SC Steeler is based on my alliance to the “Pittsburgh Steelers”.  My first blog post is about how I even became a Steelers fan while living in South Carolina.  When people from other states (….particularly northerners) inquire about my fondness for the Steelers, I immediately point to two events.  One is the “Immaculate Reception” and the other is the story of Donnie Shell which I will blog about in detail in a subsequent post.

I used to be a big AFL fan back in the day.  I know I am somewhat “dating” myself but this who I am.  Growing up in South Carolina in the late 60’s and 70’s limited the available local NFL teams to the “Falcons”.  “Come on man”, you gotta’ be kidding me!  What kid back then wanted to go around claiming a team no one could even could name one player on the entire team.  Furthermore, the Falcons at that time perennial losers.  However, there were a few teams in the AFL at that time that had promise and at that time the Kansas City Chiefs were my NFL team of choice.  At that time frame they had some real star power with names like Len Dawson (QB), Willie Lanier(MLB), Bobby Bell(OLB), Emmitt Thomas(CB), Buck Buchanan(DL), Jan Stenerud(Kicker)and even the most flamboyant coach at the time Hank Stram.  Did I mention all these guys are in the Hall Of Fame.       


 
Hank Stram                   Len Dawson     


   
Bobby Bell                       Willie Lanier   

Unfortunately, the Kansas City Chiefs became a victim of their own success.  After the early 70’s some of their draft picks were simply just “inadequate” to help the team further their prior success.  Coupled with some of their aging talent, you simply had a recipe for a team that just never could recapture their past glory days.

About around this time, the Pittsburgh Steelers were drafting future hall of fame talent.  Of course no one knew it then but starting with Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, and then Franco Harris they were putting together the nucleus of the team that would become known as the “greatest” of all time!  Additionally, when Franco came into the league and played the Chiefs that year in ’72, he “steamrolled” the Chiefs vaulted defense for 134 yards which got my attention.  So the Steelers finished the 1972 season with a record  11-3 while the Chiefs were 8-6 and out of the playoffs.

          

Joe Greene                                   Terry Bradshaw

In the ’72 playoffs the Steelers drew the Oakland Raiders as their first playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium and the game was brutal.  I remember watching this game with my older brothers whom seemed to like the fact that the Raiders were taking it to the Steelers whom I had declared was my “new” NFL team that year!  Of course the game was close but it just seemed throughout the game that even though the Raiders were older they were very established and always had an advantage over the Steelers in every facet of the game.  The Raiders also has a slew of Hall of Fame talent on their team at the time and were generally feared in the NFL at that time (…and rightfully so) as the “smash-mouth” football team, offensively and defensively.

Anyway the Raiders took the lead over the Steelers in this 1972 playoff game near the end of the game when Kenny “the Snake” Stabler seemingly hobbled into the end zone on a quarterback scramble from about 30 yards with just over left to play in the game.  My brothers were ecstatic and were really talking trash.  I had to step outside it was so bad and get some air.  By the time I came back in the house, Pittsburgh was on their 40 yard line with only about a few seconds left to play.  I can’t even remember if we even had a color TV at that time (…most persons I knew didn’t), however, I do remember I how dejected I felt while my brother were still “ragging” me about my new choice of my NFL team.

Well the last play of the game started and I can even remember that Curt Cowdy was the play-by-play announcer for NBC was giving both teams “props” for well-played defensive game.  Click here for a moment of history!   Well you know what happened next!  My older brothers looked like they had been shamed and stain immensely; a feeling they would get use to because of the Steelers dynasty that had just begun!