I hesitate to use the term "great" in sports, and especially when it comes to a non-player.
But Chuck Noll is being buried today, and his affect on professional football, and of course "Pittsburgh Steelers football," is almost impossible to measure.
Before Coach Noll, the Steelers were basically a laughingstock. They never won anything but the occasional fight. They drafted poorly and allowed excellent players to get away through nothing more than negligence or cheapness on the part of owner, Art Rooney.
Chuck Noll came in and convinced Rooney to give him full control - drafting, coaching, training, everything. He had his own philosophies and they worked out amazingly well. It was not only that his teams won, but they won with style. Sometimes with razzle-dazzle, sometimes with smashmouth football, and sometimes with incredible luck.
Today, there are Steeler fans all over the globe, and it is due mainly to the dominance of the Noll-coached teams of the 70's. There are millions of people who have never been to Pittsburgh and would never want to come here, but are wearing black & gold during the NFL season because they identify with the Steelers. That simply would not be the case if it were not for Chuck Noll.
Art Rooney died a few years ago, remembered by all as a Great Sportsman. Baloney. He was a tight-fisted bastard who never won a damn thing until he hired Chuck Noll. Then he could afford to be gracious and an elder statesman. Without Noll, Pittsburghers would have spit on his casket.
Noll deserves to be remembered alongside Ernie Lombardi, John Wooden, Red Auerbach, and other coaches who transcended their sports, and affected large trends and events in society. I think the AFC Championship trophy should be named in his memory.
But Chuck Noll is being buried today, and his affect on professional football, and of course "Pittsburgh Steelers football," is almost impossible to measure.
Before Coach Noll, the Steelers were basically a laughingstock. They never won anything but the occasional fight. They drafted poorly and allowed excellent players to get away through nothing more than negligence or cheapness on the part of owner, Art Rooney.
Chuck Noll came in and convinced Rooney to give him full control - drafting, coaching, training, everything. He had his own philosophies and they worked out amazingly well. It was not only that his teams won, but they won with style. Sometimes with razzle-dazzle, sometimes with smashmouth football, and sometimes with incredible luck.
Today, there are Steeler fans all over the globe, and it is due mainly to the dominance of the Noll-coached teams of the 70's. There are millions of people who have never been to Pittsburgh and would never want to come here, but are wearing black & gold during the NFL season because they identify with the Steelers. That simply would not be the case if it were not for Chuck Noll.
Art Rooney died a few years ago, remembered by all as a Great Sportsman. Baloney. He was a tight-fisted bastard who never won a damn thing until he hired Chuck Noll. Then he could afford to be gracious and an elder statesman. Without Noll, Pittsburghers would have spit on his casket.
Noll deserves to be remembered alongside Ernie Lombardi, John Wooden, Red Auerbach, and other coaches who transcended their sports, and affected large trends and events in society. I think the AFC Championship trophy should be named in his memory.
