At the midway point

Thoughts for a late, post-victory, Monday afternoon�unable to focus on anything Non-Steeler:

1. The Accolades:� The National media is fawning over the Steelers, as are local non-Pittsburgh outlets.� Berman & Jackson of ESPN, Peter King of S.I., Mike & the Mad Dog of WFAN New York, all are proclaiming the Steelers as the league�s best.� King is wondering aloud �how many teams have I seen that looked as unbeatable at one point during a season as the Steelers look right now.�� Therein like the rub.� As Mill warned last night, we�re only at the halfway point.� It was wasn�t so very long ago, that the Steelers were trailing the Bungels at home, entering the 4^th quarter, or being extremely lucky to escape the now 3-5 Cowboys.� A bad loss in these next two weeks, and the Steelers will have come back to earth.� I�m as excited as anybody, and I love the national attention and recognition.� To keep this in perspective though, the Steelers have played two near-flawless, absolutely dominant games, at home.� Let�s not forget that the 2^nd half bring us 5 road games, some of them (Jax, Giants) against potentially tough opponents.� Let�s woop it up; but let�s remember that it�s way early to be making our Super Bowl, or even our playoff, plans.
2. The Announcers: �All of us wander sometime if we could do a better job.� I believe it Joe Buck that suggested that Ray Lewis was laughing when Hines did his T.O. imitation.� Thankfully, Collinsworth offered �he isn�t laughing.�� Why the hell would he be?� Obviously, it�s in his team�s best interest to have the Steelers lose!!� Then, later in the telecast, the Eagles decline a penalty that forces the Steelers into 4^th & 3.� They go for it.� Idiot Buck suggests that had the Eagles accepted the penalty, the Steelers would not have gone for it with 8 yards to go�.failing to realize that no 4^th down would have been involved had the Eagles accepted the penalty.
3. The Bus:� It�s bad enough that the Chicken Littles were out in force on Saturday night with the news of Duce�s injury��guarantee a loss.�� It�s sad enough that someone that�s served our Steelers so well continues to be object of such collective scorn��he�s only capable of eating a bucket of chicken.�� What� s worse, though, is the failure of the critics to say that they were wrong afterward, and then to go so far as to suggest that the Bus really hadn�t done well�.�did you see him huffin� & puffin� on the sideline.�� Christ Almighty, give the guy some credit.� Yes, Duce is the better back.� Yes, Duce should re-enter the starting lineup as soon as he can, hopefully Sunday vs. the Browns.� Jerome Bettis toted the pig 33 fuckin� times yesterday, for his 5^th highest rushing total in his illustrious career.� Let�s be fuckin� thankful that we didn�t find ourselves in the same boat as did the Patriots last week, unable to run at all, �cause one guy goes down with an injury.� The Bus has been asked to enter the game when the ball in one the 1, and is 8-for 8 in scoring TDs.� He�s asked to carry the load when Duce is injured, and he responds beyond anyone�s expectation.� He doesn�t bitch.� He doesn�t say that the sixth-leading rusher in NFL history �deserves more respect.�� He does what the fuck he�s asked to do!! Again, the pre-game vitriol was bad enough; �the post-game unwillingness for some fans to own their erroneous analysis, was downright pathetic.
4. The Coaches:� On the topic of giving credit, we should be a bit more expansive on the job that Cowher has done this year.�� He�s had some tough moments, but he�s once again, as in 2001, taken a team for whom expectations were low, and has them in contention.� The more I see how others coach, the more I appreciate Cowher.� Take Mike Mularkey for instance.� Yes, the Bills won yesterday, but they were trailing by 3 with about 30 seconds left in the first half yesterday, and had no timeouts remaining.� Mularkey calls a run from the Jets two, it goes nowhere, Blesoe is lined up over the ball with about 24 seconds left, but he�s taking forever with the count.� The announcers are wondering what the fuck he�s doing.� Bledsoe take the snap, finally, with about 7 seconds left, and spikes the ball, Buffalo settling for a FG, when they could have taken a fairly low-risk shot for a TD.
5. The Jersey:� Steelers should be wearing their road whites, for the first time this year, at Cleveland on Sunday.
6. The Network:� Imagine the chagrin of the decision-makers at ABC, not putting the Steelers on at all on Monday night this year.� Either of these past two games, would have been an outstanding Monday nighter!!� I wonder how the conversation went, if there was little consideration, or if it was a split decision.
7. The Ravens:� I think I hate this bunch more than any team ever.� They come out in the ugliest fuckin� uniforms ever (although the red & red worn by the Cardinals almost blinded me yesterday�.thought my TV was on the blink).� They talk shit constantly.� Then, Ray Lewis interferes on the goal line, and isn�t called.

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