Wow. What a game. Still A Dog and I arrived around 1:00 PM after we stopped along the way to purchase ponchos. That turned out to be one of the smartest moves ever made, short of not bringing one from my house 300 miles away in the first place! We had fried fish sandwiches for lunch at The Oyster House, courtesy of The Dog who used to eat there while in school. We trolled around town until around 3:00 PM and then headed over to the game to meet the rest of our crew. It started to rain before we ever got there so we poncho'd up...but then it stopped again....so we deponcho'd. Some random thoughts from the game and I'll try to post pictures later as I'm having issues with my phone:
1. The place went nuts when Hank Williams Jr. was introduced to sing the banner. Nuts.
2. When they introduced special guest Bill Cowher, it was a good moment for me. He enjoyed seeing the players. The players certainly enjoyed seeing him. He was fired up. He was mock pushing players away trying to fire them up even more. What I did notice, though, was that a few "boo's" could be heard when they introduced him. All the man did was bring us respectability for almost his entire tenure. Like him or not, why "Boo" him on this special occasion? They were the "winningest" team in the NFL while he was there and lead the league in rushing and stopping the rush as well. At least give the man the respect he deserves.
3. Ben is playing out of his gourd right now. When he leaves the pocket, good things happen. When he stays in the pocket, good things happen. I'm glad they didn't give up on the run as well. Running against Baltimore is like running into a meat grinder (Dog Quote) but we can now win games and be impressive doing it when the run isn't clicking.
4. James Harrison - OMG! Tomlin said on the post game that he never coached a LB who had a better game than that. 'Nuff said.
5. Early in the game Ben could have easily ran for a 1st down on 3rd and short but decided to throw it instead....incomplete.
6. I'm guessing Willie didn't go for the corners as much because of the weather. Did you know it rained? :) Our seats were about 5 rows under the roof so we only got it when the wind blew hard.
7. On the 75th team:
A. Where was Lambert?
B. Since the game was a blowout, it would have been nice to bring out the current guys.
C. The crowd cheered for Faneca - not as much as some of the other guys. It got hard to keep up the intensity through 33 guys.
D. I think the crowd may have been louder for the Bus than for anyone else. I would say the other loudest cheers were for Ham, Greene, Swann, Stallworth, Franco and Bradshaw. The dynasty guys outshined everyone else.
E. Bennie Cunningham looks so much lighter!
F. I think it would have been special to bring out Myron Cope and I'm wondering why they didn't? What's wrong with the marketing department? I guess technically, he's not affiliated with the team?
G. I was so glad I got to cheer Gregg Lloyd one more time.
H. I already said I don't think Porter deserved to be on the team - but the fans voted him on and then they "boo'd" him last night (he wasn't there either). He got cut, he didn't leave. He also said very nice things about being selected and was proud and honored. Not sure he deserved to be "boo'd" on a night like this. If he doesn't sack Manning twice on successive plays - would we have even went to the Super Bowl in 2005?
8. What is wrong with people who can't sit still at games? I was on the aisle and I swear to God, some people are up and down the steps 5-6 times per game. I just don't get it. How you can go to the game and not pay attention is beyond me.
9. I had Beavis and Butthead sitting behind me last night for 3 quarters. These two drunk idiots were just screaming the entire game...stupid stuff. "Yeah, Baby". "Pittsburgh, Baby". "All day ,Baby". When they would tone it down to discuss football with other, it was obvious that combined, a pigeon knew more about the game. Then the language started and I was a little embarrassed for them and I can talk like a sailor with the best of them. I just don't go to public events and yell at the top of my lungs with women around "F&*# Baltimore Yinz Bitches". Their command of the English language was sad.
10. Why Why Why did they let Ben go back in after his hip pointer rolling right? STOOOOPID! Batch is one of the better backups in the league. It's 35-7. Relax!
I know I'm forgetting some things I wanted to point out, but I only got 4.5 hours of sleep last night after driving back to where I was staying in flurries from hell. I could barely see the road at some points! Will update this later tonight or tomorrow.
1 comment:
Dog Poop:
The Original Oyster house in Market Sqaure in downtown Pittsburgh makes the biggest and best fish sandwich anywhere. It is the oldest continuously operating restaurant/bar west of the Allegheny mountains (since 1827). Everybody who visits Pittsburgh wants a Primanti Bros. sandwich, but directly across the square from Primantis where you will find the Dog when he's in town.
1. The Stillers never lose when Bocephus is in the house. Take it to the bank.
2. I was as critical as any of Bill Cowher as Steeler coach. But on a night like last night. You have to give the man his due. He's a local boy who brought home a Super Bowl championship. His incessant Field Goals be damned, I cheered for him.
3. Correction. Ben played out of his gourd Monday Night, not all season or even recently. He is just now getting his arms around the whole offense and developing a close relationship with his receivers and offensive coordinator. I am most encouraged by the light going on for Santonio Holmes moreso than Ben. I will repeat myself again. "When Ben and Santonio finally connect entirely they are going to be an awesome combination." But no doubt it was a turning point in Big Ben's career. Up until last night he was a good young QB. Now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are Ben Roethlisberger's team.
4. James Harrison. The Ravens shouldn't have come to the zoo if they couldn't handle the "Silverback." And he was waaaaay too much for them Monday night.
5. I pointed this out to Fan during the game a couple times. But in retrospect, I give Ben a pass on this minor error. The way he was throwing the ball there was really no reason to run.
6. As I've said before, Willie is not a "pile mover." He's an elusive long strider with average vision for a RB. Running last night was about moving the pile, evidenced by our 9 man offensive line on countless plays. I think the Ravens run D is just that good. The weakness was their corners where two starters were out. We exploited their weakness perfectly. Fast Willie can make up his yards against the Dolphins.
75th Team. Still looking for Jack Lambert. Bradshaw was having a great time. Lots of guys have lost a lot of weight from their playing days, Jon Kolb and Larry Brown especially. No video for Ernie Stautner, how could that be??? Joey Porter and Tunch Ilkin did not belong on that team. Glad we had "Motormouth" for those two plays on Manning in the January '06 playoff game but otherwise more BS than substance. Woulda been nice to see both Myron Cope and Chuck Noll.
The stars aligned Monday night. Now it's on to face a much better Cleveland Browns team for the division championship this weekend.
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