Worked the red carpet at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Wednesday night as 100 NFL legends gathered for the Mike Ditka Gridiron Greats Legends dinner, raising money and awareness for retired NFL players who need assistance because of inadequate disability and pension. Lots of notes ...
-- The Cardinals franchise has waited more than six decades since its last NFL championship, but it's easy to go a bit over the top with the historical significance on this year's team reaching Sunday's Super Bowl against Pittsburgh.
"Having the Cardinals in the game is as historic as Obama being in the White House," said Conrad Dobler, an offensive lineman who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1972-77.
Dobler, speaking before entering Mike Ditka's Gridiron Greats Legends Dinner at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, said he did not see Arizona's postseason success coming at all.
"If I had known that, I would have put a grand down on it in Reno," he said. "That didn't happen."
Dobler, who walks with a cane as a result of chronic knee problems that continue to require surgeries, said he visited with patients at a veterans' hospital Wednesday.
"It was better for me than them. It does more for me than I did for them, because it makes me feel good about myself," he said.
-- Cowboys legend Tony Dorsett, who won a national title and Heisman Trophy at Pittsburgh, said he's rooting for the Steelers. "I'm a Steelers guy. That's home," Dorsett said. "The black and gold was something we all wanted to wear as kids growing up and playing ball in the streets." Dorsett said he's also pulling for another Pitt standout, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald: "He's a breath of fresh air, quite a gentleman, real humble, but one hell of an athlete," Dorsett said.
-- Former 49ers star Randy Cross, asked for his favorite Super Bowl moment, said it's hard to answer: "Asking a Niner, we haven't been there and lost. I was in three, I won three. I have three kids. It's like asking me which one is my favorite kid. My last game was Super Bowl XXIII, 20 years ago. That was a very nice way to go out." Cross said he was a Pittsburgh fan in their heyday, got married 30 years ago last week and started his honeymoon with a redeye flight to Miami to see the Steelers and Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII.
-- Steelers star Rocky Bleier, who came in right next to Cowboys star Roger Staubach, said his favorite Super Bowl memory was catching a touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw against Dallas just before halftime in the Steelers' 35-31 win against the Cowboys 30 years ago. "I was just talking to Roger about that," Bleier said. "He still hasn't forgotten, or forgiven."
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