Great post. It kinda makes me wish I was around in th 70’s but I guess I’ll have to deal with being born in the 90’s. However, we have our greats in the making, and I’m looking forward to telling future Steeler fans, in 2038, how Troy got 7 interceptions, 8 counting the playoffs, and how he stopped the ravens in their tracks with a 40-yd TD. I’ll also tell them I witnessed the season in which James Harrison broke the single-season sack record and along with Wookie broke the tandem record. This was a great season, no matter what anybody says

I arrived in Pittsburgh as starry eyed 7 year old in the summer of 1979. 7 months later I was an avid Steeler and Pirate fan. I thought I lived in sports heaven.

Turned out to be a long journey in the desert.

But that’s part of the joy of being a fan. We got a bit of redemption in 2005 – not so much by beating the whimpy Seahawks, but in our improbable Superbowl run.

Still I can’t help but feel this team is special. Yes we have a turn-style O-line. Yes our offensive coordinator seems to use a six sided dice with the words 15 yard pass attempt and run up the middle written on 5 of the 6 sides as his primary tool for play calling, yes our punter might not make it on some college teams.

But we are here in the big dance. And our 40 year old punter, creaky hamstrings and all, made his second huge tackle of the season – and forced a fumble to boot.

So cheer up 5020. This team has something better than destiny on its side. It has Troy Polamulu and Big Ben and Deebo and Aaron Smith and Hines Ward and Woodley and a couple dozen other guys who wear their hearts on their sleeves and are not afraid to lose – or win.

Certainly eloquent and lots of great insights in there.

I do respectfully say though that I think its your psychological nature to ‘kick and scream’ along the way. Nothing wrong with that – we’re all wired a bit differently and you obviously have a much vaster wealth of experience to reference when analyzing what you’re seeing out there from your favorite team.

I don’t know what’s not ‘Championship Caliber’ about 4 turnovers, a TKO hit to their RB, 0 1st downs in the 1st quarter, and really only any points allowed due to unfortunate penalties and special teams miscues.

Yesterdays performance by the D was a nice return to form for this championship caliber D. IN my opinion.

Good post, sir.

You might need to hoard your water like a camel, but at least you won’t die from total dehydration!!!

bueno.

but our hearts are in the same place. I tend to be a worry wart, If we were playing the Lions i would worry. I would see all of their strengths and all of our weaknesses and worry. I can’t help it. Yesterday I paced up in the concourse the entire halftime. You could feel the crowd worry about the game slipping away. All of the mistakes kept playing in my head, the two dropped touchdown passes, the Holmes reversal, the empty set with third and one, Berger’s booming punt, the mismanaged clock before half – that all kept playing when Baltimore was driving for the game-winner.

Then came Troy and it was like waking from a nightmare. I honestly never felt the crowd like that. Everyone was hugging, clothing was flying of people as they flung themselves into a ring of strangers. The entire stadium was like that. The worry was over. Alot of it stemmed from the three previous home AFC title games.

Soon I will start to worry about the Cardinals, but for the moment I am still going to treasure yesterday for as long as I can.

“the jello was jiggling, the light was out and the butter was getting hard”….

typical steeler fans sex life

puke

Rec this puppy…Don’t mean to impose, but I hope you and a couple other football technicians can write about various matchups in the Super Bowl. I’d be real interested in hearing what you had to say.

I’ve been right there with you 5020. Just as ‘rose said, I thought the last game was slipping away. At one point, when it was 16-14, I actually said to myself, “Why am I watching this?” I was sure that I was watching a repeat of the ’94 game, except this time, the opponent was actually much more formidable. But, I also look at the fact that this is the most consistent defense I’ve ever seen the Steelers have. I was born in ‘73, so I didn’t experience the consistent greatness of the Steel Curtain. I only saw their last SB win (the first game I remember seeing was that Rams SB). After the 80s, when I watched football off and on, I got tired of having good defenses but pathetic offenses. Then Cowher came, and there were actually years that we had both. But, again, those heartbreaks in ‘94 and ’95 hurt the worst. At that point, I was glad that we had good teams. We won 10+ games most of Cowher’s career, but I wouldn’t let myself believe that we’d win another SB until we did in 2005. Anyway, I’ve rambled, but this was a great post. I loved SteelerMike’s Samurai comment as well.

i just feel that the Cards want a dance and jab game…When Pitt gets them on the mat in that sleeper hold/frog hold they will submit. They don’t want to get dirty. I can see Warner reaching for the sideline to tap out. I can also see Super Fly Troy on the top rope working the crowd before landing elbow first on Boldins whiney head.

As a little kid, I went to a match at the Capital Center. I saw an evil Hulk Hogan vs. Tony Atlas. Sargent Slaughter vs. The Iron Sheek. Andre The Giant vs. Killer Kahn. And the Fabulous Mula to boot. 1970’s man….I remember playing with my pump and release Evil Kineval motorcycle and ramp in the street and getting called in to get ready for the ride to DC. lol. too funny.

Read this post a few days ago, but wasn’t sure how to respond. Now, I think I’ve got it right.

Rule #1: Start with good football.

It’s so much easier on the soul if you can watch a football game and root for good plays. I watched the Steeler/Pats game with my father two cushions away. Dad is a long-time Pats fan. I applauded when Faulk beat our defenders to the sideline and turned a short pass into a long run. After Welker got Clarked, I wished for him to return to the game. (I love Welker’s play almost as much as Polamalu’s.) Dad and I were able to enjoy the remarkable plays from both teams.

Do I feel like a traitor, celebrating plays made by another team? No. I watch football for the highlight plays and the intensity of professional trench warfare. No other sport has so many ways a team can make a big play. I always hope for the Steelers to win because I appreciate the way they play football. I was not born or raised in Pittsburgh. I did not inherit my fanhood. I chose this team. I made that choice because I like good football and the Steelers frequently embody the best parts of the game.

If the Cardinals beat the Steelers, then… holy crap!! I want to see the highlights of THAT game. What an achievement it would be.

i truly think you will see the second half cardinals from the eagles game. it will only take a few hits to bruise those whiney concerned looks onto Warners face and have him barking at his O-Coord (not sure if that guy is head coaching material if his players feel free to verbally tee-off on him on national tv).. Warner won’t be able to sit back with your rush. on the defensive side, i think the cards are better than advertised but not SB quality like Pitt. it will be a different type of SB for sure. interesting matchup.