Super Bowl XVL had all the makings of a classic match-up. Two of the most storied franchises in the league going head to head for the World Championship.

Congratulations go out the Green Bay Packers. Truly a class organization.

Obviously, I wanted my Steelers to win the game, and bring home a seventh Lombardi Trophy. However, I was cautious about this game, because I think back to Pittsburgh’s run for Super Bowl XL. A sixth seed at that time, on the road like Green Bay’s run to take it all the way. Because Green Bay reminded me of that team (also a sixth seed this year) I knew they had the same opportunity we had. Mid-season, Green Bay was 8-6 and they caught fire the rest of the way.

All the way – and they certainly earned it.

Not to take anything away from Green Bay – because they capitalized on each of the three turnovers they had with touchdowns. You just can’t turn the ball over and expect to win games. That was the stat the won it for Green Bay.

Regardless of the loss, it was a great game. Statistically, Pittsburgh played well enough to win the game – minus one of the three turnovers. Held the ball for over 33 minutes, and had more total yards. Roethlisberger and the offense had another chance to pull out a second Super Bowl in three years with one, final drive — eerily similar to their comeback against Arizona two years ago.

But it wasn’t meant to be for this game.

While Rogers, in my opinion didn’t look comfortable because of the pressure, and because of several easy dropped passes from normally sure handed receivers, they capitalized on each of the three turnovers with touchdowns. Green Bay stepped up when it was handed to them, and that’s what really mattered when it was all said and done. They made the plays when they needed to and Pittsburgh didn’t.

What also impressed me about this game was the respect both teams had for each other. Actually, Green Bay fans were top notch for the most part as well. It’s some of the other fans that got a bit obnoxious and over the top. (To be expected when you’re the one sitting at home, and we’re the ones in the big game.) It was if these two teams and fans knew what really mattered was during the game. No amount of trash talk, or smack had a prayer of helping either team.

As Berman so eloquently likes to point out – “That’s why you play the game.”

Disappointed, yes, obviously, but proud of both organizations. I wish more teams and more fans were like them.

The focus now is on the CBA. I love this game and owners and players need to get a new deal worked out. The NFL has something special – and I don’t want to see what happened to Baseball a couple years ago happen to the NFL. (I lost all interest in the game during that strike.) There’s a reason why this is America’s number one sport. I’m sure I speak for all Football fans – no matter who they root for – we need to get this deal done and bring back the game we all love without any type of lockout.

Besides – Pittsburgh still needs that seventh Lombardi!

Until then – Enjoy your thirteenth World Championship Green Bay – you earned it and you deserve it.

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But you can’t take the Steelers out of the boy.

I read an article this weekend that a Pittsburgh area hospital near where I grew up is wrapping newborns in Terrible Towels. While it could be considered a right of passage for us fans, others I’m sure are scratching their heads thinking we all belong in another ward or wing in the hospital.

While I’ve been living in Atlanta since 1992, our daughter was adorned here at Piedmont Hospital with Steelers garb at birth. (Pictured) We watched a Monday Night Football game together as Pittsburgh crushed Tennessee 34 – 7 before she was released from the hospital.

For the record – that’s how I know about the “other wing” in the hospital. ;-P

If you follow the NFL at all, you’ve heard about Steeler Nation. Anyone can certainly understand and appreciate rooting for the home town team. As part of Steeler Nation, it doesn’t matter what town you travel to. I can pretty much promise you that there will be a Steelers Fan Club or Bar that supports the Black and Gold in that town.

When I first moved to Atlanta, I was shocked at the number of bars and clubs that carried Steelers games. The first couple of years, I frequented several different establishments to watch the game. When someone asked where you were from – they weren’t talking about the local landscape, but instead where you first became part of Steeler Nation.

I remember the first club I hooked up with. The Mellow Mushroom in Buckhead. The owner hailed from Pleasant Hills. It was like going home again. One entrance. One Exit. No windows. WDVE stickers. And while I don’t drink, Iron City Beer both in cans and on tap.

And we can NOT forget the dialect. “Yunz guys dah-know whatcher missin’ n’at.”

Heaven…

After our daughter was born, I was finally able to convince my wife that NFL Sunday Ticket was the way to go. This way, I could be home for the games and take care of the kids. (During commercial breaks of course.) With the money I spent at the club for food, drinks, and tip each week – Sunday Ticket would be a wash in terms of expense.

I absolutely love it.

If you’re wondering how or why we as fans are so fanatical – I can only speak for myself. For me, it’s a can do, blue collar work ethic, and attitude that can’t be intimidated. I relate to them in that regard.

The team as a whole isn’t flashy. In fact, when you look at some of their games over the years, it’s not even pretty.

But they get the job done.

When it comes time to line up on the gridiron it’s “ground and pound” and we’re usually the ones who show attitude. Others who try to intimidate us as a physical, smash mouth football teams can talk a good game. Pittsburgher’s don’t talk – we do. And when it’s all said and done, we’re the ones who come out victorious because we’re tougher, smarter, and more determined that they could even dream of.

You can break our foot, bust our nose if you want. Not only are we going to play the game – we’re going to find a way to beat you.

The team understands there is a “standard” in being a Pittsburgh Steeler. It’s competing at a high level week in and week out. We focus on hard work on football basics and position assignments. Everyone has a job to do, and this single minded attitude works for the betterment of TEAM. The issue is winning. Every morning when players come to work they walk past six Lombardi Trophies. Others may be more preoccupied with passing titles or rushing yards.

The issue as a Pittsburgh Steeler is winning.

They don’t get distracted and never buy into the hype that others try to create. It’s almost as if they relish the underdog role. No sixth seed has gone on to win the Super Bowl, until Pittsburgh did it in 2005. In 2007 the team had the toughest schedule in over 40 years and they won it all again. And we all know about “the suspension” that took away our franchise Quarterback for four games.

Experts didn’t give the team a chance in any of these instances. This however is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who face every challenge head on, and more times than not, find a way to win.

That’s not to say that there are those who don’t waiver from that standard – some do. Those that do, either conform, or they’re gone.

The team also exemplifies family. The Rooney’s have owned the team since 1933, and they’re always around the practice facility and in the locker room after games to shake hands and talk to the players.

And money can’t buy Championships year in and year out. All those multi-million dollar contracts are sitting at home this week. It’s not that we don’t like “bling” – we do. (We have more Lombardi Trophies than anyone else.)

NFL Film’s did a half hour special on Steeler Nation that I have on the DVR. It may pop up this week on TV, but if not, I found an online version here. I also found this short clip from NFL Network that provides added insight into the phenomenon known as Steeler Nation.

As we explained at the beginning of this article, indoctrination into Steeler Nation starts at birth. You can’t change it, you can’t control it, you can’t intimidate it.

Best you just accept it.

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Our Father, who Art in Pittsburgh

Football be thy game.

Let Mendenhall run, 6 Superbowl’s won

On earth, as it is in Heinz Field.

Give us this day our playoff victory

…And forgive us our penalties

As we defeat those Jets who play against us.

But lead us into victory, and deliver us to Texas,

For Thine is the D-Line, the Polamalu, and the Harrison

A-Ben

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Since the merger in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been the most successful franchise in the NFL. They’ve won more Super Bowls than any other team in the NFL, and they’ve played in more Divisional Championship games (15) than any other team since the merger.

Can you blame the Steeler Nation for being so proud?

Two years ago, during the hours and hours of Super Bowl pre-game hoopla, I spent part of the afternoon doodling on the computer. What I came up with was this picture of 6 Lombardi Trophies with the Steelers emblem in the hope that I would be able to post it on this blog after the victory.

Larry Fitzgerald’s 64 yard catch from Kurt Warner for a touchdown with 2:30 left in the game to take the lead 23-20 not only gave me a sinking feeling – but my day long project on this artwork wouldn’t be seen for Lord knows how long. Thankfully, Big Ben and Santonio Holmes hooked up with one of the most memorable touchdown catches in Super Bowl history to ultimately win the game. As a result, this work of art was posted at the exact moment of the final gun. (Still logged as 10:10 pm on Sunday, February 1, 2009.)

A post that didn’t have a single word – gets more hits and traffic than anything I’ve ever written in all the years I’ve been blogging. I’ve also seen this picture posted on a number of other websites, forum and message board profiles, and Facebook pages over the last two years.

As a fan, I don’t mind sharing the love. Besides, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I also understand how fanatical Steelers fans are about their team. Truth be told, some would change the word “fanatical” to “obnoxious” – and that’s fine. When you have the hardware and the Championships to back it up – none of the naysayers really matter.

And here we are again – one game away from our 8th appearance in the biggest spectacle of the modern day.

It’s a far cry from what Steelers Nation was dealing with just 6 months ago. Our Franchise Quarterback had tarnished the glimmering logo we adore and the MVP of Super Bowl 43 had been traded away for other off the field shenanigans that the Rooney family just does not tolerate.

Before the season opened – many predicted that Baltimore would win the AFC North crown. In all honesty, it was probably the best shot any of the ACF North team had to take the crown. With Big Ben out for four games due to a suspension – it was a long shot at best to open up the season at 2 and 2.

There’s an old saying that “Defense wins Championships”. What the “experts” didn’t count on was a League leading Defense that shut down opponents and ranked first in total defense. (A far cry from the 2009 season I might add that lost more games in the last minutes of games than I can ever remember any team doing.) As a result, Ben returned to the team with a record of 3-1 and when the matchup between Baltimore and Pittsburgh came up on the schedule, the team did what they always do when Big Ben plays – they won. (7-0 against Baltimore when Ben starts.)

It amazes me that amount of swagger Baltimore always brings into these games. Doesn’t matter if it’s regular season or playoffs – they always come in with some sort of smack – and as a fan, you just want to shut them up. Of course it helps when you’re so busy trash talking that you forget to play fundamentally sound football. For as well as Baltimore capitalized on Pittsburgh’s mistakes in the first half of Saturdays game, the Raven’s 3rd quarter of play was abysmal. They had more turnovers (3) than they did yards (minus 4) during the quarter.

That’s not how you win Playoff games or Championships.

Maybe they should take a page out of Big Ben’s playbook. Say what you want about him off the field of play – but when it comes to playing winning football there’s none better. Only Bart Starr has a better winning percentage (.900) than Big Ben in the Playoffs. (.818) Yes, even better the Lord Brady at .778 or even Terry Bradshaw at .737. There’s no trash talking, there’s no bravado, there’s just winning football.

It’s yet to be determined if Pittsburgh will at another Lombardi Trophy, making my creation obsolete. There’s plenty of football to be played to determine that outcome. It is however a place and a position no other team in League history has experienced – and there’s something to be said about that. When you’ve been there as many times as Pittsburgh has, you don’t get overwhelmed by the stage or the setting.

I don’t just like our chances, I absolutely love it.

They are after all the Men of Steel.

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I haven’t been to St. Vincent College since Chuck Noll was head coach of the Steelers. Since Noll retired there have only been two other Head Coach’s from 1992 on. (The same year I moved here to Atlanta.) Some NFL teams change Coach’s every three to four years – but for the Pittsburgh Steelers it’s been three Coach’s in four decades.

In a long standing tradition (like forty five years) the Pittsburgh Steelers open training camp in Latrobe, PA tomorrow. After the events of this past off season about all I can say is – it’s about time.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have never been a much talked about team during the off season in years past – but this off season has been much different story.

The team won’t have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for at least the first four to six games because of his NFL suspension. The offense will also be without wide receiver and Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes who was traded to the Jets after another off field stunt. Fast Willie Parker is now a Washington Redskin as we find out what running back Rashard Mendenhall is really made of. And to add insult to injury, our offensive line also lost tackle Willie Colon due to a season ending Achilles during spring training.

There really hasn’t been much said about the Defensive side of the ball – probably due to age and maturity. The Defensive squad however, needs to get back to smash mouth football that’s capable of shutting offenses down. (How many games did we lose in the last minute a year ago?) You can’t blame the absence of Troy Polamalu for all those last minute losses.

Nor can you blame me for the fresh start this year’s training camp offers die hard Steelers fans. (Certainly more than in years past.) It’s one thing to get use to all the free agent activities that are now common in the League – but this year’s off field activities from certain Pittsburgh Steelers was something no Steelers fan thought was even possible.

As a lifelong Steelers fan and the proud tradition this team has held for decades, it’s shocking that I feel this way.

But…

Thank goodness we get some of these guys off the street and back on the football field.

In one of the few interviews I saw on the internet from Ben Roethlisberger and the fiasco that happened in Milledgeville, Georgia this off season he said something that really stuck with me.

“I’m always committed to being the best I can on the football field, I don’t think that’s ever changed, and I don’t think anyone’s ever questioned that of me.”

There no question the kids got drive and talent. You saw that from the very first game he was thrown into down in Miami during a monsoon his rookie year. He reeled off 15 straight victories his rookie year – a record I don’t think will ever be broken. Since then he’s collected two Super Bowl rings and is unquestionably the offensive leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the opening of training camp – it’s back to a focus on football without time for extracurricular activities that he shouldn’t be doing in the first place. Thus, why he’s still labeled a “kid”, and for me, it will stay that way until his on field maturity matches his off field activities.

Regardless of each players commitment on the field, Mike Tomlin has his work cut out for him this year – probably more so than previous years. The Rooney’s believe in him – with a new contract extension – and while I had my doubts early on (mostly due to the lack of head coaching changes with the Steelers since 1969) Tomlin has proven that he’s the right guy for this year’s challenges.

St. Vincent gets Steelers fans back into their comfort zone. It’s rich in tradition and always brings optimism regardless of how good or bad the previous year’s record was.

This year, we can add a bad off season into the mix, and tomorrow (thank goodness) it comes to a close.

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A couple weeks ago, I got an e-mail from good friend Charlie Howe with a very funny mock ESPN Press Release that President Obama and Roger Gadel would be dividing Pittsburgh’s 6 Super Bowl Trophies to teams that were less fortunate. Namely, the Detroit Lions who went 0-16 this past season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who by virtue of hard work, excellent team play, stellar draft choices, responsible investing of free agents, careful hiring of coaches and excellent community service and commitment to their fans, has prospered greatly during the past 30 years and have won six Super Bowl Trophies. But President Barack Hussain Obama’s plan calls for the Pittsburgh Steelers to carry the larger burden of the NFL’s less successful teams. Obama went on to further proclaim, “In these difficult times we are all in this to work together. We must reclaim the NFL Championship Dream for every team, for every city and for every fan.”

While something like this sounds obsurd I began to realize a couple years ago that that’s exactly what we are teaching our children. One holiday tradition that I first noticed this was the Easter Holiday we just enjoyed yesterday. Before my children entered into grade school, they were enrolled in an academy which had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. I also noticed the same practice in our neighborhood egg hunt for the kids.

Parents would go out and hide the eggs based on a level of difficulty appropriate for the age before sending the kids out in a group to collect and find the eggs. Watching the event, you would see kids who were going all out in gathering up the eggs, while others seemed to wonder aimlessly around not really all that concerned with the activity at hand. At times two kids would race towards the same egg, but only one was able to put the egg in their basket.

After the event the kids would gather with their baskets. A few baskets would be overflowing with eggs, while others would have a paltry one or two eggs.

Not to worry, as the baskets were collected by adults the kids were whisked away to another activity while the adults divided all the eggs equally between the baskets, giving each child the exact same amount per basket. No matter how hard or little each individual child worked to collect the eggs, each was granted an amount deemed appropriate and fair.

For children, I really don’t have a problem with dividing up the eggs, until this equal division of property, money, or belongings becomes a right as an adult. I realized what an early age we teach our young this idea of taking from the “haves” to give the “have-nots”. This practice should be used with children as a lesson in sharing and giving of our resources. It becomes a problem however when it’s taken out of context and this “larger burden” is taught throughout our school years, trapping many as they grow up with this limiting belief into adulthood.

I’ve seen this type of limited thinking for years, but it’s become especially prevalent since the economic recession hit and a gallup poll I found support that thorey of growth. And for some reason, this increase has nothing to do with what they themselves are doing to create that perception. (Heaven forbid we take responsibility for our own circumstances.) Just like the Super Bowl Trophies, it’s not an excellent work ethic, stellar choices, responsible investment of money, careful attention to picking the right mentors to model and learn from, or a commitment to their family to prosper to become one of the haves instead of the have-nots.

Unless an individual actually learns what natural abundance is all about, people are held hostage by this limiting thinking. For those who have learned that it’s not a problem with limited resources (only beliefs) they don’t have a problem with sharing resources, money, or knowledge. We realize that like Doritos, you can eat all you want, we’ll make more. For some, it almost seems effortless, natural in a way. If you look at nature, it doesn’t struggle, it doesn’t hoard, nor does there seem to be any shortage of resources for each blade of grass, leaves growing on trees, or flowers blooming during this time of year. You do have to provide the proper amount of sunlight, water, and nourishment while nature takes care of the rest without any further effort on your part. You couldn’t stop it even if you tried.

My newsletter is a perfect example of abundance. By giving away what I know in knowledge about YTB to others based on my years of experience with the company, I’ve been given other opportunities and resources that support me. The more poeple I help, the more resources I have at my disposal. Old beliefs would have kept me from offering this out to everyone because the belief was there’s not enough. But because I understand the context of the teaching as a child during the egg hunt, I now reap the rewards.

We run into this fear of not enough especially in Network Marketing, all the people at the top who got in early, make all the money. They obsess over this “fact” not realizing that the theory they’re so fearful of has ever come to true. Yet they spend a considerable amount of time and energy warning everyone that comes across their path that someone is going to loose out. And like the innocent children who wondered around aimlessly during the egg hunts that were held all over the country, they as adults are left with empty promises and no money to speak of because their too distracted about what they learned while growing up.

Most NFL fans only look at the 6 Super Bowl Trophies right now and if you’re a fan of another team, look in envy of the 6 Super Bowl Trophies. Especially Cowboy fans. (Isn’t that right Charlie?) They look at the last 40 years when Chuck Noll was hired as head Coach and the dynasty that he started back in the 70′s. Nobody considers the first 40 years of their existence in the NFL when they lived in the basement with only a handful of winning seasons during their first 40 years. They were certainly one of the have-nots during that time and the laughing stock of the NFL.

When Chuck Noll was hired in 1969, he changed that way the team drafted, the way they practiced, and the way they thought about basic techniques and drills. In making these small adjustments, he changed the direction and the destiny of the team from a basement dweller to Super Bowl Champion. Instead of looking for a handout, taking from the haves as a have-not, change those childhood memories and thinking that there’s not enough and begin to think and work like those more successful than you are. That my friend is the REAL American Dream of Hope in this country. You don’t need a hand out, you don’t need the Government, and you certainly don’t need that limiting belief any longer. If you do what other successful teams or people do, you’ll begin to reap the rewards of their success.

It’s never too late to start, and your chances of creating something based on proper thinking and action, instead of waiting for some hand-out will greatly enhance your chances of success and happiness. It’s not easy, it takes some time, and there is a considerable amount of doubt the creeps in from a considerable amount of screaming and yelling going on by those who only want what’s fair based on what they were taught as a child.

It’s time to grow up and become an adult and stop complaining and start creating.

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