Saturday Night Steelers Open Thread: SOL Edition

SOL...

It’s Week 10 and we play those lovable Lions from Detroit, so SOL can only mean one thing. Shoot out (the) lights? No. S... outta luck? Close, but still a um ‘No’

“Same Old Lions”... how sad is your fan base when this is the acronym that they themselves use to describe their football team. We really have no idea of how good we have it cheering on the Steelers.

Flashback to a beautiful fall day, 2005 (give or take) and the Lions are up by 12 with 6 minutes left to go in the game. They just got the ball back on downs and have it at the opposition's 45. Run out the clock right? At least, take two minutes off the clock and pin your opponent deep inside their 20 right??? NO. Not this team. 1st play after the turnover they fumble. Still up by 12 with 6 minutes to go, no problem right? NO, not this team. Quick touchdown brings the score to within 5. Still only 2 minutes and change left, 2 first downs wins it right?? Well, I think you all know where this is going. With less than 10 seconds left they give up another 75 yard drive ending with a touchdown and lose as time expires.

S. O. L. Been doing it for years and seemingly perfected in the Matt Millen ‘era’. Yes, I literally remember that day. See, the Lions used to be my B team and I got sick of being PO’d week after week. So this fan, simply stopped being a fan of that ‘team’.

We are lucky folks. We haven’t won as many Super Bowls as we would have liked and maybe had the talent for, but we are relevant and we spend far more Sunday’s with a smile on our faces after the final whistle blows than what a regular NFL fan does and certainly more that any Jet’s, Browns or Lions fan has in the last, 50 years.

1. Many feel that a key factor this week is not playing down to the Lions. After seeing the Cowboys last week and the Ravens on Thursday has that changed your perspective of “Any given Sunday”?
2. In the off season the Lions traded away their QB Matt Stafford for a couple of first rounders. As I watched a bit of the game on Thursday I could not help but continue to think that Lamar is just another Matt Stafford. Yes, he is good but he is not great. He will not be able to lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl without significant help. If you were the Ravens GM would you trade Lamar this off season for a handsome ransom to avoid saddling your team with a QB that is not truly worth his huge contract? If so, what would you look for in return and if not why?
3. The Lions just aren’t very good on the defensive side of the ball as their secondary has faced some big injuries. Given this, do you look for the Steelers to try to get the passing game going or keep the percentages around 50 (run/pass), why?
4. How long does the left over Halloween candy last at your house? November 1st? 1 Week? 2 Weeks? A month?? You hide some and put it into the kids stockings at Christmas???
5. I am painting in the house this weekend. In terms of a do-it-yourself vs. paying someone else to do it, it really is an easy choice for me as I enjoy it. Crank up the tunes and get the work done. However, both of my brothers absolutely hate painting and will do pretty much anything to avoid it, including hiring someone else. Do you paint your own stuff or not. Also, what work around the house, WILL you pay someone else to do?