Are You Ready for Some Football??

The Steelers' first regular season game is today!! And, as always, against the hated Cleveland Browns. What the hell is a Brown anyway?

For the past 38 years the Steelers' franchise has only had 2 coaches - Chuck Noll (winning 4 SuperBowls) and Bill Cowher (winning one.) Mike Tomlin has the been named as the new leader of Steel Town and he looks to be impressive.

I remember as a child watching my father and brother watch the game. And I chuckle because I think putting up the Christmas decorations took much longer than necessary due to the several breaks that took place during game time. As I grew up I became more interested in football. I watched something on HBO one time about the game. Old-timers who talked about their love of the game. About how they really can't stand when the players do their end zone dance. One former player said I don't believe anyone in the accounting department does a dance when the books balance. Those players are just doing their job, that handsome salary handed to them is contingent upon that! Gotta love old-school thinking! Now during that special, I heard clips of the players recorded on the field. Blue 32 - Hut Hut - Bpssh! And it was at that moment that I fell in love with football. Plus they were playing cool music in the background.

I watched more than a few games with my best friend and her mom. Oh her dad watched too. But her mom absolutely bled Black and Gold. Her house (inside and out) was always decorated for the Steeler games. The year after she passed away the Steelers won their 5th SuperBowl. Don't think for one second Nancy Jane didn't have something to do with that. So here's to you Mom - we'll be thinking of you today!!

A few stats (or what I like to call - More reasons to point and laugh at the Brownies):

The Steelers have won seven straight games over the Browns, and 17 of the last 20 meetings in the series. They are also 7-1 all-time at Cleveland Browns Stadium, winning six straight there since a 23-20 loss Sept. 17, 2000.

The Browns went 4-12 last season for their fourth consecutive last-place finish, a span in which they have gone a combined 19-45. (HA HA!!)

The Browns have opened the season at Cleveland Browns Stadium every year since it opened in 1999, but are just 1-7 in those games. (Aw poor babies.)

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, has won four straight season openers - tied with Atlanta for the longest opening-week winning streak in the NFL.

So I'm looking forward today to get back into the swing of things. Church, football and family (both blood and not.) What's better than that??