In 1992, Pittsburgh fans could make a very legitimate argument that they had the three best players in each of their three pro sports.
Barry Bonds was MVP of the NL for the division winning Pirates.
Mario Lemieux was the best hockey player in the world for the Stanley Cup winning Penguins.
Barry Foster was a 1,700 yard workhorse and most dominant running back in the NFL for the playoff bound Steelers in Bill Cowher's first yer as coach.
In all objectivity, only Foster's status was debatable.
It's a trifecta that is rare and almost impossible to match, even for cities with 4 major pro sports teams.
So, we are now 17 years later in 2009. And from Pittsburgh's point of view, the Pirates are minor league while Pitt basketball has ascended to major and certainly championship caliber level.
And here we are again, does Pittsburgh have the three best players in its sports? Or is this a biased argument that only a homer would make?
In the NHL, while the Penguins are middling, Sidney Crosby is widely regarded as the league's best, yet Geno Malkin leads the league in scoring. You could pick either of those two and make a very compelling argument he is the best.
That a Super Bowl Champion Steeler is the league's best may be the toughest argument to convince outsiders. Yet, James Harrison was the Defensive Player of the Year,Troy Polamalu may be the most disruptive defensive player and young Ben has won his second Super Bowl and is the clutchest player in the league. I'll take Harrison for this year, the defensive player of the year on the league's best defense that led the team to their Super Bowl win.
Then we come to Pitt basketball, replacing the Buccos in this list. Over the last week, DeJuan Blair is making a statement that is impossible to ignore that he is the best player in college basketball. At the very least, he is the favorite to be the Player of the Year in the Big East on a team that has as good a shot to win the national title as any.
Bonds, Lemieux and Foster in 1992.
Crosby, Harrison and Blair in 2009.
Pretty fair players and all the best in their sports that year.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
'92 All Over Again?
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Act of Rod Makes The Hall
Rod Woodson became the 20th Steeler to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame this afternoon.
Think of that? 20 Steeler Hall of Famers - the vast majority coming since 1970. Amazing.
Dermontti Dawson didn't get in despite a deserving career.
Still Rod is in and despite him winning a Super Bowl ring with the Balt Bridies and having played with the Raiders and Niners, he will go down as a Steeler. In an interview this week, he mentioned his 'Act of Rod' hit on Lorenzo White of the Oilers in a wild card playoff game on New Years Eve 1989 that caused a fumble and led to a game winning Gary Anderson field goal as his most memorable. It was a great play but the list of great plays by Woodson is long and that's why he is in the HOF. He was a game changer and the key of the Blitzburgh defense.
Congrats to Rod and here's hoping the good news for the black and gold continues all weekend.
HERE WE GO!!!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
GBoF dishes on all things Football with Dameshek
What a weekend of fun at Heinz. One of the top 5 sporting events I've attended of all-time.
I visited again with old pal Dave Dameshek and his radio shoebox on Thursday to discuss all that is Steelers and what we have to look forward to in Super Bowl XLIII.
Tune in here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?context=podcast&id=3853624
And if you want one final capper to the fun at Heinz, take a look at this video of the final seconds of the game and all 65,000+ serenading the Birdies off the field with a group version of "Here We Go"...:
Hex on the Cards
So the folks in Phoenix got all excited about winning the NFC Championship that they decided to parade the trophy around town to various businesses. In sports like hockey, nobody wants to touch a trophy that isn't the big one, but I guess it just doesn't matter in a town as desperate for quality sports as Phoenix.
But despite their exuberance for the trophy, a hex was put on the Cards using one special Terrible Towel that was poised above the trophy by longtime Steeler fan and Burgh native Brett Berman.
The folks in Phoenix weren't too pleased but nobody can stop the Towel when it's poised to strike!
