Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – Page 88 – More than 2,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff PLUS interviews with Pittsburgh actors, musicians, authors and more

Exclusive with Former Steelers Assistant Coach Lou Spanos, 1995-2009

First, let’s talk about how it all started. 15 years coaching one team is a long time – how did it all start?

When I was finishing college at the University of Tulsa, I had just played four years of football. But I was a realist – I wasn’t going to be an NFL player. I sent my resume out to Tom Donohoe in Pittsburgh for a scouting internship. I was supposed to be there for one year, but I ended up staying for 15 years!

Rooney and the staff were awesome. It was great to work with Donohoe and Cowher on those successful draft classes and on evaluating players. And Tomlin after that.

What made the team so special, from your perspective?

It all started with the ownership. It was run as a business and they worked on things as a team effort. Everyone had to be on the same page. We all had the same goals.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Assistant Coach Lou Spanos, 1995-2009”

In His Own Words: Warren Bankston

Anyone who may be interested in reading this article might ask…”Who is this guy?” Unfortunately, I would agree based on the values we place on players…yards gained, average yards per carry, receptions made, tackles made, number of TD’s. The list goes on.

You name it and I didn’t do enough to be noticed or remembered. The single defining factor that’s puzzling is this: how did I play for two great coaches, Chuck Noll at Pittsburgh for four years, and John Madden for six with the Raiders. Surely, with never being the starter on either team, how could I slip through each year without being cut from either team? In fact, going back to my college days at Tulane University, I was playing second string QB behind Bobby Duhon, who played for four years with the NY Giants as a running back.

Fortunately, based on some comments from Tulane supporters who watched practices, Tulane’s Head coach Jim Pittman was convinced that I was the second best player on the field and should be on the field.

Continue reading “In His Own Words: Warren Bankston”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback David Arnold, 1989

First, tell me how you got into coaching and some of the lessons you’ve taken away from some of the coaches you played for and worked with?

I got into coaching back in 2001 at the collegiate level, My old coach Paul Schudel at Michigan became the head coach at Central Connecticut State and called and asked if I’d be interested in coaching with him, and I took that opportunity. Ever since I’ve been involved in college coaching.

Coach Noll – he was one of the guys actually that I learned a lot from. His presence was s0 cool, calm and collected. I don’t get visibly upset either- I can give that look and people kind of know. But I don’t get too angry.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback David Arnold, 1989”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Secondary Coach Ray Horton, 2004-2010

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

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

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

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

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

Lupe Sanchez, Steelers Safety, 1986-1988

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been up to since your days in the NFL – and about your investment work, including how you got involved in the investment business?

A lot has happened since I left the Steelers. I took advantage of an internship with Merrill Lynch that I found out about through the NFLPA, and got my securities license to become a stockbroker. So I’ve been in the business for over twenty years now.

I currently work for a company by the name of Stifel Nicolaus headquartered out of St Louis. It is a wonderful company to work for. My wife and I are raising two children, our daughter Jacque 19 and our son Christian 15. They are our pride and joy.

Continue reading “Lupe Sanchez, Steelers Safety, 1986-1988”

Fan-Player Stories

While it’s not the same as being at training camp, these stories ware a fun read as we get closer to the start of the season!

@bigelhoe

So I have a training camp story. The year was probably around 2011, I was around 10 years old and I was there with my mom. So up at Saint Vincent we were standing along the fence when the coaches were walking down for practice, and Dick LeBeau walked by. Everyone was begging for an autograph and he wasn’t signing any at all, and my mom yells out “Dick I’ll settle for your initials” and he stopped in his tracks and spun around and said “Alright I gotta give you that one” and I said something along the lines of “ Mr. LeBeau my mom absolutely loves you can you shake her hand?” And he did it and shook her hand.

We traveled from philly every summer for over 10 years for training camp and I actually ending up becoming a student there! I’m a junior at Saint Vincent now and I think all those good memories of training camp certainly influenced my decision!

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Exclusive with Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis

First, can you let me know how you got into the football analytics business?

Well I graduate with a civil engineering degree and worked in construction for many years. That gave me a background in math and problem-solving. But my passion was in understanding why NFL teams won and lost games – what the numbers were behind those who won more and less.

I built my own models and analysis for sports betting and predictions, for sportsbook professionals…. they became interested because I was doing a better job forecasting games than they were at times.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis”

Exclusive with former Steelers Kicker Kris Brown,1999-2001

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

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

What got you started in that business?

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

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

Exclusive with former Steelers Linebacker Zack Valentine, 1979-1981

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

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

Why teaching – and what influences affected how you coached?

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

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

Exclusive with Amadi Chukwuemeka Innocent, Founder, American Football for African Mission (AFFAM).

Can you tell me about the program- how long it has been going on for now how it works and who is able to participate in it?

American Football For African Mission (AFFAM) is a commissioned football non-profit corporation which is operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes. We are the first and sole football nonprofit outfit on ground here in Africa – established in the year 2010, but registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC) of Nigeria, where our headquarters is situated.

Subsequently with the Secretary of States and North Carolina State, American Football For African Mission (AFFAM), has being ongoing since the summer of 2010 – which is 10 years now. We are a nonprofit which is governed by a Board of Trustee,s in whom I am the Founder and Board Chairman.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Amadi Chukwuemeka Innocent, Founder, American Football for African Mission (AFFAM).”