This is Life!: Revolutions Around the Cruciform Axis

STEELERS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!

Gotta say, I am ecstatic at the Pittsburg Steelers 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks! I've been a Steelers fan since the first of their second back-to-back Super Bowl wins of the 70s. I was both thrilled and crushed at their appearance and loss ten years ago. But last night . . . . Wow. I'm a happy guy. They "got one for the thumb" for the Rooney family. And there were so many elements that make this story supersweet: Cowher's longevity as Steelers coach (longest tenure of current coaches), Jerome Bettis' final game in his hometown, Roethlisberger's win as the youngest winning QB in Super Bowl history, the three on-the-road playoff wins (never done before), and tying the record (with the Cowboys and Forty-niners) for most Super Bowl wins for a team (at five). I could go on. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

Of course, it wasn't the prettiest win, but winning ugly is still winning. Admittedly some controversial calls--like, say, the Roethlisberger TD. Big Ben's two thrown interceptions weren't very helpful at all. And it's also true that Seattle started well, but then ended up being their own worst enemy as they fell apart in the last quarter.

But in the end, ya gotta give it up for Coach Cowher. He deserves what he's got right here:

Of course, the ads were not bad this year. The Healy's and their guests thought the "Hide the Bud Light" ad was pretty funny. But unofficial consensus gave the nod to two Budweiser commercials: the classic Clydesdale football game . . . with a newly-shorn sheep running onto the field and shaking its money-maker. Sez the famer: Streaker. And: That I didn't need to see. Dang funny. And the cute factor went to the Cyldesdale colt getting into the harness of the wagon and pullling it out the barn . . . cutaway to two adult Clydesdales pushing the wagon from behind. Sez the farmer to the Dalmatian: I won't tell if you won't.

Much gratitude goes to the tolerance of our guests toward my Steelers-exuberence--since I was pretty close to as crazy as this guy:

Another Reason the Pittsburgh Steelers are a Special Team

Pittsburgh Steeler Catholics’ Super Bowl Faith:

Perhaps more than any other professional sports team, the Steelers are known for Catholic ownership — “The Righteous Rooneys” — and major contributions to the Church. Steelers’ owner Dan Rooney attends daily Mass with his wife, Patricia, and is known throughout Pittsburgh for humility and generous contributions to Catholic endeavors. v “If you want a successful life, you have to put yourself in the hands of God,” Rooney said, as his team prepared for Super Bowl XL. “I’m not saying God runs the ball for us, but it’s tremendously helpful to be in relationship with him when striving to achieve.”

Though most NFL teams train during the off-season right outside their corporate headquarters, the Steelers train at the St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa. Rooney told the Register it’s “inspirational” to work in the presence of Catholic brothers, deacons and priests.

Archabbot Douglas Nowicki of Saint Vincent’s said Rooney inspires most everyone who knows him, because he’s fearless in his faith.

“In our American culture, it’s considered a sign of sophistication to have your religion on Sunday and then neatly separate it from your professional life the rest of the time,” Archabbot Nowicki said. With the Rooneys, he said, there is no split. “It’s that integrity and wholeness that has won them the respect of people in every walk of life.”

But not the respect of everyone, Rooney conceded.

“I’ve had people call us the ‘Righteous Rooneys’ in a condescending way, but I don’t care about that,” Rooney said.

Most in Pittsburgh know Rooney as an ordinary average guy who just happens to own the Steelers. Getting a moment with Rooney is no more difficult than making an appointment with Jesus — in the Eucharist, that is.

“He treats everyone he encounters with tremendous respect, and everyone in Pittsburgh knows that if you want to find Dan Rooney, go to morning Mass,” Archabbot Nowicki said.

Rooney says his lifestyle reflects the way he was brought up, and the way millions have grown up in Pittsburgh: Jesus first, football second. Friends say Rooney simply carries on the legacy started by his father — the late Art Rooney, who founded the Steelers as the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1933.

“Art Rooney Sr., known around town as ‘The Chief,’ would attend the funeral of any priest in the area who died,” recalled Father Ron Lengwin, spokesman for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. “When I was 10 or 11, a friend and I saw him on the street outside of a priest’s funeral. We walked up to him and he just couldn’t have been nicer. He dropped everything and took time to get to know us. The whole Rooney family is that way. That’s why football is almost like a religion in Pittsburgh.”

Former offensive lineman Jim Sweeney grew up in Pittsburgh, and looked up to Art Rooney as a role model. Sweeney served as an altar boy until he was drafted by the New York Jets in 1984 — at age 21. As an altar boy, he often encountered Art Rooney — who attended daily Mass at a variety of parishes throughout town.

“He told me to attend Mass every day,” recalled Sweeney, who played for the Steelers the last four years of his 16-year career. “I’ve taken that advice as best I can.”

Sweeney said Art Rooney had such genuine respect for the children he met at Mass that he remembered their names and the details they shared with him.

“When I was drafted into the NFL by the Jets, Art Rooney sent me a letter wishing me well, and telling me that he had known my grandfather — who had been dead for 35 years,” Sweeney said.
. . .

Bishop Donald Wuerl said the Steelers and the Rooneys have quietly bolstered the morale and financial welfare of the Pittsburgh Diocese for more than 70 years.

“Dan Rooney, though a private man who does nothing to promote himself, is a fixture in the diocese,” Bishop Wuerl said. “The Holy Family Institute, the Cardinal Wright Regional School, Catholic Charities — the list goes on and on. His faith and his values permeate the Pittsburgh Steelers organization which is the real reason why, win or lose, the Steelers are so important to our city and region.” . . .

Dan Rooney says it’s undeniable that religion’s a hit in professional sports, and he hopes the sporting world may be a microcosm for what’s to come in other segments of society.

“You’re talking to me because my team’s in the Super Bowl,” Rooney said. “But I’m telling you that faith and religion are important to everyone, no matter what they’re doing, whether they know that or not. We must be in relationship with the Lord at all times to get the most out of life.”

SBXL Half-time and My Role as Father

Well, everyone remembers the wardrobe malfunction from two years ago, which had the nipple effect of live tape delay. ABC, who's televising the game, is implementing a five-second delay. But, while I don't expect Mick to flash any nipplage at half-time, one never knows what sort of ads and half-time "entertainment" one is going to be, er, exposed to.

And Sofie is an observant little girl, who is at the imitation and repeating stage. Nor will she be the only little person there.

So, what's a parent to do? We'll have non-parental adults and other adult parents who will no doubt want to enjoy the game, the ads and the half-time show. Do I encroach on their fun for the sake of guarding my daughter's innocence? Well, of course, the answer's yes. But one also wants to be a good host. And what if it's all pretty tame anyway?

Luckily I have very empathetic friends--and chatty ones. We'll all be so busy yammerin' that we'll probably miss all that stuff anyway.

As I recall, I was discussing elements of the liturgy with a certain tall and beefy Anglo-Catholic priest during "the exposure" of two years ago. I missed the whole thing.

Yeah . . . So?

This member of a street preaching group, Citizens Against Super Bowl Idolatry, thinks badly of SBXL:

Mr. [James Leonard] Elsman, a Michigan lawyer, calls the Super Bowl "one big bacchanal--a Roman feast to the heathen god of football, an excuse to get drunk and carouse and gamble."

Yeah. I'd say that about sizes it up.

One Picture, Two Words

GO STEELERS!

(Aw, man, I want a Terrible Towel^TM for my birthday!)

A Cure for What Ails Ya

I finally came down with what my daughters have had. So--

I'm ensconced on the couch, with plenty of blankets and medicinal teas--

And watching Pittsburgh chew up and spit out the Denver Broncos of the first half.

(Chicago Confreres: I will likly be sending an email invitation later.)

"Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me . . .

. . . deep dark depression, excessive misery! If it weren't fer bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me!"

Oh, deep sorrow: the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to New England 41-27 in the AFC Championship game.

Boys, couldn't ya have lost a bit more respectably? Sheesh. I even wore my Steelers t-shirt today!

Oh, well, it's a good thing we were at one of our subdeacons and his wife's house for dinner and missed the game. I couldn't have taken it.

And I . . . Am a Happy Man!!

Pittsburgh Steelers 20
New York Jets 17

In overtime.

And I got to see every minute of it on TV.

Now, it will be either New England Patriots or Indianapolis Colts (I'm picking the Colts) next Sunday at Pittsburgh, at 6:30 on CBS 2 here in Chicago (don't call me, IM me, or email me--I'll be watching the game).

Big Ben Feels the Luuuuuv

For the eighth time this season, Ben Roethlisburger wins the NFL Rookie of the week, a vote which drew the highest total of the season thus far.

Team writer Teresa Varley sings Ben's praises:

Before Sunday night it had appeared to many that Ben Roethlisberger had done it all for the Steelers. He won the first nine games of his rookie season, has made smart decisions and has helped to bring excitement back to the black and gold.

But he was asked to do even more on Sunday against the Jaguars. Roethlisberger was asked to engineer a game-winning drive with just 1:50 left on the clock and no timeouts remaining.

“After they (Jaguars) kicked the field goal, I told him this is like training camp,” said head coach Bill Cowher, referring to a drill the team ran in camp that almost mirrored the game, except for the extra three seconds. “It was a two-minute drill with 1:47 left and no timeouts left, and we needed a field goal, and that is what it was”

So with that thought in mind, Roethlisberger went out on the field and was cool, calm and collected as he drove the team down the field just like he did during training camp.

But wait. There's more.

Roethlisberger has given the Steelers more than they could possibly ask for. Teammates sing his praises; coaches’ sing his praises and the fans just can’t get enough of Big Ben.

"The legend grows," said guard Alan Faneca. "I mean, come on, under two minutes, take it down the field, picking the plays, calling it out, stepping up in the pocket, making the passes, that's huge. He's been making the plays all year, the difference-makers. And that drive right there was a difference-maker."

Roethlisberger completed 14 of 17 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns and had a 158.0 passer rating for the game as he improved his record as a starter to 10-0.

“What can you say? He is resourceful, he sees the field, he is accurate, and he scrambles,” said head coach Bill Cowher.

And he has something that many quarterbacks don’t develop until a few years into their career. He has poise.

It's a downright lovefest there in Roethlis-burgh. Keep it up, ace.

Nervously Biting Nails (or Clifton Liveblogs the Fourth Quarter of the Steelers-Jags Game)

Since I don't have ESPN, I have to "watch" the Steelers-Jaguars game via NFL.com - GameCenter : Game Stats--although MSNBC Sports Scoreboard (updated every 30 seconds) is excellent too, it just doesn't have the nifty little football field graphic showing the to-and-fro of the drive.

The Pats and the Eagles both won today, both standing tall at 11-1. Pittsburgh has to beat the Jaguars to stay up with them. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh is 2-6 at Jacksonville. Eeek.

At least the Steelers kept the Jags to a field goal on the last drive of the third quarter, maintaining a one point edge going into the fourth.

C'mon Iron Men. Do it for me, baby!

UPDATE
(7:41 4thQtr) Why is this the third sack of the game against the Steelers? Huh? Answer me that! There is to be no more sacking of Roethlisberger! And I mean it!

And why does Roethlisberger have 37% of the rushing yards! The quarterback for pity's sake!

UPDATE
(4:54 4thQtr) Yes! Yes, Mr. Haggans of the Steel Men! Return the favor of the sack! Reduce the sack-deficit!

UPDATE
(3:28 4thQtr) Okay, Steelers defense; or should I say, Steelers Girliemen? It's time to show up on the field. What's with this letting the Jags just walk up the dadgum field? And give them freebie yards on penalties to boot?

Aaaarrgh!!

UPDATE
(2:30 4thQtr) Yeah, you'd better take a timeout and get your heads out yer arses!

UPDATE
(2:00 4thQtr) Sheesh. Another field goal? Well, at least it's only a two-point deficit. Just get within field goal range--oh, and make the dang field goal--and that's all ya need. 'Course, a touchdown and PA would be much better. You got two mintues. Go.

UPDATE
(1:07 4thQtr) Dayum! What a nice drive, Mr. Roethlisberger. Keep it up. Them there twelve, eighteen and ten yard passes shore do satisfy!

UPDATE
(0:23 4thQtr) And a clock-draining third down field goal helps. Now keep that one point lead, dang you!

UPDATE
(0:04 4thQtr) Jags at Steelers 42. Oh, sweet petunias! Hang tough, Steelers!
. . . And the 60-yard FGA is no good, wide right.

STEELERS DO IT AGAIN!!!

Still up there with the Pats and Eagles. And still . . . the best dang winning streak in the NFL this season!

Next week, Jets at Pittsburgh. It's on CBS, so I may actually get to watch it!

And the Wins Just Keep on Comin'!

The doughty Pittsburgh Steelers won yet again this past weekend, taking down the Redskins 16-7. (Whew!)

I made an error last week about team records. Seems the Pats and the Eagles both (now) share the same 10-1 record with the Men of Steel. I'd forgotten the Pats. The Eagles have clinched their division (NFC East), and thus a playoff berth. Falcons can clinch the NFC South with a win or tie. (I know this because NFL.com tells me so, not because I've pierced the sacred mysteries of the League's playoff rules.)

But hey, the Three Rivers team still has the best winning streak in the NFL (at nine and counting). So there. Nyah.

Oh, Pittsburgh! How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways . . .

I will count them thus: 19 points versus 14 points from the Bengals, O Pittsburgh Steelers, and thou hast won again.

Thou hast nine wins and one loss.

Thou sittest atop the AFC North, and hast the best winning streak of the season, which beeth eight games.

If Philadelphia loseth, thou wilt have the best record in the NFL this season. Glory.

Update:
O glorious Steelers, team of rivers three, fear not that Philadelphia hath won, for thou hast beaten them twice, once in the season before the season, and once but a fortnight ago. And a most righteous drubbing that was, O valiant men of iron.

Steelers "Steel" Rock!

My much- and long-loved Pittsburgh Steelers continue their seven-game winning streak, the longest of the NFL this season. They share an 8-1 record with the Pats (whom they crushed 34-20 earlier in the season), and sit comfortably atop the AFC North (New England tops the AFC East).

(Note: I should clarify that I became a Steelers fan during the season of the second of the back-to-back Super Bowl (XIII and XIV) wins led by Terry Bradshaw in 1979 and 1980. Yes, I cried in 1996 when they lost the Super Bowl to those dastardly Dallas "Showboys".)

O Frabjous Day!

Is it just me, or are my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers kicking some NFL butt? 7-1? Sitting atop the AFC North by a couple of games, and tied with New England in the AFC East. Oh, and now that they've plucked the Eagles, they're tied with them, too. I'll take it.