Dan Rooney
Page 34
Philadelphia Eagles
Many owners followed Bert Bell, the first owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jeffrey Lurie now owns the team. The Eagles and the Steelers entered the league in the same year, 1933. In 1940, after a switch of the Steelers-Eagles franchises, Lex Thompson owned the Philadelphia team. In 1943, to help the NFL during World War II, the Steelers combined with the Eagles, becoming the Steagles, and the combination helped the league survive. After Thompson, a large number of owners, headed by Bill Green, followed: Jerry Wolman, Leonard Tose, Norm Braman, and now Jeffrey Lurie. Andy Reid coaches the Eagles, a fine team that should continue to do well in the future.
St. Louis Rams
Georgia Frontiere owns the St. Louis Rams, and John Shaw runs the team. Beginning as the Cleveland Rams, the team went to Los Angeles, where it competed successfully. At the time Dan Reeves, who was a real visionary, owned and operated the team. As the West’s first NFL team, the Rams were the first to employ Tex Schramm and Pete Rozelle. Reeves was ahead of all the other teams in researching college players for the draft. Then Carroll Rosenbloom acquired the team. On his death his widow, Georgia, inherited the club. John Shaw operates the team and is a proponent of revenue sharing.
San Diego Chargers
The Spanos family owns the San Diego Chargers, and the family members are decent people and very smart. I like Alex Spanos, whose business is real estate home development. As well as building in the West, he now is building on the East Coast. His son, Dean, does a good job of running the team. Dean’s wife, Susie, does much for the club in community service. Even after an excellent regular season record in 2006, the club fired Coach Marty Schottenheimer. They have a new staff headed by Norv Turner.
San Francisco Forty-Niners
The Morabito brothers started the team in the AAFC. The team did well when my friend Lou Spadia ran it. At the time, the 49ers had what may have been the best backfield ever in the league. It included Frankie Albert, Y. A. Tittle as quarterback, John Henry Johnson, Joe Perry, and “King” Hugh McElhenny. The whole offense was great; the defense, which could have been better, was okay. Denise York, Eddie DeBartolo’s sister, now owns the 49ers. Her husband, Dr. John York, operates the club. Denise and Eddie divided assets after Eddie stepped down, and she took the team. It has a serious problem in continuing to play in the old Candlestick stadium, which was originally built for baseball games. The team is looking to stay in Northern California and may build in Santa Clara where their team offices are.
Seattle Seahawks
Paul Allen, who is interested in getting involved with the team and the league, now owns the Seattle Seahawks, the northernmost NFL team. CEO Tod Leiweke operates the club. The team just moved into a new stadium, which is very functional. The team is very good in part because of the good work done by Coach Mike Holmgren. The Seahawks played a competitive game against the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. Paul Allen has committed himself to fair dealings and success on the field and throughout the organization. I think the team has a good organization and a bright future.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Glazer family owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a family that does things differently but is effective. Joel Glazer runs the team. Recently, the family purchased the Manchester United soccer team. Because the league wants its members close to the football business, the purchase is controversial. I have had some dealings with the Glazers, and everything was fine. Since they purchased the Tampa team, I have had no problems. The club built a new stadium, played in the Super Bowl, and has a bright outlook.
Tennessee Titans
Bud Adams owns the Tennessee Titans. One of the originals of the AFL, the team began as the Houston Oilers. Because Bud could not get a new stadium in Houston, he moved to Tennessee. After playing one year in Memphis, they shifted their games to Nashville and a new stadium a year later. Coach Jeff Fisher has done a good job on the field and is the chairman of the football area of the competition committee. The new stadium has been a big help, and the Titans should do well in the future.
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins started in 1933 in Boston and moved to Washington in 1937. George Preston Marshall, a great showman, was the first owner. He formed the Redskins band and composed a song, “Hail to the Redskins.” Along with Halas, Marshall was very influential in early league matters. The two men tried to run the league. When Sammy Baugh was the quarterback, the Redskins had a good team; however, the club did not have an African-American player on the team until 1962. Lacking players of color became an embarrassment to the NFL. Jack Kent Cooke, a difficult person at times, then bought the team. When Jack died, his charitable foundation sold the team to Dan Snyder, who operates it today. Coach Joe Gibbs won Super Bowls before retiring after the 1992 season, but he was brought back in 2004 by Dan Snyder. Dan is a good guy, often quiet, but he speaks up when he feels he has something important to say. Sitting on the league’s ventures committee, Dan contributes helpful opinions, and he desperately wants a winning football team.
INDEX
AAFC. See All-American Football Conference
ABC
Abercrombie, Walter
Adams, Bud
AFC. See American Football Conference
AFL. See American Football League
African Americans
Albert, Frankie
Alioto, Joseph
Aliquippa, Pa.
All-American Football Conference (AAFC)
Allegheny City. See North Side
Allen, Jim
Allen, Paul
All-Time Steelers Team
Ambridge, Pa.
Ameche, Don
American Diabetes Association
American Football Conference (AFC)
divisional alignment in
NFL-AFL merger and
Pittsburgh Steelers in
American Football League (AFL)
Hunt, Lamar and
NFL merger with
NFL rivalry with
American Indians
American Ireland Fund
American Irish Foundation
Anderson, Dave
Anderson, Dick
Anderson, Edwin
Anderson, Gary
Anderson, George
Anderson, Ken
Anderson, Ralph
Anderson, Sally
Anderson-Rooney Agreement
Andrews, Shawn
Angelo, Jerry
anti-Semitism
antitrust laws
Antwerp Olympic Games
Arizona Cardinals
Arness, James
Associated Press
Atkinson, George
Noll, Chuck, lawsuit against and
Atlanta Falcons
Austin, Bill
Bach, Joe
Baltimore Colts
Baltimore Ravens
Barnes, Bennie
baseball
Batch, Charlie
Baugh, Sammy
Beathard, Bobby
Bee, Bernard
Belichick, Bill
Bell, Bert
background of
blackout rules and
college draft and
death of
Bell, Bert, continued
NFL, founding of and
NFL, image of and
as NFL commissioner
Pittsburgh Steelers, selling of and
as Pittsburgh Steelers coach
Steelers-Eagles union and
Sutherland, John Bain “Jock” and
World War II years and
Bell, Bert, Jr.
Benson, Tom
Berman, Morris
Best of the Batch Foundation
Bettis, Jerome
Bidwill, Bill
Bidwill, Charles “Stormy,” xxi
Billick, Brian
“Black Coaches in the National Football League: Superior Performances, Inferior Opportunities,” 278
blackout rules
Blanda, George
Bleier, Rocky
BLESTO (Bears, Lions, Eagles, Steelers Talent Organization)
Blood, Johnny
Bloomfield Rams
Blount, Mel
Blount, Roy, Jr.
blue laws
Bluecoat, Johnny
Boston, Jim
Boston Patriots. See New England Patriots
Boston Red Sox
Bouchette, Ed
Boulware, Peter
Bowlen, Pat
boxing
Bradley, Ed
Bradshaw, Charlie
Bradshaw, Terry
Brady, Pat
Brady, Steve
Braided Hair, Otto
Braman, Norm
Brandt, Jim “Popcorn,” 85
Bright, H. R. “Bum,” 321
Brister, Bubby
Brogan, John
Brooklyn Dodgers (football)
Brown, Aaron
Brown, Bill
Brown, John
Brown, Larry
Brown, Mike
Brown, Paul
Brown, Roosevelt
Brown, Willie
Bryan, Mary
Bryan, Miles
Buffalo Bills
Burke, Bill
Burn, Brian
Butler, Jack
Butler, Jim “Cannonball,” 123
Byrne, Ray
Caliguiri, Richard
Camp, Frank
Campbell, Father
Cantor, Eddie
Card-Pitts
Carnera, Primo
Carolina Panthers
Carr, Joe
Carson, Bud
Catton, Bruce
CBS
CEC. See Council Executive Committee
Chandnois, Lynn
Cheyenne Indians
Chicago Bears
Chicago Cardinals
“Chief.” See Rooney, Arthur J. “Art” (father)
Cincinnati Bengals
Civil War, U. S.
Clack, Jim
Clark, Dutch
Clark, Kenny
Clark, William
Clayton, John
Clement, Johnny “Zero,” 37
Clemente, Roberto
Cleveland Browns
Cobb, Ty
Coca-Cola Great Hall
Cochran, Johnnie
Colbert, Kevin
college draft
Collins, Michael
Colorado, University of
Como, Perry
competitive balance
Conn, Billy
Conti, Samuel
Conway, Larry
Conzelman, Jimmy
Cooke, Jack Kent
Cooper, Chuck
Cope, Howard
Cope, Myron
Cosell, Howard
Council Executive Committee (CEC)
Cowher, Bill
interview with
as Pittsburgh Steelers coach
Cowher, Kaye
Coyne, James J.
Crennel, Romeo
Cronin, Joe
Csonka, Larry
Culverhouse, Hugh
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Texans
Daly, Chuck
Daly, Tim and Colman
Dapper Dan Charities
Davis, Al
Davis, Bob
Davis, Henry
Davis, Sam
Davis, Steve
Davis, Willie
Dawson, Dermontti
Day, Bill
DeBartolo, Eddie
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
de Valera, Eamonn
Dial, Buddy
Dickerson, Eric
Dilalla, Ray
DiMelio, Luby
DiNardo, Dirt
Dire Need Fund
Ditka, Mike
Dockery, John
Donahoe, Tom
Donelli, Aldo “Buff,” 30
Dorsett, Tony
Dotsch, Rollie
Douds, Jap
Doyle, Ted
draft
Driscoll, Paddy
Drum, Bob
Dudley, “Bullet” Bill
Dumphy, Walter
Dungy, Tony
Duquesne University
Eaton
Eckstine, Billy
education
Edwards, Glen
“Electric Company,” 160
Elway, John
ESPN
Exposition Park, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Favre, Brett
Ferragamo, Vince
Finks, Jim
Fisher, Jeff
Fleming, Jack
Fogarty, Fran
Foley, Barbara
football
as America’s game
blue laws and
college
high school
Pittsburgh, Pa. and
Forbes, John
Forbes Field
Ford, Bill, Jr.
Foster, Barry
Fox
free agency
Frontiere, Georgia
Fuqua, Frenchy (John)
Furness, Steve
Gage, Bobby
gambling
Garvey, Edward R.
Gasparella, Joe
Gerela, Roy
Geri, Joe
Gibbs, Joe
Gilliam, Joe
Gilliand, Merle
Gillman, Sid
Glazer, Joel
Glick, Gary
Glucksman, Loretta Brennan
Goetz, Joe
Gogolak, Pete
Goodell, Roger
Gordon, Joe
Grange, Harold “Red,” 102
Grant, Bud
Gravelle, Gordon
Great Depression
Green, Bill
Green Bay Packers Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II and
Greene, Joe
Greenwood, L.C.
Griese, Bob
Grim, Allan K.
Gunsel, Austin
Halaas, David F.
Halas, George
Haley, Dick
Ham, Jack
Handler, Phil
Hanneman, Craig
Hanratty, Terry
Harbaugh, Jim
Harlan, Bob
Harlem Globetrotters
Harmon, Tommy
Harris, Cliff
Harris, Franco
Harrison, James
Harrison, Reggie
Hart, Jack
Hartings, Jeff
Hasselbeck, Matt
Haugsrud, Ole
Hauss, Len
Hayes, Maurice
Healey, Ed
Hegman, Mike
Hein, Mel
Heinz, John
Heinz Company
Heinz Field
Henderson, Thomas “Hollywood,” 203
Henry, Pete
Herron, Jim
Hinkle, Bryan
Hinkle, Clarke
Hinton, Chuck
Hoak, Dick
Hoelle, Dorothy Jean. See Unitas, Dorothy
Holmes, Ernie
Holmes, Mel
Holmes, Santonio
Holmgren, Mike
Homestead Strike of 1892
Hope-Harveys
Hornung, Paul
Horrigan, Joe
Houston Oilers
Houston Texans
Hubbard, Cal
Hubbard, Marv
Hugo, Babe
Huizenga, Wayne
Hume, John
Hunt, Clark
Hunt, Lamar
Hurricane Katrina
Hutson, Don
Hyman, Sig
Ice Bowl
Ilkin, Tunch
Immaculate Reception
immigration
Indianapolis Colts
Indiana University, Bloomington
Indians, American
industrialization
integration
Irela
nd
Ireland Fund. See American Ireland Fund
Irsay, Jim
Irsay, Robert
Jackson, Keith
Jackson, “Stonewall,” 101
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaffe, Milton
Jansante, Val
Jefferson, Roy
Jefferson, Thomas
Johnson, Jimmy
Johnson, John Henry
Johnson, Woody
Jones, Ed “Too Tall,” 184
Jones, Jerry
Jones, Joe “Turkey,” 189
Justice Department, U. S.
Kaiser, Edgar
Kansas City Chiefs
Karch, Sarge
Karcis, John
Karras, Alex
Keeler, William
Kellett, Don
Kellum, Marv
Kelly, Gene
Kelly, Jim
Kennedy, John F.
Kiely, Ed
Kiesling, Walter
as Pittsburgh Steelers coach
Unitas, Johnny and
Kiick, Jim
Kirkland, Levon
Kirwan, Pat
KKK. See Ku Klux Klan
Kolb, Jon
Kortas, Ken
Kraft, Bob
Kruczek, Mike
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
Kumer, Jeff and Roy
Lafayette College
Lake, Carnell
Lambeau, Curly
Lambert, Jack
Lamonica, Daryle
Landry, Tom
Laughlin, Dan
Layden, Elmer
Layne, Robert “Bobby,” 81-82