# The season starts Sunday at 1 EDT. And the Steelers' march to the Super Bowl begins. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 5, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629 "2003-09-05T00:52:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/21 "2003-09-05T15:30:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beagledave \* > \*\*The Bears-Presented-By-Bank-One will still suck, though. So we have that. \*\* Amen. ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/22 "2003-09-05T15:48:34Z")
Well, I’m a niners fan… but I’m also realistic. By the fifth week Garcia will be hobbling around with his back problem. TD will be bitching to the press about how coach Erickson lacks the winning spirit. We still won’t have any secondary coverage, and half our O-line will be out with turf toe or a sprain. But, at least we don’t have Jake “the Snake”. Sorry Denver fans. While I didn’t like Brian, I sure as hell don’t think Jake is gonna have what it takes. Jake didn’t have anything in Arizona, it’s true. But it wouldn’t have mattered if he did. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/23 "2003-09-05T16:04:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > \*\*So, Sunday is the REAL beginning of the season, when the only team worth two squirts of piss in the entire league runs all over the Clevel…erm, Baltimore Bro…Ravens, and their defense, which is merely a shadow of its former self. > > The Ravens are gonna be the Steel Curtain’s doormats, as they begin to carve their swath through the AFC North. Hell, Redman has so much lead in his ass that I think he got shot up worse than Joey Porter. Porter could limp his ass out there on Sunday and get 5 sacks on Redman. > > Ahhh…it feels so good to see football again. Especially since the Steelers are going to win the Super Bowl and get one for the thumb. And the Ravens, once more, will be playing golf by Christmas, whilst I cheer my Steelers on to victory. > [sub]Now, Dave, bring it. Let the smack talking begin.[/sub] \*\* Um, sweetie, you know I love you and everything, but c’mon. It’s only a game. Twenty-two burly men in tight pants [sub]Mmmm… tight pants ;)[/sub] run around what is basically a huge backyard chasing around an egg-shaped ball. And they hurt themselves a lot in the process. Yeah, I know. “But it’s the Stillers!” And Lord knows I love my Cowboys. But let’s keep some perspective here, mmmkay? Aaron should grow up to love football, not be afraid Sunday afternoons because Dad’s yelling at the TV again. And just because I love you, Airman: NEIL O’DONNELL! NEIL O’DONNELL! NEIL O’DONNELL! NEIL O’DONNELL! NEIL O’DONNELL! 😛 Robin ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/24 "2003-09-05T16:43:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > \*\* > And just because I love you, Airman: > > NEIL O’DONNELL! > NEIL O’DONNELL! > NEIL O’DONNELL! > NEIL O’DONNELL! > NEIL O’DONNELL! > 😛 > > Robin \*\* I’m not a Steelers fan or anything, but damn **Robyn** , that’s kind low, doncha think? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/25 "2003-09-05T17:05:38Z")
Naw. It’s a dig at the fact that Airman reacts somewhat passionately at the mere mention of He Who Shall Not Be Named In His House or in His Presence, Forever and Ever, Amen. Robin ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/26 "2003-09-05T17:19:33Z")
Super Bowl? What’s that? As a faithful Lions fan, I’ll be ecstatic with six wins… ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/27 "2003-09-05T17:58:34Z")
I’m torn over the Steelers. Upon moving to Baltimore a few years ago, i quickly learned that the Steelers were the Ravens’ semi-official nemesis, and that any Ravens fan worth his or her salt was obliged to hate Pittsburgh. However, while i always cheer for the Ravens, i find it hard to dislike the Steelers. Even though he’s now past his prime, Jerome Bettis is a great player, and also seems, from what i’ve seen, the be one of the genuinely nice guys inhabiting the world of professional sport. And how can you not love Hines Ward? A fantastic receiver who gets up off the ground after every play grinning from ear to ear. Plaxico Burress might not be as fun-loving, but he’s still damn fun to watch. I also loved watching the Tommy Maddox story last year. The only QB story that i found more pleasing was the success of Marc Bulger at the Rams–not because i like the Rams, but because anyone who shows up Kurt Warner is OK in my books. So, when the Ravens and the Steelers come together on the weekend, i’ll be yelling for Baltimore, and i hope they can start the season with a win. But, for the rest of the season, whenever the Steelers are on TV, i’ll probably be cheering them on. This probably makes me a bad Ravens fan–sue me! ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/28 "2003-09-05T18:02:58Z")
Does Airman freak out at the mention of Yancey Thigpen as well? I seem to recall him helping my Packers to clinch the NFC Central in 1995. I think it was the ghost of Vince Lombardi that knocked the ball out of Yancey’s hands! ---
**Author:** ![SpasticKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@SpasticKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpasticKitty)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/29 "2003-09-05T20:14:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > \*\*Aaron should grow up to love football, not be afraid Sunday afternoons because Dad’s yelling at the TV again. > \*\* Story of my childhood…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/30 "2003-09-05T20:17:27Z")
Okay, just tell me something - am I a KICK-ASS fiancee or what? I promised my fiance that our wedding next January would take the Super Bowl into consideration. If the Super Bowl is the day after our wedding, we’ll leave for our honeymoon on Monday instead of Sunday. And if they’ve moved it to the first week in February, we’ll find a lovely venue in Hawaii to watch it. I rock as a fiance. Seriously. I hate football, too. Ava ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/31 "2003-09-05T21:16:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > **Yeah, I know. “But it’s the Stillers!” And Lord knows I love my Cowboys. But let’s keep some perspective here, mmmkay? Aaron should grow up to love football, not be afraid Sunday afternoons because Dad’s yelling at the TV again.** First of all, it’s not just a game. It’s FOOTBALL, and it’s the STILLERS! And once more you missed the point with Aaron. I WANT him to be sitting right next to me throwing stuff and kicking the TV and stuff like that. I’m just getting him started at an early age. Hopefully it takes. And if you EVER mention the name of that Super Bowl-throwing cretin again, your bitch-ass will be in the kitchen making me some pah before you even know what hit you. 😛 Anyway, all the rest of you posers better pack a lunch. Nothing’s gonna stop my Steelers this year. And you can take that to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/32 "2003-09-05T22:05:20Z")
Stillers? Ben and Jerry Stiller are playing football? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/33 "2003-09-05T22:40:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > \*\*First of all, it’s not just a game. It’s FOOTBALL, and it’s the STILLERS! And once more you missed the point with Aaron. I WANT him to be sitting right next to me throwing stuff and kicking the TV and stuff like that. I’m just getting him started at an early age. Hopefully it takes. > > And if you EVER mention the name of that Super Bowl-throwing cretin again, your bitch-ass will be in the kitchen making me some pah before you even know what hit you. 😛 > > Anyway, all the rest of you posers better pack a lunch. Nothing’s gonna stop my Steelers this year. And you can take that to the bank. \*\* Yes, dearest. Whatever you say. Apple or chocolate cream? Robin ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/34 "2003-09-05T23:06:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by avabeth \* > \*\*Okay, just tell me something - am I a KICK-ASS fiancee or what? I promised my fiance that our wedding next January would take the Super Bowl into consideration. If the Super Bowl is the day after our wedding, we’ll leave for our honeymoon on Monday instead of Sunday. And if they’ve moved it to the first week in February, we’ll find a lovely venue in Hawaii to watch it. > > I rock as a fiance. Seriously. I hate football, too. > > Ava \*\* Yes, you are, but we all know he’ll pay later. Oh he’ll pay. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/35 "2003-09-05T23:17:45Z")
AD, I’m going to go easy on you because you did me a huge favor last week and honestly I just don’t know how the game is going to go. If we had a QB with some NFL experience, I’d think we were going to win fairly easily. The Steelers have some problems that an experienced team could easily exploit. Their D line is rock solid, but the loss of Porter is going to hurt a lot more than you might think. We had Ray Lewis, the best LB in history, here for several years before he started to bloom into the dominant force he is today. Without a supporting cast, he was very good but not great. Bell is in the same boat without Porter, and as for the Pittsburgh secondary, well, Stephen Hawking could get open on them, without his wheelchair. Tommy Maddox had a fine year last year, but questions remain as to weather the perenial backup is a flash in the pan or the real deal. Pittsburgh wouldn’t even extend his contract last off season because they weren’t sure themselves. Don’t be suprised to see Batch starting by week 8. Burris, Ward and Randle El are as fine a receiving corps as you’ll find in today’s NFL, but our D held them to 194 yards and picked Tommy twice at the end of last year, and we’ve upgraded the D in the offseason. Zeroue is a good running back, but I’m not sure he’s great. Our offense is the big question. Jamal Lewis is one of the premier backs in the NFL, and if we lean heavily on him I like our chances a lot better. Our recievers are mediocre at best, although Taylor has improved each year he’s been in the league, this could be his breakout year and Heap is simply the best TE in the game. Boller is the huge unknown. A rookie starting in his first game against a strong Steeler D line that blitzes from everywhere except the headset in Boller’s helmet? That could be trouble. Big trouble. OTOH, he looked extremely sharp against the Giants in the last preseason game and has phenominal arm strength and intelegence. I understand what Billick is doing, he believe that Boller is the QB of the future and is putting him out there to take his lumps and learn from them, but while I applaud the strategy for the long term, it ususally costs the team employing it for at least the first half of the QB’s rookie year. So, it all comes down on the shoulders of Boller. If he can play smart and avoid the big turnover, we can win this game. If he can’t, Pittsburgh will win going away. I honestly have no idea how he’s going to play, and anyone who claims they do is a liar. We’ll see come Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/36 "2003-09-06T00:01:57Z")
**mhendo** -dude, I got to wait on Jerome Bettis at Kmart once! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eman77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@eman77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eman77)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/37 "2003-09-06T00:07:41Z")
Am I the only Bills fan here? ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/38 "2003-09-06T00:32:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > \*\*Nothing’s gonna stop my Steelers this year. And you can take that to the bank. \*\* Perhaps you’re right. No THING is going to stop your Steelers this year. One MAN, will thought. You think you know what hate is, with your pithy “Neil O’Donnell threw the Super Bowl!”? I’ve got news for ya, bucko. I watched Charlie Batch play every game he played as a Lion. You will beg for O’Donnell back by the time Chaz gets done tossing the ball to corners, safties, linebackers, linemen, the bench, the referees, the crowd, Melissa Starks, John Madden, and anyone else NOT wearing a Steelers jersey. Plaxico will have to break out the Old Green and White MSU jersey just to get a ball thrown his way. Let’s be honest. Tommy is a career backup that had one really good season. He came from the XFL! That says enough! He’s not going to last. Then you’re stuck with Charlie. A little history: Charlie Batch went to EASTERN Michigan University. This is a team that makes my school (Western) look like Michigan. They are the bottom feeders of the MAC. He went there for SIX YEARS! I’m not even sure how that happens, especially with a quarterback. He got drafted by the Lions, took over for He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named-In-Detroit, and every time he started doing well, he got injured. Yech. I don’t even trust him as a backup. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/39 "2003-09-06T02:26:34Z")
You’ll all notice that us Bucs fans are politely smiling and tapping our toes, waiting for Monday Night’s _real_ season debut. Although we’ll miss Shelton Quarles to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_the_CC)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629/40 "2003-09-06T14:55:53Z")
Being a Dolphins fan makes you humble. No one wants to make statements like “I KNOW they are going to win” about these guys. Because you never know. They are the most heart-attack inducing team in the league. I think maybe, probably, they can beat the Texans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-season-starts-sunday-at-1-edt-and-the-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-begins/199629.md?page=3)