August 19, 2025 • 18 mins
This week, Michael is joined by the voice of ‘Los Steelers’, Álvaro Martín. The guys talk about the Steelers international links and look ahead to the final preseason game for the Steelers, which takes place on Thursday night/early Friday morning when the Black and Gold face the Carolina Panthers. You can watch the third preseason game on Friday morning at 12AM on Virgin Media and also listen on Off The Ball!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Irish airline aer Lingus will proudly serve as the presenting
partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth in
North America continues in twenty twenty five as the airline
prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
using its new Airbus eight three twenty one xl or aircraft.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
This brings the number.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Of transatlantic routes operated by the airline from Dublin, Shannon
and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers fans traveling to Ireland
for the big game can enjoy a relaxing journey when
they fly with air Lingus.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Air Lingus, You're very welcome, everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Welcome into the Irish Series podcast. As we get to
the end of the twenty twenty five preseason, getting closer
to the regular season night last game coming up Virgin
Media and Off the Ball this late Thursday night early
Friday morning for the Steelers against the Panthers on the
Irish Series podcast presented by Erlingis and Steelers Nation, It's
(01:02):
time to take flight with Erlingus, an official airline partner
of the Pittsburgh Steeters and the founding partner of Steelers Ireland.
There's never been a better time to book your trip
to Dublin with nineteen North American gateways, including flights from
nearby Cleveland, get ready for war, my Irish hospitality, and
plenty of room on board for your terrible title, whether
it's game day or getaway. Erlingus looks forward to saying
(01:25):
you're very welcome to the players and fans of the
Pittsburgh Steters. You can book now at aerlingus dot com. Yes,
final preseason game coming up. Delighted to welcome in a guy.
Add the opportunity to meet in radio row at the
Super Bowl and that historic week when they announced the
Steelers are coming to Ireland for the first time. The
voice of Los Steelers, Alvaro Martin, You're very very welcome.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Thank you, Mike, thank you for having me. You know,
we were neighbors at the Super Bowl. Literally, when Michael
would have to leave, we'd watch over his stuff and
vice versa. So we were definitely looking out for each
other then. And obviously you're the hardest working man in
American football in Ireland, so I'm glad you could find
just a few minutes for me and also should tell
you that we're looking forward to traveling to Ireland on
(02:11):
aer Lingus because the group that's going with the team
where actually I live in New York City. I'm going
to fly to Pittsburgh so then I can get on
air Linga's flight to Dublin. So we're looking forward to
that too.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
It feels like whenever we met that the Super Bowl
was last month. Can you believe that we're sitting here
two weeks out from the season. It's scary, but it's
amazing in a good way.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
It is, but it's exciting. I've seen how I called
the first regular season game ever played outside of the US.
It was in Mexico, San Francisco forty nine ers Arizona Cardinals,
and I remember the feeling of anybody and everybody in
the stadium. The last people to be infected with that
(02:57):
feeling were the actual players who then got into the field,
looked around and realized what a historical moment that was
and how powerful that was as a marker. And I think,
you know, Dublin said some preseason games obviously, but that
was almost a generation ago, and so this is going
to be that kind of a moment. And I've been
(03:18):
I've seen it already in Mexico City. I can't wait
to see that phenomenon take place in Dublin with maybe
even a kicker slipping in into the NFL, whether it's
with Green Bay or not. That you begin to have
national champions as well is another important marker as well.
But you're seeing the beginning of something big and it's
fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
It's very fun as well. I guess if people are
listening to this and you're an NFL fan, you obviously
see the amount of things that go on around the
world in different especially in Latin America as well. The
Staters have got global market rights in Mexico from twenty
twenty one, thousands of Steeters fans in the market in Mexico.
We'll talk about that in the week. Second, and for
(03:59):
people in Europe listening, al Varro, talk to us a
bit about your role, because you've been quite busy over
the last few weeks and I could listen to work
with the Staters.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
It is a lot of fun in terms of the
Spanish realm, and we announced the games in Spanish. We
happen to be now the more senior broadcast team at
the Steelers because there's been some turnover. Unfortunately on the
English side, we had Craig wolf Flear, a good friend,
pass away between the seas, and so we're all very
sad about that. But we have been broadcasting the Steelers
(04:30):
have since way before global markets. So in other words,
the Rooney family would dip into their pockets and spend
a significant amount of money to make sure that a
Steelers broadcast, in this case in Spanish, was available before
you could monetize it. It became a significant investment. But
that's how they felt about their fan base in Mexico.
(04:52):
For those who are listening to us, let me just
explain to you why the Steelers are so popular and
football so popular in Mexico. Back in the sixties, the
people that ran Mexican soccer were not too bright media wise,
and they decided that every single game in their league
would be played at noon their time, two hour blocks.
(05:13):
There wasn't a staggering of games. So if you wanted
to watch you know, football, meaning traditional football, you just
had that window for two hours on Sunday. If you
were a TV network that wanted to show sports, yet
nothing to show after the postgame. So what they did
is they started taking the afternoon games from the NFL.
They became so popular because already college football is being
(05:34):
shown on Saturdays in Mexico, that it just became a firestone.
And that is around the time when Pittsburgh won four
championships over six years. So everybody got into the Steelers bandwagon,
to the point now where those initial fans have their
grandkids become Steelers fans. Three generations now wearing the colors,
(05:55):
going to games, visiting games, whether it's in Dublin or
it's in Acrosure or anywhere else. In numbers significant numbers,
hundreds in every game to see their beloved team. Just
to give our listeners and viewers a bit of perspective,
the population of Pittsburgh is about four hundred and twenty
thousand people city limits. In Alleghany County, which encompasses many
(06:20):
more cities, it's about one point two million. Well, Mexico
City has more fans than Alleghany County has people, I
mean Steelers fans. So the number one city in the
world for Steelers fans is not Pittsburgh. Pittsfrom number two.
It's Mexico City. And while I don't know the fact
(06:42):
for sure, I would guess that Monterey, Mexico's number three
on the list. Just to give you a perspective, if
you put together all the Steelers fans in Mexico in
the US, one out of three live in Mexico, it's
an enormous group, probably one of the bigger fan bases
of any team. Probably over between seven and eight million
people avowed Stevers fans in a country where we rarely
(07:07):
play a game, and we haven't played one in three decades,
and so just for people to get their heads around,
it was an accident that the Mexican Soccer Federation decided
to put put all their games together in the sixties,
opening the door of the NFL. That's when Pittsburgh one
people got on the bandwagon. They're still in that bandwagon.
The team has still won two more championships after that,
(07:29):
and then they're competitive people of state. The flame has
been lit and kept alive. And now the possibility of
going to Dublin, going to Germany at some point and
going to Mexico again, Mexico City. It's exciting, Michael, it's exciting.
I mean, I'm telling you, I'm not Irish, but I'm
really excited to see the flame to be lit the
(07:49):
way it's going to be on September twenty.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Eighth, a big time. And you mentioned the population figures
around one point two million in Dublin, so it's funny.
Like you talk about the family, it is really being
ahead of time and getting to that and you can
see the dividends that have been paid from that, which
is awesome to see. I would really recommend anybody from
Ireland or Europe go on this theater's website and check
(08:12):
out some of the parties I've had in Mexico during
the season. When not if they do hopefully play down there,
it's going to be awesome. Do you think there's a
real excitement from fans down there about the game in
Dublin because it maybe gives them a hope in the
future that they'll come down towards Mexico as well. I
know a lot of people. I've a lot of people
reach out to me from North America and South America.
(08:36):
Really their their their plan to fly over the their
plan to spend a couple of weeks in Dublin, which
is really really cool as well.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Man, you know, it's the US. I don't know if
it's one out of four one out of five hundred
and six citizens of the country have Irish roots. Obviously
with a lot of intermarriage with different people from different countries,
but still some Irish roots, including members of my family.
By the way, I should add, so the notion of
(09:03):
Ireland is something that's not just another country in Europe.
It's a country that has some resonance in the US.
You know, Ireland for a lot of people mean something special. However,
I think a lot of people still see it as, oh,
what a fun chance to mix a visit to Ireland
with football and my favorite team. What a great opportunity.
(09:25):
I think they miss the again, the historical aspect of
is of it, and the point and the fact that
this is turbo charging a new fan base and activating
a country and eventually a continent. And I think that's
the part that they miss. I think they're going to
see that when they come back and tell their friends
and oh, let me tell you what's going on in Ireland.
(09:45):
Ooh it was impressive, and they'll say they'll be sort
of the the they'll be preaching that that. I don't know.
I'm not sure they know that coming into the game.
Other then it's going to be a lot of fun,
and it will be a lot of fun. So to me,
that's the part that I know because I've seen it
before in Mexico and I twenty years ago, and I
(10:07):
can't wait to see that, to see that in a
different country, different culture, and how the love of the
game is going to get into the reins and begin
to spread and it won't be Christians in Rome like
you anymore. It'll be a little bit more mainstream.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
A little under forty days of that game, I'm sure
we'll have a chance to hopefully meet in Dublin that week. Alvarrow,
you're quite close to the team and the fact that
you know, you obviously cover games, you're around the team.
One thing that has obviously changed since we last spoke
to each other is a number of different players have
come in, a number of players have come out. What's
your thoughts if you had to sum up the off
(10:45):
season and where we are to now in terms of
how this team has performed.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Well, there are two key people in the Steelers hierarchy
that are making interesting work. Whether it's good or not,
time will tell, and the championships or not will determine.
But it's you know, Omar Khan, a guy of Honduran
and Pakistani descent, and then Andy Widel who's from Pennsylvania,
old German family in Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh area, and
(11:13):
he has an eye for talent by position and what
team construction should be. Omar also has that. People short
change that, but he's a whiz at setting up the
team for transactions. What surprises me is not the amount
of change and the sort of transactions they're making trades,
big trades involving stars at their peak, like MIKEA. Fitzpatrick
(11:36):
going to Miami in exchange for two starters, but the
way that the Rooney family and the Pittsburgh fan base
has adapted to that. I think anybody else does that,
especially an outsider. If someone from outside of Pittsburgh. We
didn't grow up in the team vital again from the area.
(11:57):
Omar had been there sixteen years as an assistant that
Kevin co bar for that, they would have never accepted
these changes. It would have been on Pittsford light. It
would have been criticized. They're making such significant changes and
moving the pieces on the chessboard in anticipation so well
and without any president. When it comes to Pittsburgh that
(12:20):
it is stunning to see that. It is stunning to
see the amount of change and the acceptance of the
change in Pittsford. I think part of it is the
way the league runs right now. It's very difficult to
really construct the team strictly through your draft, but they're
trying and they're actually having success. But the amount and
the scale and the importance of change in Pittsburgh so
(12:40):
quickly has been accepted by everybody incredibly Well. Again, results
will be results, and in the end that everybody will
be judged by then the standard is a standard, right,
We know that phrase, But I think that's the most
important thing I can tell you. It's just amazing to
see the Rooney family be equanimous about just the change
(13:03):
that's happening. Well, we've never done this before, and it's
like open but it's we have to do this. So
there's a lot of consensus that this is the right
way to do that and that they're setting up the
team for great things in the future. We'll find out
this year again, but but I think that's probably the
feeing that I can convey to you. It is stunning
to see that. That's very unpitchfored like, but I think
(13:27):
it's a good thing. And again we'll find out how good.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
I can't do Anna more than the great. You know,
it's been a really interesting off season interest in somewhere
and I'm really excited to see what happens. We're actually
bringing you all Alvarro before the final preseason game, just
to remind Irish listeners the pont first staters game late
Thursday night early Friday morning this week Virgin Media. To
watch it on TV, you can listen and off the ball.
(13:55):
We're gonna have a podcast outs in the middle of
the next week recap and not looking ahead to the
season to college football game all over at Larder this
weekend as well, so it's a busy weekend and you
can catch the Mike Tomlin Show this season on Virgin Media.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
What's your thoughts?
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Just finally being Alvaro of the preseason so far. Obviously
Jacksonville that first game, close loss to the Bucks and
the home opener in preseason last week, and not an
opportunity for guys that might not start to come out
in this final game against the Panthers to try and
cement their chances. You know, sometimes people can be very
die on the preseason, but for a lot of these guys,
(14:30):
this is you know, their their careers, their moments where
they have to show some development, they have to shine
in these big moments because for a lot of players,
this is a huge importance to this game this week.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
You know, and Irish American head coach it's very famous
named Bill Parcells used to say about young players, it's
like puppies. You know, they may not have any teeth,
but you don't want them to just bark. You want
them to bite. And I think these preseason games allows
players like the ones we're watching play with twenty two
who starters essentially being held out of the games and
(15:03):
probably held out of all of the preseason. But I
still love these games and why For example, let me
show you Roderick Jones and Troy Feltano, the tackles on
the offensive line on either end they're playing. They're not
playing the full game, but they're playing a significant amount.
And this season will go as far as they will perform. Literally,
(15:25):
it's the prism through which the light of this season
will be projected and will know exactly how good they
are and how they keep everything together. And let the
offense become a contributor as opposed to an appendage to
the defense. They play, You got to watch them play.
Then you've got the rookies, Caleb Johnson the running back,
You've got hy A Black, You've got Derek Harmon, You've
(15:46):
got Jack Sawyer. They play. They play what you see
Roman Wilson, it's almost like a hidden player. Basically didn't
play much the last season as a rookie, and so
now you begin to unveil what he can do. That's
what these games are about. Yes, you can tell me
it's not the top, top notch competition. I get that part.
But there are things that they do that they will
(16:08):
do against top notch competition on the field, against whoever.
It's what they're made out of. And I think that's
what makes these games so interesting because, as you know,
the NFL is an attrition league, and unfortunately, the people
that start the season will not be the same people
that end the season. One thing that Omar has done
very well is create death. But I think part of
what's happening here, and it's up to the coaching staff,
(16:30):
is to get a Roman Wilson to become the number
two receiver or to fight with Calvin also to be
the number two receiver or who knows if more than that.
That is a fun thing to watch in every team
every year has at least one player that makes that
significant step. What you'd like to see in Pittsford is
a number of them make that step. And it's the
preseason that allows you the first chance to see, Okay,
(16:52):
what do they do between seasons? What do they work on?
How do they get better? And you're seeing that right
now and it's really really quite fun watch.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
It is fun to watch. And one more thing that's
fun for Staeters fans in Ireland is when they wake
up on Friday morning, hopefully after having a late night
watching the game. The next game is going to be
that week one game in these Jersey and we're almost there. Alvarrow,
I would just firstly ask people to check out Lost
Steelers across social media. You'll see this guy pop up
(17:22):
a number of times throughout the season. I want to
wish you the very very best for the season and
thank you very much for coming on and really appreciate it.
I'm sure we'll have the opportunity to hopefully say hello
in Dublin, but for now, grasses over.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Thank you for well.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
You're the James Brown of American football in Ireland. You're
the busiest man. So if we just wave at each other,
that will be enough for me, and hopefully we'll meet
again in less hurried circumstances. But I'm telling you, I
share your excitement about this game. I share the importance
of this game historically, It's a watershed moment. I can't
wait to see that, and hopefully the Stealers will pull
(17:57):
off the win.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Thank you much.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Chutty'son Irish airline air Lingus will proudly serve as the
presenting partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth
in North America continues in twenty twenty five as the
(18:21):
airline prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville
and Indianapolis, using its new Airbus eight three twenty one
xl or aircraft. This brings the number of Transatlantic routes
operated by the airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to
twenty four. Steelers fans traveling to Ireland for the big
Game can enjoy a relaxing journey when they fly with
air Lingus.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Air Lingus, you're very welcome
Irish airline aer Lingus will proudly serve as the presenting
partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth in
North America continues in twenty twenty five as the airline
prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
using its new Airbus eight three twenty one xl or aircraft.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
This brings the number.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Of transatlantic routes operated by the airline from Dublin, Shannon
and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers fans traveling to Ireland
for the big game can enjoy a relaxing journey when
they fly with air Lingus.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Air Lingus, You're very welcome, everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Welcome into the Irish Series podcast. As we get to
the end of the twenty twenty five preseason, getting closer
to the regular season night last game coming up Virgin
Media and Off the Ball this late Thursday night early
Friday morning for the Steelers against the Panthers on the
Irish Series podcast presented by Erlingis and Steelers Nation, It's
(01:02):
time to take flight with Erlingus, an official airline partner
of the Pittsburgh Steeters and the founding partner of Steelers Ireland.
There's never been a better time to book your trip
to Dublin with nineteen North American gateways, including flights from
nearby Cleveland, get ready for war, my Irish hospitality, and
plenty of room on board for your terrible title, whether
it's game day or getaway. Erlingus looks forward to saying
(01:25):
you're very welcome to the players and fans of the
Pittsburgh Steters. You can book now at aerlingus dot com. Yes,
final preseason game coming up. Delighted to welcome in a guy.
Add the opportunity to meet in radio row at the
Super Bowl and that historic week when they announced the
Steelers are coming to Ireland for the first time. The
voice of Los Steelers, Alvaro Martin, You're very very welcome.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Thank you, Mike, thank you for having me. You know,
we were neighbors at the Super Bowl. Literally, when Michael
would have to leave, we'd watch over his stuff and
vice versa. So we were definitely looking out for each
other then. And obviously you're the hardest working man in
American football in Ireland, so I'm glad you could find
just a few minutes for me and also should tell
you that we're looking forward to traveling to Ireland on
(02:11):
aer Lingus because the group that's going with the team
where actually I live in New York City. I'm going
to fly to Pittsburgh so then I can get on
air Linga's flight to Dublin. So we're looking forward to
that too.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
It feels like whenever we met that the Super Bowl
was last month. Can you believe that we're sitting here
two weeks out from the season. It's scary, but it's
amazing in a good way.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
It is, but it's exciting. I've seen how I called
the first regular season game ever played outside of the US.
It was in Mexico, San Francisco forty nine ers Arizona Cardinals,
and I remember the feeling of anybody and everybody in
the stadium. The last people to be infected with that
(02:57):
feeling were the actual players who then got into the field,
looked around and realized what a historical moment that was
and how powerful that was as a marker. And I think,
you know, Dublin said some preseason games obviously, but that
was almost a generation ago, and so this is going
to be that kind of a moment. And I've been
(03:18):
I've seen it already in Mexico City. I can't wait
to see that phenomenon take place in Dublin with maybe
even a kicker slipping in into the NFL, whether it's
with Green Bay or not. That you begin to have
national champions as well is another important marker as well.
But you're seeing the beginning of something big and it's
fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
It's very fun as well. I guess if people are
listening to this and you're an NFL fan, you obviously
see the amount of things that go on around the
world in different especially in Latin America as well. The
Staters have got global market rights in Mexico from twenty
twenty one, thousands of Steeters fans in the market in Mexico.
We'll talk about that in the week. Second, and for
(03:59):
people in Europe listening, al Varro, talk to us a
bit about your role, because you've been quite busy over
the last few weeks and I could listen to work
with the Staters.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
It is a lot of fun in terms of the
Spanish realm, and we announced the games in Spanish. We
happen to be now the more senior broadcast team at
the Steelers because there's been some turnover. Unfortunately on the
English side, we had Craig wolf Flear, a good friend,
pass away between the seas, and so we're all very
sad about that. But we have been broadcasting the Steelers
(04:30):
have since way before global markets. So in other words,
the Rooney family would dip into their pockets and spend
a significant amount of money to make sure that a
Steelers broadcast, in this case in Spanish, was available before
you could monetize it. It became a significant investment. But
that's how they felt about their fan base in Mexico.
(04:52):
For those who are listening to us, let me just
explain to you why the Steelers are so popular and
football so popular in Mexico. Back in the sixties, the
people that ran Mexican soccer were not too bright media wise,
and they decided that every single game in their league
would be played at noon their time, two hour blocks.
(05:13):
There wasn't a staggering of games. So if you wanted
to watch you know, football, meaning traditional football, you just
had that window for two hours on Sunday. If you
were a TV network that wanted to show sports, yet
nothing to show after the postgame. So what they did
is they started taking the afternoon games from the NFL.
They became so popular because already college football is being
(05:34):
shown on Saturdays in Mexico, that it just became a firestone.
And that is around the time when Pittsburgh won four
championships over six years. So everybody got into the Steelers bandwagon,
to the point now where those initial fans have their
grandkids become Steelers fans. Three generations now wearing the colors,
(05:55):
going to games, visiting games, whether it's in Dublin or
it's in Acrosure or anywhere else. In numbers significant numbers,
hundreds in every game to see their beloved team. Just
to give our listeners and viewers a bit of perspective,
the population of Pittsburgh is about four hundred and twenty
thousand people city limits. In Alleghany County, which encompasses many
(06:20):
more cities, it's about one point two million. Well, Mexico
City has more fans than Alleghany County has people, I
mean Steelers fans. So the number one city in the
world for Steelers fans is not Pittsburgh. Pittsfrom number two.
It's Mexico City. And while I don't know the fact
(06:42):
for sure, I would guess that Monterey, Mexico's number three
on the list. Just to give you a perspective, if
you put together all the Steelers fans in Mexico in
the US, one out of three live in Mexico, it's
an enormous group, probably one of the bigger fan bases
of any team. Probably over between seven and eight million
people avowed Stevers fans in a country where we rarely
(07:07):
play a game, and we haven't played one in three decades,
and so just for people to get their heads around,
it was an accident that the Mexican Soccer Federation decided
to put put all their games together in the sixties,
opening the door of the NFL. That's when Pittsburgh one
people got on the bandwagon. They're still in that bandwagon.
The team has still won two more championships after that,
(07:29):
and then they're competitive people of state. The flame has
been lit and kept alive. And now the possibility of
going to Dublin, going to Germany at some point and
going to Mexico again, Mexico City. It's exciting, Michael, it's exciting.
I mean, I'm telling you, I'm not Irish, but I'm
really excited to see the flame to be lit the
(07:49):
way it's going to be on September twenty.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Eighth, a big time. And you mentioned the population figures
around one point two million in Dublin, so it's funny.
Like you talk about the family, it is really being
ahead of time and getting to that and you can
see the dividends that have been paid from that, which
is awesome to see. I would really recommend anybody from
Ireland or Europe go on this theater's website and check
(08:12):
out some of the parties I've had in Mexico during
the season. When not if they do hopefully play down there,
it's going to be awesome. Do you think there's a
real excitement from fans down there about the game in
Dublin because it maybe gives them a hope in the
future that they'll come down towards Mexico as well. I
know a lot of people. I've a lot of people
reach out to me from North America and South America.
(08:36):
Really their their their plan to fly over the their
plan to spend a couple of weeks in Dublin, which
is really really cool as well.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Man, you know, it's the US. I don't know if
it's one out of four one out of five hundred
and six citizens of the country have Irish roots. Obviously
with a lot of intermarriage with different people from different countries,
but still some Irish roots, including members of my family.
By the way, I should add, so the notion of
(09:03):
Ireland is something that's not just another country in Europe.
It's a country that has some resonance in the US.
You know, Ireland for a lot of people mean something special. However,
I think a lot of people still see it as, oh,
what a fun chance to mix a visit to Ireland
with football and my favorite team. What a great opportunity.
(09:25):
I think they miss the again, the historical aspect of
is of it, and the point and the fact that
this is turbo charging a new fan base and activating
a country and eventually a continent. And I think that's
the part that they miss. I think they're going to
see that when they come back and tell their friends
and oh, let me tell you what's going on in Ireland.
(09:45):
Ooh it was impressive, and they'll say they'll be sort
of the the they'll be preaching that that. I don't know.
I'm not sure they know that coming into the game.
Other then it's going to be a lot of fun,
and it will be a lot of fun. So to me,
that's the part that I know because I've seen it
before in Mexico and I twenty years ago, and I
(10:07):
can't wait to see that, to see that in a
different country, different culture, and how the love of the
game is going to get into the reins and begin
to spread and it won't be Christians in Rome like
you anymore. It'll be a little bit more mainstream.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
A little under forty days of that game, I'm sure
we'll have a chance to hopefully meet in Dublin that week. Alvarrow,
you're quite close to the team and the fact that
you know, you obviously cover games, you're around the team.
One thing that has obviously changed since we last spoke
to each other is a number of different players have
come in, a number of players have come out. What's
your thoughts if you had to sum up the off
(10:45):
season and where we are to now in terms of
how this team has performed.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Well, there are two key people in the Steelers hierarchy
that are making interesting work. Whether it's good or not,
time will tell, and the championships or not will determine.
But it's you know, Omar Khan, a guy of Honduran
and Pakistani descent, and then Andy Widel who's from Pennsylvania,
old German family in Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh area, and
(11:13):
he has an eye for talent by position and what
team construction should be. Omar also has that. People short
change that, but he's a whiz at setting up the
team for transactions. What surprises me is not the amount
of change and the sort of transactions they're making trades,
big trades involving stars at their peak, like MIKEA. Fitzpatrick
(11:36):
going to Miami in exchange for two starters, but the
way that the Rooney family and the Pittsburgh fan base
has adapted to that. I think anybody else does that,
especially an outsider. If someone from outside of Pittsburgh. We
didn't grow up in the team vital again from the area.
(11:57):
Omar had been there sixteen years as an assistant that
Kevin co bar for that, they would have never accepted
these changes. It would have been on Pittsford light. It
would have been criticized. They're making such significant changes and
moving the pieces on the chessboard in anticipation so well
and without any president. When it comes to Pittsburgh that
(12:20):
it is stunning to see that. It is stunning to
see the amount of change and the acceptance of the
change in Pittsford. I think part of it is the
way the league runs right now. It's very difficult to
really construct the team strictly through your draft, but they're
trying and they're actually having success. But the amount and
the scale and the importance of change in Pittsburgh so
(12:40):
quickly has been accepted by everybody incredibly Well. Again, results
will be results, and in the end that everybody will
be judged by then the standard is a standard, right,
We know that phrase, But I think that's the most
important thing I can tell you. It's just amazing to
see the Rooney family be equanimous about just the change
(13:03):
that's happening. Well, we've never done this before, and it's
like open but it's we have to do this. So
there's a lot of consensus that this is the right
way to do that and that they're setting up the
team for great things in the future. We'll find out
this year again, but but I think that's probably the
feeing that I can convey to you. It is stunning
to see that. That's very unpitchfored like, but I think
(13:27):
it's a good thing. And again we'll find out how good.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
I can't do Anna more than the great. You know,
it's been a really interesting off season interest in somewhere
and I'm really excited to see what happens. We're actually
bringing you all Alvarro before the final preseason game, just
to remind Irish listeners the pont first staters game late
Thursday night early Friday morning this week Virgin Media. To
watch it on TV, you can listen and off the ball.
(13:55):
We're gonna have a podcast outs in the middle of
the next week recap and not looking ahead to the
season to college football game all over at Larder this
weekend as well, so it's a busy weekend and you
can catch the Mike Tomlin Show this season on Virgin Media.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
What's your thoughts?
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Just finally being Alvaro of the preseason so far. Obviously
Jacksonville that first game, close loss to the Bucks and
the home opener in preseason last week, and not an
opportunity for guys that might not start to come out
in this final game against the Panthers to try and
cement their chances. You know, sometimes people can be very
die on the preseason, but for a lot of these guys,
(14:30):
this is you know, their their careers, their moments where
they have to show some development, they have to shine
in these big moments because for a lot of players,
this is a huge importance to this game this week.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
You know, and Irish American head coach it's very famous
named Bill Parcells used to say about young players, it's
like puppies. You know, they may not have any teeth,
but you don't want them to just bark. You want
them to bite. And I think these preseason games allows
players like the ones we're watching play with twenty two
who starters essentially being held out of the games and
(15:03):
probably held out of all of the preseason. But I
still love these games and why For example, let me
show you Roderick Jones and Troy Feltano, the tackles on
the offensive line on either end they're playing. They're not
playing the full game, but they're playing a significant amount.
And this season will go as far as they will perform. Literally,
(15:25):
it's the prism through which the light of this season
will be projected and will know exactly how good they
are and how they keep everything together. And let the
offense become a contributor as opposed to an appendage to
the defense. They play, You got to watch them play.
Then you've got the rookies, Caleb Johnson the running back,
You've got hy A Black, You've got Derek Harmon, You've
(15:46):
got Jack Sawyer. They play. They play what you see
Roman Wilson, it's almost like a hidden player. Basically didn't
play much the last season as a rookie, and so
now you begin to unveil what he can do. That's
what these games are about. Yes, you can tell me
it's not the top, top notch competition. I get that part.
But there are things that they do that they will
(16:08):
do against top notch competition on the field, against whoever.
It's what they're made out of. And I think that's
what makes these games so interesting because, as you know,
the NFL is an attrition league, and unfortunately, the people
that start the season will not be the same people
that end the season. One thing that Omar has done
very well is create death. But I think part of
what's happening here, and it's up to the coaching staff,
(16:30):
is to get a Roman Wilson to become the number
two receiver or to fight with Calvin also to be
the number two receiver or who knows if more than that.
That is a fun thing to watch in every team
every year has at least one player that makes that
significant step. What you'd like to see in Pittsford is
a number of them make that step. And it's the
preseason that allows you the first chance to see, Okay,
(16:52):
what do they do between seasons? What do they work on?
How do they get better? And you're seeing that right
now and it's really really quite fun watch.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
It is fun to watch. And one more thing that's
fun for Staeters fans in Ireland is when they wake
up on Friday morning, hopefully after having a late night
watching the game. The next game is going to be
that week one game in these Jersey and we're almost there. Alvarrow,
I would just firstly ask people to check out Lost
Steelers across social media. You'll see this guy pop up
(17:22):
a number of times throughout the season. I want to
wish you the very very best for the season and
thank you very much for coming on and really appreciate it.
I'm sure we'll have the opportunity to hopefully say hello
in Dublin, but for now, grasses over.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Thank you for well.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
You're the James Brown of American football in Ireland. You're
the busiest man. So if we just wave at each other,
that will be enough for me, and hopefully we'll meet
again in less hurried circumstances. But I'm telling you, I
share your excitement about this game. I share the importance
of this game historically, It's a watershed moment. I can't
wait to see that, and hopefully the Stealers will pull
(17:57):
off the win.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Thank you much.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Chutty'son Irish airline air Lingus will proudly serve as the
presenting partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth
in North America continues in twenty twenty five as the
(18:21):
airline prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville
and Indianapolis, using its new Airbus eight three twenty one
xl or aircraft. This brings the number of Transatlantic routes
operated by the airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to
twenty four. Steelers fans traveling to Ireland for the big
Game can enjoy a relaxing journey when they fly with
air Lingus.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Air Lingus, you're very welcome
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