Former Steeler Faneca Discusses How Game Has Changed
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - Former Steelers offensive lineman Alan Faneca joins the guys in studio to promote a bike ride for charity as well as talk some football.
Alan does not watch as much football as people expect him to but he has lost a great deal of weight. Alan does not really miss the game because "you can't do it forever" but he does miss moments from playing. Many guys are not ready to walk away when they have to.
When asked about leadership in the locker room, Alan points out that Jerome Bettis didn't have to say or do much but whatever he did carried a lot of weight with other players. Tommy Maddox also had influential passion in stressful situations.
The Hall of Fame only crosses Alan's mind when someone talks to him about it. If it happens, great, if not, life will go on.
Fans can forget that players are people. Abuse of players is kind of like how ancient Romans treated gladiators and it's hard not to take it personally.
Alan was playing as the league gradually moved from a running attack to more of a high flying aerial show. "You can't run around the field thinking" or even more people are going to get hurt but that is what the league is forcing some players to do as they try to put more emphasis on safety.
"It is a game and we know what we are doing to ourselves" in terms of physical injury but concussions are leading to second guessing careers. Alan would give the okay to his son if he came to him with a desire to play football.
Warren Sapp was a huge challenge and forced offensive lines to change technique of how they played.
Training camp was always a grind and Alan compares it to prison.
