Chuck Noll, the legendary coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers for over 20 years, is dead after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease, as well as chronic heart and back problems. His career with the Steelers, which lasted through their dominant years in the 70's and 80's, is considered one of the finest dynasties in professional sports.
Noll was known by fans and onlookers as a proponent of hard-hitting, old-school football; he presided over the famed "Steel Curtain" defense that wreaked havoc on offenses in the 70's.
But to those who knew him best he was a Renaissance man (via New York Times):
"Noll regarded himself foremost as a teacher and passed up lucrative endorsements. But for all his focus on the fine points of football, he had a life away from the game as a connoisseur of fine wines and a sailor, and he even managed a rare quip when he shrugged off the Steelers' fourth Super Bowl championship.
"'Dynasty?' he said. "Is that a place to eat?'"
In fact Noll's passion for knowledge was so deep he would often talk about anything but football (via ESPN):
"Noll, who died in his sleep Friday in suburban Pittsburgh, would discuss weather patterns at length. I learned about the 'lake effect' around the Pittsburgh area from Noll and how Lake Erie created less snow for Pittsburgh and more for areas closer to Buffalo. I learned about thunderstorms. I learned about wines. Often, Noll would discuss subjects he had heard driving into work on the local National Public Radio station. He wasn't trying to steer the interview away from football, he was just being himself."
When not nerding out over weather or fine wines, Noll would take the time to go over fundamentals with rookies and Pro-Bowlers alike, believing that technique and discipline were the foundations of any winning organization.
He is survived by son Chris, wife Marianne, sister Rita Deininger and two grandchildren (NY Times).
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