Legacy,Traditon, & Family Values = One Powerful Man

My choice for the Power 100?

You are aware of the fact that I am from western Pa., right? The breeding grounds for talented quarterbacks, historical football games, and a fan base that will knock your socks off.

Do you have any idea how many powerful sports figures are either from here and have moved away or are still residing in the area? And this doesn’t include the current and upcoming high school talent. The list goes on and on.

But since I have to pick one to place in the Power 100, we’ll have to go with Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Why Dan and not Art? Well, it’s probably because I met Dan one day at a high school basketball game. I never met Art. Dan was there to cheer on his grandson, who played for Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh. It took me a while to build up the nerve to talk to him, I can’t lie about that. Here’s this powerful man who helped sculpture the strong tradition of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the same man who decides if guys like Big Ben, or Heinz Ward, or even big Casey Hampton get the big money they’re agents are asking for. And at 75 years old, (he’ll turn 76 on July 20^th by the way) he controls the media like he owned the station.  You can see the kind of respect this guy demands, when he walks into a room.

But I had to push that fear aside, because I was determined to shake his hand and maybe get a picture taken with him. So off I went over to where he was sitting and as proud as a peacock, I introduced myself, trembling a bit from the nerves, shook his hand and asked if he would mind if I had a photo taken with him. And this is exactly what he said: “Ah Heck yeah, c’mon up here beside me”. He put his arm around me, like we were old buddies. My friend took the shot, and he then wanted me to make sure the photo took ok, in case we had to take another one.  After telling him about my website, I run a high school football website, I figured it best to thank him and not let him miss his grandson playing basketball. So off I went, feeling very satisfied.

So why Dan Rooney?

Well let’s face it. This guy has made western Pa. football what it is today. His father Art started it, and passed it on to Dan, and along with this western Pa. tradition, he also passed on strong family values. Now Dan could have easily told me to bug off, that he didn’t want bothered, or was trying to only watch his grandson play, but no he took the time to associate himself with the “nobodies” of the world. Because I believe it meant that much to him.

Values of that caliber can’t be taught. No, those kinds of values come from the heart, and are passed down through the family. I never met Art, but I can clearly see what kind of man he was also.

A recent announcement that the Rooney’s were shopping the team around brought great concern to western, Pa.  I believe it was the shock of the unknown that startled everyone. But Dan quickly calmed the fans and all of western, Pa. with these words of comfort: “I have spent my entire life devoted to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football League. I will do everything possible to work out a solution to ensure my father’s legacy of keeping the Steelers in the Rooney family and in Pittsburgh for at least another 75 years.”

After personally meeting Dan Rooney, I have great comfort in knowing he is a man of his word.

Dan Rooney, a powerful man? In more ways than you can imagine.