Steelers Notebook: Rooney unhappy, mulling action in porn e-mail case

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 05-24-2007, 05:59 AM

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07144/788645-66.stm

Steelers Notebook: Rooney unhappy, mulling action in porn e-mail case
Thursday, May 24, 2007

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Dan Rooney is not happy that the Steelers' organization and the words "pornographic video" have been linked, and he may do something about it.

"I'm terribly disappointed," Rooney said yesterday after he arrived back at the team's headquarters from the spring NFL meeting in Nashville, Tenn. "It's not us; it's not our culture."

Offensive line coach Larry Zierlein, hired in January, forwarded an e-mail Friday that he received from Doug Whaley, the Steelers' 10th-year pro personnel coordinator, that contained a video attachment that the Steelers admitted was "inappropriate." Zierlein, by mistake, sent it league-wide, and ProFootballTalk.com reported it on its Web site.

Rooney, the Steelers' chairman, said he will "look into it." An NFL spokesman has said it is a club matter. Rooney said he is considering some sort of discipline for his two employees.

Dan has every right to be upset, to him it's a black mark on the organization that he and his family have spent their lives building up the reputation that it has today. In the end nothing major will probably happen to any Steelers personnel but still, to a tradionalist like Dan Rooney this is not something he will take lightly...

House of Steel · 05-24-2007, 09:18 AM

Well considering the thought, I am with Rooney on this one. He doesn't need a Black Eye image on his organization. People need to be careful anymore. It is indeed embarassing.

**DIESELMAN** · 05-24-2007, 09:49 AM

You would think that Zierlein has better things to do then to forward crap e-mails. I hope Rooney fired his ass up, thats real embarrassing for the Steelers. First a pimp was let go now a coach is into pornography over the internet....WTF!!!!

**PsychoWard** · 05-24-2007, 10:27 AM

yeah i agree they don't need this kind of stuff getting out it is just stupid!

**25MVPKing** · 05-24-2007, 10:39 AM

I'd be just as pissed off that I hired morons who don't know how to use email. Let me tell you, they'd be stripped (no pun intended) of their computer privileges after a lengthy apology to the Rooneys, NFL, and fans.

What an idiot...

**Steelerlyn** · 05-24-2007, 10:53 AM

All of us probably do sometimes forward what we think is funny or cute. What are companies to do? Cut off access to the net? In many cases they have done that, at least cut off certain websites and rightfully so. If it is not "illegal it certainly is immoral" .....IMO lol

**AZ_Steeler** · 05-24-2007, 11:52 AM

Things like this happen more often than everyone thinks... it might not be pornographic but it does happen. Yeah porno is probably a lot worse than talking crap about someone else, but at least it was child porn

(at least we don't think) It was mistake, I'm sure he'll apologize and then we all can move on! Yeah it doesn't quite give the Steelers that image they want, but accidents happen!

**25MVPKing** · 05-24-2007, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by AZ_Steeler

Things like this happen more often than everyone thinks... it might not be pornographic but it does happen. Yeah porno is probably a lot worse than talking crap about someone else, but at least it was child porn

(at least we don't think) It was mistake, I'm sure he'll apologize and then we all can move on! Yeah it doesn't quite give the Steelers that image they want, but accidents happen!

It's good to know we have such a benevolent ADMIN here...

I'd make him think I was steaming mad--and he would know to stay away from me--but I wouldn't fire the guy. It was still a moronic move though.