So I decided it was time to win the lottery. My wife and I are tired of working and paying bills. We’re not in our 20’s anymore. Heck, we’re not even in our 30’s anymore. We’re not even…I’ll stop right there. We talk about what to buy with the money we’re going to win. The house is getting paid off. The Jeep and the Tundra will officially be ours. College tuition is starting to build. We love the Outer Banks too. Especially Waves and those smaller towns on the lower island. Probably buy a house on the beach. We’d have Steeler parties on gameday. But what else would we buy?
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Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Jacob Hagen, 2016-2017
First, can you let me know what’s next for you now in your football career?
Well, I just signed a three-year contract with the new Alliance Football League – I signed with the Birmingham Iron. That was the team I was assigned to based on the last team I played for – the Cleveland Browns.
I started camp in January – the season starts after the Super Bowl.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Jacob Hagen, 2016-2017”
Vintage Steelers: Golfing with the Steelers?
Nothing says “I want to golf” like sitting inside because it’s cold outside and wishing that I was on the golf course. Sunday afternoons are made for heading to the golf course…unless of course, I’m waiting for the Steelers game to start. Talk about two totally different things to do in a day, but one can be just as frustrating as the other. If golf is a sport then so is watching the Steelers on tv, especially when they’re not playing well against an inferior team. With golf, about every other swing has a result that I didn’t want. Sometimes it results in a beverage being consumed…you know what I’m talking about. It’s the same with watching the Steelers. Every so often a play goes horribly wrong, offense or defense, which results in a beverage being consumed…you know what I’m talking about. Whether I miss a putt or Boswell misses a PAT. Whether I shank a shot or Big Ben throws a pick six. It doesn’t matter if I slice one into the woods or the defense gives up a long TD run. Both “sports” can be crushing to my psyche, and my day. Therefore, if golf is a sport then so is watching the Steelers play.
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Exclusive with draft expert Bill Carroll – National Gridiron Network Special Contributor
First, tell me how you got started as a draft analyst?
Well, I was always a football fan, even as a small child. The Post Cereal Company use to have a contest to see who could guess the offensive and defensive rookies of the year. I guessed one of the two when I was five years old, in 1972. They sent me two LeRoy Neiman posters. The only help I got from my parents was with the postage.
I was taking notes on football since I was four-and-a-half years old. I’d write-up scouting reports in my notebook and my mother would look at them and wonder what they were. Later on I got a job at the Answer Newspaper covering local sports. But I’d put in my predictions for college football games and the draft. It was very different then than it is today. Draftniks was a new term – there weren’t many draftniks then. My hero was the late great Joel Buchsbaum. He had a show on KMOX in St. Louis with a young Bob Costas then and talked about the draft. Mel Kiper is a guy everyone knows but he just timed it right. But he can’t hold a candle to what Joel did. not to be disrespectful. Joel was like a savant. He knew something about every player in the world it seems.
Exclusive with Scott Shields, Steelers Safety, 1999-2000
First, can you let us know what you’ve been doing since your time in Pittsburgh?
I have a mortgage bank branch that I run now. When I was playing I began flipping houses and worked on the real estate side of things and found the mortgage side was haywire. So I wanted to become one of the lenders that do it the right way – to make it a good experience. I’ve been doing it for twelve years now and have had good traction – all through word of mouth. Continue reading “Exclusive with Scott Shields, Steelers Safety, 1999-2000”
VIntage Steelers: It’s 6:00 on a Sunday night and I’m tired, but not stressed
It’s 6:00 on a Sunday night and I’m tired, but not stressed. This is the first week in more than four months that the I wasn’t worried about, upset about or happy about a Steelers game. So, what’s a guy to do on the first Sunday of the end of the 2018-2019 season? Watch the playoffs? Eh. My whole life is different now.
This change in life usually happens a little later in January or even February, but this year did not end with the result we wanted. So, my wife and I went hiking. My 16 year old and I went driving…new driver’s permit. Watch out. We visited my parents. Holy shnikies is this what life is like without Steeler football?
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VIDEO: 1992 Steelers-Oilers Highlights
1992 Steelers-Oilers. Steelers come from behind to win 29-24 on an O’Donnell to Cooper touchdown pass in the 4th quarter. Graham, and Foster also had touchdowns and Anderson kicked three field goals.
The big story is the five interceptions the defense managed against Warren Moon. Two each by Perry and Woodson and one by Griffin.
Hines Ward, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1998-2011
First, can you let readers know what you are doing with your time these days – what causes and business ventures you’ve been focusing on, and why?
I am spending most of my time trying to improve my broadcast skills with the elite NBC Football Night in America team. I have been blessed to be working with the creme of the crop in Bob Costas, Chris Collingsworth, Dan Patrick, and the rest of the best in the sports broadcast business. I call them the Mt. Rushmore of broadcasting. So I am pouring my time into learning from the greats, studying film, and doing all that I can to add to the NBC Sports team.
As far as causes go, I am still actively involved in my Helping Hands Foundation as well as the Caring Foundation in Pittsburgh. I also do as much charitable and community work for both Atlanta and Pittsburgh as I possibly can. So life has been pretty busy for me even though I am not playing the game anymore.
Continue reading “Hines Ward, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1998-2011”
Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Coordinator Tim Lewis on AAF and Steelers, 1995-2003
First, can you tell us about the new head coaching job with the new Alliance of American Football Birmingham Iron team. What made you decide to take the job?
Well, I’ve been coaching for a long time now. From youth football, high school, college, and at the professional level. As a coach you always think about running your own program – coaching your own team. When the opportunity came up, it was the opportunity to live out a dream. That’s what all coaches aspire to do.
If they just beat Oakland….
This is being written just after Cleveland losing to that team in Maryland on December 30. I had originally planned on writing about something totally different, but that is not possible. My mind is going faster than my fingers can type. Ugh!!!! The season is now over…probably. Tennessee and Indy need to tie but that never happens, right? So, when you read this we are either complaining about the ten thousand different reasons why we didn’t make the playoffs or celebrating the unbelievable miracle that even Franco Harris wouldn’t believe. This team stresses me out. All week long on my Twitter account, @VintageSteelers, EVERYONE was giving their opinions and reasons why we would make the playoffs and why we would not. Here’s my reason why we didn’t, or would not, make the playoffs…JUST BEAT OAKLAND!!!!! Are you kidding me. We can’t beat the freakin’ Raiders. That is totally inexcusable. Many will blame Coach Tomlin. Many will blame Chris Boswell (psst…Roy Gerela missed more FGs). Many will blame the referees. There sure was a ton of drama surrounding this team this year.