We all have more important things than a football team for which to be thankful. Our families, our health and our religion will be the focal point of this Thanksgiving Day. But since this is a football fan site, I'd like to spend a few minutes and express my thanks for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There are more important things in life than football, but that doesn't mean we cannot or should not admit to the joy that rooting for a football teams brings.

Most of you were not on this earth the day of the Immaculate Reception; the day that football history changed its course forever; the day that exorcized the ghosts of autumns past. Since that day, the Pittsburgh Steelers have collected six Lombardi Trophies, more than any other NFL franchise. Giving thanks for those six glorious pieces of hardware is a great place to start.

But the success of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs much deeper than a half dozen Super Bowl Championships. Since that 1972 season, we have only experienced seven losing seasons in those 39 years - far and away the best record of success in the NFL. Three of those seven "bad seasons" featured 7-9 records, three more at 6-10 and one at 5-11. That is almost unbelieveable. The Steelers are the only NFL franchise to have never won fewer than five games since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, and that five-win season happened only once. This four-decade stretch of consistency and success is nothing short of incredible. Put simply, the Steelers have won more with less trauma than any franchise in the second half of the NFL's existence.

Behind all that success, I am both proud and thankful for the model of stability that is the envy, or should be, for every other franchise and fan base. Without mentioning names, we're not a senile team, or cheating team, or yoyo team, or trendy team, or desperate team or flash-in-the-pan team, etc. etc. Our owner did not divorce us in 1995 when he saw a prettier gal in another town. The Steelers have hired three head coaches since the year that mankind first stepped on the moon. Our rivals to the northeast have hired five head coaches since they signed their last placekicker.

I am thankful for the Rooneys, the most revered name in NFL history. It is the name always mentioned first by anyone anywhere when talking about league ownership. Throughout the league's 90-year history, the Rooney name has been the flagship of the NFL. First the Chief, then Dan and Art Jr. and now Art II, the Rooneys have been the league's moral compass, voice of reason, standard bearer for diversity and most innovative resource the league has ever known.

Finally, I am thankful for all of you, Steeler Nation. The Nation shows its pride and strength every time the team plays in enemy stadiums. No other fan base is mentioned prominently by television announcers every time Pittsburgh plays on the road. The Steelers are America's team, make no mistake. The Cowboys may have the moniker, but the Steelers have the truth. This web site is a microcosm of the Nation. Yes, we get some miscreants from time to time who want nothing but to stir trouble. But overwhelmingly, this site is home to insightful fans who teach me something every day.

Thank you all and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.