Some of the highlights of what he said:
They are here tonight (Steelers team) and I have to tell you that is about the highest compliment I have had paid to me in my life. “Ambassador Rooney is here and I am completely humbled by that. He and the Rooney family, and Coach Tomlin let this team come out during training camp. To let them come out here tonight, it’s like them having another away game. I told them I wouldn’t want to be here without you men. I am proud of the guys I played with. My teammates are already in the Hall of Fame. I am so honored to go in there with them. I am being inducted as a player and believe me that makes me the most proud. I did that for 14 years. But for the last 38 years I have been a football coach so to ask me to talk more than two minutes and not talk about my guys over here, I can tell you right now it ain’t going to happen. The good thing for you guys is when I talk about them you will know who I am talking about. When I talk about the guys I played against you will say who?”
Once he learned he was voted in, he made mention of that:
“I was giddy. My feet wouldn’t touch the ground. I said, come on Dick, get a hold of yourself. You’re an experienced liver – not old, you just have a lot of experience. I got on the plane and got down to the Super Bowl where they introduced us and I saw Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith. They were just as giddy and off the ground as I was. I made my mind up right there I am going to just relax and enjoy this and I don’t care if I ever come down.”
Final thoughts from LeBeau yesterday?
“Life if for living folks. Don’t let a number be anything but a number. Don’t let anybody tell you that you are too old to do this or do that. Stay in life. Life is a gift. It’s a joy. Don’t drop out of it. If I would have gotten out of my life’s work at 65 or 67 here’s what I would have missed – not just one but two World Championship football teams I got to be a part of. I got to be a part of the number one defense that statistically had the lowest numbers in the last 35-40 years. I had my number retired from my high school, a building named after me in my home time. I made the Detroit Lions all 75-year team. I was accepted into the Ohio State University athletic Hall of Fame. And now tonight I guess when I get down and get off of this speaking, I will be in the NFL Hall of Fame. My mother always said onward, and upward.”
There is a really great video you can watch featuring Dick’s brother Bob so if you would like to see that it is located at the following:
Steelers.com, Dick LeBeau's Induction Presenter Video
Bob LeBeau, Dick's older brother, shares his thoughts and feelings about his siblings induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This was played before Dick gave his speech in Canton
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Highlights from his speech:
Finally, his entire speech can be seen at:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-hall-of-fame/09000d5d8199707e/Dick-LeBeau-HOF-speech
So, experts are picking Baltimore and/or Cincinnati to finish ahead of the Steelers. I say WHATEVER. Someone else concurs with Mr. Steeler.
Pat Kirwin, NFL.com, Steelers still will be dangerous minus suspended Roethlisberger
For the first time in my 11-year NFL training camp tour, I arrived here and had some Steelers fans tell me they weren't expecting much from the team. The worst prediction I heard was a 5-11 record and Ben Roethlisberger being traded at the end of the season. The best outlook was 12-4 and a good playoff run, but not a Super Bowl title. In sitting down with players and director of football operations Kevin Colbert, however, a different view came to light. There's no doubt the veteran players feel they can circle the wagons and overcome the adversity of not having Roethlisberger for at least the first four games as he serves his suspension. As wide receiver Hines Ward said to me, "We don't mind being the underdogs." Colbert likes this football team and its chances to make the playoffs. He believes there are players who can fill in admirably for departed stars Santonio Holmes (traded), Willie Colon (injured) and Willie Parker (released). After visiting the Steelers and watching them scrimmage, I'd recommend not taking the Steelers lightly this season.
OBSERVATION DECK
Don't count on Dennis Dixon making a serious run at the starting quarterback job while Roethlisberger is out. He brings an interesting dimension to the offense with his escapability, but he also struggled this week in practice. Several players and at least one front-office person felt Byron Leftwich is the choice -- for his experience and previous success in this offense.
As defensive end Brett Keisel said, "the Steelers don't usually bring back players who left the organization," but there is great comfort that Larry Foote, Antwaan Randle El, Bryant McFadden, and Leftwich are back in Pittsburgh.
"No one replaces Santonio Holmes," Ward said, "but Randle El gives us a real smart receiver who knows how to get open."
Get ready for more exotic defenses from coordinator Dick LeBeau. The Steelers couldn't close out opponents last year in true Pittsburgh fashion.
SURPRISE, SURPRISE
Roethlisberger is taking a lot of reps in practice considering the other quarterbacks have to get ready to start in his absence. At some point there will be a shift away from Roethlisberger, but for now he's getting a lot of work. If I was coach Mike Tomlin, I might give him the entire fourth preseason game and let him throw it 40 times before he's sent home with no contact between him and the team.
Instead of moving left tackle Max Starks over to the right side, where he played in a Super Bowl, the Steelers decided to put career left tackle Flozell Adams (a recent free-agent pickup) at right tackle. When considering Adams is right handed and Starks is left handed, it made some sense. Colbert said that, with each practice, Adams is getting better at his angles and drops from the right-handed stance. Things should work out just fine.
ROOKIE REPORT
Pittsburgh's first-round pick Maurkice Pouncey is working mostly at right guard but is also taking reps at center. He has impressed the coaches with his ability to bounce back from bad plays. If he gets beat on a pass rush, the next time he beats the same man. He will be on the field come Week 1.
I had a chance to sit down with second-round choice outside linebacker Jason Worilds, who is definitely cut from the mold of LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison as a thick and explosive athlete. He quickly found out that his speed-rush move off the edge got neutralized by the Steelers' tackles and is working hard on counters. He's a backup at this point and should be a terror on special teams, which need to be upgraded.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, a third-round pick, is already getting noticed for his routes and smooth running style. He has a chance to make the team and is getting good grades from the coaches. That said, he has a long way to go to get on the field, and there are other young players like Brandon London and sixth-round pick Antonio Brown also vying for a roster spot.
Despite having a great starting tandem at outside linebacker, and drafting Worilds, Pittsburgh still took Thaddeus Gibson in the fourth round. Colbert explained, "It was really a very easy decision to take him when we did because he's a good player, and he has more experience in a 3-4 defense than most college players."
LASTING IMAGE
Coming to Latrobe is different than any other camp. Seeing Ward with a piece of tape on the front of his helmet with his name on it -- which is what high school kids do until the coach knows their name -- is always impressive to me.
Watching the Steelers pull up to Latrobe High School in yellow school buses with an old steel mill as the backdrop and 15,000 fans jammed into the little stadium is very special. The players take it seriously.
EXTRA POINTS
Kicker Jeff Reed was upset about not receiving a long-term contract and claimed the team lied to him. That was a few days ago, but it doesn't appear his comments will impact his preparation or performance this season.
Get ready for a big year from defensive end Ziggy Hood. When I asked multiple people about who the most improved player, the number one name was Hood. He has worked on a number of pass rush moves and increased his power to the point where he will be a factor up front.
After the Roethlisberger issue, the biggest challenge to the Steelers might face is finding a safety who can help prevent a major drop off if Troy Polamalu incurs another injury. Keep an eye on veteran Will Allen and last year's third-round pick, Keenan Lewis.
When the news broke about the Roethlisberger suspension, Bill Cowher told me that this team would quickly develop an "us against the world" mentality, and that they would be mentally ready to win in spite of the situation. There is no doubt Cowher had his old team pegged right.
Commissioner Roger Goodell was here the day before I arrived to meet with Roethlisberger. Goodell is going to wait until September to decide on the length of the QB's suspension, but I now believe it will be four games instead of six. I leave Latrobe thinking this is a 9-7 or 10-6 team with the potential to make the playoffs as a wild card.
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Ziggy Hood continues to improve and impress…
Aaron Smith: “He's big, he's strong and he's fast. He understands he has a lot to learn still. He learns it and then he uses it. Not everybody can do that. I think he's going to be a special player.
Brentson Buckner (former Steeler current training camp intern): “He's explosive, has strong hands, has a feel for the game and he's violent. That's the hardest thing to teach kids coming out of college. At this level, it's the intensity and the violence you have to play for. But he has that edge. He comes out ready to bite. When you have a guy who's 310 pounds, strong, fast and he has the motor, he has a chance to be great.”
Brett Keisel: “I don't have a problem with coming out of the game as long as there's no drop-off with the guy coming in. I think that's when we've been at our best, when we've had a rotation of guys who can come in and play. It keeps us all fresh during the game and at the end of the season. The more guys we can have ready to play the better.”
Every year there is at least one player who is a disappointment in training camp. This year thus far it might be rookie Jonathan Dwyer. Coming out of Georgia Tech in high regard, Dwyer began his NFL experience with a sore hamstring and when finally getting on the field last week, he did not impress. In fact, when drafted he weighed about 229 pounds. Reportedly, he is much heavier now which of course would result in slower play. On Friday night at Latrobe Stadium, Dwyer was matched up against fellow rookie Thaddeus Gibson in the “backers drill.” The idea is for running backs to block oncoming defenders. Instead of rotating, Head Coach Mike Tomlin kept Dwyer on the field until after four tries, it appears the rookie running back finally had some success. But in goal line drills, Dwyer was on the end of some vocal heat from Running Backs Coach Kirby Wilson. Dwyer responded with a helmet slam. Said Tomlin:
“That's makeup reps. He still has a ways to go.”
Do the Pittsburgh Steelers have the best two safeties in the NFL? Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu? They certainly complement each other. Thoughts from the two and other members of our defense follow.
Ray Horton (secondary coach): “Ryan is the loud guy. Troy doesn't talk on the practice field at all. I can't hear him, and I don't ask him to do it anymore. I really think Ryan takes pride in protecting Troy because sometimes Troy's really instinctual. Troy will sometimes get a feeling and go with it, and sometimes Ryan has to protect him on the backside, and he does. They're like brothers. Ed Reed may make more ESPN highlight plays than Ryan, but I don't know if there's a more complete player than Ryan. Ryan picks the ball off, Ryan makes tackles and sets the whole defense. He is such an unsung player.”
Ryan Clark: “I think last year, while I still had a good year, I just felt like I had to do so much, and communicating with people is different. When you become so close to somebody off the field, there's things on the field that you develop. It showed how important I was to him, and when a guy does something like that, you can't help but love him. I think that was a big part in me making it through being sick, being around him. It strengthened my faith.”
Troy Polamalu: “Not that Ryan had anything to do with it, it's just that I missed Chris, who I'm still close with. Imagine another safety coming in to replace Ryan. I would say we're a lot alike, more than we are different. Obviously he's got a more flamboyant personality than I have, but we like to prank each other. We can joke about anything. We can talk about anything.”
James Farrior: “They've got that unspoken language out there. I've never heard them talking to each other. I don't know what they're doing back there, but whatever they're doing, it works. We won a whole other Super Bowl after that, and they are still talking about the first one.”
Finally for today, last week the media broke a story about referee Bill Leavy. If you don’t remember, Leavy was a referee in Super Bowl XL and was responsible for several penalty flags against the Seattle Seahawks that led took away some positive plays from the ‘Hawks as the Steelers went on to win their “One for the Thumb.” Afterwards and for several years following, we heard nothing but whining from Seattle fans. Just when you thought the whole thing was history, along comes this idiot Leavy who goes public with the proclamation that he blew two of his calls in that game that he said should not have been made against Seattle. Let the whiners resurface. I’m sure on discussion boards across the internet the Seahawk fans are already crying foul. I still contend that the refs had nothing to do with Antwaan Randle El’s trick play, or Willie Parker’s long run to paydirt. The best team won…no question. So how are the Steelers reacting to this:
Max Starks: “He should go ahead and retire if he feels so bad about it. Just do us all a favor and not referee anymore. Well, that was a holding (holding call on Locklear against Clark Haggans). And that's coming from an offensive lineman. It pains me to admit those kinds of things. You know what, even if you give them that touchdown, we still win the game. It would've been 14-10. We still win. I know we have no regrets. We have won another one since. You look back on it, and you're a human being and that was a judgment call and you have to live with it. If you thought it was iffy, then don't make the call.”
James Farrior: “I guess they need better refs. I don't know what to tell them. That was 2005. That's old stuff.”
The jerk speaks:
Leavy: “I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter, and I impacted the game and, as an official, you never want to do that. It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about it constantly. I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better.”
