Steel

Da Man

2006-12-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

is Charlie Batch! I read this story today and made me really happy.

Men of Steel

2006-12-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

Yaaaaay!

Embarassing

2006-11-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't see the game today because I making the 450 mile drive back to Chicago this afternoon, although I did talk to V. after the game. I don't know what to say. I guess my 10-6 hopes are dashed, although I will be happy if we don't embarrass ourselves again as the season winds down. But, I mean really, in the end, what does it matter? Will I love the Steelers any less? Of course not? Does it take anything away from our amazing season last year and our Super Bowl victory? No. It does mean that I will have to put up with teasing at work, but ok. Anyway, I hope all of my Steeler fan friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too, and I'll catch you all next Sunday. Or maybe on Thursday night, when hopefully, through some fluke in the system, both Cincy AND Batlimore can lose...

Turning the Tide

2006-11-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

Paperback Writer here.

So, V- set me in my naysaying and fair weather fan ways. He's turned the tide for me. 10-6? Okay. No, problem.

Now, would you please go Click the Can? Green Bay is pulling way ahead, but as long as we're beating Cincinnati...

10 - 6 Baby!

2006-11-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

That's what's what

Finally!

2006-11-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

A win! And I got to watch it! Well, the last 4 minutes of it, but whatever. I'm just glad the game lasted long enough for FOX to switch to it once the Cowboys were done beating the Cardinals.

my poor, poor boys

2006-11-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

I missed the game again because of travel, but it was an unhappy outcome again. I wish we could have come together stronger earlier in the season, but still, I'm looking forward to not travelling so much and spending the rest of this season's Sunday afternoons in my bar with my team.

oakland

2006-10-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

sigh

Click, Dammit, Click!

2006-10-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

The 2006 Chunky Soup "Click for Cans" campaign began recently. The team with the most clicks at the end of the Campaign wins the weight of the entire team in soup for their local Food Bank!Please support the GPCFB and click on the link below to vote for the Steelers. You can visit the website once per day (or once per computer, as I like to think of it) and "click" on the Steelers helmet.

Please vote and pass this along to every Steelers fans you know.

Right now the Bengals have the most votes!!!! and we can't let that happen.

Go here now and click on the Steelers: http://www.chunky.com/clickforcansvote.aspx

Ouch

2006-10-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

That was intense, just perfectly balanced between being one of the most exciting games I've seen and being too suspenseful to watch. It's hard to believe that even with those turnovers, fumbling on a punt, etc., that we still came that close to winning. I feel awful for Nate Washington, who was having one hell of a game before he cost us the game (assuming of course, we would have been able to score a field goal on that drive, which I'm just going to assume we would have). I'm worried about Ben being injured again, about not making the playoffs this year, about that jacass at work who mocks my Steelers fandom, which I still just don't understand (although I once lived with a couple where one person was a Yankees fan and the other a Red Sox fan, and I realize that this egging on comes with the territory, but still, whatever). I have plenty of faith in Charlie Batch if he needs to take over for Ben for awhile. I think he's showed us again and again that he can get us through. Anyway, it's going to take ahile for me to completely calm down after that game. My nerves are completely shot.

Where Have Yinz Guys Been?

2006-10-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

Paperback Writer here.

I mean seriously. That was a great game. Surprising. A blow out. Are you going to keep this up? I'd like to see that happen!

Hells Yeah!

2006-10-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

Those are my Steelers! Now let's carry this momentum forward the rest of the season! Go Pittsburgh!

Football!

2006-10-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

I've just realized how football deprived I've been. I haven't seen the Steelers play since the Jaguars in mid September. It's not that I've been neglecting or anything; there was a bye week, and the Cincy game didn't air in Chicago (and I was too broke to watch it at the bar). Then, last week, I was in AK where the time difference and west coast bias makes it impossible to catch the Steelers. Trust me, I suffered 3 years of only seeing a handful of Pittsburgh games. So that lands us here, pretty much a month after the last game I saw. Tomorrow I'll be headed down to the Dark Horse, no Terrible Towel in hand as it's hanging faithfully in my cubicle at work. I know this has been a bum season so far, but that doesn't matter. It's weird, there's this guy at work who always makes fun of me for liking the Steelers. So far this season it seems he lives for Mondays when he asks me, "So, did Pittsburgh win this weekend?" I've talked to T-Rex about this a little bit, about how I've never understood teasing. It's like tickling to me. Why do people insist on engaging in something that is entirely unpleasant? What's the point of teasing me about the record this season? Am I supposed to say, "hey, you're right, my team isn't playing well, I should find another..."? That doesn't make any sense. Am I supposed to get all fired up and threaten to beat down anyone who talks shit about my team? That's not me. I usually just react in the same tired way every week, just smiling and saying, "Yeah, guess it wasn't our week, but it's coming." I don't know. I think the point is to get me mad, and I just don't understand why people would purposely want to make me mad or upset. I don't know. I'm naive. I'm going to root for my team and then be teased whether we win or lose come Monday. I guess this is the consequence of publically announcing one's allegiance to any team. I should get used to it.

2006-10-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Paperback Writer here.

Will someone please find the Steelers from last year and bring them to kick this year's Steelers butts?

Thank you.

I'd like a chance at the playoffs. That would be swell.

Oh, and what's this ice burn that Simmons sustained? Hello?!? You're foot is feeling numb don't you think that's a bad thing?

Bye Week

2006-10-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

Paperback Writer here.

So, after the Steelers lose a football game Loki and I avoid all talk of football. It really stings to see the anyalists breakdown what things we've done wrong. But this is the bye week - or right after it. Which means I'll be tentatively looking in on ESPN to see what's going on in the world of football.

Does anyone else think that the Baltimore Ravens seem...lucky? Or did San Diego just fricking fall apart on us? And though it really really hurt me to root for the Patriots I did so quietly. What E and I really wanted was a zero-zero tie with multiple non serious injuries on both sides. Broken toes, sprained ankles, bad hair...you know, non serious injuries.

*sigh*

Anyway, the next game is against San Diego on Sunday night. You remember what happened last time we played San Diego on a night game?

Yeah, me too.

Go Steelers!

Dilemma

2006-09-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

The Bengals are playing the Patriots this week. I hate them both, but especially the Patriots. My dilemma is this: The Bengals are favored by a margin of 6.5 points, meaning that if I pick them, they must win by at least a touchdown for me to get the credit. I have a hunch that the Pats might have a bit of a surge given their recent disappointing performance. I hate to bet for either team, but I must. Suggestions?

My Heart, It is Touched

2006-09-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Sad as I am about the Steelers' disappointing loss, I must admit that I am ridiculously happy about the ass-kicking the Saints are giving the Falcons right now (let's hope they keep it up, but they are not showing any signs of faltering at 23-3 late in the 3rd). Sure, the announcers' comments were schmaltzy, but it is so nice to see all these Saints fans back in the Superdome (not in horrific circumstances) watching their team kick the Falcons up and down the field.

Of course, my joy has nothing to do with a Saints win helping my miserable performance in the pool, about which I write more extensively here. Well, maybe a little. But really, it's nice to see something good happening in New Orleans, and it's nice to hear the announcers encouraging people to go visit. And maybe, just maybe, I'm a sucker for schmaltzy commentary.

Speaking of, what the hell is Bob Costas doing on my TV on Sunday nights? Yeah, I know he comes with NBC, but it is serious disconnect for me to see him when it's not the Olympics. I don't know if I can handle the pain.

And, finally, oh yes, the Steelers. Nah, I'm just going to leave it alone. They'll play again in two weeks and spirits will recover.

Uh huh...

2006-09-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

""It was a disappointing loss," said head coach Bill Cowher. "We did a lot of good things, but there are certainly some things that we can't do. We'll sit back and asses that and go from there." (emphasis mine)

I wish Cohwer had said that, as opposed to this just being a typo. I need something to smile about...

Some Things...

2006-09-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

(Paperback Writer here.)

So, some things while I was watching the game:

1.) Our special team isn't so special.

2.) What's with the injury status of Troy and Hines?

3.) Ben is still rusty - but getting better.

4.) I'm still not impressed with Santonio.

5.) Hey! About really trying for those catches Ben passed to you?

6.) Steelers football is a religion unto itself.
a.)Loki was made to pray to
his "Jewish god."
b.)I was made to pray to my "Mormon god" even though, I don't consider myself
one.
c.)E was made to pray to his "atheist god."
d.)And if you know the three of us, this is all very funny.

7.) Listen, Steelers, you are heading into your by week. Get your sh*t together. Ben, get that rust of your arm and the cotton out of your eyes. (By the way, your haircut, I approve!) Troy, Hines and anyone else banged up, get healed please. Defense? Step it up more! Santonio, and et. cetra, how about you put some sticky tape to your gloves? Will that help?

Thanks!

Paperback Writer

It's Only the Second Game

2006-09-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

I overheard V telling E that it was a character building game. The Steelers couldn't possibly have a perfect season. And the better to have a couple of losses here and there to remind them that we're still hungry.

Does that make sense?

I hope so.

Anyway, seriously. The Jacksonville Jaguars are a good team. They play like us. We kept them to field goals. Touchdowns? None.

Okay, fine. The Steelers should have stepped up their defense and their offense. And maybe, just maybe Ben should have sat out one more game. Oh, and definately, Santonio Holmes is not worth the money the paid for him.

I'm still not impressed by him.

Besides, it could be worse. We could be the Oakland Raiders.

Heartwrenching

2006-09-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

The loss is hard, the shut out heart wrenching. I still believe, though. I have a friend who once told me that Steelers fans were fair weather, but I haven't noticed that. The most I remember about it was some shit about the Fruit Loop given to Kordell Stewart...

Anyway, what I really want to know, is whether "AAAAGGGGG" really appeared on the screen last night, and whether it actually stands for something (I didn't see how many As and how many Gs were there) or if that was someone trying to express himself on ESPN.

My Picks

2006-09-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Below we have my picks for the NFL pool I somehow ended up in. Yes, I am betting money on football. All season long. Gives me a reason to care about all those games that don't have the Steelers in them. Of course, the first week I forgot to make my picks before the first game started, so right now I'm at the bottom of the heap (I was given equal the lowest number of correct picks) with 4, compared to the leader with 10. As you can see, I mostly went with the conventional wisdom for my picks, with the noted exception of the New England Patriots, against whom I will always, always bet. Because I hate them. So now all you who watch games in which you have real little interest (Mixi) can bend your energies to supporting my picks. Week 2 NFL picks - T-Rex
Home	Winning Margin	Away
Baltimore Ravens	-11.5	Oakland Raiders
Minnesota Vikings	+2.5	Carolina Panthers
Cincinnati Bengals	-10.5	Cleveland Browns
Chicago Bears	-8.5	Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles	-3.5	New York Giants
Miami Dolphins	-6.5	Buffalo Bills
Green Bay Packers	+1.5	New Orleans Saints
Indianapolis Colts	-13.5	Houston Texans
Atlanta Falcons	-4.5	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks	-6.5	Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers	+3.5	St. Louis Rams
Denver Broncos	-10.5	Kansas City Chiefs
New York Jets	+5.5	New England Patriots
San Diego Chargers	-11.5	Tennessee Titans
Dallas Cowboys	-5.5	Washington Redskins
Jacksonville Jaguars	+1.5	Pittsburgh Steelers
MNF total: 27

Sports Fandom

2006-09-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Where do you all fit on the continuum? Read and discuss.

Pittsburgh 28-17

2006-09-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

My random thoughts during the game:

Peyton Manning’s uncanny sense of comic timing. I didn’t like Manning for the longest time. I hated watching him play. It had nothing to do with his talent and drive; he was obviously a great quarterback. I didn’t enjoy watching him play. He seemed so…puritanical about it. As though his work ethic was to work through it as hard as you can (um, what’s wrong with that? Nothing, really…), and if God favored you then good things would happen. There seemed to be no joy in his play. Watching him play was the opposite experience of watching, say Hines Ward or Brett Favre. And then came his commercials. I don’t know if it’s the director, or the casting (as T-Rex suggested), but these commercials allow him so much humanity. My favorite is the one with him in the wig where he says, “like maybe Peyton Manning’s team, maybe…” I can’t help but laugh every time I see it.
Charlie Batch, the Detroit Kid (V’s nickname for him). You can do it! You can do it!
Nate Washington: congratulations on your regular season score, man.
Wee Willie Parker, quick-footed wonder. No, I’m serious. In the words of T-Rex: “He looks so wee when he’s on the field. But he’s not really, is he?” At 5’ 10” and 209 pounds, he’s not at all wee if he were standing next to me or T-Rex, 5’ 1” and 5’ 3” respectively, but I suppose in NFL terms, he is kind of wee. But oh so quick.
I’m such an incredible multi-tasker. How incredible? I can draft this blog post as I watch the game AND search for the best priced airline ticket to Austin for New Year’s with T-Rex. Purchased! Oh, and now search for a ticket to Columbus for a grant training…purchased! Man, I’m traveling somewhere each month so far: Alaska next month, Ohio in November, and Texas in December. Apparently not being able to bring carry ons with impunity isn’t stopping me…
OH MY GOD!!! I forgot to mention: Ambrrrrrrr gave birth to a healthy 8 pound and something oz. baby boy last night. Welcome to earth, little Aiden. I can’t wait to meet you next month.
We’re the defending Superbowl Champs, and this is the opening game of the season being played at Heinz Field, Big Ben is out, etc., but what am I worried about? Jerome Bettis in the booth. How will he do? Well, who knows…I was on the phone during that…
Confluence. Need I say more?
Is there anything Hines Ward can’t catch? Or block while he’s at it?
Interception? No. Touchdown? NOOO!!!!! We’re trailing…
Hines Ward for a first down again. I’m going to start wearing my #86 jersey (thanks, Arn) to work on casual Fridays. Today I hung pictures around my cubicle that said “You’re in Steeler Country.” People sort of make fun of me. They ask why I’m not a Bears fan.
Charlie Batch slides to first down. Parker you rock!
“Mini trick play” oh yeah…
TURNOVER NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
What’s with these Mac commercials? Didn’t they read Seth Stevenson’s review? This isn’t endearing us to Mac products, folks.
T-Rex just brought up how difficult it must be for Charlie Batch: watching someone else do the job you want to do every single day. And then when you do get to play, everyone just wishes you were someone else. She may deny it, and she may hate health, but T-Rex is truly a compassionate person.
Oh, Santonio Holmes, so not impressed. And I'm not even talking about the domestic abuse.
Hey, does anyone know-is Christopher Meloni is no longer on Law & Order SVU? I saw the season premiere on Tuesday and got all emotional at the end when Olivia went to the Captain and asked for a new partner.
OMG...Holy shit Heath Miller. Will this be challenged before the kick? Too late! Touchdown, Steelers! Hey, we already dealt with bad calls earlier in the game. You snooze you lose. Yipes. I can't believe I just said that. I'm not an adherer to the 'You snooze you lose' philosophy. I apologize, Coach Saban.
Whatever, touchdown, Steelers!
Polamalu! Polamalu! Polamalu! When T-Rex came to visit last year and we watched a game at the Dark Horse on New Year's Day, she noted that there were a disproportionate number of Polamalu jerseys in the bar. And that interception right there is why.
Jeff Reed? What the hell? That kick was waaaaay off.
Wow, I love commericials during football games. Apparently football fans care only about HD TVs, Viagra, trucks, and football. I guess that's not too surprising.
Porter intercepts! Touchdown Steelers!!!!!!!!
Um, if you didn't know already, this game is awesome. It's really exciting. A perfect opening game for the new NFL season.
I agree, Madden; it just isn't classy to celebrate too much after a big hit. I want my team to be good AND classy.
Sacked!
I heart you, Steeler defense. Ha! I bet all of you men who hate women who talk about football are cringing at that. Let me repeat it: I heart you, Steeler defense! And while I'm at it, I heart you Steeler offense, too.
We're from the town with that great football team. We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers! Pittsburgh wins 28-17!!!!
Welcome back, football season. You've been missed.

!!!

2006-09-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Go Steelers!

Good game so far. Interesting. I'm glad to see that the defense is stepping up.

Now, if Charlie will just throw the ball....

Oh, and we are not impressed with Santonio Holmes.

I'm just saying.

It's Starting!

2006-09-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

The first game of the regular season. The first touchdown of the regular season. I'm so excited!

Ha!

2006-08-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

This article cracked me up.

Is it September 7 yet?

I'm Not Worried

2006-08-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Paperback Writer here.

So, Saturday's game was a typical pre-season Steelers football game. The first quarter was okay and the rest of the game...sort of abysmal. Loki said it was terrible and I say it's just preseaon.

There's nothing to worry about. Didn't we lose three preseason games last year? And then didn't we win the Superbowl?

Look, preseason, means nothing. It's a nice way to alleviate the fans bloodthirst for real football. It also gives us - and other coaches - a chance to see the players that we'll never see in a regular season game.

It's the appetizer to the big picture.

And no, I'm still not worried about the preseason. I never am.

Not Cool

2006-08-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

I won't be able to see tonight's preseason game against Minnesota, and that's not cool. Normally I would head over to my favorite Steelers' bar, the Dark Horse, but I've been sick for the past week, and I know I can't be in a bar tonight if I expect to be better by Monday. So I'm stuck at home with my crappy TV networks that do not air Saturday night exhibition games. So, someone else will have to kepe me up-to-date on the game's going ons (ahem, PW).

Go Steelers!

Etc

2006-08-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a recap of the game on Saturday, for those of you in Central Asia. And here's another boring article about how well Ben's rehabilitation has gone and good he looked playing. Don't get me wrong--I want Ben to be in tip top shape for the season, etc, but come on, it's an old story already.

Not an old story: Holmes, you may look nice catching the ball, but I don't hold with you beating your baby's mama like that.

We Keep Saying

2006-08-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

It's only pre-season. Ben looked good, not like he recently suffered from traumatic head injuries at all. It's way too early to get a good feel of how this team is working together, or perhaps I'mnot experienced enough to tell the signs. Either way, I'll be glued to the pre-season games, in great anticipation finally opening the season next month.

Side note: it was nice to be back in Pittsburgh where every other person and your mama are wearing Steelers gear. It's time for me to break out the iron on letters and black t-shirts and start making my own gear. Any requests?

So Far Away

2006-08-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

I couldn't see the Steelers' loss, and I won't be able to see the rest of the pre-season, either. I don't understand--there have to be tons of American football fans in Kyrgyzstan, right?

Not that it will get all that much better back in TX. If a TX team is playing, they get their game on TV, even if it's the craptastic Texans forcing a much better team off my Austin area TV. So I've definitely got the whole Steelers fan in diaspora thing going on.

Whooo! Football Season!

2006-08-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

Paperback Writer here.

So my friend V is coming in from Chicago to go attend Steelers Training Camp on Thursday. Do you know how jealous I am of him? Not only that but he's taking E and Loki with him. Guess who can't go? Oh, yeah. That's right. Me.

Do you know how jealous I am about this?

But, that's okay. I'm an adult (supposedly) and I can handle it. Seriously.

Anyway, Mixi is coming into town this weekend (to celebrate her brother's graduation) and while she's in town the first pre-season game will be played. I can't wait.

Yeah, I know. It's dorky of me.

;)

Welcome!

2006-08-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Steel, a new blog all about the Pittsbugh Steelers. You may ask, why another blog about the Pittsburgh Steelers, I mean, didn't they just win the Super Bowl? Aren't they getting enough attention? As you can tell by the recent bouts of motorcycle stupidity that has infected the team, the answer is no, there can never be enough attention paid to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Which brings us back to this blog, where we can keep up with and share our love for the best team ever!

Stay tuned for more Steeler posts...