational training to understand how to assess what makes a store successful. The only way to understand that was to get my hands dirty. I had a few partners and we decided I’d take on that operational role.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Kicker Kris Brown,1999-2001”

First, let mc know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your NFL days?

Basically, I’ve been teaching and coaching high school since I retired from playing. I recently retired from coaching. I’m still in the classroom though teaching health, PE, and driver’s ed. But I don’t go out on the road – I just teach them the law!

Why teaching – and what influences affected how you coached?

I went to school, for a degree. The thing is, when  I left high school, I had no desire or inclination to pay pro football. It just happened for me. By the grace of God I had a good eduction at East Carolina and always wanted to be an educator. As a player, you emulate your coaches, and my coaches were like teachers too. You take some of those things you learn and transfer those to what you do in life.I went into sales first before finding a job in teaching, and have been teaching now for almost 25 years.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Linebacker Zack Valentine, 1979-1981”

First, what you are doing now with your time?

Well, I’m teaching criminal law right now here in West Palm Beach. And I’ve gotten involved in horse racing a bit. I’m paying more attention to my kids now. I always wanted to spend just eight to 10 years in Congress before I retired. I didn’t want to miss time with my kids when they were older – I wanted to see their football games and spend time with them. It’s a 180 degree change from Congress!

I was actually going to retire after eight years but stayed longer because I started moving up on some of the committees I sat on – plus I had two more years on the Intelligence Committee and wanted to stay on to wrap up the Russia investigation.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Former US Congressman (FL) and Steelers Minority Owner Tom Rooney”

First, can you let us know how you got involved as member of the Secret Service?

Basically,  going back to when I played at the University of Washington, I was blessed to play with a lot of great guys, But I had a number of injuries, and just like everyone else, you try and battle through them. Even as a rookie after I was drafted by Chicago, I had issues with my neck and back, In those days I had a bad foot and groin issues too.

But I loved playing. I loved being around the guys and loved contact. I loved to hit. As a linebacker I loved to learn the schemes and strategies too. When I was finally let go from my last team – the 49ers, I knew I was done after that. It was a short career – not what I had hoped for. But our bodies are mortal.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Linebacker Dave Hoffman, 1993”