Just flipped on the NFL network. James Harrison was being interviewed. This man is made of stone. Not once did he smile. Not once did he laugh. I believe he only blinked twice. He was asked if he's ever seen intimidation in opposition. He said that no man who plays in the NFL should ever be intimidated, as his eyes were purely fixated on the camera. You can see the absolute focus in his eyes. Like someone trying to play the blinking game and being told to talk to you. James Harrison is an emotionless man just waiting for another chance to wreak havoc. One thing I love about Deebo is when he was asked about what, in his opinion, makes the Steel Defense so good. He said it's the fact that all 11 guys are playing for the guy next to them. BTSC be assured that Deebo is ready. If any of the Chargers caught the interview I know they are intimidated. Man he's awesome!

I have lived in San Diego for 15 years. And being a Steeler fan since birth, have hated seeing the Bolts fair-weathered fans flying their flags on games that end in W's and not recalling who San Diego's football team is on games that end in L's.  Last night me and 2 of my canadian friends decided to head down to the stadium to see what the party was like. Being a die hard fan I decided to wear my Steelers jacket with the giant logo on the back. We had walked around the parking lot, talked to a few fans and enjoyed our brew. The atmosphere was fine. A little joking now and then about me being a Steelers fan, but that's expected. It wasn't until the end of the night that the fans had come to terms that their team had taken down the house that Peyton built. Then all hell broke loose. Blame it on the booze, blame it on the sproles performance. But, their fans turned unclassy in one motion. Calling the Steelers a crap team, telling me that they we're going to kill us given the chance. I was even taunted by one of the security guards and he told me F&%k the Steelers. I reminded them that the Chargers had yet to win a SB. "how many rings is it?" I proclaimed. That seems to be their kryptonite. I walked away telling two powder blue Charger fans, "when your team loses, keep flying those flags. It's when you lose a game, you lose the pride, and then lose the respect."

Let's hit em hard Steelers. They're not going to let me live it down if we lose. I know Blitz knows where I'm coming from.

The seats are taken and in 2 days the AFC Playoffs will be underway. Our beloved Steelers will be getting a nice view from their HDTV's (wonder if any of them don't have HD?)  We've heard the almost always common answer of "we don't care who we play. We will prepare and play 100%." I know our fearless D isn't afraid of any remaining offenses. But what matchups do you want to see? Might as well make it fun and at least root for someone this weekend. Want to take on Miami's COTY Sporano? (anyone who says he isn't worthy is crazy) How about closing out Manning's MVP year with a little revenge? Or we could take down my city's fair-weather Chargers one more time. What's it gonna be BTSC? Who ya'll rootin fer!?

I mean violence and swearing is one thing, but Rape!? What I'm watching right now on FOX is downright wrong. If Wade Phillips will allow Tony Romo to be seen on his team next year he's crazy. If Jerry Jones  will allow Wade Phillips to coach that team, he's crazy. This is a massacre. It's currently 44-3 eagles. With 13:51 to play in the fourth as I'm typing this. It seems even more ridiculous to me that throughout this entire broadcast I keep seeing Tony Romo smiling with a 80% smug 20% suprised look on his face. It's just a sad attempt at what could have been a fine looking, long overdue comeback for Wade and company. Who is to blame? Even the Cowboys won't be able to find excuses for this public display.

I have to agree that it is absurd that teams in certain divisions won't make it to the playoffs with records of 11-5 and others can make it with records of 8-8. I stumbled upon this article by Gregg Easterbrook of ESPN. In it he writes:

"Seven-headed dragons stalk the NFL; armored locusts will be observed in stadium stands this weekend; the league headquarters will move from Manhattan to Babylon, N.Y. Why? It is the Armageddon of the playoff system.

When the regular season concludes, there is a chance that two 8-8 teams will advance to the playoffs, and a chance that two 10-6 teams will not. It is possible that two 8-8 teams will make the playoffs while an 11-5 team does not. The mere fact that this is possible as the final weekend arrives tells you the NFL playoff system is broken. It must be replaced by a seeded tournament.

It's bad enough that Indianapolis, already 11-4 with a possible 12-4 finish, will open on the road at either 8-8 San Diego or 9-7 Denver. It's bad enough that Arizona, which has lost four of its past five games, could finish 8-8 and host a playoff game against a team that finished 11-5. It's bad enough that those same Cardinals, who were just blown off the field 47-7 by New England, are already in the postseason while the Patriots could finish 11-5 and not make it. Just consider: Baltimore, Chicago, Jersey/B, Miami, New England and Tampa all enter the final weekend in danger of finishing 10-6 yet being eliminated. All of them won't, of course. But a few will.

It's Armageddon for the NFL's division-based postseason format. For an 8-8 NFL team to reach the postseason while an 11-5 team does not would be like if, in Major League Baseball, an 81-81 team made the playoffs while a 111-51 team did not. Such a result would make a mockery of the notion that sports rewards merit -- luck in division assignments would mean more than performance on the field. The NFL's flawed postseason formula has been producing skewed results for years, such as last season, when the 9-7 Bucs hosted the 10-6 Giants and the 10-6 Browns did not make the playoffs at all. In 1985, the 11-5 Broncos were denied entry into the postseason while the 8-8 Browns advanced. But this year's results may be the most skewed ever for the NFL, making a laughingstock of the league's postseason format. Armageddon! Grab your tuna fish cans and rifles and head for the hills!

<!-- start sidebar table -->

Not only is the premise of the sport sullied when teams that don't perform well are rewarded while teams that do perform well are sent home, think of the matchups we'll be missing! Are you really anxious to watch the Arizona Cardinals again? Wouldn't you rather see what the Patriots, Dolphins, Ravens, Jets or Bears can do in the postseason? Great matchups are the essence of postseason NFL ratings. The current system discourages great matchups by placing such a high value on pure luck regarding how your division performs that season.

The NFL postseason format simply must be switched to a seeded tournament. Divisions are fine for organizing regular-season play, but when it comes to the postseason, the top 12 teams should be taken regardless of division or conference. The current system was not handed to Moses etched onto a stone tablet -- NFL owners changed the playoff format in 2002, they changed it in 1990, they can change it again. A seeded NFL tournament could only make the postseason more exciting.

If the season ended today as a seeded tournament, these (using simplified tiebreakers -- I did not run every ramification) would be the pairings. Byes: Titans, Giants, Steelers, Panthers. First round: Jets, Bears or Bucs at Colts, Cowboys at Pats, Ravens at Falcons, Vikings at Dolphins. Is there one single NFL fan anywhere who does not think this seeded postseason tournament would have more appeal than the first round we're going to end up with?"

Here's the link. There's no way around it. I have to agree with Gregg. The playoff system needs an overhaul to credit those teams that achieved more than others.

That fat ass SOB will pay for desecrating a terrible towel (or replica.) No, it's not the american flag, but it's the next thing in line in my eyes. I have always been and still will always be a USC fan. But Lendale is an unclassy bitch. Try and pick up some yards without that god like O-line. I would cream my pants if Polamalu lit him up in the playoffs. USC alumni getting put back in his place. You would never see Reggie Bush doing that. Live it up Titans. We will win the one that counts.

I don't know what a bunch of plus ones will do to put the worst fan in football history out of this blog, but it's worth a shot. I log onto BTSC becuase I'm a fan. Always have been, always will be. Like most of you we need support and level headed thinking to further our knowledge of our favorite team. If you believe that Beerman doesn't belong on SB Nation or at the least on BTSC then +1 on this thread.

You absolutely should be. I'm having a ball talking to these cowgirl fans. They're saying that our uniforms aren't black and gold but more mustard color, and since that mustard color must be french we are now called the pitt frogs. It's like trying to have a debate with a kid with down syndrome. It isn't fair or even relevant. LOL. Please come visit and you'll get what I'm saying really quick

Seem to be getting a little irritated with this weeks matchup. I just went over there and it doesn't seem there to be educated responses in their blogs. More or less of how the Steelers are over rated and suck. Blah Blah Blah. It's going to be a hard loss for them to swallow come sunday. I have been waiting for this matchup for a LONG time. I hope God opens up the skys and it starts raining cats and Lombardi trophies :) Thier only hope is a player named Romo. Who they think is next to godliness. We all love Deebo, but would never think of him as highly as those cowgirl fans do.

It's time for some terrible weather

i was just watching NFL replay of our victory over the Pats. It aroused a question that I had asked earlier in the game on sunday. After that catch by heath miller when he's hit by keyron of the pats. When he gets up you can see a red stain on the right side of his shirt. It's pretty prominent. Can anyone tell me what it is? My dad and I were joking and said it's probably blood. I think it is. Ideas?