On This Date . . .

January 21, 1979 the Steelers won their third Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIII, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 35-31. It was a thrilling game, in what we think of as the "Jackie Smith" Super Bowl (for those who saw the game, or have seen highlights you know what we're talking about).

For some detailed information about the game here is the page at Wikipedia, or you can visit the NFL's official page by clicking here.

Originally published January 21, 2008

On This Date . . .

January 20, 1980 the Steelers won their fourth Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIV, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 31-19 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. In some ways this was the most difficult of all the Super Bowl wins, as the Steelers needed two fourth quarter touchdowns to win the game. This is also the game in which John Stallworth solidified his Hall of Fame credentials while Terry Bradshaw was named MVP.

For a detailed look at the game take a look at the Wikipedia page, or at the NFL.com page.


Originally published January 20, 2008

On this date in Steelers history

With the Steelers preparing to face the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship today, it is good to remember that this date has been a good one in the history of the franchise.

On January 18, 1976 the Steelers won their second, and second consecutive, Super Bowl ~ defeating the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in Super Bowl X.

This game made Lynn Swann a household name ~ his leaping catches becoming the stuff of legends ~ but it was the defense, which sacked Roger Staubach seven times, that carried the day.

The Wikipedia page for the game is here, and you can see video from the game here.

Originally published January 18, 2009

On This Date . . .

January 12, 1975, the Pittsburgh Steelers won their first Super Bowl, Super Bowl IX, by defeating the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For information about the game itself, click here for Wikipedia; and for a feature article about the champions and their lovable, long-suffering owner click here.

Originally published January 12, 2008

On this date . . .

February 5, 2006 the Steelers finally got their "one for the thumb," defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL. In the process they helped Jerome Bettis finish off his (hall of fame) career with his only Super Bowl championship. At the same time head coach Bill Cowher exorcised some demons by getting his first Super Bowl championship in his second appearance as head coach in the game.

The game featured a record setting performance by Willie Parker (longest touchdown run, 75 yards in Super Bowl history), gadget plays, and controversial calls by the officials (at least if you were rooting for the Seattle Seahawks).

For a more detailed look at the game the Wikipedia page is here. Meanwhile the NFL's recap of the game is here, and you can take a peek at the game ticket and the champion's ring here.

Steelers Super Bowl Histories

Thanks to great information available via the the NFL, we offer up the scoring history of the Steelers and their opponents from Pittsburgh's six previous Super Bowl appearances.

One thing that is readily apparent, this year's halftime entertainment (i.e. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band) is the best that the Steelers have ever seen.

Super Bowl XL (February 5, 2006 ~ Detroit Michigan)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Seattle Seahawks	3	0	7	0	10
Pittsburgh Steelers	0	7	7	7	21

Game MVP: Hines Ward

Halftime entertainment: The Rolling Stones


Super Bowl XXX (January 28, 1996 ~ Tempe, Arizona)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Dallas Cowboys	10	3	7	7	27
Pittsburgh Steelers	0	7	0	10	17

Game MVP: Larry Brown

Halftime entertainment: Diana Ross


Super Bowl XIV (January 20, 1980 ~ Pasadena, California)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Los Angeles Rams	7	6	6	0	19
Pittsburgh Steelers	3	7	7	14	31

Game MVP: Terry Bradshaw

Halftime entertainment: Up with People


Super Bowl XIII (January 21, 1979 ~ Miami, Florida)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Pittsburgh Steelers	7	14	0	14	35
Dallas Cowboys	7	7	3	14	31

Game MVP: Terry Bradshaw

Halftime entertainment: "Ken Hamilton and various Caribbean bands"


Super Bowl X (January 18, 1976 ~ Miami, Florida)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Dallas Cowboys	7	3	0	7	17
Pittsburgh Steelers	7	0	0	14	21

Game MVP: Lynn Swann

Halftime entertainment: Up with People


Super Bowl IX (January 12, 1975 ~ New Orleans, Louisiana)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Pittsburgh Steelers	0	2	7	7	16
Minnesota Vikings	0	0	0	6	6

Game MVP: Franco Harris

Halftime entertainment: Mercer Ellington and the Grambling University bands

On This Date . . .

January 20, 1980, the Steelers defeated the Los Angles Rams -- at the Rose Bowl -- 31-19. It was a game that was much closer than the final score indicates (the Steelers trailed going into the fourth quarter, and required two John Stallworth touchdowns in that quarter to win); and is remembered as much for how well the underdog Rams played as it is for being the Steelers' fourth Super Bowl victory.

In this game Terry Bradshaw was awarded the MVP trophy despite throwing three interceptions -- we're sure John Stallworth isn't bitter in the least.

For the Wikipedia page on the game click here, and for the NFL's official page click here.

Meanwhile, if you would like to watch some of the game go to YouTube by clicking here.

On This Date . . .

January 28, 1996 the Steelers . . . lost . . . a . . . Super Bowl . . . at Sun Devils Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

Given little chance to beat the Dallas Cowboys (Pittsburgh was a 13 1/2 point underdog), the Steelers outplayed them for most of the contest; but the outcome of the game turned on two Neil O'Donnell interceptions. To this day no explanation has been provided as to just who made the mistakes -- the quarterback or the receiver -- on virtually the same play call, but they were killers.

For the Wikipedia page on the game click here, and for the NFL's official page click here.

You can watch

Steel Curtain Great, Ernie Holmes, Killed

On the anniversary of the Steelers' win in Super Bowl X, the organization and its fans are mourning the death of number 63, Ernie Holmes. He was 59 years old.

Mr. Holmes had a seven year career, six of which were in Pittsburgh. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1974 and 1975, and played on two of the Steelers four Super Bowl teams in the 1970s.

On This Date . . .

January 18, 1976 the Pittsburgh Steelers won their second Super Bowl, Super Bowl X; and Lynn Swan made the single greatest play in Super Bowl history.

The greatest.

Bar none.

For general information about the game here's the page at Wikipedia; and you can get statistics from the game and a brief narrative at the
NFL's Super Bowl Site.

YouTube offers you an opportunity to watch some of the game, and if you click here you can watch the player introductions, national anthem, and -- amazingly enough -- the opening kickoff which the Steelers do a terrible job of covering.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

NFL Cancels Church Parties

Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic is always amazed when common sense is ignored, and big companies steam-roller those who support them the most. For example, Major League Baseball's (MLB) apparent decision to move their Extra innings television package exclusively to Directv -- a move that would leave the majority of last season's subscribers out in the cold. That kind of business acumen is why MLB is now the national pastime, as long as the NFL, NBA, and X Games are not on television.

Now comes word in the form of a Los Angeles Times article that the National Football League has fired off cease-and-desist letters to houses of worship ordering them to cancel plans to hold Super Bowl viewing parties that involve big screen televisions, and are advertised using the official Super Bowl logo.

According to the Times article the NFL's efforts are based upon laws designed, and passed, to protect television ratings. Indeed the rules are so specific that they define just what a "big screen television" is:

"Under NFL guidelines — and federal law — churches, schools and other public venues can hold football-viewing parties only if they use a single, living-room-size TV, no bigger than 55 inches. When they project the game onto 12-foot screens or set up banks of TVs, they cross the line, according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.

Jumbo screens 'have the potential to draw thousands of people, and if we had that going on across the country, it would eventually erode the television ratings,' McCarthy said."

How many of these big screen television parties would have to be going on before television ratings declined? And just how how do the television networks feel about the NFL dragging them into this issue?

The ironic thing is that thousands of bars and retaurants around the country are doing precisely what the churches have been precluded from doing. Again, according to the Times article "[s]ports bars and other businesses that rely on televised sports to draw patrons are exempt." The logic in all of this is so tortured that there is no logic.

In one of the understatements of this NFL season Marshall Leafer, a law professor interviewed for the article, says that "the NFL 'has a pretty good case. But I'm a little puzzled as to why they're doing this, because it gives them a lot of bad press'."

Amen brother, amen.

Happy Anniversary Steelers Fans

Though the Steelers are home for the playoffs this year all fans can still celebrate: Today is the 32nd anniversary of the Steelers' first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl IX versus the Minnesota Vikings!

The game, which was played on January 12, 1975 before 80,997 fans at Tulane Stadium (the final game ever played in that stadium) in New Orleans, Louisiana, was one of the stranger Super Bowl contests. The half time score was 2-0, with the only points coming off Vikings' quarterback Fran Tarkenton's recovery of his own fumble in the Minnesota end zone. The game also featured one of the biggest, hardest hits ever unleashed by a Steelers defender, when Glenn Edwards unloaded on Vikings' wide receiver John Gilliam. The turnover that resulted from that hit sealed the win for the Steelers.

The MVP of that game was Franco Harris, who rushed for what was then a record 158 yards.