Sure steel doesn’t seem so uncommon in the game of football, thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a national level, but as the only known team bearing the “Steeldogs” banner, the Alabama Steeldogs enjoyed an aura of fresh creativity. But why, you might ask, were the Alabama Steeldogs named the Steeldogs?The name Steeldogs actually pays homage to the state of Alabama and city of Birmingham’s potent iron and steel industry, powering the local economy since the 1800′s. Looking around inside the border, iron had already gotten its fair share of statewide recognition on the football field, through the yearly matchup of storied rivals Alabama and Auburn in a contest dubbed the Iron Bowl, so why not finally pay steel its due.After all, the steel industry has done more than its share for the Heart of Dixie, from the state’s roots as one of America’s most blessed ore resources to the new 3.7 billion ThyssenKrupp steel plant that will employ thousands of local Alabamans well into the future. And as for ‘dogs,’ well dogs are man’s best friends, plain and simple. Obedient enough to carry out orders and respect authority, yet cunning enough to assert themselves tactfully and forcefully against an opposition, dogs would just make mighty fine football players.