Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that they have re-signed cornerback William Gay. I’ve said it many times before. In every sports city – especially Pittsburgh – there is always a scapegoat. For the Penguins, it has been Marc-Andre Fleury, Paul Martin and most recently Tyler Kennedy. For the Pirates, it’s Kyle Stark, Neal Huntington, Rod Barajas, Clint Barmes and Clint Hurdle. A few seasons ago for the Steelers, it was none other than Gay.
Was Gay as bad as people made him out to be? Not in my opinion. He is good in the inside and that’s exactly what he will be used for this season in Pittsburgh.
The signing does tell us one of two things (maybe both):
1. Pittsburgh is desperate for secondary help
2. There’s no place like Pittsburgh for athletes
Now before you call me biased or a homer, just hear me out.
Gay isn’t the first Steeler to leave for what he thought were greener pastures (we’re talking money here), but then quickly realized the winning mentality that the Steelers have. As a matter of fact, the past few years, many have done the same thing that Gay has done before.
- Bryant McFadden left the Steelers for the Cardinals after they had ironically beat the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. The next year, McFadden was back in Pittsburgh.
- After playing with the Steelers in 2008, Byron Leftwich signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009. After just one season, Leftwich also returned to the Steel City.
- Larry Foote decided to head up to Detroit, his hometown, in May of 2009. Can you guess what happened one season after that? That’s right. He was back in the Black and Gold.
- Even Dick LeBeau couldn’t get enough of Pittsburgh as he was an assistant in the early 1990’s. LeBeau returned in 2004 and is still the team’s defensive coordinator.
- Bill Cowher was born in the Pittsburgh area. After a playing career and other coaching stops, Cowher returned to Pittsburgh and led the Steelers to two Super Bowls and one win.
Pittsburgh brings the winning mentality – especially the Steelers. Jerome Bettis hung up the cleats after the Steelers beat the Detroit Lions in the Super Bowl. Bettis has a house in Pittsburgh and opened up his own restaurant by the stadium. Even Hines Ward, who reportedly had offers from other teams after the Steelers cut him, decided to hang it up instead of strapping on the pads for another team.
The Steelers aren’t the only team to have this happen to them either. I’m telling you, it’s just something about the city.
When the Pirates opened the season last year, the loudest ovation – standing even – wasn’t for Andrew McCutchen or Neil Walker. It was for former Pirate Nate McLouth. McLouth was an All-Star centerfielder earlier in his career with the Pirates. While last season didn’t go the way he wanted in Pittsburgh, McLouth said that there was nowhere else in the league he’d rather play than Pittsburgh. While athletes say this all the time, McLouth actually meant it.
Another former Bucco made his way back to Pittsburgh this year and he’s one who was here when the team, you know, won. Jay Bell returns as the hitting coach. When I spoke with him at Piratefest, he told me that Pittsburgh has always had a spot in his heart since he raised his daughters here. He said when he was approached about the opportunity to be a hitting coach, he jumped at the chance when he heard it was in his “other home” as he put it.
During the Pittsburgh Penguins back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 1990-1991 and 1991-1992, there was only one Pens player to play in each regular season and playoff game. It wasn’t Mario, Jags or Francis. It was Kevin Stevens. Stevens was a pure beast early on in his career for the Penguins. After stops in Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia, Stevens once against joined the Penguins before retiring in 2002.
To make a playoff push in 2011, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Alex(ei) Kovalev from the Ottawa Senators for a 7th round pick. While Kovalev was traded, he said that he was eager to return to the city that made him into a star early in his career.
The “home sweet home” feel doesn’t just apply to the pro circuit either.
Brandin Knight, a former guard for Pitt who has his jersey retired, had quite a career on the hardwood. Knight played professionally for two years before ultimately returning to Pitt to join Jamie Dixon’s staff as an assistant coach.
Hank Poteat was a standout return man and defensive back as he earned two-time All-Big East honors during his time at Pitt. After a 10-year NFL career – including a stint with the Steelers – Poteat is returning to Pitt this year as the team’s Defensive Back’s coach as a graduate assistant. When the Philadelphia native was asked about returning to Pitt, Poteat said, “I feel like Pitt is home.”
As you can see, Poteat isn’t alone in this. Even if Pittsburgh isn’t home to these athletes, it has that feel and winning tradition that makes it feel that way.
It just goes to show that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Photo Credits: About.com
