In Love with the Game, Mom's View : CBSSports.com Blogs

From My Family to Yours

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 3:00:49 EST

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season. Whether you're observing Hanukkah, celebrating Christmas, participating in Kwanzaa, or observing the Yule. May your days be bright, your nights peaceful. May you have the love of friends and family surround you.

Happy Hanukkah

Merry Yule

Merry Christmas

Will...Seriously?

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:44:04 EST

Recently on this site, Will Brinson decided to devote some time to chastising Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for an evening out earlier in the week at a Dallas dueling piano bar with some of his linemen. Now Will has given equal ... ummm... opportunity to say...to Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Yes, Will actually did a bed check on the young quarterback. Like many others, I just shook my head and said "this is reporting?".

However, Will uses these "incidents" to site whether or not there would be distractions. Well, it's possible, but...

Bear with me while I recount somethings...

After the loss to Cleveland in 2009, then Steelers wide receive Santonio Holmes had tweeted how he was heading to Florida for the weekend. Steelers Wide Receiver Hines Ward posted how he had to get away and was planning on spending time that weekend with his child. In both instances Steelers fans were quick to lash out at the two saying they should be practicing. My thought process was, let them decompress, let them come back fresh. That next Sunday was probably one of the most exciting games that we witnessed from the Steelers that season. It was..ahem...against the Green Bay Packers. Remember that game Will? 800 plus yds combined and over 70 points put up on the board? Despite the fans believing that the weekend down time would provide a distraction, it didn't.

Okay, so this is lame

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:58:51 EDT

AP Dateline: September 17th, 2010, New York City, NY

New York City riot squad was called to the front of the offices of the National Football League, when it was reported that a bunch of angry women were circling the sidewalk, yelling and making cat calls. After a few moments, police left the scene without incident and it was reported that a female officer was seen running into the liquor store and returning to the scene with a bottle of champagne.

When asked why the women were protesting, the organizer Mary Jones stated “protesting hell, we’re celebrating that Clinton Portis opted to become a professional football player and not a gynecologist.”

Podunk Iowa, September 17th, 2010

Yes Virginia, Men are allowed there....

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:33:29 EDT

There's a popular belief that while women are allowed in men's locker rooms, men aren't allowed in women's locker rooms. It exists in the public, it exists on message boards, and sadly...as shown by ESPN's Mike Golic on Mike and Mike in the morning. When Golic responded to a question as to why men aren't allowed in the women's locker, he stated he didn't know, they just aren't. Perhaps the inaccurate response may be the result of...ummm..lack of coverage in women's sports and the news process after that.

Please...rest assured, there is no double standard when it comes to women locker rooms. The court ruling that granted a woman access to the Yankee’s clubhouse in 1978 and the subsequent changes that came in to place by the mid-80s by major sports organizations, also took away any barrier that existed in keeping male reporters out of women’s locker rooms. No double standards here. Women are aware that we can’t have our cake and eat it too.

Jets-Sainz, Can of Worm - Part II

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:13:50 EDT

Simple question here. If you have a daughter, wouldn’t you want her to have every opportunity available to excel and succeed in her chosen career? Careful gentlemen on how you answer this question. Answer it one way, you’re a feminist, another, someone may consider you a knuckle dragging Neanderthal. But seriously, wouldn’t you want every opportunity for your daughter to succeed in her chosen career field?

I’m going to keep this personal and try to hit at your heart strings here. Here’s your daughter, who, grew up watching Sunday football with you trying to make it in the world of sports reporting. Here’s your daughter who you taught how to throw a softball, hold a bat, kick a soccer ball, wanting to make a name for herself in her chosen profession. Here’s your daughter, who received a college scholarship for volleyball, now stuck doing high school football stories while her male co-worker advances on to bigger and better things, all because he was able to have access to big name sources (players) to provide quotes and substance for their articles. Your daughter, unfortunately, was not allowed the same access based on her gender.

Jets, Sainz and a Long Buried Can of Worms

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 5:59:32 EDT

Early this morning, a friend of mine, that I’ll call T, popped up on my instant messenger. Now I had became acquainted with T when he emailed me to comment on one of my CBS Sports blogs from several years ago. So it wasn’t a surprise with how the conversation went.

T: So what do you think about what’s going on with the Jets?

Me: They have no offense

T: No not that.

Twelve Step Program - Just In Case

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:21:41 EST

There I was, it was a perfect early morning. Everyone in the house was asleep and when I woke up, even the cats were somewhere dozing peacefully and for awhile, all was right with world. Coffee was brewing and the scent filled the house, with a wonderful smell. As I sat at the computer, an infomercial droned in the background, more for noise then anything else. With no interruptions, no cats climbing across the keyboard or jumping up and trying to grab my arm, I set about my morning routine on the computer. There was no indication that things were about to go horribly awry.

The source was innocent enough, a site that I had requested to receive periodic updates through email. As I read through it, I felt my eye twitch and my hand begin to shake. I let go of the mouse as if it sent some electric charge through the wireless object into my hand, and without realizing it, I let out a loud no, more of a sorrowful moan then a coherent word. And, as surreal as a Salvador Dali painting time stood still as I read over and over again…”sign up now for Food Network’s Fantasy Iron Chef Challenge”…

And Cabin Fever Begins.

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:25:48 EST

Yesterday, the Saints did come marching in. Through New Orleans, in a Superbowl celebration when the football team brought the Lombardi trophy to a town that, until this year, had yet to see it enshrined there. Not seen were the once famous paper bags, now put away forever, along with the nickname the “Aint’s”. Mardi Gras came early for the city that started it’s celebration Sunday night on Bourbon Street and continued on through the next day. Across the country, Saints fans were jubilant. On Facebook, a picture of Jimmy Buffet was posted, posing with the Lombardi and author Anne Rice wrote how she was wishing that she, too, was there amongst the other fans. No doubt, there were a lot of folks who once called New Orleans home, were having the same feelings, wanting to be there, to join the celebration. I understand that desire, all too well.

If Only ... - Part Two

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 6:24:45 EST

Prior to the start of the 2009, in true homer fashion, I had projected the Steelers to win Superbowl XLIV. Okay, I’ll admit, I’m not a complete homer. As much as I would love to see the Steelers make the Superbowl year in and year out, I also know that’s not always a possibility. When Tommy Maddox went down in 2004, a year after the Steelers finished 6-10, I expected another losing season under a rookie quarterback (see, I’m not always right about the Steelers).

My reason for the projection though really wasn’t out of homerism (though my fantasy football picks were), just more out of logic. And I’m sure that many non-Steelers fans agreed that if there was a team at the time that was perfectly poised for a back to back, it was the 09 Steelers. Limited turnover in personnel, the strength of talent on this current Steelers roster and their 09 schedule had them perfectly poised to do it. Unfortunately my predictions fell short, sort of like the Steelers season.

If Only

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 0:13:55 EST

A wing and a prayer, that’s what it came down to, prayers that somehow a miracle will happen, or should we say three miracles? It could happen. After all, who foresaw the losses of the Bengals, Eagles and Steelers to the Raiders? Who thought the Ravens would miss opportunities by stepping on their own toes? Who would have thought that a rookie quarterback with 12 TDs and 20 interceptions would still be in the playoff hunt, Rex Ryan surely didn’t. Miracles do happen, right? After all, it was a miracle that I was cheering on the Cowboys in a game in 2005.

However, Sunday the Steelers would find no miracles waiting for them. The wing and a prayer ended officially when the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Instead of preparing for the playoffs, James Harrison and Casey Hampton will be preparing (if there is such a thing) for the Pro-Bowl, while the rest of the Steelers players and coaching staff will try to figure out where they went wrong and why, Knowing the only one’s to blame were themselves. No doubt Mike Tomlin and many of the Steelers players acknowledged that time and time again..

Turn Signals Optional

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:03:56 EST

When you happen to be awake at 2 am when you should otherwise be sleeping, a lot of times it’s either because you have something heavy on your mind (or your stomach) or it’s because of hot flashes. In my case, this morning it’s hot flashes. Not to say that there isn’t something on my mind, there always is.

Like how the automobile companies could have saved a lot of money by making those little green or orange flashing lights on the front and the back of the cars optional. After all, they’re rarely used since apparently all drivers are mind readers and just know where you’re going. Yes, it was silly to make a law requiring them to be used when even the Sheriffs Deputies fail to use them. Funny, how instead of fuming about the cop that almost hit me for failing to use HIS turn signal to indicate his desire to change lanes, I played and replayed the “what if” through my mind and what I would have said to him, if indeed a collision had occurred. “Sorry officer, the meds I’m on to reduce my blood pressure has sorely diminished my mind reading capabilities”, or “sorry officer, but if you hadn’t been thinking about the girl you slept with last night and focused more on thinking of your intent to change lanes, I wouldn’t have been distracted about how she called you ‘daddy’, by the way is 1234 your pin to your atm card?”. Of course, the idea that we can and should be able to read minds isn’t limited only to the lack of using turn signals. Those of us who are married understand this, right?

The NFL is Going Pink

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:42:37 EDT

Don’t be surprised this week if you happen to look around the NFL and see the color pink. In fact, don’t be too shocked if you notice some of your most manly of manly players donning pink cleats this weekend when taking the field. Trust me, there is no cause for alarm. Do not for one moment think that the hallowed halls of the NFL have been taken over by women, or get the idea that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is actually planning on having the players forget their pads and put on the tutu’s.

October has been designated Breast Cancer Awareness month, Breast cancer has become one of the most common cancers found in women. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009, 713,220 women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer, with 27% of them being breast cancer. By the end of the year, it is estimated that 269,800 women in America will die from cancer, 15% of those deaths will be from breast cancer. Most of these deaths would have been preventable with early detection.

How To Get Rich Off Of My Misery

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 5:23:23 EDT

Here’s a stock tip…pharmaceuticals. I’m not talking about those pharmaceutical companies that are in the process of developing the swine flu vaccine or coming up with miracle cures for erectile dysfunction. I’m talking about those companies like Bayer and the makers of Tylenol. Go for it, invest your money, cause I’m going to make you rich. Especially if this football season continues the way it has been going

I’ve already put myself on the Bayer Low Dose program. You know, taking two lose dose aspirin every day to try to prevent heart attacks. Given the two nail biters the Pittsburgh Steelers played since opening day, I think I’m going to need everything in the arsenal to at least counteract the stress. Low fat diet, exercise daily, one hour of meditation daily (my cats now believe their names are ooom and owmmm).

Mojo Strong Against Steelers in Soldier Field

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:04:59 EDT

When I think about a Bears/Steelers game, I picture Jerome Bettis running over Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher on a snowy December day at Heinz Field. Of course, that is a ghost of a memory. Bettis has since retired and the Bears that the Steelers faced today were a different Chicago Bears, with a new general under center.

A lot of time has passed since the last time the Bears and Steelers met up, and a lot of history to these meetings. Since 1934, the Bears have had the Steelers number for the majority of the time, especially at Soldier Field, where the Bears have won 11 games over the Steelers one. As of today, make that 12 games to the 1 the Steelers have won.

If we thought the game was a given, especially given Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s performance last week, perhaps a reminder of Jay Cutler against the Steelers defense in Denver might have jogged our memories. Last time Cutler faced the Pittsburgh defense, the game came down to a last minute field goal that clinched the win for Denver. One has to wonder if these are déjà vu moments.

Are We In Trouble?

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:24:29 EDT

Lately, I’ve been pondering whether I should make this public or not. In the midst of all the revelations of these public persons going outside of their marriage to find their “happiness”, I’ve noticed, that something has changed with my husband and suspect, that he too, may have a new love. Maybe love is not the correct word, maybe it’s more of an interest, or almost an obsession.

I know, this is probably not the best place to air my concerns, but, well, sometimes I feel at a lost. Things were just – different between he and I. The “passion”, well, the “passion” doesn’t seem to be there between us right now. Maybe it’s a phase, they say that happens with marriages. Then again, I do know he has a new “interest”, I see the time that he devotes to that *sigh* “interest” and often wonder, can I compete. I’ve wrestled with this for a few days and wondered what I can do to save us. Do I invest in new “clothes” and “toys” to renew his interest? Do I change what I “do” just to make him “happy?”.

History, Legacies and a New Beginning.

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:40:19 EDT

One has to wonder if 117 years ago, when the first professional football game was played in Pittsburgh PA, if the originators of the first league had foreseen how big the sport would become or the number of fans that it would eventually draw? One has to wonder, when the first professional football league was born in the town of Latrobe Pennsylvania, with very few rules and very little equipment, if they might have caught a glimpse in their minds eye how elaborate the sport would end up. From a $500.00 payment to William (Pudge) Heffelfinger, to multi-million dollar contracts of players today. From a group of guys from an athletics association looking for bragging rights, to a prized trophy and the infamy that comes with winning it.

Since February, after the Pittsburgh Steelers hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, a lot has happened. Fans began watching free agency, the draft, mini-camps and training camps. Teams filled in needs, identified their game plans and prepared for the upcoming season. The NFL would see Dan Rooney leave for Ireland. There would be tragedy, there would be triumph in an off-season. We would watch the ongoing saga of a man who refused to leave the game he loved, and we would comment on hopeful young prospects whose dreams were one day to become as much of a household name. We would see new coaches coming in to hopefully lead teams to the next season and argue about which quarterback was better. There would be new rules that would leave us grumbling and scratching our heads. As fans, we waited, sometimes impatiently for the arrival of September, when the first kick-off of regular season professional football began, trying to fill the gap in the meantime by evaluating talent and hoping that the teams that we pulled for would grab the best of the best. Questions regarding the worst to the first dominated discussions.

The Slow Death of a Possible Addiction

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 9:02:27 EDT

It was two hours before the draft and my husband looked at my wish list and told me that I was screwed. At that point I threatened to lock him in the bedroom during the draft because I was so assured of my picks that I had a good line up…nope, he told me, I was screwed. He ended up actually going to take a nap during my draft time but not before he reminded me of how he showed me that he was a football god and that I should listen to him about my decisions.

If my first draft is any indication of how I’ll do in fantasy football, then, my husband is correct, I’m screwed and I will see my first fantasy team dying a more painful death then my daughters nano-pets. Okay, maybe not so bad, but to tell you that I ended up with rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree will tell you how the draft got away from me.

Look Ma...See How Good My Hands Are Now

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:50:05 EDT

Last season we watched a rookie make rookie mistakes. None more apparent then a missed catch while he was looking up to catch himself on the jumbotron. If training camp is any type of a barometer, Steelers wide receiver Limas Sweed is on his way to atoning for his rookie mistakes.

Sweed, a second round draft pick in the 2008 draft, considered one of the top wide receivers in the draft, was speculated to have been picked up because Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, had a tall wide-out on his wish list for that draft. One of the top concerns going into last season, was Sweed’s seemingly reluctance to block. That was dispelled in the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens. Now the questions going into this season is, will the second year Steelers wide receiver be ready to assume the part of the third wideout slot, left open by Nate Washington, who was signed to the Tennessee Titans through free agency. If training camp is an indication, then it looks like he’s on his way to being ready.

There's Work to Be Done

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 9:15:26 EDT

After each Superbowl win, former Steelers head coach, Chuck Noll, would appear in front of the cameras, and in response to certain questions, seemed not to capture the elation of the win, but would remark that there was still a lot of work to do. That mentality in coaching led to four super bowl titles, two of them being back to back wins. In essence, it was as if he was saying, this game is played now we have to start preparing for the next.

It was almost a déjà vu at the end of last season, as current head coach of the Steelers, seemed to allow himself only a minimal amount of celebrating after the Steelers win in Superbowl 43. While sportscasters, analyst and experts were touting how this might have been the most exciting win, Mike Tomlin seemed to keep himself well grounded and some might say, stoic, in the aftermath. Indeed, it seemed that many outside of the Pittsburgh area may have missed and failed to see a similar mindset that Mike Tomlin seemed to have adopted from Chuck Noll in regards to what was next. Basically, Tomlin would tell reporters, there was work to be done. This comment was a momentary blurb in print, to be replaced with the next days news, and eventually find itself completely off the radar.

Diving in Head First

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 9:01:53 EDT

Have I ever mentioned that I have an addictive personality? No, I don’t mean that if you get to know me that somehow I’ll grow on you, not addictive that way. What I mean is that I’m really lucky that I’ve never tried cocaine. See, if I find myself committing to something I tend to jump in with both feet and give it my all and just, somehow, can’t seem to get enough, unless, of course it was tending my daughters tameguchi pets or furbies.

Okay, you may be asking why I’m rambling like this. Well, if you’ve ever “read me”, you know that I have a tendency to ramble. If this is your first time, welcome to the other side of my “looking glass”. No, actually I mention this because, well, I’ve decided to jump, not feet first, but head first into yes…*gasp*…fantasy football. Yep, Mom’s Cookie Crunchers will make it’s regular season debut, and yes, I can feel the addiction starting.

Looking for Life on this Fourth of July

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:27:53 EDT

Is there life out there? No, I’m not talking about the Hubble telescope or Voyager or any other space or astronomy project set to answer the age old question of life beyond earth. I’m just wondering if there’s any beyond my doors.

Lately I’ve come to realize that my computer has become a major part of my life, wittingly or unwittingly, and I fear that if I continue on the path that I’m taking, that I will become like one of the “higher beings” that you find in Dean Koontz’s “Midnight” (though, I do admit it could be worse and be a storyline from the “Demon Seed ”, so it’s not a complete nightmare). Realizing this, (as well as trying to calm the growing dissatisfaction), I’ve decided to try to answer the question that Reba McEntire asks in her song “Is There Life out There?”. Of course, to do this, I have to first wean my addiction from the internet (I say this as I sit listening to Jimmy Buffett on the headphones and typing this up).

Happy Fathers Day

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 5:30:36 EDT

If you ever wonder which one would win in a game of chicken, a bicycle or a ball…let me tell you folks, 9 times out of 10, the ball will win, and for the loser, well, it’s not so pretty. I’m sure you’re asking yourself, what does this and the price of beans have to do with Fathers Day. Sitting here and looking back on the memories, I can say this is one lesson that my father and I learned together.

It was in the summer of my seventh year. Then, there wasn’t much to worry about but to just be a kid. The summers back then were wonderful. Games of kick the can, hiking and playing in the woods, catching lightening bugs, the obligatory daily bike races you had with your friends. Well, it was during one of these bicycle races that we both learned the hard way.

City of Champions...once again...

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:57:44 EDT

Originally I had no intentions of turning the television to that channel, last time I did, well, it didn’t end the way I would have liked it. So last night I didn’t want to jinx them…but couldn’t resist the pull, the urge and here it was on NBC. A little after 10:30 pm, I was on the edge of the couch, with six seconds to go, listening to the announcers discussing about the game maybe coming down to a face off.

Then, there it was. A great save by Marc-Andre Fleury and the Penguins would soon be hoisting the cup. Through the game, they were giving credit to Crosby and Malkin but in the end, it was a team sport with a goal tender who struggled the last time he was in Detroit, shining through.

So at the end, I found myself doing the same thing I did when the Steelers won the Superbowl in February. Jumping up and down and screaming with excitement and crying…literally, tears streaming down my face. This astounded my husband…he already knew I cried during football season, now I’m crying at hockey.

Loyalty Still Exists - Just Ask Mean Joe

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 8:55:54 EDT

Mention one name…Mean Joe Greene and some will tell you about how he would play on the field, recounting times they saw him play. Others may only know him through the coca cola commercial where an angry and hurt football player returned a kind gesture of a small boy who offered up a coke, by throwing him his jersey. For those of us, who were old enough to see him play, we would argue he is probably one of the best defensive linemen in the history of the NFL. For others, well, his is a name of legend and lore.

Greene, drafted from the North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas), in 1969 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, went on to be a dominant force on a defense that had earned the name “the Steel Curtain”, one of the best defenses in NFL history. During his career, exclusively with the Steelers, he would play 181 games, accumulate 78.5 sacks and one interception. He would also accumulate four Superbowl rings and be enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Wed, 27 May 2009 18:32:58 EDT

Sunday morning found me staring out the window intensely gazing at the beginnings of the first bloom on my magnolia tree. There were tiny little birds dancing around the bottom, hopefully eating some of the red ants that infested the yard. Don’t ask me why I was staring out at a tree that was only 5 foot high, I couldn’t tell you, I just know I was watching the blossom.

Spring normally comes early to the south, at least here in South Carolina. It’s arrival rarely spectacular, but often ushered in with the scent of the Carolina Jessamine and the blooms of the azaleas, and then, a series of bloom, one variety offsetting another when the previous blooms fade. What is not deniable is what the blooms of the magnolia’s signify, the cusp that teeters between spring and the always early arrival of summer, despite the calendar referencing otherwise.

A Tradition of Building Success

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 10:12:45 EDT

When the Steelers organization hired Chuck Noll to be their head coach in 1969, a tradition was started. Noll, along with the Rooney’s had chosen to build the team up in the draft instead of focusing on acquisitions through free agency. The new head coach for the Steelers would use his very first draft pick in the NFL to acquire defensive tackle, Joe Greene. In the years to follow, he’d use his first round draft picks for quarterback Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris.

Through his tenure as coach, Chuck Noll would continue to pull in high caliber talent utilizing the draft. His most memorable draft, considered the best draft not only in franchise history, but also in the history of the NFL would be in 1974, when four of his picks that year would go on to be enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame. In that draft class, were the likes of Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster. No other team in the history of the NFL had a draft that netted four HOF players before or after that 74 draft.

Off-Season Blues...almost over

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:24:36 EDT

Well if you’re like me, you’ve probably looked over the potential draft picks, watched as many replays and NFL Films as you could, just to try to sedate your hunger for professional football. Yep, there were some things that we could sink our teeth into and chew over a bit, like Jay Cutlers trade to the Chicago Bears, or the new rules instituted by the NFL for player safety.

Still you have to admit, even with free agency, there’s that “dead” period between the end of the season and the NFL draft. And yes, come Saturday, you’ll find me watching the draft. No, I didn’t make up a mock draft, I leave that up to my husband. He’s pretty good at spotting talent, but he usually does so only for trying to address the Indianapolis’s Colts needs. Me, I groaned when the Steelers picked up a quarterback in the first round in the 2004 draft. Then again when they picked up a punter in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. So, hint, never listen to me about draft choices.

Thanks for the Memories Mr. Rooney

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:01:59 EDT

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at this weeks NFL owners meeting. Not because of the discussions on rule changes or discussion about the CBA. Had I been there, I’m sure that I’d have witnessed a bittersweet moment.

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette this morning, Dan Rooney, current President and one of the owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers, stepped down from all committees and said goodbye to the NFL ownership. Rooney, in anticipation for his upcoming appointment as Ambassador to Ireland, handed the reigns of the Steelers organization over to his son, Art Rooney, II.

It’s the end of an era for the Steelers, and for the NFL. Rooney had been “influential and involved in league matters for half a century” (1) . The “Rooney Rule” opened the door for minorities to become head coaches within the NFL. For the Steelers organization, Mr. Rooney carried on the tradition that was started by his father, Art Rooney, Sr, in such that made the players feel like family. As a testament to that, when asked in an online chat session at NFL.com, on his induction to the Hall of Fame, former Steelers CB, Rod Woodson sited Dan Rooney as the primary reason that, if he had to choose a team to get inducted under, it would be the Steelers. There has always been an air of mutual respect between players, coaches and ownership.

Incoherent Ramblings from a Feverish State

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:19:15 EDT

Shoot me now, seriously, just pull the trigger and put me out of my misery. I had taken the shot dangit, I wasn’t suppose to get it, right? My doctor won’t see me, he tells me stay home, lots of clear liquids, oh and yeah, he’ll charge me for that advice. Yeah, I know, it’s the flu, I’m on day two and am completely miserable.

Of course my family won’t give me comfort. My husband doesn’t want to catch it so when I just want to curl up and be miserable and cry out for comfort, I get a poor baby, a few strokes of the hair and off he goes. I go through those periods where I just want to be held and coddled. Unfortunately I also go through periods where it’s just leave me alone darnit. Why is it, that’s when the family wants to make me feel better? Huh?

Quiet in the Land of Steel - Kind of, Sort of

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 6:25:54 EDT

There’s a reason the Cardinals have the nickname “Steelers West”. Okay, not only is Whisenhunt taking the mentality he had as the Steelers OC (not to mention some of the former Steeler coaching staff) but he also has been slowly acquiring former Steeler players, most recently, cornerback Bryant McFadden. It was no secret that Whisenhunt is looking at reshaping the Cardinals defense into a 3-4 defense and it was also no secret that he wanted McFadden, and he got them.

Of course, in the land of the black and gold, the city of Steel, the original Steelers, we’re watching them leave. Well, not really. Only two major losses through free agency. Wide receiver Nate Washington and cornerback Bryant McFadden. Can’t blame them for taking the money, both have two superbowl rings. But for the most part, while other teams were trying to bring in players to help their chances, the Steelers were trying to shore up the contracts of the one’s they currently have.