Coach Bill Cowher took a helicopter early Friday morning from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp in nearby Scottsdale to Super Bowl media headquarters in downtown Phoenix. He said he enjoyed the ride.
“I know my kids will be very envious when I tell them I was on a helicopter for the first time,” Cowher said with boyish enthusiasm.
Cowher, meeting the press for the last time before his Steelers face the heavily favored Dallas Cowboys Sunday in Super Bowl XXX, didn’t look or sound like a man preparing for the guillotine. He even had good words for the frenzied week of hype he and his team have survived.
“The players have enjoyed it,” he said. “To me, it has been fun. I’ll be honest with you, probably the most fun I had was media day (last Tuesday).
“You have to enjoy the moment. But at the same time, I haven’t seen guys with their heads nodding (at team meetings) indicating late nights. They have been very focused. On the practice field, they have been spirited.”
Finally, Cowher got around to discussing his game plan–sort of.
“We have to be able to run the football,” he said. “The most important thing for us is to make first downs, keep the Cowboy offense off the field, keep the game close. We have won a lot of close football games.”
Cowher continued to duck questions about the availability of rehabbing cornerback Rod Woodson, who wore a knee brace onto the practice field Thursday, then removed it, leaving only a sleeve as protection.
“I can see him as a role player in this game. It may be third down initially . . . we will just have to see how the game unfolds,” said Cowher.
Dallas coach Barry Switzer was slightly more articulate in discussing the Cowboys’ pet rehab case, defensive end Charles Haley.
“Charles is back–survived two days of physical practice,” Switzer said. “He had no repercussions. But he’s had the flu, he’s been weak. His conditioning is not what he wants it to be. So he’s not going to be able to play the number of snaps he would normally play. His back won’t be a problem.”
Switzer, successor to Jimmy Johnson and still under frequent media and fan criticism this season, was asked if he thought a Super Bowl victory would end the negative comment.
“No, I don’t think that will ever happen,” he said with a smile. “I think you’re always going to have your people that will criticize and critique and not be for you.
“I’ve always accepted that. Years ago, I quit worrying about popularity contests. I said 30 years ago half are for you and half against you. It doesn’t make any difference.
“I entered the NFL with the most difficult criteria. The only way I could be measured as a success would be to win the Super Bowl. I understand it and accept it, because of the talent on this football team. I know my predecessor, when he arrived, it wasn’t expected of him. I accepted it and I don’t really care, because it makes no difference to me.
“I’ve got a daughter here with me today. I’ve got my brother sitting over here, I’ve got my business partner and attorney. And you know what matters, those close friends and family around you that care about you and love you, and you really care about and love them.
“So it’s really incidental and irrelevant to me what anyone a thousand miles away or 50 blocks away would write and say about me. Maybe you don’t respect them. How can you let their words hurt you?”
