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Steelers name best of their 75-year history
By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, October 25, 2007
L.C. Greenwood never envisioned a 75th season celebration when he was drafted by the Steelers out of Arkansas AM&N in the 10th round in 1969.
"I can remember we couldn't give away tickets," Greenwood said. "I mean, seriously, I tried to give somebody tickets and they said, 'No, I don't want to go to the game.'"
Almost 40 years and five Super Bowl championships later tickets are difficult to come by and the Steelers can't seem to stop celebrating their championship heritage.
Their latest self-tribute took place Wednesday afternoon at Heinz Field with the unveiling of the franchise's All-Time Team.
story continues below
Greenwood, a defensive end from 1969-81, was one of 33 players selected through a vote of Steelers fans.
Results of the fan balloting were not made available by the Steelers.
"It's a heck of a turnaround over a number of years," Greenwood said. "To see it evolve like this is just tremendously great."
Greenwood was one of 15 players who earned four Super Bowl rings with the Steelers in the 1970s to be included on the All-Time Team, comprised of 33 players in recognition of the Steelers' inaugural season, 1933.
The team includes 10 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and 68 Super Bowl rings won with the Steelers.
Tight end Elbie Nickel (1947-57) was the most historic of the bunch.
Four current Steelers -- guard Alan Faneca, nose tackle Casey Hampton, strong safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Hines Ward -- were recognized.
"It's very overwhelming," Ward said. "There were a lot of great players that probably didn't make this team that helped contribute in many ways, especially on the Super Bowl teams in the 1970s.
"To have some current players, it's just a special feeling in our heart."
Mike Wagner, a safety on the four Super Bowl teams of the 1970s, was one such player overlooked by the fans.
"I think there are some guys that got left out," Greenwood said, declining to name names. "I can always say somebody got left out and then somebody's gonna say there's somebody on that shouldn't be on.
"It's a conversation piece."
Steelers president Art Rooney II acknowledged the subjective nature of the fan balloting.
"Sam Davis (guard, 1967-79) and Bryan Hinkle (linebacker, 1982-93) probably should be on it," Rooney II said.
"There will be more guys from this (current) team (worthy of eventual consideration). (Quarterback) Ben (Roethlisberger) will give Terry (Bradshaw) a run, hopefully, before it's all over. It'll be interesting."
Rooney's father Dan, the Steelers' chairman, noted Hall-of-Fame back Bill Dudley (1942, 1945-46) was included on the Steelers' Legends (pre-1970s) Team but left off the All-Time Team.
Another Hall-of-Fame running back, John Henry Johnson (1960-65), made the Legends Team but not the All-Time squad.
"We're not doing it to try to show off or anything like that," Dan Rooney said. "It's more from the standpoint of making everybody feel great about it."
The Steelers' All-Time Team will be honored Nov. 4 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and at the Steelers' Nov. 5 game against Baltimore.
"I think it really comes back to our fans and how much they enjoy Steelers football," Rooney II said. "The biggest part of it was to be able to bring back some memories."
The following is the team:
QB: Terry Bradshaw
RB: Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis
TE: Bennie Cunningham, Elbie Nickel
WR: Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Hines Ward
OL: Larry Brown, Dermontti Dawson, Alan Faneca, Tunch Ilkin, Jon Kolb, Mike Webster
PK: Gary Anderson
DL: Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Casey Hampton, Ernie Stautner, Dwight White
LB: Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Greg Lloyd, Joey Porter, Andy Russell
DB: Mel Blount, Jack Butler, Carnell Lake, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, Rod Woodson
P: Bobby Walden
"We have had so many great players over the years, including before we won Super Bowls," Dan Rooney said in a statement. "The accomplishments of each of these players have played a key role in contributing to the long-standing tradition of Steelers football."
Here are the players selected to the Steelers All-Time Team:
By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, October 25, 2007
L.C. Greenwood never envisioned a 75th season celebration when he was drafted by the Steelers out of Arkansas AM&N in the 10th round in 1969.
"I can remember we couldn't give away tickets," Greenwood said. "I mean, seriously, I tried to give somebody tickets and they said, 'No, I don't want to go to the game.'"
Almost 40 years and five Super Bowl championships later tickets are difficult to come by and the Steelers can't seem to stop celebrating their championship heritage.
Their latest self-tribute took place Wednesday afternoon at Heinz Field with the unveiling of the franchise's All-Time Team.
story continues below
Greenwood, a defensive end from 1969-81, was one of 33 players selected through a vote of Steelers fans.
Results of the fan balloting were not made available by the Steelers.
"It's a heck of a turnaround over a number of years," Greenwood said. "To see it evolve like this is just tremendously great."
Greenwood was one of 15 players who earned four Super Bowl rings with the Steelers in the 1970s to be included on the All-Time Team, comprised of 33 players in recognition of the Steelers' inaugural season, 1933.
The team includes 10 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and 68 Super Bowl rings won with the Steelers.
Tight end Elbie Nickel (1947-57) was the most historic of the bunch.
Four current Steelers -- guard Alan Faneca, nose tackle Casey Hampton, strong safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Hines Ward -- were recognized.
"It's very overwhelming," Ward said. "There were a lot of great players that probably didn't make this team that helped contribute in many ways, especially on the Super Bowl teams in the 1970s.
"To have some current players, it's just a special feeling in our heart."
Mike Wagner, a safety on the four Super Bowl teams of the 1970s, was one such player overlooked by the fans.
"I think there are some guys that got left out," Greenwood said, declining to name names. "I can always say somebody got left out and then somebody's gonna say there's somebody on that shouldn't be on.
"It's a conversation piece."
Steelers president Art Rooney II acknowledged the subjective nature of the fan balloting.
"Sam Davis (guard, 1967-79) and Bryan Hinkle (linebacker, 1982-93) probably should be on it," Rooney II said.
"There will be more guys from this (current) team (worthy of eventual consideration). (Quarterback) Ben (Roethlisberger) will give Terry (Bradshaw) a run, hopefully, before it's all over. It'll be interesting."
Rooney's father Dan, the Steelers' chairman, noted Hall-of-Fame back Bill Dudley (1942, 1945-46) was included on the Steelers' Legends (pre-1970s) Team but left off the All-Time Team.
Another Hall-of-Fame running back, John Henry Johnson (1960-65), made the Legends Team but not the All-Time squad.
"We're not doing it to try to show off or anything like that," Dan Rooney said. "It's more from the standpoint of making everybody feel great about it."
The Steelers' All-Time Team will be honored Nov. 4 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and at the Steelers' Nov. 5 game against Baltimore.
"I think it really comes back to our fans and how much they enjoy Steelers football," Rooney II said. "The biggest part of it was to be able to bring back some memories."
The following is the team:
QB: Terry Bradshaw
RB: Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis
TE: Bennie Cunningham, Elbie Nickel
WR: Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Hines Ward
OL: Larry Brown, Dermontti Dawson, Alan Faneca, Tunch Ilkin, Jon Kolb, Mike Webster
PK: Gary Anderson
DL: Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Casey Hampton, Ernie Stautner, Dwight White
LB: Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Greg Lloyd, Joey Porter, Andy Russell
DB: Mel Blount, Jack Butler, Carnell Lake, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, Rod Woodson
P: Bobby Walden
"We have had so many great players over the years, including before we won Super Bowls," Dan Rooney said in a statement. "The accomplishments of each of these players have played a key role in contributing to the long-standing tradition of Steelers football."
Here are the players selected to the Steelers All-Time Team: