Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
It's such a small world...
Today I have been reminiscing about my first football coaching job as an assistant at Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, New York. The quarterback of our team was Dan Rooney's son Danny...and, man, Danny was a handful. One time in pre-game warmups versus our archrivals, Kent School, Danny ran over to the Kent team while they were lined up for jumping jacks and flipped them the bird and told them that he was going to kick their "bleeping bleeps." We had to run over and restrain him. He was literally foaming at the mouth. As I recall we beat Kent that day, but Danny took one of worst poundings a QB can take...but he was up for it...he was tough kid.
Two interesting asides...(1) earlier that season in pre-season, during the second half of a double session, huge Mayflower moving vans pulled up to the field and the next thing we knew, the drivers were pulling out brand new 5 man and 7 man sleds with the Steeler logos all over them...and then they unloaded a whole van full of tackling dummies and every conceivable practice apparatus...and then the head coach called us all into a huddle and read us a note that was sent from Art Rooney...who was very alive and well back then...this was 1979 or 1980...and Art Rooney's message to the players was to "embrace the greatest lesson that football will teach: teamwork." He went on to say, "Please send my love to my grandson!" It was so classy. (2) One of our WRs on that team was another Pittsburgh kid...his name: Kevin McClatchy...who has been the majority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates for many years now...he was such a great kid...as diligent, kind and appreciative as they come.
I am ecstatic that Russ Grimm is now the Cardinals Asst. HC/OL Coach...he will bring the kind of attitude to the line that's been missing, even when the line was player better down the stretch. Whis and Russ are like the perfect coaching tandem...they are great compliments of each other...Whis is more cerebral and Russ is more instinctive...which will serve as an awesome blend of motivation for all the Cardinal players.
Another small world thing...one of my best friends here in Boston is very good friends with Mark Whipple...and he says that Whipple and Grimm are very close...drinking buddies in fact...and, of course, Mark Whipple is well known in these parts because he led UMass to a NCAA Championship (1AA)...and his offenses as UMass were scintillating to watch...incredibly wide open and creative. Thus...unless Whis likes Shurmer or Haley (both very good candidates for OC) better, Whip may be the the new OC/QB coach.
One other thought...I am not sure of Brian St. Pierre's status with the Steelers...but I wouldn't be surprised if Whis brings St. Pierre over to be the #3 QB...I know Whis liked him a lot in Pittsburgh, and at BC St. Pierre played better than his predecessor Matt Hasselbeck.
With Whis as HC and now Russ "riding shotgun"...I feel like the Mayflowers vans have arrived in Arizona!
Today I have been reminiscing about my first football coaching job as an assistant at Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, New York. The quarterback of our team was Dan Rooney's son Danny...and, man, Danny was a handful. One time in pre-game warmups versus our archrivals, Kent School, Danny ran over to the Kent team while they were lined up for jumping jacks and flipped them the bird and told them that he was going to kick their "bleeping bleeps." We had to run over and restrain him. He was literally foaming at the mouth. As I recall we beat Kent that day, but Danny took one of worst poundings a QB can take...but he was up for it...he was tough kid.
Two interesting asides...(1) earlier that season in pre-season, during the second half of a double session, huge Mayflower moving vans pulled up to the field and the next thing we knew, the drivers were pulling out brand new 5 man and 7 man sleds with the Steeler logos all over them...and then they unloaded a whole van full of tackling dummies and every conceivable practice apparatus...and then the head coach called us all into a huddle and read us a note that was sent from Art Rooney...who was very alive and well back then...this was 1979 or 1980...and Art Rooney's message to the players was to "embrace the greatest lesson that football will teach: teamwork." He went on to say, "Please send my love to my grandson!" It was so classy. (2) One of our WRs on that team was another Pittsburgh kid...his name: Kevin McClatchy...who has been the majority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates for many years now...he was such a great kid...as diligent, kind and appreciative as they come.
I am ecstatic that Russ Grimm is now the Cardinals Asst. HC/OL Coach...he will bring the kind of attitude to the line that's been missing, even when the line was player better down the stretch. Whis and Russ are like the perfect coaching tandem...they are great compliments of each other...Whis is more cerebral and Russ is more instinctive...which will serve as an awesome blend of motivation for all the Cardinal players.
Another small world thing...one of my best friends here in Boston is very good friends with Mark Whipple...and he says that Whipple and Grimm are very close...drinking buddies in fact...and, of course, Mark Whipple is well known in these parts because he led UMass to a NCAA Championship (1AA)...and his offenses as UMass were scintillating to watch...incredibly wide open and creative. Thus...unless Whis likes Shurmer or Haley (both very good candidates for OC) better, Whip may be the the new OC/QB coach.
One other thought...I am not sure of Brian St. Pierre's status with the Steelers...but I wouldn't be surprised if Whis brings St. Pierre over to be the #3 QB...I know Whis liked him a lot in Pittsburgh, and at BC St. Pierre played better than his predecessor Matt Hasselbeck.
With Whis as HC and now Russ "riding shotgun"...I feel like the Mayflowers vans have arrived in Arizona!
Last edited:
