HapHaszard
January-20th-2009, 04:28 AM
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090120/SPORTS06/301209970
TEMPE, Ariz. – Ken Whisenhunt seemed to be a logical successor to Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh when the job came open two years ago. If not him, then certainly Russ Grimm.
Both Steelers assistants were passed over in favor of outsider Mike Tomlin, and Whisenhunt came to Arizona, bringing Grimm with him as associate head coach and offensive line coach.
Now Whisenhunt’s upstart Cardinals are facing the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
After Arizona beat Philadelphia 32-25 for the NFC Championship on Sunday, Whisenhunt was rooting for Pittsburgh to beat Baltimore for the AFC crown.
“How could it be any different?” Whisenhunt said Monday. “When we actually won the game, how could it not be the Pittsburgh Steelers? That’s what I expected. It’s just a shame that you guys don’t have any story lines.”
The Arizona-Pittsburgh coaching connection will be a Super Bowl subplot for the next two weeks leading up to the Feb. 1 game in Tampa.
“It’s going to be emotional for us,” Pittsburgh offensive tackle Max Starks said. “Those are the coaches I won my last Super Bowl with.”
Whisenhunt was an assistant to Cowher for six years, the last three as offensive coordinator. He called the shots for young Ben Roethlisberger in the Steelers’ 2005 drive to the Super Bowl championship. Grimm also had been on Cowher’s staff for six seasons, the last three as assistant head coach as well as offensive line coach.
Whisenhunt was interviewed for the vacant job in Atlanta, then found out about Cowher’s resignation. The Steelers gave him an interview, but that was as far as it went. Grimm got two interviews in Pittsburgh, and there was an erroneous report that he had been offered the job.
Instead, Tomlin wowed owner Dan Rooney and team president Art Rooney II during two long interviews.
Click on the link above for the rest of the article
TEMPE, Ariz. – Ken Whisenhunt seemed to be a logical successor to Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh when the job came open two years ago. If not him, then certainly Russ Grimm.
Both Steelers assistants were passed over in favor of outsider Mike Tomlin, and Whisenhunt came to Arizona, bringing Grimm with him as associate head coach and offensive line coach.
Now Whisenhunt’s upstart Cardinals are facing the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
After Arizona beat Philadelphia 32-25 for the NFC Championship on Sunday, Whisenhunt was rooting for Pittsburgh to beat Baltimore for the AFC crown.
“How could it be any different?” Whisenhunt said Monday. “When we actually won the game, how could it not be the Pittsburgh Steelers? That’s what I expected. It’s just a shame that you guys don’t have any story lines.”
The Arizona-Pittsburgh coaching connection will be a Super Bowl subplot for the next two weeks leading up to the Feb. 1 game in Tampa.
“It’s going to be emotional for us,” Pittsburgh offensive tackle Max Starks said. “Those are the coaches I won my last Super Bowl with.”
Whisenhunt was an assistant to Cowher for six years, the last three as offensive coordinator. He called the shots for young Ben Roethlisberger in the Steelers’ 2005 drive to the Super Bowl championship. Grimm also had been on Cowher’s staff for six seasons, the last three as assistant head coach as well as offensive line coach.
Whisenhunt was interviewed for the vacant job in Atlanta, then found out about Cowher’s resignation. The Steelers gave him an interview, but that was as far as it went. Grimm got two interviews in Pittsburgh, and there was an erroneous report that he had been offered the job.
Instead, Tomlin wowed owner Dan Rooney and team president Art Rooney II during two long interviews.
Click on the link above for the rest of the article