TAMPA, Fla. -- This is not the first time a team finished 9-7 and reached the Super Bowl. It's just the first time in 29 years, and the previous time it happened, Garrett Giemont was there.

Never heard of Giemont? He's the Steelers' conditioning coordinator, in his second season with them. This is not his first rodeo. That happened in 1979, when he was an assistant trainer for the Los Angeles Rams, who finished 9-7 in the regular season and reached the Super Bowl -- against the Steelers.

The coincidences between then and now are many, but Giemont remains the only link to the game on either staff.

The Steelers' opponent Sunday, the Cardinals, left St. Louis and moved to Arizona in 1988; the Rams left Los Angeles and moved to St. Louis in 1995.

Also, as with the Cardinals' coaching staff that features so many former Steelers assistants, the 1979 Rams coaching staff had as its defensive coordinator Bud Carson, the architect of the Steel Curtain defense who went to L.A. in 1978. Story lines before that game leaned heavily on what Carson knew about the Steelers and how that might help the Rams.

Sound familiar?

"We had a really good coaching staff and we ended up getting hot," Giemont said yesterday. "We were 5-7, ran the table and won the division and played very good football during that period."

The Rams played well enough to hold a 19-17 lead against the Steelers entering the fourth quarter of that game, played in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 20, 1980. It would have gone down as one of the great upset losses in Steelers history.

"We played three quarters very well," Giemont recalled. "Football's 60 minutes. We were doing some different things and the game was a good football game, but you have to play 60 minutes and at the end of 60 minutes the Steelers were ahead."

The Steelers won, 31-19, but not before the Rams threw a scare into what would become one of the game's dynasties.

"I don't think a whole lot of people gave us a whole lot of a chance," Giemont said. "The Steelers obviously during that decade were a dominant football team and the Rams that year ... probably [weren't] the best football team we had in recent times. But it was a pretty good game."

Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, does not want anyone in his department to leave, but he is a bit surprised that no one has come knocking on their doors to fill various personnel jobs around the NFL.

"We have a good staff, guys like a Doug Whaley, who has been part of our staff for a long time and learned what we do and he's been part of our success there.

"Sure, I wish guys like Doug would get some more opportunities. You hope guys like Doug get their chance somewhere along the line."

Colbert's name on occasion is linked with former coach Bill Cowher, if he ever took another job.

"I'm plenty satisfied and happy just having a winning experience here in Pittsburgh," Colbert said. "And hopefully we can continue that."

The Steelers had their official team photo taken after their media interviews ended yesterday. Their offensive linemen also had their photos taken wearing former center Dermontti Dawson's No. 63 jersey. Dawson is among the 15 modern finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Rookie halfback Rashard Mendenhall, whose appearances around the team have been scarce since he was hurt this season, has joined the Steelers in Tampa and was in uniform at media day yesterday.

Tight end Jon Dekker is not with the rest of the players on injured reserve. Dekker was arrested early Saturday in Old Town, Va., and charged with obstruction of justice. He was freed on $1,000 bond.

Steelers chairman Dan Rooney revealed yesterday that Mike Tomlin's hiring as head coach had nothing to do with the Rooney Rule, even though Tomlin was a minority candidate who had just one season's experience as a defensive coordinator in the NFL.

"Let me say this, Mike Tomlin was not part of the Rooney Rule," said Rooney. "We had already interviewed Ron Rivera, and so that fulfilled the obligation. We went on, had heard about Mike, called him in and talked to him. He was very impressive. We got him back and talked to him on the phone often and he just showed that he was going to be a terrific coach, which I think is coming to bear. But, he was not part of the Rooney Rule."

But one day earlier, Tomlin acknowledged that the Rooney Rule -- the NFL requirement that each team interview at least one minority coach for its head coach opening -- was one reason he landed the Steelers' job.

"Sure it is one of the reasons," Tomlin said. "Anything that brings light to the circumstances and situations in terms of opportunity, it's a factor. It was a factor in me getting an opportunity. It's a factor for a lot of people getting the opportunity. ... I've always had a great deal of belief in my abilities, and I thought that if I continued to work and do good things, that eventually I would get my opportunity, Rooney Rule or no."

The Steelers are a little concerned about the surface of their practice field at the University of South Florida, which several members of the organization said was not in very good shape.

A similar situation existed in Detroit in Super Bowl XL and the Steelers had three players sustain injuries during practice that week, including Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu.

Ward was effusive in his praise of Steelers fans and the city when he was asked about the relationship between the team and the town in which they play.

"It's hard to get tickets in the city of Pittsburgh and at Heinz Field," Ward said. "The tickets are passed down from generation to generation. When you're born, you come out with a Terrible Towel in your hand. When the Super Bowl is over with, they can't wait until training camp. They look forward to who we're going to draft, who's going to be the next up-and-coming guy.

"This is my 11th year. I'm pretty sure if I'm ever hungry, I can knock on somebody's door and they'll welcome me with open arms and I can eat good anytime. It's a close-knit family."

Polamalu on his long hair. "I'd have a lot more money if I didn't have to spend it all on shampoo and conditioner."