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Dan Rooney on the Steelers visit to island of Ireland · The Irish Steelers Podcast

0:04
Speaker 1: Head folks, Welcome into the Irish Steelers Podcast D podcast
0:09
Speaker 1: for Irish Pittsburgh Seeters fans, part of the NFL Gooble
0:12
Speaker 1: Markets program. Michael looked with Jimmy English Dean McKee coming
0:16
Speaker 1: back into your ears a few days after the Pittsburgh
0:19
Speaker 1: Steeters get a much needed and always well reserved win
0:24
Speaker 1: against the AFC dor rival in the Cincinnati Bengals. More
0:28
Speaker 1: not in a minute. First off, Jimmy, you can you
0:30
Speaker 1: could hear the cold in my voice. I was just
0:32
Speaker 1: screaming whatever the Steelers won on Sunday. Good to see
0:36
Speaker 1: you get high the man good.
0:37
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm fantastic, Michael, thanks very much. It's it's always
0:40
Speaker 2: a good time when we're talking Steers football together and
0:43
Speaker 2: still doing a little bit of a high after the
0:45
Speaker 2: winnerver the Bengals. Like you said, I mean, it's always
0:48
Speaker 2: good to get a win over an AARC Nord's rival,
0:51
Speaker 2: especially the Bengals. And yeah, looking forward to to talking
0:55
Speaker 2: some Steeters ball and looking forward to the game this
0:57
Speaker 2: weekend as well.
0:58
Speaker 1: Absolutely well, and good to see you as well. A
1:02
Speaker 1: little bit into the week. Tribal everything sort of they
1:05
Speaker 1: jest and go from there, but it's hard to believe
1:09
Speaker 1: we're going in the week thirteen of the season this weekend,
1:11
Speaker 1: isn't it.
1:12
Speaker 3: Thanks Thanks Michael. Yeah, it's been the season just flew it,
1:16
Speaker 3: just free said yesterday we were filming our first podcast,
1:18
Speaker 3: and now look at us week thirteen, and the main
1:21
Speaker 3: thing is the Steelers are still in with a good
1:22
Speaker 3: shot of making the playoffs. So yeah, it's it's flown
1:26
Speaker 3: in and I don't want to miss another game, to
1:28
Speaker 3: be honest. You know, it's here to the end of
1:30
Speaker 3: the season, you know, but we've got a couple of
1:33
Speaker 3: games less and we've got a good chance to Potter
1:34
Speaker 3: Shalls in good Stead for the playoffs. So yeah, it's
1:37
Speaker 3: it's hard to believe, but it's it's here, right.
1:40
Speaker 1: So obviously last week we came off the watch party
1:43
Speaker 1: in Dublin. We had the news that the offensive coordinator
1:46
Speaker 1: might Canada had moved on, and I feel like, you know,
1:50
Speaker 1: we had a lot of positivity. We were all very
1:53
Speaker 1: very you know happy after that double meet up. Apart
1:56
Speaker 1: from the fact that we didn't win the game. Jimmy
1:57
Speaker 1: and I am, I'm actually a positive. There wasn't that
2:01
Speaker 1: much that I was expecting. Like obviously I thought the
2:03
Speaker 1: Steelers look white and beat a team I like like
2:07
Speaker 1: the Began Bulls, who did not have their starting quarterback
2:09
Speaker 1: in a high end one in Joe Burrow who's out
2:11
Speaker 1: for the season. But looking at that game and looking
2:16
Speaker 1: at how the Steelers performed, you've seen the progression not
2:20
Speaker 1: only in can you pick a but in the offensive plays,
2:22
Speaker 1: deeper passes, more sort of got sea calls on the offense,
2:28
Speaker 1: but also the run game worked really well as well.
2:31
Speaker 1: And I know, if you're looking at the paper sixteen
2:33
Speaker 1: to ten, it's the low scoring game, but there was
2:36
Speaker 1: definitely signs of progress there, even in such a short
2:39
Speaker 1: period at a time from that kind of the leave
2:41
Speaker 1: in the team, What was your initial thoughts and what
2:44
Speaker 1: were you what were your thoughts going back into this
2:46
Speaker 1: as we now reach a massive key point in this
2:49
Speaker 1: last part of the season.
2:50
Speaker 2: Well, I think the fact that we had a chump
2:54
Speaker 2: on the first offensive player caught of the game. You know,
2:57
Speaker 2: can you pick a twenty three out strike? Then the
2:59
Speaker 2: middle of the few to Pat Friar. May that set
3:02
Speaker 2: the tone I think to the offense of the game.
3:05
Speaker 2: I mean, straight away, you're coming out and you're getting
3:06
Speaker 2: a big player getting the first down, which Frank did.
3:09
Speaker 2: They struggled to redo all season until maybe in the
3:13
Speaker 2: later quarters of the game. So I thought that was
3:16
Speaker 2: that was a really good first step. And you know
3:18
Speaker 2: you mentioned the score there, Michael. A lot of Steeters
3:20
Speaker 2: fans myself and clearly think that should have been twenty
3:23
Speaker 2: three ten. To be honest to that, I mean, under
3:25
Speaker 2: the rule of a cast that Deanta Johnson reception in
3:30
Speaker 2: the end zone should have started the touchdown. Look be
3:33
Speaker 2: that as it may, you know, there's something we could
3:35
Speaker 2: do about that. But I think overall there was much more,
3:38
Speaker 2: much more of a positive energy from the offense. I
3:40
Speaker 2: think they were finally back into sync. Pat Friar mu
3:44
Speaker 2: you know, definitely we missed his presence and you know
3:48
Speaker 2: we got the run game turning again. Nagie Harris was
3:51
Speaker 2: running angry. I think he might have heard us talking
3:53
Speaker 2: about him being replaced as a number one running back.
3:56
Speaker 2: I thinkte yeah, he was. He was just he was
3:59
Speaker 2: pounding the rock. Was great to see. He was finish
4:01
Speaker 2: and runs hard. And yeah, I mean, obviously you might
4:04
Speaker 2: see more touchdowns a bit of a higher score, but
4:08
Speaker 2: I think overall the offense finally woke up a little
4:11
Speaker 2: bit and I'm excited to see what they can do
4:13
Speaker 2: now this weekend against the Cardinals.
4:15
Speaker 1: Welcome to the twenty twenty three season day of pot
4:17
Speaker 1: Rward on one hundred and twenty yards of the day.
4:21
Speaker 1: Obviously he's been to the team for quite a while though,
4:23
Speaker 1: but a breakout game of the season and great to
4:25
Speaker 1: see him have such a great day even when he
4:27
Speaker 1: doesn't get a touchedout all the day.
4:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, it was from from the minute ago he was
4:32
Speaker 3: he was on fire. I mean, he had them two
4:34
Speaker 3: massive receptions over the medal and not put us in
4:36
Speaker 3: the goods, you know, field goal range, and we were
4:38
Speaker 3: we were able to capitalize. Apart from you know, it's
4:40
Speaker 3: the drevet that Jimmy said, what really sort of sums
4:43
Speaker 3: our season up again if you think of it. You know,
4:45
Speaker 3: we we threw over what is supposed to be a
4:47
Speaker 3: touchdown pass Atte Johnson and it's it's it's a call
4:52
Speaker 3: to a no score. And then the next the next
4:54
Speaker 3: player we fumbled the ball and it's as and then
4:57
Speaker 3: but do you know what I was saying, it's a
4:58
Speaker 3: culmination of maybe what we've done so far. But at
5:01
Speaker 3: the same time, as she was the character in this
5:03
Speaker 3: offense as well. You know, they'll never say they'll never
5:05
Speaker 3: say no. And then just obviously it's great to have
5:07
Speaker 3: pot for Armouth back. He's such a reliable target target
5:11
Speaker 3: for Kenny and he's probably gonna be going forward. So
5:14
Speaker 3: just even in the first half as well, he did
5:16
Speaker 3: sort of tend you know, he bawled out a bit.
5:19
Speaker 3: You know, he was unlucky with the drops and you know,
5:22
Speaker 3: Jill Warren with the fumble. He's probably allowed it the
5:24
Speaker 3: odd mistake here and there because he's been fantastic the
5:26
Speaker 3: whole season and we probably should have been aheads, you know,
5:30
Speaker 3: going into the second half. But just the sort of
5:32
Speaker 3: hack of everything, Jimmy said, the offense, apart from maybe
5:35
Speaker 3: the few scorers on the board with maybe left behind,
5:37
Speaker 3: it looks for a completely different offense. I mean since
5:40
Speaker 3: twenty twenty we hadn't had a four hundred yard game
5:42
Speaker 3: and then Bengo first game after you know, the Farren,
5:44
Speaker 3: we're back on track and I'm just really excited to
5:46
Speaker 3: see what this offense can go going forward, especially into
5:49
Speaker 3: this week.
5:50
Speaker 2: It was great seeing the deep passes come off as well.
5:53
Speaker 2: I think Kenny had three attempts at deep balls and
5:55
Speaker 2: he connected them in two of them. I mean that
5:57
Speaker 2: one to Pickens was something spectacular and so look just
6:02
Speaker 2: to see more of that.
6:03
Speaker 1: I think.
6:04
Speaker 2: I think the two biggest things I want to see
6:06
Speaker 2: against the Cardinals are more shots down the field and touchdowns.
6:11
Speaker 2: We need. We need to go out and have it.
6:13
Speaker 2: Like obviously, it was a bit of a statement win
6:15
Speaker 2: against the Bengals period because it was a division rivalry game,
6:19
Speaker 2: you know, with what out Joe Burrow, Lucrris, we still
6:22
Speaker 2: met them. And I think I think the Steelers now
6:25
Speaker 2: hack to go out and use the momentum and put
6:28
Speaker 2: a big win on against the Cardinals at home this weekend.
6:33
Speaker 1: Arnold this weekend, Patriots next weekend, a key two week period.
6:37
Speaker 1: We'll get into talking with that in a little second,
6:39
Speaker 1: but first we're going to welcome with a special guest
6:41
Speaker 1: this week. It is an honor and the delight folks
6:45
Speaker 1: to you know, obviously bring people on the podcast at
6:48
Speaker 1: all times and to have different voices from Ireland and
6:51
Speaker 1: from the US, and this week it's no different. We've
6:53
Speaker 1: got a special guest this week, the director of business
6:56
Speaker 1: Development and Strategy for the Pittsburgh Theeders, mister Doniel Rooney
6:59
Speaker 1: on the Irish Staters Podcast. Folks, we've had some great
7:07
Speaker 1: guests on the Irish Theaters Podcast over the first few
7:10
Speaker 1: months of its initiation on this NFL season, and we're
7:13
Speaker 1: absolutely delighted to welcome in a guy who's the director
7:15
Speaker 1: of business development and strategy for the Pittsburgh Staters. Are
7:18
Speaker 1: familiar face to a lot of Irish funds and a
7:20
Speaker 1: lot of European fans over the last few months. Mister
7:23
Speaker 1: Daniel Rooney Don, it's it's a it's great to have
7:26
Speaker 1: you on the podcast. Welcome, how do.
7:28
Speaker 4: Yeah, thanks for having me back. Guys. Still you know,
7:32
Speaker 4: thinking about the great few days we had in Ireland
7:35
Speaker 4: a few weeks back, and uh, you know, we're we're
7:38
Speaker 4: excited to talk about how the trip went.
7:41
Speaker 1: Definitely, I think we're gonna we're gonna get into as
7:43
Speaker 1: much as possible as well. Just firstly, can you just
7:47
Speaker 1: for people that might that may not be aware that
7:49
Speaker 1: are listening in Ireland, the UK or I maybe Staters
7:52
Speaker 1: fans general NFL fans, can you talk to us, just
7:55
Speaker 1: don about your role with the Theaters and you know,
7:57
Speaker 1: the work that you do day in day on.
8:00
Speaker 4: Sure I wear a few different hats for the organization.
8:04
Speaker 4: Historically I served as a scout at one point a
8:08
Speaker 4: coach on the offensive side of the ball, and now
8:11
Speaker 4: I'm on the business side, and that entails our international strategy,
8:15
Speaker 4: which you know there's a focus on Mexico in Ireland
8:19
Speaker 4: right now. I have a role overseeing our youth in
8:23
Speaker 4: high school football development, so making sure our brand and
8:27
Speaker 4: our sport are growing domestically as well as internationally. I
8:31
Speaker 4: oversee our alumni relations, so our engagement with our former
8:35
Speaker 4: players and all the great work we do connecting back
8:38
Speaker 4: to our alumni and giving them the exposure and support
8:41
Speaker 4: they deserve. You know, I'm focused on our mobile gaming strategy.
8:46
Speaker 4: Yin's Chat is a game within our app that we're
8:49
Speaker 4: constantly developing around trivia in game day picks, so worth
8:53
Speaker 4: checking out for the Irish fans out there, as well
8:56
Speaker 4: as our stadium development, making sure Akroscher Stadium is is
9:00
Speaker 4: up up to date and ready ready for the future.
9:05
Speaker 2: We're going to get into and talk a lot about,
9:07
Speaker 2: you know, the work in Artlands soon, but how do
9:10
Speaker 2: you feel about having the opportunity to spearhead you know,
9:13
Speaker 2: the effort on the island, something that's very close to
9:16
Speaker 2: your family's heart.
9:17
Speaker 4: Yeah, I've said it before, but you know, just the
9:20
Speaker 4: connection the Rooney family has back to Ireland, with my
9:23
Speaker 4: family immigrating in the eighteen forties, but really growing up
9:28
Speaker 4: around my grandfather Dan and all the work that he did,
9:32
Speaker 4: you know, connecting Pittsburgh and in the United States back
9:35
Speaker 4: back to Ireland. I saw the love he had for
9:39
Speaker 4: our home country and it really rubbed off on me.
9:42
Speaker 4: And you know, anytime I get back there, I can
9:45
Speaker 4: feel the connection and the fact that we're able to
9:48
Speaker 4: you know, as you said Spearhead, the Steelers' efforts here
9:52
Speaker 4: in the in the twenty twenties, the Futures the Futures.
9:55
Speaker 3: Break down that the NSL Global Markets program was a
9:58
Speaker 3: nice earlier in the year. How did you find the
10:01
Speaker 3: initial response on the first three months of the integration
10:03
Speaker 3: in the Irish markets.
10:05
Speaker 4: We felt the warm welcome back in May twenty twenty three,
10:11
Speaker 4: whether it was from the Steelers fans in attendance to
10:14
Speaker 4: the sporting institutions of Ireland, the media that came out
10:19
Speaker 4: that day, as well as the corporate community. It was
10:22
Speaker 4: clear that we weren't entering a country that you know,
10:26
Speaker 4: didn't know about the Steelers, there was, you know, an
10:30
Speaker 4: interest level. What we saw at the watch party a
10:33
Speaker 4: few weekends ago really tied to the welcome. It was
10:38
Speaker 4: a packed room, which tells you all you need to
10:41
Speaker 4: know about the interest level right now from.
10:44
Speaker 1: Many fun as well here if they're not state response,
10:47
Speaker 1: they've adopted a different team over the last generation in
10:52
Speaker 1: the league, and many of course in a good way,
10:54
Speaker 1: or you know, adopted and supporting what the Steelers are
10:57
Speaker 1: doing even as a second team. That if they support
10:59
Speaker 1: a different team as well, which shows you how good
11:00
Speaker 1: it husband so far and the sport and next generation
11:04
Speaker 1: for the next ten to fifteen years. Look at these
11:07
Speaker 1: new funds. How important for you is it to gain
11:09
Speaker 1: the ventum with this next generation of like younger fans
11:12
Speaker 1: twelve twenty four years old in Ireland.
11:15
Speaker 4: It's a good question. It's something we focused on domestically
11:19
Speaker 4: as a Steelers brand as we look to connect with
11:22
Speaker 4: our younger fan base here in Pittsburgh and the rest
11:24
Speaker 4: of the States, but certainly in Ireland, where you know,
11:28
Speaker 4: American football might still feel new or somewhat foreign. Our
11:32
Speaker 4: ability to introduce our sport as well as the you know,
11:36
Speaker 4: the fun and exciting elements of the game critical in
11:40
Speaker 4: terms of the Steelers becoming Ireland's team, which is which
11:43
Speaker 4: is absolutely our intention, and you know, we have the
11:46
Speaker 4: authentic story to tell where we're not making up that
11:49
Speaker 4: that Ireland is a piece of our history because it
11:51
Speaker 4: truly is and we want that to resonate with with
11:54
Speaker 4: all fans on the.
11:55
Speaker 2: Last few weeks have especially been amazing for the team
11:58
Speaker 2: on the island. But you know, talk to us about
12:01
Speaker 2: the the American football. I think that the team put
12:04
Speaker 2: on the sugeon of American football and you know the
12:08
Speaker 2: GA players are toil part. It was fantastic to see.
12:11
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean that that was a special day. I
12:13
Speaker 4: don't want to put that above the watch party, but
12:16
Speaker 4: when you when you put Santonio Holmes and Alan Fanica,
12:20
Speaker 4: as well as myself on a on an American football field,
12:23
Speaker 4: we truly feel at home at that point. So being
12:27
Speaker 4: able to introduce the game to you know, the a
12:30
Speaker 4: FI players are already you know obviously play play American football,
12:34
Speaker 4: so they were a great example for for the Claire
12:37
Speaker 4: hurlers that were out there that day. But you know,
12:39
Speaker 4: in terms of the athleticism we saw from from from
12:42
Speaker 4: the younger Irish on on the field male and female.
12:45
Speaker 4: There there was a female participant as well. It was
12:48
Speaker 4: really impressive. We we saw the skill sets necessary to
12:52
Speaker 4: be a to be a strong American football player. There
12:56
Speaker 4: was you know, good throwers, good good catchers, h explosive,
13:00
Speaker 4: fast players, you know, competitive. We saw a lot of
13:04
Speaker 4: competitive mindsets out there and sort of a willingness to
13:08
Speaker 4: learn and hear from you know, our our Hall of
13:11
Speaker 4: Famer and our Super Bowl MVP. It was really really
13:14
Speaker 4: impressive to watch and we want to do more of
13:17
Speaker 4: those camps across Ireland, so we're excited about that. It's
13:21
Speaker 4: definitely want to think that the AFI coaches again that
13:23
Speaker 4: were in attendance that day the camp and would not
13:27
Speaker 4: have run as smoothly without their their energy and and uh,
13:31
Speaker 4: you know organization as well as tag leader.
13:33
Speaker 1: Uh.
13:34
Speaker 4: Tag's final portion of the clinic was was the kicking
13:37
Speaker 4: piece and and it ended with a kicking competition which
13:40
Speaker 4: may have been you know, the favorite of the youth
13:44
Speaker 4: that day.
13:44
Speaker 3: Don You're you're very accustomed to that to Ireland by now,
13:47
Speaker 3: But how good was it to get to take over
13:49
Speaker 3: members of the organization, namely Santonio and Allen.
13:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's neat since I've been, you know a few times.
13:56
Speaker 4: As I said, I love getting back there, but introducing
13:59
Speaker 4: Ireland to those that have not been is really special
14:03
Speaker 4: to me. And I could tell san Antonio and Alan
14:06
Speaker 4: fell in love almost immediately upon landing, and their curiosity
14:10
Speaker 4: of the culture and the Irish people was was real.
14:14
Speaker 4: They were asking questions from from really the second we
14:17
Speaker 4: got there. And you know the fact that we went
14:19
Speaker 4: to the Ga Museum gave them a great chance to
14:23
Speaker 4: understand the sporting culture of Ireland and they really picked
14:26
Speaker 4: picked that up and ran with it. And you know,
14:29
Speaker 4: they had an awesome time. And I would not be
14:31
Speaker 4: surprised if they go back there on their own, because
14:34
Speaker 4: they enjoyed it that much.
14:36
Speaker 1: Hopefully they do. We've got say myself, I'm davableth from
14:41
Speaker 1: Countie Troone, not too far from Country Done on Jimmy's
14:44
Speaker 1: right beside County donand Country Live. And you obviously visited
14:47
Speaker 1: the Epic Museum and you have the chance to obviously
14:50
Speaker 1: sort of look deeper at your family's ties to Ireland.
14:54
Speaker 1: Was that sort of the highlight of the trip, and
14:56
Speaker 1: did you learn much more about just to buy your
14:58
Speaker 1: family and sort of where one come for a little lot.
15:00
Speaker 4: Then, yeah, that that was very special to me, just
15:05
Speaker 4: I had I know my family's history and in connection
15:09
Speaker 4: with Ireland. But the epic presentation really got in detail
15:13
Speaker 4: of of where the Rooney family comes from and the
15:16
Speaker 4: names associated, uh you know with my great great grandparents
15:20
Speaker 4: and and generations on back. So luckily it was recorded
15:24
Speaker 4: so I can go back and continue to consume my
15:28
Speaker 4: my family's history. But starting the presentation, they said the
15:33
Speaker 4: Rooneys are as Irish as they thought they were, so
15:35
Speaker 4: we were we were happy to happy to hear that.
15:38
Speaker 4: And you know we cover cover the map more than
15:40
Speaker 4: I thought County Down certainly the ancestral home, but there
15:46
Speaker 4: there are, there were Rooneys spread across Ireland way back when.
15:51
Speaker 2: What was your experience like visiting County Down and getting
15:54
Speaker 2: to put some golf while you were up there?
15:57
Speaker 4: That was a neat day. San Antonio Homes in particular,
16:00
Speaker 4: Killer is a big time golfer, so we got to
16:02
Speaker 4: put his his skills to the test on an extremely
16:05
Speaker 4: challenging course, but but a beautiful course. You know, the
16:09
Speaker 4: scenes on on that course, on on the oceans and
16:13
Speaker 4: in the mountains in the background or something. None of
16:16
Speaker 4: us had had other had have ever really seen and
16:20
Speaker 4: that that was a special day that that we'll never forget.
16:24
Speaker 4: I won't reveal what I what I shot that day,
16:26
Speaker 4: it was, it was nothing special but just getting getting
16:29
Speaker 4: Santonio and Alan on the course. You know, they had
16:32
Speaker 4: an absolute blast.
16:34
Speaker 1: I love to see it as well, see the local
16:36
Speaker 1: TV as well, see you guys definitely had a good
16:38
Speaker 1: day golfing. Look, it's one thing saying that the watch
16:41
Speaker 1: party was a huge obsessed don but honestly I had
16:44
Speaker 1: the child is to shot to some people even in
16:46
Speaker 1: England last weekend, from just general NFL bonds to people
16:50
Speaker 1: work on the Sky sports on everybody talked about how
16:56
Speaker 1: not surprised, but just how much they enjoyed, either from
17:00
Speaker 1: being there or seeing it on TV, but how much
17:03
Speaker 1: they enjoyed that watch party. You know, you were there,
17:05
Speaker 1: you were on stage. The atmosphere was electric and I
17:10
Speaker 1: think even from sitting like you know, over the days after,
17:12
Speaker 1: it looked like that on television and locally out on
17:15
Speaker 1: social media, you know, for I think for all of
17:17
Speaker 1: like icompany, for these guys were fans of Arlam, but
17:19
Speaker 1: it was a really amazing moment for us, so fank
17:22
Speaker 1: you for that. But you know, from your additional plan
17:25
Speaker 1: and to setting it up to everything, how did you
17:28
Speaker 1: find that whatever you were maybe all not play at
17:30
Speaker 1: a double airport final?
17:32
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean the room over at Croke Park was
17:35
Speaker 4: dressed up like an event we would host here at
17:38
Speaker 4: Akroscher Stadium in Pittsburgh. And I know that the Irish
17:42
Speaker 4: fans there that day thought that was special and felt
17:45
Speaker 4: like a true American football event. So that was great.
17:48
Speaker 4: But the number of Steeler jerseys that entered the building
17:51
Speaker 4: that day was really impressive. The number of fans that
17:56
Speaker 4: already had had their Steelers gear showed us what we
17:59
Speaker 4: were hoping that they're They're truly are Steeler fans in Ireland,
18:03
Speaker 4: and they're diehard fans. From the moment they sat at
18:07
Speaker 4: their tables until the end of the game, they really
18:09
Speaker 4: didn't get up you and that halftime. So the the
18:12
Speaker 4: the energy in room that day, you know, really tells
18:16
Speaker 4: us that our ambitions to grow American football and the
18:20
Speaker 4: Steelers in Ireland has has merit and there's a foundation
18:24
Speaker 4: there that we're going to continue to work on.
18:27
Speaker 2: Speaking about that foundation, how open are the Steelers two
18:31
Speaker 2: hosting future similar events? But you know in different parts
18:34
Speaker 2: of the country.
18:35
Speaker 4: Yeah, we we want to spread those types of events out.
18:38
Speaker 4: We'd love to hear from from the Irish fans uh
18:41
Speaker 4: all over the map over there to to see where
18:44
Speaker 4: where they'd like us to come. But we will intentionally
18:47
Speaker 4: place watch parties, you know, football camps, uh fan contests
18:52
Speaker 4: through throughout the map, north and south. And Dublin's a great,
18:56
Speaker 4: great center for for NFL fans and Steeler fans, but
19:00
Speaker 4: we want to make sure we're you know, engaging across
19:03
Speaker 4: the island.
19:04
Speaker 1: Yeah.
19:04
Speaker 3: And Donad's was when you appreciate the count gift too
19:07
Speaker 3: much away and it is a key obviously next year
19:10
Speaker 3: to develop on the outstand and work completed the date
19:13
Speaker 3: And can you give us some hints in terms of
19:15
Speaker 3: what the Steelers may have planned for the Irish market
19:18
Speaker 3: in twenty twenty four.
19:20
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, as we exit the twenty three season
19:23
Speaker 4: and look at the spring American football camps across across
19:27
Speaker 4: the island, something we want to institute. We're talking about
19:30
Speaker 4: kicking clinics. We saw the impressive legs there a few
19:35
Speaker 4: weekends ago, so we definitely want to entertain some kicking
19:38
Speaker 4: clinics and you know more watch parties next season will
19:41
Speaker 4: will absolutely be a piece of this, but you'll continue
19:45
Speaker 4: to see current and former players make the trip over
19:47
Speaker 4: so that the Irish fans can can engage with you know,
19:51
Speaker 4: you know, the talent that we have and in the
19:54
Speaker 4: history that we have, so more more to come in
19:58
Speaker 4: more events that we think that the Irish fan base
20:01
Speaker 4: will will love and continue to turn out in a
20:03
Speaker 4: strong way.
20:05
Speaker 1: That's I think us music. Everybody's ears Donald. You know
20:08
Speaker 1: we heard from the Radolfs a few weeks ago just
20:10
Speaker 1: talking about the progression of the nfls is even the
20:14
Speaker 1: first game in London and the we have to know
20:17
Speaker 1: and to see what happened with the Sears a few
20:19
Speaker 1: weeks ago. Just just generally we hear from the NFL
20:24
Speaker 1: itself talking about you know, looking at Brazil's being different
20:28
Speaker 1: markets as early as next year. It's an exciting time
20:32
Speaker 1: to be a father. Lastly, but it must also be
20:35
Speaker 1: a very exciting time to work on the NFL.
20:37
Speaker 4: And lastly, yeah, the the NFL has made a real
20:40
Speaker 4: commitment to growing the game internationally by one placing live
20:46
Speaker 4: games in various markets and making a comment towards wanting
20:50
Speaker 4: to expand their global footprint of more games elsewhere, which
20:54
Speaker 4: is a great thing for Ireland and and US, you know,
20:57
Speaker 4: so that that piece of it, and then just starting
21:00
Speaker 4: this global markets program allowing clubs to devise their own
21:04
Speaker 4: strategies to build build fan bases around you know, the
21:07
Speaker 4: Steelers was a really smart move by the NFL and
21:11
Speaker 4: it again shows you how serious the league is about
21:14
Speaker 4: growing football outside of the States, because we believe we
21:18
Speaker 4: have one of the greatest sports in the world and
21:20
Speaker 4: we want to share with everyone.
21:23
Speaker 2: So, you know, there was a very important victory on
21:26
Speaker 2: the road against the Bengals last weekend. You know, it
21:30
Speaker 2: is massive in terms of ticking the team, taking themselves
21:33
Speaker 2: back up after the loss, but also getting a win
21:36
Speaker 2: against the division rival, you know, and at a kind
21:39
Speaker 2: of a critical juncture in the season as well.
21:42
Speaker 4: Yeah, anytime you can beat a AFC North opponent critical
21:46
Speaker 4: And you know, that gets us to seven and four
21:49
Speaker 4: and we're onto the Arizona Cardinals here back at Akroscher Stadium.
21:53
Speaker 4: So we're excited to get back in front of our
21:56
Speaker 4: home fans and you know, taking it week by week,
21:59
Speaker 4: but we're we're in the thick of the playoff on
22:01
Speaker 4: right now. So exciting journey ahead, you know that we're
22:05
Speaker 4: pumped to continue to work on.
22:09
Speaker 3: Yeah, we certainly aren't just just finally done and looking
22:12
Speaker 3: back on twenty twenty three, just how proud of you?
22:15
Speaker 3: How proud of you are you? Like, are you of
22:17
Speaker 3: yourself and obviously your team's you know, fantastic progress on
22:21
Speaker 3: in Ireland.
22:21
Speaker 4: Sorry, yeah, I mean proud to you know, we came
22:26
Speaker 4: out in May at the at Croke Park and said
22:29
Speaker 4: we wanted to host events and bring the Steelers to
22:32
Speaker 4: Ireland in a bigger way, and we've started to do that.
22:35
Speaker 4: But you know, we're we're more just excited to continue
22:39
Speaker 4: to grow our efforts. So really really excited about what
22:43
Speaker 4: we saw at the watch party. Again, that was when
22:46
Speaker 4: you know, outside of the loss, which we're we're going
22:48
Speaker 4: to stop talking about, that went about as well as
22:51
Speaker 4: it could have gone. So you know, I'm just really
22:54
Speaker 4: really excited to push this into twenty four.
22:58
Speaker 1: We look forward to welcoming you nottingmore times over the
23:01
Speaker 1: next few months and few years ahead and look just
23:03
Speaker 1: on behalf of both these guys in this podcast and
23:06
Speaker 1: Sailors fans across Ireland, the NFL fans across the end
23:08
Speaker 1: of Ireland and thank you so much forever and it's
23:11
Speaker 1: been done so far this year, and enjoy the next
23:14
Speaker 1: few weeks, the next few months of the season. Hopefully
23:16
Speaker 1: we can keep going as long as possible and hopefully
23:19
Speaker 1: that we might see you in Vegas ahead of a
23:21
Speaker 1: Staylor of Super Bowl with for now the director of
23:23
Speaker 1: Business Development Strategy Pittsburgh Stators, mister Dan, Grubby and Muggett,
23:27
Speaker 1: thank you so much for coming on the Irishitters podcast.
23:29
Speaker 4: Appreciate it, guys, love love what you do and I
23:32
Speaker 4: listen on a weekly basis. So awesome work, really really great.
23:37
Speaker 1: To hear Don on the podcast and obviously you know,
23:40
Speaker 1: starting marsalf we've all now not only had the chance
23:44
Speaker 1: to meet him obviously in Dublin at this watch event
23:46
Speaker 1: or CUK Park, but also here from him on stage
23:48
Speaker 1: and cook Park well received, not just with Don but
23:52
Speaker 1: the event itself. Just a really really genuinely nice guy
23:55
Speaker 1: that cares about the growth of the game on this island.
23:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, he's not just paying lip service to
24:02
Speaker 2: the Steiers commitment to like the future, their their future
24:05
Speaker 2: in Ireland. He genuinely is invested in in growing the
24:09
Speaker 2: Steelers found base across the water and in growing the
24:13
Speaker 2: NFL Global Markets program, and you can see his passion
24:18
Speaker 2: for the sport. His passion for Arland sounds really shines through.
24:21
Speaker 2: So you know, we he didn't give too much away
24:24
Speaker 2: about what he has in store for next year outside
24:27
Speaker 2: of the camps and the future watch parties. We couldn't
24:30
Speaker 2: we couldn't get any hints at him a better potential game.
24:33
Speaker 2: But I'm I'm very excited to see what the Steelers
24:36
Speaker 2: have in store for Ireland and for us next year.
24:39
Speaker 1: I think he I think keeping tight lip is almost
24:42
Speaker 1: a good thing. So I'm very very excited here what's
24:44
Speaker 1: going to happen, But more so if that I'm like
24:46
Speaker 1: this year Dave was gonna be It's gonna be a
24:47
Speaker 1: great year. Probably not going to get him to Colliland
24:50
Speaker 1: or done Gallup for a watch party, but something that
24:52
Speaker 1: will happen for us. Troy great the shot, the.
24:57
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, he just to getting the that one as well.
25:00
Speaker 3: In Dublin as well. You can just really see how
25:03
Speaker 3: sort of enticet he is in the whole project. And
25:06
Speaker 3: I as they say, you know, you're not going to
25:08
Speaker 3: be inclined anytime soon playing up in the finn a Field.
25:11
Speaker 3: But I'll tell you what the anywhere in the country
25:13
Speaker 3: will do me. You know what, as I say, I'll
25:15
Speaker 3: get myself down the cork Iff needs me and as
25:18
Speaker 3: I saying, maybe from me and you, Mick will have
25:19
Speaker 3: something up north soon. But just even like here and
25:22
Speaker 3: talk about his family history, his experience over here, you know,
25:25
Speaker 3: getting to play golf and Royal Tindy Down, which is
25:27
Speaker 3: probably one of the best golf courses in the world.
25:29
Speaker 3: Must they add, But at the same time just getting
25:31
Speaker 3: this big down that that stuff. It's really this mind
25:33
Speaker 3: blowing But yeah, great to shot with him and as
25:36
Speaker 3: always he's always welcome on if he wants.
25:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, eager to hear what the goal scorer was on
25:41
Speaker 1: the desk. That still he can't get anybody to let
25:43
Speaker 1: me know who won. But what we'll do something and
25:46
Speaker 1: he'll find I'd actually seen that on local TV during
25:50
Speaker 1: the week for people who are in Ireland. The trip
25:52
Speaker 1: was on BBC News Line. Steve Watson interviewed all the
25:55
Speaker 1: guys at Royal County Down and that was on TV
25:57
Speaker 1: during the week. So cool to see it forever expanded
26:01
Speaker 1: because you don't really see that they do sometimes locally
26:03
Speaker 1: so really really cool to see Jimmy going into the
26:07
Speaker 1: football Cardinals this weekend, Patriots next weekend, and then a
26:12
Speaker 1: really really interesting stretch to finish the season. They would
26:14
Speaker 1: finished the regular season for the Staelors, the Colts, the Bengals,
26:18
Speaker 1: the Seahawks, and then finishing the season against the Ravens.
26:21
Speaker 1: Owen Murphy kil Kenny Herder has pledged to come on
26:25
Speaker 1: week e eighteen on this podcast, Big Ravens Fan, so
26:28
Speaker 1: looking forward to having them on to hear it not
26:30
Speaker 1: just his faults and the Ravens, but also his thought
26:32
Speaker 1: about the Steels and Donald Armands. So far, it just feels,
26:35
Speaker 1: Jimmy like every game is key, the standard is the standard.
26:40
Speaker 1: But we're entering a key point of the season the year,
26:44
Speaker 1: starting off with a home game this Sunday against the
26:46
Speaker 1: Cardinals team, yes with Kyler Murray back, but the Cardinals
26:50
Speaker 1: team that really really struggled against the Rounds last week.
26:52
Speaker 1: You have to try and keep that momentum up. Yes,
26:55
Speaker 1: we come back, we come back. We turned the page
26:57
Speaker 1: and beat the Bengals. He got to go home this
27:00
Speaker 1: week and you've got to beat the Cardinals and hopefully
27:03
Speaker 1: for this team move to eaton for the season. Well,
27:06
Speaker 1: what's your faults as we enter the Cardinals week.
27:09
Speaker 2: Well, the way I'm approaching this game, Michael, is a
27:11
Speaker 2: way that I tend to approach life in general, and
27:14
Speaker 2: that is with cautious optimism. And the Steelers have an
27:17
Speaker 2: unfortunate tendency to play down to teams with their worst
27:20
Speaker 2: record than they have, and I just hope we can
27:23
Speaker 2: avoid doing that on on Sunday Sunday evening. I think
27:26
Speaker 2: the keys for this is going to be keep up
27:28
Speaker 2: the offensive momentum that we saw against the Bengals. Kenny
27:31
Speaker 2: has to have confidence in his throws. Having farm with
27:34
Speaker 2: back is going to be, like, you know, a tight
27:36
Speaker 2: end is a quarterbacks best friend in terms of being
27:40
Speaker 2: their safety blanket, being there, being their their option, their
27:42
Speaker 2: their their outlet. I think Friar is gonna have another
27:45
Speaker 2: massive game. I'd like to see pickings. You know, obviously
27:49
Speaker 2: he had that that those couple of big receptions against
27:52
Speaker 2: the Bengals. I want to see those two boys get
27:54
Speaker 2: on get in the scoreboard. In terms of defense, I
27:57
Speaker 2: think it's going to be keeping Kyler Murray contained. It's
28:01
Speaker 2: going to be it's gonna be crucial to to being
28:05
Speaker 2: victorious in this one. We obviously we all know how
28:07
Speaker 2: well that he can scramble.
28:08
Speaker 3: It.
28:09
Speaker 2: Doesn't have a bad hour himself, I think as well.
28:11
Speaker 2: I think James Cotter is going to come into this
28:13
Speaker 2: game with a bit of a chip on his shoulder,
28:15
Speaker 2: obviously being a former Steelers second round draft pick. So
28:18
Speaker 2: I think those two are going to be their key
28:20
Speaker 2: players on offense. I mean, Mike Tomlins said it during
28:23
Speaker 2: the week, I think it was today even like TJ.
28:26
Speaker 2: Watt is the best defensive player on the planet right now,
28:29
Speaker 2: so he's he's going to have another huge game. I
28:32
Speaker 2: want to see our dbs and our our linebackers continue
28:36
Speaker 2: to make make splash plays in terms of bit receptions.
28:38
Speaker 2: So look, I mean, I think it just boils down
28:40
Speaker 2: to keep doing what we're doing and we should be fine.
28:42
Speaker 2: So just have to wait and see.
28:44
Speaker 1: Now what we're doing basically means up here keeper let
28:50
Speaker 1: got to keep her let this week? And did we
28:52
Speaker 1: heard what coach Mike Tomlins said a TJ want and
28:54
Speaker 1: just how much for a later and how much he
28:56
Speaker 1: values him in the league overall. I look at one
28:59
Speaker 1: of Calermuri's games back for the Cardinals when they played
29:02
Speaker 1: the Taxans. He had a really, really good day in
29:05
Speaker 1: terms of he rushed the ball effectively. But they've got
29:08
Speaker 1: guys For a team that has not won a lot
29:10
Speaker 1: of games this year, they've good guys like Trebick Bright,
29:12
Speaker 1: Greg George who can actually make game difference, game difference
29:17
Speaker 1: in players, Jalis Cotter as well. On the rush. They've
29:21
Speaker 1: got guys that, regardless of record, can come in and
29:24
Speaker 1: really put a marker down. So it's a big, big
29:26
Speaker 1: death for this defense for the Steelers and someday as well.
29:29
Speaker 3: It's absolutely massive, Mack And you know, you couldn't be
29:32
Speaker 3: you couldn't be anymore right there, as you said, But TJ.
29:34
Speaker 3: Watt obviously we know he's the best in the world.
29:37
Speaker 3: But at the same time, you know the defense is
29:40
Speaker 3: going to have to stop up and it's probably the
29:42
Speaker 3: key to winning this game as well. You know, their offense,
29:47
Speaker 3: although yeah, burnof Kaller Murray, he's probably, in my opinion,
29:51
Speaker 3: maybe top ten quarterback in the league. You know, he
29:53
Speaker 3: showed up with his fight as well. You know, he's
29:55
Speaker 3: able to move around the pocket. He'll be able to
29:57
Speaker 3: eskip danger and stuff. So he's going to be a
29:59
Speaker 3: hard one to hold. You know, maybe there might be
30:01
Speaker 3: out many sacks because of you know how really elusive
30:04
Speaker 3: he is. But at the same time, if if the
30:06
Speaker 3: offense can sort of, you know, keep it up, like
30:09
Speaker 3: I think, even the keys to the win, if you
30:11
Speaker 3: just look at the Cardinals defense, thirty second and past
30:14
Speaker 3: completion allowed, which means they're going to let the quarterbacks
30:16
Speaker 3: sort of through the hit wide open targets and that's
30:18
Speaker 3: probably our our key to victory. Thirty one thirty one
30:22
Speaker 3: and the thirty two teams and rush yards allowed and
30:24
Speaker 3: thirty with thirty out of thirty two and Russian tds
30:27
Speaker 3: allowed as well. So the game, the grand game is
30:29
Speaker 3: going to be massive, as it usually is, and as
30:31
Speaker 3: that trend continues to trail that upwards. Directory I don't
30:33
Speaker 3: see how we can't come out with a win. So
30:36
Speaker 3: massive game. It's one of the harder ones we have left.
30:38
Speaker 3: Even though they're two and nine. It's probably a bit
30:40
Speaker 3: of a false record, but you know, if we can
30:42
Speaker 3: come out with a win, we're surely on their home straight.
30:44
Speaker 1: Starting every week. Oh a though, is what coach Tomlin
30:47
Speaker 1: would say. I'm sure if he was here on this
30:48
Speaker 1: podcast right now. Need to get him on sometimes Jimmy
30:51
Speaker 1: in the offseason, do you are you starting to look
30:54
Speaker 1: back at your AFC Championship production story You're going to
30:56
Speaker 1: say in the holedge, right, you know?
30:59
Speaker 3: Do you know?
30:59
Speaker 2: I feel like they're almost mini jinx Us against the
31:01
Speaker 2: Browns with that one next. So I'm gonna keep I'm
31:03
Speaker 2: gonna keep stumbing until we get until we see how
31:07
Speaker 2: the next couple of games pan out. I think, honestly,
31:09
Speaker 2: between this and the I think the Patriots game not
31:13
Speaker 2: to love too far ahead. I think that might be
31:15
Speaker 2: an even bigger trap game than this one. And so look,
31:18
Speaker 2: let's look like you said, we're going out, let's say
31:21
Speaker 2: a week by week and like I said, cautiously optimistic,
31:24
Speaker 2: a better, a better playoff chances come come January. I mean,
31:27
Speaker 2: we're in We're in the stretch. Now, we're in this
31:29
Speaker 2: in the stretch of the season. It's hard to believe
31:31
Speaker 2: this weekend is December, and so okay, it's it's it's
31:35
Speaker 2: business time now, So let's get down to it and do.
31:39
Speaker 1: It business time indeed, and it's one of those things
31:43
Speaker 1: you told about, that potential trap game for the Patriots.
31:46
Speaker 1: Patriots hosting the Charges this weekend. So who knows what
31:49
Speaker 1: we'll have coped in the next week. We have to
31:51
Speaker 1: worry about the teams that we play, obviously the Cardinals.
31:54
Speaker 1: As we get I'll start with you, do you give
31:57
Speaker 1: me your pick for this game. I'm gonna I'm gonna
31:58
Speaker 1: take the Steelers to win this game. Twenty one seven,
32:01
Speaker 1: twenty one seven.
32:03
Speaker 3: Twenty one seven. It's it's it's a little scoring one,
32:06
Speaker 3: but I think I could even now I know as
32:07
Speaker 3: you're gonna not go on any lower than not this time.
32:09
Speaker 3: And do you know what, Michael's It's my twenty sixth
32:12
Speaker 3: birthday this Sunday, and I would want nothing more than
32:14
Speaker 3: the Steelers coming out with a win. So I'm going
32:17
Speaker 3: twenty six twenty Steelers. And just before actually let Jimmy
32:21
Speaker 3: sort of choose his his prediction, I'm just gonna sort
32:25
Speaker 3: of come in with a bold prediction. WHI do you
32:26
Speaker 3: hear this? Because they're probably gonna laugh.
32:28
Speaker 1: I Steelers.
32:30
Speaker 3: I think the Steelers. And I've just sort of read
32:32
Speaker 3: over this. I think the Steelers can become the number
32:34
Speaker 3: one seed in the FC. I can see a few
32:37
Speaker 3: I can see a few a rows. But listen, just
32:39
Speaker 3: listen up right, listen to our court. Listen to our
32:43
Speaker 3: run of stretch of games. Quarterbacks. We've got Kayler Murray.
32:46
Speaker 3: We've got Mac Jones or Billy Zappe. We've got Gardner Minshew,
32:49
Speaker 3: got Jack Browning again, We've got genius Gino Smith. I've
32:53
Speaker 3: got Lamar Jackson come in to the name off. The
32:55
Speaker 3: current number one seed in the FCS is upgoing games.
32:58
Speaker 3: We've got Matt Stafford, travel, Lawrence Brock Party two and
33:02
Speaker 3: Canny Packets. I don't know without you, but who would
33:04
Speaker 3: you rather have there? There's surely a lot of wins
33:05
Speaker 3: in there.
33:06
Speaker 1: Hey, what tell you what, I'm very open with these
33:09
Speaker 1: next few weeks. I'll luck you that far yet. But
33:11
Speaker 1: what I will say, Jimmy, I'd feel free to fire
33:14
Speaker 1: your production as well for this game. Imagine Wikia team
33:17
Speaker 1: was for the AFC North against the Reems.
33:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, that that certainly is a I mean, I'm already
33:23
Speaker 2: looking ahead to the two Christmas games we have. I
33:26
Speaker 2: can't wait for those. Those are circle of my calendar.
33:28
Speaker 2: Bengals and the twenty third and the Seahawks and New
33:30
Speaker 2: Year's Eve. In terms of my pick, and I'm going
33:34
Speaker 2: do you know what I'm going to give the offense
33:36
Speaker 2: I'm going to give them a lot of credit for
33:37
Speaker 2: what they did on a short turnaround with no fixed
33:40
Speaker 2: offensive coordinator, and based on that performance, I'm going Steeers
33:45
Speaker 2: twenty eight, Cardinals fourteen. I think we finally, I think
33:48
Speaker 2: we finally get some the scores that we have. I
33:51
Speaker 2: mean we've been leaving scores on the field, especially last week,
33:54
Speaker 2: so I think there's a lot more in US in
33:56
Speaker 2: terms of scores. So yeah, I mean, I'm not sure
33:59
Speaker 2: if I goes here saying the number one, the number
34:02
Speaker 2: one lam AFCC, what should look. Well, we'll see what,
34:07
Speaker 2: We'll see what happens. Your your your optimism knows no bounds, saved.
34:11
Speaker 3: Some sort of delusion. But I believe us. I believe us.
34:14
Speaker 1: I believe it. Indeed, I want to give a shout
34:17
Speaker 1: out to just finally Scottish staters follow in glasglast week
34:21
Speaker 1: and he said to me the watch party looked incredible.
34:24
Speaker 1: Props to what is going on at the Haarlem with
34:25
Speaker 1: the staters. I'll definitely be there next year. So people
34:28
Speaker 1: are all not just are that people around Europe are
34:31
Speaker 1: the US as well. Boys. It's it's always good to
34:33
Speaker 1: chat to use and just in terms of this week
34:35
Speaker 1: against the Cardinals. The game is not all the sky Sports,
34:37
Speaker 1: it's on his own game pass, but you can also
34:40
Speaker 1: listen to the game of staters coverage on OTP Sports Radio.
34:44
Speaker 1: But for now, from Michael, from Jimmy, and from Dave,
34:47
Speaker 1: here we go. Hopefully we're talking about it with them
34:51
Speaker 1: Monday Chatty Simples
34:52
Speaker 2: Here we go, and an act