NFL Pittsburgh Steelers: Road to XLIII

Nothing is easy when the season is on the line. Four times during the 2008 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fate “season” repeats; change to “fate”?hung in the balance. Each time they withstood the challenge. The result: insert colontheir NFL-record sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy. It was a team that displayed classic Pittsburgh toughness. From quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to a punishing defense led by Troy Polamalu and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, the Steelers battled for every yard from the first snap to the final whistle. Now, in this unforgettable four-disc set, relive the Steelers remarkable championship run with the original network broadcasts of four thrilling games. Follow Pittsburgh from their exciting Week-15 clash against Baltimore – the game that decided the AFC North title – through their playoff victories over San Diego and Baltimore again, to their breathtaking victory over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. Over these four games, the Pittsburgh Steelers became super once again. Now, those games are yours to own on DVD. Disc 1: Week 15 – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens Disc 2: AFC Divisional Playoffs – San Diego Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Disc 3: AFC Championship Game – Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Disc 4: Super Bowl XLIII – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals

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Death of mover-and-shaker Mackey touched with irony

He was all about irony was John Mackey, a big man with a booming but even voice of reason, a Hall of Fame tight end whose career created so many brilliant recollections for others, but exploits he could barely recall himself over the past decade.

So it's somewhat ironic that, on the day when Mackey passed away from the frontal temporal dementia that ravaged his memory for 10 years, a prominent element of the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations is the matter of improved benefits for the players who built the game into the preeminent force of the present. For all of his tremendous exploits on the field, a resume that earned him a niche in Canton in 1992, Mackey should be perhaps most celebrated for the notable leadership that he exhibited in improving the lot of players off the field as well.

The first president of the NFLPA, serving in a relatively thankless undertaking in the post-merger NFL created by once-warring leagues, Mackey seemed to understand early on that football was only a fleeting part of what defined a man. What defined John Mackey, a man this columnist only met once, were not only touchdowns but also touchstones.

And a sense that, while players were often regarded in a less than flattering light during much of his career, the pursuits of professional athletes were dignified and honest ones.

Several people on Thursday mentioned that Mackey was probably delayed from his Hall of Fame inclusion because of his union activities and his proactive stance. But Mackey, only the second pure tight end enshrined, never publicly complained about the perceived slight.

In a conversation last season with Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez -- the career leader in receptions at his position and a man who will someday join Mackey in Canton -- Gonzalez cited Mackey as "the man who created the position."

But he was so much more than just a player.

At 224 pounds, Mackey, a bullish runner after the catch, was viewed as gargantuan. Nearly 40 years after his last appearance, the game and position have advanced so much that Mackey these days might be a possession-type wide receiver. Still, he remains a giant.

Mackey was the NFLPA president at a time when the players didn't earn nearly the salaries they do now -- one of his several obituaries on Thursday pointed out that his total career pay was probably less than a long-snapper makes in one season now -- but also didn't enjoy many basic rights. There's an old story, repeated by Mackey on several occasions, that before the union, the equipment man would come into the locker room and advise players they could change T-shirts. The punch-line: The quarterback could change with the wide receiver, the guard could change with the tackle, and so on.

John Mackey, a Hall of Fame tight end, was the first president of the NFLPA. (AP) OK, so things probably weren't quite that bad. No matter. Mackey made things a lot better. As the "88 Plan," named in his honor and a tribute to a uniform number he wore throughout his career, emphasized, his efforts hardly stopped with his retirement after the 1972 season.

The "88 Plan," the result of a poignant letter from Mackey's wife, Sylvia, to then-NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue toward the end of his tenure, and a cause championed by Roger Goodell, pays $88,000 yearly toward the care of players who have suffered dementia or similar illnesses if they are in an assisted facility and $50,000 if care is done at home. In a league where it appears that the NFL and NFLPA bicker over the financial contribution that should be made to retired players, and who should foot the bill, the "88 Plan" is a celebrated agreement.

The plight of Mackey might not be solely responsible for the conversation devoted these days to head injuries, and their catastrophic ramifications, but it was critical.

Of all the touchdowns Mackey tallied in his career, arguably the most memorable was the 75-yard score in Super Bowl V, when the ball deflected off Colts wide receiver Eddie Hinton and Dallas defensive back Mel Renfro. It was, truth be told, a fluke. But if the touchdown was a matter of luck, Mackey didn't have a lot of good fortune after it, particularly in his football afterlife.

That said, generations of NFL players were lucky to have had Mackey come before them, fighting the good and honorable fight.

Modern players regularly make reference to "standing on the shoulders" of those who preceded them in the game. Fortunately for them, Mackey had shoulders that were broad enough to carry the load.

Because of their various dementia-related maladies, the men who should probably thank Mackey the most -- in one final irony -- might not be able to do it. So here's hoping that, at some point in the collective bargaining discussions, the various participants from both sides took a few moments Thursday to recognize his contributions.

Len Pasquarelli is a Senior NFL Writer for The Sports Xchange.

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Britt, Austin take opposite roads during lockout time

Late last month, Tennessee receiver Kenny Britt, one of the NFL's more promising young pass catchers, surrendered himself to Nashville police. Britt had been accused of providing false information for a driver's license, which resulted in warrants for his arrest. It was one of many legal problems that has sent Britt down a Pacman Jones-like rabbit hole of alleged criminal wrongdoing.

Around the same time, a confident woman stared at her son with the radioactive gleam of a proud mom. Ann Austin watched Miles, the Pro Bowl receiver with the Dallas Cowboys, speak with the media at his inaugural charity event to help disadvantaged youths at the North Jersey Country Club in June.

Miles Austin put on the First Annual Austin Family Foundation Golf Outing last month at North Jersey Country Club. (Getty Images) "I look at him and as a mom can't help but be so proud," she said. "He came from nowhere and now plays for the Dallas Cowboys. His life could have gone in so many other directions but he stayed focused and worked hard."

Britt and Austin, once you look deeper, are actually very comparable. Britt was born in Bayonne, N.J., played his football at Rutgers, and most NFL scouts consider him one of the more physically gifted receivers in football. Austin was born in Summit, also played his college football in New Jersey, at Monmouth, and possesses equally devastating tools. Miles is the better player, but Britt might actually have more potential.

They are comparable except in one sense: During the lockout, their careers have taken drastically different paths.

Austin used the lockout to improve his game and life. He did what you'd want a player to do. He is in supreme shape, having worked out almost daily since the lockout began. Austin and his family also put together the charity golf event.

Britt has made different choices. Instead of using the lockout to improve his skills or be productive off the field, he has made headlines with arrests, not charity. In June, he was arrested for resisting arrest (a charge that was later reduced). It was one of several problems Britt has faced during the lockout in what overall has been a troubled career.

Two young receivers, the lockout pushing their careers in alternate directions, making different choices.

The lockout will make or break some careers. Britt is expected to face discipline from both the Titans and the NFL (though the legality of punishing a player after a lockout will surely be addressed by the NFLPA). His actions during the 100-plus-day standoff cast doubt on his ability to be a professional. All Austin has done is better himself.

Austin answered perfectly when asked what he thought was the biggest thing players have to do during the lockout?

"Police yourself," he said. "Stay busy by keeping yourself in shape. Work out, don't get lazy.

"What can happen is that lockout can make players complacent. You have to fight that and act like the lockout can end any minute. When it does end, you'll see right away who was working out, who kept sharp, and who didn't. It'll be immediately noticeable."

The lockout is almost over (we hope) and Austin's theory could be put to the test. Will we see a legion of players who kept focused the way Austin did? My guess is yes. Unfortunately, a few of the Britt-type players will slip through the cracks as well.

Britt hasn't been charged with a crime in days now. That's the good news. The bad news for him is that the lockout isn't over yet.

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NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers - Road to XLIII [Blu-ray]

The Pittsburgh Steelers looked great throughout their 2008 championship run. Now, they look even better. For the first time on Blu-Ray, the original television broadcasts of four Steelers victories are available to own in high-definition in Road to Super Bowl XLIII. In this unforgettable set, relive the Steelers pursuit of their NFL-record sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy. Follow Pittsburgh from their exciting Week-15 clash against Baltimore – the game that decided the AFC North title – through their playoff victories over San Diego and Baltimore again, to their breathtaking victory over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. Over four games, the Pittsburgh Steelers became super once again. Now, those games are yours to own on Blu-Ray.

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