Here?s a story out of left field. And out of 1972.
It involves Steelers Hall of Famer Jack Lambert, Alabama coach Nick Saban and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger.
You with me so far?
Saban was on his weekly radio show last Thursday leading up to the SEC Championship game against Georgia. He was asked about playing college football with Lambert when they were both at Kent State in the early 1970s.
Saban launched into a story about how Lambert made the position switch from defensive end to middle linebacker. A move that would eventually get him drafted by the Steelers in the second round in 1974.
According to Saban, members of the Kent State football team would often work security at concerts. Heading into Lambert?s junior year, Saban said the team was posting up as stage security at a Rolling Stones concert in Cleveland.
Someone was about to throw something at Jagger as he was walking off the stage. The team?s middle linebacker, Bob Bender, saw what was about to happen and knocked it down. According to Saban, Jagger pointed out Bender and hired him as part of his security team. As a result, Bender didn?t show up for camp. So head coach Don James moved Lambert from defensive end to inside linebacker.
Later that season, in a game that would decide the conference championship, Miami (Oh.) had a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Four times in a row, future NFL running back Bob Hitchens (Steelers, Patriots, Chiefs) tried to jump over the middle of the defense into the end zone. Four times in a row, Lambert stopped him.
?It is the greatest individual performance I?ve ever seen,? Saban said.
So there you have it. If not for Mick Jagger, maybe Lambert stays at defensive end and the Steelers never draft him as a linebacker. Let that one rattle around in your brain for a while.
It involves Steelers Hall of Famer Jack Lambert, Alabama coach Nick Saban and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger.
You with me so far?
Saban was on his weekly radio show last Thursday leading up to the SEC Championship game against Georgia. He was asked about playing college football with Lambert when they were both at Kent State in the early 1970s.
Saban launched into a story about how Lambert made the position switch from defensive end to middle linebacker. A move that would eventually get him drafted by the Steelers in the second round in 1974.
According to Saban, members of the Kent State football team would often work security at concerts. Heading into Lambert?s junior year, Saban said the team was posting up as stage security at a Rolling Stones concert in Cleveland.
Someone was about to throw something at Jagger as he was walking off the stage. The team?s middle linebacker, Bob Bender, saw what was about to happen and knocked it down. According to Saban, Jagger pointed out Bender and hired him as part of his security team. As a result, Bender didn?t show up for camp. So head coach Don James moved Lambert from defensive end to inside linebacker.
Later that season, in a game that would decide the conference championship, Miami (Oh.) had a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Four times in a row, future NFL running back Bob Hitchens (Steelers, Patriots, Chiefs) tried to jump over the middle of the defense into the end zone. Four times in a row, Lambert stopped him.
?It is the greatest individual performance I?ve ever seen,? Saban said.
So there you have it. If not for Mick Jagger, maybe Lambert stays at defensive end and the Steelers never draft him as a linebacker. Let that one rattle around in your brain for a while.
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