My trip to Cleveland, Ohio
Why not? After annual trips to Baltimore, Maryland and the playoff victory last season in Cincinnati, it was time to complete the division tour.
The Steelers were defending their first world championship in 26 seasons and Cleveland has always been a good place to hope for a Steelers win. Throw in a college rivalry in Michigan vs. Ohio State that is older than the NFL, NHL, the Yankees, and the aspirin you'll need to recover from hanging out with Ohio State fans, and this was a must see.
It was an eventful day in downtown Cleveland. Surrounded by blocks and blocks of crazy Ohio State fans, I found a spot at the bar named "Blind Pig." Wearing Steelers gear was probably not the smartest idea. Most were also Browns fans. Although some comments were coming our way, most fans were focused on another team that day. I finally realized the glory of Ohio football is at the collegiate level.
Spending the day in a bar filled with the home state's No. 1 nationally ranked team and watching them beat their biggest and oldest rival was a special thing to see.
The Ohio State/Browns fans said "we'll worry about you tomorrow," to which I returned, "no problem; I'd rather watch you win today." We both agreed.
Speaking of Ohio State fans, my favorite of them all...
Santonio Holmes' Big Day
Santonio Holmes showed on draft day that he wanted to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. By pulling a terrible towel out of his bag when he was announced, he was going to a place he felt he could call a home. He liked the team since he was a child and now had the opportunity to begin his career as the third wideout for the defending champions.
Things haven't quite worked out for either Pittsburgh or for Santonio. The Steelers have accumulated more losses than all of last season, including the additional four playoff games. A large part of the "why" could be blamed on the poor play of the special teams. Santonio has struggled holding onto the football on punt returns.
Those that have watched Santonio play at Ohio State were not used to this, not from Holmes. Maybe a return trip to his old college state would ignite the player the fans proudly defended.
Homes said, "I stayed in the hotel last night and watched Ohio State win and earn a shot for another championship. I couldn't wait until Sunday to get out here to prove that the Pittsburgh Steelers are a good team. It's great to come back to Ohio and play for a good team."
Five catches, 75 yards, and a huge fourth-quarter touchdown catch later, I'd say he did his part.
Troy Polamalu
On defense, there is one player so special he continues to stun even his biggest supporters. Or as Larry Foote put it, "He showed the little something extra he has inside him that the rest of us don't."
Apparently, what is inside is a closing speed better than anyone else in the league. "I don't know if even Michael Johnson or some of the other great sprinters in the world have Troy's speed for 10 yards," Foote said. "There's nobody else as fast as he is for those first 10 yards."
He showed this twice in Cleveland. Once, on a crucial fourth-quarter drive with the surging Steelers trailing 20-17 and four minutes left in the game. He proceeded to take over the entire drive, which could have ended the game with a first down. He was the one who broke up a second down run for a minimal 2-yard gain. He capped it off with a great display of instincts by timing a Charlie Frye's third down pass and batting it to the ground.
"I've been playing football a long time and I've never seen anyone make plays like he makes," Foote said of Polamalu. "I'm seeing plays that I'll never see again."
Some of his best plays go unnoticed by the NFL at large. These particular ones showed just how clutch he can play.
What the general public misses is how crucial Troy is to the team. Take a look at a second quarter play in which Polamalu ran down Braylon Edwards after a 63-yard gain, Not only did this save a touchdown, the four points they saved by holding the Browns to a field goal were the difference in the game. Truth be told, Troy Polamalu was the difference in the game.
Next Up: Road Trip to Baltimore
Have traveled to every stadium in the AFC North, I'd say I have the worst time in Baltimore. Maybe it is because the Steelers have not won in the three years I have attended, but also because their coach takes his motivation tactics into the stands. For the third straight season, Coach Brian Billick requested that Ravens fans keep their tickets so they don't end up in the hands of Steelers fans.
Understandably, Billick would like to keep the number of Steelers fans to a minimum. Expressing this is a dangerous thing to do.
"Fans that are going to sell their tickets this week, to the other fans around them, this is pretty much a declaration," he said. "You've got to respect them for doing it, but at 8-2 and the way we're going right now, if the guy next to you has doled his ticket out to some Steelers fan, he's pretty much showed his colors."
Coach, maybe you already did the favor. The fact that you have to publicly make that statement is a testament to your fan base.
That conversation would never have to happen in Pittsburgh.
Hines Ward
Hines Ward is listed as questionable against the division-leading Baltimore Ravens this weekend. Ward has missed only one game to injury in his nine-year NFL career — last season at home against Jacksonville.
Are the Ravens Looking Ahead of the Steelers?
"They know, they are very cognizant," Billick explained. "I don't mind them thinking about, 'hey, what would it be like to have home-field advantage? What would it be like to have a bye?'"
At 8-2, and holding the No. 2 spot in the AFC (they'd win the head-to-head tiebreaker against San Diego), the Ravens have all the reason to look ahead of the Steelers. For one, they play the Defending AFC North division champion Cincinnati Bengals just four days later. It would appear that the Bengals at 5-5 are more of a threat for the division lead.
As for the Steelers, the option isn't there. One more loss would all but eliminate the Steelers from playoff contention.
"There's no tomorrow," Ward said. "We know what's at stake."
Leave a Comment