First, can you talk about your coaching career – how you got started and when?
I got into coaching as a graduate student when I was at Pitt. I coached the JV squad while I was working on my graduate work. Warren McGuirk brought me in to play for Vic Fusia. Vic was a former Pitt coach so he knew me from there.
You were a legendary high school coach in Boston at St. Johns Prep – who helped shape your approach to coaching and how?
John Michelosen at Pitt – he was a quiet guy. I wouldn’t say stern, but he was a hard guy. I knew I wasn’t going to be an easy coach – I wanted to win. That was all there was to it for me.
Looking at your time in the NFL – were you surprised to be drafted by the Steelers?
I was drafted real low – in the 20th round. So it wasn’t that surprising! I think everyone got drafted then! I read about being drafted in the paper – then I think they called me and I sat down and signed a contract with Walt Kiesling. It was for $6,000.
What did you do well that got you drafted?
I caught the ball well. I grew up throwing the ball high in the air and catching it behind my back with two hands and one hand. I’d make kids throw the ball to me and catch it one-handed. I knew I could catch the ball well.
I played end at Central Catholic. I didn’t play much my Sophomore or Junior season, but I played a good bit as a Senior.
I grew up pigeon-toed and flat-footed. My legs were very weak. I’d have to go to the doctor every week as a kid and he’d tape my legs up after I went to the whirlpool and had them massaged. I’d have them taped through Friday and Saturday and I’d go through the same thing again until the next Friday.
I’d also open the door and grab on to the handle and lift up and down on my heels to strengthen my arches and calves. I even melted down my tin soldiers and made weights out of them – they must have been about two or three pounds – and put those on my feet and lifted my feet up using those as weights. I did anything I could to get stronger.
One day the doctor told me he was going to get my legs strong enough to play baseball. I said the hell with that – I’m playing football. Football was always my ambition.
Anyone help you most with the Steelers? You punted for the Steelers though – after playing end in college and high school?
If you made a mistake the coaches let you know about it, but no one really took you under their wing there. I did look up to Bill McPeak – but I always thought, boy, he looked old! He was there a long time. I liked Jack Butler an awful lot as well.
I ended up punting – I used to take a football and kick it into the baseball backstop. I could tell if it had a good spin or not on it that way and to get a good feel for it on my foot. I did that for a while and kicked to kids who would catch balls and bring them back to me. I was always concerned with two things – the spiral and feel on my foot. If I got those two things right it was a good kick.
My first game I punted five or six times and ended up leading the league with a 40-plus average. But the next game I kicked one off the side of my foot from about the 45 and it went about six yards! There went my average!
You were there for just one year – what happened after that?
I got drafted into the Army after that first season and played at Fort Benning. They had five teams on base and I ended up playing quarterback and middle linebacker – can you believe it? Most of the original 3rd Infantry Division was moved out to Germany, so we got there with only a few veterans left on base. We did alright – we won a few games – went 4-5 or something like that!
What happened after that?
After that I left the Army and I went and got my Masters at Pitt and got into coaching. I coached at the University of Massachusetts for a few years then ended up coaching at St. John’s Prep for 19 years – we only had one losing season there.
You became a legend there – they just named the field after you right?
It was a great honor – a real surprise yes!
Do you watch the NFL today? Any thoughts on the game today?
I watch quite a bit – I like to watch the Steelers and the Pats if the Steelers aren’t on. To me it’s a different game completely. I can’t take the standing up and pushing off with your arms stuff. When I played you were in your stance and hit with your shoulders – you didn’t stand up and push guys with your hands. That’s not football.
But, the guys today are certainly bigger, faster, stronger – all that stuff. There’s no doubt about that. I’m just happy to have had the chance to play and prove myself right to the doctor!
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