Sunday January 22 Pittsburgh at Denver 3:00 p.m.
Steelers 21 – Colts 18
No matter what station I tuned into this week, every so call expert was picking the Colts to defeat the Steelers. I didn’t have a problem with that at all, except for the fact many of them were saying the Steelers had absolutely no chance. That was very disturbing, many of those so called experts seem to forgot that Big Ben missed 4 weeks of the season. If he doesn’t miss that length of time this team finishes with a record around 14-2 – 13-3. This team is not your normal #6 seed and they proved it Sunday afternoon.
Now to the game,
Like I said coming into the playoffs for this team to go far into the playoffs Roethlisberger was going to have to be phenomenal and he has been just that. The Steelers attacked the air early with dominance and from then on dominated the Colts in every aspect of the game. Bill Cowher coached a almost perfect game. The only problem I had with him was getting a little to conservative in the 2nd half. A reason for that could have been because Ben looked like he was injured on what I think was a cheap shot by Mathis. He was going with the intent to injure if he would have connected. Other than that this was Bill Cowhers greatest playoff win.
My game ball for the game goes to Ben Roethlisberger( 14 for 24 197 yds 2 td 1 int)
He was so precise and calm in every aspect of the game and made the Tackle that saved the day. Props to James Farrior and Joey Porter who had excellent games. Unlike past playoff runs , this year is different because the Steelers big time players like Farrior, Porter are make big plays when they need to be made, unlike past years when their star players seem to become invisible during playoff time. This year it has happened to the Steelers opponents top players like Chad Johnson, Marvin Harrison and Bob Sanders who were invisible for their teams in the playoffs. Big reason why those teams are sitting at home as the Steelers are moving on.
Pens losing streak continues as they fall to Nashville 5-4
It’s kind of hard to win a game when your down 5-1 by the middle of the second period. Poor Marc Andre Fleury, every time they give him a day off he has to go right back in the net because anybody else they put in their is getting this team in a hole by the end of the third period. Caron started in net tonite after getting called up a few days ago, but he was awful and was pulled in the second after being down 4-1. Wasn’t all his fault, but 3 of the 4 were iffy. I want to give this team credit for mounting a comeback but how can you give a hockey team credit who got their selves in a 5-1 hole by the second period. Mark Recchi had a solid game. He was hitting everything in his way and was showing some speed I haven’t seen from him since about 1993. He’s not the player he once was but he can still be a valuable asset to this team. Colby Armstrong is one player that is proving me wrong. The past 3 games he has shown me a lot. He’s one of the few players on this team that is playing with energy and emotion. He’s getting better every game and hopefully it continues. The Pens will look to end their losing streak Monday night against the Vancouver Canucks at Mellon arena.
NCAA Basketball # 11 Pittsburgh 61 defeats #10 Louisville 57
The Panthers improve to 14-0. Not many people saw this game but it was a impressive win for a team that many said were going to be in rebuilding mode. They are proving many of us including my self wrong. Carl Krauser is not crazy Carl anymore and is showing a Brevin Knight kind of senior leadership that a young talented team like Pittsburgh desperately needs. This team has a good shot at winning their next four games and being 18-0 before their contest with U Conn on January 31st. With the way Krauser is playing, the inside presence of Gray, the youngsters Young and Fields getting better every game this team is going to just keep getting better. Jamie Dixon who I felt did a terrible job last year, has really turned it around. He never had control of last year team’s, but this team is responding to what he preaches Defense, Defense, Defense. The reason I believe this team can be better than past Pitt teams is because their bench is much deeper and is contributing at crucial times. Pitt has opened up my eyes and it will soon open the eyes of the Big East.
