14 years ago, the City of Pittsburgh and the Steeler Nation faithful waited with bated breath over the announcement of the Steelers' new head coach. The great Chuck Noll was retiring after 20+ years of coaching, absolutely sensational drafts and 4 Super Bowl wins with some of the greatest players to ever step foot on the gridiron. Noll's drafts were a who's-who of football greatness - "Mean" Joe Greene. Terry Bradshaw. Franco Harris. Jack Ham. Jack Lambert. Mel Blount. They were the players that every Pittsburgh fan knew and loved, and the players that every Steeler foe feared and hated. ESPN was in relative infancy at the time - oh, they had SportsCenter back then, but the over-coverage of the NFL was just starting. CBS still broadcast NFC games, and Madden and Summerall were the leading broadcasting duo of the NFL. In 1991, the Steelers went and hired a 34 year-old local boy from the staff of Marty Schottenheimer's Cleveland Browns. Bill Cowher was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. He had to follow a true NFL legend. No one succeeds after a legend retires - or so says the usual thought process. Yet in 1991, he took an iffy-talented Pittsburgh team to an 11-5 record and a Wild Card berth. "Cowher Powher" signs dotted Pittsburgh, and suddenly it seemed that Chuck Noll was a fleeting memory. He was the coach that had insane success in the 1970's, but this fiery, young, spit-blowing, jut-jawed man was doing things with the Steelers that the fans just adored. He had his team playing hard-nosed, mean football. The defensive arrogance was back, and the running game was tough to stop. And then, in his first year, Pittsburgh traveled to Kansas City to play the Joe Montana-led Chiefs, and lost in overtime. Over the next 12 years, Cowher led some truly memorable teams, but also suffered through 2 back to back losing seasons. Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for 3 years running, and the locals were out in force, calling for Cowher's head. Despite a Super Bowl entrance in 1995, where the Steelers ran into a far better Dallas team, Cowher wasn't given the benefit of the doubt in Pittsburgh. He was blasted for his ultra-conservative style in the playoffs, for getting outcoached in the playoffs and for sticking with quarterbacks with questionable skills. When the Steelers were beaten in 4 AFC Championship Games at home, people began asking the fatal question: "Can Cowher win the big game?" But, like Noll had built the super teams of the 1970's, the Steelers draft-day abilities began to improve. Overall number one selections became critical components of the team. Guard Alan Faneca might be the best in the game. Troy Polamalu might become the best strong safety in the game. Heath Miller is a athletic tight end and was a key component of this year's success. And when Ben Roethlisberger fell into Cowher's lap in the 2004 draft, the Steelers wasted zero time and selected the Ohio product without any doubts. In the 2004 season, QB Tommy Maddox went down with an elbow injury in a week 3 loss at Baltimore. "Big" Ben Roethlisberger entered the starting line up and never left. His play made instant believers out of everyone - teammates, coaches, owners and Steeler Nation. But in the 2004 playoffs, under the pressure, far better defenses, being tired from nearly two years of non-stop football and football preparation, and facing a better New England team, the wheels came off and Pittsburgh's 15-1 regular season mark was left in the dust. They joined the likes of Minnesota, grinding out a 15-1 regular season mark only to fall in the Championship Game. And once more, the questions came out about Bill. That he couldn't get the job done when it mattered most. The 2005 season started rosy, with Pittsburgh dismantling two weaker opponents to start the season. The New England loss smarted, but it wasn't necessarily Ben's fault. Then, injuries mounted and the Steelers team got to see how their team fared when other, lesser quarterbacks were in the game. When Ben returned from his 3-week layoff due to knee surgery, he was promptly dismantled along with the rest of the Steelers in Indy. Another loss a week later in Cincinnati had all of the talk-show frequent callers dialing up local talk show hosts and blasting the Steelers, calling once more for Bill Cowher's head. "He can't get this team over the top. He's a terrible coach, always getting out-coached in the games that matter most." Quietly, without fanfare, he called his team around him. He had stated at the beginning of the year that he doubted that the Steelers could post another 15-1 record, but that the 2005 edition of the Steelers would be better than the 2004 Steelers. In that team meeting, he recalled history, speaking of Christopher Columbus, and how having the faith to make the journey was most important. That how relying upon your teammates was the only way to success in the NFL. And with a 7-5 mark, facing playoff extinction, the Steelers squad responded. They reeled off 4 straight wins and received some help with critical San Diego losses. In the playoffs, they had to take the most difficult route imaginable. As a #6 seed, they were guaranteed of two things only. First, they would have to play higher seeded teams. Second, not one game would be played in front of the home crowd at Heinz Field. When Pittsburgh traveled to Cincy, they figured they could beat Cincy - after all, they'd split with them in the regular season. They came from behind to win, and the gadget play worked to perfection. When no one gave them a chance - fighting or otherwise - against Indy at home, they went out and upset the carefully crafted plans of the NFL and made Peyton Manning look pedestrian. Then, against another "superior" team, Pittsburgh went into Denver and laid waste to the Broncos Super Bowl hopes. Through all of this, a different coach appeared to be walking along the sidelines. This coach flung caution to the wind, going for it on two straight fourth and short situations against Denver. This coach employed gadget plays. He and his staff put the game onto the arm of their 2nd-year quarterback when defenses stacked the line against the run. The Steelers passing game was amazing, and people suddenly wondered who was leading the team - the fabled "Blond Bomber" of old? In the hype leading up to the game, everyone focused on how Jerome Bettis, should he win, could retire on top of the world and in the city where he grew up. Every one focused on the NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, and how the match up of the Seattle offense against the Pittsburgh defense favored Seattle. Every one talked about how Cowher couldn't win the big one, and how Holmgren was a stellar X's and O's coach, and already had one Super Bowl ring on his hand. These images I will remember most about Super Bowl XL: I will remember Bill Cowher extending his arm signaling a first down in the fourth quarter, and how his face was a mask of excitement and joy. At that moment, I believe he realized that he was in the home stretch of winning a Super Bowl. When the game had finally ended, I'll remember how he was surrounded by the women in his family, as he enjoined in a group hug with them, and how the tears streamed freely from his face. I'll remember him handing that Trophy to owner Dan Rooney, and then how he held it proudly aloft over his head. He mentioned it briefly after the game, how not winning a Super Bowl was a void in his coaching career. He acknowledged that he had failed many times in the past, and thanked the Rooney's for sticking with him when virtually every other owner in the NFL would have jettisoned him. As he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy, he had the satisfaction of knowing that he would no longer have to answer questions about being the "best coach who's never won a title." Whether you're a fan of football or not, whether you love, hate or couldn't care less about the Steelers, it doesn't matter any longer. The "Chin" has won the ultimate prize in football. His name joins others - a list of coaches who have found the greatest success in the league. Now, other comparisons will begin - how does he rate among Super Bowl winning coaches? Will he be another Brian Billick, who got there once and hasn't been back since? Or will he join the likes of Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and Jimmy Johnson, who have amassed great regular season and playoff records? Pittsburghers will be wanting another SB win; the standards in this city were set amazingly high some twenty years ago, and they expect nothing less than championships. We can only wait and watch to see if Bill Cowher does it again. But, on this Monday after the Super Bowl XL victory by him and his Steelers, he doesn't have to wonder about those questions. For a short while, he can relax and enjoy the moment. Some time in the near future, he'll have to tuck the joy and elation of this win aside in some small corner of his heart. In a quiet moment, perhaps he'll open that door and savor the feeling of victory once more. But the demands of an NFL coach never ends. Some day soon he'll walk into his office and begin looking over off-season moves. He and Kevin Colbert will begin planning draft strategy. He and Dan Rooney and the rest of the front-office staff will look at their roster and begin making decisions. Can we keep Antwaan Randle El? If not, can we draft a replacement or pick up a talented receiver in free agency? Will Duce Staley be healthy enough to replace Jerome Bettis? Can Willie Parker keep it up? Where are the Steelers weak? Where are the holes? But, he'll also get to think about some other, far more pleasant things like the design of the Super Bowl rings. He gets to think about the ceremony where the Steelers will receive their rings. He'll get to talk with fellow coaches about strategy and winning and losing. He'll get to watch his daughters play basketball in college and high school. Congratulations are deserving to Bill Cowher. Pittsburgh native. 14-year tenure as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And now: Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.