Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go

I grew up 30 miles from beautiful downtown Pittsburgh and all I know is the Steelers. As a little girl I knew the starting line up of every Steelers team for years. The Super Bowl and winning is all I knew growing up. Now that I live in Cleveland, OH, for the most part I keep my love of the Steelers under wraps. I have one shirt, one sweatshirt and jibbits on my crocs, but that is it. I will not be doing anything beneficial to my triathlon training between 6pm and 10 pm this Sunday evening.

The following is an interesting article I read in the Cleveland Plain Dealer last weekend:

There are XLV reasons to be interested in the Steelers-Packers Super BowlPublished: Saturday, January 29, 2011
By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

Keith Srakocic / Associated Press

Green Bay still calls itself "Titletown, U.S.A.", but it's the Steelers who have more Lombardi trophies than any other NFL team.


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Super Bowl XLV, featuring bedrock NFL franchises Green Bay and Pittsburgh, is being touted as one of the sport's greatest championship matchups. What a way to kick off a work stoppage.

The game will be played next Sunday in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Because of temporary seating and standing room areas, the game is expected to break the Super Bowl attendance record of 103,985.

Analysts are predicting the game will also attract a record viewing audience and top the 153.4 million total viewers of last year's game, which was the most watched television event in history.

To get a jump on the game, here are 45 interesting tidbits about Super Bowl XLV.

History

1. The Super Bowl trophy is named after Vince Lombardi, who became a legend as coach of the Packers from 1959-67 and died in 1970. The team that has won the most Lombardi trophies is the Steelers (six).

2. The Packers won nine NFL championship titles before the Super Bowl was born for the 1966 season, then they won the first two AFL-NFL World Championship Games before it was renamed the Super Bowl. They have three Super Bowl titles overall.

3. The Steelers are 6-1 in seven Super Bowl appearances. The Packers are 3-1.

4. The Steelers' 33 postseason wins are tied with Dallas for first in history. The Packers' 28 are third. Green Bay's .636 win percentage in postseason games (28-16) ranks No. 1 in the league. Pittsburgh's .623 (33-20) is second.

5. As the NFC's No. 6 playoff seed, Green Bay defeated the top three seeds on the road -- Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia -- to get here. The last team to win the Super Bowl after winning three playoff games on the road was Pittsburgh in 2005.

6. The Packers and Steelers have co-existed 78 years. (The Steelers were the Pirates until 1940). This is their first meeting in a postseason game.

7. The Packers have 21 players and coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Steelers have 18, including current defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and chairman emeritus Dan Rooney, the current U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.


8. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger can join elite company if he wins his third Super Bowl. Only Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Tom Brady and Troy Aikman have at least three Super Bowl wins in their careers. Brady, who is still active, is the only one not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

9. Roethlisberger's 10-2 (.833) record as a starting quarterback in the postseason ranks second in history to former Packers QB Bart Starr (.900, 9-1).

10. Roethlisberger wears No. 7 and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers wears No. 12. The last time opposing QBs in a Super Bowl wore those numbers was in the 1999 game when Denver's John Elway (7) opposed Atlanta's Chris Chandler (12).

11. Packers fullback John Kuhn earned a Super Bowl ring on the Pittsburgh practice squad after the 2005 season. He could become the 48th player to win a Super Bowl with more than one team.

12. Steelers linebacker James Harrison was the NFL defensive player of the year for 2008, the last time the Steelers went to the Super Bowl. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson was the NFL defensive player of the year for 2009. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews III is a leading candidate for the award this year.

13. Matthews is the son of former Browns linebacker Clay Matthews and is the third generation of his family to play in the NFL. Grandpa Clay, 83, was a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.

14. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has celebrated shoulder-length hair that earned him a lucrative marketing deal with Head & Shoulders shampoo. Matthews has shoulder-length hair and earned a lucrative deal with Suave shampoo.

15. The Packers have nine players who played for Mid-American Conference schools. The Steelers have six.

16. Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham was on the Browns' roster for one month in spring of 2010. One day at an organized team activity practice, he missed three field goals in a row.

Coaches

17. Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin, 38, is the youngest coach to take his team to a Super Bowl twice. He won at age 36. The next-youngest winning coach was Jon Gruden, 39.

18. Green Bay's Mike McCarthy is a native of the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

19. McCarthy was 38-26 in his first four seasons as Packers coach and reached the Super Bowl in his fifth season. Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren was 38-26 in his first four seasons and reached the Super Bowl in his fifth season. McCarthy is 4-2 in postseason games. Holmgren was 6-3 prior to his first Super Bowl.

20. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers held the same job with the Steelers from 1992-94.

21. Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene played with the Steelers from 1993-95.

22. Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements is from McKees Rocks, Pa., and coached with the Steelers from 2001-03.

23. Packers secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry played for the Steelers from 1992-98 and coached for them 2003-06.

24. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau coached defensive backs for the Packers from 1976-79.

25. Steelers assistant coaches Bruce Arians, John Mitchell and Keith Butler formerly coached with the Browns.

26. Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner is the son of former Browns cornerback Ross Fichtner and was born in Cleveland.

27. Steelers defensive end Nick Eason is making his second Super Bowl appearance since leaving the Browns following the 2006 season.

Teams

28. The Steelers ranked first in fewest points and fewest touchdowns allowed. The Packers ranked second.

29. Both teams play the 3-4 defensive system, making it the first Super Bowl to match two 3-4 defenses.

30. The Packers led the NFL in holding opposing quarterbacks to a composite passer rating of 67.2. The Steelers were second at 73.1.

31. The Steelers and Ravens tied for the league lead by yielding five rushing touchdowns. The Packers were next with six.

32. The Steelers were first in sacks with 48. The Packers were second with 47.

33. The Packers led the league with 91 projected games missed by injured starters. The Steelers were third with 51 games lost.

34. The Packers did not lose a game by more than four points and never trailed by more than seven points all season.

35. The last time the teams met was on Dec. 20, 2009, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers won, 37-36, as the teams combined for 1,011 total yards.

36. The Packers had six players selected to the Pro Bowl. The Steelers had four. Neither team's quarterback was selected.

37. The Steelers were 4-2 against common opponents. The Packers were 3-3. Both teams lost to the New England Patriots. The Browns beat the Patriots.

38. The Steelers have 15 players on their Super Bowl roster 30 years old or more. The Packers have eight. The Browns had 19 last year.

39. The Packers' NFC championship season began with a 27-24 loss to the Browns in the first exhibition game.

Miscellaneous

40. The Terrible Towel, created by former Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope, made its debut at a playoff game in 1975. Since 1997, the Terrible Towel has been made by McArthur Towel and Sports based in Madison, Wisc. The company is rushing to produce a batch of Titletown Towels to honor the hometown Packers.

41. Packers fans wear Cheesehead hats, which were first made in 1987 by Foamation, Inc., of St. Francis, Wisc.

42. The Packers are the only community-owned franchise in American professional sports with more than 112,000 shareholders. Subsequent to their existence, the NFL passed ownership rules that prohibit more than 32 owners of a club and mandate at least one hold at least 30 percent ownership.

43. The Packers are designated the home team and will wear their green jerseys. The Steelers will wear white jerseys, just as they did when they won the Super Bowl title following the 2005 and 2008 seasons.

44. With a population of 101,412, Green Bay is the smallest city with a major professional sports franchise. There will be more people in Cowboys Stadium for the Super Bowl.

45. Ticket prices for Green Bay's first appearance in Super Bowl I were $12, $10 and $6. Ticket prices for this year's game are $1,200, $900, $800, $600, $350 and $200.

Real Swimming Lessons

OK. So I’ve been taking swimming lessons. Real swimming lessons. I just was not getting what I needed from videos on YouTube :-) Holy cow - what a difference. Clearly my form was awful. I wasn't keeping my head down, the timing on my arms were completely off, I wasn't rotating my hips as much as I should, the timing on my breathing was off.... About the only thing I am doing right is bilateral breathing. I learned to do the 2-beat kick yesterday. Yikes-that was way harder than I thought. I gotta practice that - a lot! I was getting the hang of it by the end of the lesson but the first time I tried it I'm sure I looked hilarious. However, I am getting better. My stroke count started at 19-20 stokes/25yds and is now down to 16 consistently and I feel less tired because I'm doing less work.

I like the class so much. It is what I have needed for a long time. I almost feel as if I wasted last year swimming the wrong way. I guess if I can make the swimming cutoff with the wrong technique then I can only improve my time with an improved technique – right?

Also because I want to win a Garmin 310XT, I’m mentioning the following blog:

www.dcrainmaker.com

Go there if you want to register to win too.

Absolutely Epic 1974 Letter From Cleveland Browns to a Fan

I saw this in the local newspaper yesterday and thought it was hilarious. I doubt many letters like this are sent out nowadays.

In November of 1974, a Browns fan and season ticket holder sent a letter to the team regarding a concern of his.

The Cleveland Browns (specifically, their general counsel) sent back an absolutely epic response.

Here are their two letters:




If that's not clear, here's the transcribed text:

Gentlemen:

I am one of your season ticket holders who attends or tries to attend every game. It appears one of the pastimes of several fans has become the sailing of paper airplanes generally made out of the game program. As you know, there is the risk of serious eye injury and perhaps an ear injury as a result of such airplanes. I am sure that this has been called to your attention and that several of your ushers and policemen witnessed the same.

Please be advised that since you are in a position to control or terminate such action on the part of fans, I will hold you responsible for any injury sustained by any person in my party attending one of your sporting events. It is hoped that this disrespectful and possibly dangerous activity will be terminated.

Very truly yours,
Roetzel & Andress
By Dale O. Cox

And here's the Browns response:



The transcribes response:

Dear Mr Cox:

Attached is a letter that we received on November 19, 1974. I feel that you should be aware that some asshole is signing your name to stupid letters.

Very Truely Yours,
Cleveland Stadium Corp.
James N. Bailey
General Counsel

cc: Arthur B. Modell

Something Funny

They say humor is based on truth. Sadly, I am familiar with everything listed below.






This is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Cleveland:

If your Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you live in Cleveland.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there,you live in Cleveland.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time,you live in Cleveland.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Cleveland.

If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of I-90 for the weekend,you live in Cleveland.

If you measure distance in hours, you live in Cleveland.

If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you live in Cleveland.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Cleveland.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in Cleveland.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Cleveland.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you live in Cleveland.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Cleveland.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you live in Cleveland.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in Cleveland.

If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly", you live in Cleveland.

A Look Back and a Look Ahead

Given that all the networks and cable channels are rolling out their countdown lists and ‘year in review’ shows, now seems like a good time to knock out my ‘year in review/year ahead’ post.

2010: The Year In Review

I started the year off with serious pain in my neck. I discovered I don’t like taking medicine that just masks the pain. I’d rather solve the problem. My search led me from my medical doctor to the physical therapist to my final solution – the chiropractor. Dr. Christian is awesome and without her I don’t think I could have made it to the beginning of any triathlon let alone the end.

I worked on swimming most during my training because I did not learn to swim until I was 40 and my greatest fear was not making the cutoff of the Rev3 half iron triathlon. I felt it would be the best investment of my time. I learned to breathe bilaterally and got rid of my goofy frog leg kick and replaced it with the more efficient flutter kick. The payoff: I made the cutoff time in every triathlon I did.

I learned how to use clipless pedals. However this did not come easily or without the spilling of blood. This was probably the hardest thing I had to learn because it seemed so unnatural at first. I realized the pedals that came with my bike were not well suited for me so I bought new ones – Look Keo pedals. After that – smooth sailing. (well mostly)

I learned that training steadily and harder will yield results. I shaved almost half an hour off my finish time of the Pirate Triathlon from 2009 to 2010. It thrilled me to no end.

I learned that I can set what seems like an impossible goal and by having just a few people believe in you I can achieve that goal. I’ve said it a million times – my athletic skills are less than average. But I never let a silly thing like that get in my way. I still improved the skills that I have by training diligently. I did what I set out to do: I finished the REV3 half iron distance triathlon. Not only that – I did not finish last. Wow. I could not believe that one.

I discovered a support network both locally and virtually. That network runs much deeper and wider than I could ever have imagined. Thank you to everyone who helped me.

2011: A Look Ahead

What do you do once you’ve achieved your goals? Make new ones of course. I’ve outlined a few goals for next year and I’m sharing them with you, as always, to help hold myself accountable.

1) Take swimming lessons and improve my form. I’m assuming that simple act will shave time off my swim.

2) Do more hill training on my bike. My training course was pretty flat but many races I did in 2010 had some challenging hills. Question: How does one get better climbing hills on a bike? Answer: Do more hill training. DUH – ya think?

3) Focus more on running. I did not do that in 2010. Mostly because if I didn’t make it past the swim – I would not be running. Now that my mind is in the right place about swimming (meaning I now know I can do it in the allotted time) I can spend more time improving my running. My husband’s analogy – it is like a golfer who spends all his time practicing driving and chipping and no time putting. It does not make for a well rounded athlete.

4) I’m sort of afraid to put this one out there – mostly because I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to do this one again – but here goes: Improve my time at the Rev3 half iron triathlon. Whew.

So get ready for another year of triathlon hijinks. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Triathlon wish list to Santa

I’m now officially signed up for the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon in June. I’ve also signed up for the Cleveland Half Marathon in May. But other than that, I’m still at a loss as to what I will be doing next season. This wreaks havoc on my training – especially this time of year when all I’ve been doing lately is baking cookies.

One thing I do plan on doing is taking swimming lessons. I know I’ve been saying that since last year – but honestly I did try last year but it never worked out. Every time I set something up with someone, they cancelled on me. Bummer. I’m sure once my technique improves, I will be able to knock some time off my swim.

Now that I’m on vacation, I can spend a little extra time at the gym when I’m there to swim. I’m hoping to add two days a week of strength training. I’m sure that will help everything – all around. Good news is I just renewed my Bally’s membership for $99/year for 3 years. Awesome. I knew my mad negotiating skills would come in handy!

My triathlon wish list to Santa:

1. swimming lessons
2. Sportcount lap counter – since I can only count to 4 when I swim
3. A cheap rear tire for my bike so I can ride on the trainer and not ruin an expensive tire

That is about it. I pretty much have everything else I need or want.

Been Too Busy...

I know, I know – it is not an excuse but I have been slammed at work for the last 7 weeks or so. In my tiny little world of insurance, January 1st is the busiest day of the year, so I have to have all my surveys and reports done by then. I’ve been working like a mad woman to get it done. I’m glad to say I’ve made it. After today, I’m on vacation for the rest of the year. Woo Hoo!



Anyway, I have a few race reports to write. They will be short – I think. On Thanksgiving Day, my son Sam and I did the Turkey Trot in Erie, PA. This is my third one and his second. We mostly do it for the cool hoodies and the free caricature artist at the after party. It was tempting to not do it this year because it was freezing – about 31F – and pouring down rain. But we went anyway – to justify the pumpkin pie later. The rain slowed down a bit but it had rained so much the course had huge puddles the whole width of the road. Also the sides of the road were mud. At one point, I had to jump over two split rail fences to keep moving forward. After the race I felt I did more of a steeplechase than a road race. It was fun anyway and as expected, Sam crushed me. The boy has talent.

The next week I did a Reindeer Run. Again, it is more of a fun run 5K with people dressed as Buddy the elf, Santa, and even reindeers. It is right on Lake Erie and it is typically windy so close to the lake, but that day way spectacular. It was about 25F but sunny and no wind. I felt like I could run forever. I was dressed just right.

Last weekend I did another 5K fun run. However, I did not have as much luck with the weather. It was really, really cold and pouring down rain – again. It was about 25F out and starting to turn to snow and ice. Not exactly ideal running weather. However, it was for a great charity. Sam and I did this one too. Last year he won in his age group and he wanted to defend his title. As a warm up he ran the ½ mile kid run – in about 3 ½ min. He wasn’t even pushing it. However after that he started complaining of not feeling good. His brother was just diagnosed with Strep Throat and I was praying he wasn’t going to come down with it too. At the start of the race he said he felt up to running so off we went. Usually, he takes off and I don’t see him until I cross the finish line a good 10 min after him. But today he stuck with me. About a mile in he asked if we could walk. I said ok because I didn’t want to push it with him. We walked hard and were not last but unfortunately, he was unable to defend his title. Next year…

It has been snowing like crazy here in Cleveland the last couple weeks. I’m including a picture of a walk I took thru the woods lately. I walked about two miles in at least 2-3 ft. snow. It was a great workout. The picture is not of me, but I took it.