Polamalu Takes AP Defensive POY Honors

So much for those earlier reports that Clay Matthews of Green Bay won the 2010 AP Defensive Player of the Year Award. In actuality, that award will be headed to Pittsburgh, as it was really won by Steeler safety/shampoo pitchman Troy Polamalu.

Polamalu received 17 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members, topping Matthews by two votes. Steeler LB James Harrison finished third in the balloting with nine votes, giving the team two of the top three defenders in the league in 2010. Others getting votes included Chicago's Julius Peppers (6) and Brian Urlacher (2), and Baltimore's Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata, with 1 each. So that means the league's top seven defensive players hailed from just four teams.

Despite missing two games in 2010, this was a season of firsts for #43, garnering his first Steeler team MVP award and first DPOY honor. He tied a career high with seven interceptions, scored one touchdown, and factored into numerous game-changing/season-changing plays. And off the field, he took his marketability and popularity to new levels, boasting the league's top-selling jersey (for men and women) and appearing in a comprehensive multimedia ad campaign for Head and Shoulders shampoo. Yeah, he sure has come a long way from being labeled a thug by YouTube uploaders in his college days, as illustrated in this video with 3 million views that I just saw for the first time yesterday.

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Flozell Adams is the New Jerome Bettis

Nearly every year, a veteran player who's never won a Super Bowl comes along as a rallying point for his teammates. In Super Bowl XL, that player happened to grow up in the very hometown that was hosting the game. This time around, the Big Game seems to be dedicated to a player that hails from Chicago, but spent 12 seasons toiling in Dallas for a mostly-mediocre Cowboy franchise. 

Yes, this game is quickly becoming the big stage for Flozell "The Hotel" Adams, the Incredible Hulk of a man who wears size 22 shoes and measures out at 6'7", 338 pounds. And to honor their new teammate, the Steelers donned Adams' Michigan State throwback jerseys today on their travel day to Dallas, as illustrated above by crutched center Maurkice Pouncey.

The Steelers have famously worn jerseys in the past to honor members of the team, wearing Bettis' Notre Dame jerseys en route to SBXL and Dick LeBeau's Detroit Lions jersey to the 2007 Hall of Fame game.

LeBeau returned the favor by wearing the jerseys of his 30-plus-year-old defensive players during off-season drills, modeling the threads of players such as Brett Keisel, Casey Hampton, and James Farrior.

Sure, the Flozell Adams storyline will get played out by, say, Tuesday, but honoring teammates and coaches with such gestures is another unique touch that makes the Steelers just a little bit different than the other teams in the NFL. And it's another reason why I never bought Chris Mortensen's rumor of Dick LeBeau going to Arizona - or anywhere else - after the Super Bowl concludes. He's just too comfortable to go elsewhere, regardless of money. And his personnel isn't too shabby, either.

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Pitt Falls to #4

On the heels of a week where they lost to Notre Dame and squeaked by Mike Rice and Rutgers, the Pitt Panthers ended their brief reign at #2 in the country today, dropping to #4 in both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and AP poll. Pitt now trails #1 Ohio State (22-0), #2 Kansas (20-1) and #3 Texas (18-3), a team the Panthers beat 68-66 earlier this season.

All in all, seven of the top 17 teams in the rankings were from the Big East, including Pitt (4), UConn (6), Notre Dame (9), Villanova (12), Georgetown (13), Louisville (15), and Syracuse (17). WVU (25) gives the conference eight of the top 25 teams in the nation.

Of local interest, Duquesne didn't crack the top 25, but did notch 15 voting points in the AP Poll that would put them at a tie for #33 in the country. The Dukes are 7-0/15-5 and tied with Xavier for first placed in the A-10, leading the nation in assists per game and coming in 10th in points per game. Duquense and Xavier face off on February 13 at the Palumbo Center in a showdown that could determine the A-10 regular season champion.

And Penn State's recent success hasn't gone unrecognized, either. The Nittany Lions came in a point behind Duquesne in the rankings despite woeful numbers in offense (262nd in the nation) and rebounding (265th); but they're aided by three top-25 wins, beating Michigan State, Illinois, and Wisconsin. PSU also lost by one point to then-#13 Purdue and fell by just three to #1 Ohio State this season. They'll have another top-25 challenge coming their way on Tuesday, traveling to Illinois for a rematch of the January 11 Lion win.

As for Pitt, they'll get nearly the entire week off, not taking the court until a Saturday contest at The Pete against Cincinnati (5-4, 18-4). The Bearcats, ranked 30th in the AP poll, are coming off a 66-55 loss versus West Virginia on Saturday. They're led on offense by G Dion Dixon, who averages a lowly 12 PPG.

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The Steelers Land in Dallas

The Steelers have officially landed in Dallas at 12:30 Eastern, and on the travel note, you've gotta give it up for Hines Ward on his choice of apparel. Let me give credit where credit is due: when Hines travels to Texas, he dresses the part.

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Monday Steeler Quick Hits: Keisel Beard Me!

Give yourself the Keisel Beard treatment. I have a question: when did Brett Keisel become so marketing-savvy? Where was this hiding all these years? [KeiselBeardMe.com]

Speaking of The Beard, Keisel was recently voted as owner of the best beard in NFL history! [ChiCitySports]

In unsurprising news, Hines Ward has no plans to retire.

Call it a gut instinct, but I just don't see his Pittsburgh career ending well.  He'll feel like he can still play when the evidence shows otherwise someday. Then he'll feel insulted by the Steelers, he'll get released, and then he'll play for some team like Baltimore. It's a recurring nightmare I have, but I've seen the Hines Movie too many times. Any perceived slight makes him want it more. [PG+]

"Peter King of Sports Illustrated writes in today’s Monday Morning Quarterback column that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told him he talked to two dozen Steelers while he was deciding how to punish Roethlisberger at the beginning of this season, and to a man, Roethlisberger’s teammates declined to say anything supportive of their quarterback" [PFT]

From TMZ: "Piven -- No One Wants 'Rapist-Berger' in Super Bowl". Because we all care about Jeremy Piven's thoughts on the Super Bowl. [TMZ]

LaMarr Woodley having fun at the expense of that horrible, horrible Pro Bowl [Twitter]

And in the realm of celebrity Steeler fans:

Black and Yellow is now the #3 song in America. Prediction: #1 within a week. [Billboard]

PG charts the rise of Wiz Khalifa. Most would describe it as "meteoric". [PG]

Snoop Dogg and his famous, drug-loving-yet-family-friendly lifestyle will be coming to Stage AE in February [PG]

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MH Super Bowl "Readers Rule Day" Slated for Wednesday

A while back, I ran a little special called "Readers Rule Week," which highlighted some of the MH readers around the globe, their photos, their opinions, and their stories. I'd say it was a success, and I always wanted to do it again. 

With that in the back of my mind, I've recently been pitched some interesting storylines for SB45 from some potential "guest-writers" to the site; so what I'm going to do is combine these two like-minded projects into one day during the week and have a 2010 Readers Rule Day to take place on Wednesday.

The last time around, we ran the following features: "Your Greatest Pittsburgh Sports Photos", "Your Memories of Pittsburgh Things That Are Gone" (my personal favorite), and a massive reader roundtable on Pittsburgh sports. 

This time, we'll mix it up a bit, but have the same general theme of featuring content from MH readers. If you have any of the following, please email it to me by Tuesday night at 9 PM EST and I will try my best to include it in our feature:

WANTED:

-Any new Steeler or Terrible Towel-related photos. I know many of you have submitted these in the past, but if anyone has some new ones, let this be the time to get them in. I'll compile what I receive into one post like I've done in the past.

-Steeler or Super Bowl-related original articles. People are often pitching me ideas to write for the site, so let this be an opportunity to contribute if you have a story or opinion that needs told. Obviously, it has to be written at a level worthy of publishing, but I know there are many talented writers out there up to the task. 

I'm sure you know my soft spot for lists, so I encourage you to take that angle. It's proven time and time again to be the most successful with blog readers, at least in my experiences. I'm not necessarily looking for 10,000 words, I'd only say to write something you would want to read about. And please, if you're on the fence about a topic and plan on devoting several hours to writing about it, give me a heads up first, lest we have several articles with the same theme. I don't want to waste anyone's time, nor do I want to bore/annoy the readers. My only requests are to keep it clean and keep it interesting, and please don't use a billion pictures (it's a time/formatting thing).

-(5) volunteers to participate in a fan Q&A about the team and the game. Just like the last go-round, I've got some questions up my sleeve regarding the team and the game and would be interested to hear some reader opinions. It wouldn't be anything too painless, perhaps even enjoyable if you like sharing your thoughts on the Black and Gold and the big game.

So if you're interested in being a part of this, please contact me via email or Twitter below. My philosophy has always been "The more, the merrier," so hopefully a number of you can get involved in some way, shape, or form.

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Hey Clay Travis: St. Clair Hospital Wrapping Babies in Terrible Towels

There's a great story on the Chartiers Valley Patch website today about what's happening at St. Clair Hospital, where the staff is wrapping newborns in Terrible Towels and Steeler knit hats. It's just another example of what this yellow piece of cloth means in unifying the people of this region, and even to a sometimes-cynical person like myself, I think it's pretty cool. Of course, there's another side to the Terrible Towel coin, as we've seen this week.

As you know by now, Fanhouse's Clay Travis wrote a desperate attention-grab of a story ripping the Towel this week in a story that's been linked from coast to coast and eventually resulting in an interview with WTAE. That's where Travis proceeded to pile on and question the actual value of the Towel's charity effects on the city. Good times:

"The proceeds is a good thing. I don't know anyone who has an issue with money going to charity," Travis said. "Now, is it that substantial an amount of charity? I mean, every year, they give less to charity than they pay the worst Steeler football player, so it's not like this is some multimillion-dollar-every-year industry that's changing the face of Pittsburgh. I mean, it's a little bit of money. It's better than not anything. But it's not like it's a seismic difference in the overall scope of the city."

When Ingram noted that the towel has generated more than $3 million for charity, Travis responded, "Over 15 years, though. What is that -- $200,000 a year? I'm just saying they pay the worst Steeler over $300,000 a year, so the worst player on the Steeler football team makes more money than the Terrible Towel has ever given back to the city."

The Terrible Towel is something that's near and dear to the hearts of Pittsburghers. They take towels with them on vacation around the globe, they take them to war, they take them to space, they make music videos about them, they wrap babies in them, they wave them after they win first star in an NHL game. Anytime you crack the invisible barrier that makes something so meaningful and personal to so many people from a region, yeah, they're going to be defensive when you "disrespect" it. 

Is it silly to give so much emotional value to a towel? Not really, because it's more about the symbol than the cloth. Why is that so difficult to comprehend? By insulting the towel, you're insulting Pittsburgh, whether the offending party realizes it or not. Pittsburghers are a proud group of people with a very limited tolerance for cheap shots at their town. Apparently that's lost on Clay Travis. And TJ Houshmandzadeh. And Keith Bulluck. And so on and so on. But it will never be lost on me, and I'll always be proud to say I'm a Pittsburgher, whether they like it or not.

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Joe Beimel's Pittsburgh Return Kicks Off PirateFest

Making a big splash on the eve of PirateFest 2011, the Buccos have reached a deal with Duquesne U. product and former Pirate pitcher Joe Beimel, who will sign with the team today.

After pitching with the Pirates in middle relief from 2001-2003, Beimel has also pitched for Minnesota, Tampa Bay, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington, and Colorado. He holds a career mark of 23-31 with an ERA of 4.16 and will fill a need for lefty relievers in the Pirate pen. Terms of the deal have not been made public yet, but for comparison's sake, Beimel made $850K with the Rockies last season. So the deal probably won't break the bank.

As for the other half of this story, PirateFest stars tomorrow, running from 10 AM- 8 PM on Saturday and 12 PM - 5 PM on Sunday at the David Lawrence Convention Center. Tickets are $12, and a list of attractions is as follows:

• Meet new Pirates manager Clint Hurdle
• Free Autographs by current players and alumni
• First chance to buy single game tickets to 2011 home games
• All fans get a 2011 Wall Calendar, Pocket Schedule and PirateFest Program.
• "Ask Pirates Management" Q&A sessions
• Photo opportunities with your favorite Pirates
• Giant Eagle Kids Fun Zone, featuring many activities for children
• "Lost Treasures" area with game-used jerseys, bats, balls and more for sale.
• A charity silent auction with proceeds to benefit Pirates Charities.
• Inflatable rides, batting cages and carnival games.
• New contests like "We Are Fam-A-Lee Feud" and "Minute To Win It"
• Youth baseball clinics, face painters and much more

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VIDEO: Wiz Khalifa Performs Black and Yellow on George Lopez

In case you missed it, here's video of Wiz Khalifa's first official late-night performance, which came last night on  TBS's Lopez Tonight, which I've previously only watched because I was too lazy to change the channel after Conan. But Wiz rocked the place as much as you could rock it for a studio audience. And he had black and yellow hair, too. That's gotta count for something on the coolness scale.

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Adam West and The Soup Nazi Coming to the Steel City

Exciting news for all pop-culture nerds: Steel City Con will be coming to Monroeville on March 4, 5, and 6, and among this year's celebrities on hand to sign autographs will be "Family Guy" Mayor Adam West (better known as TV's Batman), Mike Lookinland ("Bobby Brady" from The Brady Bunch), Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi" (Larry Thomas), Peter Tork of The Monkees, Mitzi Kapture of Baywatch, and many more stars of the big and small screen.

The convention features a wide selection of items, including New & Vintage Toys, Gold/Silver/Modern Age Comic Books, Anime, Gaming, Sci- Fi/Horror, Godzilla, Military Toys, Slot-Cars, Star Wars, Action Figures, NASCAR, Johnny Lightning, Diecast, Movie & TV, Model Kits, Hot Wheels, Non-Sports Cards, Matchbox, Corgi, Disney, Barbie, G.I. Joe, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Mcfarlane Toys. Think Steve Carell in The 40 Year Old Virgin come to life and plopped into a Monroeville convention hall.

Show hours are Friday March 4 from 2 - 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 6, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For more info: http://www.steelcitycon.com or on Twitter @Steelcitycon

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The Next Superman Could be Yinzer Joe Manganiello

Joe Manganiello, best known for his roles as "Flash Thompson" in the Spiderman movies and "Alcide Herveaux" on HBO's True Blood, is apparently on the short list to potentially take over as Superman in the character's next feature film, which will be produced by Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Dark Knight).

Normally I don't post about movie rumors on the site, but this is noteworthy from the standpoint that Manganiello is from Mt. Lebanon and graduated from Mt. Lebo back in 1995, where he played varsity football and was the captain of his basketball and volleyball teams. 

He graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2000 with a BFA in acting, which is nothing to sneeze at. Notable alumni from CMU's school of drama include Ted Danson, Jack Klugman, Holly Hunter, Josh Groban, Ethan Hawke, Blair Underwood, Steven Bocho, and TV's original Riddler, Frank Gorshin. So Manganiello is in good company among that group. 

The Superman role is up for grabs after Brandon Routh's contract ran out in 2009, so it sounds like the studio will be going in another direction this time around. On a $270 million budget, the 2006 film Superman Returns grossed a disappointing $200 million domestically, although its worldwide take was $391 million. That's not a bad number, but considering The Dark Knight took in $1 billion around the globe, you can see that the ceiling should be higher on a Superman flick. And it would be pretty cool if the guy to take the franchise to the next level was a Pittsburgher.

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Best of the Web: The Top 20 Links of the Week

This week’s edition of Best of the Web is heavy on Steeler talk, to the surprise of precisely no one. 

We’ve got news on Maurkice Pouncey and Aaron Smith, an update on Dick LeBeau’s future, a Terrible Towel hater, a Big Ben hater, a death in the Penguin family, good news for a Pirate prospect, the Pitt non-conference schedule, and much, much more over at The Fan website. 

Best of the Web: The Top 20 Links of the Week

[93.7 The Fan at CBS Pittsburgh] 

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Steeler Fans Meet Their Match in Ticket-Buying

According to Fansnap.com, Packers fans are beating Steeler fans 2-to-1 in terms of ticket searches, but the combination of the two teams and the Dallas backdrop has resulted in astronomical prices across the board. 

This story from the Dallas Business Journal is reporting average ticket prices to be $4375 as of today, while this one from Fox says $3711 per ticket, but either way, that's a whole lot of money to watch one game. And that's not factoring in airfare, hotels, cabs, food, souvenirs, etc. I'm guessing an individual could easily drop 10 grand to attend this game in person based on the numbers I've heard.

And if you ever thought the cost of parking was high at Heinz Field, you'll think it's a bargain after this game. Would you believe spots are going for nearly $1,000? Me neither, but that's what's being widely reported. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around someone dropping a grand on a parking space, even in free-spending Dallas.

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The Super Bowl VIP Menu

If you're lucky enough to land a seat in a VIP box at Super Bowl 45, you've already done something right in life. And as a reward, here's the menu of items those folks will dine on in their luxury suites on Super Bowl Sunday. Oh, to be able to do an installment of "Nerd vs. Food" that day.

Pre-Game

-- French Onion Dip

-- House Made Spiced Kettle Chips

-- Jalapeño White Cheddar Popcorn and Texas Pecan Kettle Corn

-- A Winter Fruit Presentation

-- Tenderloin of Beef

-- Southern Chicken Salad

-- Fruits and Nuts

-- Miniature Kaiser Rolls

After Kick Off

-- Organic Citrus Salad

-- Organic Greens, Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit

-- Hearts of Palm w/ Black Pepper Croutons

-- Texas Slow Smoked Brisket

-- Dublin BBQ Sauce and Miniature Kaiser Rolls

-- Truffled Mac and Cheese Bar

-- Chopped tomatoes, Apple Smoked Bacon, Bourbon Ham

-- Pastry Desserts

-- Mini Moon Pies, Texas Blueberry Pies, Apple Empanadas, and Blueberry Caramels

Half Time

-- Warm Texas Peach Cobbler w/ Mascarpone Whipped Cream

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Defense the Word as Pens Blank Islanders

Sans Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins did not exactly bring offensive fireworks to the table against the New York Islanders. However, they did bring lots and lots of defense, as Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 29 shots he saw for his 18th career shutout, 2nd shutout of the season, and 2nd career goose egg against the Islanders in a 1-0 Pens victory at the CEC. It was a spirited contest early on that featured two first-period fights, as Penguins Tyler Kennedy and Arron Asham both dropped the gloves with Islanders.

The game was scoreless until the 8:36 mark of the third period, when Penguin Craig Adams lit the lamp for the third time this season on a rebounded shot from Asham. Adams' goal stood up as the game-winner, the only one of the 31 Penguin shots that beat Islanders goalie Kevin Poulin, who was no slouch in net himself. 

The Steel Curtain-esque Penguins have given up two or fewer goals in eight of their past 10 games and 25 of their last 34 contests, and now have a 2.24 goals-against average that ranks second overall behind Boston (2.16). Most of the guys will be getting some well-deserved R&R for a full week, not hitting the ice again until February 1 against the New York Rangers. 

The Pens take a 31-15-4 record (and 66 points, appropriately) into this weekend's All-Star break, and currently sit second in the Atlantic division behind Philadelphia (71 points) and fourth overall in the Eastern Conference behind the Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins.

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Malkin Joins Crosby in Sitting Out All-Star Game

The number of Penguins in this weekend's All-Star Game is dwindling by the day; first, King Crosby gracefully bowed out due to a concussion, and today, it became official that teammate Evgeni Malkin will also miss the game due to injury.

The 24-year-old is nursing a sore knee and a sinus infection, and hasn't played since a 4-1 win against Detroit on January 18. He will also miss tonight's game against the Islanders at the CEC with infection-related pressure in his head. But Coach Disco thinks that some rest will do Geno well:

"He needs to get healthy before he can move forward. Is that during the break? Is that after the break? We don't know that. We hope it's in the next week or so that he can think about getting back on the ice again," said Bylsma.

Malkin has 15 goals and 37 points in 42 games so far this season, numbers that pale in comparison to the 32/34/66 put up by his concussed teammate thus far. Beyond the physical reasons, I think a mental break would also do the charismatic Russian a world of good this weekend, and apparently so do his bosses. As for Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury, they're now in the on-deck circle for dropping out of the league's upcoming exhibition.

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James Harrison Covers Sports Illustrated, Again

Mr. James "Silverback" Harrison, Steeler linebacker extraordinaire graces the cover of this week's SI, the second time he has had such an honor in just a few months. But looking at the two covers side-by-side is pretty amusing. I suppose it's now OK for the magazine that used him as the Big Hit Poster Child to glowingly describe him as "fearsome" since all that concussion hysteria has died down and everyone wants players to stay in the game with damaged knee ligaments. Oh, how the tides have turned in a couple weeks, dear worried-about-players'-safety crowd. You had a nice 15 minutes, though.

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Down Goes Pitt

Ben Hansbrough scored 19 points, added seven assists, and grabbed four rebounds to lead #14 Notre Dame to a 56-51 win at Pitt, which will likely fall from their new perch at #2 in the country. 

The defeat was the Panthers' first home loss in more than a year, and their first home loss in their past 52 home games. It was also the third consecutive Notre Dame victory in the series, and their fourth in the past five against Pitt. Don't ask me...I certainly can't explain their recent ownership of the Panthers, either.

Jamie Dixon's team had a 28-23 halftime lead which they held for more than 10 minutes to start off the second half. The Irish finally took the lead at 42-41 on a Hansbrough three-pointer with 8:29 left and never surrendered it the rest of the way, as Pitt had no definitive answer to stop the senior guard. Hansbrough, a senior and the brother of former North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough, scored eight of his 19 points in the final 4:29 of the game.

Gilbert Brown (13) and Brad Wanamaker (12) were the only Panthers to hit double-figures in scoring, as Notre Dame limited Pitt to their lowest point output of the season. Their previous low of 61 came against American University on December 22.

The Panthers (19-2, 7-1) are off for a few days, picking up on Saturday, January 29 against Coach Mike Rice and Rutgers (12-7, 3-4). The Scarlet Knights own conference wins over South Florida, Providence, and Seton Hall this season, and are led by F Jonathan Mitchell at 12.9 PPG. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

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Christina Aguilera to Sing Super Bowl National Anthem

Christina Aguilera's had a rough go of it lately. Divorce. Canceled tour/single tanks. Accusations of ripping off Lady Gaga. Comparisons to Tina Yothers. You get the picture.

The Wexford product could use a break, and it appears she got one: XTina will be singing the National Anthem at Super Bowl 45 in Dallas, featuring her hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. The halftime entertainment at SB45 will be the ubiquitous Black Eyed Peas, featuring the one and only Fergie. Let's hope she doesn't have an accident this time around.

For you trivia buffs, past Steeler Super Bowl halftime acts have included Mercer Ellington and the Grambling State University Marching Band (IX), Up with People (X), Ken Hamilton and various Caribbean bands (XIII), Up with People and the Grambling State University Marching Band (XIV), Diana Ross (XXX), The Rolling Stones (XL), and Bruce Springsteen (XLIII).

The list of Steeler Super Bowl anthem singers includes Grambling State University Marching Band (IX), Tom Sullivan (X), The Colgate Thirteen (XLIII), Cheryl Ladd (XIV), Vanessa Williams (XXX), Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin (XL), and Jennifer Hudson (XLIII). 

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VIDEO: Rashard Mendenhall's Victory Hump, Sanchez Booger Wipe, Ryan Headset Toss

The AFC Championship produced many memorable moments...unfortunately, this was also one of them. Obviously, Rashard was a little too excited at the prospect of returning to the Super Bowl.

And that wasn't the only offbeat clip this game produced. Mark Sanchez put ageless Jets backup QB Mark Brunell to use as a human Kleenex, the most action Brunell's seen all season.

As for the clip that was the most enjoyable, well, that's gotta be Rex Ryan slamming his headset in defeat after Antonio Brown's catch sewed things up for the Black and Gold:

(HT: 96.1 Kiss Freak Show)

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5 Long Thoughts on the AFC Championship

Looks like we've got one more game to look forward to in the 2010-11 season, and I'm not talking about the Pro Bowl.

Some thoughts on the Steelers' eighth AFC Championship victory, a 24-19 win over the pesky New York Jets at Heinz Field:

Friday Steeler Quick Hits

Lots of good stuff on the AFC Championship today, here are a few:

-Wiz Khalifa will be performing the smash Black and Yellow before the game on Sunday. As Bill Simmons would say, "Enthusiastically co-sign." This should be the Steeler anthem for the next decade. Debate closed.

 

-Mayor Steelerstahl is back at it again, this time debating his football bet with Mayor Bloomberg and appearing on ESPN's First Take. He works hard for the money. [96.1 Kiss Freak Show]

-Rod Woodson was on with Seibel and Starkey and said he wouldn't put Big Ben in his top-5 list of QBs. Following that, Sean Salisbury was on the show and said he values winning the most in a QB, then ranked Philip Rivers 4th and Ben fifth. Let's say I'll enthusiastically agree to disagree with these two gentlemen. [93.7 The Fan]

-Bill Cowher picked the Jets to beat the Steelers. Obviously, this was an attention grab. Really, would it be a stand-alone story in the Trib if he picked the Steelers? [Trib]

-Sports media members are all writing the same Ben Roethlisberger story, says Fire Rick Reilly.

-And on that note, are the Steeler fans in this photo really how the national media sees us? I'd say that's bordering on incredibly sad. What's the message here? "OK Ben, you have to answer for your misdeeds to these grown men dressed up like it's Halloween."

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Steeler and Penguin Support: A Visual History

After hearing the news that a Terrible Towel invasion was planned for tonight's Penguin game in New Jersey, I was once again proud to be a Pittsburgher. Unlike Cleveland, whose front-running stars root for the opposition (before skipping town themselves), players from all over the globe who work in this city eventually find themselves rooting for their pro sports counterparts around town. It's an extremely contagious condition.

So let's take a little look at the history of such memorable moments over the past few years as the Penguin players show their Steeler love and vice versa:

(above): Dan Bylsma and Mike Tomlin model jerseys after being named as the 2009 Pittsburghers of the Year

January, 2006: Sidney Crosby does the Towel thing in his rookie season during the Steelers' Super Bowl run

January, 2009: Marc-Andre Fleury waves a Terrible Towel after being named the #1 star in a 3-0 win over the Rangers.

January, 2010: The Winter Classic serves as an occasion for Pascal Dupuis to don a Steeler helmet and Max Talbot to come out with a Terrible Towel tucked in his pants

second Talbot pic courtesy reader Robert J. - click for larger view, it's a good one

May, 2008: Casey Hampton bangs on the glass after Marian Hossa's series-ending goal against the New York Rangers in the playoffs

  

2009: Ben Roethlisberger takes in a Pens game with Mario Lemieux; Roethlisberger is frequently spotted at both Pens games and Pitt basketball games

 

February, 2009: Jeff Reed, a frequent visitor at the Igloo, drops the puck at a Pens-Lightning game:

 

2009: Mike Tomlin and son cheer on the Pens during a playoff whiteout:

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Ike Taylor Will Lay Out Santonio Holmes, Says Ike Taylor

Reason #15,671 why the NFL is better than the NBA: if players are friends away from the game, you still get quotes like these, from Ike Taylor on Santonio Holmes, on what they intend to do to one another once gametime rolls around:

"I'm not going to hesitate to lay him out," Taylor said, according to the New York Post. "No question at all. You know why? Because he ain't going to hesitate to crack on me if he gets a chance. I love him and that's my boy, but when we get between those white lines, it's a whole different deal. I'm going to try to be as disrespectful as possible once we get between those white lines. Friendship doesn't enter into it then."

Fanboys like myself get all excited at such a quote, but really, Taylor's just being honest. What's he supposed to do? Not tackle Santonio? And even if that is his plan, he's going to say it out loud so it becomes a storyline days before the game?

That being said, I still enjoy hearing a Steeler say they're not hesitant to lay Santonio out. It's good drama, no?

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Best of the Web: The Top 20 Links of the Week

It's time for another installment of links in Sam's Club-level bulk quantities, a feature also known as Best of the Web over at The Fan website.

This week, topics include a planned Terrible Towel invasion, Sid concussion talk, grading the Todd Graham hire, the auction of Mario Lemieux's toilet, the Steelers' emerging receivers, praise for Kevin Colbert, debating Anthony Rendon, the Pirates' 25-man roster, and much, much more.

Best of the Web: The Top 20 Links of the Week

[93.7 The Fan at CBS Pittsburgh]

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Jets Fans Forget Curse of the Terrible Towel

Coming from a fanbase that embraces Fireman Ed as their leader, I wouldn't be so quick to rip on Steeler fans for waving a towel. But these attention-seeking missles in Jets colors decided to show some disrespect for the cloth, having not learned from past victims such as Lendale White, Keith Bulluck and TJ Houshmandzadeh, the pass-dropping WR whose Towel-dissing has affected not only one, but two franchises to this point.

For a full history on why it's not wise to mess with Myron's creation, you know there's a Wikipedia page. 

And by the way...Sunday, the day of the title game, is Myron's birthday.

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
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Aaron Smith Practicing, More Steeler Injury News

Aaron Smith: To play or not to play? That's the question being asked by the media as the injured defensive end practices this week and tries to see the field for the first time since tearing his triceps Oct. 24 in Miami. 

I just hopped out of the car and heard Seibel and Starkey on the radio debating whether or not to give Smith any PT at the expense of another player, but I say as long as he's able to see the field for at least 10-15 plays, you go for it. It's a veteran/respect/emotion thing that should go over incredibly well in the locker room, and those are the little boosts that a team needs at this point in the season. Besides, Will Allen sounds like he's iffy with a bum knee, so that should make the "who gets to sit" question a little easier.

As for other wounded Stillers, Bryant McFadden (ab strain) will be limited in practice this week, as will the aforementioned Will Allen. OTs Jonathan Scott and Flozell the Hotel are both cleared and ready to go after leaving last week's game, so that is welcome news for the offensive line. All in all, I'd say the team is in relatively good shape for this time of year, especially if Smith can contribute in some way. But we shall see how that story develops as the week rolls on.

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

How Bout Them Panthers?

Say what you want about the Pitt football program; they deserve their share of slings and arrows. But I think people sometimes forget that the school has slowly evolved into one of the country's most consistent basketball programs, a program that was on display again Monday night versus #3 Syracuse at The Pete.

Wannstedt Interviewing with Browns

How does the image of Dave Wannstedt in Cleveland Browns colors look in your head? Well, that image may become a reality if the ex-Pitt coach joins Team Holmgren as the Browns' Defensive Coordinator, a job he will interview for this week.

With former coordinator Rob "Brother of Rex" Ryan already landing in Dallas, an opening exists for the gig, and Wannstedt already has some competition in former Buffalo and Chicago head coach Dick Jauron. Jauron spent 2010 as the Senior assistant/Defensive backs coach for Andy Reid in Philadelphia after coaching Buffalo from 2006-2009.

In addition to the Browns job, Wanny has also talked with the Bills and may also chat with the Chargers about employment opportunities in 2011, so it looks like he will be quickly turning the page from his time at Pitt. I'd prefer he not do it in Cleveland only because I like the guy, but a paycheck is a paycheck. It won't be a matter of if, but when Wannstedt chooses to return to his NFL roots.

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

The 6 Most Annoying New York Jets

It's that semi-regular time of year around here known as AFC Championship Week, and to kick it off, let's re-acquaint ourselves with the most obnoxious faces of the Steelers' opponent:

1. RYAN, Rex

CLAIM TO FAME: An internet foot-fetish video scandal involving his wife.

REASONS WHY THE JETS PUT UP WITH HIM: 22-13 regular season record, 4-1 in postseason, 2 AFC Championship appearances in two seasons with the Jets.

2. HOLMES, Santonio

CLAIMS TO FAME: Sold drugs as a teenager; has a hat trick of arrests to his credit; suspended four games by the NFL in 2010 for violating their substance abuse policy; once told someone to kill themselves on Twitter; got involved in an altercation on a flight; tweeted that he was going to wake and bake; had naked pictures surface on the net (sorry, you can Google that yourself).

REASONS WHY THE JETS PUT UP WITH HIM: Super Bowl MVP pedigree; 746 yards receiving, 6 TDs in 12 games in 2010; actually a dangerous player if and when his head is in the game and he's not suspended.

3. ED, Fireman

CLAIMS TO FAME: Loud, obnoxious, camera-hogging fan who gets nearly as much face time as Mark Sanchez during the average Jets game; actually has a Wikipedia page; charged with simple assault when a Giants fan interrupted his sacred Jets chant in 2010.

REASONS WHY THE JETS PUT UP WITH HIM: None I can easily identify.

4. CROMARTIE, Antonio

CLAIMS TO FAME: Fathered nine children with eight women living in six states, and has been named in at least five paternity suits in the past two years; tried to remember all the kids' names on an episode of HBO's Hard Knocks; called Tom Brady an a-hole. 

REASONS WHY THE JETS PUT UP WITH HIM: Former All-Pro and Pro Bowler with San Diego in 2007; 1st round pick in 2006.

5. SCOTT, Bart

CLAIMS TO FAME:  Said of Wes Welker, "I'll tell you what. Be very careful what you say about our coach. His (Welker's) days in a uniform will be numbered. Put it like that."; gave ridiculous interview to Sal Paolantonio after beating the Patriots on Sunday; allegedly threatened to kill Hines Ward after a game.

REASONS WHY THE JETS PUT UP WITH HIM: 2006 All-Pro and Pro Bowler; most visible player link to Rex Ryan's Baltimore days.

6. EDWARDS, Braylon

CLAIMS TO FAME: Got into a beef with one of Lebron's boys in 2009, just two days before getting traded to the Jets; blew twice the legal limit when pulled over in 2010, resulting in DWI;

REASONS WHY THE JETS PUT UP WITH HIM: 3rd overall pick in 2005 would lead one to believe he has some talent; 2007 Pro Bowl selection, with 16 TDs; 904 yards, 7 TDs in 2010; scored Jets' second touchdown on Sunday;

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

7 Lengthy Thoughts on Steelers-Ravens

It was everything advertised, and more. It was close. It was exciting. It was violent. And it ended the way every other Steeler-Raven playoff game did: with the Steelers on top. Some thoughts on one of the most exhilarating wins in Steeler postseason history after the jump:

Wannstedt Meets with the Buffalo Bills

Dave Wannstedt has no shortage of suitors in his apparent return to the NFL, and things just got a lot more interesting with the Buffalo Bills.

The Stache met Thursday with the team's defensive coaching staff, the first official meeting he's had with an NFL team since his dismissal resignation at Pitt. While the Bills have only a linebackers coach job open on that side of the ball, Wannstedt could possibly become the team's assistant head coach, and earn the salary that goes along with that title. 

From the sound of things, Buffalo is very much interested in Wannstedt, but the feelers are out there to see if the feeling is mutual. Wanny was also getting interest from San Diego, Cleveland, and Carolina, but it sounds like the Chargers will probably get crossed off the list if they go with Greg Manusky as defensive coordinator.

Either way, the ball is squarely in Wannstedt's court, and it appears that he'll have some freedom in deciding where he will be collecting his next paycheck.

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