I Was Right, You Were Wrong. Steelers Ownership Likely To Stay With Dan Rooney

Looks like the ownership issues surrounding the Steelers and Rooney family are nearing a completion. And I called it back in July.

Take it away, NYT:


...at least two of the [Rooney] brothers have recently tilted toward selling to Dan Rooney.

Rooney and his son Art II met with the league’s finance committee last week to update it on their offer for the team, which includes outside investors who have not been publicly identified. Each of the five brothers owns 16 percent of the team, and N.F.L. rules mandate that one person own at least 30 percent.

Last month, the four younger brothers rejected a bid from the hedge fund billionaire and Steelers fan Stanley Druckenmiller, who had offered an all-cash deal to buy out their shares of the team. That decision followed a meeting of all five brothers with Commissioner Roger Goodell, after which Goodell made clear that the owners of the other 31 N.F.L. teams would do everything possible to ensure that Dan Rooney retained control of the team — an indication that the owners, who must approve the sale, would reject any other suitor.

...

“Dan Rooney made it extremely clear that he was not going to be involved in the gambling business moving forward if he was successful in being able to complete this transaction,” Goodell said. He added, “That is important to our ownership because it is one of the rules that they are not in compliance with.”


Before the season, I had this to say about the struggles:


It seems that Dan is just trying to buy his brothers' shares in the team. Said brothers have more of an interest in other Rooney family investments, mostly gambling. This would rectify several ownership confusions.

First, it would separate the team from any gambling enterprises, something Dan is really trying for. That's what a classy, proactive owner does, solves discrepancies before someone else brings up the issue and creates a non-story controversy of the Steelers being linked to gambling.

Also, this would allow Dan to adhere to NFL rules, which apparently the Rooneys were not doing to the fullest extent. Each of the 5 brothers owns 16% of the team. NFL rules state that the majority owner needs at least a 30% share. No one questioned the Rooney's since 5 shares of 16% all came from the same family.

I see this going down one of two ways:

1. Dan buys out his brothers' shares, keeping the team on his side of the family while selling his stakes in the other business ventures (gambling) to his brothers.

or

2. Dan buys out his brothers' shares, and sells a minority stake in the team to an unrelated buyer, most likely Stanley Druckenmiller, the billionaire head of Duquesne Capital Management.

And if Rooney sells the team outright, you can call me any insult in the book.


Test my foresight again, assholes. I can't believe some people actually believed the Steelers would be in hands that didn't belong to Dan Rooney and his kin. The Stanley Druckenmiller fiasco was a hot topic at the time, so it only made my worst-case scenario beliefs.

So, phew...you don't get to insult me and my predictions.

The Steelers seem to be remaining with Dan Rooney and his family, and we can go back to only worrying about the team and who we play each week.

Rocky Bleier, The Rooneys and The Steelers Rule

Take it away, Post Gazette:


An emotional Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. was uncharacteristically at a loss for words yesterday as an introduction from Steelers owner Dan Rooney stirred memories of a bright interlude in a painful time.

On a campaign stop at Greensburg Salem High School, the presence of the Steelers owner reminded the vice presidential candidate of the tragic Dec. 17, 1972, car accident that killed his first wife and daughter and seriously injured two young sons. Mr. Biden had just been elected to the Senate.

Mr. Biden paused, wiped his eyes and, at one point turned away from the crowd for a long moment. Talking of his long vigil at his sons' bedsides, he said he left the boys at some point to go out and buy a Christmas tree for their hospital room. When he returned they each had an autographed football.

"My one little boy was in traction, the other little boy had a serious fractured skull, and they were happy. ..." After pausing, and wiping his eye, he continued.

"I said, 'Guys, where'd you get the balls?'

"They said, 'Daddy, Rocky Bleier brought it for me.'

"Mr. Rooney's Dad, without any fanfare, without an announcement, without anything but this incredible decency. ..." He paused again, and as the crowd applauded, said, "I really apologize. I shouldn't have tried to do this. ... It's a hell of a family."


I love when people hate on the Steelers, the Rooneys and anything Steeler-related simply because we've had an enormous amount of success. But there's so much more to the Steelers family and organization that we never hear about unless a veep nominee recounts a horrible tragedy and touching stories like this come to light.

In a way, I'm honored to follow and write about an organization like this, but in another sense, I'm not surprised in the least. It seems that there are a never ending list of stories like this, where the front office or players have used their status as representatives of the city and organization to help those in need. Only after the world finally hears about these acts of kindness do others realize that the Steelers are more than a football team.

Rooney Trying To Sell The Steelers?

Relax, Dan Rooney isn't going to sell the team (I've seen this everywhere, but chest bump to The White Boob Boom for emailing it to me).

It seems that Dan is just trying to buy his brothers' shares in the team. Said brothers have more of an interest in other Rooney family investments, mostly gambling. This would rectify several ownership confusions.

First, it would separate the team from any gambling enterprises, something Dan is really trying for. That's what a classy, proactive owner does, solves discrepancies before someone else brings up the issue and creates a non-story controversy of the Steelers being linked to gambling.

Also, this would allow Dan to adhere to NFL rules, which apparently the Rooneys were not doing to the fullest extent. Each of the 5 brothers owns 16% of the team. NFL rules state that the majority owner needs at least a 30% share. No one questioned the Rooney's since 5 shares of 16% all came from the same family.

I see this going down one of two ways:

1. Dan buys out his brothers' shares, keeping the team on his side of the family while selling his stakes in the other business ventures (gambling) to his brothers.

or

2. Dan buys out his brothers' shares, and sells a minority stake in the team to an unrelated buyer, most likely Stanley Druckenmiller, the billionaire head of Duquesne Capital Management.

And if Rooney sells the team outright, you can call me any insult in the book.

Please Pray For Alianna Marie Haggans

I try to refrain from overly-serious posts, but this needs to be addressed. Clark Haggans, an outstanding linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is facing a possible tragedy, as his infant daughter fights for her life in Las Vegas.

Alianna Marie Haggans was born premature, and is battling complications from her birth. Haggans has been one of my favorite Steelers, although he has spent a majority of his time with the team as a backup to guys like Joey Porter and Jason Gildon (remember him?) towards the end of their years in Black and Gold.

I was born premature. I'm lucky to be here in good health, 23 years after being born a month and a half too early. My mid-August birth came as a surprise, as my parents were expecting me to arrive in late September/early October. Premature births are nothing to laugh about. Haggans and his family will be in my thoughts and prayers everyday.

Aside from the off-the-field worries, Haggans is entering the final year of his contract. Now, the Steelers are notorious for waiting until the last minute to re-sign guys, and even let guys go too early rather than too late. But I like Haggans. His blend of speed and athleticism are a great fit for the 'Burgh. However, the team did draft future linebackers in the first and second rounds of the '07 draft, and Polamalu and Roethlisberger are contract priorities. Its up to the Rooneys to keep Haggans. I respect every decision they make, because their choices are rarely wrong.

Haggans, though, can provide veteran leadership to a linebacking corps that will be loaded with youth in the coming years. PSaMP is reaching out to the Steelers organization to keep Haggans beyond '07-'08.

Alan Faneca Wishes He Was Troy Polamalu

Yesterday's LaMarr Woodley post really got me in a Steelers' mind frame. Plus, with the Pirates being, well, the Pirates, I've decided to turn my attention to a team with more recent runs of success. Also, this picture of Troy Polamalu is awesome. I was right next to the giant Steelers' flag that is waving in the back-left of this picture. Troy crowd-surfing was the coolest thing that happened at that kickass parade.

Anyway, as I was checking in on the local sports news updates, I found a cool article by Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette. With a new coach, Cook states, great players need to step up and perform. Troy Polamalu is clearly one of our best players. And by "one of our," I mean "our." Polamalu understands the importance of a coaching change. He adjusted to a change in his USC days.

Polamalu said, "I think it's good that things are shaken up a little. Everybody's got to work to establish themselves again. ... There's always apprehension when there's change. I went through it at USC when coach [Pete] Carroll came in. All of us were unsure about what was going to happen. That turned out pretty well."

Understatement of the century. The guy is 65-12 at USC. He's 4-2 in bowl games, and only one of those games was not a BCS bowl game. His record in BCS bowl games is 4-1. He's won 2 National Championships, one which was shared with LSU. Vince Young played a huge part in Carroll missing out on his 3rd Championship. He's also won 5 consecutive PAC-10 Conference Championships. Its safe to say that the guy knows how to perform on a large scale.

The change from Paul Hackett to Pete Carroll worked out well. Hackett held a 19-18 record at USC (Hmm...the Steelers were forced into a coaching change after a .500 record, too). I'm not saying that the NFL and NCAA are one in the same. Just look at Carroll's NFL record of 33-31. All this means is that change needs to happen occasionally, and Polamalu is a player who epitomizes success during coaching changes. Tomlin will not enjoy success as he gradually installs a 4-3 defense if Polamalu is in another uniform. After all, Polamalu has helped redefine the role of the safety in the NFL.

Polamalu is the anti-Faneca when it comes to contract negotiations. As a quiet man who puts his trust in God first and foremost, Polamalu would not be the one to come out and blatently say, "This will be my last year as a Pittsburgh Steeler." In order for Tomlin to enjoy success like Pete Carroll did at USC, he needs playmakers. Troy Polamalu is a playmaker. Its arguable that Polamalu is needed just as much as a healthy Ben Roethlisberger is needed for the Steelers to return to pre-2006 form.

The Rooneys are going to have to open their wallets big time to keep Troy. Like Faneca, he's in the last year of his contract. Unlike Faneca, however, there is no other option.