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Their Life's Work: The Brotherhood of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers
With immersive reporting, respect, and honesty, Pomerantz tells the full story of the greatest dynasty in football history the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.The Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s won an unprecedented and unmatched four Super Bowls in six years. A dozen of those Steelers players, coaches, and executives have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and three decades later their names echo in popular memory: Mean Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Mike Webster, Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, and John Stallworth. In ways exhilarating and heartbreaking, they define not only the brotherhood of sports but those elements of the game that engage tens of millions of Americans: its artistry and its brutality. In 1981, when the Steelers failed to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years, acclaimed author Gary M. Pomerantz, then a sportswriter for "The Washington Post," interviewed them in training camp. At that time, Pomerantz asked himself, "What will life be like for these guys when they're sixty?"Without knowing it, he began writing this book.
The heroes of those days sat with Pomerantz for new interviews. Greene, in his living room, explained Super Bowl IX, when the Steel Curtain held the Vikings to 2.4 feet per carry. In his man cave, Count Frenchy Fuqua recounted the "Immaculate Reception." Dan Rooney came to the den of his childhood home to tell of the profound influences of his father, team founder Art Rooney, Sr., and of why he fired his brother Art Jr., mastermind of the NFL's most successful draft ever. In Hollywood, Bradshaw strained to explain his falling out with Coach Chuck Noll, his kinship with old teammates. The result is Pomerantz's richly textured story of a team and a sport. The book shows in full what the game gave these men, and what it took from them.
Intimate, poignant, and thrilling, "Their Life's Work" does for football what Roger Kahn's "The Boys of Summer "did for baseball. It is a story of victory, fortitude, renown, and, above all, the brotherhood of players who said they'd do it again all of it.
The heroes of those days sat with Pomerantz for new interviews. Greene, in his living room, explained Super Bowl IX, when the Steel Curtain held the Vikings to 2.4 feet per carry. In his man cave, Count Frenchy Fuqua recounted the "Immaculate Reception." Dan Rooney came to the den of his childhood home to tell of the profound influences of his father, team founder Art Rooney, Sr., and of why he fired his brother Art Jr., mastermind of the NFL's most successful draft ever. In Hollywood, Bradshaw strained to explain his falling out with Coach Chuck Noll, his kinship with old teammates. The result is Pomerantz's richly textured story of a team and a sport. The book shows in full what the game gave these men, and what it took from them.
Intimate, poignant, and thrilling, "Their Life's Work" does for football what Roger Kahn's "The Boys of Summer "did for baseball. It is a story of victory, fortitude, renown, and, above all, the brotherhood of players who said they'd do it again all of it.
480 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
December 15, 2013
Our heroes live large in our memories, no matter how long the distance between present time and former glory. But we rarely follow our heroes after the light from their brightest moments fade. Part of that is because we lose sight, lose touch, the media machine no longer giving us increasingly unfettered access to those who inspire us. But part of it, undeniably, is self-imposed: seeing our heroes after the glory days reminds us that not all stories have happy endings. That in the final analysis, our heroes, at their last, are reduced to mere people, their mortality reminding us all too firmly about our own. We want them to remain larger-than-life, not to remind us that all that is good must pass.
Gary Pomerantz spent several years following the team I most admire (and still adore): the Pittsburgh Steelers, who loomed in my 1970s childhood much like they must have loomed in the minds of the quarterbacks who faced the Steel Curtain: huge, intimidating, and virtually indestructible. He provides portraits of many of them, gleaned from hundreds of hours of interviews and other primary and secondary sources. All with a focus on the following question: Knowing now what you didn't know then, would you still go back and do it?
The perhaps unsurprising answer is yes, even as Franco Harris eats blueberries every day to keep at bay the brain damage that he's convinced he and every one of his teammates carries inside them. Even as Frenchy Fuqua can't turn doorknobs in his own home, and Reggie Harrison requires a wheelchair, and L.C. Greenwood can't remember how many back surgeries he's had. And even after the crushingly sad end for Mike Webster, perhaps the toughest Steeler of all, who spent a decade in pain and confusion before becoming the first diagnosed case of what would later come to be called CTE, now a household word any time football is mentioned.
Pomerantz' book honors the franchise, and particularly the Rooney family, from the Chief to Dan, Art Jr., and the rest. It reminds fans that the Steeler franchise has always been a family, which was perhaps why the early decades were marred by losing and the derision of outsiders--because the organization was run too much like a family, and not enough like a business. It takes the reader inside the locker room of those storied 1970s teams, but concentrates more on the players and the 'family' rather than reliving the play-by-play from past triumphs. Why did these Steelers come together so cohesively? And are they still doing that now?
Again, the answer is largely yes, despite a few outliers. Terry Bradshaw, for example, still keeps the Steeler family at bay, still wounded at fans booing him mercilessly in his earliest years, and the tough criticism of head coach Chuck Noll. Bradshaw claims he's moved on, but no-one who reads this will believe it. Another sad moment in the book is the discussion of the distance (and in the case of Bradshaw and Franco Harris, dislike) between Chuck Noll and the players who played for him. Noll, a disciple of the notoriously autocratic and distant Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown, never allowed himself to show emotion for his players, even after their playing days. Noll's inability to change and embrace his players is perhaps the hardest part to read, after the tragedy of Mike Webster. But beside these moments the Steeler family still carries on, though largely through the efforts of Franco Harris, Mel Blount, and others, who admit that their time draws short and they need to meet more often in the twilight of their lives.
Towards the end of the book Pomerantz uses Mike Webster's hellish descent into pain, disorientation and madness to bring in the current discussions about CTE, something that was first noticed in Webster's brain at autopsy and threatens the long-term existence of the NFL. This part of the book feels somewhat tacked-on, because to tarry too long on the larger issue of concussions in football and other sports risks ruining the narrative. It is instructive, however, to realize that until the football players from the 1970s and 1980s got older and their medical situations became widely known the steep price paid by our football greats was an issue that was largely ignored, with players like Raider great Jim Otto (a man of countless knee and shoulder replacements) living out their lives in quiet agony and poverty. The day may come when we view those players as pioneers in a very real sense; that in the case of players like Mike Webster and Dave Duerson and Andre Waters, they gave their very lives to ensure that others might not have to, and so they would be adequately cared for both during and after their playing days.
Their Life's Work is more than a book about football. It's about what you do after football, about family in whatever guise it takes, and about finding one's true purpose. The title was a saying of Noll's, a caution to all of his players that one day their athletic skills would desert them and that they would need to find a direction that would carry them through life. While this book is highly recommended for football fans, it's also a book for those who enjoys stories about people--their triumphs, challenges, and struggles. At the core Their Life's Work is a fascinating blend of glory-day remembrances and the cold reality of time passing, a bittersweet trip that loses no luster along the way.
Gary Pomerantz spent several years following the team I most admire (and still adore): the Pittsburgh Steelers, who loomed in my 1970s childhood much like they must have loomed in the minds of the quarterbacks who faced the Steel Curtain: huge, intimidating, and virtually indestructible. He provides portraits of many of them, gleaned from hundreds of hours of interviews and other primary and secondary sources. All with a focus on the following question: Knowing now what you didn't know then, would you still go back and do it?
The perhaps unsurprising answer is yes, even as Franco Harris eats blueberries every day to keep at bay the brain damage that he's convinced he and every one of his teammates carries inside them. Even as Frenchy Fuqua can't turn doorknobs in his own home, and Reggie Harrison requires a wheelchair, and L.C. Greenwood can't remember how many back surgeries he's had. And even after the crushingly sad end for Mike Webster, perhaps the toughest Steeler of all, who spent a decade in pain and confusion before becoming the first diagnosed case of what would later come to be called CTE, now a household word any time football is mentioned.
Pomerantz' book honors the franchise, and particularly the Rooney family, from the Chief to Dan, Art Jr., and the rest. It reminds fans that the Steeler franchise has always been a family, which was perhaps why the early decades were marred by losing and the derision of outsiders--because the organization was run too much like a family, and not enough like a business. It takes the reader inside the locker room of those storied 1970s teams, but concentrates more on the players and the 'family' rather than reliving the play-by-play from past triumphs. Why did these Steelers come together so cohesively? And are they still doing that now?
Again, the answer is largely yes, despite a few outliers. Terry Bradshaw, for example, still keeps the Steeler family at bay, still wounded at fans booing him mercilessly in his earliest years, and the tough criticism of head coach Chuck Noll. Bradshaw claims he's moved on, but no-one who reads this will believe it. Another sad moment in the book is the discussion of the distance (and in the case of Bradshaw and Franco Harris, dislike) between Chuck Noll and the players who played for him. Noll, a disciple of the notoriously autocratic and distant Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown, never allowed himself to show emotion for his players, even after their playing days. Noll's inability to change and embrace his players is perhaps the hardest part to read, after the tragedy of Mike Webster. But beside these moments the Steeler family still carries on, though largely through the efforts of Franco Harris, Mel Blount, and others, who admit that their time draws short and they need to meet more often in the twilight of their lives.
Towards the end of the book Pomerantz uses Mike Webster's hellish descent into pain, disorientation and madness to bring in the current discussions about CTE, something that was first noticed in Webster's brain at autopsy and threatens the long-term existence of the NFL. This part of the book feels somewhat tacked-on, because to tarry too long on the larger issue of concussions in football and other sports risks ruining the narrative. It is instructive, however, to realize that until the football players from the 1970s and 1980s got older and their medical situations became widely known the steep price paid by our football greats was an issue that was largely ignored, with players like Raider great Jim Otto (a man of countless knee and shoulder replacements) living out their lives in quiet agony and poverty. The day may come when we view those players as pioneers in a very real sense; that in the case of players like Mike Webster and Dave Duerson and Andre Waters, they gave their very lives to ensure that others might not have to, and so they would be adequately cared for both during and after their playing days.
Their Life's Work is more than a book about football. It's about what you do after football, about family in whatever guise it takes, and about finding one's true purpose. The title was a saying of Noll's, a caution to all of his players that one day their athletic skills would desert them and that they would need to find a direction that would carry them through life. While this book is highly recommended for football fans, it's also a book for those who enjoys stories about people--their triumphs, challenges, and struggles. At the core Their Life's Work is a fascinating blend of glory-day remembrances and the cold reality of time passing, a bittersweet trip that loses no luster along the way.
November 6, 2014
I received this as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
I don't read a lot of sports books. I've noticed that most of them fall into the ghost-written athlete autobiography category, or the 300-page Sports Illustrated article category. This book is neither of those. It's well-researched and well-written, and the author spent a good amount of time doing personal interviews and consulting multiple sources. Essentially, this book is an all-access pass to the history of the 1970s Steelers.
The story begins with the young Art Rooney and leads up to Noll's hiring and the selection of Mean Joe Greene in the 1969 draft. The story then centers around Greene, Terry Bradshaw, and Franco Harris, from the Immaculate Reception to the first Super Bowl victory. After that, individual chapters are dedicated to individual players, a series of anecdotes about their playing days and their current lives.
Aside from the obvious sports narrative, Pomerantz also addresses the racial tensions on the team and society. In today's world, it's odd to think that a pro athlete like Terry Bradshaw had never had a black teammate until he played for the Steelers, or the innate distrust of whites that many of the black players from the South carried for their first few seasons. It's also refreshing to know that the Rooneys played a role in hiring black staff and coaches.
Although Pomerantz dedicates a lot of time to the good days - defensive domination, humiliating victories, and four Lombardi trophies - he also spends a lot of time on the price that these players paid when they stepped on to the field. The chapter on Mike Webster shows the dark side of the NFL, and how the collective injuries and brain damage ruined his marriage and his life. It's hard to imagine a former NFL champion being homeless, yet attending Terry Bradshaw's hall of fame ceremony. At his own induction speech, he would ramble incoherently as a result of years of multiple concussions and shots to the head. Other players suffer from neck, back and knee problems, endure multiple surgeries and constant pain.
I'd recommend this book to any fan of the 1970s Steelers, or anyone who is a fan of well-written sports histories. There won't be another team like this, and you can see how all of them together - the Rooneys, Noll, and the players - came together as a family. Together they won, lost, grew up, grew old, and still reminisce about the days they were the best football team in the world.
August 2, 2025
Starts out great. It explains how Rooney bought into a starting NFL and how, after being losers for 40 years, they drafted well and became a dynasty. It goes through the first Super Bowl season fairly well, then it just says oh by the way, they won three more in the next five years and just kind of skips the rest of the 70s so it can spend close to half the book talking about what happened after the 70s. Hint, they all got old, and some died.
Can't recommend, its OK, but it's not a good history of the 70s team. Just not what this book is. There is some good stuff in it, but after the first half, it's a slog of a read.
Can't recommend, its OK, but it's not a good history of the 70s team. Just not what this book is. There is some good stuff in it, but after the first half, it's a slog of a read.
October 17, 2013
Those 70’s Steelers …
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
Looking back at my 1970’s childhood, a handful of images immediately come to mind: disco, bell-bottoms, shag carpet, etc. But, as a young boy, the NFL shines brightest to me. Sunday’s games dominated Monday morning school conversations, dog-eared the NFL merchandise in the Sears Christmas Wishbook, collected/traded Topps football cards, bought mini-helmets from gumball machines and proudly displayed the helmet logos of our favorite teams on skin-tight pajamas, faux letterman jackets and pom-pom knit hats. Although the Dolphins, Cowboys, Redskins and Raiders were commonly loved or hated, it was the 4x Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers who arguably defined professional football in the 1970’s. In a nuts-and-bolts manner, Gary Pomerantz’ THEIR LIFE’S WORK thoroughly and convincingly explains what made those Steeler teams so special and significant, both then and now.
While Pomerantz’ book didn’t convert me into a Steelers fan, it never really needed to as I completely enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It strikes a nostalgic nerve by bringing back to life a time when professional sports was simple, more about the game and less about business. An era when men were driven more by passion than a paycheck. The book provides more than a superficial view of the Steelers Super Bowl teams, much more. Pomerantz digs deep and gives us the humble beginnings of the organization (purchased for a mere $2,500 in 1933 by a savvy horse-betting Art Rooney) and it’s 40-year history of losing before piecing together the delicate parts that comprised the juggernaut teams that made the Steelers a household name. What makes the book complete is that the latter half is dedicated to the varied (and sometimes tragic) post-football years of the players (their “life’s work”).
Chronological in its presentation, THEIR LIFE’S WORK is organized into chapters that define pivotal moments and people. Overall, its organization provides a steady reading flow, but occasionally, I ran into a sub-chapter that did not sync with the chapter’s main theme. Regardless, each chapter/sub-chapter is chock full of details and stories that triggered a myriad of emotions. Pomerantz’ dedication to research and detail is evident as he reveals so much more than I anticipated about the players and coaches, their lives and habits (good and bad). All stories are told with a poignant wisp of nostalgia and a higher degree of respect. At times, the author’s personal enamor for the Roonys is evident as the family is presented in an almost saintly manner while the personality “flaws” of Terry Bradshaw (completely insecure), Chuck Noll (temperamental/cold), Jack Lambert (aloof/irritable) and others are fair game. In spite of this one slightly slanted approach, I found the stories throughout the book to be entertaining, revealing, even-handed and well-told. Pomerantz gives readers a fly-on-the-wall view of the Steelers at work and at play; as a team and as individuals. We realize that the championship Steeler teams were an amalgamation of very different and quirky men who were individually incompatible, but meshed perfectly together on the field (and when decompressing post-game in the team sauna). Some of the best chapters in the book delve into the individual lives of the more prominent players after their careers ended. From the commercial success of Bradshaw and the business success of Stallworth to the tragic downfalls of Joe Gilliam and Mike Webster, Pomerantz paints the complete picture of 70’s Steelers, flaws and all. He also makes clear the physical and mental sacrifice some of these men made (Webster and Courson, for example) simply due to their love of the game and commitment to the Steeler organization.
THEIR LIFE’S WORK is one of the better sports books I’ve read. I appreciated the author’s commitment to thoroughness in presenting the 70’s Steelers story. The Super Bowl Steeler teams of that era have a historical record that speaks for itself: 4 Super Bowl victories and NINE players in the Hall of Fame (including an unprecedented 4 Hall of Famers from a single draft in 1974). Pomerantz digs deeper than the simple stats and presents the intricate parts of these teams from top to bottom in a manner that should entertain any sports fan.
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
Looking back at my 1970’s childhood, a handful of images immediately come to mind: disco, bell-bottoms, shag carpet, etc. But, as a young boy, the NFL shines brightest to me. Sunday’s games dominated Monday morning school conversations, dog-eared the NFL merchandise in the Sears Christmas Wishbook, collected/traded Topps football cards, bought mini-helmets from gumball machines and proudly displayed the helmet logos of our favorite teams on skin-tight pajamas, faux letterman jackets and pom-pom knit hats. Although the Dolphins, Cowboys, Redskins and Raiders were commonly loved or hated, it was the 4x Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers who arguably defined professional football in the 1970’s. In a nuts-and-bolts manner, Gary Pomerantz’ THEIR LIFE’S WORK thoroughly and convincingly explains what made those Steeler teams so special and significant, both then and now.
While Pomerantz’ book didn’t convert me into a Steelers fan, it never really needed to as I completely enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It strikes a nostalgic nerve by bringing back to life a time when professional sports was simple, more about the game and less about business. An era when men were driven more by passion than a paycheck. The book provides more than a superficial view of the Steelers Super Bowl teams, much more. Pomerantz digs deep and gives us the humble beginnings of the organization (purchased for a mere $2,500 in 1933 by a savvy horse-betting Art Rooney) and it’s 40-year history of losing before piecing together the delicate parts that comprised the juggernaut teams that made the Steelers a household name. What makes the book complete is that the latter half is dedicated to the varied (and sometimes tragic) post-football years of the players (their “life’s work”).
Chronological in its presentation, THEIR LIFE’S WORK is organized into chapters that define pivotal moments and people. Overall, its organization provides a steady reading flow, but occasionally, I ran into a sub-chapter that did not sync with the chapter’s main theme. Regardless, each chapter/sub-chapter is chock full of details and stories that triggered a myriad of emotions. Pomerantz’ dedication to research and detail is evident as he reveals so much more than I anticipated about the players and coaches, their lives and habits (good and bad). All stories are told with a poignant wisp of nostalgia and a higher degree of respect. At times, the author’s personal enamor for the Roonys is evident as the family is presented in an almost saintly manner while the personality “flaws” of Terry Bradshaw (completely insecure), Chuck Noll (temperamental/cold), Jack Lambert (aloof/irritable) and others are fair game. In spite of this one slightly slanted approach, I found the stories throughout the book to be entertaining, revealing, even-handed and well-told. Pomerantz gives readers a fly-on-the-wall view of the Steelers at work and at play; as a team and as individuals. We realize that the championship Steeler teams were an amalgamation of very different and quirky men who were individually incompatible, but meshed perfectly together on the field (and when decompressing post-game in the team sauna). Some of the best chapters in the book delve into the individual lives of the more prominent players after their careers ended. From the commercial success of Bradshaw and the business success of Stallworth to the tragic downfalls of Joe Gilliam and Mike Webster, Pomerantz paints the complete picture of 70’s Steelers, flaws and all. He also makes clear the physical and mental sacrifice some of these men made (Webster and Courson, for example) simply due to their love of the game and commitment to the Steeler organization.
THEIR LIFE’S WORK is one of the better sports books I’ve read. I appreciated the author’s commitment to thoroughness in presenting the 70’s Steelers story. The Super Bowl Steeler teams of that era have a historical record that speaks for itself: 4 Super Bowl victories and NINE players in the Hall of Fame (including an unprecedented 4 Hall of Famers from a single draft in 1974). Pomerantz digs deeper than the simple stats and presents the intricate parts of these teams from top to bottom in a manner that should entertain any sports fan.
August 21, 2020
This book is more of a 3 , but I've been a Steeler fan for more than 50 years and didn't know some of the details offered here . I did eat Vento's Pizza and stopped by Stagno's bakery many times . I met a number of the Steelers in my day . Frenchy Fuqua was a regular visitor to the Childrens' ward at
West Penn Hospital ; he had a heart for those kids .
West Penn Hospital ; he had a heart for those kids .
January 9, 2015
As a Pittsburgher and devout Steeler fan, I will say that this is required reading. Its the history and aftermath of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70's. Starting from how Art Rooney Sr. got his start and was able to buy the (then) Pittsburgh Pirates for $2,500, thru the building of the powerhouse team that won 4 Super Bowl Championships (plus 2 more in the 00's) and the triumphs and tragedies of their later lives.
It made me laugh, it made me cry, I learned a lot about a team that I thought I knew. If you are a fan, look for it and read it. You won't be disappointed.
"Ernie Accorsi spent forty years in the NFL, the last nine as the New York Giants general manager, and said with amazement, "Do you realize that the Steelers could have easily have had a backfield of Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore and Jim Brown?
In casting aside players who would be come the game's most elite running back (Brown) and quarterback (Unitas), along with all-pros Moore and Dawson, the Steelers cast aside four future Hall of Famers who would amass a combined 68,000 passing yards, 20,000 rushing yards and 27 Pro Bowl appearances" (Luckily their scouting and drafting talents would improve)
"An Ohio Highway Patrol helicopter appeared in the sky. Holmes heard it and fired at it, striking the ankle of an officer inside. He spotted a patrolman approaching from nearby woods, fired at him, or tried to, but his gun jammed..."Put your hands up slowly". Later a law enforcement official said, "We could have killed him a dozen times"
"The play that broke the Los Angeles Rams and won Super Bowl XIV was called 60 Prevent, Slot, Hook and Go, football mumbo jumbo that essentially meant Get It to Stallworth"
S: 12/18/14 F: 1/1/15 (15 Days)
It made me laugh, it made me cry, I learned a lot about a team that I thought I knew. If you are a fan, look for it and read it. You won't be disappointed.
"Ernie Accorsi spent forty years in the NFL, the last nine as the New York Giants general manager, and said with amazement, "Do you realize that the Steelers could have easily have had a backfield of Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore and Jim Brown?
In casting aside players who would be come the game's most elite running back (Brown) and quarterback (Unitas), along with all-pros Moore and Dawson, the Steelers cast aside four future Hall of Famers who would amass a combined 68,000 passing yards, 20,000 rushing yards and 27 Pro Bowl appearances" (Luckily their scouting and drafting talents would improve)
"An Ohio Highway Patrol helicopter appeared in the sky. Holmes heard it and fired at it, striking the ankle of an officer inside. He spotted a patrolman approaching from nearby woods, fired at him, or tried to, but his gun jammed..."Put your hands up slowly". Later a law enforcement official said, "We could have killed him a dozen times"
"The play that broke the Los Angeles Rams and won Super Bowl XIV was called 60 Prevent, Slot, Hook and Go, football mumbo jumbo that essentially meant Get It to Stallworth"
S: 12/18/14 F: 1/1/15 (15 Days)
December 10, 2013
I've been a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1978, when I chose them to root for against the hated Dallas Cowboys in that season's Super Bowl. The Steelers won and I've been following the Black and Gold fervently ever since. Of course, the 1970s Steelers hold a special place in my heart as the team was littered with Hall of Famers, unique personalities and who won four Super Bowls. They were a perfect embodiment of the city's blue collar work ethic and the 1970s era of take no prisoners football. To watch or read about football in the 1970s compared to what we see now is like watching televised, primitive combat. It was a vicious world on the gridiron and I loved it. Mean Joe Green, Jack Lambert, Donnie Shell, John Stallworth, Mel Blount, Rocky Blier and LC Greenwood were my favorites and all of them and more are covered in Gary Pomerantz's fascinating biography of a team, a city and the aftermath of what happened after many of the players left the team.
That's what makes this a little different than other books on the 1970s Steelers--it looks into what happened to the players, coaches and the Rooneys after the 1970s ended. Some players thrived, some ended up lost in drug addiction or dementia. There's a lot of levels to this book that becomes a little more than just a sports book for hard corps Steeler fans as Pomerantz taps into the humanity element of the brutal competition on the field by uncovering who the players were off it.
That's what makes this a little different than other books on the 1970s Steelers--it looks into what happened to the players, coaches and the Rooneys after the 1970s ended. Some players thrived, some ended up lost in drug addiction or dementia. There's a lot of levels to this book that becomes a little more than just a sports book for hard corps Steeler fans as Pomerantz taps into the humanity element of the brutal competition on the field by uncovering who the players were off it.
December 22, 2024
The Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s may be the greatest team in football history, winning four Super Bowls in six years. Some of the greatest players in history were on those teams — Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann. It was an empire created by an owner who bought the team for $2,300 in the 1930s on money won from betting on horse racing. In a depressed polluted blue-collar city, they became heroes who remained revered to this day. But the years since have not been kind to the Steelers. Sixteen of them, at the writing of the book, had died, their bodies ravaged by hits, concussions, steroids. Coach Chuck Noll, when referring to life after football, would encourage his players to move on to their ‘life’s work.’ For some, their post-football lives would flourish. Others peaked in a football uniform and struggled afterward. Many reminisced about the brotherhood they shared that keep them connected today, while others have distanced themselves from their former teammates. With the perspective of 40 years after their glory days, the greatest joy for many from the Steelers dynasty was not the championships and the accolades, but rather those moments after the games in the team sauna with beers in hand when they could just be together and just be themselves. Because of these moments, to a man, they say say, with bodies ravaged, that they would all do it again.
June 24, 2020
This book slapped. I mean I’m biased because i’m a born n raised Stillers fan. But still. Who doesn’t love Franco’s Italian Army. And the Chief, who is still the standard for the moral compass of professional sports team owners (look up the Rooney Rule). As my mother says, “most everyone from Pittsburgh is nice.”
The Steelers dynasty of the 1970s is one of if not the greatest in sports history. They drafted 4 future Famers in a single draft which frankly is unmatched. Four super bowls in six years. Need I say more? Mean Joe, Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, all the guys you hear about when the Super Bowl legends are discussed.
Definitely recommending it to my Pittsburgh native mother, who once received a football signed by Mean Joe Greene and wouldn’t let me or my brothers touch it or breathe in its direction.
HWG Steelers.
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
The Steelers dynasty of the 1970s is one of if not the greatest in sports history. They drafted 4 future Famers in a single draft which frankly is unmatched. Four super bowls in six years. Need I say more? Mean Joe, Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, all the guys you hear about when the Super Bowl legends are discussed.
Definitely recommending it to my Pittsburgh native mother, who once received a football signed by Mean Joe Greene and wouldn’t let me or my brothers touch it or breathe in its direction.
HWG Steelers.
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
July 28, 2020
I'm a Steelers fan from the late 1960s, but this book is not just for Steelers fans. It is also a history of many events in
football during the timeframe covered. Pomerantz has thoroughly researched Steeler history and has included information on players, owners, and events that make this more than a simple history. He has brought the figures to life and has placed them in the larger historical context of the time.
I really enjoyed reading this book even though Pomerantz's writing style is a little pedantic at times. Readers interested in the Steelers or the history of football will savor this book.
football during the timeframe covered. Pomerantz has thoroughly researched Steeler history and has included information on players, owners, and events that make this more than a simple history. He has brought the figures to life and has placed them in the larger historical context of the time.
I really enjoyed reading this book even though Pomerantz's writing style is a little pedantic at times. Readers interested in the Steelers or the history of football will savor this book.
January 4, 2022
Chock full of excellent portraits of the key figures of the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s, you will find yourself particularly moved by the intimate portraits of Art Rooney and Franco Harris, inspired by the fierce and determined leadership of Mean Joe Greene, and perhaps a bit heartbroken over the fates of some who paid too steep a price for the glory they experienced. If you love stories of brotherhood and enduring loyalty, you will love this page turner.
March 8, 2020
Great visual into a dynasty of sports that might never be matched again!
February 5, 2024
This is not only a great look at the Steelers during the 70s but long afterwards and the impact football had on their lives over time. The game was also very different then and many things the Steelers did are not illegal.
It is a great look into the individual players during their playing years but, the many years afterwards the damage that had been done. With stories inside and outside the organization you have space to do what you need to do.. It is a very interesting look at the 1970s steelers and you begin to see some of the rules that were change because of them.
It is a great look into the individual players during their playing years but, the many years afterwards the damage that had been done. With stories inside and outside the organization you have space to do what you need to do.. It is a very interesting look at the 1970s steelers and you begin to see some of the rules that were change because of them.
March 1, 2024
By far this is the definitive work on the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s. Giving the inside history on how the Rooney’s bought the team and the story behind a team that won four Super Bowl titles in six seasons. Nearly 40 years later we’re still fascinated by the bigger than life players on these teams.
Pomerantz’s writing is thoroughly researched and has done a terrific job showcasing the brotherhood between this team that has lasted decades. The Steelers of the 1970s may be the most unique and close relationship a sports team can have with its city and fans and this book showcases the why.
Really sets itself aside from any sports book I’ve read as it’s brutally honest and well reported. Not afraid to hold back and be compelling as it is at times sad and depressing. The story of the 1970s is all of those and any fan of professional football I very much recommend check this one out. If you’re a Steelers fan this is a definite read.
Pomerantz’s writing is thoroughly researched and has done a terrific job showcasing the brotherhood between this team that has lasted decades. The Steelers of the 1970s may be the most unique and close relationship a sports team can have with its city and fans and this book showcases the why.
Really sets itself aside from any sports book I’ve read as it’s brutally honest and well reported. Not afraid to hold back and be compelling as it is at times sad and depressing. The story of the 1970s is all of those and any fan of professional football I very much recommend check this one out. If you’re a Steelers fan this is a definite read.
July 12, 2022
The 1970's Pittsburgh Steelers are an iconic dynasty in the modern era of professional football. Typically defense wins championships and Pittsburgh had some of the best defensive players ever to don pads and cleats. But they also had some playmakers on the offensive side of the ball like Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, and John Stallworth. And let's give Terry Bradshaw his due for slowly becoming a team leader and competent enough quarterback to lead the Steelers to four Super Bowls in six years.
Gary Pomerantz has gone back and takes a look at this dynastic team from the point of view of the players who made it all happen all those many years ago. You can truly see the deep bond many of the players developed for a lifetime, particularly on the defensive side the ball, and the importance of that team's legacy to the not just the players, but the city of Pittsburgh itself.
Central to the book is how Franco Harris became so deeply ingrained in the community becoming a local hero, philanthropist, and businessman. He also talks about some of the more tragic stories such as the unfortunate decline in health, both physical and mental, of Mike Webster, one of the best centers ever to play the game. And the great affection and brotherhood that marked the best defensive line in NFL history - Mean Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Dwight White, and Crazy Ernie Holmes comes to life as they remember the glory of the past.
Pomerantz was a journalist who covered the Steeler's in the seventies. One of the oddest comments in the books introduction is this disillusion with professional football because of brain trauma and the recent studies about the plight of many former players. Fair enough. Thankfully the book is well balanced and doesn't drone on about this topic other than when discussion Mike Webster.
For any football fan this is a book well worth reading and it is a must read for Pittsburgh Steeler's fans.
Gary Pomerantz has gone back and takes a look at this dynastic team from the point of view of the players who made it all happen all those many years ago. You can truly see the deep bond many of the players developed for a lifetime, particularly on the defensive side the ball, and the importance of that team's legacy to the not just the players, but the city of Pittsburgh itself.
Central to the book is how Franco Harris became so deeply ingrained in the community becoming a local hero, philanthropist, and businessman. He also talks about some of the more tragic stories such as the unfortunate decline in health, both physical and mental, of Mike Webster, one of the best centers ever to play the game. And the great affection and brotherhood that marked the best defensive line in NFL history - Mean Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Dwight White, and Crazy Ernie Holmes comes to life as they remember the glory of the past.
Pomerantz was a journalist who covered the Steeler's in the seventies. One of the oddest comments in the books introduction is this disillusion with professional football because of brain trauma and the recent studies about the plight of many former players. Fair enough. Thankfully the book is well balanced and doesn't drone on about this topic other than when discussion Mike Webster.
For any football fan this is a book well worth reading and it is a must read for Pittsburgh Steeler's fans.
March 11, 2014
If you were a pro-football fan in the 1970's you either liked or disliked the Pittsburg Steelers. I remember Mean JOe, Terry Bradshaw, Jack Hamm, Franco, Rocky Bleir and the rest. I was a fan of the team, probably because my favorite team the KC Chiefs were atrocious during the 70's. The Steelers also were one of the few teams that could stand toe to toe with the Oakland raiders, and beat them-(another huge plus in my mind) The book goes back and forth from the palying days of the teams stars and what are they doing now in their lives work.
It was not all sweetness and light. The book spells out the tragedy that befell some of the key players, especially Mike Webster and his tragic post football career. Drug abuse, use of steroids, and post concussion syndrome were also addressed. I must say on a whole the team had a brotherhood that lives on today over 30 years since they last played. the game.
If you want to read a gritty and realistic account of professional football played in a byegone era you will enjoy this book
It was not all sweetness and light. The book spells out the tragedy that befell some of the key players, especially Mike Webster and his tragic post football career. Drug abuse, use of steroids, and post concussion syndrome were also addressed. I must say on a whole the team had a brotherhood that lives on today over 30 years since they last played. the game.
If you want to read a gritty and realistic account of professional football played in a byegone era you will enjoy this book
July 29, 2016
I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads: First Reads giveaways.
I entered to win this book for my brother as he is a diehard Steelers fan. I never expected to win it. I, myself, am a Cowboys fan so this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea. However, I thought it to be a well written & in depth look at a team that seems to be close to becoming America's favorite.
Pomerantz seems to have done his research and has a true love for the Steelers which comes across in his writing.
I wish I could claim that this book grabbed my attention and I had to fight to put it down but that was not the case. I was born in the 80s, didn't know anything about NFL til the 90s so some important names in the book mean nothing to me even after checking out the picture section. I read on this a little along for a month as at times, the pacing was off so I couldn't stick with it for long periods of time.
Sure hope my brother enjoys it more than I. :)
I entered to win this book for my brother as he is a diehard Steelers fan. I never expected to win it. I, myself, am a Cowboys fan so this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea. However, I thought it to be a well written & in depth look at a team that seems to be close to becoming America's favorite.
Pomerantz seems to have done his research and has a true love for the Steelers which comes across in his writing.
I wish I could claim that this book grabbed my attention and I had to fight to put it down but that was not the case. I was born in the 80s, didn't know anything about NFL til the 90s so some important names in the book mean nothing to me even after checking out the picture section. I read on this a little along for a month as at times, the pacing was off so I couldn't stick with it for long periods of time.
Sure hope my brother enjoys it more than I. :)
November 23, 2013
My father was a big fan of both the Steelers and the Packers. He admired and felt connected to teams as that were from hardworking areas. So winning this book was a gift to me because not only was I able to share in the personal stories but feel connected to my father. I appreciate how Pomerantz did not just share the history but made it so real with the personal stories. I followed the Packers and Steelers too growing up and held a special place in my heart for Franco Harris. I enjoyed reading a little bit more about the personal side of him in the tidbit about his relationship with Al Vento.
A great read about the power of a team and how all hold responsibility in making it gel: players, coaches and owners.
A great read about the power of a team and how all hold responsibility in making it gel: players, coaches and owners.
September 12, 2016
I always try to read a football book leading up to the new NFL season and this book was exceptional. Very well researched and written. It reflects on the Steeler teams of the 70's as well as where some of the stars are today. What some deal with today is not easy to stomach, but it's an honest assessment of what years of playing football can do to one's mind and body.
The title of the book "Their Life's Work" comes from what coach Chuck Noll always reminded his players of. That playing football is a small part of their lives and they needed to focus on their full body of life's work.
The title of the book "Their Life's Work" comes from what coach Chuck Noll always reminded his players of. That playing football is a small part of their lives and they needed to focus on their full body of life's work.
March 3, 2014
Wow! Even if you are not a Pittsburgh Steelers fan you will LOVE this book. Probably the best sports book I have read. Besides discussing the glory years of "The Steel Curtain", this book goes much deeper. Maybe only 1/3 of this book is devoted to "game reminiscing" talk. Most of the book talks about these athletes as men before, during, and after their glory days. It humanizes these athletes. I will warn you that for many of the Steelers, life did not have a happy ending. A must read for football fans!
February 18, 2014
Fascinating book. I am a life long Steeler fan and learned new things about the 70's Steelers. I loved reliving the history of the building of the Steelers. But this book went further. It discussed the players as they moved from their football careers into "Their Life's Work" as Chuck Noll called it. The stories of life after football were enlightening and, sometimes very sad. I learned that my idols are human beings after all. An excellent read for any fan of the 70's Steelers.
April 7, 2014
Very entertaining and well-written. Good background coverage of the Rooney family and excellent individual profiles of the players who made the 70s Steelers the greatest dynasty in the game's history. A mix of tragedy too. The story about center Mike Webster is testimony to the cost players paid for the commitment to their craft. A must-read for any football fan, Steelers or otherwise.
April 3, 2017
-Disclaimer: I won this book for free through goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.-
The amazing journey of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers told from beginning to the bitter end. A good read for every Pittsburgh Steelers fan out there. Told in full blown detail and keeps you interested till the very last page.
The amazing journey of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers told from beginning to the bitter end. A good read for every Pittsburgh Steelers fan out there. Told in full blown detail and keeps you interested till the very last page.
August 24, 2019
I am biased as a Steelers fan, but he wrote in a very compelling manner. I recommend to any Steelers fan!
March 4, 2025
If you are a Steeler fan, "Their Life's Work" is a must read. I started following the Steelers at the age of 9 in 1955 so I lived through nearly all the history described in this book. The big game parts are very familiar so not much to get excited about there other than reminiscing those thrills. What is so intriguing is the intimate details of the players, coaches, scouts, and even some of the fans lives. Gary Pomerantz fills in their backgrounds, relationships, and emotions to the point you really feel like you know these subjects. He goes back to Art's grandfather's time in the late 1800's all the way up to 2013 when the 70's Steelers are old men. There is much more depth to Art Rooney, Sr's story than I had ever heard before. The Rooney family dynamics portrayed in the book make all its members really come to life even including Art's wife, Kass, and some of the boys' wives. I particularly felt for the triumphs and disappointments in Art, Jr's life. The segments around the scouting team that he led, particularly Bill Nunn's story, is very intriguing as to how they pioneered finding all those great players at smaller schools. I found the Franco Harris story particularly touching. He did so much for the Pittsburgh community and reached out to help many in their personal lives. Joey Gilliam had so much talent but went down the wrong path with drugs. His father, Joe senior, endured so many challenges and tragedies that his story is very memorable. Mike Webster's descent into chaos is told in a very heartfelt manner. What his wife and family went through with no idea why Mike's behavior went so erratic is finally resolved with the brilliant work of the Pittsburgh pathologist who uncovered the truths around CTE. There's lots more in here about Terry Bradshaw's life than I had ever heard before. I felt I learned a lot more about what made Terry tick and his long arc of reconciliation with his old team. There are great, in depth, stories about the lives of Joe Green, Dwight White, L. C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Steve Courson, Rocky Bleier, Frenchy Fuqua, on and on. I loved this book.
May 7, 2014
I’m getting tired of reading about the Steelers. It’s the same old stories getting rehashed. But I stumbled onto this book by Gary Pomerantz, Their Life’s Work, published last fall. The cover is insanely cool, so I picked it, flipped through a few pages, and decided to give it a shot.
While we’re all very familiar with the basic nuts and bolts of the Pittsburgh story, this book takes it to the next level. Pomerantz is a skilled, veteran writer (he went to training camp with the Steelers in 1981) and he was able to sit down and do 200 interviews with former players, coaches and relatives. He’s able to add context and meaning to what happened in the ‘70s. He gives us a better idea of who these guys really are, and what they’re up to today.
For anybody who’s kind of a fan of the Steelers or that team, it’s a must read.
Among the highlights:
Bill Nunn Jr. played a huge role in the creation of this dynasty. He was a writer for The Courier, a weekly in town, and he followed the black colleges very closely, compiling a black All-America team each year. This is back before scouting was the science it is today. Few were paying attention to the players on these teams. The Steelers hired Nunn as a scout, and he was able to direct them to the likes of Mel Blount, L.C. Greenwood, John Stallworth, Frank Lewis, Donnie Shell and Ernie Holmes, all from small schools. When Chuck Noll was interviewed for the head coaching job in 1969, he was asked how he felt about black players, and if he had a quota system in mind. Noll told the Rooneys, “I don’t care what color my players are. You find good players where they are.” Being a step ahead of the rest of the league in tapping into these off-the-radar smaller colleges was key to Pittsburgh being the dominant team of the ‘70s.
I didn’t understand the significance of Mean Joe Greene. A great defensive tackle – an Ndamukong Suh type of talent – but he was also the leader of that team. He was the pulse and the motivator. He was the guy helping Terry Bradshaw along. He was the guy getting in faces of teammates who weren’t playing well enough. After the team beat Buffalo in a playoff game, Greene caught John Stallworth and some other rookies asking the trainer for moving boxes. They figured that if the team lost at Oakland in the AFC Championship game, it would give them a head start in getting their stuff packed up the next Monday. Greene caught them and called them out. “What do you want the boxes for?” Stallworth says after getting dressed down by Greene, they started thinking differently about the game against the Raiders.
Franco Harris comes across as a really good guy. A leader, and very thoughtful and cerebral. He tried to help Joe Gilliam and Mike Webster when they were having problems in the ‘90s. He was the only member of the team to attend Gilliam’s funeral. Showed up to lead a counter-protest when the Ku Klux Klan was holding a demonstration.
Chuck Noll liked John Stallworth more than Lynn Swann in 1974. But they drafted Swann in the first round because other teams knew all about him. Swann had played at Southern Cal. The Cowboys probably would have gotten him if the Steelers hadn’t picked him. The Steelers were still able to get Stallworth in the fourth round because other teams didn’t know about him, in part because the Steelers took one look at Stallworth’s highlight film (back in those days, teams viewed actual reels of film) and decided to “lose” it rather than send it along to other teams, as was standard procedure. Stallworth had played at tiny Alabama A&M, and no other NFL teams were really familiar with his work.
Jack Lambert comes across as an asshole. Also the one notable player who apparently wouldn’t sit down for an interview with Pomerantz. Great player, though. At 6-foot-4, and with that great defensive line in front of him, he could drop into coverage and create problems for quarterbacks. Tough to throw over him.
J.T. Thomas, I was not aware, was the first African American to start for Florida State. He was called out and insulted by one of their assistant coaches prior to his first game. It wasn’t until later that Thomas realized the coach was doing this to keep the focus on J.T. Thomas the player rather than getting caught up in the racial history. The assistant coach was Bill Parcells.
I’ve always been interested in the quarterback controversy of 1974, with Terry Bradshaw, Joe Gilliam and Terry Hanratty. Recall that Gilliam started all of the preseason games (winning all six of them), and started the first six regular-season games, going 4-1-1. Pomerantz lays it all out. Gilliam started using heroin after the Steelers lost to Oakland in Week 3. He struggled in each of his next three games, before the team went back to Bradshaw. If Gilliam hadn’t turned to drugs, he probably would have been their quarterback in the playoffs that first Super Bowl season. Whether the team could have beaten Oakland and Minnesota with him at quarterback makes for an interesting water cooler discussion. Bradshaw didn’t become a great quarterback until four years later, but he realized before Gilliam the value of simply relying on the defense and the running game. The quarterbacks were calling the plays at the time. Gilliam was passing over 30 times per game, while Bradshaw won those last two playoff games while completing only 8 and 9 passes.
I’m a little annoyed at Chuck Noll. When he was the coach, he never wanted to say anything. Then he retired and never really talked. He never explained how he felt about Joe Gilliam or Terry Bradshaw or why he felt it was important to keep a distance from his players. We don’t get to hear from Noll, and it’s never going to happen. He’s 82, using a wheelchair, and is starting to lose his mental sharpness. The book says he’ll go to a restaurant, order, then forget that he’s ordered. As a coach, Noll would never do endorsements or have a coaches show. But in retirement, he’s done some of the sports collectors shows, signing memorabilia for $75 and $95 an item. That doesn’t seem like something Noll would have even considered 30 years ago. Seems like if you’re signing, you should also do some explaining.
Only a couple of errors that I saw. I wouldn’t mention them, except Pomerantz is a professor at Stanford, so I’m holding him to a higher standard. Gale Sayers appears twice in the book, and both times he’s identified as “Gayle” Sayers. And Gabriel Rivera, the defensive tackle chosen in 1983 (when the owner wanted Dan Marino – another issue Noll could have weighed in on) is referred to as “Senior Sack”. The nickname was “Senor Sack”.
Overall a great book. A great book for fans of that franchise, and worthwhile for those who are simply interested in the game in general.
While we’re all very familiar with the basic nuts and bolts of the Pittsburgh story, this book takes it to the next level. Pomerantz is a skilled, veteran writer (he went to training camp with the Steelers in 1981) and he was able to sit down and do 200 interviews with former players, coaches and relatives. He’s able to add context and meaning to what happened in the ‘70s. He gives us a better idea of who these guys really are, and what they’re up to today.
For anybody who’s kind of a fan of the Steelers or that team, it’s a must read.
Among the highlights:
Bill Nunn Jr. played a huge role in the creation of this dynasty. He was a writer for The Courier, a weekly in town, and he followed the black colleges very closely, compiling a black All-America team each year. This is back before scouting was the science it is today. Few were paying attention to the players on these teams. The Steelers hired Nunn as a scout, and he was able to direct them to the likes of Mel Blount, L.C. Greenwood, John Stallworth, Frank Lewis, Donnie Shell and Ernie Holmes, all from small schools. When Chuck Noll was interviewed for the head coaching job in 1969, he was asked how he felt about black players, and if he had a quota system in mind. Noll told the Rooneys, “I don’t care what color my players are. You find good players where they are.” Being a step ahead of the rest of the league in tapping into these off-the-radar smaller colleges was key to Pittsburgh being the dominant team of the ‘70s.
I didn’t understand the significance of Mean Joe Greene. A great defensive tackle – an Ndamukong Suh type of talent – but he was also the leader of that team. He was the pulse and the motivator. He was the guy helping Terry Bradshaw along. He was the guy getting in faces of teammates who weren’t playing well enough. After the team beat Buffalo in a playoff game, Greene caught John Stallworth and some other rookies asking the trainer for moving boxes. They figured that if the team lost at Oakland in the AFC Championship game, it would give them a head start in getting their stuff packed up the next Monday. Greene caught them and called them out. “What do you want the boxes for?” Stallworth says after getting dressed down by Greene, they started thinking differently about the game against the Raiders.
Franco Harris comes across as a really good guy. A leader, and very thoughtful and cerebral. He tried to help Joe Gilliam and Mike Webster when they were having problems in the ‘90s. He was the only member of the team to attend Gilliam’s funeral. Showed up to lead a counter-protest when the Ku Klux Klan was holding a demonstration.
Chuck Noll liked John Stallworth more than Lynn Swann in 1974. But they drafted Swann in the first round because other teams knew all about him. Swann had played at Southern Cal. The Cowboys probably would have gotten him if the Steelers hadn’t picked him. The Steelers were still able to get Stallworth in the fourth round because other teams didn’t know about him, in part because the Steelers took one look at Stallworth’s highlight film (back in those days, teams viewed actual reels of film) and decided to “lose” it rather than send it along to other teams, as was standard procedure. Stallworth had played at tiny Alabama A&M, and no other NFL teams were really familiar with his work.
Jack Lambert comes across as an asshole. Also the one notable player who apparently wouldn’t sit down for an interview with Pomerantz. Great player, though. At 6-foot-4, and with that great defensive line in front of him, he could drop into coverage and create problems for quarterbacks. Tough to throw over him.
J.T. Thomas, I was not aware, was the first African American to start for Florida State. He was called out and insulted by one of their assistant coaches prior to his first game. It wasn’t until later that Thomas realized the coach was doing this to keep the focus on J.T. Thomas the player rather than getting caught up in the racial history. The assistant coach was Bill Parcells.
I’ve always been interested in the quarterback controversy of 1974, with Terry Bradshaw, Joe Gilliam and Terry Hanratty. Recall that Gilliam started all of the preseason games (winning all six of them), and started the first six regular-season games, going 4-1-1. Pomerantz lays it all out. Gilliam started using heroin after the Steelers lost to Oakland in Week 3. He struggled in each of his next three games, before the team went back to Bradshaw. If Gilliam hadn’t turned to drugs, he probably would have been their quarterback in the playoffs that first Super Bowl season. Whether the team could have beaten Oakland and Minnesota with him at quarterback makes for an interesting water cooler discussion. Bradshaw didn’t become a great quarterback until four years later, but he realized before Gilliam the value of simply relying on the defense and the running game. The quarterbacks were calling the plays at the time. Gilliam was passing over 30 times per game, while Bradshaw won those last two playoff games while completing only 8 and 9 passes.
I’m a little annoyed at Chuck Noll. When he was the coach, he never wanted to say anything. Then he retired and never really talked. He never explained how he felt about Joe Gilliam or Terry Bradshaw or why he felt it was important to keep a distance from his players. We don’t get to hear from Noll, and it’s never going to happen. He’s 82, using a wheelchair, and is starting to lose his mental sharpness. The book says he’ll go to a restaurant, order, then forget that he’s ordered. As a coach, Noll would never do endorsements or have a coaches show. But in retirement, he’s done some of the sports collectors shows, signing memorabilia for $75 and $95 an item. That doesn’t seem like something Noll would have even considered 30 years ago. Seems like if you’re signing, you should also do some explaining.
Only a couple of errors that I saw. I wouldn’t mention them, except Pomerantz is a professor at Stanford, so I’m holding him to a higher standard. Gale Sayers appears twice in the book, and both times he’s identified as “Gayle” Sayers. And Gabriel Rivera, the defensive tackle chosen in 1983 (when the owner wanted Dan Marino – another issue Noll could have weighed in on) is referred to as “Senior Sack”. The nickname was “Senor Sack”.
Overall a great book. A great book for fans of that franchise, and worthwhile for those who are simply interested in the game in general.
January 17, 2020
Excellent book about the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty which ran from roughly 1970 to 1980. What was truly remarkable is the fact that 12 hall of famers came from this era, 9 of whom were players, 4 of whom were in the same draft class. That just doesn't happen. That is an anomaly. In fact, it never did before or after that. Pomerantz's book focuses largely on those hall of famers as well as the members of the Steel Curtain defense. Equal time seemed to be dedicated to each of the cast's personalities.
Note: Their Life's Work goes beyond the playing years and tells the stories of what the players did after football. With the 1970's being the glory years of "smashmouth football," where players were idolized as gladiators and the difference between pain and injury was gospel, the book does not shy away from the effects of this era. CTE, concussions, movement in general (or lack thereof) in the later years is all covered, and it seems that many Steelers were at the forefront of misfortune in their football afterlife. The chapter on Mike Webster was particularly heartbreaking.
This is a book is a bonus for Steelers fans, but is really for hardcore football fans and NFL history buffs like myself. I thoroughly recommend it.
**Notable Quotes: (Oddly these all come from the author quoting another author.
-"If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering." Viktor Frankl
-"Abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior." Frankl
-"As the Persian general said, 'On contact with the enemy all the plans evaporated."
-"The function of man is to live, not to exist." Jack London
Note: Their Life's Work goes beyond the playing years and tells the stories of what the players did after football. With the 1970's being the glory years of "smashmouth football," where players were idolized as gladiators and the difference between pain and injury was gospel, the book does not shy away from the effects of this era. CTE, concussions, movement in general (or lack thereof) in the later years is all covered, and it seems that many Steelers were at the forefront of misfortune in their football afterlife. The chapter on Mike Webster was particularly heartbreaking.
This is a book is a bonus for Steelers fans, but is really for hardcore football fans and NFL history buffs like myself. I thoroughly recommend it.
**Notable Quotes: (Oddly these all come from the author quoting another author.
-"If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering." Viktor Frankl
-"Abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior." Frankl
-"As the Persian general said, 'On contact with the enemy all the plans evaporated."
-"The function of man is to live, not to exist." Jack London
May 23, 2018
My father grew up in Pittsburgh, and while I didn't, I've been a lifelong fan. In my home office hangs a painting of an "Unknown Steeler" by my father dated 1968, one year before everything changed for the Steelers.
Gary Pomerantz wrote an amazing book by balancing the glory with the pain and the pitfalls of those members of the 1970s Steelers while also revealing insights into coaches, management and ownership.
This book feels like it is 15 or so biographies rolled into one amazing story and lifelong journey for them all.
As a fan, you want to relive the good, which is done, but Pomerantz also points out the bad. He writes about the friction between players, some of the events in their lives that were hardly positive and sometimes criminal. He addresses CTE and writes frankly about the large number of players from those teams that did not live to see the age 60 or 50 or even 40.
He also depicts the impact on the players wives and sometimes children, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture, but despite all the pain and loss, he writes of how the players bonds with one another, despite the challenges, were worth the journey and the connections they maintained, sometimes strong, sometimes sporadic.
Thanks to the balance provided, this was one of the best sports books I've read, addressing many complex topics and doing so fairly.
Gary Pomerantz wrote an amazing book by balancing the glory with the pain and the pitfalls of those members of the 1970s Steelers while also revealing insights into coaches, management and ownership.
This book feels like it is 15 or so biographies rolled into one amazing story and lifelong journey for them all.
As a fan, you want to relive the good, which is done, but Pomerantz also points out the bad. He writes about the friction between players, some of the events in their lives that were hardly positive and sometimes criminal. He addresses CTE and writes frankly about the large number of players from those teams that did not live to see the age 60 or 50 or even 40.
He also depicts the impact on the players wives and sometimes children, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture, but despite all the pain and loss, he writes of how the players bonds with one another, despite the challenges, were worth the journey and the connections they maintained, sometimes strong, sometimes sporadic.
Thanks to the balance provided, this was one of the best sports books I've read, addressing many complex topics and doing so fairly.
May 2, 2019
In “Their Life’s Work” the main characters are, the Chief, Mean Joe Greene, Chuck Noll, and Franco Harris. The Chief was an Irish man who came to the U.S. and was a huge gambler and big on betting on horse racing. Joe Greene was drafted by the Steelers in 1969 and they called him “Mean” Joe Greene because he looked like he played with rage. Chuck Noll was originally a offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns back in the 1950’s. Franco Harris was considered a soft halfback that didn’t play with aggression. The main problem in the 60’s were that the Steelers were not getting money from their merchandise and barely had money to pay the players.
I think that this book is great only if you are a Steelers fan like I am. My favorite part about the book is when the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Oakland Raiders in the 1972 AFC championship game. Another event in the book that I liked was when I found out that the Chief was a big fan on betting on race horses.
I think that this book is great only if you are a Steelers fan like I am. My favorite part about the book is when the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Oakland Raiders in the 1972 AFC championship game. Another event in the book that I liked was when I found out that the Chief was a big fan on betting on race horses.
March 26, 2023
Una mirada al interior del dominante equipo de los Acereros de Pittsburgh de los 70s en la NFL, en el emparrillado, pero aún mas importante, fuera de él, y que paso después del final de sus carreras.
Un libro muy íntimo en torno a quienes formaron parte del equipo de la década, y que ganó 4 super bowls en 6 años, me gustó especialmente el análisis sobre la tragedia del centro Mike Webster, su difícil transición de jugador en activo a jugador en retiro, con los múltiples problemas ocasionados en su salud por el exceso de golpes recibidos en el fútbol americano, y como afecto a su cerebro, y también los procesos de depresión de Terry Bradshaw, el primer mariscal de campo en ganar 4 super bowls, u libro indispensable para los aficionados a este equipo, y al fútbol americano profesional.
Un libro muy íntimo en torno a quienes formaron parte del equipo de la década, y que ganó 4 super bowls en 6 años, me gustó especialmente el análisis sobre la tragedia del centro Mike Webster, su difícil transición de jugador en activo a jugador en retiro, con los múltiples problemas ocasionados en su salud por el exceso de golpes recibidos en el fútbol americano, y como afecto a su cerebro, y también los procesos de depresión de Terry Bradshaw, el primer mariscal de campo en ganar 4 super bowls, u libro indispensable para los aficionados a este equipo, y al fútbol americano profesional.
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