Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I want to preface this review with the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers are not my favorite professional football team, but when they're not playing my favorite team I do root for them to win. One of the main reasons is that I've always felt that the city of Pittsburgh and the people of Pittsburgh represent the heart and inner strength of "blue-collar" America. One of the reasons my life revolved around sports, is because at a young age my Father told me: "It doesn't matter what your Father does for a living, what type of clothes you wear, whether you have a diploma on the wall or not, and no matter what type of accent you speak with, that when you're on an athletic field, it's you against them, and if you're better you'll win!" I was an underdog and so was Pittsburgh, and neither one of us ever stopped striving to win.

This book is the autobiography of Dan Rooney, the son of the "The Chief", Art Rooney Sr. the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dan, whose 75 years of life coincides with the historical growth of the National Football League (NFL) from a rough scrabble "seat of the pants" operation to becoming the most popular game in America, in addition to becoming a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

The beauty of the author's storytelling is that despite Dan being a Pittsburgh Steeler all his life, his story is told with total honesty and compassion for all sides (teams) involved. Dan came from an Irish Catholic family and when I read about his youth, I closed my eyes, and as I imagined a movie being made about his life, I could only imagine one actor in the history of the cinema that would be perfectly cast in the lead role... "Jimmy Cagney"! Dan takes us from his childhood which included him being at the knees of NFL legends such as Papa Bear Halas, Bert Bell and other NFL founders who now all reside as does Dan in the Hall Of Fame, all the way through to the Steelers' five Super Bowl Championships. What gives this story so much more emotional impact than most biographies, is the reader can't fail but notice how unflinchingly Dan admits his and his team's mistakes as easily and as openly as most biographers gloat about their successes. To me one of the most endearing traits of Dan's is how many times he agonizes on how the Steelers' didn't keep, in his own words; "THE GREATEST QUARTERBACK OF ALL-TIME JOHNNY UNITAS!" They drafted him but never gave "Johnny U" a chance, then cut him. And the rest is history!

In the first few pages of the book Dan says that on December 23, 1972 with 22 seconds left on the clock in a game between the Oakland Raiders and his beloved Steelers that "THE MOST INCREDIBLE PLAY HE EVER SAW" took place: "THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION!" Over 200 pages later he states: "I BELIEVE THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION IS THE SINGLE GREATEST PLAY IN NFL HISTORY!"

By the end of this book, the reader realizes that you've gotten to know a unique individual, that despite being in a most competitive business is known for his dignity and integrity. When I finished reading Dan's story, I realized I read much more than the sports biography I thought I was going to read. What this book really is, is an open love letter to Dan's family, to the people of Pittsburgh, the State Of Pennsylvania, the Steeler players and fans, and to all NFL fans in the world. If you want to learn the history of the NFL this is the book for you. Or if you're simply tired of reading about all the spoiled, pampered, criminal elements in sports today, and want to simply read about a good man, then you've hit the "mother-lode" with this book.

If you are a Steeler fan, this is a great book. The history of the Pittsburgh Steelers is fascinating. There are great insights into players, coaches, current and former NFL commissioners, and other team owners. What is also clear is the quality of the ownership of the team. The Rooney family is a class act. Art Rooney ("The Chief") was quite the businessman. I had no idea how much he was involved in. The success of the Pittsburgh Steelers is a testament to "good guys win." I have a newfound admiration for the Rooney family and a new sense of pride as part of the "Steeler Nation."

A nice retrospective on one of the most successful franchises in sports over the past 35 years. The Steelers were equally as inept in their first 40 years, and that is covered too. Insights into many key moments in Steeler history - founding the team, cutting Johhny U, hiring Noll, Cowher & Tomlin, drafting of the Hall of Famers that dominated the 70's, passing on Dan Marino, and more. No big surprises, but an interesting, worthwhile read, especially for NFL fans and particularly any member of Steeler Nation.

This is a beautifully-written book that would be of interest even to those who don't know or care very much about football. Dan Rooney is the last of an important era in American football, and the authors have done a meticulous and caring job of capturing a significant piece of sports history. Don't miss this one!

I bought this for my son-in-law as a Christmas present. He started reading it and could not put it down. He kept telling my daughter about little passages in the book. Some of which brought tears to his eyes. He called me, all the way from Qatar, to tell me Thank you for the book. It was the best present ever that he could of received. They are both stationed in Qatar with the Air Force and now my daughter is reading it and she is not even a football fan. They said it makes them feel almost like they are at home.
Alice Gess, Holyoke, MA

This is a must read for every of the Steeler Nation, and for that matter anyone that loves the game of football.

Why would fans of other NFL teams bother to read Dan's autobiography? Well, to seen how and why the Steelers became one of the best-run franchises in the game, for one. For another, there is quite a bit of NFL history described here. I can't deny, however, that for non-members of Steeler nation, non-fans of the Rooney family, non-Pittsburgh area residents, there is much they might skip. The book is getting a bit dated at this writing, but even though I've been a fan since 1959, I only discovered it a month ago. Glad I read it. No need to do it again, and there are a couple of chapters in it that were really not needed except for hard-core fans in 2007.

This is an excellent book on the history of the city of Pittsburgh and its beloved Steelers. Dan Rooney, son Pittsburgh native and Steelers founder Art Rooney, Sr., details the history of Pittsburgh and the Steelers franchise over 75 years. Rooney reflects on the National Football League (NFL) and the Rooney family's role in building it, while trying to win a championship. He addresses the player and coaching decisions he was involved in making and how they've impacted the team, the city and the league. His dissection of the decisions the club made to cut Johnny Unitas and not draft Dan Marino, will make Steelers fans flinch as it reminds them of opportunities lost. The book outlines the amazing drafting decisions of the 1970s that brought the Steelers and their long-suffering founder and fans the first of their championships. The Rooney family and the Steelers have been at the forefront of helping to building a city and the most popular sport in America. At the start of 2011, the NFL (players and owners) is in deep negotiations to put in place a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This book discusses the previous CBAs, the Rooney family's role in them. Any football fan and history buff, will enjoy this book.

Mr. Rooney gave me everything I could have asked for in this book. He helped me remember, he gave me knew memories, he made me smile, and he made me love the Steelers even more. Plus, there was much about the history and formation of the entire league, so I feel like I understand the entire NFL better. Thank you Mr. Ambassador.

A Steeler fan my entire life, I thought this book would be better than the rest I have read. I was disappointed after reading the wonderful reviews on it on Amazon. The book is okay and an easy read, but there are much better Steeler and NFL books out there. The Rooney family is clearly a class act and the book does provide some wonderful insight into the family. However, I thought it just bounced back and forth in time too much, which is not one of my personal preferences. Once you told me something I do not need to read it again. I put the book down plenty of times and then came back to it just to finish it. Overall, the book is okay, but if you are a really Steeler fan don't be fooled by some of the reviews on here. If you have extra time read it. If not, pass on it.