Former Steelers LB Foote To Take On 101-Year-Old Bloomfield Man In Bocce Match
PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - Before the Steelers take on the Cardinals Sunday at Heinz Field, former Steeler and current Cardinals coach Larry Foote will be involved in a battle to decide the true champion of bocce ball.
Foote learned to play bocce in Pittsburgh while he was playing for the Steelers and has loved it ever since. He split his first two matches with 101-year-old Uncle Gene Mariani, who has been playing bocce for over 80 years.
Foote joined "The KDKA Morning News" to talk about his big match Saturday against Uncle Gene. He said he's "looking more forward to [the bocce match] than the [football] game."
Mariani and Foote have been doing a little friendly trash talk in preparation of Saturday's match. When asked how Foote should prepare for Saturday's match at the new bocce field under the Bloomfield Bridge, Uncle Gene said, "to practice."
Foote says he isn't worried.
"I used to take over the house. I'm a natural. If I wasn't caught up in football, I would be traveling all over the world in these bocce tournaments winning trophies left and right. I think one of my great, great, great grandfathers must have been Italian," Foote says.
While Foote says he is confident, he will not take Uncle Gene lightly.
"Don't get caught up on his age. Uncle Gene is a killer. He still lives by himself; he still drives, he's still walking around. Don't get fooled by that 101 [age]," he says.
Foote added he still roots for the Steelers, when they aren't playing the Cardinals.
"Once you're a part of Steeler Nation, you'll always be a part of it."
The match is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Bloomfield Recreational Center under the Bloomfield Bridge.
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