RIP Chuck Noll

[Carl]

Hie reign was before me, but four SB's in 6 years. If he did that now, he would he a God. Is he just underrated.

I would be curious to hear from people who watched the NFL in the 70's. He had to have something about him.

 

[Clay_Allison]

He was a big part of building that team. The Steelers were a laughing stock before he took over. He demanded they change their drafting philosophy and it paid off like crazy.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Hie reign was before me, but four SB's in 6 years. If he did that now, he would he a God. Is he just underrated.

I would be curious to hear from people who watched the NFL in the 70's. He had to have something about him.

It was a time when dynasties could be built if an owner was willing to fund it. Rooney was such an owner and Noll was a good coach.

 

[boozeman]

It was a time when dynasties could be built if an owner was willing to fund it. Rooney was such an owner and Noll was a good coach.

Fund it? They weren't any more apt to pay players than the rest of the league. They were cheap then and are not exactly spend thrifts now.

The Steelers didn't buy talent, they drafted it. Mainly by doing things unconventionally in the draft, such as mining the talent from black colleges. There is a reason Dallas and the Steelers were able to dominate in the 1970s...they recognized the value of the draft.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Fund it? They weren't any more apt to pay players than the rest of the league. They were cheap then and are not exactly spend thrifts now.

The Steelers didn't buy talent, they drafted it. Mainly by doing things unconventionally in the draft, such as mining the talent from black colleges. There is a reason Dallas and the Steelers were able to dominate in the 1970s...they recognized the value of the draft.

If you drafted well you were going to get good players but it was going to cost you to keep them on the roster. The longevity of good players is what made dynasties and an owner had to be willing to pay to keep them together. Some owners were to cheap to keep the roster full of top flight players.

 

[boozeman]

If you drafted well you were going to get good players but it was going to cost you to keep them on the roster. The longevity of good players is what made dynasties and an owner had to be willing to pay to keep them together. Some owners were to cheap to keep the roster full of top flight players.

Back in those days once you were drafted by a team you were basically their property.

There was no free agency. Either you played, or you get cut/traded or had to quit. I don't think there is any evidence the Steelers or any other of the quality teams of the era were better because they paid more.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Back in those days once you were drafted by a team you were basically their property.

There was no free agency. Either you played, or you get cut/traded or had to quit. I don't think there is any evidence the Steelers or any other of the quality teams of the era were better because they paid more.

Salaries did go up with seniority. A lot of times you were overpaying your 10+ year vets to keep them coming back for another year when by that point they could afford to retire and pursue careers after football (a thing players actually used to plan for). Also, if you traded for vets, like the Skins used to, you usually had to pay them more than they were making to make sure they reported.

 

[boozeman]

Salaries did go up with seniority. A lot of times you were overpaying your 10+ year vets to keep them coming back for another year when by that point they could afford to retire and pursue careers after football (a thing players actually used to plan for). Also, if you traded for vets, like the Skins used to, you usually had to pay them more than they were making to make sure they reported.

Of course salaries went up. But to imply that the good teams won because they paid more vets is not all that accurate. The Cowboys were incredibly cheap. Ask Duane Thomas, one of the few who publicly objected.

 

[ravidubey]

A consistent, nondescript, no-nonsense guy who did his job. His disposition helped center that team which had a ton of characters. He was at his best when he wasn't trying to make inspirational speeches.

Overall didn't make bad decisions which is exactly what a team that talented needs from its coach.