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It takes a coach to know a coach. That's part of the reason fans are so excited for the return of Joey Porter to the Steelers' organization.
The other part being, of course, the fact it's Joey Porter - a 75th Anniversary Team member and Steelers legend.
Porter's high school coach, Ned Permenter, spoke with Jeff Evans of the Bakersfield Californian recently, praising Porter's intensity and passion as a player.
"The thing is: I knew he had potential," Permenter told Evans. "I put him in my weight training class and as a senior he was the Kern County bench press champion at his weight: 330 pounds at (his weight of) 191 pounds."
Porter went onto a highly successful collegiate career at Colorado State, followed by a third round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Porter would go on to success with the Steelers, but eventually return to Colorado State as a graduate assistant coach. He shined in that role as well, according to Evans.
"I can't say enough about the job he did with our team last season and the way he poured his knowledge, experience and passion into our players," Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain said.
