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ESPN’s David Todd Interviews Pittsburgh Sports Daily Bulletin
Jim O’Brien: Vince Scorsone came out of McKeesport to be a big success in sports and business
By Jim O’Brien From Pittsburgh Business Times
Vince Scorsone came out of McKeesport to be a big success in sports and business
The Vince Scorsone story is a classic tale of how someone transformed early success in football into greater success in the business world.
Scorsone first gained notice as an outstanding lineman at McKeesport High School and then the University of Pittsburgh in the early ‘50s. He went to work at Alcoa in 1960 after a two-year stint in the military service as a first lieutenant in Korea and a year of pro football with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League, and began a 34-year career at Alcoa. He held many management positions as he climbed the corporate ladder at the Fortune 500 aluminum company.
He was the executive vice president when he retired in 1994, and served as chairman’s counsel from 1991 to 1994. He and his wife Jan lived on Grandview Avenue on Mt. Washington, but moved to the San Diego area in 2006.
At Alcoa, Scorsone served as the right hand man to the president and CEO, C. Fred Fetterolf, small in stature next to the powerfully-built Scorsone, but someone who had lettered in three sports – football, basketball and as the No. 1 golfer on the links team – at Grove City College (’52) and could appreciate a true student-athlete in his administration.
Scorsone credited his high school football coach, the legendary “Duke” Weigle, for setting him on the right course. “I ran into Coach Weigle the summer (1953) before I started at Pitt, and he asked me what I was going to major in at Pitt. I told him physical education. ‘I want to be a coach like you,’ I said. And he wagged his head and said, ‘No, you don’t. You major in business and you’ll do much better in life.’ In those days, you listened to your high school coach and I went out to Pitt the next day and changed my major.
“My story is more a story about Duke Weigle than Vince Scorsone,” continued Scorsone. His son, Grant Scorsone, says his dad, whom he regards as his personal hero, is a humble man.
There is an annual dinner held in McKeesport to pay tribute to the late Coach Weigle, and Scorsone attended many of these dinners. “Duke was a larger than life figure to his players,” said Scorsone in a letter he sent me on April 30, 2013, “and, as you know, he tried to steer his players in the right direction to have the best possible future for them. I am sure most of his players were as awestruck as I was about him.”
Scorsone first shared that story with me over 30 years ago, when he had an office in Alcoa’s headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh, and it has stayed with me. We reconnected a month ago over the telephone at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, a gated community just north of San Diego.
“That exchange with Coach Weigle probably took all of 20 seconds,” said Scorsone, “but it changed my life. I have always been grateful to him.”
When I mentioned Vince Scorsone’s name to George Smith, who is coming back to coach the football team at McKeesport High School, he nodded that he knew him well. “I met him a few times at those dinners that are held in Coach Weigle’s honor,” said Smith. “Duke Weigle was my coach, too, and I thought the world of him. He set the bar high for all of us high school coaches.”
I have always been impressed with Smith when I heard him speak about his kids and his program at McKeesport High. After a three-year hiatus, he is back to coach the team this coming fall. McKeesport is lucky to have him.
I heard Smith say something else that has stayed with me when he was honored recently at two different functions on a Saturday at the start of this month. “I don’t have a lot of confidence,” he said, “and I rely on my wife (Michelle) and my coaching staff to support me, and keep me on course.
Smith is the kind of high school football coach who makes a difference in young lives, on and off the field.
Scorsone listened to his superiors along the way at Alcoa, as well, and never said “no” when asked to take on a new assignment, no matter where it sent him and his family.
“I did the job, wherever I went,” he said. “I had respect for management people and they were great molders of my ability. I was willing to transfer and that resulted in us moving 13 times in my first 22 years with the company. I never told the company ‘no’ when they asked me to go somewhere else. I knew it would pay off.
“I knew what was going on in the plants. I was well served by my business background. My wife said to me one day, ‘Please don’t come home and ask me to move to Brazil.’ But I did exactly that a year or so later. I took on a billion dollar project in the Amazon. We lived in Sao Paolo, and had it nice, and she was happy there as well.”
There was hesitation in his voice as Scorsone spoke on the telephone. I’d just spoken on the phone with an old friend from Long Island who had the same hitch in his voice. My buddy told me he had suffered a stroke four months earlier. That wasn’t the case with Scorsone. He said he had been dealing with Parkinson’s Disease, thus the quiver in his voice. It hurt to hear such proud men struggling in their speech in both cases.
“I have all the money and free time, but I can’t play golf or do much else,” said Scorsone. “I’ll be in a wheel chair before long.”
His son Grant, who lives in Bethel Park, sent me an e-mail on Monday, May 13, telling me that he had spoken to his mother and she expected her husband to die that evening. Vince Scorsone died Wednesday morning, May 15, a week before he turned 78. That’s why this is personal; this never happened before with someone I was interviewing.
“The Lord has called for another angel,” wrote Grant Scorsone in his e-mail message. “Today looks like No. 64 is starting his final game on earth. You actually gave Dad an honor by reaching out to him regarding the PBT article. He was delighted by your request.”
In between those two e-mails from Scorsone’s son, I attended the viewing of Munhall’s Hall of Fame football star Jack Butler at the Freyvogel Funeral Home in Oakland.
It was all a little too much in the way of mortality reminders in one three-day stretch.
I attended Scorone’s funeral service, a celebration of his life, at the Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home. I saw many of his former teammates from the Pitt teams that played in the Sugar Bowl and the Gator Bowl in the ‘50s, including Dick Bowen, who grew up and starred in football at Duquesne High, but has lived most of his adult life in McKeesport’s White Oak community.
I had a chance to connect once again with Scorsone’s teammates from that era. There was Ambrose “Bugs” Bagamery, who was on Bowen’s coaching staff with the Pittsburgh Valley Ironmen, Charles L. “Corky” Cost of Cost Construction in Wilkinsburg, Dr. Darrell Lewis, also from Wilkinsburg, Bob Rosborough from Donora.
There were pictures of Scorsone with his Pitt team, and there were Western Union wires that had been sent to him back in 1957 from the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers asking if was interested in playing pro football.
He was drafted by the Washington Redskins, but entered the military service upon graduation. He later played one season with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1959.
The Pitt teammates told good stories about Scorsone and talked of what a tremendous leader and friend he had been, how generous he was with so many good causes. He made good money at Alcoa, and he shared it with Pitt where he endowed scholarships, and with worthy causes here as well.
His four grandsons all spoke of the special relationship they enjoyed with their “Papa,” and that was good to hear. There was an American flag in his coffin, and there was a military observance at his service where the flag was folded by two honor guards and presented to his wife Janet. That is always a moving ceremony.
Vince Scorsone was buried on his birthday, May 21. He would have been 78. He missed Memorial Day, a day when he always felt a special sense of pride for serving in the U.S. Army as an officer in Korea after the Korean Conflict. Vince Scorsone was always the good soldier and it, indeed, paid off.
Jim O’Brien has written 21 books on Pittsburgh sports achievement in his series. Check his website at www.jimobriensportsauthor.com for details.
Rich”Big Daddy”Salgado – Coastal Advisors LLC
Rich”Big Daddy”Salgado – Coastal Advisors LLC
First, can you let readers know how you got started in the business and how you got started working with athletes and other well-known people?
I got started working in the business thru a high school friend of mine named John Garrett. I got started working with athletes through networking with former college teammates of mine from the University of Maryland. My college roommate was Neil O’Donnell who went on to play NFL Football with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I met players on NY Jets from my days on Long island and friends that worked there.
How does your approach differ from others – what about your style and offerings made you the choice for these athletes?
My approach is simple I’m not a hard salesman – I work with some of these athlete’s agents, accountants, and financial advisors. I’m recognized nationally through the publications that I have been featured in like, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Business Journal, Sports Illustrated and NFL Network, as well as my appearances on Fox News Channel and Bloomberg News .
You got your start in Pittsburgh – can you tell readers about that Pittsburgh connection – how that came about?
That came about through my relationship with Neil O’Donnell as well as the working relationship that I had with NHL/MLB Agent Tom Reich, his nephew Steve Reich and NFL agent Ralph Cindrich.I was friends with Jim Sweeney who played with the NY Jets (College, played at Pitt). He sent me to meet some local friends and they showed me around. I worked at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for a while. So, I networked with everyone and went to Steelers games, Pens games, and Bucs games.
What were your impressions of the team and players at the time as you met them through Neil O’Donnell?
Well, the team had a mixture of vets and young guys, with Neil Being one of the young ones . I was fortunate enough to meet Chuck Noll and then got to meet Bill Cowher. As for the players, they became friends of mine through my relationship with Neil. I still speak and see a few of them, like Merril Hoge, Tunch Ilkin, John Jackson and saw Bubby Brister a while back.
Any fun/interesting experiences you can share regarding some of the Pittsburgh athletes you represent?
Well, some of the fun and interesting experiences that I had with Pittsburgh athletes were actually with Penguins players. I did experience seeing the Pens win the Cup and got to meet and become friends with Mario. I actually met the whole team through Mario. Mario wasnt a client but working with his agent Tom Reich helped me befriend and hang with him on some special occasions and be a guest at his golf outings. I was fortunate to see my roommate, Neil O’Donnell play in the Super Bowl. Although they lost, I was so proud of him to get his chance . Some players go many years and never get to the GAME. He did it twice, with the Steelers and Titans.
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see athletes make now as it relates to protecting their careers and the services you offer?
The mistake they make often is that they listen to people that aren’t or don’t work in my industry. Most athletes go broke because they listen to bad advice and they put all their eggs in one basket. We try to educate and show them the importance of balance, diversification, and having more than one voice in your camp. TEAM WORK is what helps these athletes succeed. A lot of times we get calls to help but it’s sometimes too late.
What are some of the biggest misperceptions you find athletes have as they discuss insuring themselves through you?
Some don’t ask questions because they feel that I might think they aren’t intelligent. Some actually believe that I only work with first round picks or high-profile clients. Those are far from the truth. We make it our mission to spread the word about what we do to help all clients in both sports and business worlds. Most athletes think that they need to be in their death bed to collect on a disability claim. Far from the truth, policies are payable once the insured is deemed disabled from participating in the sport they are in. The insured can go do something else but play sports.
How have the new NFL and NHL CBA’s affected you, if at all?
Not really, these athletes need protection both on and off the field. Coastal Advisors, LLC works in all four major sports. We INSURE and PROTECT at all times, during lockouts, holdouts and so on.
How do you see the business changing over the next 5-10 years – and why?
I believe that the business will keep on growing due to the fact that people like myself are always putting the word out there that Coastal Advisors,LLC is the #1 place to come to when you are thinking of protecting your contract through career ending disability, or your family through Estate Planning and Life Insurance.
What has surprised you most over the course of your career, and why?
The one thing that I never ever would have ever believed is that I would be answer questions like these for any reporters, television or media publications. I’m fortunate to have been doing reporting for Fox News during the Super Bowls and NFL Draft weeks the past four years. All of my tv hits are on my website as well as my feature articles. I’m still in disbelief but I’m not upset , just happy www.coastaladvisorsllc.com
Any last thoughts for readers?
I never forget where I came from and who has helped me. I had a near death experience in 2008 . I had an aneurysm. To help the hospital that saved my life, I started a celebrity golf outing to benefit the North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital Children’s Brain Aneurysm Center. Michael Strahan, Mike Tyson, Jay Glazer and many more joined me to help raise money for this cause. You can all go to www.bigdaddygolfclassic.com to see videos and pics from last year. We are on again this year on June 23,24th. I’m a big believer in giving back as I’m fortunate to be able to do a job that allows me to help others and do some of the greatest things on this planet.
Thanks for your time.
I Miss Pittsburgh and it was one of my favorite cities that I lived in………….North Park Lounge and Pirmanti’s , Simply the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!
Rob Brown, Penguins Right Winger, 1987-1991, 1997-2000
Rob Brown:
First, can you let readers know about your coaching career – how you got started and what you like most as a coach?
After I retired I spent the first full year as a stay at home dad to let my body heal, and more importantly, spend some much needed quality time with my two year-old twins. After the year was over I knew I needed to start a new career and a good friend of mine ran a hockey academy and asked if I would like to try coaching at it. After spending time on the ice with these kids, I knew this was where I wanted my next career to go towards.
I love helping kids reach their hockey goals whether it be making a higher level team or learning how to raise a puck. It took me back to when I was a kid and hockey was simply a game we played cause we loved it.
How difficult has it for you to transition from the NHL to a second career – and how were you able to do so?
I never really found it difficult as I left the game when I was ready to leave. I had no regrets and knew I was time to move on. I never considered myself solely a hockey player I felt I was just somebody who was fortunate to play a game I loved as a job. So when I retired I didnt see myself as losing my identity as much as I saw myself moving in a different direction
Who are some of the players and coaches that most influenced your coaching style today, and how so?
I think I probably took a little of all the coaches I had. I was fortunate to play for some pretty impressive coaches from Hitchcock to Keenan to Badger Bob etc. so I took what I liked best from all these men and lost the things that turned me off. Then added my own personality that emphasizes fun.
You read today about the struggles many NFL players face in transitioning from football to a post-sports career. How does the NHL help players do so – if at all, and is the issue as big with former NHL players as it is with NFL ones?
The NHLPA has a life after hockey program that helped with the adjustment to “normal” life by giving me the confidence to try something different. I know of a lot of other players who have struggled and for the most part it is the players that identified themselves solely as NHL hockey players, and when the limelight was turned off, they were left in the dark and had a hard time dealing with the fact that they were now just regular folk and were quickly forgotten.
You were drafted by the Penguins in 1986. What were your thoughts on getting drafted by the Penguins?
I do remember my draft, it was Montreal and the excitement of achieving a life long dream of taking that step towards the NHL. I knew they had a superstar in Mario and was both excited and nervous about taking part in training camp with the world;s greater player.
You had a huge season in ’88”90. What do you attribute that to besides being on the line with Lemieux. What about your game improved the most to allow for those 49 goals and +27 plus/minus rating?
’88-’89 was obviously a very special year and of course playing with Mario allowed my the opportunity to achieve huge success. My greatest attribute as a player was my knowledge of the Game and that allowed me to be in the right place at the right time when playing alongside Mario
What do you see as the most under-appreciated part of your game, and why?
I think my tenacity for the game. I had a huge competitive nature. When I played games I would do whatever it took to beat whomever I was playing against. I hated losing.
Who helped you adjust to the NHL – both on and off the ice – and how did they do so? Any examples?
My father was the biggest influence on my game and the person I leaned on most when times were tough.
What was the biggest difference you found to exist between the minors and NHL – and how did you adjust?
The biggest differences between the NHL and the minors were speed and size and the absence of true superstars.
As for adapting between my father and Ken Hitchcock, I was challenged to be the best player in the world not playing in the NHL and that fueled me to have hugely successful minor pro seasons and probably was the reason that I was able to come back for three more NHL seasons.
Who were some of the biggest characters on the Penguins teams you played for and what made them so? Any examples of the hijinks/personalities on that team?
There were a number of guys that would stand out from Johnny Cullen to Mark Recchi to Phil Bourque to Kevin Stevens. Any player will tell you the biggest thing they miss after their careers are over is the camaraderie that they shared with their teammates in the dressing rooms as well as on the ice. That is something that can’t be duplicated in any other walk of life. And it is funny when you get together with these guys there is never any talk of what happened on the ice. It’s all about what happened off.
What are your favorite memories of your time in Pittsburgh?
The teammates I played with. My first game and first goal. Playing in an all-star game. Every time we stepped on the ice at the beginning of a playoff game. And scoring a goal in my sister’s memory after she passed in 1999.
Any last thoughts for readers?
Having spent some of the greatest years of my life in Pittsburgh, I am loving my post hockey career as well spending quality time with my wife of 14 years and my now 11-year-old twins
Life has been good to Robbie brown and it still is today.
Mewelde Moore, Steelers Running Back, 2008-2011
First, can you let readers know about the Mewelde Moore Knowledge First Foundation – what it is and how you got started in this?
The Mewelde Moore Knowledge First Foundation promotes reading literacy, financial literacy, and sports education development.
I began thinking of knowledge first about nine years ago. when I was a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings.
Continue reading “Mewelde Moore, Steelers Running Back, 2008-2011”
Chris Dahlquist, Penguins Defenseman, 1985-1988, 1989-1991
Chris Dahlquist:
First, can you let readers know about your post-NHL career – how you got started in the financial business and what you enjoy most about it?
My first taste of the financial service industry came in the fall of 1994 while playing for Ottawa Senators. As an NHLPA Player representative during the 94′ Owner Lockout, the deadlocked negotiations with the owners sure seemed like the season might get lost. With that in mind I joined a small investment firm in Minneapolis and got my first taste of the financial service industry. I continued to spent a portion of my office season gaining additional experience until retirement.
Since Retiring in 1998 I have grown a Financial Service business with Prudential Financial, focusing on Individual Asset management and helping small businesses with their benefits coordination. I really enjoy the diversity of my practice. Whether it is helping individuals work through the challenges they face in growing their assets or working with business owners to help them build sustainable benefit packages in these uncertain times gives me a different challenge daily.
From a family standpoint, I’m very fortunate to have my own business and the flexibility of schedule to help coach both my son Chad and daughter Charly during their youth hockey years.
What lessons from your playing career and coaches have helped you most to prepare for this line of work, and how so?
As a professional athlete, you have pressure to perform on a daily basis. There is an instant response to good or bad performance. As a player, you need the ability to rebound from a bad shift and not get too excited after a good one. Consistency and persistency is an invaluable trait when dealing with the volatility of the financial markets and the growing of a business.
And obviously it never hurts clients relationships in Minnesota if you can give a good hockey story or two about Badger Bob Johnson or Mario Lemieux.
How difficult has it for you to transition from the NHL to a second career – and how were you able to do so?
The transition to a more rigid work schedule was not as big a hurdle as I thought it would be. Pro athletes reach that level through sacrifice and regimented work. The greatest challenge when transitioning out of the game for me was the drop in income. A major decision I made when playing was to defer some of my earnings till after retirement. This allowed my family to maintain our current lifestyle (with a few downward adjustments) while I grew my practice to a level we needed. There have been and continue to be hurdles with the balancing of life but last year I reach a milestone. After thirteen years as a financial advisor, this is now my longest career.
You read today about the struggles many NFL players face in transitioning from football to a post-sports career. How does the NHL help players do so – if at all, and is the issue as big with former NHL players as it is with NFL ones?
The NHL didn’t offer much support when leaving the league. In their defense, I don’t think it is owner’s responsibility to prepare or protect their players when its time to leave their employment. The responsibility lies with the players and the NHLPA. The PA is better equipt to oversee this and have done a better job of late. They sponsor “After Hockey”
You first made it to the NHL in ’85 with the Penguins. Who helped you adjust to the NHL – both on and off the ice -and how did they do so? Any examples?
Tough guy Steve Martinson of the Flyers organization gave me fighting lesson the summer before my 1st year. I figured since he set the AHL penalty minute record that he had some experience. He obviously wasn’t that impressed with me since he was my opponent in my first fight as a pro. In an exhibition game he came out and lined-up across from me at the face-off and said, “Coach told me to “Go-you” since you’re running around”. I was taught right then that there are no friends when you have a job to do and never let up on anyone…friend or foe.
You were known to be a tough defenseman not afraid to fight. But were there aspects of your game you felt were under-rated because of your “tough-guy” role?
That reputation of me being a tough-guy fighter is probably a little over-rated. Out of necessity I was a big body checker and that just resulted in some scuffles.
Who were some of the toughest players you went up against during your NHL career, and what made them so?
Cam Neely, Gary Roberts, Keith Tkachuk…stats say it all 50 goals- 200 PIMS
After over five years in the Pittsburgh organization, you found yourself in Minnesota. What prompted the move and how difficult was that transition for you?
I was actually only in Pittsburgh for five years before the trade to Minnesota. The first move is always the hardest for an athlete but I think Bob Johnson said it best when he called the house to tell me about the trade. Badger said, “I have some good news and some bad news. Bad news is we traded you today…but the good news is you’re going home.” Going back to Minnesota made that first trade transition a lot easier for us.
How has the game changed, from your perspective, since you played, especially as it relates to the role of the enforcer/tough guy?
The game has gotten much more defensive than the 90’s. There were typically five to six defensive specialist on each team. I can’t think of more than a dozen players in the league that would block shots. It is expected today that your 50 goal scorer dives in front of shots. Paul Cofee would always say after blocking a shot that he just lifted the wrong leg.
What are your favorite memories of your time in Pittsburgh?
Day one of my first training camp when I was training on the bike next to Giles Meloche (39 yrs old) and I told him that my squirt team used to hand out Oakland Golden Seals Stickers back when he was playing for them.
Getting engaged to my wife of 25 years Jeanie while going down the Mt Washington Incline on Christmas Eve 1986.
Sweeping NYR in 1988-89 playoffs and the fans throwing bottles at our bus as we drove out from under Madison Square Gardens.
The Penguin Christmas Dinner at the Igloo with my wife at a table with 19-year-old Rob Brown and his 16-year-old date…Alyssa Milano and her nanny.
Watching Zarley Zalapski’s dad save EJ Johnson with the Hiemlich maneuver when he was choking on a piece of steak.
Assisting on Mario Lemieux’s 4th goal of the night during my first NHL Game in St. Louis. Little did I know his seven-point night would be more points than I would get in my next three years.
Scoring a goal in my third NHL game and then going 70 games before my next.
Rodney Bailey, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 2001-2003, 2006
First, can you let readers know what you are doing with yourself since the NFL and how you got started in your post-NFL career?
I’m the regional director for Visalus. I’ve been doing that since I’ve been out of the NFL. Before that I was on tv – the New Network’s Average Joe and the Wall to Wall Sports Show, a local show in Columbus, Ohio.
Can you let readers know more about Visalus?
The VISALUS 90 DAY CHALLENGE is the number one weight-loss and fitness platform in North America. This program is endorsed by celebrities from all walks of life, including, Jessica Biel (actress) Ray Lewis (athlete), Khris Humphries (athlete), Hulk Hogan (athlete/actor), LisaRaye McCord (actress), Master P (rapper), Alfonso Ribiero (actor), Taylor Armstrong (reality show, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills).
Continue reading “Rodney Bailey, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 2001-2003, 2006”
Nigel Melville, CEO/President President Rugby Operations, USA Rugby
Nigel Melville, CEO & President Rugby Operations, USA Rugby:
First, can you tell readers how you became the CEO for USARugby and what your main roles are for the organization?
I joined USA Rugby in 2007 as CEO and President of Rugby Operations. That pretty much covers oversight of all aspects of the game.
I am fortunate that I have an excellent staff and can now focus on the next steps for the organization. We started by developing strong youth and high school programs thru State Based Rugby Organizations, we are developing College Conferences now and looking to enhance the Club game. At the High Performance end of the game we have men’s and women’s elite age grade teams and improving National teams.
What are the “next steps” for USARugby – what are some of the organizations biggest goals over the next few years and what steps are you taking to realize them?
Rio 2016 is probably our biggest challenge now that Rugby has returned to the Olympic Games. We now have full time sevens players (Men and Women) training at the Olympic Training Center in San Diego, they are now attending more and more events as they develop their squads ahead of Olympic qualification. That’s a pretty big goal for us all!
The other goals revolve around increasing visibility for the game in the media and on TV, and of course developing a professional game for our athletes..
How has having been a former coach of Gloucester (England) and the captain of the England National team in the 80’s helped you in your role?
Obviously having been an international player and professional coach has helped me understand the challenges of becoming an elite player and what it will take to make our National Teams competitive.
Off the field, I spent a number of years with Nike and that experience is certainly helping us re-craft our brand and explore opportunities for us to continue to grow.
What have been the biggest challenges in getting people to adopt the sport early in the states, and how can they do so?
The challenge is to get people to understand that a sustainable future for the game will come from a strong youth game, that we have to build the game and there are no quick fixes..that has been tried and hasn’t worked – so plant the seeds (get a ball in the hands of kids), be patient, nurture (coach them) and eventually reap the harvest (strong international teams).
How has the Pittsburgh area adopted the sport of rugby so far and what big inroads can/will you make to continue to grow interest?
Yes, Rugby is all around you and in Pittsburgh you have an awesome rugby facility that we have used for some of our National College and High School events. The rugby community is passionate and they understand the need to build their programs – they are doing a great job!
How does rugby in the states differ from that of your experiences in England and other countries?
Rugby is a global game with over 115 Countries playing the game, so every country has its own challenges – usually related to the weather and availability of facilities, and both are issues here of course.
As with all rugby people, we are pretty resourceful and make it work! Our field is very similar to soccer fields, so this helps, we prefer grass to turf, but we can play on either. The biggest challenge is helping people to understand the game.
Yes, we are a contact sport and no we don’t wear helmets, but we develop good technique, use our arms to wrap in the tackle, keep our heads off the body and this helps us stay safe. In football the head has become a weapon and that’s dangerous…we don’t do that!
Tell readers about US Rugby – how has it changed over the years and what are your expectations for this season?
We have grown steadily, our game used to be a club based game outside college with often a poor reputation on college campuses, not too much high school rugby and no youth programs. That has changed and we are experiencing explosive growth in some key areas. We have some way to go, but we are building a solid base for the game.
One interesting development has been our new coach registration program that trains our coaches in all aspects of player safety and concussion recognition. We want to provide a safe environment for our athletes when they train and when they play.
We also introduced Rookie Rugby in 2008, a non contact game for boys and girls that has far-reaching opportunities for our Countries youth. Rookie Rugby puts a ball in the hands of a young player and they run – fast!! Great fun and great for kids fitness – the anti-obesity issues are a concern for us all – Rookie Rugby will play its part.
Tell readers a bit about the in-person experience as a fan? How does it differ from other sports?
Our recent international against Italy in June where over 17,200 fans joined us to watch the USA Eagles Men play Italy in the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. I think that gives you an idea about what the vent looks like – its played in MLS Soccer type stadiums, the fan experience includes everything the American Sports fan is looking for – tough athletes and plenty of contact, great food, entertainment and merchandise.
What you will also find are fans that support their teams but recognize and respect their opponents ‘on and off the field’, we are one big global family – one of the world’s ultimate team sports where team spirit, loyalty, commitment and mutual respect are as essential to the game as the ball itself!
I’m sure you’ve seen the issues with concussions in other sports. How is rugby dealing with the issue of concussions and the physical nature of the sport in general?
Yes of course all sports are concerned about concussions and we are certainly making our sport as safe as we possibly can. Our coaches all take on online concussion recognition course, understand that there is nothing ‘tough’ about keeping people in play if they show any concussion symptoms and we take these symptoms very seriously indeed.
The game of rugby globally has been trialing a new rule that allows a coach /referee to take a player out of the game for ten minutes to get a player assessed if there is any suspicion that they may not be OK. This trial is working well and I think it will be introduced across the game shortly.
What do you think would surprise readers who are newer to the sport of rugby most about the sport?
How some of the values that sport traditionally held are alive and well in rugby today despite so many changes to sport at every level. Probably the most important is mutual respect for everyone involved in the game. We still call our referees ‘sir’, we respect our opponents and spend time with them after the game, develop lasting friendships, support each other on and off the field, value team spirit and are committed to helping the next generation embrace and understand these important values. How refreshing.
Any last thoughts for readers?
If you get the chance to watch a game, do it..you will enjoy the whole experience!!
Jim O’Brien: Rocky Bleier remains a great comeback story
Rocky Bleier remains a great comeback story
By Jim O’Brien From Pittsburgh Business Times
When Rocky Bleier was a standout running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they won four Super Bowls in six seasons in the ‘70s, he recalls Coach Chuck Noll advising the players to prepare themselves for their post-football careers or, as Noll called it, “their life’s work.”
Bleier didn’t realize it at the time but his life, or at least his life story, would become his “life’s work.”
He played 12 seasons with the Steelers and got into the investment business with teammate Andy Russell while still employed by the Steelers. He retired after the 1980 season, and became a sports broadcaster with WPXI-TV, but he wasn’t very good at it.
So he started spending more time telling his comeback story from being wounded by bullets and shrapnel from an exploding grenade in a rice paddy in Vietnam, and being told he might not walk again, to becoming a star running back with Franco Harris for one of the greatest football teams in National Football League history.
Bleier’s comeback story is one of the best in sports annals and remains a compelling story of how determination and persistence can win out in the end over overwhelming odds. Bleier wasn’t big or fast, at 5-10, 210 pounds, but he found a way to be part of a winning team. “They don’t measure the size of the heart at these player evaluation camps,” Coach Noll liked to say.
It surprises even Bleier that he is still as successful as a motivational speaker, making about 60 to 70 appearances around the country annually. Gloria Ashcraft is his assistant and runs Rocky Bleier, Inc., and sets his speaking schedule and travel arrangements. “She has been with me for 26 years,” says Bleier, “and she’s the best in the business.”
The challenge of being on the road so much has gotten greater as he approaches his 67th birthday on March 5. “You can’t get a direct flight to most cities out of Pittsburgh these days,” he says.
His theme is “Be the Best You Can Be,” and it’s a 70-minute program aimed at inspiring his audience to realize their potential. He’s good at it, and he’s even better before and after the way he works the room.
“It’s what you do before and after that really makes the difference,” says Bleier. He confesses that he has always wanted everyone to like him, and he has always worked hard at realizing that goal. “My parents ran a restaurant and bar back home in Appleton, Wisconsin,” he says, “and I learned early how to take care of the customers and keep them happy and coming back for more.”
He has expanded his business activities in recent years. He is a managing member of RBVetCo LLC; a service disabled veteran- owned small business, a general contractor that bids work in both the private sector as well as federal government. Rocky is responsible for overall direction and business development.
His brothers-in-law, Jim and John Gyurina, sit on the board of directors. They are also involved with a sister company, Natural Office Solutions LLC, a company that sells commercial office furniture. There’s also Bleier/Zagula Financial, so Bleier is as busy as he wants to be.
He says that Chuck Noll remains in his mind and is still with him. “I find myself quoting Chuck and his philosophies,” says Bleier, while looking after his two teenage daughters at their home in Mt.Lebanon when his wife, Jan, was away in London with a niece who was doing college study abroad.
“Things Chuck always said come back to you; they help you in other tasks besides football. It’s amazing the impact your coaches and teachers have on you throughout your life. I was fortunate that I had important people in my life who made a difference.”
Bleier offers these suggestions for success:
Set goals and form a game plan that will help accomplish them. Do things with great passion. Overcome adversity. Maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses. Work as a team. Learn from winners and mentors. Do community work; it will not only make you feel good, it will show you to be a person worth hiring. Prepare early for your life’s work.”
And, of course, be the best you can be.
Jim O’Brien’s book “Immaculate Reflections” is available at all area book stores, and on his website www.jimobriensportsauthor.com
Don Alley, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1969
First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
After getting injured in Canada in 1971, I came back to Colorado and worked with my fathers construction company for about three years, but my love for golf lured me into the PGA apprentice program in 1974 and I spent about 25 years as a club golf professional. I got out of the business in 2001 and have been kind of semi-retired since.
You started in the NFL in 1967 with the Baltimore Colts. As a 16th round pick from a small school (Adams State) how did you prove yourself to the coaches to make the team?
I was a very similar receiver to Raymond Berry who was somewhat successful for a few years, and I think that because of his success, I might have got a little longer look than I would have otherwise. I did have a good work ethic, and wasn’t afraid to spend my time on the “special teams”
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