Cup win architects, Olympian honored
“No, I don’t,” he said with a laugh.
But he was there the past two years, and fondly remembers 2015 when Pro Football Hall of Famer and East Brady, Pa., native Jim Kelly was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Other past winners include two-sport All-American and Pirates great Dick Groat, former Steelers Joe Greene and Hines Ward and the late Arnold Palmer.
Could Bleier ever have imagined he would share the same honor?
“Well, no,” he admitted. “But lifetime achievement awards, obviously somebody recognizes something that you’ve done — and I suppose it’s not so much about awards, but it’s about this community. It’s the people in this community and being a part of it. They’ve allowed a lot of us to make this home, who are not from Pittsburgh, and given us a great support mechanism for our families, to raise a family, to be a part of this. So I guess it’s very humbling to be in that same category, and to be able to get this award.”
Indeed, Bleier was born and raised in Appleton, Wisc., and played his college ball at Notre Dame — but Pittsburgh has been home ever since. The Steelers drafted him in the 16th round in 1968, back when there were 17 rounds, and after his rookie season he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
After being wounded in the leg by enemy fire, which eventually earned him a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, it appeared Bleier’s football career would be over before it had barely begun. Instead, he managed to make it to training camp in 1970, spent that season on injured reserve and was back on the roster the following year.
He rushed for a careerhigh 1,036 yards in 1976 and caught the winning touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw in Super Bowl XIII against the Cowboys following the 1978 season.
Presenting him with the award next month won’t be any of his old teammates or another storied Pittsburgh sports figure. It will be his son, Adri, which should make for quite the family memory.
“I hope that it’s special, because it’s special for me. I had to twist his arm, beat him up, you know,” Bleier joked. “No, I didn’t have to do that. But I think it took him by surprise, as well. Because I think, at least for me, they might’ve said, ‘All right, we’d like to have somebody of some prominent position here’ — a former player, whatever it is. But I thought for a lifetime achievement award, he’s been with me for 40 years, so if anybody knows me, no one knows me better than my son in that regard.”
Bleier’s former teammate, 1975 NFL defensive player of the year Mel Blount, is also one of this year’s honorees. He will be given the Dr. Freddie Fu Sports Leadership Award for his work at the Mel Blount Youth Home of Pennsylvania.
Here’s a look at 2016’s Dapper Dan Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year:
Co-Sportsman of the Year
Mike Sullivan and Jim Rutherford — The architects of the Penguins’ stunning turnaround that led to the Stanley Cup in 2016 are the first co-winners of the Sportsman of the Year honor since a couple of other Penguins. In 2011, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and coach Dan Bylsma shared the award. Steelers All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown was the honoree the past two years.
Sullivan, 48, was named Penguins coach in December 2015 after the firing of Mike Johnston and became just the sixth NHL coach to win the Stanley Cup after a midseason hiring. The Penguins went 33-16 once Sullivan took over.
Supplying Sullivan with the pieces he needed to coach a championship team was Rutherford, who has been the Penguins general manager since 2014. Before last season, he negotiated a major trade to acquire winger Phil Kessel, who led the Penguins with 10 goals and 22 points in the playoffs. He also put Sullivan in charge in mid-December, then acquired defensemen Trevor Daley and Justin Schultz, as well as winger Carl Hagelin. Rutherford was named NHL General Manager of the Year for the 2016 season.
Sportswoman of the Year
Amanda Polk — In an Olympic year, an Olympic gold medalist earns top honors. Polk, an Oakland Catholic High School alumnus from Bloomfield, helped the United States women’s rowing team win gold over the summer in Rio de Janeiro for the third consecutive Olympics. She rowed from the third seat, after serving as an alternate at the 2012 Summer Games in London.