PITTSBURGH - The Pennsylvania State Legislature has adopted a resolution sponsored by Speaker Emeritus John Perzel naming the Pittsburgh Steelers "World Champions Emeritus," a title suggested by the Rooney family to "regain some of the pride Western Pennsylvanians felt last February" when the Steelers won the Super Bowl.The title is an honorary one that the NFL originally refused to recognize but now embraces in light of projections of significant revenue generation from the sale of merchandise bearing the new title.
Art Rooney II said he got the idea for the title after consulting with several friends in the Pennsylvania Republican Party. The GOP just named former state speaker Perzel to the newly created post of "Speaker Emeritus" after he lost the election for speaker to fellow Republican Dennis O'Brien. The position has no responsibilities or privileges. "I saw that he lost but he still got this very impressive title," Rooney explained, "and I figured, hey, we were 8-8. That's better than losing."
