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Hardcore Steeler fans know him as the longtime Steelers scout with the five Super Bowl rings or the former Courier sports writer, local promoter, collegiate basketball star. For certain, he was celebrated locally for many things, a jack of many trades. But when he constructed a bridge between the Steelers and the black colleges that produced such players as John Stallworth, Mel Blount and Donnie Shell, this Bill Nunn became notable simply in one respect: “Super Scout!”
Funny thing is, he tried to hang up his binoculars almost 20 years ago. “I retired in 1987,” said Nunn, who the team lists in its scouting department as college personnel. “I think Dan Rooney, the only reason he keeps me around – I do some things – is because I’m the only one here older than him. Every year I tell him, ‘I’m going to quit coming in.’ And he says, ‘Nah, you’re not.’” Nunn, 81, then laughed at the irony. For he was telling this story from the Steelers’ South Side complex office he sort of shares with Doug Whaley, the team’s pro personnel coordinator, old enough to be his, uh, very young son. He was born and raised in Homewood, PA the son of the first black football player at Westinghouse High and later the longtime managing editor of the Courier, hence the reason why Louis, Owens, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine and a parade of politicians came by the house. He followed his father to Westinghouse, but the son’s sport was basketball. After playing at West Virginia State with Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in the NBA, he was offered tryouts with the New York Knicks and the Harlem Globetrotters, who were a bigger deal back then and didn’t pigeonhole blacks into a stereotyped role such as designated rebounder. But he wound up at the Courier, in the newspaper business, from where he rose to sports editor (promoting Indianapolis Clowns baseball visits to Forbes Field) and managing editor, before he was asked to join the Steelers’ staff part time in 1967. He then worked full time with his good friend, Art Rooney, Jr. under new coach Chuck Noll in 1969. Write-up courtesy of Pittsburgh Post Gazette. This painting is traditional oils on Ampersand Gessobord Masonite. The finished size is 13″ x 16″. Commission for Pittsburgh Steeler, Vice-president, Art Rooney, Jr. Original is sold. Art Rooney, Jr. and I want to thank Pittsburgh Post Gazette sportswriter, Ed Bouchette for supplying us the outstanding photographic reference of Bill taken by Peter Diana. |
Archive for the ‘Steelers’ Category
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Benjamin Todd “Ben” Roethlisberger (born March 2, 1982), nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round (11th overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio).
Roethlisberger earned the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2004 and his first Pro Bowl selection in 2007. He became the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in NFL history, helping lead the Steelers, in his second professional season, to a 21–10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL at the age of 23. Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a second Super Bowl title in four seasons as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, 27–23, after completing a game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the final 35 seconds. Roethlisberger has been one of the most efficient passers in NFL history. He currently ranks 10th all-time in NFL passer rating (92.9), 5th in yards per attempt (8.06), and 11th in completion percentage (63.24%) among quarterbacks with a minimum of 1,500 career attempts. He has the fourth highest career winning percentage (.710) as a starter in the regular season among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 starts. Known for playing outside the quarterback pocket in what he calls “backyard football”, Roethlisberger also grew up idolizing Pittsburgh area native Joe Montana. Roethlisberger wears number 7 in John Elway’s honor. This painting is traditional oils on Ampersand Gessobord Masonite. The finished size is 20″ x 16″. Original is sold. Write-up courtesy of Wikipedia. |
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This is Pittsburgh Steeler Defensive End, Brett Keisel from Greybull, Wyoming. I posed him where he hunts, which is up on the famous Carter Mountain Range. This is located right above where we live in Cody, Wyoming. He and his father Lane, have hunted this area for many years. Matter of fact, this is the very area that I hunt as well. It’s absolute God’s Country with a view that is second to none!
Around Brett’s neck is a grizzly bear claw necklace along with turquoise and bone necklaces as well. He is holding an original “Lancaster” muzzleloader rifle that was made in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is almost 200 years old. This painting is traditional oils on museum-grade Masonite. The finished size is 18″ x 24″. Original has been sold. One little side note, if you look close, you will see a small pair of buffalo tracks after my signature. This is to commemorate Brett’s High School mascot and my company name. I want to thank Brett for allowing me to paint his image. Also, I want to thank my wife Leigh, for taking her valuable time to photograph all the work in progress images of this painting. Please check out the other portrait that I did of Brett as a Pittsburgh Steeler, titled “:09 Seconds Remaining.” Original has been sold. |
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Keisel was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round (242nd overall) in the 2002 NFL Draft. In his rookie year he made five appearances making four tackles. In 2003 he was on the injured list for the entire season after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury. He returned in the 2004 season with 13 appearances and nine tackles. The following year, he appeared in all 16 games recording 33 tackles and three sacks, the first of his NFL career. After the departure of Kimo von Oelhoffen via free agency for the New York Jets in March 2006, Brett signed a new four year contract with the Steelers worth a reported 14 million dollars. That season he won the 1st team position at right defensive end and played in all 16 games making 55 tackles and 5.5 sacks, a career high. In 2007, he made 16 appearances recording 39 tackles and two sacks. On August 31, 2009, the Steelers signed Keisel to a new five-year contract worth $18.885 million and includes a $5 million signing bonus. In 2010, Keisel was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster for the first time in his career.
“The Beard” Write-up courtesy of Wikipedia. The piece is traditional oils on the Ampersand “Gessobord” Masonite. Measures 16″ x 20″ Original has been sold. Visit da beard. |
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L.C. Greenwood was part of the four Super Bowl teams from the 1970′s. He was also one of the original Steel Curtain members. L. C. was a 10th-round draft choice out of Arkansas AM&N in 1969 and became a starter in 1971 when he led the team in QB sacks with 8-1/2, the first of four times he accomplished this feat. He was second on the Steelers career sack list with 73-1/2. He was exceptionally quick and at 6′ 6-1/2″ was very difficult to block and with DT Joe Greene and LB Jam Ham formed an impregnable left side of the Steel Curtain. L. C. was a great big game player in Supper Bowl IX against Minnesota where he knocked down three of Fran Tarkenton’s passes. In Super Bowl X, he sacked Roger Staubach three times. Greenwood was named to the 1970′s NFL Team of Decade and was voted to more all NFL teams in the 1970′s than any other DE. L. C. was named to the Pro Bowl 6 times, a member of the 75th Silver Anniversary Super Bow Team, spent 13 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 16 times.
L.C. was often seen sitting along the Steeler bench with the infamous towel over his head. But the thing that really made L.C. as a stand out other than his shear tenacity on the field was his Steeler gold shoes! You could pick him out anywhere on the playing field. By the NFL rules, a player cannot wear anything other than the team issued shoes. L.C. told me, back in the day, Nike paid the fines so he could wear those famous shoes. This is a commission piece that I did for Art Rooney, Jr., owner of the Steelers. Here is a photograph at the luncheon that Mr. Rooney had for L.C. and I. It was at the famous Piccolina’s Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh. Mr. Rooney unveiled my new portraits of L.C. and Donnie Shell.
The painting was made into a collector card which is a limited edition of 1000.
The painting is traditional oils on Museum-grade Ampersand, Gessobord Masonite. The overall size is 16″ x 20″. This piece is SOLD. |
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Donnie Shell was part of the four Super Bowl teams from the 1970′s. He was also one of the original Steel Curtain members. Shell was one of the greatest undrafted free agents in NFL history. He came to the Steelers in 1974 after a stellar career at South Carolina State as a linebacker and safety. In his first three seasons, he was one of the best special teams players in the NFL. In 1977, he became a full-time starter and led the team in interceptions four times. Donnie was the first strong safety in NFL history to intercept 50 passes and still holds the NFL record for career interceptions with 51. During his 14 seasons, he made the Pro Bowl five consecutive times and was a standout on four Super Bowl winning teams. As a team captain, he was a great leader with his hard-hitting physical style of play. Donnie was nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame nine times.
This is a commission piece that I did for Art Rooney, Jr., owner of the Steelers. The painting was made into a collector card, which is a limited edition of 1000. The painting is traditional oils on Museum-grade Masonite. The overall size is 16″ x 20″. This piece is SOLD.
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In October 2009, Denny had the privilege of creating all the cover graphics for former Pittsburgh Steeler, Andy Russell’s new book titled Beyond The Goalpost. Denny’s oil painting of Andy was featured along with a photograph of Three Rivers Stadium taken by photographer, David B. King from Washington D.C. The foreword was written by the famous Hall of Fame member, running back and former Pittsburgh Steeler, Franco Harris.
The back cover features this famous photograph of Former Steeler Linebackers, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Andy Russell. This photograph was taken to showcase what is still an NFL Record. These three linebackers went to 24 Pro Bowls!
This is Andy’s third book. The inside front cover flap reads in his own words: Andy has always been attracted to athletic challenge, adventure and possibly even danger. In this book Andy tries to understand what it was that drove him as a young child, and to recall who were his mentors and especially ask himself why he was so driven to pursue what many would consider dangerous sporting activities – for example: professional football, mountain climbing, wilderness canoeing, cave exploring, and scuba diving. In some ways this book could be considered a biography as Andy tries to tell his children, grandchildren, dear friends and the Steelers Nation (fans/readers) how he thinks about life, how lucky he has been, and what a positive influence they have all been. If one can write his legacy this book would be his attempt to understand himself. Andy explains how football has been such a primary force in his life and he has included many stories about the Steelers amazing transformation from a consistent loser in the 60′s to the incredibly successful 70′s. Football also provided Andy with the opportunity to travel around the world five years in a row, giving football clinics, making motivational speeches and personal appearances. During those trips he and his partner Sam Zacharias pursued their investment business, finding investors on the other side of our planet. Andy describes how he feels forever blessed to have had such an opportunity, all brought about by his football experience.
Beyond The Goalpost is preceded by A Steeler Odyssey published in 1998 and followed by An Odd Steeler Journey three years later. |
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Before you scroll on down to see my Steeler pieces, I want to post this commission piece requested by Art Rooney, Jr, son of Art Rooney, Sr. This one is special, to say the least. This is Hall of Famer, Art Rooney, Sr., aka “The Chief.” Recently Art Rooney Jr. has written one fantastic book about the life and times of his father and the Rooney Family. It is titled “Ruanaidh.” The strange-looking title (pronounced Ru-ah-nee) is the Gaelic word for Rooney. This is a “ten-years in-the-making” masterpiece! Many of my Steeler portraits are printed though out this 483 page book. The inside cover art is graced by several fantastic portraits that have been done of “The Chief.” In the group, there are several portraits from my predecessor, the late, great Merv Corning, a fantastic local Pittsburgh artist, Dino Guarino, the famous sports artist LeRoy Neiman and lastly Art Rooney Jr’s cousin, Kathy Rooney, (http://www.krooney.net/) who is not only laid out the whole piece, but has her great portrait of “The Chief” included as well. What an honor to have been asked to have my work appear in such fine, fine company. I am truly humbled.
This is my pencil version of Art Rooney, Jr’s father, “The Chief.” – Denny
Here is the link to the Art Rooney, Jr. website: http://www.artrooneyjr.com/
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Dan Rooney has spent 50-plus seasons in various capacities with the family-owned Steelers. He was appointed team president in 1975. He has implemented a philosophy and management style that emphasizes open, practical and efficient management. Dan joins father Art Rooney, Sr. as the second father-son combination in the Hall of Fame. He was an integral part of one of the modern era’s most successful franchises, and has helped guide the Pittsburgh Steelers to six Super Bowls. As of 2009, Dan has taken the prestigious position as the Ambassador to Ireland. Dan’s son Art Rooney II has now taken over the reins of the Pittsburgh Steelers. |
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This is Troy Polamalu. To date, this is the highest profile commission that I have had to do. For some of you “Die-hard Steeler Fans,” you already know who Troy Polamalu is. For those of you who do not, Troy is one of the hardest working, most talented players to play the game of football. He just re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Troy was the 16th overall choice in the draft a few years ago. He received a five-year, $8.275 million contract. There is also a total of $3.2 million in performance incentives over the course of the contract that could push the potential value to $11.475 million! This makes him the highest paid strong safety in the entire league! In my opinion, no one deserves this more than this young man. Visually, there is no mistaking #43 on the field and no one covers a playing field like Troy, no one!
Leigh and I had the opportunity to interview Aaron Smith. He is a “gentleman’s gentleman.” We did an interview with him back in the first week of June when I was asked by the “Steeler Front Office” to draw and paint Troy’s portrait first to hang in the up-coming 75th Steeler Anniversary Show at the John Heinz History Museum. This is first of two sets of portraits that I am scheduled to do of Troy. This first piece is being drawn from one fantastic photograph that I bought from a national image source company. The photograph was taken last year at Denver’s Stadium. As I scanned through hundreds of photos of Troy, I knew the very second that I laid eyes on this shot, it was “THE” one! Those who have seen this so far say he has all the looks of a “Warrior.” I totally agree… he is the “Steel Warrior,” as Leigh calls him.
Oil Painting Measures: 18″ x 24″ Pencil Measures: 10″ x 16″ |
