PITTSBURGH – Dick LeBeau turns 87 in early September, but you would never know it by his performance Sunday.
And yes, he turned in a performance at the official launch of his book, “Legendary: The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers, The Zone Blitz, And My Six Decades In The NFL.”
Literally.
During a panel discussion that featured LeBeau, Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke and Brett Keisel (several players who were going to attend ran into travel issues), a fan asked LeBeau to recite a verse from “Twas The Night Before Christmas.”
At the end of the discussion held at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, LeBeau stood up and recited the whole dang thing by rote. He even acted it out along the way. It wasn’t as drawn out as when he used to perform it for the Steelers around Christmas, but he got a standing ovation from the hundreds of fans in attendance. He then signed books for more than two hours, telling fans who thanked him for, well being Dick LeBeau. No, thank you, was LeBeau’s response to the faithful who attended.
That’s just who he is.
It was a long but wonderful day. The only time I got a little worried about the ageless wonder was before the presentation started.
We were in a private room when Keisel arrived. He did more than just hug his beloved coach. “Inside leverage!” Keisel yelled. He and LeBeau then started circling one another.
Keisel, like Hampton and Hoke, has slimmed down since his playing days. But he is still a big man. And as you can see in the above picture, Keisel wrapped up and gave LeBeau quite the lift.
To me, that picture symbolizes so many things. How everyone from that 2008 Super Bowl-winning team picked each other up. How tight a grip that magical season retains on all of them. And how when it comes to LeBeau and that epic defense, expect to see the unexpected.
Even now.
Many years have passed since they were all together in Pittsburgh. But when they are back in the 412 it’s like they never left. The stories just flow, like Troy Polamalu’s hair. LeBeau while chatting with Hampton, Hoke, and Keisel brought up how Hampton sometimes got mad at the defensive backs.
If the Steelers gave up a first down via the pass, which didn’t happen a whole heck of a lot of in 2008, Hampton would put his hands on his hips and glare at them.
Like, really?
They all got a good laugh at that.
Of course, Hampton later admitted during the panel discussion that the defensive backs got the last laugh.
It came after a question about how everything with that defense — and others coached by LeBeau – started with stopping the run. LeBeau and the players talked at length about that bedrock principle. Then Hampton acknowledged a fact about the defense that LeBeau will put up against any in NFL history.
It finished first in the NFL in so many categories, including passing defense. It finished second in run defense.
Rest assured the defensive backs will never let Hampton forget it. And they will laugh like it is 2008 all over again every time they’re together.
