Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Dan Rooney: My 75 Years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL by Dan Rooney

When friends told me Dan Rooney was signing this book at the Joseph-Beth in Pittsburgh, I told them to be prepared for a mob because Dan is the Son in the Holy Trinity of Pittsburgh, his father, being both the Father and Holy Ghost since he's been dead now for a number of years. It's just how influential and beloved the Rooney's are--they are synonymous with both Pittsburgh and the Steelers so, certainly, the appeal of this book is to fans of the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers, the greatest team ever, bar none. What's so great about this book isn't just the memoir but the fact that Dan Rooney is, as he puts it, "the last man standing" of those who worked with the men who founded the National Football League; Halas, Lambeau and all those guys who started the league at a car dealership in Canton, OH in 1922. As the son of "The Chief", Art Rooney, Sr., and his involvement with the family business and the league, there's hardly an aspect of the game of football that Dan Rooney hasn't been witness to or had a hand in creating, negotiating or resolving. Those looking for gossip will be disappointed. He's just not that kind of guy. What Dan Rooney accomplishes is a fond and fair look at the game, the league and the team with some great stories. He also paints an affectionate family portrait and writes a love letter to the city of Pittsburgh.

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