Oakland Raiders Can Learn From Others: The Steel Curtain Had High Intelligence

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated us a few weeks ago. I didn't like that at all.

You can say that I am in the right place at the right time. Here is the story.

At the holiday gathering in the math department, my colleague who is the son of Ernie Holmes, who was a member of the Steel Curtain walked into the room smiling. I spoke out and said, "The Steelers beat the Raiders and I'm not happy about it."

His name is Dr. Rod Holmes. I continued, "Let me interview you and ask you about your father." He said, "Yes."

Next, I took out my new pen, called Pulse, and I started writing. The pen has a computer in it and it recorded Dr. Holmes' words.

I admit he was fascinated by the pen. My pen is called a "smart pen." I wanted to show Dr. Holmes that I am always searching for information and technology to work smart as a sportswriter.

By the way, the pen is advertised on the side bar of some Bleacher Report articles.

What makes Dr. Holmes unique? His father was one of the original players of the Steel Curtain, a powerful team of defensive players for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here is what I learned.

Dr. Holmes said, "My dad was the heart and soul of the Steel Curtain. Without him, it would just have been a curtain."

He continued, "He was the steel in the Steel Curtain."

He shared how his father was able to make moves that freed the other guys to combat their opponent, one-on-one.

The pride with which Dr. Holmes spoke is what we want the sons and daughters of the Oakland Raiders to feel and describe to future generations.

On further questioning I learned that Ernie Holmes was a man of high intelligence with a powerful physical makeup.

You have heard the old saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Let me explain something about the son of Ernie Holmes, and may these ideas be shared with the young Oakland Raiders.

Dr. Holmes is the second African American man to have received a Ph.D in mathematics from the University of Houston. Holmes is a part of a Steel Curtain in professional mathematics in the United States and abroad.

Holmes recognizes and appreciates that his father was extremely intelligent and his father used his gift on the playing field. Dr. Holmes uses his strength and intelligence doing mathematical research. He indicates that he, too, will begin to gather NFL data and do analysis and studies.

This means that Ernie Holmes could out-think his opponents. Obviously the young Steelers out-thought the young Oakland Raiders a few weeks ago.

What do we learn from this? I conjecture that it takes both physicality and intellectuality to defeat your opponents.

The young Raiders have to be in shape and in condition in both domains. Nothing else will work.

Is steel one of the strongest metals in the world? Yes. Different forms have different strengths. What's more, the Raiders need a strength equal to or greater than steel. It's a new day, and now we know more about strength of materials.

This week the Oakland Raiders are charged with the task of defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars. Next year, after much conditioning and study, they will be better prepared to find the areas of vulnerability of the Steelers, and manage to be victorious over them.

Go Raiders! Build a powerful defense out of a modern day material that is stronger than steel. It certainly would come in handy, when, in fact, you play them again.