Yesterday was my usual Sunday. I was off so, naturally, I tried to relax as much as I could. I finished reading the book, "Terry Bradshaw: It's only a game." If you're a Steeler fan, or just a Terry Bradshaw fan, I highly recommend it. It's great stuff. Very entertaining. Terry writes like he talks. Full of energy.
I also did my laundry, worked out, and performed other various activities that one must do on a regular basis.
After that all was done, I decided to treat myself to some writing. I love to write. It's probably my favorite thing to do. I especially love writing about sports and I had an idea to write a piece about Lamarr Woodley's contract status and how I thought he should be the Steelers top priority among their own free agents.
I started writing it about 2pm est and got done with the bulk of it around 4pm or so. But I'm very anal about my writing and I have to go back and check it over and over again before I publish anything. I'm a prefectonit about my writing and I hav to makre sure I splel evertying rite.
As I said, I'm very particular and I spent the next hour or so spell-checking, moving stuff around, taking stuff out and adding things in. I do this all the time when I write a post even though I've never been paid a cent for anything I've ever written in my entire life. Ok, that's not true, I have made 5 cents from the AdSense coupons I've linked to my blog.
One of my favorite things about Sunday is bowling night. I've been in a recreational league for about two years now and it's always a good time. Bowling is like golf. You can be horrible at it and still have a great time doing it. At least that's been my experience.
However, I am a competitor and when I do something, I want to do it to the best of my ability. I'm also cheap and despite bowling for 2 years, I still have yet to buy my own ball. Therefore, on bowling nights, I try to get to the bowling center extra early so I can find the particular house ball that I use and that will someday lead me to greatness. If I don't find the ball I normally use, there is no way I can bowl well.
There are many bowlers in my league who are also very particular about their favorite house ball and race around the place before the game searching for their magical ball.
Anyway, back to my blog post. In addition to posting on my own blog, I also enjoy posting a lot of Steeler material on the blog Behind the Steel Curtain. The folks at BTSC have always been great and receptive to my writing and they sometimes even post my stuff on the main page. When I was writing my Woodley blog yesterday, I won't lie, I was thinking to myself, "this could be front page material, Tony. This post you're writing is brilliant."
So about 6 o'clock, I decided to publish my post in the fanposts section of BTSC. But for one of the few times, my high speed Internet decided to act super-slow and it just wouldn't send it over. Now, I normally leave for bowling around 6:10 so I can get to the alley by 6:35 for a 7pm game just so I can find my ball. As I said, I need my unbelievable ball. The ball that I've been using this past season is a 12 pound green house ball and the holes are just right for my fingers. It's the third "must have" house ball that I've used since I started bowling. The other two mysteriously disappeared never to be seen again. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought those balls were "must haves."
But as I said, I was having Internet problems and my computer was acting uncharacteristically slow. You know how frustrating computer problems can be. I sat there and clicked and clicked and swore and threw stuff and clicked some more. Finally, at about 6:30, my post was sent over. By this time, I was so flustered and full of rage, I barely wanted to go bowling.
On the way to the bowling alley, I was barely able to focus on driving I was so frustrated from my computer experience.
By the time I pulled up to the bowling alley, it was 6:53, and naturally, there were no premium parking spots left. I had to drive up the hill beside the alley and park at least 4 blocks away. I ran down the hill as fast as I could, cause, you know, if you don't get to the bowling alley in time for a recreational game, they might arrest you. But the real reason I was running so fast is because I wanted my special green ball. My magical ball. The ball that has given me my awesome 131 average. Probably a record as far as averages go. I'll have to look it up.
I got into the alley out of breath but determined to find my ball. It was no where to be found. Some other jerk "stole" my ball. They had to know it was my magical ball. I was forced to search the leftovers for another house ball. But none of them were satisfactory.
The ones that I could fit my fingers into were too heavy for my tastes, and the balls that were ideal in weight had holes too small for my fingers.
Damn. So I had to settle for the extremely heavy balls. I figured it was the last match of the season, just use what you have and play out the string. Things didn't start out well for me. My first three frames were open. It was at that time that I tried one last search for a good house ball.
I came upon this ball that was painted with all these funky colors. It was a real trip, man. The ball was light enough for me to use, but the holes were just a little snug.
But it was certainly better than the boulders I started out with. And then things started to change. I didn't have another open frame the rest of the first game until the 10th. I finished with a 146. Pretty good for me, especially considering how frazzled I was when the night started.
The second game was pretty damn sweet. I didn't have an open frame until the 8th. I won't lie. I was going for a 200. I've never had a 200 game and it's always been one of my personal bowling goals. I wasn't sure what my score was until I finally had that open frame, but as it turned out, it was only 146. Damn, my chances at a 200 were pretty much dashed. The problem was I didn't have many strikes in that game. I normally don't get a ton of strikes. When I get a strike in bowling, it's like a pitcher in baseball hitting a homerun. Everyone is surprised. You need strikes for a 200.
Okay, so I didn't get a 200 in that 2nd game, but I did finish with a 174. My highest score of the season and tied for my highest score ever in that league.
Before the third game, I felt spent. My arm was like rubber. I could feel it. As I said, I don't get many strikes so I've increased my velocity over the past few weeks in an attempt to increase my strike total and my scores. My first two games were pretty good but I didn't have much confidence that my third game would go really well because of how tired my arm felt.
My team was doing awesome. We won the first two games and were looking for a sweep to finish the season.
I thought my only shot at a 200 game was done, and the way my first three frames started out in the last game, I didn't think I would even sniff the 200 mark. I spared the first frame, but left 2 and 3 open. But, strangely enough, in frame four I found my strike ball, and I didn't have an open frame the rest of the game. I even had a turkey in frames 7 through 9. In frame ten, I wasn't sure of my score, but I knew it would be pretty high. I didn't strike the tenth frame, but I did spare it and got nine in my last throw. My score: 190. Damn!
But that's okay, it was not only my best game ever, but my best match, and the first time I've ever bowled 170plus in 2-straight games.
So, you see, my passion for writing finally paid off. It made me late for bowling and made me miss out on my awesome magical ball. I had to find another magical ball and I bowled better than ever. Now I have a new magical ball and those jerks at the bowling alley better not touch it. It's mine, damn it!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
When you consider the big picture, retaining Woodley is the right move for the Steelers
The Steelers have placed the franchise tag on outside linebacker Lamarr Woodley thus retaining his rights for at least another year while they try to sign him to a long-term deal.
Some have wondered if the $10,000,000 that Woodley will automatically make next year is worth it considering Ike Taylor, their top cornerback, is also up for free agency and is reportedly looking for a big payday. The Steelers' secondary is always a target for criticism, especially after the Super Bowl XLV loss, and if Taylor's services aren't retained, the possibility of quarterbacks more frequently shredding Pittsburgh's secondary like Aaron Rodgers did in the Super Bowl could become a harsh reality.
But I think it is worth it to make Woodley the top priority. Back in 1996, Steelers pro bowl linebacker Greg Lloyd was injured in the first game of the year in Jacksonville and was out for the season. In Lloyd's absence, Chad Brown had a monster year, recording 13 sacks. He was in the last year of his contract and there was no doubt that he was going to be a major player in free agency. I remember having discussions with friends and family who thought it would be best for the Steelers to cut ties with the veteran Lloyd and do everything in their power to keep the younger Brown in Pittsburgh.
I disagreed. I thought Lloyd, who was over 30 but still had years left on his contract, would come back in '97 and continue to play at a high level for many more years.
Chad Brown did sign elsewhere, with the Seattle Seahawks, and went on to have a pretty productive career in Seattle. Greg Lloyd was injured again in 1997 and even suffered a staph infection. He was never the same and out of Pittsburgh by 1998.
So Pittsburgh not only lost the services of Chad Brown, but Greg Lloyd as well.
But the Steelers never suffer for long in the linebacker department. They've always had a rich tradition at that position going all the way back to the days of Andy Russell. Lloyd and Brown might have been gone, but Levon Kirkland was still a presence at inside linebacker and Jason Gildon stepped into the line-up and became a star and eventually the team's all time leader in sacks. Joey Porter came on the scene in 1999 and was a force for many years. When Kirkland's days as a Steeler were over, the team went out and signed James Farrior to take his place. When the team cut ties with Peezy in 2007, James Harrison was promoted to starter and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.
So if the Steelers always seem to make the right move with linebackers, why spend all the money on Woodley? After all, they signed Harrison to a big deal just a few seasons ago, and they have Jason Worilds and Stevenson Sylvestor waiting in the wings to continue on the team's history of excellence at the position. Why not make Taylor the top priority?
Because there are no guarantees when it comes to youngsters.
The Steelers have some exciting young linebacker prospects, like they always do, but Woodley is only 26 years old and has 39 sacks in just 4 seasons, and let's face it, folks, this defense is getting old in a hurry. There are 9 guys over the age of 30, even James Harrison, who doesn't have many miles under his belt, is 32, and in football, low miles or not, that's getting up there. Woodley represents the future and the present. He's "the now" to borrow a phrase that I cannot stand. Woodley, along with Ziggy Hood and fellow linebacker Lawrence Timmons, represents the future of the Steelers defense.
In a perfect world, I would obviously like to see them keep both Woodley and Taylor.
Taylor has made a nice career for himself. He hasn't always been the most respected and valued Steeler among the faithful because of his quirky personality and bad habit of dropping interceptions, but he's a darn good cover corner and a valuable commodity in the team's recent championship success. Besides, there really isn't anyone on the roster to come in and take Taylor's place if he does sign elsewhere.
If Pittsburgh can keep Taylor at a reasonable price, then they should try to do so, but if some team is willing to over-pay for his services, then Colbert and Company would be wise to let him walk.
One of the reasons Pittsburgh's window of opportunity never seems to close is because they almost always make the right decisions.
After Super Bowl XL, they lost both Chris Hope and Antwaan Randle El to free agency to teams that signed them to huge contracts, but in the offseason that year, Pittsburgh signed free agent Ryan Clark and drafted Santonio Holmes. Each player proved to be an upgrade at his respective position and both were key contributors to Pittsburgh's Super Bowl XLIII championship run.
Ike Taylor will be 31 years old next season, not old, but maybe a little too old for a long-term deal. One of the team's philosophies is they'd rather cut ties with a player a year too soon than a year too late.
I'm sure it would be tempting for the Steelers to reverse their priorities, roll the dice, address a more pressing need by signing Ike to a record contract in the hopes that he'd be able to play at the same level well into his 30's, let Woodley explore free agency and take the chance that Worilds, or another young linebacker, would be able to fill Woodley's shoes. But it just would be too much of a risk and this team hasn't been this successful for so long by gambling on the future.
If the Steelers lose Taylor, they would probably be worse off next year, but if they draft soundly at the cornerback position and sign Woodley to a long-term contract, there's a good chance their defense will be better off three or four years down the road.
That's been the Steeler way since free agency began in the early 90's and it's been working for them. No need to change now.
Some have wondered if the $10,000,000 that Woodley will automatically make next year is worth it considering Ike Taylor, their top cornerback, is also up for free agency and is reportedly looking for a big payday. The Steelers' secondary is always a target for criticism, especially after the Super Bowl XLV loss, and if Taylor's services aren't retained, the possibility of quarterbacks more frequently shredding Pittsburgh's secondary like Aaron Rodgers did in the Super Bowl could become a harsh reality.
But I think it is worth it to make Woodley the top priority. Back in 1996, Steelers pro bowl linebacker Greg Lloyd was injured in the first game of the year in Jacksonville and was out for the season. In Lloyd's absence, Chad Brown had a monster year, recording 13 sacks. He was in the last year of his contract and there was no doubt that he was going to be a major player in free agency. I remember having discussions with friends and family who thought it would be best for the Steelers to cut ties with the veteran Lloyd and do everything in their power to keep the younger Brown in Pittsburgh.
I disagreed. I thought Lloyd, who was over 30 but still had years left on his contract, would come back in '97 and continue to play at a high level for many more years.
Chad Brown did sign elsewhere, with the Seattle Seahawks, and went on to have a pretty productive career in Seattle. Greg Lloyd was injured again in 1997 and even suffered a staph infection. He was never the same and out of Pittsburgh by 1998.
So Pittsburgh not only lost the services of Chad Brown, but Greg Lloyd as well.
But the Steelers never suffer for long in the linebacker department. They've always had a rich tradition at that position going all the way back to the days of Andy Russell. Lloyd and Brown might have been gone, but Levon Kirkland was still a presence at inside linebacker and Jason Gildon stepped into the line-up and became a star and eventually the team's all time leader in sacks. Joey Porter came on the scene in 1999 and was a force for many years. When Kirkland's days as a Steeler were over, the team went out and signed James Farrior to take his place. When the team cut ties with Peezy in 2007, James Harrison was promoted to starter and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.
So if the Steelers always seem to make the right move with linebackers, why spend all the money on Woodley? After all, they signed Harrison to a big deal just a few seasons ago, and they have Jason Worilds and Stevenson Sylvestor waiting in the wings to continue on the team's history of excellence at the position. Why not make Taylor the top priority?
Because there are no guarantees when it comes to youngsters.
The Steelers have some exciting young linebacker prospects, like they always do, but Woodley is only 26 years old and has 39 sacks in just 4 seasons, and let's face it, folks, this defense is getting old in a hurry. There are 9 guys over the age of 30, even James Harrison, who doesn't have many miles under his belt, is 32, and in football, low miles or not, that's getting up there. Woodley represents the future and the present. He's "the now" to borrow a phrase that I cannot stand. Woodley, along with Ziggy Hood and fellow linebacker Lawrence Timmons, represents the future of the Steelers defense.
In a perfect world, I would obviously like to see them keep both Woodley and Taylor.
Taylor has made a nice career for himself. He hasn't always been the most respected and valued Steeler among the faithful because of his quirky personality and bad habit of dropping interceptions, but he's a darn good cover corner and a valuable commodity in the team's recent championship success. Besides, there really isn't anyone on the roster to come in and take Taylor's place if he does sign elsewhere.
If Pittsburgh can keep Taylor at a reasonable price, then they should try to do so, but if some team is willing to over-pay for his services, then Colbert and Company would be wise to let him walk.
One of the reasons Pittsburgh's window of opportunity never seems to close is because they almost always make the right decisions.
After Super Bowl XL, they lost both Chris Hope and Antwaan Randle El to free agency to teams that signed them to huge contracts, but in the offseason that year, Pittsburgh signed free agent Ryan Clark and drafted Santonio Holmes. Each player proved to be an upgrade at his respective position and both were key contributors to Pittsburgh's Super Bowl XLIII championship run.
Ike Taylor will be 31 years old next season, not old, but maybe a little too old for a long-term deal. One of the team's philosophies is they'd rather cut ties with a player a year too soon than a year too late.
I'm sure it would be tempting for the Steelers to reverse their priorities, roll the dice, address a more pressing need by signing Ike to a record contract in the hopes that he'd be able to play at the same level well into his 30's, let Woodley explore free agency and take the chance that Worilds, or another young linebacker, would be able to fill Woodley's shoes. But it just would be too much of a risk and this team hasn't been this successful for so long by gambling on the future.
If the Steelers lose Taylor, they would probably be worse off next year, but if they draft soundly at the cornerback position and sign Woodley to a long-term contract, there's a good chance their defense will be better off three or four years down the road.
That's been the Steeler way since free agency began in the early 90's and it's been working for them. No need to change now.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Pittsburgh Pirates front office: Open mouth, insert foot, once again
The Pittsburgh Pirates' current front office has had a real way with words over the past few years. They really know how to say things that get the fans and media talking. The only thing is, the response is usually negative.
A couple of years ago, team owner Bob Nutting said that president Frank Coonelly, general manager Neal Huntington, and former manager John Russell were the best management team in baseball. Of course, Nutting was called a fool and an idiot for what he said.
Last year, president Frank Coonelly thought that his young team had the makings of the next Pirates' dynasty. He was ridiculed for it and even had to defend his remarks on a talk show or two.
And just recently, owner Nutting had a meeting with the players at the beginning of Spring Training and said that nothing short of winning the NL pennant should be the ultimate goal for this team. Once again, he was laughed at. "They only won 57 games last year, Bob Nut-job! How can you fill their heads with such crap?"
Personally, I didn't have a problem with any of that. I think it's pretty ambitious and a show of confidence in the abilities of the front office, the players, and the direction of the franchise. What's wrong with that?
But what Coonelly said just the other day may be enough to cause Pirates' fans to riot in the streets. He said that the only real way the team can hope to reach a $70-$80 million payroll is if the attendance increases. Obviously, this was met with both rage and fits of laughter from Pirates fans and local sports reporters.
How can you expect more fans to come out and see a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1992? How can you expect people to spend their hard-earned money to entertain themselves by watching a group of players that lost over 100 games just last season? That's just ridiculous, right?
But therein lies the problem for the Pirates. It's a catch-22.
In a way, Coonelly is right. The franchise can't rely on handsome local television and radio contracts like the Yankees and other big market clubs can. The Pirates probably make a 5th of what the Yankees make annually in local broadcasting revenue.
Sure there is revenue sharing, but it's not like in the NFL. They are crumbs the big market clubs throw the small market owners so they can earn a profit, but aren't really able to compete on a regular basis.
Attendance is key for any franchise, but it's especially vital for a team like the Pirates.
I think what Coonelly was trying to say is if the young and exciting group of Pirates prospects develop to their full potential, they will gel into a formidable contender, attendance will increase and generate more revenue, making it possible for the team to raise their payroll to the desired $70,000,000 range that fans have been coveting for years. Perhaps a "no comment" would have been in his best interest.
The fans have been wanting Nutting to sell the club ever since he became more of a public figure, but as I've said countless times, no owner can overcome the obstacles that a small market team faces on a yearly basis. At least not in the long-run.
Sure, some hot-shot like Mark Cuban may be able to come in and make a quick splash, but he'd soon realize that winning is nice, but losing money hand over fist while doing so isn't smart business. Cuban is a billionaire, and guys like that don't become that wealthy by making stupid business decisions. And believe me, buying a small market Major League Baseball club and throwing tons of money at it just to try and compete with the Yankees and Red Sox would be pretty dumb.
It wouldn't take long for the team to be put up for sale and back in the same boat it's been in for nearly two decades.
The Pirates have had three ownership groups since their last winning season: The Pittsburgh Associates, Kevin Mcclatchy's group, and now Nutting. What's been the common denominator the entire time? Major League Baseball's system.
Heck, even the White Sox general manager, Kenny Williams, recently spoke out about the ridiculous salaries in the sport and said a salary cap would probably be the best thing for the fans and for the small market teams. And that's coming from a guy leading a team from one of the biggest markets in the country.
So, instead of laughing at the ridiculous things Pirates' management says, why don't we start laughing at the ridiculous system that Major League Baseball plays under?
As for the Pirates' front office leaders? Maybe it's best that you guys stay quiet for a while.
A couple of years ago, team owner Bob Nutting said that president Frank Coonelly, general manager Neal Huntington, and former manager John Russell were the best management team in baseball. Of course, Nutting was called a fool and an idiot for what he said.
Last year, president Frank Coonelly thought that his young team had the makings of the next Pirates' dynasty. He was ridiculed for it and even had to defend his remarks on a talk show or two.
And just recently, owner Nutting had a meeting with the players at the beginning of Spring Training and said that nothing short of winning the NL pennant should be the ultimate goal for this team. Once again, he was laughed at. "They only won 57 games last year, Bob Nut-job! How can you fill their heads with such crap?"
Personally, I didn't have a problem with any of that. I think it's pretty ambitious and a show of confidence in the abilities of the front office, the players, and the direction of the franchise. What's wrong with that?
But what Coonelly said just the other day may be enough to cause Pirates' fans to riot in the streets. He said that the only real way the team can hope to reach a $70-$80 million payroll is if the attendance increases. Obviously, this was met with both rage and fits of laughter from Pirates fans and local sports reporters.
How can you expect more fans to come out and see a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1992? How can you expect people to spend their hard-earned money to entertain themselves by watching a group of players that lost over 100 games just last season? That's just ridiculous, right?
But therein lies the problem for the Pirates. It's a catch-22.
In a way, Coonelly is right. The franchise can't rely on handsome local television and radio contracts like the Yankees and other big market clubs can. The Pirates probably make a 5th of what the Yankees make annually in local broadcasting revenue.
Sure there is revenue sharing, but it's not like in the NFL. They are crumbs the big market clubs throw the small market owners so they can earn a profit, but aren't really able to compete on a regular basis.
Attendance is key for any franchise, but it's especially vital for a team like the Pirates.
I think what Coonelly was trying to say is if the young and exciting group of Pirates prospects develop to their full potential, they will gel into a formidable contender, attendance will increase and generate more revenue, making it possible for the team to raise their payroll to the desired $70,000,000 range that fans have been coveting for years. Perhaps a "no comment" would have been in his best interest.
The fans have been wanting Nutting to sell the club ever since he became more of a public figure, but as I've said countless times, no owner can overcome the obstacles that a small market team faces on a yearly basis. At least not in the long-run.
Sure, some hot-shot like Mark Cuban may be able to come in and make a quick splash, but he'd soon realize that winning is nice, but losing money hand over fist while doing so isn't smart business. Cuban is a billionaire, and guys like that don't become that wealthy by making stupid business decisions. And believe me, buying a small market Major League Baseball club and throwing tons of money at it just to try and compete with the Yankees and Red Sox would be pretty dumb.
It wouldn't take long for the team to be put up for sale and back in the same boat it's been in for nearly two decades.
The Pirates have had three ownership groups since their last winning season: The Pittsburgh Associates, Kevin Mcclatchy's group, and now Nutting. What's been the common denominator the entire time? Major League Baseball's system.
Heck, even the White Sox general manager, Kenny Williams, recently spoke out about the ridiculous salaries in the sport and said a salary cap would probably be the best thing for the fans and for the small market teams. And that's coming from a guy leading a team from one of the biggest markets in the country.
So, instead of laughing at the ridiculous things Pirates' management says, why don't we start laughing at the ridiculous system that Major League Baseball plays under?
As for the Pirates' front office leaders? Maybe it's best that you guys stay quiet for a while.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
We might as well face it: Ben Roethlisberger will always be a controversial figure outside of Pittsburgh
I was driving to work on Monday and listening to a radio show hosted by Stan Savran. Stan had a running thread throughout his show: "When is enough enough with regards to "piling on" Ben Roethlisberger for the sexual assault allegations and for his general off-the-field attitude and behavior prior to the 2010 season?"
Stan was mainly referring to the national perception of Roethlisberger and the negative attitude towards Big Ben even after he has appeared to turn the corner in his personal life.
My answer to that question would be: Probably never.
Nationally, there will more than likely always be a negative attitude towards Roethlisberger. He was accused of a crime that's almost unforgivable in our society. And simply for that reason alone, his character may be questioned from now until well after his playing days are over. It doesn't matter that he wasn't even charged with a crime. Some people (especially females) may always look at him with disgust and contempt.
That might seem a little harsh. I mean, Roethlisberger has turned his life around to the point that he's back in favor with the fans in Pittsburgh. Last year, after his second sexual assault accusation, many fans wanted him traded and women were mailing their Roethlisberger jerseys back to the Rooneys. But during the Super Bowl run, I saw women proudly wearing Roethlisberger jerseys and even young kids were walking around with little number 7 jerseys on.
Roethisberger has even earned the fans' respect for his toughness. He suffered a broken nose and a fractured foot and was the victim of many questionable hits throughout the 2010 season, but he did very little complaining and courageously led the team to the Super Bowl.
Ben has even gotten back in the good graces of the local media. From day one, I would hear local sports reporters sort of drop hints about Roethlisberger's general poor attitude in the lockerroom and about how difficult it was to deal with him on a daily basis. Heck, just a season ago, in 2009, he walked away from reporters who wanted to talk to him and on the way out the door, remarked: "I'm never going to win a Rooney award." He was, of course, referring to the The Chief Award given annually to the Steeler player who shows the most cooperation when dealing with the local media. Surprisingly, this past season, he won that award. If ever there was a testament to how far Ben has come in a short time, it's that. If any group would be able to detect a phony put on, it would be local beat writers who have to deal with a player every day.
So if Roethlisberger has turned his image around so fast locally, why won't he be able to repair the damage nationally?
I have two words to answer that question: Ray Lewis.
Eleven years ago, Ray Lewis was part of a trio charged with double homicide after a fight broke out at a Super Bowl party. The charges against Lewis were eventually dropped. A year later, he was the mvp of Super Bowl XXXV and since then, he's gone on to repair his image. He's involved in charity work, he's done Old Spice commercials, and they've even named a street after him in Baltimore. But outside of Baltimore, in cities like Pittsburgh and other places around the country, people still look at Lewis with much skepticism because there has always been that question about whether he really did commit murder. No matter how many positive things Ray Lewis does both as a player and a private citizen, to many, he will undoubtedly always be seen as a vile human being.
Therefore, we can't be defensive about any Roethlisberger-bashing because we've been doing it here to Lewis for years. Just try and have a conversation about Ray Lewis with a Steelers fan and see how long it takes before the murder trial is mentioned.
I'm not saying it's right for people to continue to pile on Roethlisberger and bring up the past whenever the quarterback's name is mentioned. I'm just saying it's a reality.
Nationally, there will always be questions about the sexual assault allegations. There will always be rumors of him stiffing bartenders and refusing to sign autographs. Heck, even his motorcycle accident will forever be a part of the negative national image for Big Ben.
So, Steeler fans, we might as well be prepared to deal with Roethlsiberger's national image for a long, long time.
Stan was mainly referring to the national perception of Roethlisberger and the negative attitude towards Big Ben even after he has appeared to turn the corner in his personal life.
My answer to that question would be: Probably never.
Nationally, there will more than likely always be a negative attitude towards Roethlisberger. He was accused of a crime that's almost unforgivable in our society. And simply for that reason alone, his character may be questioned from now until well after his playing days are over. It doesn't matter that he wasn't even charged with a crime. Some people (especially females) may always look at him with disgust and contempt.
That might seem a little harsh. I mean, Roethlisberger has turned his life around to the point that he's back in favor with the fans in Pittsburgh. Last year, after his second sexual assault accusation, many fans wanted him traded and women were mailing their Roethlisberger jerseys back to the Rooneys. But during the Super Bowl run, I saw women proudly wearing Roethlisberger jerseys and even young kids were walking around with little number 7 jerseys on.
Roethisberger has even earned the fans' respect for his toughness. He suffered a broken nose and a fractured foot and was the victim of many questionable hits throughout the 2010 season, but he did very little complaining and courageously led the team to the Super Bowl.
Ben has even gotten back in the good graces of the local media. From day one, I would hear local sports reporters sort of drop hints about Roethlisberger's general poor attitude in the lockerroom and about how difficult it was to deal with him on a daily basis. Heck, just a season ago, in 2009, he walked away from reporters who wanted to talk to him and on the way out the door, remarked: "I'm never going to win a Rooney award." He was, of course, referring to the The Chief Award given annually to the Steeler player who shows the most cooperation when dealing with the local media. Surprisingly, this past season, he won that award. If ever there was a testament to how far Ben has come in a short time, it's that. If any group would be able to detect a phony put on, it would be local beat writers who have to deal with a player every day.
So if Roethlisberger has turned his image around so fast locally, why won't he be able to repair the damage nationally?
I have two words to answer that question: Ray Lewis.
Eleven years ago, Ray Lewis was part of a trio charged with double homicide after a fight broke out at a Super Bowl party. The charges against Lewis were eventually dropped. A year later, he was the mvp of Super Bowl XXXV and since then, he's gone on to repair his image. He's involved in charity work, he's done Old Spice commercials, and they've even named a street after him in Baltimore. But outside of Baltimore, in cities like Pittsburgh and other places around the country, people still look at Lewis with much skepticism because there has always been that question about whether he really did commit murder. No matter how many positive things Ray Lewis does both as a player and a private citizen, to many, he will undoubtedly always be seen as a vile human being.
Therefore, we can't be defensive about any Roethlisberger-bashing because we've been doing it here to Lewis for years. Just try and have a conversation about Ray Lewis with a Steelers fan and see how long it takes before the murder trial is mentioned.
I'm not saying it's right for people to continue to pile on Roethlisberger and bring up the past whenever the quarterback's name is mentioned. I'm just saying it's a reality.
Nationally, there will always be questions about the sexual assault allegations. There will always be rumors of him stiffing bartenders and refusing to sign autographs. Heck, even his motorcycle accident will forever be a part of the negative national image for Big Ben.
So, Steeler fans, we might as well be prepared to deal with Roethlsiberger's national image for a long, long time.
Monday, February 21, 2011
How will you react to an NFL work stoppage?
The Pittsburgh Steelers just finished a great 2010 season. It didn't end like Steeler fans would have hoped, but it was pretty tremendous nonetheless.
The NFL has never been more popular. The Steelers and Packers just competed in the highest rated Super Bowl in league history and even though there have been many public relations fiascoes in recent years such as Spygate and the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault allegations, there is no doubt that football is America's sport and its popularity grows every year.
However, there is a growing concern among NFL fans because the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and players is set to expire on March 3rd and it looks like we might be without NFL football for some time. How much time? That's anyone's guess. It could be a mere week or two or it could stretch way into the 2011 season depending on how far apart the two-sides are with regards to dividing up their revenue pie.
My question is: If there is a work stoppage, how will you react? Will you get fed-up and turn away from the game?
I suspect that most diehard football fans won't give up on their beloved sport, but everytime there is a work stoppage in a professional sports league, there are some people that walk away and never come back.
There are people that gave up on baseball after the 1994 players' strike that ultimately canceled the World Series that year and stretched all the way into the 1995 season. That was 17 years ago and people still haven't forgiven baseball for that.
I've even heard some hockey fans continue to complain about the 2004 lockout and that was probably the best thing to ever happen to that league in terms of competitive balance.
I guess some people are just very unforgiving when it comes to high-paid professional athletes and billionaire owners fighting over how to divide up their huge chunk of change.
It's millionaires and billionaires fighting over money and it just turns some people off, but if you're a true fan of a sport, how can you let a work stoppage ruin it for you for the rest of your life?
If you're really a true fan, no amount of time should be enough to ruin it for you. Even if an entire season is lost.
I know labor disputes in professional sports seem unreasonable when the average sports fan can't even imagine making that kind of money, but anytime you have a union and a CBA, you have to expect work stoppages from time-to-time, even if the members of the union make 7 figures a year and their bosses make 10 figures.
Since I've been following the NFL, I've witnessed two work stoppages, in 1982 and 1987, and the regular season was compromised in both cases. Yet, the only thing I remember feeling when I heard that play would resume was joy.
I didn't care that the 1982 season was reduced to 9 games, I was just happy to have the NFL back. I didn't mind that the NFL used replacement players for three games during the 1987 strike, I cheered for those replacement Steelers and I cheered for the regular Steelers after they came back. It didn't bother me one bit.
Some people will say, "These are people playing a game and they're getting paid millions of dollars for it. There should be no work stoppages. I could go out there and play that game just like those guys."
No you couldn't.
I find it funny that people are so quick to begrudge professional athletes their money for playing a game, but nobody bats an eye when actors and actresses charge $20,000,000 a film for their services.
I go to the movies all the time. I'm pretty funny and entertaining; I could do what Bradley Cooper does; I could kiss Jennifer Aniston.
No I couldn't.
Why? Because the actors you see on the silver screen are highly trained and they're the best in the world at what they do. Same goes for professional athletes playing a game at the highest level. They're highly trained and even the benchwarmers are among the best in the world at their position.
If someone is willing to pay them the kind of money they want, more power to them.
Now, if you're concerned about the league structure being hurt by a work stoppage, I'm right there with you.
During the '94 baseball strike, the one thing a lot of fans of small market teams like the Pirates were hoping and praying for was a salary cap. We knew that there was a disparity in revenues between the large market and small market franchises and the only thing that could keep the league competitive was a cap. Well, the strike lasted a long time, the World Series was canceled, but the owners caved into the players and there was no salary cap.
Baseball has gotten worse since then, at least in terms of competitive balance. If you walked away from baseball because they didn't fix what was broken, I agree with that. Baseball has never been the same to me since, but not because there was a work stoppage, but because the end result was the Pirates having no chance to compete.
If this labor dispute isn't just about dividing up revenues, if it's about changing things that would hurt competitive balance, if the end result is fixing what wasn't broken in the first place, I might be a little concerned. But by all accounts, it's simply about revenue and the owners wanting a bigger chunk of it.
If that's the case, then it's none of my business. Let them fight about who gets what. Just work it out and eventually give me football again. Even if I have to wait a year for it, it won't matter.
I've been a fan of the NFL for 31 years and I'm not about to let a little work stoppage ruin it for me. I'm a lifer.
The NFL has never been more popular. The Steelers and Packers just competed in the highest rated Super Bowl in league history and even though there have been many public relations fiascoes in recent years such as Spygate and the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault allegations, there is no doubt that football is America's sport and its popularity grows every year.
However, there is a growing concern among NFL fans because the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and players is set to expire on March 3rd and it looks like we might be without NFL football for some time. How much time? That's anyone's guess. It could be a mere week or two or it could stretch way into the 2011 season depending on how far apart the two-sides are with regards to dividing up their revenue pie.
My question is: If there is a work stoppage, how will you react? Will you get fed-up and turn away from the game?
I suspect that most diehard football fans won't give up on their beloved sport, but everytime there is a work stoppage in a professional sports league, there are some people that walk away and never come back.
There are people that gave up on baseball after the 1994 players' strike that ultimately canceled the World Series that year and stretched all the way into the 1995 season. That was 17 years ago and people still haven't forgiven baseball for that.
I've even heard some hockey fans continue to complain about the 2004 lockout and that was probably the best thing to ever happen to that league in terms of competitive balance.
I guess some people are just very unforgiving when it comes to high-paid professional athletes and billionaire owners fighting over how to divide up their huge chunk of change.
It's millionaires and billionaires fighting over money and it just turns some people off, but if you're a true fan of a sport, how can you let a work stoppage ruin it for you for the rest of your life?
If you're really a true fan, no amount of time should be enough to ruin it for you. Even if an entire season is lost.
I know labor disputes in professional sports seem unreasonable when the average sports fan can't even imagine making that kind of money, but anytime you have a union and a CBA, you have to expect work stoppages from time-to-time, even if the members of the union make 7 figures a year and their bosses make 10 figures.
Since I've been following the NFL, I've witnessed two work stoppages, in 1982 and 1987, and the regular season was compromised in both cases. Yet, the only thing I remember feeling when I heard that play would resume was joy.
I didn't care that the 1982 season was reduced to 9 games, I was just happy to have the NFL back. I didn't mind that the NFL used replacement players for three games during the 1987 strike, I cheered for those replacement Steelers and I cheered for the regular Steelers after they came back. It didn't bother me one bit.
Some people will say, "These are people playing a game and they're getting paid millions of dollars for it. There should be no work stoppages. I could go out there and play that game just like those guys."
No you couldn't.
I find it funny that people are so quick to begrudge professional athletes their money for playing a game, but nobody bats an eye when actors and actresses charge $20,000,000 a film for their services.
I go to the movies all the time. I'm pretty funny and entertaining; I could do what Bradley Cooper does; I could kiss Jennifer Aniston.
No I couldn't.
Why? Because the actors you see on the silver screen are highly trained and they're the best in the world at what they do. Same goes for professional athletes playing a game at the highest level. They're highly trained and even the benchwarmers are among the best in the world at their position.
If someone is willing to pay them the kind of money they want, more power to them.
Now, if you're concerned about the league structure being hurt by a work stoppage, I'm right there with you.
During the '94 baseball strike, the one thing a lot of fans of small market teams like the Pirates were hoping and praying for was a salary cap. We knew that there was a disparity in revenues between the large market and small market franchises and the only thing that could keep the league competitive was a cap. Well, the strike lasted a long time, the World Series was canceled, but the owners caved into the players and there was no salary cap.
Baseball has gotten worse since then, at least in terms of competitive balance. If you walked away from baseball because they didn't fix what was broken, I agree with that. Baseball has never been the same to me since, but not because there was a work stoppage, but because the end result was the Pirates having no chance to compete.
If this labor dispute isn't just about dividing up revenues, if it's about changing things that would hurt competitive balance, if the end result is fixing what wasn't broken in the first place, I might be a little concerned. But by all accounts, it's simply about revenue and the owners wanting a bigger chunk of it.
If that's the case, then it's none of my business. Let them fight about who gets what. Just work it out and eventually give me football again. Even if I have to wait a year for it, it won't matter.
I've been a fan of the NFL for 31 years and I'm not about to let a little work stoppage ruin it for me. I'm a lifer.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Another example of Major League Baseball being a joke
When is $200 million over eight seasons not enough? When you're Cardinals' slugger Albert Pujols and you know that there will be some owner out there willing to pay you what you really want: $360 million over ten seasons.
Talks broke off this week between Pujols and representatives of the St. Louis Cardinals and will reportedly not continue at all this season. Pujols does not want to negotiate during the season because he doesn't want any distractions.
No distractions? Yeah, right, Albert. Good luck with that. I'm sure you will only be asked about your contract status every other question between now and the time you decide to finally sign your new deal with whatever team lands your services.
The reason for the impasse is because the Cardinals have stated that their 8 year/$200,000,000 offer is the best they can do, and Pujols, who will be a free agent after the 2011 season, thinks they can do better. $16,000,000 more a year better, and oh yeah, add another two years to that contract offer, please.
It would obviously be the biggest contract in baseball history, and when you consider that Alex Rodgriguez signed a 10 year/ $250,000,000 deal with the Texas Rangers ten seasons ago, Pujols might have a reason to be insulted (all things being relative, of course.)
But to ask a team to pay a 31 year old player that kind of money over that period of time is just insane. I know Pujols is the best player in baseball right now, but there's a pretty good chance he won't have that label in 2021. He'll be 41 years old, and if he's not already out of baseball by then, the sun will surely be setting on his career.
All contracts in baseball are guaranteed so you would think nobody would give him that kind of extended deal at his age.
Think again.
You just know it's going to happen. Some mega market team will be crazy enough to do it. But is it really crazy for a team in the market the size of New York or Los Angeles, with the disparity in revenues in MLB, to sign a player to that kind of deal? They'd almost be crazy not to.
Even if Pujols fizzles out in year 6 or 7 of a contract like that, he's not going to damage a team like the Yankees. They'll just unload him on some poor sap willing to take on a big name for publicity's sake, even if the big name belongs to a washed up has-been.
Unfortunately, it won't be the Cardinals who get to act so foolishly. Not that I have any sympathy for them. They're a mid-market team that has been competing with the big boys for quite some time who, sadly, is about to find out that in baseball, you can't compete with the big boys forever.
Teams like the Cardinals are like your upper-middle class neighbors down the street. Yes, right now, they're more well-off than you. They have the nice house with the in-ground swimming pool and the two cars. They don't necessarily act all high and mighty, but you just know they think they're better than their neighbors who have to live pay-check to pay-check. But those well-to-do types right down the street are only one layoff away from being in the same poor house as their neighbors.
The Cardinals are about to enter the poor house. That's pretty sad because St. Louis is a great baseball town. But Pittsburgh was a great baseball town at one point. So was Cincinnati and Cleveland.
Heck, back in the 90's, when the disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots" was just becoming apparent, the Indians were one of baseball's glamor teams. They had a luxurious new ballpark, competed at the highest level and were World Series contenders every season. But now, they're in the same boat as the Pittsburgh Pirates and most of the other small market teams, trading off high-end pitchers like CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee because they simply could not afford to pay them.
The small market teams have known for years that they can't compete (18 seasons and counting for my Pirates.) The mid-market clubs like the Cardinals will soon realize the same fate.
I don't know how the NFL CBA re-negotiations will turn out, but I just hope the owners remember that in the AFC and NFC Championship games played last month, two of the smallest markets defeated two of the biggest markets and went on to represent the league in the highest rated Super Bowl in history. And nobody really thought it was out of the ordinary, either. Now that's an example of a league that isn't a joke. Let's hope it stays that way.
As for MLB, make sure you turn out the lights before you leave St. Louis, Albert.
Talks broke off this week between Pujols and representatives of the St. Louis Cardinals and will reportedly not continue at all this season. Pujols does not want to negotiate during the season because he doesn't want any distractions.
No distractions? Yeah, right, Albert. Good luck with that. I'm sure you will only be asked about your contract status every other question between now and the time you decide to finally sign your new deal with whatever team lands your services.
The reason for the impasse is because the Cardinals have stated that their 8 year/$200,000,000 offer is the best they can do, and Pujols, who will be a free agent after the 2011 season, thinks they can do better. $16,000,000 more a year better, and oh yeah, add another two years to that contract offer, please.
It would obviously be the biggest contract in baseball history, and when you consider that Alex Rodgriguez signed a 10 year/ $250,000,000 deal with the Texas Rangers ten seasons ago, Pujols might have a reason to be insulted (all things being relative, of course.)
But to ask a team to pay a 31 year old player that kind of money over that period of time is just insane. I know Pujols is the best player in baseball right now, but there's a pretty good chance he won't have that label in 2021. He'll be 41 years old, and if he's not already out of baseball by then, the sun will surely be setting on his career.
All contracts in baseball are guaranteed so you would think nobody would give him that kind of extended deal at his age.
Think again.
You just know it's going to happen. Some mega market team will be crazy enough to do it. But is it really crazy for a team in the market the size of New York or Los Angeles, with the disparity in revenues in MLB, to sign a player to that kind of deal? They'd almost be crazy not to.
Even if Pujols fizzles out in year 6 or 7 of a contract like that, he's not going to damage a team like the Yankees. They'll just unload him on some poor sap willing to take on a big name for publicity's sake, even if the big name belongs to a washed up has-been.
Unfortunately, it won't be the Cardinals who get to act so foolishly. Not that I have any sympathy for them. They're a mid-market team that has been competing with the big boys for quite some time who, sadly, is about to find out that in baseball, you can't compete with the big boys forever.
Teams like the Cardinals are like your upper-middle class neighbors down the street. Yes, right now, they're more well-off than you. They have the nice house with the in-ground swimming pool and the two cars. They don't necessarily act all high and mighty, but you just know they think they're better than their neighbors who have to live pay-check to pay-check. But those well-to-do types right down the street are only one layoff away from being in the same poor house as their neighbors.
The Cardinals are about to enter the poor house. That's pretty sad because St. Louis is a great baseball town. But Pittsburgh was a great baseball town at one point. So was Cincinnati and Cleveland.
Heck, back in the 90's, when the disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots" was just becoming apparent, the Indians were one of baseball's glamor teams. They had a luxurious new ballpark, competed at the highest level and were World Series contenders every season. But now, they're in the same boat as the Pittsburgh Pirates and most of the other small market teams, trading off high-end pitchers like CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee because they simply could not afford to pay them.
The small market teams have known for years that they can't compete (18 seasons and counting for my Pirates.) The mid-market clubs like the Cardinals will soon realize the same fate.
I don't know how the NFL CBA re-negotiations will turn out, but I just hope the owners remember that in the AFC and NFC Championship games played last month, two of the smallest markets defeated two of the biggest markets and went on to represent the league in the highest rated Super Bowl in history. And nobody really thought it was out of the ordinary, either. Now that's an example of a league that isn't a joke. Let's hope it stays that way.
As for MLB, make sure you turn out the lights before you leave St. Louis, Albert.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Hockey players are an enigma
I just don't get the hockey mentality. I kind of get the sport now, at least some of the strategy like cycling, backchecking and forechecking, but I don't understand a lot of the other stuff that goes along with hockey.
By all accounts, hockey players are some of the most down-to-earth athletes in sports. You very rarely hear of them getting into trouble off the ice. However, on the ice, it's quite a different story.
It's the only sport where sucker-punching is almost common. I was watching some youtube videos of the crazy game-long fight between the Penguins and Islanders last week and there were cheap shots and attempted sucker punches throughout the game. If this happens in other sports like football, they almost have congressional hearings over it, but in hockey it's just "part of the game."
I know hockey is a physical sport and there is wear-and-tear from long season after long season, but, in my opinion, hockey can be played physically without the players suffering the same long-term health effects of football players.
I remember a number of years ago, on that show called Sports Science, they compared the hardest hits in sports. As you can imagine, boxing, football and MMA came in pretty high, but a check in hockey, surprisingly, didn't register with nearly the same amount of force. You want to know why? A hockey check, done legally, really shouldn't leave a player severely injured.
For one thing, hockey players are on skates, and even though some of them can fly around the ice at high speeds, they still don't have the leverage and power that a person on solid ground would have. And lets not forget about size. Yes, there are some big hockey players, but not nearly as big as your average NFL lineman or linebacker.
The sport of football has come under the microscope recently because of head-shots and the long-term effects. But it's almost unavoidable in that sport. Football really is a collision sport and even a clean, legal tackle might do enough damage to injure a person.
I'm not going to pretend that there aren't dirty football players who cross the line because there have been countless stories over the years. But in football, dirty play is considered on the peripheral of the sport. Yes, it goes on, but we don't always see it or even become aware of it until years later when an ex-player tells tales at some reunion some where.
But in hockey, dirty play is built into the game. I mean, two players fighting while the referee just stands there and watches is pretty odd in the sports world.
The other night, the Penguins and Islanders had an embarrassing game-long battle in-which fights broke out the entire night. The one that really stands out to me is the cheap shot delivered by Islanders' "enforcer" Trevor Gillies on the Pens' Eric Trangradi.
I don't know if Trangradi said something about this guy's mom, but he viciously attacked Trangradi and was thrown out. But the most disturbing thing is how Gillies stood in the doorway just off the ice and taunted Trangradi as he was being attended to by trainers.
I don't think I've ever seen anything like that in sports. For all Gillies knew, Trangradi could have been severely injured, but there was this clown doing his best Ivan Drago impression: "If he dies, he dies."
But what do you expect from a sport that employs "enforcers?" An enforcer in hockey is a guy, usually with very little hockey talent, who is there to protect his team's star players and sometimes he is sent out on the ice to rough up another team's star player. This usually results in a fight, often times between each team's enforcer, and the "message" is sent.
What that message is is very unclear to me.
Sometimes, hockey players will start fights if their team is lacking energy and needs a boost. I know I don't get hockey, but I just don't see how a fight is supposed to jumpstart a team. Ever see the movie "Major League" when the one fan turns to the other and says, "do you think we should start one of those waves?" And when the fight is over, even if the guy who was trying to jumpstart his buddies gets his clock cleaned, he gets congratulated by his teammates for the "energy" he gave the boys.
Like I said, I just don't get it, but many people don't, and that's why the games are televised on Versus and not ESPN.
Since I'm not a true hockey fan, some might say I'm just someone who is mouthing off about traditions that I'm not educated enough to comment on. But there is a reason hockey is on Versus and not ESPN. It's because there are many people like me out there who love sports and would probably gravitate towards the NHL if the neanderthal, old-school Canadian thinking changed, but since it hasn't really changed at all in the last 100 years or so, and since the old-guard is so defensive and protective of their sport and is unwilling to change, people like me would rather watch dvds of Super Bowls from the 1970's than the current Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Not hatin', just sayin'.
Keep on fightin', boys!
By all accounts, hockey players are some of the most down-to-earth athletes in sports. You very rarely hear of them getting into trouble off the ice. However, on the ice, it's quite a different story.
It's the only sport where sucker-punching is almost common. I was watching some youtube videos of the crazy game-long fight between the Penguins and Islanders last week and there were cheap shots and attempted sucker punches throughout the game. If this happens in other sports like football, they almost have congressional hearings over it, but in hockey it's just "part of the game."
I know hockey is a physical sport and there is wear-and-tear from long season after long season, but, in my opinion, hockey can be played physically without the players suffering the same long-term health effects of football players.
I remember a number of years ago, on that show called Sports Science, they compared the hardest hits in sports. As you can imagine, boxing, football and MMA came in pretty high, but a check in hockey, surprisingly, didn't register with nearly the same amount of force. You want to know why? A hockey check, done legally, really shouldn't leave a player severely injured.
For one thing, hockey players are on skates, and even though some of them can fly around the ice at high speeds, they still don't have the leverage and power that a person on solid ground would have. And lets not forget about size. Yes, there are some big hockey players, but not nearly as big as your average NFL lineman or linebacker.
The sport of football has come under the microscope recently because of head-shots and the long-term effects. But it's almost unavoidable in that sport. Football really is a collision sport and even a clean, legal tackle might do enough damage to injure a person.
I'm not going to pretend that there aren't dirty football players who cross the line because there have been countless stories over the years. But in football, dirty play is considered on the peripheral of the sport. Yes, it goes on, but we don't always see it or even become aware of it until years later when an ex-player tells tales at some reunion some where.
But in hockey, dirty play is built into the game. I mean, two players fighting while the referee just stands there and watches is pretty odd in the sports world.
The other night, the Penguins and Islanders had an embarrassing game-long battle in-which fights broke out the entire night. The one that really stands out to me is the cheap shot delivered by Islanders' "enforcer" Trevor Gillies on the Pens' Eric Trangradi.
I don't know if Trangradi said something about this guy's mom, but he viciously attacked Trangradi and was thrown out. But the most disturbing thing is how Gillies stood in the doorway just off the ice and taunted Trangradi as he was being attended to by trainers.
I don't think I've ever seen anything like that in sports. For all Gillies knew, Trangradi could have been severely injured, but there was this clown doing his best Ivan Drago impression: "If he dies, he dies."
But what do you expect from a sport that employs "enforcers?" An enforcer in hockey is a guy, usually with very little hockey talent, who is there to protect his team's star players and sometimes he is sent out on the ice to rough up another team's star player. This usually results in a fight, often times between each team's enforcer, and the "message" is sent.
What that message is is very unclear to me.
Sometimes, hockey players will start fights if their team is lacking energy and needs a boost. I know I don't get hockey, but I just don't see how a fight is supposed to jumpstart a team. Ever see the movie "Major League" when the one fan turns to the other and says, "do you think we should start one of those waves?" And when the fight is over, even if the guy who was trying to jumpstart his buddies gets his clock cleaned, he gets congratulated by his teammates for the "energy" he gave the boys.
Like I said, I just don't get it, but many people don't, and that's why the games are televised on Versus and not ESPN.
Since I'm not a true hockey fan, some might say I'm just someone who is mouthing off about traditions that I'm not educated enough to comment on. But there is a reason hockey is on Versus and not ESPN. It's because there are many people like me out there who love sports and would probably gravitate towards the NHL if the neanderthal, old-school Canadian thinking changed, but since it hasn't really changed at all in the last 100 years or so, and since the old-guard is so defensive and protective of their sport and is unwilling to change, people like me would rather watch dvds of Super Bowls from the 1970's than the current Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Not hatin', just sayin'.
Keep on fightin', boys!
Monday, February 14, 2011
A week removed from the football season
I don't know about you, but since the Super Bowl ended last week, I've been trying to get back into the sporting spirit, but I'm having a hard time.
This Steeler season was pretty intense with a lot of close games and came all the way down to the last drive of the very last game of the season. I am proud of the Steelers and think they had a great year despite the loss, but it's still a tough act to follow.
The PITT Panthers have won a couple of tough road games and are ranked 4th in the nation and look to be a legit Final Four contender. The Penguins are in the middle of trying times with their top two superstars out with injury (one for the rest of the year, and the other for an indefinite amount of time.) Couple that with one of the most vicious and ugly hockey fights the other night in Long Island that left team owner Mario Lemieux so thoroughly disgusted with the state of hockey, he vaguely threatened to sell the team.
Certainly enough action and news to keep a diehard sports fan such as myself entertained and interested. But it just hasn't been the case.
I'm sure the Super Bowl loss has a lot to do with it. A victory would have surely buoyed my spirits and allowed me to transition quite nicely into the other sports, but now I'll have to slowly phase my way back into it.
It's been a little easier for other people. As soon as the game ended last week, a lot of folks were already looking forward to March Madness, the Stanley Cup playoffs, Pirates baseball, and even the NFL draft.
I've already seen my share of mock drafts on the net, but I'm not really that into the draft these days. Oh, there was a time when I was a real draft junkie. My Mom often reminds me of how I used to get into it so much that she even let me stay home from school one year when it was still held on Tuesdays. It was the year the Steelers drafted Rod Woodson so that was an epic draft, for sure.
Back then, when the Steelers were a pretty mediocre team, the draft was something that really got my juices flowing. In the mid-to-late 80's, it was quite common for Pittsburgh to draft in the top half of each round and players picked in that position came with high hopes for the future.
However, the team has been so successful over the last 18 years-13 playoff appearances, 11 division titles, 4 Super Bowl appearances, and 2 World Championships-the draft just doesn't hold the same appeal for me these days.
And as far as college basketball and hockey, my cable package doesn't include ESPN and FSN so it's really hard for me to get a feel for the Panthers and Pens.
And, of course, there are the Pirates who will be starting their season shortly. I'm always optimistic that they'll finally show us some promise, but it's been so long since they've given us any reason to believe, it's really going to take some effort to get enthusiastic for the boys of Summer in 2011.
So there you have it. A week after Super Bowl XLV and I'm having a hard time getting into sports. I wonder if that's natural. Maybe it's like eating too much cake. Yes, cake is delicious, but if you overindulge, you get sick of it and have to wait a while for cake to taste good again. Bad analogy? Maybe.
I am making progress. The other night when I was out to dinner with my girlfriend, she was trying to have a conversation with me but I was distracted by the exciting finish between the Panthers and Villanova Wildcats. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I'm back to my old self.
Anyone else having a hard time getting up for sports again after Super Bowl XLV?
This Steeler season was pretty intense with a lot of close games and came all the way down to the last drive of the very last game of the season. I am proud of the Steelers and think they had a great year despite the loss, but it's still a tough act to follow.
The PITT Panthers have won a couple of tough road games and are ranked 4th in the nation and look to be a legit Final Four contender. The Penguins are in the middle of trying times with their top two superstars out with injury (one for the rest of the year, and the other for an indefinite amount of time.) Couple that with one of the most vicious and ugly hockey fights the other night in Long Island that left team owner Mario Lemieux so thoroughly disgusted with the state of hockey, he vaguely threatened to sell the team.
Certainly enough action and news to keep a diehard sports fan such as myself entertained and interested. But it just hasn't been the case.
I'm sure the Super Bowl loss has a lot to do with it. A victory would have surely buoyed my spirits and allowed me to transition quite nicely into the other sports, but now I'll have to slowly phase my way back into it.
It's been a little easier for other people. As soon as the game ended last week, a lot of folks were already looking forward to March Madness, the Stanley Cup playoffs, Pirates baseball, and even the NFL draft.
I've already seen my share of mock drafts on the net, but I'm not really that into the draft these days. Oh, there was a time when I was a real draft junkie. My Mom often reminds me of how I used to get into it so much that she even let me stay home from school one year when it was still held on Tuesdays. It was the year the Steelers drafted Rod Woodson so that was an epic draft, for sure.
Back then, when the Steelers were a pretty mediocre team, the draft was something that really got my juices flowing. In the mid-to-late 80's, it was quite common for Pittsburgh to draft in the top half of each round and players picked in that position came with high hopes for the future.
However, the team has been so successful over the last 18 years-13 playoff appearances, 11 division titles, 4 Super Bowl appearances, and 2 World Championships-the draft just doesn't hold the same appeal for me these days.
And as far as college basketball and hockey, my cable package doesn't include ESPN and FSN so it's really hard for me to get a feel for the Panthers and Pens.
And, of course, there are the Pirates who will be starting their season shortly. I'm always optimistic that they'll finally show us some promise, but it's been so long since they've given us any reason to believe, it's really going to take some effort to get enthusiastic for the boys of Summer in 2011.
So there you have it. A week after Super Bowl XLV and I'm having a hard time getting into sports. I wonder if that's natural. Maybe it's like eating too much cake. Yes, cake is delicious, but if you overindulge, you get sick of it and have to wait a while for cake to taste good again. Bad analogy? Maybe.
I am making progress. The other night when I was out to dinner with my girlfriend, she was trying to have a conversation with me but I was distracted by the exciting finish between the Panthers and Villanova Wildcats. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I'm back to my old self.
Anyone else having a hard time getting up for sports again after Super Bowl XLV?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
30 other NFL fan bases would take this
I planned on writing blogs all week about how awesome it was to have a new dynasty in the City of Pittsburgh, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
However, I'll take this February over last February, no doubt. Sunday night was the one year anniversary of the 22 inches of snow that was dumped on the Pittsburgh region in 2010. Now THAT was a downer. For days, and even weeks, I had to park my car at a local shopping center because I couldn't park in my own parking lot outside of my apartment and I wouldn't dare park in any of the spots on the streets near my building for fear of having my tires slashed (spots were at a premium last February.)
And we continued getting snow after that horrible 22 inch monster. Nowhere near 22 inches, just enough to be annoying and depress us all even further.
Last February really blew and if someone would have offered me the opportunity to trade the depression and irritation of the snow and slop of February, 2010 for the depression of the Steelers losing in the Super Bowl, I would have taken it.
Not every fan would agree with me, and most that I talked to are still pretty down about Sunday night, but our football team is good. And they'll be back in the Super Bowl many times in the future and they'll probably lose it another time or two or three. It happens. The Yankees have lost their share of World Series, the Lakers and Celtics have lost more than their share of NBA Finals.
I know Steelers fans had built up this air of invincibility because before Super Bowl XLV, the Steelers had only lost one Super Bowl, but you had to figure it would happen again someday. That someday just happened to be Sunday night in Dallas.
Just making it to the Super Bowl isn't enough for Steelers fans, just like making it to the final round isn't enough for Yankees or Lakers fans, but it's still a tremendous accomplishment no matter the outcome.
You don't think making it to the Super Bowl is hard? There's a reason 8 appearances is the record and it's shared by only two teams: The Steelers and Cowboys. If just making it to the Super Bowl was that easy, I'm pretty sure a few teams would have found a way to make it there way more than 8 times.
I know fans of other teams might give us a hard time in the coming weeks and months, but believe me, there's only one fan base that wouldn't trade places with Steeler fans right now, and that's the one who gets to party with Lombardi for the next year. The other 30 NFL fan bases out there would gladly trade places with us in a heartbeat.
The Cleveland Browns have never made it to the Super Bowl and the original Browns left Cleveland for Baltimore and the City of Cleveland had to watch their old franchise, under a different name, get to the Super Bowl and win it.
The Detroit Lions have never been to the Super Bowl and they've only been to the NFC Championship game one time, ever!
There are Jets fans who were in their 20's and 30's when New York won Super Bowl III and, today, are probably wondering if they're going to live long enough to see their beloved Jets even make it back to the Super Bowl again.
When the Arizona Cardinals advanced to Super Bowl XLIII, I saw footage of fans crying in the stands. And I'm not saying that to make fun of them, I'm saying that to demonstrate what just making it to the Super Bowl means.
The city of Denver was completely turned upside down when the Broncos advanced to the Super Bowl in 1977.
You don't think Dolphins fans would trade places with us right now? They have a pretty good football tradition down there, but they haven't been back to the Super Bowl since 1984.
It might seem like just another round in the playoffs because we're so used to it now, but just imagine how you'd feel if the Pittsburgh Pirates made it to the World Series. You know how those Jets fans feel? That's how I feel about the Pirates. I'm only 38, but I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever see them in a World Series before I die. If they ever do make it back to another World Series, they could get swept and lose every game, 10-0, and I'd still be happy.
Yeah, the Steelers lost the Super Bowl and maybe that dream of a 2nd dynasty might not come to pass, but that doesn't mean these last six years can't be celebrated. Three Super Bowls in six seasons is nothing to sneeze at even if one of them was a loss.
One thing I, and many of my fellow Steelers fans, have been saying to console ourselves is that the Steelers weren't expected to make it as far as they did. Well, that is so true.
The Steelers might not have won the Super Bowl, but in my opinion, it's the most impressive Super Bowl berth of the 8 they've appeared in.
Having said that, I think it's pretty fitting that this unexpected Super Bowl run ended in Dallas. No, not because the last time Dallas had anything to do with a Super Bowl, the Cowboys defeated the Steelers in their previous Super Bowl loss, but because back in 1975, the Cowboys made an unexpected Super Bowl run of their own.
The Cowboys of the late 60's and early 70's were a championship contender every season and appeared in two Super Bowls and won one of them. But in 1974, they missed the playoffs, and 1975 was supposed to be a transitional season and not much was expected of them. But they made a surprising run to Super Bowl X before falling to Pittsburgh. They weren't just a team that had a run of success and then went to the back of the line to reload their system. They were a championship organization that even while reloading, still had the heart, character and leadership to make it all the way to the grandest stage. Just two seasons later, they were back in the Super Bowl and won it, and the following year, they got back there to defend their crown.
There were many questions about the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers and they weren't even picked to make the playoffs by most experts. 2010 was supposed to be a year of evaluation for Mike Tomlin. Could he keep a veteran team focused and hungry after missing the playoffs in 2009? Did he have the ability to evaluate and coach up the younger talent?
Well, we found out a lot about Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers this year. They're a championship organization and there they were with a chance to win another title in a season in which they were supposed to be reloading.
I'd say another Super Bowl or two is in the immediate future.
However, I'll take this February over last February, no doubt. Sunday night was the one year anniversary of the 22 inches of snow that was dumped on the Pittsburgh region in 2010. Now THAT was a downer. For days, and even weeks, I had to park my car at a local shopping center because I couldn't park in my own parking lot outside of my apartment and I wouldn't dare park in any of the spots on the streets near my building for fear of having my tires slashed (spots were at a premium last February.)
And we continued getting snow after that horrible 22 inch monster. Nowhere near 22 inches, just enough to be annoying and depress us all even further.
Last February really blew and if someone would have offered me the opportunity to trade the depression and irritation of the snow and slop of February, 2010 for the depression of the Steelers losing in the Super Bowl, I would have taken it.
Not every fan would agree with me, and most that I talked to are still pretty down about Sunday night, but our football team is good. And they'll be back in the Super Bowl many times in the future and they'll probably lose it another time or two or three. It happens. The Yankees have lost their share of World Series, the Lakers and Celtics have lost more than their share of NBA Finals.
I know Steelers fans had built up this air of invincibility because before Super Bowl XLV, the Steelers had only lost one Super Bowl, but you had to figure it would happen again someday. That someday just happened to be Sunday night in Dallas.
Just making it to the Super Bowl isn't enough for Steelers fans, just like making it to the final round isn't enough for Yankees or Lakers fans, but it's still a tremendous accomplishment no matter the outcome.
You don't think making it to the Super Bowl is hard? There's a reason 8 appearances is the record and it's shared by only two teams: The Steelers and Cowboys. If just making it to the Super Bowl was that easy, I'm pretty sure a few teams would have found a way to make it there way more than 8 times.
I know fans of other teams might give us a hard time in the coming weeks and months, but believe me, there's only one fan base that wouldn't trade places with Steeler fans right now, and that's the one who gets to party with Lombardi for the next year. The other 30 NFL fan bases out there would gladly trade places with us in a heartbeat.
The Cleveland Browns have never made it to the Super Bowl and the original Browns left Cleveland for Baltimore and the City of Cleveland had to watch their old franchise, under a different name, get to the Super Bowl and win it.
The Detroit Lions have never been to the Super Bowl and they've only been to the NFC Championship game one time, ever!
There are Jets fans who were in their 20's and 30's when New York won Super Bowl III and, today, are probably wondering if they're going to live long enough to see their beloved Jets even make it back to the Super Bowl again.
When the Arizona Cardinals advanced to Super Bowl XLIII, I saw footage of fans crying in the stands. And I'm not saying that to make fun of them, I'm saying that to demonstrate what just making it to the Super Bowl means.
The city of Denver was completely turned upside down when the Broncos advanced to the Super Bowl in 1977.
You don't think Dolphins fans would trade places with us right now? They have a pretty good football tradition down there, but they haven't been back to the Super Bowl since 1984.
It might seem like just another round in the playoffs because we're so used to it now, but just imagine how you'd feel if the Pittsburgh Pirates made it to the World Series. You know how those Jets fans feel? That's how I feel about the Pirates. I'm only 38, but I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever see them in a World Series before I die. If they ever do make it back to another World Series, they could get swept and lose every game, 10-0, and I'd still be happy.
Yeah, the Steelers lost the Super Bowl and maybe that dream of a 2nd dynasty might not come to pass, but that doesn't mean these last six years can't be celebrated. Three Super Bowls in six seasons is nothing to sneeze at even if one of them was a loss.
One thing I, and many of my fellow Steelers fans, have been saying to console ourselves is that the Steelers weren't expected to make it as far as they did. Well, that is so true.
The Steelers might not have won the Super Bowl, but in my opinion, it's the most impressive Super Bowl berth of the 8 they've appeared in.
Having said that, I think it's pretty fitting that this unexpected Super Bowl run ended in Dallas. No, not because the last time Dallas had anything to do with a Super Bowl, the Cowboys defeated the Steelers in their previous Super Bowl loss, but because back in 1975, the Cowboys made an unexpected Super Bowl run of their own.
The Cowboys of the late 60's and early 70's were a championship contender every season and appeared in two Super Bowls and won one of them. But in 1974, they missed the playoffs, and 1975 was supposed to be a transitional season and not much was expected of them. But they made a surprising run to Super Bowl X before falling to Pittsburgh. They weren't just a team that had a run of success and then went to the back of the line to reload their system. They were a championship organization that even while reloading, still had the heart, character and leadership to make it all the way to the grandest stage. Just two seasons later, they were back in the Super Bowl and won it, and the following year, they got back there to defend their crown.
There were many questions about the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers and they weren't even picked to make the playoffs by most experts. 2010 was supposed to be a year of evaluation for Mike Tomlin. Could he keep a veteran team focused and hungry after missing the playoffs in 2009? Did he have the ability to evaluate and coach up the younger talent?
Well, we found out a lot about Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers this year. They're a championship organization and there they were with a chance to win another title in a season in which they were supposed to be reloading.
I'd say another Super Bowl or two is in the immediate future.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Being dejected the day after a Super Bowl loss means your team had a great year
For me, the 2010 football season started when my girlfriend and I took our little pilgrimage to the pro football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio last August.
It was a fun time, and after looking at all the history, I just wanted to see the Steelers make another run at it this year. With all the adversity they faced way before the 2010 season even started, perhaps, it was just wishful thinking on my part.
But despite facing so many hurdles in the 2010 season, the Steelers had a very consistent year, just as consistent as the 2008 season, and they found themselves in Dallas last night for a chance to win another Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, the Steelers lost in their bid to win a 3rd Lombardi trophy since 2005. Speaking of the 2005 season, the Packers did what the Steelers did that year. They were the 6th seed and had to win all their playoff games on the road in-order to make it to Dallas. And just like the 2005 Steelers, they were the favorite going into the game and were the better team throughout much of the contest and they deserve to be the champions of the NFL.
I won't rehash the loss because that will be done enough today and in the days and weeks and probably years ahead, but I will say that Pittsburgh lost Super Bowl XLV because they were on the negative side of the most important stat in football: Turnovers.
You can say what you want about quarterbacks, high-powered offenses, great defenses, special teams and coaching, but there is nothing that shifts the momentum of a football game more than a turnover.
The Steelers turned the ball over three times, the Packers didn't turn the ball over at all, and that's why they are the champions and Green Bay will have bragging rights for the near future.
But I am proud of the Steelers for overcoming so much in the 2010 season to make it to the greatest event in sports.
Speaking of this just completed 2010 season, last night's game pretty much summed up the 2010 Steelers. They faced many obstacles throughout the game. They found themselves down by three-scores just before halftime and could have very easily given in to the Packers and their superior play throughout the first half, but they hung in there, looked adversity right in the eye, and found themselves with the football and a chance to win the World title with two-minutes to play.
I thought they were going to pull it out right until the bitter end, but they didn't.
It took me a few hours to really process it, and I was totally drained last night, but this morning, I am proud to be a Steelers fan.
They had a great year, and as the title of my post suggests, if you're a football fan, and you find yourself depressed on a February morning, that just means your team had one hell of a year.
I won't lie, this one hurts a little more than Super Bowl XXX, but that's because a good deal of these Steelers are two-time champions and I'm just not used to seeing them come up short in the biggest of games.
But this season and the fun I had for the last few weeks watching them on this playoff run, I wouldn't trade it for anything except maybe a Steelers win last night. For me, this was a test of my theory that I would rather see them make it to the Super Bowl and lose than not make it at all. A lot of people feel differently, but if you feel that way, how did you feel the last two weeks? Weren't you happy that they made it to Dallas? Weren't the last two weeks fun for you? Didn't you feel festive?
I know I felt all those things and the only thing I would change is the outcome of last night's game. I think I passed the test. I'm a little down, but years from now, I'll look back on this year and smile.
Thanks for a great season, Steelers!
It was a fun time, and after looking at all the history, I just wanted to see the Steelers make another run at it this year. With all the adversity they faced way before the 2010 season even started, perhaps, it was just wishful thinking on my part.
But despite facing so many hurdles in the 2010 season, the Steelers had a very consistent year, just as consistent as the 2008 season, and they found themselves in Dallas last night for a chance to win another Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, the Steelers lost in their bid to win a 3rd Lombardi trophy since 2005. Speaking of the 2005 season, the Packers did what the Steelers did that year. They were the 6th seed and had to win all their playoff games on the road in-order to make it to Dallas. And just like the 2005 Steelers, they were the favorite going into the game and were the better team throughout much of the contest and they deserve to be the champions of the NFL.
I won't rehash the loss because that will be done enough today and in the days and weeks and probably years ahead, but I will say that Pittsburgh lost Super Bowl XLV because they were on the negative side of the most important stat in football: Turnovers.
You can say what you want about quarterbacks, high-powered offenses, great defenses, special teams and coaching, but there is nothing that shifts the momentum of a football game more than a turnover.
The Steelers turned the ball over three times, the Packers didn't turn the ball over at all, and that's why they are the champions and Green Bay will have bragging rights for the near future.
But I am proud of the Steelers for overcoming so much in the 2010 season to make it to the greatest event in sports.
Speaking of this just completed 2010 season, last night's game pretty much summed up the 2010 Steelers. They faced many obstacles throughout the game. They found themselves down by three-scores just before halftime and could have very easily given in to the Packers and their superior play throughout the first half, but they hung in there, looked adversity right in the eye, and found themselves with the football and a chance to win the World title with two-minutes to play.
I thought they were going to pull it out right until the bitter end, but they didn't.
It took me a few hours to really process it, and I was totally drained last night, but this morning, I am proud to be a Steelers fan.
They had a great year, and as the title of my post suggests, if you're a football fan, and you find yourself depressed on a February morning, that just means your team had one hell of a year.
I won't lie, this one hurts a little more than Super Bowl XXX, but that's because a good deal of these Steelers are two-time champions and I'm just not used to seeing them come up short in the biggest of games.
But this season and the fun I had for the last few weeks watching them on this playoff run, I wouldn't trade it for anything except maybe a Steelers win last night. For me, this was a test of my theory that I would rather see them make it to the Super Bowl and lose than not make it at all. A lot of people feel differently, but if you feel that way, how did you feel the last two weeks? Weren't you happy that they made it to Dallas? Weren't the last two weeks fun for you? Didn't you feel festive?
I know I felt all those things and the only thing I would change is the outcome of last night's game. I think I passed the test. I'm a little down, but years from now, I'll look back on this year and smile.
Thanks for a great season, Steelers!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Can the Steelers win the Super Bowl without Pouncey and Smith? History tells us they can
The Steelers' pro-bowl rookie center Maurkice Pouncey will officially miss Super Bowl XLV against the Green Bay Packers because of a high-ankle sprain suffered in the AFC Championship game. Legendary and inspirational defensive end Aaron Smith is also officially out of the big game because of a torn triceps he suffered in October against the Dolphins and has been unable to fully recover from in time for the Super Bowl.
It's obviously been proven that the Steelers can win without Smith because they're in the Super Bowl. Second year man, Ziggy Hood, has done an excellent job filling in for Smith and has excelled as of late. Did you see some of the post-game celebrations after the AFC championship? Ziggy was running around sans shirt in 5 degree temperatures. Anyone who is crazy enough to run around without a shirt in that kind of weather is my kind of defensive end. I'm not worried about Ziggy. I have confidence that he'll get the job done.
Pouncey might be another story. For the past few years, everyone was wondering if the Steelers could find any offensive linemen they could actually win with. Now, with Pouncey's injury, people are worried that he's a lineman that the Steelers can't win without.
In his first year in the NFL, Pouncey is already the best offensive lineman the team has, by far. He's assumed a leadership role and is one of the brightest young stars in the game. I have no doubt that he'll go on to have the same kind of consistent career as other Steelers' offensive linemen of the past.
He just won't be able to participate in this year's Super Bowl. Doug Legersky, the utility offensive lineman, will take Pouncey's spot under center. There is great concern that he'll have a hard time controlling the Packers' nose tackle BJ Raji. There is reason for concern since Raji is the of the best in the league at his position.
It's a match-up that, on paper, doesn't favor the Steelers. Does this mean they won't be able to win the Super Bowl? Heck no. Legursky has done a pretty admirable job whenever and wherever he's had to play this season and the running game didn't seem to miss a beat after Pouncey left the Jets' game two weeks ago. There was the problem of a couple of bad snaps between Legursky and Roethlisberger, but hopefully, a couple of weeks of practice and repetitions have corrected that issue.
If you use history as a judge, the Steelers should be fine. Pittsburgh won 4 Super Bowls in the 70's and in each one of those games, they were without a hall of fame player for at least a portion of the contests and they still won.
In Super Bowl IX against the Vikings, linebacker Jack Lambert left the game with a leg injury, and his replacement played the game of his life.
In Super Bowl X, Joe Greene missed a great deal of the second half because of an injury and the defense didn't suffer for it.
In Super Bowl XIII, John Stallworth, the offensive star of the first half, missed the second half because of severe cramps. They still managed to survive and win.
In Super Bowl XIV, linebacker Jack Ham didn't even play because of an ankle injury, and Lynn Swann had to leave the game with a concussion, and yet, Pittsburgh still won.
All those players are in the hall of fame, and yet, the Steelers still managed to win the championship without them. Of course, there were other hall of famers to pick up the slack, but today's Steelers probably have some future Canton inductees on their roster.
I think they'll be okay without their rookie center as good as he may be.
Go Steelers!
It's obviously been proven that the Steelers can win without Smith because they're in the Super Bowl. Second year man, Ziggy Hood, has done an excellent job filling in for Smith and has excelled as of late. Did you see some of the post-game celebrations after the AFC championship? Ziggy was running around sans shirt in 5 degree temperatures. Anyone who is crazy enough to run around without a shirt in that kind of weather is my kind of defensive end. I'm not worried about Ziggy. I have confidence that he'll get the job done.
Pouncey might be another story. For the past few years, everyone was wondering if the Steelers could find any offensive linemen they could actually win with. Now, with Pouncey's injury, people are worried that he's a lineman that the Steelers can't win without.
In his first year in the NFL, Pouncey is already the best offensive lineman the team has, by far. He's assumed a leadership role and is one of the brightest young stars in the game. I have no doubt that he'll go on to have the same kind of consistent career as other Steelers' offensive linemen of the past.
He just won't be able to participate in this year's Super Bowl. Doug Legersky, the utility offensive lineman, will take Pouncey's spot under center. There is great concern that he'll have a hard time controlling the Packers' nose tackle BJ Raji. There is reason for concern since Raji is the of the best in the league at his position.
It's a match-up that, on paper, doesn't favor the Steelers. Does this mean they won't be able to win the Super Bowl? Heck no. Legursky has done a pretty admirable job whenever and wherever he's had to play this season and the running game didn't seem to miss a beat after Pouncey left the Jets' game two weeks ago. There was the problem of a couple of bad snaps between Legursky and Roethlisberger, but hopefully, a couple of weeks of practice and repetitions have corrected that issue.
If you use history as a judge, the Steelers should be fine. Pittsburgh won 4 Super Bowls in the 70's and in each one of those games, they were without a hall of fame player for at least a portion of the contests and they still won.
In Super Bowl IX against the Vikings, linebacker Jack Lambert left the game with a leg injury, and his replacement played the game of his life.
In Super Bowl X, Joe Greene missed a great deal of the second half because of an injury and the defense didn't suffer for it.
In Super Bowl XIII, John Stallworth, the offensive star of the first half, missed the second half because of severe cramps. They still managed to survive and win.
In Super Bowl XIV, linebacker Jack Ham didn't even play because of an ankle injury, and Lynn Swann had to leave the game with a concussion, and yet, Pittsburgh still won.
All those players are in the hall of fame, and yet, the Steelers still managed to win the championship without them. Of course, there were other hall of famers to pick up the slack, but today's Steelers probably have some future Canton inductees on their roster.
I think they'll be okay without their rookie center as good as he may be.
Go Steelers!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Some of my favorite Super Bowls that didn't involve Steelers championships
I think I know a pretty good deal about the Super Bowl. Maybe not as much as some, but more than others. Football is my favorite sport and the Super Bowl is my favorite championship, by far.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on some of my favorite Super Bowls that didn't involve the Steelers hoisting the Lombardi at the end because I could write all day about those great times.
This isn't some official list like "The Ten Greatest" or anything like that. Heck, I didn't even bother to do any wikipedia research. It's more like a stream of consciousness kind of thing. Just my thoughts as I know them (hopefully, accurate thoughts.)
I wasn't even alive for some of these Super Bowls (I'm XXXVIII, the Super Bowl is about to turn XLV)so my memory of many of these battles was shaped by NFL Films.
Like for example, Super Bowl IV. The Chiefs upset the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in the last AFL-NFL matchup before the merger was official. Like Steve Sabol said, if Super Bowl III laid the foundation for the AFL, Super Bowl IV sort of made it clear that the upstart league was here to stay. I'm paraphrasing, of course, Steve said it much better in the NFL Films intro for this game, but it's the same point. If you've ever seen the NFL Films footage for this game, you know that Chiefs' head coach Hank Stram was the first coach to wear a mic for a Super Bowl and, if you are familiar with this footage, you know how entertaining Hank Stram was in this game and that's why I find it so entertaining even forty-plus years later. This would be the one and only World Championship for the Chiefs, who were sort of the first wildcard team to win a Super Bowl since they finished behind the Raiders in the AFL Western division but still qualified for the playoffs. As for the Vikings, this was their first of four Super Bowl appearances from 1969-1976, but sadly, they would never win a championship.
And that takes us to the following year. The first Super Bowl after the merger, Super Bowl V between the Baltimore Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. The Colts won 16-13 on kicker Jim O'Brien's field goal in the final seconds. This was a sloppy game filled with many turnovers. The Colts turned the ball over 7 times, a record for a Super Bowl winner. Despite the sloppy play, NFL Films did an excellent job of building the action to a crescendo right before Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis intercepted a Craig Morton pass to set up the game-winning field goal. Cowboys' legend Bob Lilly is seen throwing his helmet in frustration at the end of this game, because back then, the Cowboys were thought of as the team that couldn't win the big game. They lost the NFL Championship game in back-to-back years to the Green Bay Packers who would go on to capture the first two Super Bowls, and then, of course, this heartbreaker in Super Bowl V. Interesting note: Cowboys' linebacker Chuck Howley won mvp for this game, becoming the only mvp from a losing team in Super Bowl history.
Dallas finally got their ring the following year when they defeated the surprising Miami Dolphins, 24-3. The Dallas Cowboys finally got the monkey off their back with this pretty dominant performance. The Cowboys became the first and, to date, only team to hold their opponent without a touchdown in a Super Bowl. The Dolphins were a pretty good story in their own right. They were an expansion team from the old AFL days and here they were in their first Super Bowl. The Dolphins would return to the Super Bowl the next two years and win back-to-back titles that included their famous perfect season in 1972.
Fast-forward to Super Bowl XII where the Cowboys won their second Super Bowl by defeating the Denver Broncos, 27-10. I've always had a soft-spot in my heart for this Super Bowl because I love the story of the 1977 Denver Broncos. The Broncos did very little the first 16 or 17 years of their existence, but in 1977, they captured the imagination of the city of Denver. They went 12-2 and knocked off the Steelers and Raiders (the two previous Super Bowl champions) in the playoffs to win their first AFC crown. Even though the Broncos came up short in the Super Bowl, the '77 season is fondly remembered by Broncos fans and I've heard more than one of them say that the 1977 run was even more special than Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl championships in the late '90's. There was even a book published on that magical season: "'77: Denver, the Broncos and a Coming of Age." The author describes, in great detail, how the Broncos magical run that year changed the perception of the city and gave the area a new identity. Pretty neat stuff. And I also like this game because, believe it or not, before Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, I actually liked the Cowboys, especially the '70's Cowboys. They seemed like pretty classy guys led by coach Tom Landry and players like Roger Staubauch, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Tony Dorsett, Bob Lilly, Randy White, etc. Of course, there were guys like Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson and Cliff Harris, but I guess they were Cowboys ahead of their time. This would prove to be Tom Landry's last World Championship and the last title of the great late-60's-early-80's Cowboys' era.
That brings me to Super Bowl XVII between the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins following the strike-shortened 1982 season. The Dolphins were led by the Killer Bees defense, and the Redskins were known for their Hogs (offensive linemen) and for running back John Riggins. Jimmy Cefalo started things off for the Dolphins with the longest touchdown reception in the history of the Super Bowl, and Miami return specialist Fulton Walker answered the Redskins game-tying touchdown by becoming the first player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a Super Bowl. If you've ever seen the highlights of this kickoff return on NFL Films, there's a pretty neat over head view of all the Washington players trying to chase down Walker. But Miami was living on borrowed time in this game because they very well may have had the worst starting quarterback in Super Bowl history in one David Woodley. Outside of his touchdown pass to Cefalo, Woodley could do very little in this game. And by the second half, Riggins and the Hogs had taken over. John Riggins would score the game winner early in the four quarter when, on 4th and 1, he broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and not only got the first down, but a 40 yard touchdown that put the Redskins in the lead for good. They would add another late in the game for a 27-17 victory. Their first of three Super Bowl titles over the next 9 seasons.
Super Bowl XIX between the San Fransisco 49ers and the Dolphins is another one of my favorites. The 1984 season was just a special one for me. The Steelers made a nice little Super Bowl run, but the 49ers and Dolphins had great seasons and were without a doubt the two best teams in the Super Bowl. Dan Marino had a record-setting year with 48 touchdown passes, but the 49ers were the more complete team going 15-1 in the regular season, and it showed as they dominated Miami, 38-16. Joe Montana was named mvp and San Fransisco became the first team to win 18 games in a season.
I didn't like too many of the XX's Super Bowls, but XXIII was a nice, exciting contest between the 49ers and the Bengals. Joe Montana hit John Taylor with a touchdown pass with 34 seconds left to give San Fransisco the last-second, 20-16, victory and their 3rd of 4 Super Bowl titles in the 80's.
Fast-forward to Super Bowl XXX. Yes, that's right. Remember, I said Super Bowls that didn't involve Steelers championships. They were in it, and for that reason alone, it's probably my favorite non-Steelers championship Super Bowl. Just like the fans of the 1977 Denver Broncos magical year, I will always have fond memories of the '95 Steelers for finally getting back to the Super Bowl. I kind of feel bad for this team because there were so many great players from that squad and they deserve to be celebrated just a bit more, but it's kind of hard with 6 other Super Bowl winners being celebrated and rightfully so. Still, those guys will always be special to me.
That's about all I have for now. There are other Super Bowls that I enjoy, but I'll share those at another time.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on some of my favorite Super Bowls that didn't involve the Steelers hoisting the Lombardi at the end because I could write all day about those great times.
This isn't some official list like "The Ten Greatest" or anything like that. Heck, I didn't even bother to do any wikipedia research. It's more like a stream of consciousness kind of thing. Just my thoughts as I know them (hopefully, accurate thoughts.)
I wasn't even alive for some of these Super Bowls (I'm XXXVIII, the Super Bowl is about to turn XLV)so my memory of many of these battles was shaped by NFL Films.
Like for example, Super Bowl IV. The Chiefs upset the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in the last AFL-NFL matchup before the merger was official. Like Steve Sabol said, if Super Bowl III laid the foundation for the AFL, Super Bowl IV sort of made it clear that the upstart league was here to stay. I'm paraphrasing, of course, Steve said it much better in the NFL Films intro for this game, but it's the same point. If you've ever seen the NFL Films footage for this game, you know that Chiefs' head coach Hank Stram was the first coach to wear a mic for a Super Bowl and, if you are familiar with this footage, you know how entertaining Hank Stram was in this game and that's why I find it so entertaining even forty-plus years later. This would be the one and only World Championship for the Chiefs, who were sort of the first wildcard team to win a Super Bowl since they finished behind the Raiders in the AFL Western division but still qualified for the playoffs. As for the Vikings, this was their first of four Super Bowl appearances from 1969-1976, but sadly, they would never win a championship.
And that takes us to the following year. The first Super Bowl after the merger, Super Bowl V between the Baltimore Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. The Colts won 16-13 on kicker Jim O'Brien's field goal in the final seconds. This was a sloppy game filled with many turnovers. The Colts turned the ball over 7 times, a record for a Super Bowl winner. Despite the sloppy play, NFL Films did an excellent job of building the action to a crescendo right before Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis intercepted a Craig Morton pass to set up the game-winning field goal. Cowboys' legend Bob Lilly is seen throwing his helmet in frustration at the end of this game, because back then, the Cowboys were thought of as the team that couldn't win the big game. They lost the NFL Championship game in back-to-back years to the Green Bay Packers who would go on to capture the first two Super Bowls, and then, of course, this heartbreaker in Super Bowl V. Interesting note: Cowboys' linebacker Chuck Howley won mvp for this game, becoming the only mvp from a losing team in Super Bowl history.
Dallas finally got their ring the following year when they defeated the surprising Miami Dolphins, 24-3. The Dallas Cowboys finally got the monkey off their back with this pretty dominant performance. The Cowboys became the first and, to date, only team to hold their opponent without a touchdown in a Super Bowl. The Dolphins were a pretty good story in their own right. They were an expansion team from the old AFL days and here they were in their first Super Bowl. The Dolphins would return to the Super Bowl the next two years and win back-to-back titles that included their famous perfect season in 1972.
Fast-forward to Super Bowl XII where the Cowboys won their second Super Bowl by defeating the Denver Broncos, 27-10. I've always had a soft-spot in my heart for this Super Bowl because I love the story of the 1977 Denver Broncos. The Broncos did very little the first 16 or 17 years of their existence, but in 1977, they captured the imagination of the city of Denver. They went 12-2 and knocked off the Steelers and Raiders (the two previous Super Bowl champions) in the playoffs to win their first AFC crown. Even though the Broncos came up short in the Super Bowl, the '77 season is fondly remembered by Broncos fans and I've heard more than one of them say that the 1977 run was even more special than Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl championships in the late '90's. There was even a book published on that magical season: "'77: Denver, the Broncos and a Coming of Age." The author describes, in great detail, how the Broncos magical run that year changed the perception of the city and gave the area a new identity. Pretty neat stuff. And I also like this game because, believe it or not, before Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, I actually liked the Cowboys, especially the '70's Cowboys. They seemed like pretty classy guys led by coach Tom Landry and players like Roger Staubauch, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Tony Dorsett, Bob Lilly, Randy White, etc. Of course, there were guys like Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson and Cliff Harris, but I guess they were Cowboys ahead of their time. This would prove to be Tom Landry's last World Championship and the last title of the great late-60's-early-80's Cowboys' era.
That brings me to Super Bowl XVII between the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins following the strike-shortened 1982 season. The Dolphins were led by the Killer Bees defense, and the Redskins were known for their Hogs (offensive linemen) and for running back John Riggins. Jimmy Cefalo started things off for the Dolphins with the longest touchdown reception in the history of the Super Bowl, and Miami return specialist Fulton Walker answered the Redskins game-tying touchdown by becoming the first player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a Super Bowl. If you've ever seen the highlights of this kickoff return on NFL Films, there's a pretty neat over head view of all the Washington players trying to chase down Walker. But Miami was living on borrowed time in this game because they very well may have had the worst starting quarterback in Super Bowl history in one David Woodley. Outside of his touchdown pass to Cefalo, Woodley could do very little in this game. And by the second half, Riggins and the Hogs had taken over. John Riggins would score the game winner early in the four quarter when, on 4th and 1, he broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and not only got the first down, but a 40 yard touchdown that put the Redskins in the lead for good. They would add another late in the game for a 27-17 victory. Their first of three Super Bowl titles over the next 9 seasons.
Super Bowl XIX between the San Fransisco 49ers and the Dolphins is another one of my favorites. The 1984 season was just a special one for me. The Steelers made a nice little Super Bowl run, but the 49ers and Dolphins had great seasons and were without a doubt the two best teams in the Super Bowl. Dan Marino had a record-setting year with 48 touchdown passes, but the 49ers were the more complete team going 15-1 in the regular season, and it showed as they dominated Miami, 38-16. Joe Montana was named mvp and San Fransisco became the first team to win 18 games in a season.
I didn't like too many of the XX's Super Bowls, but XXIII was a nice, exciting contest between the 49ers and the Bengals. Joe Montana hit John Taylor with a touchdown pass with 34 seconds left to give San Fransisco the last-second, 20-16, victory and their 3rd of 4 Super Bowl titles in the 80's.
Fast-forward to Super Bowl XXX. Yes, that's right. Remember, I said Super Bowls that didn't involve Steelers championships. They were in it, and for that reason alone, it's probably my favorite non-Steelers championship Super Bowl. Just like the fans of the 1977 Denver Broncos magical year, I will always have fond memories of the '95 Steelers for finally getting back to the Super Bowl. I kind of feel bad for this team because there were so many great players from that squad and they deserve to be celebrated just a bit more, but it's kind of hard with 6 other Super Bowl winners being celebrated and rightfully so. Still, those guys will always be special to me.
That's about all I have for now. There are other Super Bowls that I enjoy, but I'll share those at another time.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Music City Miracle is irreversibly inferior
On January 8th, 2000, the Tennessee Titans hosted the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wildcard playoff game. The Bills had just taken a 16-15 lead on Steve Chistie's 41 yard field goal with 16 seconds left. What transpired next was the most famous play in the history of the Titans franchise.
A description from wikipedia:
"Moments later, Christie kicked off, and Titans player Lorenzo Neal received. Neal handed the ball off to Titans tight end Frank Wycheck, who threw a lateral across the field to another Titans player, Kevin Dyson, who then ran down the sidelines for a 75-yard touchdown."
The Titans' official name for the play was "Home Run Throwback" but in Tennessee it will forever be known as the "The Music City Miracle."
The play catapulted the Titans' on a nice run through the playoffs and eventually into Super bowl XXXIV where they lost a heartbreaker to the St. Louis Rams, 23-16.
Some ten-plus years after this game, it's still celebrated by Titans' fans and is a source of pride and credited with putting the Titans on the map in Tennessee.
NFL Fanhouse writer and Titans' fan, Clay Travis, was in the stands that day with his father and got to witness it live. He shared his thoughts in an article he wrote last May to celebrate that great day: "I was in the crowd that day, the north end zone, a 20-year-old college student sitting alongside my dad, a 54-year-old state of Tennessee employee who was still amazed that his hometown, Nashville, had an actual NFL team playing inside an actual NFL stadium. Ten years after the fact, Nashville is a rabid NFL town. But then, after the team had played in Vanderbilt's mostly empty stadium, there was an uncertainty about whether the team would work in a college football crazy environment."
Travis went on to say this about how he felt during the game's closing moments: "As Steve Christie made his field goal to put the Buffalo Bills up by a point, I remember looking over at my dad and seeing how sad he looked. My dad was a bigger Titans fan than I was since I was away in college and couldn't see every game.
I remember looking at my dad for the first time and feeling like an adult. For the first time in my life as a sports fan, I wanted the team I was watching to win not for me, but for him. Just before the Bills kicked off I remember saying a silent prayer that the Titans would win for my dad."
After the play unfolded, there was jubilation in the stands and between Travis and his dad: "I climbed onto my seat and high-fived everyone in the vicinity. My dad grabbed me in a large hug. "Twenty years from now," he said, "a million people will claim they were here."
OK, so eleven years after this play, the Titans' and their fans still remember it fondly. It's something they'll always talk about. It put pro football on the map in that area according to people like Travis and the Titans' players who were involved in that play. It's their legacy. But what kind of legacy is it really? It's not like they went onto win the Super Bowl that year. The Rams hoisted the Lombardi trophy when it was all said and done.
It's certainly not up there with "The Immaculate Reception." "But how can you say that, Tony? The Steelers didn't win the Super Bowl in 1972."
That's true. But the Steelers did go on to win the Super Bowl 2 years later and they didn't stop winning championships until they had 4 in a 6 year span.
If the Steelers hadn't done anything in the years following Franco's famous play, it would probably just be looked at as a fluke play in the history of the league. Maybe something to talk about from time-to-time. A thing to celebrate in a "on this day in history" kind of way.
But "The Immaculate Reception" is credited by many as being the greatest play in the history of the NFL largely because it spawned not just any dynasty, but the greatest NFL dynasty of all time. Former head coach Chuck Noll, the architect of that dynasty, is regarded by many as the greatest talent evaluator of all time, drafting 9future hall of famers in a 6-year span.
It's not just "The Immaculate Reception." What about San Fransisco's "The Catch" or even New England's "The Tuck Rule."
Following Joe Montana to Dwight Clark, Montana became a star and went onto have a Hall of Fame career. Head coach Bill Walsh became an offensive mastermind, and the 49ers went on to become the team of the 80's, winning 4 Super Bowls.
After the controversial reversal of Tom Brady's fumble in the 2001 divisional playoff game against the Raiders, the Patriots won three out of four Super Bowls, Tom Brady would eventually become one of the top quarterbacks in the game, and Bill Belichick would be dubbed "a genius."
The Titans haven't done anything since that magical run in the 1999-2000 playoffs. They had their chances to build on the legacy of "The Miracle" but never did. The following year, they were the number 1 seed, but lost in the divisional round to quarterback Trent Dilfer and the wildcard Ravens.
Two years later, in the 2002 playoffs, they benefited from Joe Nedney's great acting job in the divisional round, but lost in the AFC Championship game to the Oakland Raiders.
And just two seasons ago, they were again the number 1 seed, but could not get the job done.
So, the Tennessee Titans have had a decade to build upon that great day on January 8th, 2000, but they haven't been able to do it, and in the meantime, have drafted guys like Vince Young and just recently fired head coach Jeff Fisher.
Therefore, in my opinion, "The Music City Miracle" was a nice play, but that's about it. Nice. Not worthy to even be mentioned in the same sentence as the "Immaculate Reception" or any of those signature plays that spawned great periods of success for their respective franchises.
If you want to put it in the same category as "The Miracle At the Meadlowlands" or, perhaps, "The Holy Roller," that's fine.
If the Titans' fans want to embrace that crazy play, it's their right. But please, do not soil the truly great plays in the history of the NFL by trying to put your play in the same category. It's simply not worthy.
The end.
A description from wikipedia:
"Moments later, Christie kicked off, and Titans player Lorenzo Neal received. Neal handed the ball off to Titans tight end Frank Wycheck, who threw a lateral across the field to another Titans player, Kevin Dyson, who then ran down the sidelines for a 75-yard touchdown."
The Titans' official name for the play was "Home Run Throwback" but in Tennessee it will forever be known as the "The Music City Miracle."
The play catapulted the Titans' on a nice run through the playoffs and eventually into Super bowl XXXIV where they lost a heartbreaker to the St. Louis Rams, 23-16.
Some ten-plus years after this game, it's still celebrated by Titans' fans and is a source of pride and credited with putting the Titans on the map in Tennessee.
NFL Fanhouse writer and Titans' fan, Clay Travis, was in the stands that day with his father and got to witness it live. He shared his thoughts in an article he wrote last May to celebrate that great day: "I was in the crowd that day, the north end zone, a 20-year-old college student sitting alongside my dad, a 54-year-old state of Tennessee employee who was still amazed that his hometown, Nashville, had an actual NFL team playing inside an actual NFL stadium. Ten years after the fact, Nashville is a rabid NFL town. But then, after the team had played in Vanderbilt's mostly empty stadium, there was an uncertainty about whether the team would work in a college football crazy environment."
Travis went on to say this about how he felt during the game's closing moments: "As Steve Christie made his field goal to put the Buffalo Bills up by a point, I remember looking over at my dad and seeing how sad he looked. My dad was a bigger Titans fan than I was since I was away in college and couldn't see every game.
I remember looking at my dad for the first time and feeling like an adult. For the first time in my life as a sports fan, I wanted the team I was watching to win not for me, but for him. Just before the Bills kicked off I remember saying a silent prayer that the Titans would win for my dad."
After the play unfolded, there was jubilation in the stands and between Travis and his dad: "I climbed onto my seat and high-fived everyone in the vicinity. My dad grabbed me in a large hug. "Twenty years from now," he said, "a million people will claim they were here."
OK, so eleven years after this play, the Titans' and their fans still remember it fondly. It's something they'll always talk about. It put pro football on the map in that area according to people like Travis and the Titans' players who were involved in that play. It's their legacy. But what kind of legacy is it really? It's not like they went onto win the Super Bowl that year. The Rams hoisted the Lombardi trophy when it was all said and done.
It's certainly not up there with "The Immaculate Reception." "But how can you say that, Tony? The Steelers didn't win the Super Bowl in 1972."
That's true. But the Steelers did go on to win the Super Bowl 2 years later and they didn't stop winning championships until they had 4 in a 6 year span.
If the Steelers hadn't done anything in the years following Franco's famous play, it would probably just be looked at as a fluke play in the history of the league. Maybe something to talk about from time-to-time. A thing to celebrate in a "on this day in history" kind of way.
But "The Immaculate Reception" is credited by many as being the greatest play in the history of the NFL largely because it spawned not just any dynasty, but the greatest NFL dynasty of all time. Former head coach Chuck Noll, the architect of that dynasty, is regarded by many as the greatest talent evaluator of all time, drafting 9future hall of famers in a 6-year span.
It's not just "The Immaculate Reception." What about San Fransisco's "The Catch" or even New England's "The Tuck Rule."
Following Joe Montana to Dwight Clark, Montana became a star and went onto have a Hall of Fame career. Head coach Bill Walsh became an offensive mastermind, and the 49ers went on to become the team of the 80's, winning 4 Super Bowls.
After the controversial reversal of Tom Brady's fumble in the 2001 divisional playoff game against the Raiders, the Patriots won three out of four Super Bowls, Tom Brady would eventually become one of the top quarterbacks in the game, and Bill Belichick would be dubbed "a genius."
The Titans haven't done anything since that magical run in the 1999-2000 playoffs. They had their chances to build on the legacy of "The Miracle" but never did. The following year, they were the number 1 seed, but lost in the divisional round to quarterback Trent Dilfer and the wildcard Ravens.
Two years later, in the 2002 playoffs, they benefited from Joe Nedney's great acting job in the divisional round, but lost in the AFC Championship game to the Oakland Raiders.
And just two seasons ago, they were again the number 1 seed, but could not get the job done.
So, the Tennessee Titans have had a decade to build upon that great day on January 8th, 2000, but they haven't been able to do it, and in the meantime, have drafted guys like Vince Young and just recently fired head coach Jeff Fisher.
Therefore, in my opinion, "The Music City Miracle" was a nice play, but that's about it. Nice. Not worthy to even be mentioned in the same sentence as the "Immaculate Reception" or any of those signature plays that spawned great periods of success for their respective franchises.
If you want to put it in the same category as "The Miracle At the Meadlowlands" or, perhaps, "The Holy Roller," that's fine.
If the Titans' fans want to embrace that crazy play, it's their right. But please, do not soil the truly great plays in the history of the NFL by trying to put your play in the same category. It's simply not worthy.
The end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)