If you’ve watched Sportscenter over the past month or visited ESPN.com at all during this span, you were probably smacked in the face with a heavy dose of Mount Rushmore. This is an example of an ok idea (which is why it’s getting my attention) that was very poorly executed. You see, ESPN set out to determine who each state’s 4 Rushmore reps would be. Though, the criteria seemed rather confused as sports figures started popping up on multiple Rushmores…Is Peyton Manning’s chiseled rock set in Southern Indiana (any Hoosier knows it’s nothing but flatness up north) or resting peacefully upon the Great Smokies or should he be hanging in the New Orleans French Quarter. ESPN didn’t seem to want to choose between place of birth, college greatness or professional greatness.
My biggest problem came when I looked at Pennsylvania and not a single Steeler was represented. How could the most successful and prominant team in the state not get a nod.
So, this post is dedicated to the Mount Rushmore of Pittsburgh Steelers only. Who makes the list? Of all the great individuals that donned the Black and Gold which 4 stand above the rest? This was extremely difficult as I made my selections:
On display…my very terrible cut and paste Mt Rushmore attempt.
Jerome Bettis: The beloved heart and soul and inspirational leader of the Cowher-led Steelers. As a big, bruising running back, he ran in such a way that exemplified the heart and soul of the city. The Bus finished his career as the 5th leading rusher all-time and garnered 6 Pro Bowl selections.
Dan Rooney: President/Chairman 1955 – Present. We have to have a Rooney on the Mount, and while many may choose Art, I choose Dan. Other than Art founding the team, both Rooney’s have been Owner/Pres/Chair for 55 years, Art’s first 40 years were dismal the last 15 were magical. Of Dan’s 55 years only the first 20 were dismal and the rest is history. Dan Rooney is one of very few people to hold 6 championship rings. Dan Rooney’s contributions of the field in working for labor peace, introducing the Rooney Rule, working out a deal to keep the team in the family and just for his pure awesomeness, are what set him apart from his dad.
Joe Greene: The heart and soul of the Chuck Noll era Steelers of the 70’s. His acquisition and then acclimation to the Pittsburgh Steelers was the hinge-point in turning a sorry, perennial loser into the greatest NFL team of all time. His dedication and toughness were contagious and led GREAT teams by example. Joe Greene was the cornerstone around which the Steel Curtain was built. Fighting in the trenches Joe Greene was selected to 10 Pro Bowls in his career. Still with the team, he also hold 6 rings.
Jack Lambert: He’s clearly number 4 in this list but epitomizes all that Pittsburghers think of when they think of their Steelers. He was “too small” they said to play linebacker but his strength and quickness combined with his mind for the game allowed him to excel. Named to 9 straight Pro Bowls as well as winning the Defensive ROY and POY, Lambert’s intensity is what people remember when they think of Jack. If there were a tie for this last spot it would certainly be won by Lambert on account of his iconic toothless image.
That’s my list. I’m nearly distraught to not include Chuck Noll, Franco Harris or Terry Bradshaw, but there are only 4 spots.
Who makes your Steelers Mount Rushmore? Agree with mine? Convince me that I blew it…or heap praises upon my amazing selections.
10 Comments
February 27, 2009 at 4:06 pm
[...] The Mount Rushmore of Steel. [...]
February 28, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Jack Lambert, Joe Greene, Jerome Bettis, and Mike Webster.
March 2, 2009 at 9:12 am
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no!
without the chief, there are no steelers, period. and the steelers only have one qb to win 4 superbowls and 2 mvps. he’s got to be there.
.
March 2, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Lambert, Greene, Art Rooney and Myron Cope.
March 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Love the ideas…this is such an extremely hard thing to decide. In all honesty, the Steelers Mt Rushmore should have about 8-10 heads chiseled in rock.
I love Art Rooney, but SouthFLSteel…if you add Art and Terry, who do you take off? If you add Art does that mean that EVERY NFL team’s Mount should have their original owner on it. Based on your rationale that would be true.
I believe that Dan Rooney has been much more influential in the “success” of the Steelers. Art is responsible for the Steelers. Could be a toss up, I give the nod to the boy and the success factor and think that dad would be proud.
I could add Terry and take off Lambert just for the QB/4 SB thing, but that face of Jack just has to be there.
March 2, 2009 at 5:20 pm
hard to call but for me…
Bettis, The Chief, Myron, and Greene.
I would rather just put more faces on there because I could argue for alot of people.
March 3, 2009 at 7:38 am
Got to be…Bradshaw…Lambert…Mean Joe…and the Chief!
March 3, 2009 at 11:57 am
Thought I’d add this to the comments…BTSC linked to this post (thanks) and there’s some discussion going on over there about the Steelers Mt Rushmore…while I wish the discussion would have migrated here, I’m thankful for the linkage. Here’s the best and most thought out response (by steeler1275):
Wow, this is really tough, but here is who I would put on a Steelers Mount Rushmore:
- Mean Joe Greene: Noll’s first draft pick. He was the first great player to join a perennially lousy team that would soon rule the NFL. He helped change that culture. He would be named defensive rookie of the year, be named NFL’s DPOY twice, win 4 Super Bowl rings, be named to the 75th anniversary team and be enshrined in Canton. And besides Reggie White, was there ever any better defensive tackle? (White played DT and DE.)
- Terry Bradshaw: He came the following year after Greene. He admittedly had some early struggles, but once he started maturing, the Steelers started winning Super Bowls. And you just can’t win multiple Super Bowls without great qb play, let alone 4. His stats may not look overly impressive, but anyone who watched him play knew what he meant to the team. And as Mean Joe used to say, stats are for losers.
- Jack Lambert: When a team becomes a dynasty, many players are responsible. Just as Mean Joe Greene changed the culture, Jack helped make sure there was no sense of complacency that set in during that decade. He was always intense whether it was training camp or the Super Bowl. And if he felt that teammates were playing without a sense of urgency, he let them know about it in no uncertain terms. Although he was skinny for a MLB, even for back then, he intimidated opponents. You can’t put a price on all that. And oh yeah, he called the defenses and was a great player.
- Ben Roethlisberger: His career is hopefully far from over, so part of this is projection. But what he’s already done in his 5 years has been incredible. Like with Bradshaw, I don’t care about Ben’s passing stats. What I do care about is that he’s led his team to the playoffs 4 times, made the AFCCG 3 times and won 2 Super Bowls. As a rookie, he won 13 games in a row which was unprecedented. As a 2nd year player, he was lights out in the AFC playoffs, making a clutch game saving tackle of all things against the Colts. He didn’t play the greatest in Super Bowl XL, but he still made some key plays (scrambling and then converting a 3rd and 28, diving headlong for a td, throwing a key block on El’s td pass, converting a busted play for a 1rst down with a bootleg late in the game to bleed the clock). And we saw what he did with 2 minutes to go in Super Bowl XLIII. I hope younger Steeler fans appreciate how lucky they are that their favorite team has this guy at qb.
That’s my four. Lots of great players and coaches to choose from, but obviously only 4 can be selected.
March 7, 2009 at 1:10 am
coach noll – lambert – greene – ward
March 16, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Good call. The Emperor has to be on there. I’m surprised you’re the first person to mention him.
Frankly, I don’t think anyone except maybe Ben or Hines belongs on there from the contemporary teams. Bettis was something of an underachiever when it really counted. He was a leader and the motivational heart-and-soul for the Super Bowl XL team, but he could never really carry the team on his back in the playoffs.