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Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
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Blame it on the media back in the 70's! That is who dubbed them with that nickname. Meanwhile, the Steelers DOMINATED the 70's with 4 Super Bowl titles!
The media interviewed Chuck Noll and asked him "Does it make you angry because Dallas is referred to as America's team when you and your club are winning all the SB's?" His reply was classic Chuck Noll! He said "No, because we aren't America's team. We are PITTSBURGH'S team!" Loved that guy!
When Bum Philips, head coach of the Houston Oilers was asked about that slogan, he replied, "I'd rather be Texas's team!"
LOL...I remember that quote from Bum, that was funny. I'm a Cowboys fan and I couldn't care less about my team being called "America's Team" or not being called that. Most of my friends, family, and other people I know who are Cowboys fans couldn't care less either.
It's never meant anything to most true Cowboy fans either - who'd rather their team do the talking on the field.
Instead, it of course goes back to Tex Schramm and Gil Brandt's marketing the team back in the late 60s and 70s. They really got creative with merchandising and fan mail (they actually answered the mail and gave them info on how to buy team related stuff - what a concept).
Little Elmer has a good point. The Cowboys pulled out all the stops regarding promotion, started probably by the cheerleaders! lol
I'm not sure exactly who or when it started, but it could have been a combination of CBS Sports and NFL Films, who at that time was headed by Ed Sabol, Steve's dad. The first time I heard that phrase I remember it being spoken by John Facenda through NFL films. I always fondly think of Facenda as "The voice Of God' himself. And I'm not so certain that Monday Night Football didn't push that phrase along as well, particularly broadcaster Howard Cosell!
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