‘On the Clock’ perfect gift for Steelers fans
If you live in Southwestern Pennsylvania chances are there are a few, if not several, Steelers football fans among your family and friends.
If you无毛视频檙e like me, you无毛视频檙e always banging your head against the wall trying to figure out what Christmas gifts to give those Black-and-Gold faithful.
If you无毛视频檙e doing the same, as in sifting through shirts, posters, plaques, jerseys, memorabilia, I无毛视频檝e come up with a perfect solution.
Every once in awhile a stellar book on the Steelers hits the shelves and websites, and most of the time it无毛视频檚 one by Jim Wexell, as in 无毛视频淧olamalu无毛视频� on recent Hall-of-Famer Troy Polamalu released two years ago.
Wexell has done it again this year with 无毛视频淥n the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the NFL Draft.无毛视频�
The book spans the Steelers无毛视频� 无毛视频� then called the 无毛视频淧irates无毛视频� 无毛视频� first draft pick in 1935 up until the selection of NFL Defensive Player of the Year to-be T.J. Watt in 2017.
It无毛视频檚 packed full of stories that will make you gasp, smile, shake your head or just laugh out loud. It tells of how those many blunders in the early days came about and, at the other end of the spectrum, how some of the best draft picks and classes in NFL history (1974 anyone?) came to be.
It无毛视频檚 a fascinating historical reading about the back-and-forth banter and discussions and arguments as well as some shenanigans (a certain cannister containing film of John Stallworth无毛视频檚 collegiate career comes to mind) that went on surrounding some of the most important draft picks in Steelers history.
The book is full of interesting background stories on many of the players 无毛视频� Did you know one Steelers quarterback set a national high school track-and-field record? 无毛视频� and even the most fanatical Steelers fans are sure to find tidbits they didn无毛视频檛 know about.
The late Bill Nunn, the legendary scout recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, figures prominently in the years leading up to those super teams of the 1970s. There无毛视频檚 even a sort of tribute to Nunn at the end of the book with quotes from numerous Steelers coaches, scouts and associates on the highly entertaining trail blazer.
Also near the end is an intriguing question-and-answer section with former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert.
Even the foreword is a very amusing story by former Steeler Craig Wolfley.
It无毛视频檚 one of those books where once you start reading it you can无毛视频檛 put it down.
Wexell is a Pitt graduate originally from Chicago who has been on the Steelers无毛视频檚 beat for decades. He founded SteelCityInsider in 2001 and currently covers the Steelers as publisher of that site.
In addition to 无毛视频淧olamalu,无毛视频� Wexell is also the author of 无毛视频淭ales from Behind the Steel Curtain,无毛视频� 无毛视频淢en of Steel无毛视频� and 无毛视频淪teeler Nation,无毛视频� all also great reading for any Steelers fan.
无毛视频淥n the Clock无毛视频� costs a very reasonable $24, which includes shipping and handling, on Wexell无毛视频檚 website (jimwexell.com) Wexell autographs all copies purchased there. For personalized inscriptions click on 无毛视频渃ontact us无毛视频� after the book无毛视频檚 description on the site无毛视频檚 home page.
The book is also available at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com and at area bookstores.
It无毛视频檚 a must-have if you无毛视频檙e a Steelers fan, and as a gift the Steelers fans in your life will thank you for it.
Rob Burchianti is sports editor of the 无毛视频-Standard and can be reached at rburchianti@heraldstandard.com.