Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – Page 162 – 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.

Pittsburgh Penguins Elite

Pittsburgh Penguins Elite:

First, can you tell readers about your program and how it got started?

About eight years ago a group of parents who wanted to create an elite level hockey program for girls in Pittsburgh formed an under-12 team called the Pittsburgh Lady Iceburghs and we competed in a few tournaments every year. The purpose was to create a program here in Pittsburgh, so that elite level girls did not have to leave Pittsburgh to pursue high level girls’ hockey if they didn’t want to. We have achieved that goal and exceeded our expectations by creating an entire program for girls from all over the tri-state region and beyond!

We added the older teams as the girls got older and we kept developing the younger girls to move up in the program. Many of those girls have moved onto college hockey, but some of them are still in our program today. Two seasons ago we proudly joined under the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite banner and our teams are recognized as some of the top girls teams in the Nation, top to bottom. We are now the only all girls USA Hockey organization in Southwestern Pennsylvania, which provides opportunities for girls ages 6 up to 19.

Who can qualify to play and how – and how many people participate?

We hold tryouts every spring for our elite teams, under-12 up to under-19. But, we also have open sessions throughout the year for girls under-10 and under-8, down to 5-6 years old! Any young girl can sign up at any time. We currently have about 150 girls participating in the program between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams and developmental (under-10 and under-8).

Who do you play and what tournaments do you participate in?

All our teams play in the premiere hockey league for girls in the US, the Tier 1 Elite League and our older teams play in the most highly competitive and well scouted tournaments and showcases in the US — to include the Beantown Classic in Boston, North American Hockey Academy (NAHA) labor Day Tournament in Vermont, the Stoney Creek Showcases in Hamilton, ONT and the USA-Canada Cup Series held in Toronto, Detroit and Kitchener where only the top US and Canadian teams play against each other to win the “cup” for their country!

The younger teams also participate in “fun” tournaments such as Hocktoberfest and the Manon Rheaume Foundation Invite. We also host one of the largest hockey tournaments in the US, right here in Pittsburgh — the Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic.

What skills do you focus on most and what techniques do you use with these athletes?

We believe that the fundamentals of hockey (skating, passing, shooting) are the most important to continue to practice at every level. We provide 5.5 hours of on-ice practice every week which focuses mainly on skills, but also works on other team concepts such as cycling, systems, etc.

Many of our girls continue to play and practice with the boys as well, which is completely accepted and supported, so they are getting a lot of ice time and development. One team is not more important than any other and each team whether under-10 or under-19 is
supported with an age appropriate on and off-ice plan.

Do the Penguins get involved and if so, how?

We are obviously proud to be affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins as we bare their name and jersey/logo. They are extremely supportive and provide advisory support and help us to promote girls’ hockey in many ways through their Youth Hockey Network.

How has the increased fan interest in the Penguins over the past 5 or so years enhanced your program and interest in it?

Hockey has grown in general in Western PA, but certainly the popularity of the Penguins has helped us to grow fans and young fans, including young girls wanting to play the sport. We hold regular “open skates” for free for young hockey girls and we have had girls as young as 4 years old come out and skate. This is exciting for the sport and our program. We plan to be around for the next
10 years to help those girls move on to college hockey.

What’s the next step for these athletes – where do they play next?

Just about each and every girl has a goal of playing NCAA college hockey (which is basically the NHL for girls). We have only had u19 teams for the last 3 years and right now we have approximately 10 girls playing NCAA D1 or D3 hockey, including girls at Dartmouth, Cornell, Norwich, Northeastern and more. We already have 4 girls on the current under-19 team committed to NCAA D1 schools for 2012, including Penn State with their new program starting up.

Is there a professional league, and if so, have any of your alumni played there?

There is a professional league called the CWHL (Canadian Women’s Hockey League) which is in its infancy and the players aren’t paid. None of our alums have played there (yet) because we are a very young organization, with all of our alums still of college age.

Where can fans see you play and how does this experience differ from those of other leagues, if at all?

The best place to really check out our teams and girls’ hockey in general would be the Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic held over Thanksgiving Weekend at Robert Morris University and the Iceoplex at Southpointe. There is no gate fee for spectators, and I think that everyone will be surprised at the level of play by the girls!

Any last thoughts for readers?

Any girl out there playing hockey who isn’t involved with Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls should contact us at PensEliteGirls@aol.com While it is great to keep playing boys’ hockey as long as girls are comfortable, we offer elite level girls the coaching (professional coaches who have all played at a high level, including female coaches who played for Dartmouth, St. Lawrence University and Harvard) and more importantly, the exposure to help them play at the next level!

Come check us out!

Bill Crawford

Bill Crawford – (October 3, 2011):

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!”

Well, I’m not sure I ever had a single moment when I decided to become a comic; I think it was more of a collection of moments failing to become anything else.

What’s been the most exciting venue for you to play in so far and what’s been the funniest experience you’ve had on stage?

DC Improv was an awesome experience. It was the first time people cheered every time the host said I was from Pittsburgh. I’ve been working in Ohio a lot.I had an old woman flash me as soon as I walked on stage recently. I laughed so hard I forgot my material.

Every set should begin like that.

What about growing up in Pittsburgh has most inspired your comedy and routines?

I started in Pittsburgh, so everything about growing up there inspired my comedy. If you want to get big laughs in Pittsburgh, you learn quickly to have a local spin on your material. You can do other stuff there, but it never gets the same reaction.

Also, my mom fist fought the Pirate Parrot at a picnic in the early 90’s. So that helped.

It’s not all glamour is it? How hard is it traveling constantly and starting off, trying to make ends meet?

No. Its very brief moments of glamour on stage followed by a prolonged state of desperation and anxiety off stage. There is nothing funny about trying to do stand-up comedy for a living.

There are a number of good comedians coming out of Pittsburgh –you, Steve Byrne, Billy Gardell….do you guy’s get at all competitive? How do you help one another and work together?

Billy Gardell and Steve Byrne have helped me tremendously. There is no way I would be where I am without them. Both have been a mentor of mine and Steve has taken me on tour with him.

I would take a bullet for either of those guys. If someone was shooting at them at the same time, I guess they would have to compete. Lots of pressure to be a sports fan in Pittsburgh.

How did this influence your comedy?

I never fully understood the magnitude of that pressure or Pittsburgh’s love of sports until I saw a Statue of Franco Harris beside a Statue of George Washington in the main terminal of the Pittsburgh Airport. We consider the Immaculate Reception to be as prestigious as the Revolutionary War. Then it became clear. Being a sports fan in Pittsburgh is as important as being on the frontlines fighting the British for our independence. It writes itself.

Who are your favorite sports teams and athletes – and what makes them so?

Steelers are my team. I’ve always loved football the most. I watch them every Sunday with my family. And if I’m on the road, I find a Steeler bar and watch it with my extended family.

Ever perform in front of any Pittsburgh athletes or meet any? If so, what was that like?I got to do a black tie event at the Duquesne Club. Mario Lemieux was there. Meeting him was a dream come true for me. If you’ve ever been to the Duquesne Club, you know I can’t sayanything else about it.

If you were the GM of any Pittsburgh team, which would it be, why, and what would your first big decision as GM be?

Steelers. I would fire Steely McBeam and burn his costume before a division game. Then I would draft 4 offensive linemen in a row.

Where can fans see you next and can they purchase your material on Cd/print etc.? If so, where?

I will be on the road for rest of the year, but I am headlining the Pittsburgh Improv December 22nd and 23rd. I will have a cd or a dvd available by then hopefully. You can find out where I will be if you check out my Official Site for Comedian Bill Crawford and my twitter account //twitter.com/#!/Crawfability and my facebook page at Bill Crawford

Any last thoughts for readers?

We are living in hard times. I know we are all busy and worrying about our own problems, but its important to remember that we are all on this journey together. Lets take care of each other. If nothing else, lets at least be empathetic towards people struggling. Unless they are from Cleveland.

In that case, F@#K THEM!!

David Maraniss

David Maraniss – Author, Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero

Tell us about your book and what attracted you to the idea of writing about Clemente?

I grew up in Wisconsin with the Milwaukee Braves, and loved the teams of Aaron, Matthews, Spahn, Burton, et al, but Clemente was always my favorite player.

There was something about the way he looked in his Pirates uniform, the way he walked, the way he worked out the crink in his neck, the way he threw bullets from right field, his outsiderness as a black Puerto Rican, all of that attracted me to him.

But I decided to write about him for other reasons beyond all of that, because he was that rare human being who was growing as his sporting talents were diminishing, and that he died a heroic death.

What surprised you most in your research of Clemente?

I never answer the question about what surprised me most. I look at the research of a book as an endless series of surprises. If you keep an open mind, it is all new.

What is the biggest misperception people have about Clemente, in your opinion?

Some people thought he was a complainer, lazy, the stereotypes of a Puerto Rican in that era unfortunately. He was the opposite. He was a perfectionist, and he was always worrying about his health, a hypochondriac of sorts, but he played more games in a Pirate uniform than any other player in history and always played hard, with a fury.

How was Clemente received early on by fans and players –and how did his race/ethnicity affect that acceptance?

It was not an easy entry for Clemente into the US.

The Pittsburgh sports writers condescendingly quoted him in broken English. None of them knew Spanish of course. And he did not have his first great season until 1960, five years into his time with the Pirates.

As the years went on, he had to overcome a lot of bias against him. I raised a fuss in Pittsburgh earlier this year by suggesting that not everyone who now say they loved him really did love him back then. I didn’t say that he wasn’t beloved – he certainly was, especially by young people, old people, anyone who came into contact with him. But it took a long time for all of Pittsburgh to accept him as a mythological beloved figure. Really not until he died.

You address Clemente’s health issues (from a 1954 automobile accident) as having a big affect on his approach at the plate. How so?

His soreness from the back and neck injury never left him.

It is one of the reasons he was always moving his neck as he approached the plate, trying to work out the kinks. It was not just the lingering injury but also the huge outfield at Forbes Field that affected him, and he molded his batting style, not trying to hit home runs, to compensate for that.

What were some of the major issues you attempted to address in the book and why?

The central themes are, first, the drama of the story of a black Puerto Rican coming to America to make his way, and succeeding, despite all he had to overcome as the first truly great Latino ballplayer, second, the beauty and frustrations of a true athletic artist, and third, the passion and commitment to humanity that distinguished him from most athletes yet led tragically to his death.

What is your impression of how Clemente was received during his playing days in Pittsburgh and how has that changed now?

When Clemente arrived in Pittsburgh he had to build his own sense of community. He felt somewhat apart from both the white community and the African American community and the city at the time had an extremely small Latino population. Over the years he was able to bring a diverse group of friends into his life to make him feel more comfortable.

There’s talk of a Clemente movie. What are your thoughts on how they should approach this?

I hope there is a Clemente movie. His story needs to be told to the largest possible audience. I would want the movie to be realistic, not romanticized propaganda, but present the real man with all of his talents and flaws, and base it in his Puerto Rican heritage, not so much in Pittsburgh.

Leigh Steinberg

Leigh Steinberg (September 10, 2011)

Follow Leigh on Twitter: @SteinbergSports
CLICK HERE to check out Leigh on facebook.
CLICK HERE to check out Leigh’s website.

First, can you tell readers how you got started as a sports agent and the biggest misperception some have about sports agents

Back in 1975 there wasn’t an established field of sports representation, it was more like the Wild Wild West. The right of representation in the NFL was not guaranteed until the 1977 Collective Bargaining Agreement and executives like Mike Brown of the Bengals would say “we don’t deal with agents” and hang up the phone.

I was attending law school at the University of California at Berkeley in the early 1970’s and working my way through school as a dorm counselor in an undergraduate dormitory. They moved the freshman football team into the dorm one year and one of the students was Steve Bartkowski, quarterback on the team, who went on to be selected as the first player in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Continue reading “Leigh Steinberg”

Bobby Walden, Steelers Punter, 1968-1977

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”

Bam Morris, Steelers Running Back, 1984-1985

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, Penguins Defenseman

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 Tagliannetti, Penguins Defenseman

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

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

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.