Inside Conditions…Steelers unleash quasar on Titans

AubreyBruceBox

“T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.” The Tennessee Titans rubbed their eyes, glanced at the calendar and clearly thought that it was X-mas. From the first play of the game, the Titans displayed a very benevolent spirit by giving and continuing to hand the Steelers football after football adorned with satiny red bows. However, when the Titans unwrapped all of the many presents carefully placed under their tree, every single gift box contained only signed, snarling photos of the Steeler defense.

It seemed that the biggest opponent the Steelers had to face while playing in the “volunteer” state was “father” nature. It also appeared that Pittsburgh’s most staunch ally was the Titans themselves.

Tennessee coughed up the pigskin seven times, four in the first half alone. The heat itself seemed to play a cruel game of “last man standing” on the Black and Gold, especially the offensive line. The O-line, with the exception rookie center Maurkice Pouncey, was forced to seek assistance from the sidelines for various reasons but the main culprit was the heat.

The Steelers hung stockings by the end zone with care with hopes that St. Vincent “the Young” would soon be there.

This was supposed to be the game that all three phases of the Steelers offense, defense and special teams came apart at the seams in the midst of a very inhospitable environment but the only true hostilities that were being generated were along the Steelers defensive front. By the way, I refuse to refer to Steelers nose tackle Chris Hoke as a second teamer. Hoke is just one of two “alternate” nose tackles for the Black and Gold. Did you see the game that he played? He had the middle of the D-line clogged up more than a septic tank after a thanksgiving dinner for 20.

Everyone seemed to assume that the quasar was an indicator Titans All-Pro running back Chris Johnson was about to have a glorious day. Steelers Nation, glory is not spelled 16 carries for 34 yards. That is not a glorious day toting the rock, even playing peewee football. The Steelers defense was, well, just out of this world. Instead of choking, the defense became chokers, wrapping around the Titans offense, constricting and squeezing all hopes that Tennessee had of eking out a victory. There is a burning star shining brightly in the black hole called the AFC North. No, it is not the Aurora Borealis, but the Steelers defense.

The tea party is coming, the tea party is coming.

No, the British are not coming. They have come and gone. Oh, my bat, except for the Beatles, Simon Cowell, and the lovely Sharon Osbourne. There is an element of the local media that seems to think that they have the creative license and the constitutional right to say anything about African-American athletes without any repercussions. Following the Steelers win in Tennessee, the game was being discussed on the WTAE Action Sports Sunday post-game show and what the heck do ya know? Out of the blue, John Steigerwald opened up his “Tea Party” lips and allowed one of the most hateful and racially insensitive remarks that I have ever heard come from the mouth of any journalist. He said “he hoped that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick would get hurt.”

What did Vick ever do to him? What, what is he afraid of? Why is he drinking up all of the “Haterade?” Maybe someone close to him of a female persuasion has a poster of Vick displayed prominently on their boudoir wall.

I have found out when people trash others for no apparent reason it is usually the perpetrators of the negative energy who are themselves lacking. On several occasions, I have been severely critical of the play of Ben Roethlisberger on the field and off but I would never and I can say “never,” write about or wish hurt harm or danger upon him or any person, athlete or not just to endear myself to any segment of the population.

Attending sports events is supposed to represent one of our many pleasures but nowadays there is a nasty, meanspirited temperament that is being nurtured and maintained by a few of those “supposedly” covering the game.

These mental peons do not want to only cover the game, they want to impact the outcome without ever stepping on the gridiron or the court. Minorities had “better” understand that in America, the land of the free, we are never more than a few votes away from a congressional mandate that could not only turn back the clock as far as human rights are concerned but possibly obliterate any instrument used to measure time.

(Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: abruce@new­pitts­burghcourier.com or 412-583-6741.)

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