Super Bowl XXX was the first time the Pittsburgh Steelers lost a championship game in their illustrious history.  Their opponents were the Dallas Cowboys.  Troy Aikman was the victorious quarterback.  The Steelers started off slow in that game but mounted a furious comeback that was ultimately undone by one too many mistakes.

Fifteen years later, the Steelers found themselves in Super Bowl XLV.  Ironically, it took place at Cowboys Stadium.  Troy Aikman was there calling the game.  And, once again, the Black and Gold staged a valiant comeback which was ultimately thwarted by too many miscues.

You can only dig so many holes.  Eventually, you run out of shovels.

The Steelers lived dangerously throughout this year’s playoffs.  Gave up a huge lead to Baltimore.  Ben Roethlisberger played lousy against the Jets.  Yet they found a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  Against the Green Bay Packers, they tempted fate once too often.

This performance was pretty much a Cliff’s Notes version of everything which had led to this point.  The Steelers went into halftime staring at a 21-10 deficit.  Ben made a handful of plays but played poorly overall.  The secondary, a question mark all season, broke down at inopportune times.  And if this game doesn’t signal the end of the Bruce Arians era, he must have pictures of Art Rooney II cross-dressing at a Lady Gaga concert or something.

I said in my game preview the Steelers would be well-served to emphasize the running game like they did against New York.  On their second possession of the game, Pittsburgh lined up with David Johnson at fullback and ran the ball down Green Bay’s throat.  Then, on 3rd and 1, Arians went with his beloved empty backfield and the pass fell incomplete.  They wouldn’t return to a consistent ground attack until the second half.

Backed up at their 7, Arians dialed up a deep bomb to Mike Wallace.  He was open but Ben’s arm was hit on release and the duck was picked by Nick Collins.  Collins returned it for a touchdown.  A few drives later, Ben tried to squeeze a pass to Wallace between two defenders.  Jarrett Bush snatched the ball away from Flash for the second costly turnover of the half.

Why were we throwing so much against what is generally considered the strength of the Packers defense?  WHO KNOWS.  Why does the rain in Spain fall mostly on the plain?  WHO KNOWS.  Do androids dream of electric sheep?  WHO KNOWS.

I’m taking nothing away from the Packers.  They played like the Super Bowl veterans while Aaron Rodgers earned a well-deserved MVP award.  This game could have been uglier than Fergie’s outfit during that debacle of a halftime show if not for the Packers young receivers repeatedly dropping his perfect passes.  So to say the Steelers beat themselves would not be fair because most of those drops would’ve went for long gains.

In a happier alternate reality, Wallace would have been the MVP after being left wide open time and time again by a badly banged up Green Bay secondary playing without Charles Woodson.  Ben’s throws were routinely off-line, missing a streaking Wallace on a sure touchdown early in the third quarter being perhaps the most egregious of his errors.  Every game has bounces that go one way or the other.  The outcome hinges on who makes the plays when they need to be made.  When the chips were down, Rodgers made the plays.  Ben did not.

Neither did Dick LeBeau‘s defense.  They didn’t play badly but they didn’t play particularly well either.  Troy Polmalu was a total non-factor.  They failed to generate a single turnover.  And they wilted toward the end of the game, surrendering a 31 yard pass to Greg Jennings and a 21 yarder to James Jones when they desperately needed to get off the field.  Granted, they eventually forced a field goal but by then the clock had been milked past the two minute warning while Green Bay’s lead had been upped to six points.

Despite all the errors, the proud Steelers did not go quietly right up to the final drive of the game.  Although the game really turned when they rediscovered the running game in the second half and it allowed them to cut the 11 point deficit to 4.  As the fourth quarter began, the Black and Gold had the momentum and were driving when Rashard Mendenhall was double-humped by Clay Matthews and Ryan Pickett and the ball popped loose.  A lot of football was left to be played but that ultimately proved to be one mistake too many.

Congratulations to the World Champion Green Bay Packers.  Also, a heartfelt thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Losing the Super Bowl sucks.  No way around it.  But when you consider the adversity they faced this season, from the unfair persecution of their starting quarterback, to the injuries to key personnel, to being targeted by a corrupt commissioner and being victimized by blatantly biased officiating, there really is no way to consider this year a failure regardless of how the journey ends.   So, thank you, Black and Gold, for playing with the heart of a champion even if you eventually fell short of that goal.

There’s always next year…

It’s ironic that the biggest “scandal” of Super Bowl XLV has been Ben Roethlisberger singing karaoke at a piano bar.  I put “scandal” in quotes because only a humongous tool would think Big Ben did anything wrong by enjoying a night out with his teammates.  And I say ironic because music seems to be Steeler Nation‘s second favorite pastime after watching the Pittsburgh Steelers. Every day for the past two weeks, my inbox has been deluged with odes to the most decorated franchise in NFL history.

Of course, the most popular is Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa‘s “Black and Yellow.”  I’m not really much of a rap/hip-hop fan but if someone petitioned Mayor Raven SteelersStahl to make that the city’s official anthem, I’d sign up.  I dare any proud yinzer (or ex-yinzer) to watch that video and not swell (or swool as the rappers say) with hometown pride.  To show the power of Steeler Nation, the single has been certified Double Platinum (ie: two million units sold) and currently sits at #3 on Billboard’s top 100.  I know I have a nationwide readership so those of you around the country, please call or email your favorite radio station requesting that song so we can take over the airwaves like we take over opposing teams’ stadiums.

The Green Bay Packers have struck back with a song by Lil Wayne called “Green and Yellow.”  This is hilarious because, for one, Lil Wayne is from New Orleans.  He’s not from Green Bay nor has he probably ever been to Green Bay.  I can’t really blame them for seeking outside help since, let’s face it, tipping over cows during the dead of night passes for “creativity” in Wisconsin.

Anyway, I’ve been deluged with Steelers Fight Songs, so I decided to devote a post toward the end of the week to them.  Personally, I’m happy with “Renegade” but I’m a huge fan of 80s hair bands.  Leave a comment on which one(s) you like the best.  Hopefully some of these get you FIRED UP!

Since this is a fairly long post, click the Continue Reading button to jump to the videos.
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A little less than a week from now, the Pittsburgh Steelers will take the field in Jerry Jones $1.3 billion dollar tribute to his small penis ego.   Anytime the Black and Gold reaches the Super Bowl, that’s a good thing.  But to reach the big game the year it’s being hosted by our hated rivals makes it even sweeter.  It’s like throwing the biggest, baddest party on the block then watching as the guy you can’t stand leaves with the hottest girl there.

For those of you rich to afford the $2,500-22,000 price tag tickets are going for, have fun among the Cheeseheads.  Ticket buying trends indicated Green Bay Packers fans initially outbought Steeler Nation by a 2-to-1 margin although the trend has evened out.  I fully expect the crowd to be mixed as the Pack have a national following far superior to the laughably tiny fanbases enjoyed by the Seahawks or Cardinals.  So while the Black and Gold are really “America’s Team,” it won’t be a veritable home game like our previous two Super Bowl appearances.

Giving credit where it’s due, Cowboys Stadium does appear to be a first class facility.  Even sitting way up in peanut heaven like in the above shot, the sightlines seem excellent.  And if they weren’t, you could still watch the action thanks to the giant-ass screen looming like the Death Star a mere ninety feet above the field.  After paying $900 for your parking spot and making your way inside the stadium, you’ll be able to enjoy a vast array of first class amenities such as:

Stripper cages.  Yes, JerryWorld comes fully equipped with everything a discerning football could possibly want.  Cup holders, a full taco bar, and cage dancers.  Make sure you ask the parking attendant to slip you a few singles so you can show the ladies how much you “appreciate” their efforts.  Speaking of which, one thing you won’t see on Super Bowl Sunday are these:

Eyes up  here, perv.  I’m talking about cheerleaders.  Yes, Green Bay and Pittsburgh are two of only six NFL teams without cheerleading squads.  It makes sense the Pack wouldn’t have pom-pom girls since Wisconsin women eat so much cheese you’d never be able to find one who looks good in spandex.   Pittsburgh would have no problem fielding an array of gorgeous blue-eyed blonde haired Polish girls but our women actually watch football here in the ‘Burgh.

One sight you’re guaranteed to see on Sunday is the Terrible Towel. According to Amazon.com, Myron Cope‘s baby is the #2 best seller  in bed and bath products. Huh?  Using the Towel as a bath towel would be sacrilege.  Everybody knows the Terrible Towel is a flag, a fan souvenir, or, occasionally, a mini-skirt.

Speaking of which, have you checked out my Steeler Pride contest?   You have a chance to win some really awesome Black and Gold gear for your cell phone, iPad, or iPod.  Click right here to check out the contest details and how to enter.

Anyway, let’s give a big thanks to Jerry Jones for constructing such a magnificent palace for us to play in.  Enjoy this sight on Sunday, Double J.  Love, Steeler Nation.

Yesterday, hometown fans sent the Pittsburgh Steelers off in style with a raucous rally at Heinz Field.  An estimated 18,000 card-carrying members of Steeler Nation braved weather colder than your mother-in-law’s stare for one last opportunity to support their Black and Gold clad heroes before they head off for godforsaken (but seasonably warm) Dallas.  I tend to be a bit jaded when it comes to pro athletes, particularly football players and their massive egos, but the fact almost half the team (twenty-seven players) showed up for the festivities really speaks to the connection many of them share with this city.

Among the highlights were Brett Keisel, owner of the greatest playoff beard ever, singing the “Here We Go” fight song.  James Harrison acting typically badass before beat-boxing (?!) while Rashard Mendenhall busted a move.  The crowd going absolutely ballistic when “Renegade” played on the scoreboard.  And, of course, a chorus of boos greeting obnoxious mayor Luke Raven, er “Steelerstahl,” who didn’t reveal whether he would be attending the Super Bowl on the city’s dime like he did the Stanley Cup finals.

This display of Steeler Pride has inspired me to run one final contest before the big game next Sunday.  Awhile back, I was contacted by a company called Coveroo.  They sent me a snazzy Troy Polamalu emblazoned cover for my iPad which was the envy of all my co-workers.  Well, now it’s your chance to win some free Steeler swag of your own.

Coveroo creates custom phone covers, cases, battery doors, face plates and back plates for iPhones, iPads, BlackBerries, and dozens of other phones and portable electronic devices.  It’s not a skin.  It’s not a decal.  It’s not a cheap sticker.  It’s an actual casing that replaces your existing casing with one bearing a design of your own choosing.  You don’t need to send your phone, iPad, or iPod to Coveroo, just replace your existing case with the one they send you.

Coveroo holds cover-art licenses for many bands/musical artists, TV shows, and movies.  There are over 5,000 designs in their catalog, from university and corporate logos to cartoon characters and tattoo designs.  People can also upload any original artwork or designs they want, such as their child’s artwork or a favorite photo.  All you do is visit their website by clicking on or going to  Coveroo.com, choose the cover or case  you prefer, and they’ll ship it within 48 hours.

Best of all,  Coveroo holds an exclusive license for the Pittsburgh Steelers!  If you want your cell phone, iPod, or iPad pimped out in Black and Gold, this is your golden opportunity (check out the designs by clicking here).  You can also choose from any of their other designs (such as Pitt or the Pirates) but I’m going to assume people want use their electronic gadgets in public.

Usually when I run a contest, I tie it in with an upcoming game.  Unfortunately, there are no football games this weekend except the Pro Bowl, which can only loosely be defined as football.  I don’t want to tie it in with the Super Bowl because let’s face it, there’s already enough on the line as it is.  So I’m going to do something different, something inspired by last night’s rally at Heinz Field.

I want to see your Steeler Pride.  Other websites have had readers send in pictures of themselves waving Terrible Towels at the top of the Eiffel Tower or some such.  Therefore, I’m giving you the chance to represent Steeler Nation.  I want to know the person winning the contest is a diehard member.  That’s not unreasonable, is it?

Simply post a photo showing off your Steeler Pride.  It can be anything from a shot of your black truck with the logo painted on the hood to you dressed up as Troy for Halloween to your dog wearing a Terrible Towel themed ran slicker.  It can even be something as simple as you wearing the jersey of your favorite player (bonus points for females wearing actual authentic jerseys instead of those disgusting pink abominations).  I don’t care what you share as long is it shows you’re a member of the Nation.

Here’s the best part, I have three free Coveroos to giveaway.  THREE.  Since I want all entrants to have a fair chance, I’m going to put everybody who submits a photo’s name in a hat and then pick three winners.  HOWEVER, to reward creativity, people who submit a particularly unique or clever (or out and out crazy Steeler obsessed) photo will get multiple names put in the hat.

In other words, if you submitted a picture of your dog looking like this:

It’s one picture but instead of your name going into the hat once, you’d get three pieces of paper with your name in the hat because you’re awesome.  Note:  that was a professionally done grooming job.  Please don’t dye your dog yourself.  Noting pisses me off more than animal cruelty.  Also note:  I’ve seen plenty of fan-photos from the various Pittsburgh related websites on the web.  If you a steal a photo, I will call you on it.  Don’t be a dick.

Contest will run until Friday so you have plenty of time to get your photos in.  My blog doesn’t support images in the comments so you’ll have to just post the link.  If you’re shy or don’t have any way to get it uploaded, you can email it to me directly by using this email address (clickable):  nicepickchris@gmail.com

Good Luck.   And Go Steelers!

The Pittsburgh Steelers travel out to the Show Me State this weekend to take a gander at the new look Kansas City Chiefs.  Unfortunately for long-suffering Chiefs fans, what they’ll see is more of the same losing football they’ve seen for more than a decade.  KC is a text book example of how not to run a franchise.  Unless you’re trying to run it into the ground.  The Chiefs have won exactly four of their past thirty four games and that trend doesn’t look like it’s about to reverse itself anytime soon.

Let’s start as we always do with the offensive side of the ball.  Their best weapon was TE Tony Gonzalez.  He was traded during the offseason because he wanted to play for a winner.  Then there is Larry Johnson.  Johnson put up incredible numbers for the Chiefs (on an incredible amount of carries) in two consecutive seasons.  He also displayed an O.J. Simpson-esque touch with the ladies as he was arrested on four separate occasions, all of them involving violence against women.  KC rewarded this misogynist with a 6 year $45 million contract.  Only after insulting his head coach on Twitter was he finally released a couple weeks back, eventually finding a new home with every criminal’s favorite hideout, the Bengals.

Although those players are gone, there are still plenty of mistakes on the team.  Following a season when he played exactly one month of decent football, the Chiefs traded for Patriots backup Matt Cassel.  Before taking a single snap, they rewarded Cassel with a 6 year $63 million deal.  Geniuses.  Of course, the only remotely decent WR he has to throw to is Dwayne Bowe. But Bowe will not play this Sunday because he’s sitting out a four game suspension for steroid use.  Todd Haley coached a high-powered Cardinals offense all the way to the Super Bowl last season but he’d have to be Miracle Max to improve on the 18 points per game average the team had last year.

For the Steelers, it appears to be all systems go on the offensive side of the ball.  Bruce Arians allegedly plans to rein in his Flying Circus in favor of a more balanced attack. I’ll believe that when I see it.  Still, a heavy dose of Rashard Mendenhall would be exactly what this team needs to get back on a winning track.  Especially since KC is ranked down near the bottom of the league in rush defense.

Which brings us to yet more bad news for the Chiefs.  Only 0-16 Detroit gave up more yardage last year as KC set a new record for futility by recording a total of only 10 sacks.  This year they’ve switched over to a 3-4 and used their first two draft picks on stud defensive prospects, Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee. They also took on more Patriots garbage by taking ancient LB (and former Steeler) Mike Vrabel in the Cassel trade and signing the equally ancient Zach Thomas away from the Cowboys. With no pass rush, the secondary got picked on last year and yet it’s probably the strength of this unit.

For the Steelers, there are injuries aplenty to worry about.  Troy Polamalu remains “questionable” but is definitely not playing Sunday.  Look, if we can’t beat the Chiefs without Troy, just forfeit the rest of the season because we’re done.  In other injury news, Travis Kirschke‘s sprained calf is now torn because Mike Tomlin is a filthy liar.  He did try some individual drills this week but evidently he’s still a few weeks away.  Shockingly, I’m okay with his absence because his backup (or the backup to the backup if you’re keeping score), Nick Eason, has done a fairly solid job.  Last year, the Steelers D sacked Cassel seven times as they dazed and confused him all afternoon. While he’s now a year more experienced, I still expect James Harrison and company to be after him like a school of sharks tasting blood in the water.

Although they say “Any Given Sunday” for a very legitimate reason, this weekend should be little more than a tune-up.  I expect a professional, tidy effort from the Steelers in taking care of business like good teams do when they play the dregs of the NFL.  Get in, get your win, and get out without anybody getting hurt.  Next week we have the first of two games against the Ratbirds which may very well decide our season.  No time like the present to start playing winning football.