There are few things that are certain in this world, with the most famous two being death and taxes. Anything in Sports doesn't fall into that category because when the stars align just right, something like the "Miracle On Ice" can take place. Well, Terry Bradshaw didn't seem to think that was the case, and it was humanly impossible for the Bengals to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh this last Sunday. How sure was he? Well let's go back and take a look....

Oops. I think it's safe to say that the majority of Football fans thought that the Steelers would win, but it's not like the Bengals are the 1976 Buccaneers. You can probably expect an apology from Terry on Sunday, Cincinnati.

Terry Bradshaw Guarantees Steelers Win (Outside The Boxscore)

We'll be live blogging all of the action here and at 12SD tonight. Here are your particulars....

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos (ESPN, 8:30pm)- Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden
Line: PIT -3, O/U 41

Every year, NBC airs a mini concert as a part of their Kickoff coverage. In the past there have been such acts as Britney Spears, Bon Jovi, P Diddy, Kelly Clarkson and Elton John, and this year's concert will be just as mind-blowing as those. Your two acts this year will be the dynamic duo of Tim McGraw and The Black Eyed Peas! Via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette....

The Black Eyed Peas and Tim McGraw will jump-start the Steelers' season with a free concert at Point State Park on opening night, Sept. 10.

Details are being worked out about other acts and when the big names will go onstage, although the headliners will certainly be part of the live pre-game simulcast from 8 to 8:30 p.m. on NBC and NFL Network. Kickoff for the Steelers-Titans game at Heinz Field is scheduled for 8:30.

I'm sure there will be more acts announced, but you usually only get to see the main two acts on NBC anyway. This is the second concert that Pittsburgh will be hosting. In 2006, before the Steelers took on the Dolphins, Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride kicked off the game from Heinz Field, with Diddy and Cassie in Miami.

Free concert by Black Eyed Peas, McGraw to kick off Steelers' season (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

There are certain monikers that stick with a team/player, and every time you hear some one utter the phrase, it makes you think of them and them alone. One of the more famous ones, "America's Team" has been associated with the Dallas Cowboys since 1979, and one that's unmistakable. Well that is until ESPN gets their hands on it. The "Leader" posted an article yesterday titled "The Great Debate: 'America's Team'", and is trying to make cases for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots (!), as the heirs to the title. Seriously....

It's time to rescind the Cowboys' honor and turn it over to the Patriots. The Cowboys are known for wanton spending and attention-mongering with zero results. The Patriots are widely regarded as the NFL's most efficiently run organization. Their owner, Robert Kraft, was a season-ticket holder who aspired to buy the team one day -- and did. The American dream and capitalism all in one.

What's more, the Patriots were formed in Boston, a.k.a. "The Cradle of Liberty" and crucible for the American Revolution.

They were an original member of the American Football League, which is celebrating its golden anniversary this year.

They changed their name to New England to reflect their meaning to a region where Pilgrims landed. Some teams, such as Minnesota and Arizona, claim a state. The Patriots claim six.

The Patriots wear red, white and blue. When they score, Minutemen line up behind the end zone and fire their muskets into the air.

They're loved. They're despised. They give a nation of sports fans plenty to talk about. They win.

They're called the Patriots, for crying out loud.

What's more American than all of that?

The thing that's so dumb about this isn't just that they've had the term since the 70s, but rather that they're just using Football teams. Shouldn't you consider the Yankees (perhaps more fans out there), the Red Wings (the American working man's team), and/or the Celtics?

As much as I hate the Cowboys, that nickname is theirs and theirs alone.

The Great Debate: 'America's Team' (ESPN)

I don't know how much I would bid on a diamond pendant, but I'm pretty sure it's worth more than sixty-nine dollars. Steelers' Fan and gynecologist, Michael Bummer was asked that exact question on the Price Is Right, and that was his response. Via PSAMP....

Now that my friends is comedy. I'm so glad Drew Carey was there, because Bob Barker would have had that man escorted out of the building.

Steelers Fan Gynecologists Are Funny, 15 Years Old (Pittsburgh Sports And Mini Ponies)

WHAT: Super Bowl XLIII
WHO: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals
WHERE: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, Florida
WHEN: Kickoff 6:28pm (NBC)
SPREAD: Steelers -7, O/U 47
ANNOUNCERS: Al Michaels, John Madden, Andrea Kremer, Alex Flanagan, Peter King
AA's PICK: I've been back and forth on this one a bunch of times, but it boils down to quarterback play. With that said, there's no one hotter right now than Kurt Warner, and I just can't trust Roethlisberger against a surging defense. I'm going Cardinals for the win, but it would behoove you to just take the seven points.

Cardinals 28 - Steelers 23 (MVPs: Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald)

I'll be trying to throw videos up throughout the game if I can, but I'll definitely have up your highlights and quotes later on tonight. Enjoy the game.

It happens every year without fail. One team will plan their parade early, or call out a certain player, and you know who's winning the game. While Pittsburgh has been relatively quiet over the course of the week, the Cardinals decided to hold a rally and desecrate the "Terrible Towel". Not only did "Big Red" use the towel to wipe his underarms, but the Mayor of Phoenix blew his nose with the thing....

The mayor of Phoenix blew his nose into a Terrible Towel and then threw it to the ground at a send-off rally for the Cardinals in Phoenix on Monday.

On Tuesday night, he apologized for his actions.

Mayor Phil Gordon said, "At no time did anyone intend, in any way, to offend the Steelers organization and their many fans, supporters and traditions."

At the same send-off rally on Monday, the Cardinals' mascot used the Terrible Towel to wipe his furry armpits before the mayor sneezed and stomped on it.

Oh no, how dare he!!! Seriously though, why is it that every year you can tell the exact moment when a city causes their team a loss of Karma? Just calm down and try to enjoy the game, Arizona. It will all be over soon enough.

Phoenix Mayor Blows Nose In 'Terrible Towel' Then Apologizes (WPXI)
Towel Video (WPXI)

I was getting ready to praise Deion Sanders' interviews during Media Day, but that was until this exchange with Steelers' Safety Ryan Clark. After Ryan Clark called Deion out for saying on-air that his hit that seriously injured Ravens' RB Willis McGahee was illegal, Sanders had to explain what he actually said was that it was "a legal hit" and his Southern drawl is what confused Clark and his wife.

However it was how he described the hit that caught my attention. Take a listen in at the :35 mark....

"That was a great hit. You put McGahee in the ice cream truck!"- Deion Sanders

Now I know that Deion gets ultra-excited about great defensive plays, but to use the phrase "put him in the ice cream truck", when the player was down on the field for almost ten minutes, is just a tad over the top. Plus the fact that I have no idea what it means.

Other than that exchange, Deion was by far the best interviewer out there today, and put both Steve Mariucci and Marshall Faulk to shame.

I bet Chris Berman is wishing that the Super Bowl was back indoors in either Houston or Detroit, because his hair is all over the place at Media Day. For some reason, the NFL Network had the ESPN host on for a round table discussion about all things Super Bowl. It wasn't really that exciting (outside of watching his hair), and it was basically a rehashing of that odd ESPN press release, but I thought I'd still let you check it out....

Interesting that the NFL-N would bring on a host from a competing network, and not that bad of an interview. I'll try to keep my eye out for some more Media Day clips to send along, but so far it's been pretty boring. The Cards have already gone, and the Steelers are up in a few.

(Photo via KSK)

Mentioned last week that Coke was planning on recreating the Mean Joe Greene ad from the 70s with Troy Polamalu, and First Cuts has your first look at the spot and some behind the scenes footage. If you want to pretend to be surprised with the commercial, don't click below....

Looks pretty spot on, and I still think it's a great idea. Polamalu's dead pan deliver is even pretty Mean Joe'ish as well. It'll be interesting to see the final product on Sunday.

First Look At Polamalu Taking Mean Joe Greene's Place In Coke Zero Spot (First Cuts)

If it wasn't for the ads, I would probably play music throughout my Super Bowl viewing party. It's not because the sounds of the game aren't appealing, but rather the fact that announcers and on-air personalities during the SB are just hype peddling, life changing story repeating, vessels of hot air. It's really not their fault either.

Having two weeks to plan for one game, and the job of filling a nine hour pregame show and live telecast, just gives a network all the more opportunity to shove stories down your throat. Last year it was the undefeated season, the year before that was "Can Peyton Win The Big One"/The first black coaches in the Super Bowl, and the year before that was Bettis winning in his hometown. Did you know that Jerome Bettis was from Detroit?

Slate writer, Charles P. Pierce, has figured out what your annoying plot lines for this year's Super Bowl are. Here's a little hint....you should probably just suck it up and root for the Steelers, because if the Cards go up, you'll be getting a lot of Kurt Warner AFL/God/Reinvented his career talk....

We're going to hear about how they magically transformed themselves at the end of the season. We're going to hear about the remarkable comeback of Kurt Warner. We're going to hear about how marvelous it is for the National Football League that a Super Bowl championship is within the grasp of a team so thickly dripping with obvious mediocrity that it's a wonder Charlie Sheen isn't playing left guard. We are going to hear all of this because the NFL and its broadcast partners operate on the very simple premise that everybody who reports—or follows—their sport on television is a paste-eating moron....

Bear in mind over the next week that this game will be cited as the "pivotal" moment in the Cardinals' miracle run to the Super Bowl. Ken Whisenhunt—who sat most of his offensive weapons in that game—and his staff will be the subject of gooey encomiums for cracking the whip after the loss to New England. There will be loose talk about professionalism, and about how pride was appealed to at a critical moment. And since snow is a long shot in Tampa, they might even win the game, and then there will be more of it. And it will all be nonsense. Not even Tim Tebow could save this team's soul.

Very well said. The worst part about the Super Bowl is that very thing. It's not that NBC, or any other network for that matter, shouldn't be talking about those things, it's just that you will already have heard all of those stories. You heard them all year, and by the time we get through Media week, and into the second half....you'll have heard them about forty times. We should all pray that the game stays close for a few quarters. Because if it's a blowout, that forty number could turn into eighty real quick.

Actually, I take that back. As long as their aren't forty shots of Brenda Warner in the stands, I'll take whatever ad nauseum stories you want to give me, NBC.

Razing Arizona (Slate)

Everyone remembers the Mean Joe Greene ad from 1979 in which the Steeler tosses his gigantic #75 jersey to a kid who just gave the D-lineman his bottle of Coca-Cola. Well Coke is going revive the old ad, but with a modern twist. This time the product will be Coke Zero, and feature current Steelers' player, Troy Polamalu. Via USA Today....

NEW YORK — The Coke (KO) vs. Pepsi (PEP) cola wars will heat up for the Super Bowl. But in a nod to changing consumer tastes, one of Coca-Cola's three Super Sunday ads will tout fast-growing, no-calorie Coke Zero, not Classic Coke.

Having the Steelers in the game is a bonus for the Zero ad: It features Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu.

"We're thrilled about Troy, and we're thrilled about the Steelers. … (It's) going to be a powerful spot in the game," said Katie Bayne, North American chief marketing officer, as she and other executives on Wednesday introduced Coke's new global ad campaign with the theme "Open Happiness."

The Zero ad and two upbeat Coca-Cola ads will air in the second half. The two Coke ads, part of the new campaign, include one in which insects try to steal a bottle of Coke from a young man sleeping in a park. In another, a man walks through a city and people around him turn into computer avatars.

Bayne gave no details of the Zero ad, but people briefed on it said it is a send-up of the 1979 Coke ad in which the Steelers' Mean Joe Greene tosses his jersey to a young fan who gave him a Coke. It aired in the 1980 Super Bowl and remains one of the best-remembered game ads.

The ad is probably one of the most famous Sports ads, outside of some of the old Miller Lite spots, so this is definitely an excellent idea. Plus having Troy in the game, makes it even better. Here's the old ad in case you forgot it....



In a happy coincidence, Coke ad features a Pittsburgh Steeler (USA Today)

If you were watching the end of the Ravens-Steelers game, you saw a scary moment as Willis McGahee lay on the turf motionless following a hit from the Steelers' Ryan Clark. The hit itself was questionable, because Clark's hit was helmet on helmet, but certainly not intentional. Both teams came out on the field in a moment that showed mutual respect for each other, and McGahee, as the running back waited for the cart to take him off the field.

Both teams were very classy and humble in the minutes following the hit, and Steelers' fans were even picked up on CBS' mics wishing him well as he left the stadium. Everyone handled the situation respectfully, except the person who was operating the sound system within the stadium. While most stadiums would have ceased all music during a scary injury, the Heinz Field operator decided to keep the music going. Via PFT....

Specifically, the selections were “Down On The Corner” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and then “Smooth” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas.

Said the source: “There is a player on the field who may have suffered a life changing injury and the Steelers are playing party music. There are about five teams in the league that would engage in such horrific behavior. All others would cease all entertainment.

“‘Down on the corner’ . . . uh, there’s a man down on the field. About twenty-five to twenty-seven teams would cease all entertainment. Oh, now it’s a Santana song. This is beyond offensive. . . . Most teams would fire them on the spot. It’s disgusting.”

Just disgraceful if you ask me. You can watch the hit on Youtube if you missed it, but I recorded part of the injury where you can clearly hear CCR playing in the background....



I don't think it was mocking the injury in any way, but you really have to have more couth/tact than that. When both teams are on the field looking on, you have to realize the seriousness of the situation and just hit mute. I'm sure the Steelers will address it.

Heinz Field Sound Crew Badly Mishandled McGahee Injury (Pro Football Talk)
Rob Thomas Has The Voice Of An Angel (HG Halftime Report)

The game went just about how everyone expected it to. It was a close game at times, but for the most part the Steelers had their way with the Ravens on both sides of the ball, and will move onto Tampa to take on the Cardinals two Sundays from now. Here are some of the second half highlights....

Just a dominating performance all around, and I think we have a Super Bowl matchup between two great teams that haven't played each other yet this year. I know I'm looking forward to it!

Game: AFC Championship
Teams: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Start Time: 6:30PM EST
Announcers and Network: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms (CBS)
Favorite: Steelers (-6)
AA's Pick: Just think the Steelers are too much, and the Ravens are too banged up. 27-13 Pittsburgh.

James Harrison is going to eat you all alive. Especially if you're wearing a white uniform in the snow right now.

Kaeding kicks to Gary Russell, who takes it out to the 24. Parker busts out for a first down by cutting to the right and following the block. He then grabs another three on the next carry, but then gets stuffed. Ben rifles his first pass of the half to Holmes thanks to some good pass-blocking. Ben goes deep for Holmes this time -- but it's just beyond his grasp as he lays out for a 60 yard pass. Parker loses a yard on the carry. Ben hits Washington at the Chargers' 32 for another first down.

Carry for Parker for two yards; checkdown to Davis for no yardage. 3rd and 8 -- and Ben finds Heath Miller on the right side, he runs past the marker and heads all the way to the 11. Ben rolls out to his right, hits Miller at the two yard line, Miller leaps....and, TOUCHDOWN, STEELERS! Reed's kick is up and good, 21-10, Pittsburgh! That drive sucked up a ton of the third quarter.

Darren Sproles breaks off a HUGE return, running through the gap and to the right sideline. 63 yard return, and if the Chargers don't do anything with this, they're through.

The pass by Rivers is tipped....it flips up...and it's INTERCEPTED BY LARRY FOOTE! Suck it, Rivers!

They're playing Against Me! in a football stadium. Holy hell. I saw that band in a couple of real dingy tiny clubs and now their music is on stadium PAs. Anyway, Norv loses the challenge, like we thought he would, because he's Norval Eugene Turner. Parker gains four, as Charger defenders yell, "He's holdin' the shit outta me!" God bless on-field mics. End around for the first down. Another first down on the rush for Parker....but that's coming back for a holding penalty on Miller.

Draw play for three yards. Not much. Punt coming, and it bounces off Eric Weddle's helmet!!! Sadly, it can't be advanced, but the Bolts are still in even more trouble. Ball at the Chargers' 22!

Oh, glorious Norv Face in Snow, in HD.

Hines Ward picks up a long first down by getting extra yards after the catch, and this is a late hit on the Bolts to make it first and goal very close. Ward is laughing at Cletus Gordon, too. Parker burrows to the 1 yard line. Ben rolls left and throws it away. 3rd and goal. Russell fights for it, but is short. Third quarter ends. Phil's calling for the 4th down goal line play.

Carry goes to Davis...and the Chargers stop him short!

Woodley just gave Rivers some suplex action on that play. Phil the Floater throws 2nd down out of bounds. Bolts wind up punting again. Hee.

Apparently anytime the QB is sacked it should be unnecessary roughness according to the announcers. - Zidane Valor

There's more roughing the passer calls than actually exist in both college and pro. I understand wanting to protect guys who are usually wide open to being hurt, but c'mon, NFL, lighten up. Woodley will probably be fined for that one.

Roethlisberger goes deep for Nate Washington and gets tackled in the end zone. PI on the Chargers, first and goal at the one. Gary Russell steps it into the end zone......TOUCHDOWN, STEELERS! Reed's kick is good, 28-10.

Generally, I think PI in the NFL ought to be reduced to a spot foul only up to 15 yards. Any more and it's only a 15 yard penalty.

Down 11 and taking an intentional safety? Nantz and Simms can't possibly be serious, can they? - Anon
Nantz out-coaches Norv when he suggests the Chargers take the safety on 4th and 20 from their 1. - Mal

That was amazingly stupid as far as a suggestion went. And Phil played the game. He really doesn't have any excuse for being that dumb. Rivers' first pass is to Jackson for 8 yards at the 34. Say hello to Brett Kiesel, Philip. Another sack (rubs hands with glee, then cat's cradles them.) Eeeeexcellent. Rivers then hits Brandon Manumaleuna, who gets a first down because there's no one in the area at all. Pocket Darren gets another first down on the screen pass.

Looks like LaDamlian will be watching the rest of the playoffs on his Vizio... - James Craven

Another completion to Manumaleuna. Chambers hauls in a 3rd down pass past midfield. This Steelers prevent defense sucks. King Douchebag throws it out of bounds. He then hits Chambers deep, and gets extra yardage thanks to a personal foul call on Troy Polamalu. First and goal at the 4. Rivers hits the quick throw to Legadu Naane for the San Diego touchdown. Kaeding's kick is good, 28-17.

Ben aims for Nate Washington again and the ball falls incomplete. Rolled over on to the ground. Steelers pick up the first, as Hines Ward makes a nice catch while falling. Parker rushes for two. Parker finds a hole on the outside and makes his way down the sideline for 27 yards. He grabs six more, then Moore follows up with a run to the left for a first down.

"The Chargers have had enough of Big Ben. They've seen him three times this year." - Jim
"Three times?" - Phil
"Yeah, you were there when they saw him in London, the clock tower!" - Jim

Ouch. Anyway, Parker just ran into the end zone for a Steelers touchdown, which ought to put this one on ice. 35-17, Pittsburgh.

Another shot of Rivers on the ground.....oh, it's so beautiful. And Scifres is punting, admitting it's a lost cause. Pure Norval. Moore fair catches.

This game is officially over because Byron Leftwich is in now....yawn. So the AFC Championship Game will be a barn-burner of defense; the third match-up between the Ravens and the Steelers this year.

Why is SD punting down 18 with 3:30 to go? Punting gives you zero chance. Who cares what the score is. - BWAlaska

Because Norv Turner is a loser and a wuss.

This has been another edition of Simple Answers to Simple Questions.

Berger punts to Mighty Mouse, who only runs back for four yards before being forced out of bounds.

Why are these guys not pounding the Steelers here at least a bit on clock management? They run out of bounds, they are throwing the ball up 18???? Is Tomlin trying to hit 60 points like Stoops in the Big XII championship game? - Mal

I'd get a bit more riled up about it if the plays were successful. At least his second teamers are on the field.

OK, Tomlin challenging a pass call this late might be a bit on the asshole side. But he might be right.

Sproles gets a stat-padding touchdown for 62 yards. Kaeding's kick is good, 35-24.

The onside kick is called for offsides on the Steelers, and they'll re-kick. The kick goes into the arms of Gary Russell, and that is truly game with no time outs left for the Bolts. Knees down, game over, 35-24 Steelers! Bye bye, Norval. Bye bye, Marmalard.

I went 2-2 this weekend pick-wise, if you're asking or care. I will be out of town next weekend, sadly -- so AA will have something ready for you, I'm sure. See you in a couple weeks, guys!

This is Darren Sproles at a charity event put on by now-former Charger Donnie Edwards, I believe. (I love using charity event and side business photos here. They're just, so, out of the element.)

Game: AFC Divisional Playoff #2
Teams: San Diego Chargers (8-8, AFC West Champs) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4, AFC North Champs)
Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Start Time: 4:45 PM EST
Announcers and Network: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms (CBS)
Miscellany: Norv Face, Big Ben's offensive protection and his recovery from a concussion, the Chargers' impossible run after going 8-8, Mighty Mite Darren Sproles, Philip Rivers getting snubbed for the Pro Bowl.
Favorite: Steelers (-6)
S2N's Pick: Steelers. I find it hard to go against the best defense in the whole damn league.

Hello, fwends. I'm not your buddy, Nantz. Reed kicks to Darren Sproles, and he's down at the 25. Grrrr.....douchebag sighting on the field....BASH HIS FAT FACE IN PLEASE JAMES HARRISON.

(hate subsiding a little.)

Rivers to Antonio Gates with plenty of room, 21 yards on the first play. Screen out to Sproles on the right side, and he gets another first down across midfield by slipping two tacklers. Rivers airs out a floater to the end zone...and Vincent Jackson comes down with a 41 yard catch over Ike Taylor. Touchdown, Bolts! Nate Kaeding's kick is good, 7-0, Bolts.

Jackson gets an unsportsmanlike penalty for his TD celebration, which I don't believe we actually got a shot of. Steelers start at the 42, running play with Willie Parker, and he busts through the line for a first down and into Chargers' territory. Parker gets another three yards. Parker again, up the gut and past the marker, tackled by Clinton Hart. So far, we have seen no five-wide formations -- which is Bruce Arians trying to get cute. Screen out to Hines Ward for a couple yards, but Santonio Holmes gets flagged for holding. Ben throws to Ward again -- Quentin Jammer knocks it away as Ward tries to hold on.

Ben to TE Heath Miller for 11 yards. Next couple plays are incomplete and short, 4th down. They go for it....wait, Ben quick-kicks it and it's down inside the 15. First Cassel pulls this, now Roethlisberger. Start at the 9, Sproles gets 3 yards on the first carry of the series. Mighty Mouse gets two more.

The QB punt will be next season's Wildcat formation. Mark my words. - Deven

Mike Scifres punts and Santonio Holmes BUSTS IT OUT AND TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE! 68 yards for Holmes! Woo! Reed's XP is good, 7-7 all.

Spoke too soon. Santonio EXPOSES the Chargers punt coverage team. He seems to be good at doing that, exposing things... - PricelessCommentary
Best tackle on that punt return was by cameraman. - JG
I think Nantz jinxed the hell out of Scifres. - Zidane Valor

Nantz owes the punter a Coke. Sproles' kick return to the 36, and Michael Bennett gets his first rush of the year. Face mask on fullback Jacob Hester -- going back some more! Rivers hits Chambers for his first reception of the game. Checkdown pass to Bennett for a few yards. 3rd down converted for nine yards to Antonio Gates. False start, back 'em up to first and 15. Sproles gets three of those back. Rush on for 2nd down, and Lamar Woodley takes Rivers down for the first sack of the game and a real 3rd and long.

Delay of game on top of that, and it's first sighting of Norv Face. He's not wearing glasses this week, sadly. 3rd and 25. Sproles only gets back to the line of scrimmage.

Fuck...Nantz just pulled a Vasgersian. Outyardaged. - Anon @ 5:11

Can we set up an electro-shocker for commentators who make up words like that? Steelers start at the 25 after the punt. Parker gets a couple yards. Deep ball for Nate Washington, who gets tangled up with Jammer. Yinzers are booing like mad for a PI flag (which shouldn't be thrown.) 3rd and nine -- and down goes Big Ben, sacked for the first time.

Mitch Berger punts it 49 yards. "I'm glad he didn't change his name today." - Phil, and there's a block in the back on the Bolts.

An Axe-manufactured hair crisis. One of the many companies who believe men are fundamentally morons (the top offender is usually the beer companies, especially the ones who sell cheap piss-water.)

Sproles grabs another first down on a 2nd and 2, followed by a quarter change and a one-yard carry for Mighty Mouse. Gates gets eight on the reception, following a shot of a guy with enough chains and beads to be mistaken for a Baltimore Ravens fan. 3rd down fails, and Scifres to punt again. Another delay of game call on the Chargers....wait, and Norv just made his first dumb decision of the day by challenging the spot.

THAT's the incompetent Norv I know. - SSR
Apparently Norv didn't see Coughlin screw this same thing up earlier today. - Mal
Norv Turner channeling his inner Andy Reid with that challenge. - Ghost

Ah, that's the regression to the mean Peter Principle that we know and love in Norv. And of course he loses the challenge. Fair catch on the punt by Mewelde Moore at the 17.

Parker scoops up another first down on the ground. Fast Willie up the middle for another six, he then fights for another chain movement. Moore goes for four yards; then Parker's back for two. 3rd and 3 will become 3rd and 8 after a false start. Big Ben goes to the fullback, but Eric Weddle tackles Cary Davis short of the first. Chargers call time out on 4th down, after the Steelers try to rush them by going for it quickly.

Berger's punt rolls into the end zone. Ike Taylor nearly takes away Rivers' pass for Chambers on first down. Rivers throws the ball away on 2nd down. Rivers hurls another high floater -- and Vincent Jackson lays out and makes the catch....uh-oh, that looked like it bounced. Here comes Tomlin's challenge flag!

"They have to give the defense time to align after the substitution." - Phil

They do? Then how did Indy get away with that quick pass a couple weeks ago? Why was the official holding up that play?

I don't understand.... - Anon @ 5:40

I'm kind of confused too, except to say that there's a difference between that play and changing for a punt formation. Peyton caught them during an offensive play; it wasn't a 4th down play.

And that reception is no more, as it's overturned. Scifres to punt again, and Big Swinging Dick John...err....Santonio Holmes is back to receive. He fair catches this one. Holmes for three, then a pass for five to Nate Washington. 3rd down means another short out to the fullback, and Davis gets up-ended by Jammer short of the line. Fake punt, snapped to Ryan Clark, and the Bolts have it stopped.

Sproles is brought down by Woodley and James Harrison on first down in Steeler territory. Legadu Naane trips on his route, and the pass falls to the ground. Rivers finds Gates over the middle again and he's got 15 yards and a first down. Sproles gets knocked in the backfield again. Anotiher screen pass to Sproles -- and Woodley plows him over. Another pass to Gates and it's short of the first. Kaeding will try an FG after the break.

42 yards, up, and good. 10-7, Chargers. Gary Russell takes the kickoff back to the 32. Ben to Holmes, then Moore, and the ball's in Chargers' territory. Ben then throws wide of Heath Miller. Gary Russell smashes in for a third down conversion. Ben overthrows Holmes completely. A little lighter touch and Holmes would have had a first and goal. Pass to Miller for a first, but there's a flag down for illegal formation.

Ben goes deep again and finds Hines Ward at the 10, who then runs out of bounds at the 3 yard line. First and goal, Steelers! Sweep left to Parker.....TOUCHDOWN, STEELERS! Reed's XP is good, 14-10, Pittsburgh.

Antonio Cromartie returns the kickoff and almost breaks loose. Start at the 30, Sproles gets nothing, and that will end the half. See you in the next thread post-halftime.

At the beginning of the season, I thought it was a lock that CBS was going to take the NFL "TV Partners Cup" this season, but because of the Brady injury and a "fading Favre", FOX once again won the ratings battle for the year. It was a close race though. I've sifted through the numbers, via SBJ, and here's how they networks came out in the end....

The NFC's channel averaged a little over 17 Million viewers for the year, with NBC clocking in at 16.6, and CBS hitting exactly a 16.2. The interesting thing with the numbers though is that, when compared to the 2007 totals, the only network that did better was NBC. CBS was hit the hardest by being down 2.1, and while FOX was down slightly from last year, NBC actually gained 4.2% in viewers and 2% in the final average rating.

As far as Pregame Shows go, FOX won the overall award with CBS only trailing slightly, as both networks showed gains over 2007. ESPN's Countdowns were the only pregame shows that brought brought in losses (Monday: -4.8%, Sunday: -4.5%), and in its first year, NFL-N's "NFL GameDay Morning" averaged a rather paltry 270,000 viewers.

Other notable numbers:

- Cowboys played in six of the top games on FOX and CBS.
- Steelers played in five.
- ESPN averaged an 8.9 cable rating for its third season of Monday Night Football (up 3.5%).
- The NFL Network averaged a 6.2 cable rating (down 12.7%).
- "The OT" on FOX beat out "Football Night In America" on NBC by an average rating of 6.9 to 4.0.

This went down yesterday, but it was so weird that I had to share it with all of you. Santa (Bill DiFabio, a sports announcer from Washington, Pa.) showed up at a Steelers press conference, and after some bad schtick, the Steelers booted Mr. Claus from their facility.

Here's a taste, but it's what happened after this which is the funny part....

But when DiFabio commandeered the news conference for more than five minutes, passing out gifts and cracking jokes about fellow sportscasters, the Browns and Cowboys, nose tackle Casey Hampton's weight and the woebegone Pirates, Tomlin became impatient.

To end the unrehearsed skit, Tomlin — who could be heard sighing several times throughout the comedy bit — grudgingly agreed to toss a football to the fake Santa.

"If that will get you out of here," Tomlin said.

Tomlin repeatedly emphasized the Steelers (11-4) would not treat Sunday's meaningless game against the Browns (4-11) like an exhibition, and he apparently did not appreciate a comedy skit interfering with his message.

Later, the Steelers said there would be no future appearances from Santa at any of their news conferences.

How random is that? An announcer trying to make it all about himself??? Never heard of such a thing. This just goes to show you that noth even Santa is safe in the "No Fun League".

Visit from fake Santa doesn't amuse Steelers coach (Associated Press)

Well the refs are at it again. With the Steelers down three, and under a minute to play, Ben Roethlisberger made a great move to avoid tacklers and hit Santonio Holmes at the goal line. The call on the field was that, while his body was in, the ball never crossed the plane. Well it was obviously reviewed, and after a lengthy viewing, the ref said that it was indeed a touchdown.

The problem though, is the fact that there was no way that visual evidence was strong enough to overturn the call. At least in my opinion. Take a look for yourself....

And with that call, the Steelers win the AFC North and have all but secured the 2nd seed in the playoffs and have a shot at the top seed with a win over Tennessee next weekend.