"Crafton Boy Lived a Dream"

Here are some thoughts about, and favorite quotes from, Bill Cowher's resignation press conference.

1. I have no doubt that Mr. Cowher's expression of appreciation for the sacrifices his family has made for him is sincere. But at the same time he was quite careful to describe his departure as a resignation, and when asked late in the press conference whether or not he was retiring he made a point of saying that this was a resignation. Additionally, while he stated that he didn't see himself coaching next season, and also said that the "only sidelines I'm going to be sitting on is up in the stands at my kid's basketball games," he also talked about how muchn he relishes the opportunity to "compete on Sunday" and how he loves the challenge of putting "a football team together."
2. Mr. Cowher moved up his announcement so that the Rooneys could interview candidates this weekend, which is all the consideration anyone could really ask for.
3. When asked about his favorite memory, other than the Super Bowl win, he talked at length about the many home playoff games and the affect those had on the community -- i.e. the "Black & Gold" days at local schools, and the pride that Pittsburghers felt.
4. Mr. Cowher thanked many including his mentor, San Diego head coach Marty Schottenheimer, Dan Rooney, all the players and coaches with whom he has been associated, the support staff, Kevin Colbert -- who, it turns out, is a frequent partner in racquetball matches -- and the Steelers' fans who he described as "second to none."
5. "You can take the people out of Pittsburgh, but you can't take the Pittsburgh out of the people." Amen to that!