The More You Know: Random facts about your Pittsburgh Steelers, Inside edition

It’s the offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers and there are so many topics to talk and write about. Free agents, the coordinator conundrum, the next quarterback, the NFL Draft and breaking news will all be covered here at BTSC. But who’s going to give you little-known-facts out of the 500 Level?

Luckily, your one-stop, and non-stop, shop for everything Steelers employs a Steelers fan that was allegedly dropped on his head as a one-year-old during the Immaculate Reception. Useless and somewhat fascinating facts are his forte. So, here we are with off-the-wall thoughts from the dark side of a black-and-gold brain that nobody asked for. But the joke’s on you. you’ll be telling your peeps something you read here later.

---

412 Forever

This subjects of “412 Forever” are not always from the Steel City and this week’s definitely is not, but a person could get roped in to full-fledged Steelers fandom when marrying a confirmed yinzer. So is the case with Modern Family alum Sofia Vergara. Last week, “The More You Know” showcased Vergara’s Steelers super fan husband, Joe Mangianello. Vergara was thoroughly introduced or, in her words, brainwashed in the way of the black and gold. Now the Modern Family actress dons the gear and attends games with her hubby. It seems like the Colombian actress can’t get away from the hypocycloids. Vergara’s onscreen husband on the Emmy Award-winning sitcom was Ed O’Neil, one of the final cuts from Chuck Noll’s first Steelers team in 1969.

---

BTSC Steelers Jeopardy

(Answer at bottom of article)

---

Steel Percentages

The Steelers play the NFC South in the 2022 season and have enjoyed a .760 winning percentage against that particular division in their history. Our heroes in hypocycloids also got the good fortune of drawing the AFC East, a division that they are twenty games over .500 against. When you throw in the two other second place teams in the AFC and the NFC East’s runner-up Eagles, the Steelers are 269-200-5 in their history against their 2022 opponents.

NFC South Record - 38-12-1

Atlanta Falcons 14-2-1

Carolina Panthers 6-1

New Orleans Saints 7-9

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2

NFC East Second-Place Opponent Record - Philadelphia Eagles 29-47-3

AFC South Second-Place Opponent Record - Indianapolis Colts 21-6

AFC West Second-Place Opponent Record - Las Vegas Raiders 10-14

AFC North Record - 171-121-1

Baltimore Ravens 29-23

Cincinnati Bengals 65-38

Cleveland Browns 77-60-1

---

Middle Name Madness

We love citing the second name of members of the Men of Steel here at Behind the Steel Curtain. We always cite Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger, Christopher Lynn Boswell and Trent Jordan Watt, but who else? Hence, the “More You Know Middle Name of the Week”. This week the honor belongs to a player that the Steelers acquired from a rival, but one who became a staple of the defense.

Joe Walter Haden

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

---

This Week’s Birthdays of Steel

3/13 Charlie Bradshaw - 86

3/14 Donald Evans - 58

3/15 Oliver Gibson - 50, Mike Kruczek - 69, Ted Marchibroda - 89

3/16 Chris Boswell - 31, Levi Brown - 38, Zoltan Mesko - 36, Todd Seabaugh - 61, Jared Retkofsky - 39, Eric Ravotti - 51

3/17 Clint Kriewaldt - 46, Emmanuel Sanders - 35

3/18 Jordan Berry - 31, John Goodson - 62, Mike Webster - 70

3/19 Diontae Spencer - 30

---

Disturbing Sights

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Not every NFL legend retires with their original team, having played with no other franchise. We may try to forget the image of our Steel Heroes wearing another uniform, but it’s a part of fandom and legends sometimes change team colors. After a stellar nine-year career from 1992-2000 in Pittsburgh, Levon Kirkland spent his final two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles. The legendary Kirkland will join Jeff Hartman for the Monday Morning Conversation on the Monday 3/14 edition of Let’s Ride.

---

Hypocycloids Gone Hollywood

NBC’s attempt to capitalize on the fame of the Steelers and the legendary Joe Greene Coke commercial came in the form of a syrupy television movie that the author remembers watching as a kid after the Steelers/Falcons game on 11/14/81. The kid who catches the jersey sneaks on the team plane and the Men of Steel adopt him or something. Family hijinks commence. I can’t for the life of me find a copy of this. The best I can do is a promo.

---

So, there you have it. Anybody can spout out stat after stat, but not everybody can embrace the colorful and personal side of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, the more you know, the more you can stupefy your friends, family and neighbors with your big, black-and-gold brain. By the way, “Who is Greg Clark?” is the correct clue in BTSC Steelers Jeopardy. I’m sure Kevin Greene was everybody’s guess, but the Hall of Fame linebacker was the second unrestricted free agent signing in Steelers history.

---

We’ll see you right here next week. Until then keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the hypocycloids.