Tuesday, one final tribute and it’s back to basics

By: D. Spat.


****I’d like to start by saying I originally did this because I’m crazy and the playoffs really brings out the insanity in my mind. Let’s face it I wore the same boxers for the entire (the entirely long) playoff run by the Penguins.
That being said I sent the email yesterday to some friends and I got some solid replies, but if you’d like to taken of the list, please let me know. There is about 50 of you now so please let me know.
My friend has a blog that all of these are going to and I'm going to be a regular contributor so if you're interest I'll get ya that link as well.
Back to basics
For as long as I can remember the Pittsburgh Steelers have always been about three things.
1. Defense 2. A quarterback who wins, wins wins 3. Running game
That being said, we have No. 1. It pains me that I never got to see the Steel Curtain in action, but if the Steelers are able to win the Superbowl this year, they’ll go down as the one of the greatest defense's ever, if not the single greatest defense in a season ever.
They’re no Steel Curtain yet, they need to win the big show and do it again next year, but they could.
Number two brings me to Big Ben. Let’s face it, in pressure situations there is no better quarterback currently in the NFL. I don’t care what anybody says.
Byron Leftwich, I love him and am president of the Pittsburgh Steelers Chapter of the Leftwich fan club and he’s going to make a lot of money next year, just not as a Steeler and he deserves it. The guy is tough as nails.
But the people saying he should have started last weekend. Come on, really we’ve got a legend in the making.
He may get sacked a lot, but the O-Line still stinks. We yell when he gets sacked, but when he connects on the big play. Everybody Cheers!
Big Ben is best big game quarterback in the game period. Wins are only thing that matters and the kid wins and wins.
I have the running game listed at No. 3 and it should have been listed at two, but it’s been non-existent all year.
On Sunday it returned in a huge way. Willie Parker was everything he needed to be.
The Stillers got back to basics and ran the ball and believe it or not it worked and worked well.
Run the ball, Run the ball and Run the ball. The Ravens can’t stop the Run.
Run the ball, that’s Steeler football.
Franco, Bleier and Bettis and if Willie wins a second Superbowl. I’m sorry you have to put him on the list
Lay off Ben Guys, he’s a proven winner. Payton Manning, yea that Payton Manning, the second rate playoff quarterback who excels in the regular season and worries more about commercials couldn’t hold Ben’s motorcycle helmet.
That brings me to my tribute, the final one of the week.
Enough will be said about the Defense, it’s going to be talked about much more this week. Let’s face it, Sunday’s showdown with the Ravens is going be a battle.
Smash football, which both our beloved Stillers and hated Ravens play is about lining up and hittin' each other in the jaw.
Defense and the Running the ball.
This is something I wrote during the Steelers memorable run in 2006.
It’s an oldie, but a goodie and like I always says “OLD SKOOL” is the best school.
I got a feelin’
Titled: The “Bus” is going home
FYI: The Bus was home in Da'Burgh on Sunday for the coin flip and the place went nuts, he's just a lovable guy.

This was from Pat and Spat: The LHU Eagle Eye From February, 6, 2006

Something was missing on Sunday that I had grown accustomed to for the last 20 weeks. For the past 20 Sundays, I have been able to enjoy football, and with the exception of one bye week on that pointless first Sunday in October, I have been able to enjoy Pittsburgh Steelers football.
The last seven weekends and the games that made them worth having the day off from classes were even more exciting. For the last seven weekends Steelers fans, like myself have enjoyed some of the best football we have seen all year from our beloved black and gold.
Entering week 13 with a disappointing 7-5 record, Steelers fans were left scratching their heads. Last year at this time the team strolled into week 13 with a 10-1 record.
What a difference a year makes?
Needing to win the last four games of the regular season to insure a playoff spot, something special happened and they did just that.
Against all odds they went on the road to win not one, not two, but three playoff games against the top three seeded teams.
Eight weeks ago the Steelers were a team far from perfection, but the past seven times they've hit the field perfect is exactly what they've been.
A sophomore slump for Ben Roethlisberger?
Not quite, as over the last seven games and even more so in the three-playoff games Roethlisberger has earned his nickname as "Big Ben," for he too has been close to perfect.
But looking closely at this Steelers team it is not a seven game streak they're riding, or the play of Big Ben.
It's something deeply embedded in Pittsburgh Steelers football. It hasn't been there as long as the Rooney's or head coach Bill Cowher and it's not Heinz Field, but it still means a lot.
What the Steelers are riding on is their heart and soul for the past 13 seasons.
They are riding a bus that stands at 5'11" inches, weights 255 pounds, is all heart and comes in the form of number 36 Jerome Bettis.
Throw away the rushing yards, rushing averages, the numbers, all the stats and all the touchdowns.
They don't mean anything when you talk about "The Bus."
He is more than just a football player and more than just a star running back.
He is the heart and soul of today's Pittsburgh Steelers and one of the main reasons the Steelers are where they are today, heading to Superbowl XL.
His tough, run right at you attitude and mentally inspires his teammates and echoes what Steelers football has, is and will always be about.
It's the headshake after a hard fought five yards up the middle that has meant so much to this proud franchise over years and brought fans to their feet time and time again in.
After all there is no better scene than when the Steelers have the ball on the seven-yard line and you know exactly where the ball is going.
Picture perfect blocks and another short Jerome Bettis touchdown.
Thousands of fans jump to their feet and sea of gold erupts in the stands as Terrible Towels are waved with enthusiasm.
Time after time, this scene will never get old.
Last year after the season as we saw how much Bettis meant to the team when Hines Ward teared up talking about his teammate that means so much to him, Big Ben made Bettis a promise that if he returned for another season he would take him to the Superbowl. Bettis returned and Big Ben held his end of the deal.
A team of destiny?
I don't know, I can only hope, but we'll find out Sunday.
Regardless of the outcome in the game or whether its his last game or not, Bettis will be looking to gain a few more hard fought yards right up the middle just like he has been doing for 13 seasons in the black and gold.
After all that's still Pittsburgh football and Steelers fans wouldn't have it any other way.
D. Spat