While doing an interview with a New York radio station, former Steelers' head coach Bill Cowher had this to say when asked what he thought of the upcoming AFC Championship Game between the Jets and Steelers:
“I’ll tell you what, Pittsburgh may have some issues this weekend. The way the Jets are playing, I’m telling you this is going to be a game, I think it will be a classic game, and I like the Jets. They made believers out of me with what they did. They match up well, I think it’s going to be a tough ballgame, but they certainly have all the ingredients to go to the Super Bowl.”
This should be good news for any Steeler fan. The last time a Pittsburgh professional sports team was in a conference final, it was the Penguins who were playing the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2009 NHL Eastern Conference Finals.
During that series, Cowher infuriated a lot of folks in his former hometown by coming out in support of the Hurricanes. Cowher has lived in North Carolina for years now and I guess grew to appreciate the Hurricanes because of his friendship with Ron Francis.
Anyway, before game 4, with the Pens up 3-0 in the series and on the brink of clinching a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, Cowher further annoyed and disappointed many Pittsburghers by cranking some siren that they use to fire the crowd up in the Hurricanes' arena.
It really didn't work. The Penguins finished off the Canes that night and went onto win the Stanley Cup against Detroit in 7 games.
So, Steeler fans, you can rest easy now that you know that Cowher has picked against his former team.
I personally don't care that he picked the Jets. I mean, the only people he owes anything to now are his current employers, CBS sports, and really, in his current role as NFL analyst, he should be objective and if he thinks New York is going to win, fine.
I'm just happy that he picked the Jets because, as I've said before, I'm very superstitious and I think this is a good omen.
Thanks, Chin.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A trip to the dentist or a Steelers playoff game. What causes more stress?
We're about 96 hours away from the Steelers/Jets clash in the AFC Championship Game and I'm pretty calm. You want to know why? Because we're still 96 hours away.
Every time the Steelers go on a run like this deep into the playoffs, I always catch myself wondering why something that I don't have any direct involvement in can stir my emotions so much. But I don't let myself think about it too much because if I did, that might put a damper on things.
I think it's a beautiful thing that an entire community can care about something like a sports team. It might seem trivial to some people, but when you think about it, we spend most of our lives pretty much worrying about ourselves and a nice little playoff run like the Steelers are on is one of the few times people actually root for and care about the interests of other people. Pretty neat.
That being said, I really can't wait for Sunday night to be over. "But the playoffs are fun, Tony. How can you say such a thing?"
Yes, the playoffs are fun, but they're not. Anyone who passionately follows a team knows what I'm talking about. You sit there right before a big game like Sunday's and you think to yourself, "Man, I can't believe I have to put myself through this for the next three hours."
As a sports fan, you always want to see your teams make the playoffs. I know last year, when the Steelers missed out on the postseason, I was sad. I mean, it really sucked.
And this year, when they put together a pretty consistent regular season and eventually clinched a playoff spot, I was happy. Heck, they even managed to earn a bye. Great!
But when you think about that playoff game, even a few days away, you get kind of nervous. And the closer you get to that game, the more you just want it to be over with. Yes, you're excited. You're looking forward to it......kind of.
This last playoff encounter was especially hard on the nerves. For one thing, it was the damn Ravens. The Steelers can't lose to Baltimore in the playoffs. That would just suck. Ray Lewis, John Harbaugh. No way. And the game didn't start out especially well, as we all remember. The Steelers were trailing, 21-7, at halftime. What a nightmare!
Yes, the game turned out in the Steelers' favor. It was a pretty memorable night at Heinz Field, but I don't want to be too entertained in the postseason. I'm always looking for a blow out. To me, that's ideal.
Whenever I predict a score of a Steelers playoff game, it's always a blowout in Pittsburgh's favor. Why? Because even the thought of a nail-biter in the postseason gives me chills. "What if it comes down to a field goal at the end?" Just typing that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Yeah, sure, the epic battle between the Steelers and Ravens this past Saturday was entertaining and highly enjoyable, but that's because Pittsburgh won. Had they lost that game, I wouldn't have thought of it as entertaining. It would have been heartbreaking, and certainly not something I'd want to re-live.
The round coming up is always the worst: The AFC Championship. I just want it to be over. They're so tantalizingly close to the Super Bowl. One game away.
I compare the AFC title game to going to the dentist. Just knock me out and wake me up when it's over. I don't want to feel anything. I just hope it goes well.
The Super Bowl is a whole other animal. I am extremely nervous for that game, just like the other rounds of the playoffs, but seeing your team in the Super Bowl is something that just doesn't happen very often and I want to enjoy every moment of it. I've said this many times, losing the Super Bowl sucks, but seeing them lose the game before the Super Bowl is the worst.
Anyone else feel that way about the postseason? As a fan, are you looking for a close, exciting game or do you wish for a blowout? Like me, do you sometimes find it hard to sit through and just wish you could fast-forward to the end and hope things go well?
Anyway, my prediction for this Sunday's game: Steelers 45 Jets 3.
Every time the Steelers go on a run like this deep into the playoffs, I always catch myself wondering why something that I don't have any direct involvement in can stir my emotions so much. But I don't let myself think about it too much because if I did, that might put a damper on things.
I think it's a beautiful thing that an entire community can care about something like a sports team. It might seem trivial to some people, but when you think about it, we spend most of our lives pretty much worrying about ourselves and a nice little playoff run like the Steelers are on is one of the few times people actually root for and care about the interests of other people. Pretty neat.
That being said, I really can't wait for Sunday night to be over. "But the playoffs are fun, Tony. How can you say such a thing?"
Yes, the playoffs are fun, but they're not. Anyone who passionately follows a team knows what I'm talking about. You sit there right before a big game like Sunday's and you think to yourself, "Man, I can't believe I have to put myself through this for the next three hours."
As a sports fan, you always want to see your teams make the playoffs. I know last year, when the Steelers missed out on the postseason, I was sad. I mean, it really sucked.
And this year, when they put together a pretty consistent regular season and eventually clinched a playoff spot, I was happy. Heck, they even managed to earn a bye. Great!
But when you think about that playoff game, even a few days away, you get kind of nervous. And the closer you get to that game, the more you just want it to be over with. Yes, you're excited. You're looking forward to it......kind of.
This last playoff encounter was especially hard on the nerves. For one thing, it was the damn Ravens. The Steelers can't lose to Baltimore in the playoffs. That would just suck. Ray Lewis, John Harbaugh. No way. And the game didn't start out especially well, as we all remember. The Steelers were trailing, 21-7, at halftime. What a nightmare!
Yes, the game turned out in the Steelers' favor. It was a pretty memorable night at Heinz Field, but I don't want to be too entertained in the postseason. I'm always looking for a blow out. To me, that's ideal.
Whenever I predict a score of a Steelers playoff game, it's always a blowout in Pittsburgh's favor. Why? Because even the thought of a nail-biter in the postseason gives me chills. "What if it comes down to a field goal at the end?" Just typing that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Yeah, sure, the epic battle between the Steelers and Ravens this past Saturday was entertaining and highly enjoyable, but that's because Pittsburgh won. Had they lost that game, I wouldn't have thought of it as entertaining. It would have been heartbreaking, and certainly not something I'd want to re-live.
The round coming up is always the worst: The AFC Championship. I just want it to be over. They're so tantalizingly close to the Super Bowl. One game away.
I compare the AFC title game to going to the dentist. Just knock me out and wake me up when it's over. I don't want to feel anything. I just hope it goes well.
The Super Bowl is a whole other animal. I am extremely nervous for that game, just like the other rounds of the playoffs, but seeing your team in the Super Bowl is something that just doesn't happen very often and I want to enjoy every moment of it. I've said this many times, losing the Super Bowl sucks, but seeing them lose the game before the Super Bowl is the worst.
Anyone else feel that way about the postseason? As a fan, are you looking for a close, exciting game or do you wish for a blowout? Like me, do you sometimes find it hard to sit through and just wish you could fast-forward to the end and hope things go well?
Anyway, my prediction for this Sunday's game: Steelers 45 Jets 3.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
There is one person probably praying the Steelers don't make it to Dallas for the Super Bowl
There is a pretty good chance the Steelers will make it to Super Bowl XLV on February 6th. If you ask any Steeler fan, they'll tell you that the chances are 100%. If you ask any Jets fan, they'll tell you that Pittsburgh's chances of being in Dallas for the Super Bowl are 0%. But, in reality, their chances are officially 50%.
Not bad. It's a coin flip, sure, but still, out of 32 teams, having a 50% chance of making it to the Super Bowl are odds that any team would take.
However, if I'm Terry Bradshaw right now, I'm dreading the prospect of Pittsburgh making it to the Super Bowl. If I were him, I wouldn't like those odds.
Why, you ask? Why would the Steeler legend not want his former team to make it to Dallas?
Because Bradshaw isn't just a former Pittsburgh Steeler who was responsible for so many great memories for Steeler Nation, he's also the star of the FOX NFL studio shows and FOX will be broadcasting the Super Bowl this year.
Have you seen the network's commercials promoting the event? Pretty funny: Rings
And here's another one, my personal favorite: drphil
Hilarious!
Okay, big deal. Still, why wouldn't Bradshaw not want his former team to make it to Dallas?
Well, here's one reason why: Bradshaw1
That was a response to a question shortly after Ben Roethlisberger's troubles in Georgia last March.
Here's another reason: Bradshaw2
That was from FOX's week 1 pregame show.
At that very moment, with Roethlisberger beginning a 4 game suspension for his off-the-field behavior, what odds do you think Bradshaw would have given the Steelers to make it to Dallas this year? And now they're in the AFC Championship game.
If the Steelers do make it to Dallas, you just know there will be some sort of interview with the two men. There almost has to be. Talk about an awkward moment.
And what if the Steelers win it all? Isn't Bradshaw the guy who does the Lombardi presentation when the Super Bowl is on the FOX network? I believe he is. So even if he avoids Big Ben for two weeks, how's he going to get out of that one?
Bradshaw always said he wasn't nervous in big games. He enjoyed them. He could focus. Well, if the Steelers make it this year, we might get to finally see Bradshaw have a case of the nerves in the biggest game of the season.
Not bad. It's a coin flip, sure, but still, out of 32 teams, having a 50% chance of making it to the Super Bowl are odds that any team would take.
However, if I'm Terry Bradshaw right now, I'm dreading the prospect of Pittsburgh making it to the Super Bowl. If I were him, I wouldn't like those odds.
Why, you ask? Why would the Steeler legend not want his former team to make it to Dallas?
Because Bradshaw isn't just a former Pittsburgh Steeler who was responsible for so many great memories for Steeler Nation, he's also the star of the FOX NFL studio shows and FOX will be broadcasting the Super Bowl this year.
Have you seen the network's commercials promoting the event? Pretty funny: Rings
And here's another one, my personal favorite: drphil
Hilarious!
Okay, big deal. Still, why wouldn't Bradshaw not want his former team to make it to Dallas?
Well, here's one reason why: Bradshaw1
That was a response to a question shortly after Ben Roethlisberger's troubles in Georgia last March.
Here's another reason: Bradshaw2
That was from FOX's week 1 pregame show.
At that very moment, with Roethlisberger beginning a 4 game suspension for his off-the-field behavior, what odds do you think Bradshaw would have given the Steelers to make it to Dallas this year? And now they're in the AFC Championship game.
If the Steelers do make it to Dallas, you just know there will be some sort of interview with the two men. There almost has to be. Talk about an awkward moment.
And what if the Steelers win it all? Isn't Bradshaw the guy who does the Lombardi presentation when the Super Bowl is on the FOX network? I believe he is. So even if he avoids Big Ben for two weeks, how's he going to get out of that one?
Bradshaw always said he wasn't nervous in big games. He enjoyed them. He could focus. Well, if the Steelers make it this year, we might get to finally see Bradshaw have a case of the nerves in the biggest game of the season.
Monday, January 17, 2011
I won't lie. I'm a little concerned
The thought of the Steelers playing at Heinz Field for the right to go to the Super Bowl really seemed almost impossible 24 hours ago. Despite all their bravado and trash-talking, I didn't think the New York Jets would be able to go to Foxboro and manhandle the Patriots the way they did yesterday with their 28-21 victory over New England that ended another shot at the Super Bowl for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
Now that it's a reality and the Jets will be coming to Heinz Field next Sunday evening to take on the Steelers with the AFC crown as the prize, I'm a bit concerned.
Not because I don't think it's a great matchup for the Steelers, I do. It's because I've seen this so many times before with them at home in the AFC championship game.
They get that premium matchup at home against a team that most expect them to handle and they go out there and lay an egg. It's happened so many times over the past 17 seasons.
I really shouldn't be worried about this game because the Steelers have long since slayed their AFC Championship dragon with two trips to the Super Bowl since 2005. Heck, one of them was even at home against their most hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. And they won those two Super Bowls they advanced to. Why so worried?
Well, I'm very superstitious, and this little run the Jets are on reminds me an awful lot of the Steelers' 2005 run. It's almost like New York stole the script.
They have a second year quarterback that nobody really takes seriously in Mark Sanchez. People look at him as just a game-manager who relies on a great running attack and a dominant defense. Remind anyone of Roethisberger's first few years in the league? Plus, Sanchez took his team to the AFC Championship Game as a rookie and he's back again to try and take them to the next level. Spooky.
The Jets also have a veteran running back who's not the player he used to be and isn't really among the elite backs anymore, but is still an inspirational figure for his teammates and is looking to get a crack at a ring before he calls it a day. Sound familiar? Doesn't it remind you of a former legendary Steelers' running back?
Also, the Jets were simply throttled by the Patriots in a Monday Night game towards the end of the year. The Patriots were considered almost unstoppable heading into the playoffs.
The Colts embarrassed the Steelers on a Monday night back in '05 when Indianapolis was trying for an undefeated season, and even though perfection didn't happen, the Colts were the unanimous pick to win it all heading into the postseason.
The Jets finished the regular season 11-5 and made the playoffs as the 6th seed in the AFC. They went into Indianapolis and defeated a fairly mediocre Colts team in the first round of the playoffs and headed to New England for a probable beatdown at the hands of the Patriots.
The Steelers took the same route in '05. They were 11-5 and made the playoffs as the 6th seed and went to Cincinnati and showed them who the true kings of the AFC North were and shuffled off to Indianapolis for what everyone assumed would be a blow out loss to the Colts.
Yesterday, the Jets completely took Tom Brady out of his game, sacking him numerous times and making the entire offense look out of sync the entire day. The Jets' offense didn't look dominant, but they did just enough to take advantage of a dominant performance by their defense.
Sound familiar? It should. It's exactly what the Steelers did to Peyton Manning and the Colts back in the '05 playoffs. The defense totally outclassed the Colts' offensive line the entire day and had Manning hearing footsteps. He was completely out of sorts for most of the game.
My God, even yesterday's halftime score was the same as the Steelers/Colts score back in '05: 14-3, Jets.
And the final thing that has me a little worried is our reaction to the great news that the Jets knocked off the Patriots and now the AFC Championship Game will be played right here in Pittsburgh.
I remember back in 2005, the Broncos fans were simply ecstatic that the Steelers went into Indy and knocked off the Colts. The AFC Championship game was going to be in Denver and it was going to be a victory party for the Broncos who were the number 2 seed that year. Their fans were actually thanking the Steelers for bringing the game to their house. Sound familiar?
But, if you take away that little bit of superstition and sense of deja vu that I have (I mean, after all, who am I?) the Steelers really should win this game going away.
Did you see the Jets reactions after their game yesterday? They acted like they just won the Super Bowl, like they used every bit of emotion to take out the Patriots.
Maybe they're spent.
Besides, in '05, Peyton Manning and the Colts weren't two-time Super Bowl champions like the Steelers are now. Manning was still looked at as a guy who couldn't win the big games. And the Broncos were a team that probably wasn't as good as their record and seed would have people believe, and they were led by a quarterback in Jake Plummer who certainly played well over his head that year before finally crashing to earth in the biggest game of the year.
Unlike recent Steelers' teams that had yet to get over that elusive hump, these Steelers know what it takes to win games like this Sunday's. They've succeeded under the biggest pressure possible.
No reason why January 23rd shouldn't be a great day for Steeler Nation.
Now that it's a reality and the Jets will be coming to Heinz Field next Sunday evening to take on the Steelers with the AFC crown as the prize, I'm a bit concerned.
Not because I don't think it's a great matchup for the Steelers, I do. It's because I've seen this so many times before with them at home in the AFC championship game.
They get that premium matchup at home against a team that most expect them to handle and they go out there and lay an egg. It's happened so many times over the past 17 seasons.
I really shouldn't be worried about this game because the Steelers have long since slayed their AFC Championship dragon with two trips to the Super Bowl since 2005. Heck, one of them was even at home against their most hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. And they won those two Super Bowls they advanced to. Why so worried?
Well, I'm very superstitious, and this little run the Jets are on reminds me an awful lot of the Steelers' 2005 run. It's almost like New York stole the script.
They have a second year quarterback that nobody really takes seriously in Mark Sanchez. People look at him as just a game-manager who relies on a great running attack and a dominant defense. Remind anyone of Roethisberger's first few years in the league? Plus, Sanchez took his team to the AFC Championship Game as a rookie and he's back again to try and take them to the next level. Spooky.
The Jets also have a veteran running back who's not the player he used to be and isn't really among the elite backs anymore, but is still an inspirational figure for his teammates and is looking to get a crack at a ring before he calls it a day. Sound familiar? Doesn't it remind you of a former legendary Steelers' running back?
Also, the Jets were simply throttled by the Patriots in a Monday Night game towards the end of the year. The Patriots were considered almost unstoppable heading into the playoffs.
The Colts embarrassed the Steelers on a Monday night back in '05 when Indianapolis was trying for an undefeated season, and even though perfection didn't happen, the Colts were the unanimous pick to win it all heading into the postseason.
The Jets finished the regular season 11-5 and made the playoffs as the 6th seed in the AFC. They went into Indianapolis and defeated a fairly mediocre Colts team in the first round of the playoffs and headed to New England for a probable beatdown at the hands of the Patriots.
The Steelers took the same route in '05. They were 11-5 and made the playoffs as the 6th seed and went to Cincinnati and showed them who the true kings of the AFC North were and shuffled off to Indianapolis for what everyone assumed would be a blow out loss to the Colts.
Yesterday, the Jets completely took Tom Brady out of his game, sacking him numerous times and making the entire offense look out of sync the entire day. The Jets' offense didn't look dominant, but they did just enough to take advantage of a dominant performance by their defense.
Sound familiar? It should. It's exactly what the Steelers did to Peyton Manning and the Colts back in the '05 playoffs. The defense totally outclassed the Colts' offensive line the entire day and had Manning hearing footsteps. He was completely out of sorts for most of the game.
My God, even yesterday's halftime score was the same as the Steelers/Colts score back in '05: 14-3, Jets.
And the final thing that has me a little worried is our reaction to the great news that the Jets knocked off the Patriots and now the AFC Championship Game will be played right here in Pittsburgh.
I remember back in 2005, the Broncos fans were simply ecstatic that the Steelers went into Indy and knocked off the Colts. The AFC Championship game was going to be in Denver and it was going to be a victory party for the Broncos who were the number 2 seed that year. Their fans were actually thanking the Steelers for bringing the game to their house. Sound familiar?
But, if you take away that little bit of superstition and sense of deja vu that I have (I mean, after all, who am I?) the Steelers really should win this game going away.
Did you see the Jets reactions after their game yesterday? They acted like they just won the Super Bowl, like they used every bit of emotion to take out the Patriots.
Maybe they're spent.
Besides, in '05, Peyton Manning and the Colts weren't two-time Super Bowl champions like the Steelers are now. Manning was still looked at as a guy who couldn't win the big games. And the Broncos were a team that probably wasn't as good as their record and seed would have people believe, and they were led by a quarterback in Jake Plummer who certainly played well over his head that year before finally crashing to earth in the biggest game of the year.
Unlike recent Steelers' teams that had yet to get over that elusive hump, these Steelers know what it takes to win games like this Sunday's. They've succeeded under the biggest pressure possible.
No reason why January 23rd shouldn't be a great day for Steeler Nation.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The Steelers comeback to defeat Ravens in thriller at Heinz Field and advance to the AFC Championship Game
So that's why a lot of people were leery of Baltimore. I stated last week that I wasn't afraid of Baltimore even though they seemed like the least attractive playoff match-up of Pittsburgh's possible opponents from the Wildcard Weekend. Maybe I was just acting cocky to cover up a hidden layer of concern, but I was confident that the Steelers would win yesterday's divisional playoff game by at least two scores.
Well, I guess I was half-right. They won, but it sure was a memorable battle. One we'll be talking about around here for decades.
From the opening kickoff, it was entertaining, and the entertainment never stopped until the final whistle.
Speaking of that opening kickoff, the Steelers won the coin toss but elected to defer. And Baltimore's return man appeared to have an opening, but out of nowhere, Steelers' kicker Shaun Suisham, the anti-Jeff Reed, made a perfect form tackle and the Ravens would have to start at their own 34 yard line. Except, the play wasn't blown dead because none of the ball-carrier's body touched the grass, or at least it seemed that way, and he kept going for an additional 14 yards. So Mike Tomlin had to use one of his challenges on the very first play of the game. Initially, it looked like another one of his futile, unnecessary challenges, but after further review, the runner's elbow actually touched the ground and the Ravens really did have to start at their own 34.
On the very first play of Pittsburgh's initial possession, Hines Ward was flagged for an unnecessary roughness penalty after a scuffle with Ed Reed and the Steelers were backed up near the 10 yard line. But thanks to a 37 yard defensive pass interference call on a pass attempt to Mike Wallace, the Steelers were able to drive down field and scored the first points of the game on Rashard Mendenhall's 1 yard touchdown run.
I was at work for the first half of the game and was feeling really good after this. I had visions of Pittsburgh's 2001 demolition of Baltimore in the divisional round dancing in my head
But that all changed when the Ravens got the ball back. Baltimore was facing a 3rd and 15 from midfield when Steelers' safety Anthony Madison was flagged for defensive pass interference after running into Derek Mason. In my opinion, this changed the entire complexion of the first half. I really do believe that if Baltimore was forced to punt right there, we would have had that blow out I spent the entire week boldy predicting. Just a couple of plays later, Ray Rice scored on a 16 yard draw play right up the middle to tie the score at 7.
And, shortly after that, it was shades of Super Bowl XIII as the Ravens scored their 2nd touchdown in a span of 25 seconds.
Roethlisberger went back to pass and pumped two or three times trying to find an open man, and just when he was about to unleash a pass, he was hit by Terrell Suggs and the ball popped forward. Everyone just stood around. Steelers' offensive lineman Ramon Foster was standing right in front of the ball. Three or four Ravens were standing around the ball. I was watching it on the television at work and turned away to make a comment to someone because I thought the play was over. Everyone thought it was an incomplete pass, that is, except Ravens' defensive lineman Cory Redding, who scooped up the ball and ran it into the endzone. The referee never blew the whistle and when Redding crossed the goalline, the ref signaled touchdown.
Mike Tomlin opted to use his second challenge. On replay, there was no doubt it was a fumble, but since Roethlisberger pumped a couple of times, I was hoping that infamous "tuck rule" would come into play, but as everyone knows, that rule only gets enforced on special occasions. The ruling on the field was confirmed, and Tomlin was out of challenges the remainder of the game.
More importantly, the Ravens were up, 14-7, and instead of feeling confident, I was thinking, "Is this Jacksonville all over again?" The last time the Steelers lost in the postseason, it was a wildcard game at Heinz Field against the Jaguars following the 2007 season. In that game, a Saturday evening contest, mind you, the Steelers started out strong when they took the opening kickoff and drove right down the field and made it, 7-0, on Najeh Davenport's touchdown run. But thanks to many miscues by the Steelers' special teams and a few interceptions by Roethlisberger, the Jaguars would go on to score 21 unanswered points and led, 21-7, at the half.
Just moments later, my fears appeared to be realized when Rashard Mendenhall fumbled at the Steelers' 16 yardline after the ball was dislodged by his own teammate, Chris Kemoeatu. Shortly after that, Joe Flacco hit Todd Heap in the endzone, and the Ravens were ahead, 21-7. Shades of Jacksonville, indeed.
And to add to my misery, Suisham missed a field at the end of the first half and I turned the television off and closed up shop. I just wanted to go home and watch the rest of the debacle in peace.
As I was heading to my car, I thought, "well, if this is another Jacksonville, maybe the second half will be pretty entertaining and the Steelers will come back and make a game of it much like they did three years ago before falling in the final moments to the Jaguars."
And when I got into my car, my cell phone was blowing up. My girlfriend texted, "babe, I don't like this." My brother's text said, "I'm sick right now. Wow."
And for some reason, at that moment, I decided to text "Cleveland 2002" to both my brother and my girlfriend. I was determined that it wasn't over, damn it! The Steelers would come back like they did in the 2002 postseason when they were down by 17 points to the Browns.
Neither one of them knew what the hell I was talking about. And to further confuse my girlfriend, I added another text: "San Diego 2008." You see, the last time the Steelers were in the divisional playoffs, I was leaving work right as their game against the Chargers was starting. I was really nervous on the way home, and decided I didn't want to listen to it on the radio. I wanted to wait until I got home and turned on my television. And last night, I took the exact route home that I did two years ago, and again, I didn't turn on Hillgrove, Wolf and Tunch.
On my way home, my brother called me, I ignored the call because I didn't want to hear any bad news, but then he texted me and said, "finally a break!" And just a few minutes later, my girlfriend texted, "touchdown!!!!!!!!!" I knew it had to be good news because of all the exclamation points.
What sent those texts into motion was a Ray Rice fumble on a 3rd down screen pass early in the second half that the Steelers recovered at the Ravens' 23. Just a few plays later, they capitalized on that mistake when Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
So, there it was, just like two years ago, right as I arrived home from work, the Steelers were down by a touchdown in their divisional playoff game. Only, this time, I was pretty happy about that. Two years ago, the first text I got regarding Pittsburgh's game against San Diego was my girlfriend telling me the Steelers were down, 7-0, very early in the first quarter. But I knew how that game had turned out and I was hoping it would be deja vu last night.
Boy was it ever! Later in the 3rd quarter, Flacco threw a horrible pass that was picked off by safety Ryan Clark (who also caused the Rice fumble) and returned it to the Ravens' 25 yard line. Moments later, on 3rd and goal from the 8, Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward on a little slant pass at the goalline, and suddenly, it was a ballgame, 21-21!
The next time the Ravens had the ball, there was a fumbled snap and Pittsburgh had it at the 23 again! It really was like the San Diego game from two years ago. I don't think the Ravens had a first down the entire 3rd quarter. I'm not sure if they had more than 2 or 3 the entire second half. It was quite a meltdown by the "road warriors."
After a curious Roethlisberger sneak on 4th and 1, the Steelers' drive stalled and they had to settle for a Suisham field goal, and took the lead, 24-21. But hey, after trailing by two touchdowns, being up by even a point would have been okay.
However, with about 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Ladarius Webb appeared to give the Ravens the lead when he returned a punt for a touchdown, but thankfully, Baltimore was called for holding on the play. Still, though, the Ravens had the ball at the Pittsburgh 29, and eventually, first and goal inside the 10. Fortunately, on 3rd down, Anquan Boldin dropped a touchdown pass and the Ravens had to settle for three. It was 24-24 with less than 4 minutes remaining.
When Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward near mid-field to convert on 3rd down, I was feeling pretty good. But on the next play, Roethlsiberger was sacked and it was 2nd and 19. He hit rookie receiver Emmanuel Sanders on the next play that would have gone for a first down, but Ed Reed and company knocked the ball out of his hands before he could secure the catch and it was 3rd and 19 with only 2:07 remaining.
I really had a bad feeling at that point. I won't lie. I feared it really was going to be like Jacksonville all over again. The Steelers had made a furious comeback and had all the momentum, but the early mistakes that they made would be too much to overcome and the Ravens were going to find a way to pull this damn game out after all.
But that's when Roethlsiberger made a pass that should once and for all put him up their with the current greats of the game. He unleashed a 58 yard bomb to rookie Antonio Brown and he couldn't have placed it any better. The ball hit Brown right in stride, but since he's a rookie and he was running wide open down the field in a playoff game against the Ravens, he had trouble with it. But unlike Limas Sweed two seasons ago, Antonio secured the ball with the help of his helmet and the Steelers had it first and goal inside the five yard line at the two-minute warning.
Pittsburgh would get five cracks at the touchdown thanks to a defensive holding call that gave the Steelers an automatic first down, and on 3rd down from the 2, Mendenhall scratched and clawed his way into the endzone, and Pittsburgh led, 31-24, with 1:33 left.
Unfortunately, Kemoeatu made a bone-head play when he dove into the pile after the touchdown and was flagged for unnecessary roughness and Pittsburgh had to kick off from their 15 yard line and the Ravens would have excellent field position near the 50. But the Steelers brought the pressure and Flacco was sacked by James Harrison, and on 4th and 18, TJ Houshmandzadeh dropped what would have been a first down and the Steelers survived and advanced!
It's amazing how quickly things turned around in the 2nd half. The Ravens defense wasn't horrible, but their offense really let them down. Baltimore only had 28 yards the entire second half, and those three quick 3rd quarter turnovers were killers. Pittsburgh only had to drive about 70 yard to score 17 of their points. I guess they beat the Ravens at their own game. The Baltimore faithful won't be forgetting about that meltdown anytime soon.
I think it's safe to say that the Steelers will have bragging rights over the Ravens for many, many years, and the entire city of Baltimore will be having nightmares about Ben Roethlisberger forever. He's to the Ravens what Elway was to the Browns. And we all know that the Ravens are the old Browns. Weird.
Interestingly, the Steelers have hosted nine playoff games at Heinz Field and in five of those games, Pittsburgh trailed by at least two touchdowns at some point. So much for homefield advantage providing a strong, dominating start.
With the win over the Ravens, Pittsburgh improves their postseason record against divisional opponents to a perfect 9-0.
Now it's onto the AFC Championship Game for the 15th time in team history, the 8th time since 1994 and the 5th time in the last 10 seasons.
I'm sure everyone will be tuning into today's big matchup between the Patriots and the Jets to see who and where the Steelers play next weekend. If the Patriots win, the Steelers will travel to Foxboro to play the Patriots for the third time in the AFC title game. If the Jets win, New York will come to Heinz Field.
Even my own personal schedule will be altered because of the playoffs. I am in a Sunday bowling league and my games always start at 7pm. Next week's AFC title game is scheduled for 6:30 and I just know my match is either going to be canceled or changed to the afternoon because everyone will want to watch the Steelers.
Also, if the Patriots win today, I'll be off next Sunday and probably have a bowling match early in the day as I nervously countdown the hours to the big playoff game.
If the Jets win today, I'll almost certainly have to work because my bosses will have tickets for the game. Not only that, but if my bowling match is set for the early afternoon, that means I'll have to pick an alternate day to "roll off" as they say in bowling.
But it's okay because I'm so happy that the Steelers won. And I'll bet the Steelers are feeling pretty good right now and probably don't care about where they play next Sunday. The way that first half went, they're all probably just happy to still be alive.
Just like George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful life," some of them may even be running down the streets of Pittsburgh wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
Well, I guess I was half-right. They won, but it sure was a memorable battle. One we'll be talking about around here for decades.
From the opening kickoff, it was entertaining, and the entertainment never stopped until the final whistle.
Speaking of that opening kickoff, the Steelers won the coin toss but elected to defer. And Baltimore's return man appeared to have an opening, but out of nowhere, Steelers' kicker Shaun Suisham, the anti-Jeff Reed, made a perfect form tackle and the Ravens would have to start at their own 34 yard line. Except, the play wasn't blown dead because none of the ball-carrier's body touched the grass, or at least it seemed that way, and he kept going for an additional 14 yards. So Mike Tomlin had to use one of his challenges on the very first play of the game. Initially, it looked like another one of his futile, unnecessary challenges, but after further review, the runner's elbow actually touched the ground and the Ravens really did have to start at their own 34.
On the very first play of Pittsburgh's initial possession, Hines Ward was flagged for an unnecessary roughness penalty after a scuffle with Ed Reed and the Steelers were backed up near the 10 yard line. But thanks to a 37 yard defensive pass interference call on a pass attempt to Mike Wallace, the Steelers were able to drive down field and scored the first points of the game on Rashard Mendenhall's 1 yard touchdown run.
I was at work for the first half of the game and was feeling really good after this. I had visions of Pittsburgh's 2001 demolition of Baltimore in the divisional round dancing in my head
But that all changed when the Ravens got the ball back. Baltimore was facing a 3rd and 15 from midfield when Steelers' safety Anthony Madison was flagged for defensive pass interference after running into Derek Mason. In my opinion, this changed the entire complexion of the first half. I really do believe that if Baltimore was forced to punt right there, we would have had that blow out I spent the entire week boldy predicting. Just a couple of plays later, Ray Rice scored on a 16 yard draw play right up the middle to tie the score at 7.
And, shortly after that, it was shades of Super Bowl XIII as the Ravens scored their 2nd touchdown in a span of 25 seconds.
Roethlisberger went back to pass and pumped two or three times trying to find an open man, and just when he was about to unleash a pass, he was hit by Terrell Suggs and the ball popped forward. Everyone just stood around. Steelers' offensive lineman Ramon Foster was standing right in front of the ball. Three or four Ravens were standing around the ball. I was watching it on the television at work and turned away to make a comment to someone because I thought the play was over. Everyone thought it was an incomplete pass, that is, except Ravens' defensive lineman Cory Redding, who scooped up the ball and ran it into the endzone. The referee never blew the whistle and when Redding crossed the goalline, the ref signaled touchdown.
Mike Tomlin opted to use his second challenge. On replay, there was no doubt it was a fumble, but since Roethlisberger pumped a couple of times, I was hoping that infamous "tuck rule" would come into play, but as everyone knows, that rule only gets enforced on special occasions. The ruling on the field was confirmed, and Tomlin was out of challenges the remainder of the game.
More importantly, the Ravens were up, 14-7, and instead of feeling confident, I was thinking, "Is this Jacksonville all over again?" The last time the Steelers lost in the postseason, it was a wildcard game at Heinz Field against the Jaguars following the 2007 season. In that game, a Saturday evening contest, mind you, the Steelers started out strong when they took the opening kickoff and drove right down the field and made it, 7-0, on Najeh Davenport's touchdown run. But thanks to many miscues by the Steelers' special teams and a few interceptions by Roethlisberger, the Jaguars would go on to score 21 unanswered points and led, 21-7, at the half.
Just moments later, my fears appeared to be realized when Rashard Mendenhall fumbled at the Steelers' 16 yardline after the ball was dislodged by his own teammate, Chris Kemoeatu. Shortly after that, Joe Flacco hit Todd Heap in the endzone, and the Ravens were ahead, 21-7. Shades of Jacksonville, indeed.
And to add to my misery, Suisham missed a field at the end of the first half and I turned the television off and closed up shop. I just wanted to go home and watch the rest of the debacle in peace.
As I was heading to my car, I thought, "well, if this is another Jacksonville, maybe the second half will be pretty entertaining and the Steelers will come back and make a game of it much like they did three years ago before falling in the final moments to the Jaguars."
And when I got into my car, my cell phone was blowing up. My girlfriend texted, "babe, I don't like this." My brother's text said, "I'm sick right now. Wow."
And for some reason, at that moment, I decided to text "Cleveland 2002" to both my brother and my girlfriend. I was determined that it wasn't over, damn it! The Steelers would come back like they did in the 2002 postseason when they were down by 17 points to the Browns.
Neither one of them knew what the hell I was talking about. And to further confuse my girlfriend, I added another text: "San Diego 2008." You see, the last time the Steelers were in the divisional playoffs, I was leaving work right as their game against the Chargers was starting. I was really nervous on the way home, and decided I didn't want to listen to it on the radio. I wanted to wait until I got home and turned on my television. And last night, I took the exact route home that I did two years ago, and again, I didn't turn on Hillgrove, Wolf and Tunch.
On my way home, my brother called me, I ignored the call because I didn't want to hear any bad news, but then he texted me and said, "finally a break!" And just a few minutes later, my girlfriend texted, "touchdown!!!!!!!!!" I knew it had to be good news because of all the exclamation points.
What sent those texts into motion was a Ray Rice fumble on a 3rd down screen pass early in the second half that the Steelers recovered at the Ravens' 23. Just a few plays later, they capitalized on that mistake when Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
So, there it was, just like two years ago, right as I arrived home from work, the Steelers were down by a touchdown in their divisional playoff game. Only, this time, I was pretty happy about that. Two years ago, the first text I got regarding Pittsburgh's game against San Diego was my girlfriend telling me the Steelers were down, 7-0, very early in the first quarter. But I knew how that game had turned out and I was hoping it would be deja vu last night.
Boy was it ever! Later in the 3rd quarter, Flacco threw a horrible pass that was picked off by safety Ryan Clark (who also caused the Rice fumble) and returned it to the Ravens' 25 yard line. Moments later, on 3rd and goal from the 8, Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward on a little slant pass at the goalline, and suddenly, it was a ballgame, 21-21!
The next time the Ravens had the ball, there was a fumbled snap and Pittsburgh had it at the 23 again! It really was like the San Diego game from two years ago. I don't think the Ravens had a first down the entire 3rd quarter. I'm not sure if they had more than 2 or 3 the entire second half. It was quite a meltdown by the "road warriors."
After a curious Roethlisberger sneak on 4th and 1, the Steelers' drive stalled and they had to settle for a Suisham field goal, and took the lead, 24-21. But hey, after trailing by two touchdowns, being up by even a point would have been okay.
However, with about 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Ladarius Webb appeared to give the Ravens the lead when he returned a punt for a touchdown, but thankfully, Baltimore was called for holding on the play. Still, though, the Ravens had the ball at the Pittsburgh 29, and eventually, first and goal inside the 10. Fortunately, on 3rd down, Anquan Boldin dropped a touchdown pass and the Ravens had to settle for three. It was 24-24 with less than 4 minutes remaining.
When Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward near mid-field to convert on 3rd down, I was feeling pretty good. But on the next play, Roethlsiberger was sacked and it was 2nd and 19. He hit rookie receiver Emmanuel Sanders on the next play that would have gone for a first down, but Ed Reed and company knocked the ball out of his hands before he could secure the catch and it was 3rd and 19 with only 2:07 remaining.
I really had a bad feeling at that point. I won't lie. I feared it really was going to be like Jacksonville all over again. The Steelers had made a furious comeback and had all the momentum, but the early mistakes that they made would be too much to overcome and the Ravens were going to find a way to pull this damn game out after all.
But that's when Roethlsiberger made a pass that should once and for all put him up their with the current greats of the game. He unleashed a 58 yard bomb to rookie Antonio Brown and he couldn't have placed it any better. The ball hit Brown right in stride, but since he's a rookie and he was running wide open down the field in a playoff game against the Ravens, he had trouble with it. But unlike Limas Sweed two seasons ago, Antonio secured the ball with the help of his helmet and the Steelers had it first and goal inside the five yard line at the two-minute warning.
Pittsburgh would get five cracks at the touchdown thanks to a defensive holding call that gave the Steelers an automatic first down, and on 3rd down from the 2, Mendenhall scratched and clawed his way into the endzone, and Pittsburgh led, 31-24, with 1:33 left.
Unfortunately, Kemoeatu made a bone-head play when he dove into the pile after the touchdown and was flagged for unnecessary roughness and Pittsburgh had to kick off from their 15 yard line and the Ravens would have excellent field position near the 50. But the Steelers brought the pressure and Flacco was sacked by James Harrison, and on 4th and 18, TJ Houshmandzadeh dropped what would have been a first down and the Steelers survived and advanced!
It's amazing how quickly things turned around in the 2nd half. The Ravens defense wasn't horrible, but their offense really let them down. Baltimore only had 28 yards the entire second half, and those three quick 3rd quarter turnovers were killers. Pittsburgh only had to drive about 70 yard to score 17 of their points. I guess they beat the Ravens at their own game. The Baltimore faithful won't be forgetting about that meltdown anytime soon.
I think it's safe to say that the Steelers will have bragging rights over the Ravens for many, many years, and the entire city of Baltimore will be having nightmares about Ben Roethlisberger forever. He's to the Ravens what Elway was to the Browns. And we all know that the Ravens are the old Browns. Weird.
Interestingly, the Steelers have hosted nine playoff games at Heinz Field and in five of those games, Pittsburgh trailed by at least two touchdowns at some point. So much for homefield advantage providing a strong, dominating start.
With the win over the Ravens, Pittsburgh improves their postseason record against divisional opponents to a perfect 9-0.
Now it's onto the AFC Championship Game for the 15th time in team history, the 8th time since 1994 and the 5th time in the last 10 seasons.
I'm sure everyone will be tuning into today's big matchup between the Patriots and the Jets to see who and where the Steelers play next weekend. If the Patriots win, the Steelers will travel to Foxboro to play the Patriots for the third time in the AFC title game. If the Jets win, New York will come to Heinz Field.
Even my own personal schedule will be altered because of the playoffs. I am in a Sunday bowling league and my games always start at 7pm. Next week's AFC title game is scheduled for 6:30 and I just know my match is either going to be canceled or changed to the afternoon because everyone will want to watch the Steelers.
Also, if the Patriots win today, I'll be off next Sunday and probably have a bowling match early in the day as I nervously countdown the hours to the big playoff game.
If the Jets win today, I'll almost certainly have to work because my bosses will have tickets for the game. Not only that, but if my bowling match is set for the early afternoon, that means I'll have to pick an alternate day to "roll off" as they say in bowling.
But it's okay because I'm so happy that the Steelers won. And I'll bet the Steelers are feeling pretty good right now and probably don't care about where they play next Sunday. The way that first half went, they're all probably just happy to still be alive.
Just like George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful life," some of them may even be running down the streets of Pittsburgh wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Road to Super Bowl XL. The Greatest Nine Weeks ever! (The Conclusion)
This has been two years in the making, but I've finally decided to finish this long journey I started back in 2008. The journey of chronicling the best time I've ever had as a sports fan. A little nine week period between December of 2005 and February of 2006 that I like to call "The Greatest Nine Weeks Ever!"
I hope you enjoy.
The Steelers had just advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade and the first memory that comes to mind from the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL was the final time I attended a taping of the Joey Porter show. I didn't realize it would be the last time I would get to attend the show, but it turned out to be because there was no Joey Porter Show in 2006 and Porter was out of Pittsburgh by '07.
Anyway, the show, as always, was taped on Tuesday night from the Firehouse Lounge in the Strip District.
The Lounge was really crowded this night. As I said before, the first time I attended a taping of this show, it was right after the Steelers defeated the Bears and started their drive to the playoffs and the crowd was pretty sparse. However, on this night, my aunt and I could barely see the taping of the show because we were back by the entrance. The place was packed. Steeler fans came out strong to celebrate their team's AFC crown.
Porter was trying to do a "The Rock"-style wrestling promo about the Steelers journey through the playoffs and how they conquered the Bengals, the Colts, and finally the Broncos on the way to the Big Game. Joey was having problems with his funny little rant and he had to do several takes before he finally got it right. Peezy was known for many re-dos each and every show and this one really took the cake. It must have taken him five or six tries.
This show was particularly interesting because Jerome Bettis was the special guest and many Steeler players showed up to honor The Bus. Bettis would be returning home to Detroit for Super Bowl XL and it would also be the last game of his remarkable career. I don't remember all the players that showed up that night, but Casey Hampton was one of them and I smacked him on the back as he walked by and my hand just about disappeared. It was like touching a big, soft pillow.
Funny story: I was in the bathroom taking care of business when a huge African American man came in and said, "Hey, have you seen my man's phone?" And I said, "who?" The guy, a Lounge bouncer, was referring to Jerome Bettis, who had misplaced his cell phone somewhere in the bar. I told him I didn't know Bettis was missing a phone. To this day, I wonder if they thought I found Bettis' phone in the bathroom and kept it.
I didn't, in case anyone is wondering.
It really was a memorable "final show." I had a great time attending it every Tuesday and trying to get on camera so I could see myself when it aired the following Friday or Saturday night on WBGN.
I was excited about the Super Bowl, but it was kind of weird that Pittsburgh's opponent was Seattle. Don't get me wrong, the Seahwawks were the number 1 seed in the NFC in 2005 but it just wasn't the sexiest of matchups. When you thought of the Steelers in the Super Bowl, you thought of their legendary battles with the Dallas Cowboys and even the Minnesota Vikings, but the Seahawks? But beggars can't be choosers and I was excited about the Super Bowl regardless of the opponent.
The bookmakers must not have been too impressed with the Seahawks or the NFC because they installed the Steelers, the 6th seed from the AFC, as 4 point favorites if my memory serves me right. It may even have been as high as 6 points.
The Seahawks fans didn't take too kindly to their team's lack of respect in this matchup and they were actually pretty vocal on the message boards, especially craigslist, my message board of choice at the time.
According to them, Pittsburgh was just a working class town with very little to be happy about other than our Steelers and they were going to destroy the Black and Gold and we could go back to living our miserable lives in our dreary city. Does the sun ever shine in Seattle? I digress.
As far as the trash talk from the participants, the only player from the Seahawks that made any noise was tight end Jerramy Stevens. He basically said that the heartwarming story of Bettis returning to his hometown to play in the Super Bowl would have a sad ending. Joey Porter didn't take too kindly to this and used it for motivation.
Steeler Nation was concerned about the injury status of Troy Polamalu. He had an ankle sprain and there was much speculation as to whether or not he would play in the game. He did play, in case you were wondering.
As far as the game itself, the Seahawks controlled the tempo for most of the first half using underneath routes to wide receiver Darrell Jackson, who tied a Super Bowl record with 5 receptions in the first quarter. However, there would not be a sixth first quarter catch since Jackson was called for pushing off of safety Chris Hope in the back of the end zone on what would have been the first touchdown of the game. The Seahawks had to settle for 3 instead of 7. And yes, Jackson did push off.
As for the Steelers, they did very little on offense, going 3 and out on their first three possessions. They didn't record their first 1st down of the game until early in the 2nd quarter and even that drive ended poorly as Roethlisberger was intercepted on a deep ball to Antwaan Randle El.
Their next possession, however, proved to be pivotal. Pittsburgh moved into Seattle territory but were facing a 3rd and 28, when Roethlisberger made, in my opinion, the most important play of the game when he scrambled around and hit Hines Ward inside the 5 yard line to set up Pittsburgh's first touchdown.
They eventually scored on Roethlisberger's controversial quarterback keeper. Everyone knows the story behind that play so I won't get into it. I'll just say that only the nose of the football must cross the plane of the goalline. Nothing more. The end.
Halftime score: Steelers 7 Seahawks 3.
The Rolling Stones performed the halftime show, but I didn't watch it. I never do. Instead, my uncle and I had started on the beer that he had out on his back porch. We would not stop drinking for many hours.
And we were feeling pretty good by the time Fast Willie Parker ran almost untouched for a super Bowl record 75 yard touchdown on the second play of the 3rd quarter. It really was a thing of beauty with perfect blocks by Alan Faneca and crew. Pittsburgh was now ahead, 14-3.
The Seahawks tried to answer but came away with no points after a missed field goal.
Pittsburgh looked to put the nail in the coffin as they drove down inside Seattle's 10-yardline. However, on 3rd down, Roethlisberger's very poorly thrown pass was intercepted and returned deep inside Steeler territory. Fittingly, Matt Hasselbeck hit Jerramy Stevens for a touchdown and we still had a ball game at 14-10.
In the 4th quarter, the Seahawks appeared poised to take the lead when it looked like they would have it 1st and goal after Hasselbeck hit Stevens inside the 5 yardline. But in yet another controversial call, Seattle tackle Sean Locklear was called for holding Clark Haggans and the Seahawks were pushed back. And a few plays later, Ike Taylor came up with another one of his big postseason interceptions.
The Steelers capitalized when Antwaan Randle El hit Hines Ward with a wide receiver option pass and Pittsburgh was up two scores, once again, 21-10.
The Seahawks never really mounted another serious threat the rest of the game and Bill Cowher got the Gatorade bath.
For the first time in 26 seasons, the Steelers were World Champions and finally had that "One For The Thumb."
The streets of Pittsburgh were crazy that night. The South Side was jammed with Pittsburghers partying it up. I remember wanting to go out and drive around honking my horn but was also very drunk and before I could do something really stupid, I thankfully fell asleep on my uncle's couch and woke up the next day. I was feeling kind of crappy physically, but my heart was filled with joy. It was a feeling that lasted for many weeks and months.
The Steelers would go on to miss the playoffs the following season and many were calling their Super Bowl XL championship a fluke. However, that 2005 team was very strong. Sure, they were a wildcard entrant, but they weren't your average, everyday wildcard team. Many people forget that Roethlisberger missed several games that season after undergoing knee surgery and they were also without tackle Marvel Smith for several weeks. Pittsburgh was 11-5, a pretty strong wildcard record, but if not for those injuries, they probably would have won 13 games and the AFC North that year.
That Steelers championship team was far from a fluke. They were 15-1 in 2004 and made it to the AFC championship game. And they also had very strong playoff teams in '01 and '02. They could just never get over the hump. 2005 just happened to be the year that they finally achieved glory. The fact that they were a wildcard team shouldn't tarnish what they accomplished. And I think winning another Super Bowl just two seasons ago should put to rest any notion that the '05 team was a fluke.
As for me, those nine weeks defined what being a fan was all about. I was 33 years old at the time but I felt like a little kid.
Everything about it was special.
For years, I wondered if the Steelers would ever bring the city another trophy. They frustrated us so many times with great seeds and home playoffs games, and for them to finally bring home the Lombardi the hardest way possible just made it that much sweeter . The Steelers had to scratch and claw their way into the postseason and if the official had kept his flag in his back pocket and not called holding on the Chiefs in Kansas City's late-season loss to the Cowboys, Pittsburgh wouldn't even have made the playoffs and history would have been much different. Everytime I think about that, it gives me goosebumps.
It's a time in my life that I'll always cherish and I don't know if I'll ever have that much fun following a team. It really was a wonderful time and something I'll never forget.
I hope you enjoy.
The Steelers had just advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade and the first memory that comes to mind from the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL was the final time I attended a taping of the Joey Porter show. I didn't realize it would be the last time I would get to attend the show, but it turned out to be because there was no Joey Porter Show in 2006 and Porter was out of Pittsburgh by '07.
Anyway, the show, as always, was taped on Tuesday night from the Firehouse Lounge in the Strip District.
The Lounge was really crowded this night. As I said before, the first time I attended a taping of this show, it was right after the Steelers defeated the Bears and started their drive to the playoffs and the crowd was pretty sparse. However, on this night, my aunt and I could barely see the taping of the show because we were back by the entrance. The place was packed. Steeler fans came out strong to celebrate their team's AFC crown.
Porter was trying to do a "The Rock"-style wrestling promo about the Steelers journey through the playoffs and how they conquered the Bengals, the Colts, and finally the Broncos on the way to the Big Game. Joey was having problems with his funny little rant and he had to do several takes before he finally got it right. Peezy was known for many re-dos each and every show and this one really took the cake. It must have taken him five or six tries.
This show was particularly interesting because Jerome Bettis was the special guest and many Steeler players showed up to honor The Bus. Bettis would be returning home to Detroit for Super Bowl XL and it would also be the last game of his remarkable career. I don't remember all the players that showed up that night, but Casey Hampton was one of them and I smacked him on the back as he walked by and my hand just about disappeared. It was like touching a big, soft pillow.
Funny story: I was in the bathroom taking care of business when a huge African American man came in and said, "Hey, have you seen my man's phone?" And I said, "who?" The guy, a Lounge bouncer, was referring to Jerome Bettis, who had misplaced his cell phone somewhere in the bar. I told him I didn't know Bettis was missing a phone. To this day, I wonder if they thought I found Bettis' phone in the bathroom and kept it.
I didn't, in case anyone is wondering.
It really was a memorable "final show." I had a great time attending it every Tuesday and trying to get on camera so I could see myself when it aired the following Friday or Saturday night on WBGN.
I was excited about the Super Bowl, but it was kind of weird that Pittsburgh's opponent was Seattle. Don't get me wrong, the Seahwawks were the number 1 seed in the NFC in 2005 but it just wasn't the sexiest of matchups. When you thought of the Steelers in the Super Bowl, you thought of their legendary battles with the Dallas Cowboys and even the Minnesota Vikings, but the Seahawks? But beggars can't be choosers and I was excited about the Super Bowl regardless of the opponent.
The bookmakers must not have been too impressed with the Seahawks or the NFC because they installed the Steelers, the 6th seed from the AFC, as 4 point favorites if my memory serves me right. It may even have been as high as 6 points.
The Seahawks fans didn't take too kindly to their team's lack of respect in this matchup and they were actually pretty vocal on the message boards, especially craigslist, my message board of choice at the time.
According to them, Pittsburgh was just a working class town with very little to be happy about other than our Steelers and they were going to destroy the Black and Gold and we could go back to living our miserable lives in our dreary city. Does the sun ever shine in Seattle? I digress.
As far as the trash talk from the participants, the only player from the Seahawks that made any noise was tight end Jerramy Stevens. He basically said that the heartwarming story of Bettis returning to his hometown to play in the Super Bowl would have a sad ending. Joey Porter didn't take too kindly to this and used it for motivation.
Steeler Nation was concerned about the injury status of Troy Polamalu. He had an ankle sprain and there was much speculation as to whether or not he would play in the game. He did play, in case you were wondering.
As far as the game itself, the Seahawks controlled the tempo for most of the first half using underneath routes to wide receiver Darrell Jackson, who tied a Super Bowl record with 5 receptions in the first quarter. However, there would not be a sixth first quarter catch since Jackson was called for pushing off of safety Chris Hope in the back of the end zone on what would have been the first touchdown of the game. The Seahawks had to settle for 3 instead of 7. And yes, Jackson did push off.
As for the Steelers, they did very little on offense, going 3 and out on their first three possessions. They didn't record their first 1st down of the game until early in the 2nd quarter and even that drive ended poorly as Roethlisberger was intercepted on a deep ball to Antwaan Randle El.
Their next possession, however, proved to be pivotal. Pittsburgh moved into Seattle territory but were facing a 3rd and 28, when Roethlisberger made, in my opinion, the most important play of the game when he scrambled around and hit Hines Ward inside the 5 yard line to set up Pittsburgh's first touchdown.
They eventually scored on Roethlisberger's controversial quarterback keeper. Everyone knows the story behind that play so I won't get into it. I'll just say that only the nose of the football must cross the plane of the goalline. Nothing more. The end.
Halftime score: Steelers 7 Seahawks 3.
The Rolling Stones performed the halftime show, but I didn't watch it. I never do. Instead, my uncle and I had started on the beer that he had out on his back porch. We would not stop drinking for many hours.
And we were feeling pretty good by the time Fast Willie Parker ran almost untouched for a super Bowl record 75 yard touchdown on the second play of the 3rd quarter. It really was a thing of beauty with perfect blocks by Alan Faneca and crew. Pittsburgh was now ahead, 14-3.
The Seahawks tried to answer but came away with no points after a missed field goal.
Pittsburgh looked to put the nail in the coffin as they drove down inside Seattle's 10-yardline. However, on 3rd down, Roethlisberger's very poorly thrown pass was intercepted and returned deep inside Steeler territory. Fittingly, Matt Hasselbeck hit Jerramy Stevens for a touchdown and we still had a ball game at 14-10.
In the 4th quarter, the Seahawks appeared poised to take the lead when it looked like they would have it 1st and goal after Hasselbeck hit Stevens inside the 5 yardline. But in yet another controversial call, Seattle tackle Sean Locklear was called for holding Clark Haggans and the Seahawks were pushed back. And a few plays later, Ike Taylor came up with another one of his big postseason interceptions.
The Steelers capitalized when Antwaan Randle El hit Hines Ward with a wide receiver option pass and Pittsburgh was up two scores, once again, 21-10.
The Seahawks never really mounted another serious threat the rest of the game and Bill Cowher got the Gatorade bath.
For the first time in 26 seasons, the Steelers were World Champions and finally had that "One For The Thumb."
The streets of Pittsburgh were crazy that night. The South Side was jammed with Pittsburghers partying it up. I remember wanting to go out and drive around honking my horn but was also very drunk and before I could do something really stupid, I thankfully fell asleep on my uncle's couch and woke up the next day. I was feeling kind of crappy physically, but my heart was filled with joy. It was a feeling that lasted for many weeks and months.
The Steelers would go on to miss the playoffs the following season and many were calling their Super Bowl XL championship a fluke. However, that 2005 team was very strong. Sure, they were a wildcard entrant, but they weren't your average, everyday wildcard team. Many people forget that Roethlisberger missed several games that season after undergoing knee surgery and they were also without tackle Marvel Smith for several weeks. Pittsburgh was 11-5, a pretty strong wildcard record, but if not for those injuries, they probably would have won 13 games and the AFC North that year.
That Steelers championship team was far from a fluke. They were 15-1 in 2004 and made it to the AFC championship game. And they also had very strong playoff teams in '01 and '02. They could just never get over the hump. 2005 just happened to be the year that they finally achieved glory. The fact that they were a wildcard team shouldn't tarnish what they accomplished. And I think winning another Super Bowl just two seasons ago should put to rest any notion that the '05 team was a fluke.
As for me, those nine weeks defined what being a fan was all about. I was 33 years old at the time but I felt like a little kid.
Everything about it was special.
For years, I wondered if the Steelers would ever bring the city another trophy. They frustrated us so many times with great seeds and home playoffs games, and for them to finally bring home the Lombardi the hardest way possible just made it that much sweeter . The Steelers had to scratch and claw their way into the postseason and if the official had kept his flag in his back pocket and not called holding on the Chiefs in Kansas City's late-season loss to the Cowboys, Pittsburgh wouldn't even have made the playoffs and history would have been much different. Everytime I think about that, it gives me goosebumps.
It's a time in my life that I'll always cherish and I don't know if I'll ever have that much fun following a team. It really was a wonderful time and something I'll never forget.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Pitt post
*Todd Graham will officially be named head coach of the PITT football program today and will put to rest (hopefully) one of the most bizarre periods in PITT football history. I don't know much about Graham, but he was 36-17 at Tulsa and will reportedly bring a spread offense to the program. All I can go by is what everyone says about him, and on paper, he looks like the right hire. We'll see.
*I'm a little disappointed that Tom Bradley didn't get the job. Not because I necessarily think he's the best guy for the job, I just wanted to see if he was the one. He's supposedly wanted the job since 1997, and at age 54, this was undoubtedly his last shot at the position.
*I'll admit I bought into the whole notion that Bradley could go into any high school in Western, Pa. and recruit a kid. That's what he's been doing at Penn State for years. But the more I think about it, would he be as successful a recruiter without Joe Paterno as a selling point? I guess we'll never know. He is a really good guy. I'd like to see him get a job somewhere. Maybe UConn.
*Speaking of Bradley, the Rooneys apparently highly recommended that he be the guy or at least get an interview. The sentiment I heard from more than one person last week was how disappointed the Steelers were with the job Steve Pederson was doing with the coaching search and how embarrassed they were with the Haywood fiasco. They weren't happy at all with everything that transpired. With all due respect to the Rooneys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will always be number one in my heart, but in my opinion, it's none of the Rooney family's business how the PITT administration conducts their business. Aren't they equal partners at Heinz Field and the South Side facilities? Even if PITT is a tenant of the Steelers, what are the Rooneys going to do? Kick out PITT and bring in the Duquesne football program to make up for 6 or 7 revenue-generating home games? If I was PITT chancellor Mark Nordenberg and the Rooneys were sticking their noses in my business, I would tell them to go fly a kite (or a plane because Dan knows how to do that.)
*PItt athletic director Steve Pederson has been under a lot of scrutiny for how he handled the Mike Haywood hire and a lot of PITT alumni and fans want him gone and are speculating on whether or not Nordenberg will now send him packing. I say, no way. There is no way Nordenberg would allow Pederson to be in charge of such an important process as hiring the football head coach and then fire him as soon as the process is complete. But whether or not Pederson remains athletic director will be determined by how the program responds under Graham.
*PITT won the BBVA Compass bowl against Kentucky, 27-10, and from the highlights that I saw, they looked pretty impressive, but after watching those highlights, I now know what people mean when they say PITT doesn't travel well. I didn't see very many PITT fans in the stands. I did see a ton of Kentucky blue, however. But I don't blame PITT fans for not going to Birmingham to watch that game. There was so much promise before the season started and they had that BCS trip right in their grasps and they let it slip away. Fans spent the majority of the season dreaming of a trip to Arizona and Birmingham, Alabama isn't a great consolation prize.
*Finally, the ratings for the BBVA Compass bowl are in and the number of televisions tuned in to watch the game were the ones in Mike Strejcek's house.
*I'm a little disappointed that Tom Bradley didn't get the job. Not because I necessarily think he's the best guy for the job, I just wanted to see if he was the one. He's supposedly wanted the job since 1997, and at age 54, this was undoubtedly his last shot at the position.
*I'll admit I bought into the whole notion that Bradley could go into any high school in Western, Pa. and recruit a kid. That's what he's been doing at Penn State for years. But the more I think about it, would he be as successful a recruiter without Joe Paterno as a selling point? I guess we'll never know. He is a really good guy. I'd like to see him get a job somewhere. Maybe UConn.
*Speaking of Bradley, the Rooneys apparently highly recommended that he be the guy or at least get an interview. The sentiment I heard from more than one person last week was how disappointed the Steelers were with the job Steve Pederson was doing with the coaching search and how embarrassed they were with the Haywood fiasco. They weren't happy at all with everything that transpired. With all due respect to the Rooneys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will always be number one in my heart, but in my opinion, it's none of the Rooney family's business how the PITT administration conducts their business. Aren't they equal partners at Heinz Field and the South Side facilities? Even if PITT is a tenant of the Steelers, what are the Rooneys going to do? Kick out PITT and bring in the Duquesne football program to make up for 6 or 7 revenue-generating home games? If I was PITT chancellor Mark Nordenberg and the Rooneys were sticking their noses in my business, I would tell them to go fly a kite (or a plane because Dan knows how to do that.)
*PItt athletic director Steve Pederson has been under a lot of scrutiny for how he handled the Mike Haywood hire and a lot of PITT alumni and fans want him gone and are speculating on whether or not Nordenberg will now send him packing. I say, no way. There is no way Nordenberg would allow Pederson to be in charge of such an important process as hiring the football head coach and then fire him as soon as the process is complete. But whether or not Pederson remains athletic director will be determined by how the program responds under Graham.
*PITT won the BBVA Compass bowl against Kentucky, 27-10, and from the highlights that I saw, they looked pretty impressive, but after watching those highlights, I now know what people mean when they say PITT doesn't travel well. I didn't see very many PITT fans in the stands. I did see a ton of Kentucky blue, however. But I don't blame PITT fans for not going to Birmingham to watch that game. There was so much promise before the season started and they had that BCS trip right in their grasps and they let it slip away. Fans spent the majority of the season dreaming of a trip to Arizona and Birmingham, Alabama isn't a great consolation prize.
*Finally, the ratings for the BBVA Compass bowl are in and the number of televisions tuned in to watch the game were the ones in Mike Strejcek's house.
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