“Stripes” | Memories of a Chuck Noll Training Camp

I’m sitting in the hotel in Washington D.C. after traveling here with the Steelers entourage in preparation for tonight’s pre-season opener against the ‘Skins.

On the TV, last night, was the movie “Stripes” with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. Immediately a flashback to the early 80′s came to mind.

Tunch Ilkin and I were jogging from the main team meeting room to the fields below in full battle regalia at Saint Vincent’s College during training camp. The night before we had gone to see the movie “Stripes.”

As we jogged, lagging behind the rest of the team, Chuck Noll ran up alongside us and said, “I want you two to know you’re the last ones.”

Before I could stop the thought from running from my brain to my mouth like a gumball machine, I replied, “I’m pacing myself Sergeant.”

Of course, that was a line from the movie, uttered by Bill Murray to Sgt. Hulka.

Chuck Noll looked quizzically at me, then jogged on ahead. Tunch Ilkin turned to me and said, “He didn’t see Stripes.”