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Joe Greene: Built By Football

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Blast Furnace, May 21, 2017.

  1. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

    41,422
    8,897
    Oct 16, 2011
    Definitely going to read this book. Here are some excerpts. I particularly like the one about Noll, think darth hoodie would have done that?? Love Noll. Also found the part about Franco interesting and makes heck of a lot of sense.

    * “For me, the big change came when we drafted Franco,” writes Greene. “Terry was terrific, but Franco made it all happen with his attitude and his performance on the field. He changed everything for us. Back then it was a running league, and you had to have a dynamic runner, and for many years we had what I’d say was the best in the league.”

    * Befitting the player regarded as the Steelers’ preeminent leader both on the field and in the locker room, Greene also touches on a number of issues of personal character.

    * About mental toughness: “I truly believe that you must have mental toughness to succeed in life, and the only way to get mental toughness is to overcome adversity. The harder the adversity you overcome in your profession or personal life, the stronger you will become. The more scratching and digging and crawling and clawing you put in to achieve your goal, the better off you’ll be. I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s what my first two years in Pittsburgh were about: building our toughness and giving us the mental foundation to be able to eventually win a championship.”

    * About integrity: “As we were preparing for (a game against the Houston Oilers), one of our locker room attendants found a playbook that the Oilers had left behind. He brought it to Coach Noll, who quickly called a team meeting. A few minutes later, Coach stood in front of all of us and held out a binder. ‘Gentlemen,’ he said. ‘This is the Houston Oilers’ playbook. We play them twice this year. We have all of their plays and their game plans.’ Then Coach Noll held out the playbook and dropped it into the trash can. ‘We’re not going to open it,’ he said. ‘That’s not how we do things. We’re going to prepare how we prepare, we’re going to line up against them on the field, and we’re going to do what we do, and that will give us the best chance to win.’ Then he walked away.”

    * About ego: “The way I’ve always looked at ego is that ego is the little guy that pushes you and motivates you. And as long as he stays the little guy, things are fine. But if he becomes the big guy and he’s sitting on top of your shoulders and he’s in your head and putting words in your mouth, then ego is in the wrong place.”

    The book is available at Amazon, Ill be getting it.
     
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  2. blountforcetrauma

    blountforcetrauma Well-Known Member

    26,600
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    Oct 23, 2011
    I've heard that story about the Oilers playbook. It reminds me of that movie where Gene Hackman talks about being able to tell the other team all their plays and it wouldn't matter because it all boils down to heart and playing their own game.
     
  3. D0bre Shunka

    D0bre Shunka Well-Known Member

    3,266
    430
    Jan 24, 2012
    Heard this too and found it interesting that he credits Franco with the turnaround. For years now we've all pretty much hear defense defense defense. That's the second time, I believe, I've heard someone from that era allude to the fact that everything changed when Franco came in. Didn't Dan say about the same thing in his HOF speech?
     

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