Recently in sports Category

Who says Steelers is the best NFL franchise today?  After Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, I have seen Steelers on Sports Illustrated (S.I.) cover several times, and I am wondering our Steelers S.I. covers compare the other NFL teams that have the most SI covers:

On the front cover image, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are on the cover, this is an example how many covers each team appeared in SI covers to count.  I have gather all the numbers from SI Vault:

Our *Steelers* oldest rivaly, Cleveland Browns with one SI cover?!?

Reference via: SI Vault

Holmes game-winning is memorable and awesome. James Harrison 100-yard interception touchdown return is far and the most unique play I ever seen in my lifetime in Steeler glory.

Incredible. I can't recount how much this play describle. An unbelievable play that many will say changed the course of the Super Bowl.

With less than 20 seconds left in the 2nd quarter on the Cardinals goal line, just moments away from the scoring, James Harrison intercepted Kurt Warner's pass and runs from the goal line to the next for a 100 yard touchdown. A new Super Bowl record for longest yard. Later in the game, the play resulted the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

Here are the essay of greatest play, via Mondesishouse.com:

Pre-snap Reads:

- Cardinals three receiver shotgun set, one right, two left, with left sidecar halfback going towards the Cardinals end zone

- Steelers two down lineman, three defensive back/linebackers showing blitz, three man-to-man defensive backs on receivers, a safety & two linebackers in midfield zone

(clock is right, followed by play-by-play, with ball placement left)

00:18 #13 Kurt Warner hikes ball; Steelers rush #25 Ryan Clark, #56 Lamar Woodley, & #94 Lawrence Timmons (Pit 2)
00:17 #91 James Harrison intercepts #13 Warner's quick slant pass intended for #81 Anquan Boldin (Pit GL)
00:15 #74 Reggie Wells 15 yard facemask of #94 Timmons (later declined); #94 Timmons puts the first block on #74 Wells (Pit 8)
00:14 #51 James Farrior blocks #81 Boldin out of the chase (Pit 16)
00:12 #25 Clark blocks #63 Lyle Sendlein; #26 Deshea Townsend blocks #13 Warner (Pit 26)
00:11 #56 Woodley blocks on #34 Tim Hightower (Pit 36)
00:10 #24 Ike Taylor boxes out #82 Leonard Pope, both run into #26 Townsend & #13 Warner; #91 Harrison runs through a falling #13 Warner (Pit 42)
00:09 #43 Troy Polamalu bumps #11 Larry Fitzgerald off-balance; #99 Brent Keisel blocks #75 Levi Brown (Ari 47)
00:08 #26 Townsend slows down #11 Fitzgerald; #94 Timmons blocks #74 Wells forcing #11 Fitzgerald to dodge out of bounds(Ari 41)
00:07 #56 Woodley blocks #34 Hightower as #91 Harrison sidesteps(Ari 34)
00:03 #69 Mike Gandy falls short of making the tackle as #25 Clark falls into him (Ari 9)
00:02 #91 Harrison is caught & wrapped up by #11 Fitzgerald & then #15 Steve Breaston (Ari 3)
00:01 #91 Harrison falls on the legs of #11 Fitzgerald into the Steelers end zone (Ari GL)
00:00 Touchdown is signaled by official #9 Mark Perlman; Replay Assistant challenge, play Upheld, Touchdown Steelers, 17-7.  End of First Half.

(10) Cardinals involved in interception return; #'s: 11, 13, 15, 34, 63, 69, 74, 75, 81, 82
(8) Steelers involved in interception return; #'s 24, 25, 26, 43, 51, 56, 91, 94, 99
Steelers breakdown by influence: 24:1, 25:3, 26:3, 43:1, 51:1, 56:3, 91:5, 94:4, 99:1

Phenomenal. Pittsburgh Post Gazette declares the name of play, 'Immaculate Interception'. Similar the word of play came from NFL greatest play in history, Immaculate Reception.

Also, don't miss the excellent NFL Films video: SB XLIII anatomy: James Harrison's 100 yard dash.

It's hard to imagine that city of Pittsburgh have rich history of sports, is it official, or just am I dreaming? As far my memory servers right, there are memorable moments of Pittsburgh sports in history, all of three professorial sports teams (baseball, football and hockey) has earned the championship trophies: Pittsburgh Pirates (5), Steelers (5), and Penguins (2). This city once hailed as 'City of the Champions' the following same year in 1979, two different sports won the championship. They were Pirates and Steelers.

The 3 different team sports of players deserved into Hall of Fame such as baseball, Honus Wagner (pictured on right) as one of the first five members in 1936. Several players from 1970s of Pittsburgh Steelers had more Hall of Fame players than any football players on their team in decade of 1970s. Mario Lemieux, the greatest hockey player behind Wayne Gretzky, earned the Hall of Fame.

Pittsburgh have one of greatest dynasty football city team in decade of 1970s is Pittsburgh Steelers. They won 4 Super Bowls.

What about pro golf? PGA hosted Oakmont Country Club course for US Open championship, more than any courses in history of US Open golf. Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan won there. Tiger Woods, almost won - behind 1 stroke in this year - 2007.

Anyone remember the Pittsburgh sports lore? Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception and Bill Mazeroski's Home Run in Game 7 of World Series against New York Yankees, and Babe Ruth hit his final home run in Pittsburgh.

Today I find myself why I am writing this entry here is because I enjoyed my time reading the interesting article, CNN Sports Illustrated picks: Best Athletes by Number in USA Sports, I knew myself instantly those are guaranteed that any Pittsburgh pro team deserve the uniform numbers.

Now, there are over 100 individual pages listed, I dugged and narrowed the list of Pittsburgh professorial sport player out into my list for your enjoy time to read.

No. 21 - Roberto Clemente
Pittsburgh Pirates
He is remembered as much for his humanitarianism as for his renown in right field. Clemente won four batting titles, 12 Golden Glove awards and finished his career with an average of .300. He died at 38, in 1972, in a cargo plane that was carrying supplies and food to Nicaragua.
Runner-up: Roger Clemens and List of worthy of considerations: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Deion Sanders, Sammy Sosa, and LaDainian Tomlinson.

No. 25 - Barry Bonds
Pittsburgh Pirates / San Francisco Giants
Bonds wore No. 24 with the Pirates from 1986 to '92 in honor of his godfather, Willie Mays, but switched to his current number when he arrived in San Francisco.

No. 26 - Rod Woodson
Pittsburgh Steelers / San Francisco Niners / Baltimore Ravens / Oakland Raiders
He was the premier cornerback of his era, and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary team, the only active player on the list when it was chosen in 1994. He played 17 seasons (1987-2003) and for four teams (Steelers, Niners, Ravens, Raiders).

No. 47 - Mel Blount
Pittsburgh Steelers
The best cornerback of his era and a four-time champion with the Steelers. He was the NFL's defensive MVP in 1975 and played in five Pro Bowls.
Runner up: Tom Glavine.

No. 58 - Jack Lambert
Pittsburgh Steelers
A vicious tackler and two-time Defensive Player of the Year for the Steelers, Lambert played in nine straight Pro Bowls (1976-84).
Runner-up: Derrick Thomas.

No. 59 - Jack Ham
Pittsburgh Steelers
Played his outside linebacker position for the Steelers with surgical precision: 25 sacks, 21 opponents' fumbles recovered and 32 interceptions.

No. 66 - Mario Lemieux
Pittsburgh Penguins
He picked his number as a tribute to Wayne Gretzky (flip the numbers upside down), then put up numbers (1,723 points) the Great One would admire. His number was retired by the Penguins.

No. 68 - Jaromir Jagr
Pittsburgh Penguins / Washington Capitals / New York Rangers
Chose No. 68 in honor of 1968, the year of the Prague Spring and the Czechoslovakian freedom movement. He's worn it well for 17 years in the NHL: 621 goals, 907 assists, and two Stanley Cup rings.

Runner ups:
No. 12 - Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers (over by Tom Brady)
No. 36 - Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers (over by Robin Roberts)
No. 52 - Mike Webster, Pittsburgh Steelers (over by Ray Lewis)
No. 75 - Mean Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers (over by Deacon Jones)
No. 86 - Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers (over by Buck Buchanan)

Worth of consideration:
No. 32 - Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 39 - Dave Parker, Pittsburgh Pirates / Cincinnati Reds / Oakland Athletics / Milwaukee Brewers / California Angels / Toronto Blue Jays
No. 87 - Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
No. 88 - Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 90 - George Webster, Houston Oilers /Pittsburgh Steelers / New England Patriots
No. 91 - Kevin Greene, Los Angeles Rams / Pittsburgh Steelers / Carolina Panthers / San Francisco 49ers

That's all folks and oh, I forgot to say one more thing to mention you that Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf division one high school Deaf sports team in United States earned few national titles for their basketball and soccer. Yea, that's right. I assume this is not professorial sports team.

After my first 3 years of playing golf, golf has become my passion.

I have been playing Meadowink golf course with hearing league folks every Wednesday evenings near my home. My drive skills have improved a lot. I cannot believe myself that I remember during my first year of swinging the wood and irons, I have hit the ball – it bounced on the fairway and rough all the time, causing myself incredibly frustrating, and I have been very patiently learning how to swing the drive with power, balance and accuracy - my habit skills have changed a lot today.

Last Saturday, Eleven deaf golf players and I gathered to play the golf once every month in warm weather. We are talking about golf and most important, we chatted about US Open host Oakmont County Club in Oakmont, PA – just 15 minutes north from Pittsburgh by Allegheny River.

I kept learning more about Oakmont CC, as my deaf friends are going to watch the elite golf players to take on practice round few days before tournament begins. As I read more information about this in big section of local newspaper, magazines, and local television - I began learn more about PGA (Professorial Golfers' Association). It made me curious to go US Open.

Unfortunately, US Open admission is sold out, and some of people are selling the higher above the regular price (above $200) through newspaper classifieds, and eBay. I am not interested.

As I learn so much more about history of US Open in Oakmont CC, interesting enough, Oakmont CC has most frequently open host by US Open in the history – 8 times. Golf Digest ranked Oakmont CC 5th place as America’s Greatest Golf Courses 2007/2008, and several elite golf players declared Oakmont CC the most roughest golf courses to play.

I never attend professorial golf tournament before, I would not mind to go there some day to have some experience to see the elite golf players such as Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, you name it. I would love to see US Open host Oakmont CC again, I do not want to miss this. My question – when will the US Open host Oakmont CC site? Here is the list breakdown year by year US Open played Oakmont CC in past:

1927 – first Oakmont CC site
1935 – 7 years after 1927
1953 – 17 years
1962 – 8 years
1973 – 10 years
1983 – 9 years
1994 – 10 years
2007 – 12 years
20?? - ?? years

Oakmont CC never miss US Open in six decades from 1950s to today’s 2000s, and there is possibility that they might host between 10 and 15 years later.

PNC Park opened 2001 and home of Pittsburgh Pirates was ranked best stadium in Major League Baseball of 2003 by ESPN, scored in categories such as its warm, intimate interior architecture, friendly staff and accessibility. Accessibility?

Yup, PNC Park scores the best accessible for disability, including Deaf needs for scoreboard to have it captioned. To treat the rare candy for yourself: Look the picture above, far bottom from the scoreboard, caption says: "RIGHT FIELD, NO. 22 XAVIER NADY". It all about black board captioned.

It is no mind that Pittsburgh Pirates hired the full time stenographer, whatever the announcer is saying comes up on the scoreboard in live captioning at every game and every event. Never miss.

The disadvantage part is caption board is separate far away from scoreboard, and it takes more work myself taking visually top and below most of the time. I hardly watch caption farther away from scoreboard because I have eyes of the picture everywhere in most beautiful baseball park in America.

Now the worse part is our Pittsburgh Pirates team sucks and continue sucking, logging into 14 losing season in row (as of 2007) since Barry Bonds left to San Francisco Giants.

From Associated Press reports:

If you filled out a bracket sheet for every possible outcome and stacked them up, it would reach the sun 6,115 times, or the sheets would cover the surface of the Earth 158,473 times - at a depth of nearly 50 feet. Also, even if you got all of yesterday's [March 15] games correct, your odds of picking the perfect bracket is 1 in 9.2 quintillion.

Quintillion?!? My question is "how?" and I answered my own question through Google. Long ago, My estimates inside thoughts: it could take millions to get perfect 65-team bracket..... and I am dead wrong.

I couldn't come up to think of killing myself to say infinite number like googolplex...

Via inbox:

Indianapolis' 2007 Super Bowl Victory Parade - estimated 45,000 fans

Pittsburgh's 2006 Super Bowl Victory Parade - estimated 250,000 fans

Total Population in Indy - 784,118

Total Population in Burgh - 316,718

SUPER STEELERS are now world champions! Steeler is in my blood and I bleed black 'n gold!

Today I am taking day off, and we are celebrating like champion today! Pittsburgh now owns five Lombardi trophies, and I have witnessed for my first time in my life. Last time Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl in January 1980, that time I was 2 years and 3 months old and couldn't remember or known about this.

Pittsburgh owns three major sports - Steelers (football), Penguins (hockey) and Pirates (baseball). I witnessed Pittsburgh Penguins won Stanley Cup in 1990-91 and 91-92. Then Steelers today! And, I am forwarding to witness the Pirates winning the World Series in future..

Seattle resident, Chris Pirillo knows nothing about football, I assumed. He also mentioned that Yahoo made late stupid mistake just like I pointed ESPN mistakes.

UPDATE 3:18pm: Found the awesome Flickr site of Pittsburgh Steeler pool shows the Steeler fans celebrating in South Side!

UPDATE 5:55pm: More Flickr pictures of Greatest Fans on the Earth!

Wow. Totally impressive. The rainbow into Heinz Field, home of Pittsburgh Steelers, with full of gold seats. Does it give the sign of good luck to Pittsburgh Steelers going to win Super Bowl XL?

Steelers Link dump mania:
It's Good To Be BIg Ben - Big Ben is partying like champion today!
Madden 06 Predicts Super Bowl XL Winner - The winner is...