PITTSBURGH - Bill Cowher will announce his retirement as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers today because he wants to "go out on top" while the popular "Gladiators" skit on DVE's Morning Show with Jim Krenn and Randy Baumann is at its peak. On "Gladiators," two ancient Steelers' fans named Minimus and Maximus discuss all manner of subjects with Cowher, with hilarious results. "With 'Gladiators,' we're firing on all cylinders right now, working at a level that will be impossible to sustain," said Cowher. "I don't want to be here when the quality slips, so I told Dan and Art [Rooney] that I want to go out while we're on top. I owe that to our 'Gladiators' fans and to Jim and Randy."
Cowher dismissed suggestions that he should have quit after the Super Bowl victory last year instead of presiding over a mediocre .500 season where the Steelers failed to make the playoffs. "I wasn't heartbroken that we had a so-so year," said Cowher. "That's football. But I just couldn't stand to be here if the 'Gladiators' started to slip."
