Steeler-mania!

Steelers vs. Titans
Week 1 - September 10, 2009

So, after all the Steelers games I've been to in the past, I finally got the cahones to take my camera. I'm always afraid I'll forget it, lose it, break it, or have it confiscated. I don't know why.
But after I finally got my new camera last year, and it's so small - I decided to give it a whirl.

And right off, I have to thank the random dude in the Limus Sweed jersey for picking my purse (with camera inside) up off the damn sidewalk down by the river and tapping me on the shoulder to hand it back. My purse strap had broken and I didn't even know it. (And no, I wasn't that drunk!)
So, thanks random Steelers fan. You're the coolest of cool!
Steeler fans rock, by the way.

Okay, first off we have a few pics of the fandemonium that is Steeler football. What a bunch of lunatics. The walk to the stadium (from where we park way back at the parking garage near Firewaters Restaurant, which is a hike - past PNC Park and on) is a nice one if you take the route by the river.

There are tons of boats, ships, yachts - whatever. This is just a small example:



Just inside the entrance to Heinz Field:



Once in the stadium, I took this pic from the first level, looking down on one of the gates as the fans are going in:



One of the many parking lots where folks tailgate and such:



My uncle Shawn was there, playing before the game with the Kittanning Fireman's Band:



A beautiful shot of Heinz Field just as people are taking their seats and the players are warming up:



Another shot of the stadium:



A shot of the beautiful city of Pittsburgh:



The Steelers bench during the National Anthem:



Troy Polamalu on the jumbotron. Couldn't resist:



Ready to go...
And yes, the seats are high up there in peanut heaven, but man - you can see everything from up there:

The big, bad Steeler "D" (had to get Harrison #92 in a shot for the hubby):

A difficult shot of the stadium, taken by merging three photos. Not great, but you get the jist of it:

Shot of fans whooping it up:

Offense on the move:

Waiting for the next play, or possibly a tv commercial break:

Huddling:

Another commercial break?

Most popular jersey?

#43 - The jersey I also wore.

GO STEELERS!!!!

Super Steelers!

What a nail-biter!!
But we have prevailed!
Talk about an exciting game.

And can you believe Harrison's interception - 100 yards back for a TD?
I've never seen anything like that before by a freakin' linebacker. Awesome!
No wonder he needed oxygen!



And Santonio Holmes?? Well deserving of MVP with that unbelievable catch in the last 35 seconds for the winning TD.



Fancy Footwork to say the least!


photo: James Borchuck/AP

So Congrats to our Steelers on a record 6 World Championships...more than any team in the NFL.
Couldn't have happened to a better team!

Six Pack

The Steelers can make history sunday by getting their sixth championship - they would be the only team in the NFL to get six.






The Steeler Nation is a rabid fan base.
I read somewhere today that there are Steeler fans EVERYWHERE all over Tampa, and very few Cardinal fans have been spotted. Steeler fans are well known for traveling all over the USA to see their beloved team.




Even the Prez is rooting for the Black & Gold...

good luck Steelers!!!

Polamalu saves the season!

photo: espn.com

Well, for a little while there in the fourth quarter I was getting pretty nervous - the Ravens were gaining momentum and were within just a field goal of winning - but the Steelers pulled off the win (23-14) against the Baltimore Ravens and are headed to Tampa for Superbowl XLIII on February 1st!

Polamalu ended any hope Baltimore had left in the final minutes by putting the nail in the coffin - intercepting the ball and running it 40 yards for a touchdown. It was a perfect ending to a (very) long and grueling game!

On a side note: Here's hoping Ravens star Willie McGahee is ok after a devastating hit by Ryan Clark of the Steelers (also dazed and confused after the hit but able to walk off under his own power).... McGahee was carted off the field but appeared to be moving all his extremities. Nasty!

The Steelers will be heavy favorites to win Superbowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals - who have never been to the big show before. Well, they might have gotten there, but I hope they don't think it'll be easy against our formidable "D".

GO STEELERS !!!

Bring on the Ravens!

photo: steelers.com

Ya-hoo!
As if you didn't know: The Steelers beat the Chargers today 35-24 to advance to the AFC Championship game next sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, and have home field advantage.

The Steelers were the only one of four teams who had home field advantage this weekend for their respective playoff games. Amazingly, three of the best teams - The Giants, Panthers and Titans - all fell to what I would say were considered lesser teams - underdogs at best.

The real star of today's game was Willie Parker (above) - completely healthy and running for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

Next week's game will be tough, cause those Ravens hate us almost as badly as we hate them... but hopefully we can show them what it's like to lose THREE times to the same team in one year.

If so, it's off to the Superbowl for a date with destiny.
And a possible match up with our Pennsylvania counterpart, The Philadelphia Eagles (if they defeat the Arizona Cardinals next weekend)..
It'd really be something if the Superbowl was between two teams from PA.

Go Steelers!!

No surprise here

The NFL Power rankings are out and guess who's #1 ??

Whoo-hoo!

Division Champs, again!

Congrats to the Steelers, who snuck past the Baltimore Ravens in the final 43 seconds of the game to win, and cement their place as the 2008 AFC North Division Champs.
The score was a paltry 13-9, a real defensive battle.

To me (and I'm sure to the Steelers as well) - it was just DAMN nice to beat Baltimore, especially on the road.
Their record improves to 11-3.


photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images/ESPN

Special shout out to Santonio Holmes for that outstanding -and quite lucky- footwork (above), reeling that touchdown in at the end of the game. Wow.

Once again, they pulled a win out of their butt in the fourth quarter. I much prefer the 'blow-the-other-team-out-of-the-water' type of game. I get way too nervous when they are behind or nursing a minuscule lead.
But hey, a win is a win. And this was a sweet one.

Now the Steelers are assured a first-round bye in the playoffs. They meet the Tennessee Titans (who lost this week - yay!) next week in another tough one.

One game at a time, guys.
It's only a matter of time.

Black and Gold all over...

Photo: steelers.com

Congrats to the Steelers who rallied to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys and win their 10th game this year!
One of the TD's was scored by Deshea Townsend off a 25 yard interception.

Pittsburgh has the #1 Defense in the entire NFL, with good reason.

Poor, smug Tony Romo didn't know what hit him, that arrogant SOB.
Wonder if Jessica was watching. I'm sure Pittsburgh is too freakin' cold for her hefty bosom to be uncovered in, so she probably passed.

The score was 20-13 and the Steelers improve to 10-3 and seem certain to head into the playoff picture at the top of their division.

Yea!