Sunday
October
17th was game day. The Steelers against the only remaining unbeaten
team in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints. I arrived back at the hotel
after breakfast to find a message from Myron Cope asking me along
for an interview on his radio show on Monday night. Reluctantly (?),
I agreed and rang him to confirm the arrangement.
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Steven, Jodie and Giles outside Three Rivers Stadium. |
Off
to the stadium for the crunch game. We wandered around the tailgate
parties, and what a great time they had in the sun before entering
the Mecca of football. We had seats in the upper echelons of the stadium
that gave you a fantastic view of the field. It did not matter that
we were off to one side of the end zone, we were well placed to see
all the plays develop.
The
national anthem was sung and we held the Union Jack high. We couldn't
believe it. Here we were, the Steelers vs the 5-0 Saints. From watching
recorded highlights in the eighties on channel four to now, actually
being at a game.
The
tension was high, the Steelers received. On their second down, Barry
Foster ran for a few before fumbling and turning the ball over. We
couldn't believe our luck. All this way to see a rare Foster fumble.
Was this indicative of things to come?
The
Saints line up on the Steelers twenty. A run for no gain. The defense
has started well. Wade Wilson tries a pass, Rod Woodson intercepts
and runs towards a screaming bunch of United Kingdom Supporters for
a touchdown.
Up in the clouds, we think we are in heaven .This is what we've come
to see. A few plays later, Superman Woodson performed more heroics
when he recorded his seventh interception of the season. Neil O'Donnell
then threw a delayed screen pass to Barry Foster who took it in for
a 20yd touchdown.
We were out of our seats screaming "STEELERS, STEELERS!"
Did
Rod know we had come all this way? It certainly began to appear that
he had. He looked as though he was beginning to believe in this Superman
publicity he was receiving.
Later
in the game we saw Foster score his second touchdown of the day before
Tomczak came on and threw a tipped touchdown pass to Eric Green. We
seemed to see it all. Throw in a hat-trick of Gary Anderson field
goals and the final scoreline read 37-14. Not a bad victory for your
first NFL regular season game.
The
game finished. We made our weary way to the souvenir shop, yet more
shopping. Giles brought his $160 jacket there while I made do with
a plain black waterproof jacket with just the Steelers' badge over
the left breast for $40. A bargain and my favourite Steelers jacket
- which I only stopped wearing in 2001. I also managed to buy a Steelers'
scarf for $10 to go with my bobble hat. We eventually emerged to take
the clipper across the water to, you guessed it, Station Square.
More photos were taken of Three Rivers, this time from the river.
Andy found a railway car selling Pittsburgh memorabilia and antiques
with Pittsburgh Maulers (their USFL team) badges and pennants and
bits and bobs from the Pirate and Steeler glory years.
I
left the lads in Station Square as I was entertaining Nick Nery who
was the "organiser" of all the Pittsburgh clubs. These are clubs spread
around the United States for ex-Pittsburghers so they can meet up
and watch Steeler games. Our club is listed as the only overseas club
and is also unique in that our members are not originally from Pittsburgh
of course. Nick gave us the run down on many Pittsburgh connections
and then took us up to Mount Washington to see Three Rivers Stadium
lit up while they were probably clearing up after the game. It was
the only time that I didn't have my camera with me, an opportunity
missed.
WTAE & MYRON
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Meet Jodie and Carol |
Monday October 18th was a day for shopping. My family and I were going to
meet my "old" Pittsburgh friend James Moran and his wife Mary Kay
for the first time. Jim took us to a shopping mall about fifty miles
east of Pittsburgh, in Somerset. We left the mall with enough time
to get back to Pittsburgh for the radio interview with Myron.
Jim
took us to his house so I could wash and brush up before the show.
Jim had put signs up around his street to help us feel welcome. "Steeler
Country" with arrows pointing to his house highlighted the way while
across his garage was a large greeting, "Welcome Carol, Jodie and
Gordon, UK Supporters Club".
Jim
and Mary Kay obviously wanted us to feel at home and we did. Your
very nervous editor had a few quick puffs of his wife's cigarette
before Jim dropped me off at the studio that was about ten minutes
from his house.
Full
of apprehension, I waited in the lobby of the studios of WTAE wondering
what the people of Pittsburgh would make of my very fragile voice
that had struggled through three classic sports games and had decided
it would be better now to have a rest. I was led to the ante room
of Myron's studio where his producer was playing adverts and talking
off air to Myron.
I
patiently waited thinking thoughts of retreat through the nearest
exit, but then realised that I was doing this for the club. Let the
people in Pittsburgh know we exist. The producer slotted the adverts
and the seven O'clock news in and Myron came out to greet me and ask
where the others were.
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Giles, Greg, Ed, Andy
and Jim at the back
with Mike and Steve
at the front. |
They
were in their favourite watering hole waiting to meet Greg Lloyd,
who was making a guest appearance. Myron took me into his studio and
my voice began to freeze so I asked for some water. Fortunately, he
kept a flask of iced water at hand so I was able to draw on that golden
nectar throughout the interview.
While
we waited for the producer to come back, I asked Myron if there was
anyone in the Penguins organisation that I could contact to ask whether
we could attend a practice. 'Harry Sanders," came the reply,
so another useful addition was placed in the memory banks for later
use.
On
air at lasts and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I know my voice nearly
went on several occasions and Myron filled in a couple of times when
silence, because of my bad throat, reigned. Two people rang up while
we were on the air. The first had a daughter at school in England
and he wanted to know how she could join the club, so I gave my address
out. With my creaky English accent I wonder how many understood me.
The
second caller insisted that Myron make me a Cope-a-nut. It's an apparent
honour that he bestows upon callers who make outstanding telephone
calls to his show. So it came about that your editor felt a right
Charlie, live on the radio. Myron told me not to wear Steeler colours
to the Cleveland game because of what the Brownies fans would do when
they saw the black & gold.
With
the interview over, I rang my friend to ask him to pick me up from
the station's lobby. While I was waiting for him, the security guard
became concerned about a stranger parked outside and asked me if it
was my friend. It wasn't, so he went out to see what was going on.
He brought the guy back with him and it transpired that he was driving
past the studios listening to Myron's show and decided that he had
to pull over to meet me! He was a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs,
living in Pittsburgh and he went over to London for his holidays because
he loved it so much.
There
we were, two strangers united because of our travels. We both crossed
the Atlantic Ocean to be in the cities we loved, but we were going
in opposite directions.
My
friend arrived and I immediately asked him what had I sounded like,
was I OK? Did I stutter, did I seem hesitant? He said I had sounded
fine and I felt a little better until he put the recording of the
programme on in his car.
In
the meantime, the boys were down the Sports Garden watching the Monday
Night game and meeting Greg Lloyd. They thought of me and brought
a T-shirt for him to autograph.
The
other feature of the night was the quarterback challenge they played
during the football game. Participates had to predict the next play.
Andy won when he guessed everything on the final play of the game
and he even predicted the direction the play would take. The atmosphere
was conducive enough for the guys to consume vast amounts of the local
beverage. Hang overs would prevail in the morning.
Tuesday October 19th. The one o'clock news broke the story of
Tim Worley's trade to the Bears. I liked Timmy and was expecting great
things for him. Now if he is to fulfill the promise it will be in
a Chicago shirt.
WTAE
television rang up requesting a interview with the club so we arrange
to see them at a Penguins practice, I had managed to attend. Time
was becoming so tight now, that we had to kill two birds with one
stone.
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Outside the Hall of Fame. |
Wednesday
20th was the big trip to the Hall of Fame, Canton. First. I had to
pick up the seventeen seater bus that we were hiring for the day.
I don't think that the lady who rented it to us was too convinced
about my suitability for such an adventure in such a vehicle. I have
driven in the States before, but nothing like this Greyhound bus that
I was suddenly confronted with.
Driving
the wrong way down a one way street shortly after we left the garage
didn't boost my confidence too much. Eddie navigated our way back
to the hotel so I could pick everyone up.
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Somewhere in Ohio. |
We
took the scenic route. It meant taking the back roads through the
isolated parts of Ohio.
It
rained most of the day, which didn't disturb us too much as we were
in the bus most of the time and rain is something that we are familiar with. We crossed the Ohio river and traced
our way through the different scenery of another state. Most travellers
think of the American highways that criss cross their states, but
I can assure you that it's not like that at all.
We
travelled many, many miles before we found a rest area where we could
refresh ourselves. When we evacuated the bus we were all looking nervously
over our shoulders. This was miles from anywhere and no one wanted
to take a chance on anything. It probably was a nice spot, but who
wanted to find out it wasn't.
We
found the Hall of Fame a little disappointing, but perhaps we were
just expecting too much. I managed to talk my wife into buying my
birthday present for me while we were in the shop. That lovely Steeler
Super Bowl watch is now never off my wrist.
Thursday
October 21st we were off to the Igloo, but first I had to take the
rental bus back. When I turned up, I think the lady was relieved to
see the van returned in one piece. I gave her fright, by first apologising
for bringing it back in one piece, you could see the strain on her
face before I completed my sentence. She inquired why I hadn't told
her I was an Myron's programme. Well, I ask you, it's not the kind
of thing that you go around telling everyone. I then hired a '94 Ford
car with just 300 miles on the clock. I guess she thought that it
I could drive a bus, then a saloon wouldn't present any problems.
Compared to the bus. It was a great drive.
With
the temperature at 72 degrees, we were dropped off at the Civic Arena
by the Hotel's courtesy bus and made our way inside. Harry Sanders
came out and greeted us with a Penguin calendar for each of us. I
returned the gesture by presenting him with a pin depicting a Union
Jack and Stars & Strips.
We
sat down in anticipation as we were expecting Mario to be practising.
We sat high up in the empty seats so that we wouldn't have any obstructions
in the way as we prepared our cameras. The players on the ice asked
us to get down below the level of the plastic protection panels, as
they were hitting pucks left, right and centre. Then the A team came
out and the shutters on the cameras began to open and shut very rapidly.
Mario
came out and became the focus of our attention Here was the greatest
hockey player of all time. He wasn't fit enough to play in a game,
but here we were privileged to watch him practice. While the players
skated around the ice and took pot shots at the goals, a TV cameraman
appeared and started shooting Mario practising.
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WTAE cameraman
inside the Arena. |
Eventually
Alby from WTAE introduced himself and asked if it was OK for them
to take some shots of us watching the players. He then interviewed
us and asked me to do an imitation of Myron. I did, badly. Can you
imagine the scene though. Here were all those famous players and the
TV camera swung from them onto us. I wonder what they thought about
it all. I gave Alby our seat numbers in Cleveland Stadium as WTAE
intended taking some footage of us at the game. Alby suggested that
we didn't wear Steeler colours to the Cleveland game.
When
practice finished I thanked Harry again for letting us in. We went
outside and split up. Ed and James decided to remain behind and catch
the players as they came out. The rest of us went shopping or up the
US Steel building where they have a bar on the 60th floor with a superb
view of Pittsburgh.
Ed and James got a right result as they spoke
to most of the Pens as they were leaving the practice. Mario even came back to speak to them.
McSorley became Ed's favourite
player when he took time out to talk about his ejection the previous
Saturday while he posed for photos with them. I won't remind Ed about
the McSorley game shirt he brought on the back [no pun intended] of
that meeting. McSorley was later traded. They managed to get my Penguin
hat autographed by my favourite players, Mario and Jaromir.
When
I arrived back at the hotel in the afternoon there was a message to
ring Dan Edwards at Three Rivers, but it was too late to do anything
that day. We had probably missed a golden chance to watch the Steelers
practice, but that's life.
I
rang Jim O'Brien, the author of those great books on the Steelers
and Penguins. Once again, Jim told me not to wear Steeler colours
to Cleveland. It seemed that all Pittsburghers were concerned for
our welfare when we made our foray into enemy territory.
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