an odd Steelers journey_ autobio 1

The speaker reflects on a 30-year friendship with Andy, starting from their time as teammates in football. The speaker was initially unsure about joining the Pittsburgh Steelers but was comforted by the presence of their former coach. They sought advice from the coach on what it takes to be a professional linebacker in the NFL. In the world of business, sports, and life, I'm not known to be a sentimentalist, or one who walks down the memory lane of the Steeler dynasty. So when Andy asked me to script the foreword of his new book, it forced, or rather encouraged me to reflect on a history of a friendship that has spanned some thirty years, a relationship that has developed from teammates to friends to businessmen. Actually, the years that we have known one another outside of football are five-fold of those that took place within the football arena. Our friendship goes back to my earliest days as a 1971 second-round Steeler's draft choice. Thinking that I would be a first-round choice of the San Diego Chargers, I was not sure how I felt about being a Pittsburgh Steeler. I was a scared, confused rookie about to play for one of the worst teams in football. Being a Penn State graduate, however, I was excited by the fact that my linebacker coach, Dan Badrad Radakovich, was now an assistant coach with the Steelers. Badrad was fundamentally the best technique coach in the league and had helped me and players like Ted Qualik to develop into All-Americans. To say that I respected his opinion would be an understatement. So it was natural for a rookie to seek the sage advice of someone so trusted and familiar. On my first trip to Three Rivers Stadium and the Allegheny Club, I was about to sign my contract and conduct the obligatory press conference. Badrad was there to give me some much-needed support. I took the opportunity to ask him, what does it take to be a professional linebacker in the NFL?