Words that can transcend time
“Anybodycan throw it wide.Let’s go deep. Wasn’t it fun?Didn’t y’all like seeing thatstuff fly down there? Whata ride!”
But Brad shaw also was introspective, openly addressing what he believed was an often uncomfortable relationship with Steelers fans.
“Weall didn’t have a love affairwhen it started. Y’all calledme Ozark Ike because I wasbig and white and dumbacting.Then, Li’l Abner. Said Icouldn’t spell cat, well, y’all didn’t,but some fool down in Dallasdid. I never understood whatyou wanted from me. All Ithought was, we’re supposed towin. Isn’t that what we’re supposedto do? Just win?
“Iwanted you to love me. I didn’twant you to boo me. Whenwe won, you clapped.”
Therewere no boos on this day.
Onlychants of “Ter-ry! Terry!”
Itwas hard to hear yourself thinkwhen Bradshaw thankedhis wide receivers andhis running backs and his offensivelinemen.
“WhatI wouldn’t give right nowto put my hands under MikeWebster’s butt just one moretime! Thank you, Mike.”
Afootnote: Brad shaw presented Webster when Webster was inducted into the Hall of Fame in1997. After the introduction wasdone, the two re-created a center-to-quarterbacksnap onstage. Bradshaw called Webster“the greatest center inthe history of the National FootballLeague, No. 52, Iron MikeWebster.” Webster responded,quite impressively, “Sometimesyou think things change,the more they staythe same. Giving Bradshawa forum and a microphoneis like giving Visine to apeeping Tom.”
Jack Lambert • 1990
Lambertis the most popularplayer in Steelers history, morepopular than Polamalu, JeromeBettis and even FrancoHarris, who also was inductedin 1990. Lambert’s speechcertainly didn’t hurt hispopularity.
“Onthe day I retired from proball, I made this statement:There is not an owner ora team or a coaching staff ora people in a city that I wouldrather play for in the entireworld.”
Youcould hear the “Here wego, Steelers, here we go!” chantfrom the big crowd all theway to Sewickley.
“Howfortunate I was to playfor Art Rooney and his family.I was so fortunate to haveplayed on some of the greatestteams of all time and, arguably,the greatest defense everassembled.”
Youcould hear the “Defense!,De-fense!” chant all the wayto Blawnox.
“Finally,how fortunate I wasto play for the Pittsburgh Steelersfans, a proud and hard-workingpeople that love theirfootball and their players.”
Youcould hear the roar all theway to McKeesport.
ButLambert wasn’t quite finished.
“IfI could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and youdamn well better believe I wouldbe a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
Ididn’t think anyone could topthat speech. Butone man did. Withhardly any speech at all.
Bill Mazeroski • 2001
Mazalways will be rememberedfor his home run to beat thethought-to-be-unbeatable NewYork Yankees in the 1960 WorldSeries. His 2½-minute speechat Cooperstown also won’tbe forgotten.
Inits entirety: “I’vegot 12 pages here. That’snot like me. I’ll probablyskip half of it and get halfwaythrough this thing and quitanyway.” (Laughterfrom the crowd). “Ithink defense belongs in theHall of Fame. Defense deservesas much credit as pitchingand hitting. I’m proudand honored to be goingin on the defensive side. I feelspecial.”
(Afew tears from Maz). “I want to thank the Veterans Committee for this great, greathonor, the highest honorin baseball. I thought whenthe Pirates retired my numberthat would be the greatestthing to ever happen tome.”
(Alot more tears). “Idon’t think I’m going to makeit. I think you can kiss these12 pages down the drain.”
(Alot more laughter). “Ijust want to thank everybody.I want to thank the Hall ofFame. I want to thank the Veterans Committee. I’m going to thank all the friends andfamily who made the long trekup here to listen to me speakand hear this crap. So thankyou very, very much. Thankseverybody.”
(Astanding ovation from everyone, including the other Hallof Famers on stage).
“Ilost it when Maz did,” KirbyPuckett said later. “I reallydid. I’m not embarrassed aboutit. I could tell, I could feel,how Maz felt. I was crying forMaz. That was very, very inspirational.If you can’t cry tosee a guy who can’t even finishhis speech, not even starthis speech, you don’t havea precious bone in your body.”
Polamalu,Cowher, Faneca andShell will be great.
Goodluck to them trying to topthat.