At the 2008 Republican Convention in Minnesota, I had the pleasure of feeding my passions for politics and football by interviewing NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Lynn Swann of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
http://www.lynnswann.com/swann_docs/about/
http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=346
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Swann
The former Superbowl MVP was recently a candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania, and a bright future awaits him in whatever his next endeavor happens to be.
Before interviewing him, I listened to him answer questions from other people about political issues.
“We don’t ask whites about white America. We don’t ask Catholics about Catholic America. We should not ask black Americans about black America. The President has to be the President of all.”
“I will not be running for Congress. I looked at it in terms of what Ib want to do, and it is not a good fit for me.”
“Had I won the Governorship I would have had more security around me.”
I then asked him several questions about politics, before shifting to football. I kept the politics serious, but he was amused when the conversation changed.
1) What are the most important issues of 2008?
LS: “Leadership, the economy, the environment, and the capability to lead the defense of our nation. John McCain has the leadership experience.”
2) Who are your 3 favorite political heroes?
LS: “Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, and Governor Tom Ridge.”
3) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Lynn Swann the person?
LS: “I’m honestly not sure. I don’t know.”
4) Mike Tomlin is doing a solid job as coach of the Steelers. Art Rooney (the late Steelers owner) created the Rooney rule that has helped the NFL discover talent like Coach Tomlin. Do you support the Rooney Rule?
LS: “I do support the Rooney Rule. I support it for the right of all in the league to have equitable opportunities. It has served the NFL well.”
5) Regarding one of the biggest scandals in American history…isn’t it true that Frenchy Fuqua touched that football and not Jack Tatum? Can we finally get to the bottom of the Immaculate Reception?
LS: “Even with instant replay, that call would still stand today. There is simply not enough evidence to overturn the call. Instant replay would let the call stand.”
6) Could the Steelers of the 1970s in their current condition defeat the Raiders of today? As you can tell, I am a Raiders fan.
LS: “Those were some of the great games of all time, and the toughest guys we played. They would say the same about us. The competition was fierce. If you were to set up a rematch between those Steelers and any Raiders team, from the 1970s or whenever…the guys would throw down their crutches…and get out of their wheelchairs…to play that game.”
It was an absolute pleasure meeting Lynn Swann. He is an incredibly nice guy, and he pointed out to those around him that he was even nice to Raiders fans. I will never root for the Steelers, but he is a class act all the way, and now that he is not competing against the Raiders, I wish him success always.
He was amused by the football questions, and showed the diplomacy of somebody ready for politics.
With all due respect for Mr. Swann, I still believe it was Frenchy Fuqua who touched that football.
eric
Hey wow! Lynn Swann! I actually wrote two posts about him in recent years (if I may plug myself?)…
http://jerseymcjones.blogspot.com/2006/07/lynn-swann-athelete-politician-junk.html
http://theunitedamerican.blogs.com/bring_it_on/2006/01/lynn_swann_is_r.html
So, I heard ol’ Swanny is considering running again. I don’t think he’d stand a chance. Rendell is very popular and beat the heck out of Swann last time around. Of course, Swann will take the low road, like his comment about Obama; “I will always cling to my faith, and I will always cling to the Second Amendment right to be able to bear arms;” as if Obama somehow threatens Swanns faith and guns. Just once, I wish a GOPer would actually run on real issues… oh yeah, they can’t. ;)
JMJ
Yeah, like enforcing bedtime
Jersey is that the same as the Democrats running every four years saying the Republicans will take away social security, starve babies, kill minorities, and ban abortion (as if they could). Both sides need to run on real issues.
On to the important subject
Swanny was a class act and a great football player at USC and in Pittsburgh. Growing up he was one of my football heroes.
“With all due respect for Mr. Swann, I still believe it was Frenchy Fuqua who touched that football.”
I bet you believe that ken stabler, pete banazak, and Dave Caspar accidentally fumbled that ball into the end zone against san diego as well.
I rarely interject on my own blog, but the Stabler fumble was an act of God. It was called the Holy Roller. The Immaculate Reception was not. Just go with it.
The Tuck Rule was proof that evil exists.
As for the Holy Roller, it might be the only game where a coach got into it with the opposing team’s mascot. John Madden could have taken that San Diego Chicken.
eric :)
Well, Tygrrrr, that was a long long time ago. Let’s just say that bad calls tend to balance themselves out in the universal scheme of things. ;)
Parrot, Republicans would like to kill Soical Security. They’ve been against it from the very brginning and remain against it today. They would prefer there be no social state whatsoever (except for their prized welfare states – the military and government contractors). They love the Race War (re: war on drugs) that so destroys black people and their communities. And they would love to relegate women to nothing more than baby-makers existing for the whims of men.
These are real issues.
Prior to SS, over 50% of our elderly lived in poverty. That number has ever since been below 15%, usually around 12%. And you guys want to force public money into the same markets that you left unregulated and now are in turmoil? Just how many times can you guys be wrong without ever admitting it?
And you want to talk about “starving babies?” What about just plain killing them? Our disgusting, cannibalistic private healthcare system leaves us with the worst child mortality rate in the First World! And what would the GOP do? Nothing. Because the status quo makes money for investors. Nice.
And the Drug War has pretty thoroughly ravaged the black community. Their mortality rates are certainly not helped by this. Let alone their marginalization in the disgustingly evil private healthcare system.
And abortion? Thanks to abortion crime and a whole host of other social ills are way down from where they were a generation ago. And women, rather then just being the procreational property of men, are free to live their lives as they choose. But when they choose not to be our slaves, the insecure conservatives cry foul and demand they return to their second class status. Thus the War on Abortion – the war on the rights of women by the fallacely challenged, insecure, jealous, petty men who have failed our nation (and their women) in every single way and so use abortion to keep eyes off the prize of a world without their incompetence.
And Lynn Swnn may have been a great receiver for his time, but as a politician, he’s the receiver’s equivilent of Desmond Howard, a little lucky, but overall lousy.
JMJ
JMJ;
“And you want to talk about “starving babies?” What about just plain killing them? ”
With abortions going on where fetuses with heartbeats are getting cut out and destryed you guys dont have a big arguement in this dept.
“And you guys want to force public money into the same markets that you left unregulated and now are in turmoil? Just how many times can you guys be wrong without ever admitting it?
Like the kids that you are , you’re gonna run with that for ever arent you guys ?
The practices of our economy have been relatively right and respectable for decades.
As soon as things take a dive you guys want to bring in more government and run our finances as you do our health care.
Besides that, the blame can pretty much be spread evenly here Jersey , so dont get all carried away with the con bashing thing.
You guys already got your fingers in the pie and screwing things up before they even get started.
We need to get busy now, time is essential in making this bill work, and these dems want to add more crap to the bill
No time to haggle, couldn’t this wait ?
Are we too bail out also, the ignorant/irresponsible homeowners? This is what the democrats are trying to add to the bill.
Pelosi, Reid and Obama also both want to include economic stimulus We already know we’re going to be bailing out the banks–at a cost of 700 billion dollars. In essence, our government will own these foreclosed homes.
They’re just trying to buy votes with this bill by offering a check to everyone in form of a stimulus package or help paying there delinquent mortgage..
Convenient timing to want to give away all this stuff ?
Cons are trying to rectify the situation while the dems are politicizing it just to get votes because the recipients of any of the lib add ons are guarnteed votes for them.
Big government went and did what dems do and they’re still bitching.
This bill is very unconservative, its wealth redistribution which is just what the dems want and yet they still arent satisfied.
Now they big want government to impose effect on everything.
Its more important that we keep the ball rolling, keeping business open that can loan money and keep the country moving. Not sitting around arguing about add ons.
Not to kiss the potential voters a$$es and be guaranteed a very specific vote that would be aquirred for the dems by this addition to the bill.
That would be all the people who think like Obama and support him because they have the same screwed way of looking at finances. These people are the ones who would benefit directly if Pelosi and Obama get their way on this bill.
The dems will seek every opportunity to take advantage of entitlement freaks. This latest hold up is clear evidence of that
Jersey,
That is so typical of liberal. Nothing you said is accurate just demagoguery but at the the same time you “want to talk about real issues.” I would love to see an honest discussion of issues with this crap. The difference on abortion is people of good faith who have a difference of opinion on when life begins. Not either people who want to enslave women and people who wan to kill babies. The war on drugs (which I feel is foolish) has nothing to do with race wars but people trying to save members of society from themselves. As far as social programs and health care it is a difference of opinion about what is the best and most effective way to help people. In most cases it is not evil intentions on one side and noble ones on the other but people with different views of the best approach.
As far as abortion lowering crime that is a bunch of crap. Roe vs Wade was in the early 70’s which was followed by the worst crime rates in our history. Other factors later reduced the crime rates. Abortion had nothing to do with either side of the equation.