inside the head of a steelers fan

as you ought to know, the steelers played some monday night football last night, and even though the game was in pittsburgh, we were absolutely ready for it here in new jersey.


some of you realize what a crazy fan i am of this team, but many of you may not. so, during the game last night i just jotted down some of my thoughts so that you can see just how ridiculously into this i get. enjoy.

1. could it possibly rain any harder?

2. james harrison now has a sack and a forced fumble on the ravens first possession. all i heard about before the game was the incredible and inspired ravens defense, led by thug, um, i mean ray lewis and the heralded bart scott and trevor pryce. the latter was unable to bring down big ben who made him look silly before throwing a touchdown pass. this is sweet!

3. three and out on the ravens 2nd possession? McNair looks old. Big Ben looks alive and strong.
4. james harrison is really using his head - two forced fumbles...with his helmet!

5. is it just me or does it start pouring down rain everytime the steelers get the ball?

6. on the 2nd touchdown pass willie parker really showed me something. thug lewis was coming in hard on a blitz and fast willie just stopped the convict in his tracks, giving ben the extra second to thread the needle to santonio in the end zone. santonio is really starting to be money for the steelers.

7. if the 1st quarter felt like it lasted an hour to me, a steelers fan, how long must it have felt to the ravens?

8. james harrison just picked off mcnair. joey who?

9. stupid mcgahee. with that touchdown run you not only ruined the first half shutout, you also cost me my fantasy football game. dang you!

10. clark haggans' windmill flip in the third quarter was just some very visible evidence of coach tomlin's challenge to the team to be more violent than the ravens. and yet, with all that violence, the steelers have been penalized far less than the ravens. you see, in pittsburgh steeler football, violence means playing physical, no-surrender football. it means playing hard - harder than your opponent. it means imposing your will. it is still the steeler way.

11. the stadium sounded like a library when ben got hurt. so did my living room.

12. now ben is back in the game here in the fourth quarter, and i don't totally understand why except that it sends a message to the ravens and the whole league, really: we are tougher than you. on national tv, roethlisberger, harrison and the rest of these steel city footballers came out of the closet that they built themselves last year, with the ghosts of steelers past all around them, and made a loud and clear statement to the nfl. we're back.

greg.