#58 DA MAN!

Last month Goody Two Shoes asked what I wanted for my birthday. At the time I had no idea. Three days later I found out Jack Lambert, my favorite Steeler, and the biggest badass of all time would be signing autographs today up in Butler, PA.






I waited 30 years for this day...and it was worth it.

Pittsburgh Math

The NFL season is about to get underway and my Steelers are looking to defend their 6th world championship. So, in the spirit of good fun...and a whole lot of bias I offer this simple mathematical equation.

What it is...


What it was...


What it shall be!

Where did I get the numbers? Training camp...where else.

Training Camp

Goody Two Shoes & me drove over to Latrobe to watch the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers practice. At the moment they have 82 players on the roster, which will have to be weeded down to 52 or 53 by the end of camp in three weeks. Here's a few snaps of yesterday's fun.


Big Ben and the 1st unit offense

Big Ben, Matt Spaeth, and Hines Ward.

Pitch and catch.



Big Ben

Coach Mike Tomlin

A.Q. Shipley from Penn State


#1 draft choice Ziggy Hood


The back of my shirt kinda says it all.

It's gonna be a fun year!

Doin' Things My Way

I love to go cycling. And I know I'm supposed to wear a helmet. Problem I don't like the looks of most bike helmets. What to do? The answer is easy...make my own. But what to come up with that is practical, functional, and expresses my personality. It's easier than you think.

Start with a basic black skateboarding helmet. Okay, so it has the manufacturers logo smeared all over it. No problem...

A couple of coats of gloss black paint and those logos are long gone.

Add a little striping, some numbers, and a new logo, and new my bike helmet is ready for the trail.

My new helmet got broke in yesterday. Rode from Ohiopyle to Confluence and back. Yeah, I got more than just a few looks.


Steelers Black n' Gold...live it, love it, breathe it, bleed it.

ONE FOR THE AGES

From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

It was the best Super Bowl I've ever seen. Even better than last year when the G-men beat the Patriots. But I gotta tell you, the last five minutes of the game were the most nerve-wracking I've ever lived through. And when Phoenix scored with less than three minutes to play in the game I remember thinking that it's not supposed to end like this. How little did I know?

Goody Two Shoes called the final three minutes excruciating, and she was right. But, would the game mean as much if the Steelers would have won 20-7 (the score before Kurt Warner brought the Cardinals back.) I doubt if it would.

This says it all.


Getty Images

The SWEEEEEEET smell of success.
Getty Images

The only bummer in all this was that I went down to the Book Center (local newsstand) to buy a copy of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette but the owner informed me that he didn't get any. Major bummer. Oh, well, I can live without it.

Oh, yeah. Here's the best commercial from this years Super Bowl.

Pep Rally - Part 2

Here's a little video tribute to the Steelers defense.


I had a few minutes to kill so I wandered through the Steelers Walk of Fame. I've never made any secret of the fact that Jack Lambert is my favorite Steeler.

Jack Lambert - DA MAN!

Mean Joe Greene's locker.


A few final thoughts from Friday night:

It was a real treat hanging out with 20,000 other people who share the same affliction as we do.

We got to see a fight. Two women started shoving and slapping and pulling hair and...you get the picture.

Got asked where me 'n Goody Two Shoes are from and people were surprised when we said we were from Western Maryland. "You're kidding," they said, to which Goody Two Shoes responded, "You might see some Ravens fans or Redskins fans where we live, but Western Maryland is Steelers country."

Really, really enjoyed the South Fayette HS Band. They were positively fantastic.

Lastly...I hope we all get to do all over again next year!

GO STEELERS!

Pep Rally - Pittsburgh Steelers Style

Went over to Heinz Field last night with about 25,000 other screaming Steelers fans. The weather was mild for late January in western Pennsylvania. The gates didn't open until 5:00 but two or three thousand were already waiting in line to get in when Goody Two Shoes 'n me arrived. Here are a few snaps from last nights festivities.

To be sure, there was tailgating...and music...and games...and drinking.



Waiting with everyone else for Gate A to open.

Steeler fans are a colorful lot, to be sure. Kind of like this old fella, who was getting interviewed when I took his picture.

Then there was this fella with a steel beam through his hard hat.

Some members of Steeler Nation go ape for their team. (Sorry, I couldn't help it)

Did I mention there was drinking? Okay, I did. These three guys, (who were feeling no pain) had a Steelers flag on a pole long enough that I couldn't get them and the flag in one shot. Anyway, they had little red birds tied off to the pole. (Look in the upper right corner and you can see them)

Finally, we're heading in. A first for me last night was getting patted down by security.

Former Steelers lineman and current Steelers broadcaster, Tunch Ilkin hanging out before the ceremonies begin.

The sign says it all.

Me 'n Goody Two Shoes

Goody Two Shoes before she started getting cold.

The Pittsburgh Poison All-star Dance Team got the crowd going.

Then the South Fayette High School Marching Band came out. We went to cheer on our Steelers as they get ready to go to Tampa, but we came away fans of these kids. They were fantastic! Their uniforms were what ever Steelers jersey they happened to own.

When it was time to play, they sprinted onto the field and went right into their first number.

They kicked, high-stepped, twirled, and danced while they played.

They even managed to play in formation...like 99 percent of all other bands do.

They even managed to play while flat on their backs.

And when it was time to go, they got in a conga line and danced off the field. This is the best high school band I've ever seen!

Then it was time for the Clarks, a local Pittsburgh favorite. Here they are performing a song called Cigarette.


After the Clarks it was time to get pumped because the Steelers were coming out.


HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO! Feel the power of the Terrible Towel.

First, Mr. Rooney thanked everyone for coming out and supporting the Steelers.


Then Jeff Reed came out. Nice hair!

James Harrison.

And then came Big Ben.

On the stage, thanking everyone for coming out, and promising to bring a 'Six Pack' home to Pittsburgh.

We had a fantastic time. A big thanks to Suzy at Suzy's Bloomers for the timely info on the Pep Rally.