This isn't the first time the Steelers have been the better team when they play the Patriots.  Yesterday's win was one of the few times they've proven that they were better. 

Steeler generosity has killed them in this rivalry.  It looked like more of the same when the game started with a Roethlisberger gift to start the Steelers in a hole.  But, in what was one of the better performances of the offense in this season, the Steelers prevailed.  Here are a couple of reasons why, according to Tunch Ilkin on the radio broadcast yesterday.

When Teddy Bruschi was in, the Steelers couldn't run.  When he was out, they did.  And they seemed to be aware of Bruschi's run stopping ability and schemed to first get him off the field, then to take advantage of his absence. 

Secondly, Matt Cassel doesn't get rid of the ball as quickly as Tom Brady does.  Consequently, Cassel was sacked enough, hurried even more that he was not so effective yesterday.  The NE offensive line only has to hold their blocks for a couple of seconds for Brady.  For Cassel, they need to hold people back for longer periods.  They couldn't do that yesterday.

Yes, there were dropped passes for New  England.  There were also drops for the Steelers.  Humourously, no one ever wants to blame the weather, but that was pretty foul stuff yesterday.  The better team won.  Finally. 

Pitt took a big one from West Virginia on Friday.  They looked poor for the second and third quarters, but pulled it together for a strong finish.  Now, they've got Connecticut to lock in a big bowl game.  This is another of those that Pitt hasn't been able to beat.  They're just 1-3 against the Huskies. 

Score comparisons are confusing in this one.  Pitt won at South Florida, the Huskies lost close.  Pitt beat WVU, the Huskies lost big at home.  Pitt lost big to Rutgers, the Huskies lost by 2.  This is another of those too close to call contests.  Pitt's played well.  I think they've got a good chance to win Saturday.  If the Panthers win, they'll play in either the Gator or the Sun Bowl against either a PAC 10 or ACC team.  Either way, 9-3 would certainly lock the Wanstedt regime in for another year or so.  Frankly with the way they've played since their disappointing loss to Rutgers, I'm not too disappointed with Dave staying on. 

The Penguins have been very entertaining to watch.  And, now that Sidney Crosby has found his scoring touch again, you can hope that his opposition takes a moment to watch him score too.  The Pens have had injury issues from the beginning this season, but they're hanging in and will surely be tough to beat late. 

How 'bout Jeremiah Young's 352 yards against Bishop McCort on Saturday?  Steel-High will likely win the state title in single A again.  Young has the record as the all-time rusher in PA high school history.  Young hasn't picked a school yet, but according to info I've seen, he isn't one of the most recruited people around either.  Pitt's interested.  I understand Penn State was, but not sure.  Steel-High has a couple of pretty good looking big time prospects.  You have to appreciate Steel-High for hanging on to their better players.  Bishop McDevitt usually provides an option for a strong Harrisburg area player.

Mad dog sent me a series of photos from Afghanistan today.  There were pictures of rugged hillsides, loaded weapons and uncooperative clerics.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  There is so much to be thankful for it is difficult to put my gratitude into words.

Imagine being in a place where the fate of the Pittsburgh Steelers just doesn't matter.  I realize that my obsession with the black & gold borders on ridiculous.  And I do marvel at the fact that life in America allows for such diversions, in fact, celebrates them. 

While I watch the Steelers, people in many areas of the world aren't sure where their next meal is coming from. 

This reality creates a certain amount of guilt for me.  If I think about the harsh realities of the world, I blush with the guilt of the worry the next Steeler game creates for me.  I wonder if I will have to answer for this misplaced enthusiasm when my judgement day comes.  I justify my actions by telling myself that I am a good person and will do whatever I can to help. 

Obviously that's a hollow promise, when you realize that I'm not going to Afghanistan any time soon.  In fact, I wouldn't know what to do if I did get there.  Would it do anyone any good if I suffered like the rest of the world's suffering people?

What a country that provides for me, the abundance of food that exists in America.  Can you imagine what an Afghan freedom fighter might think if he was suddenly transported to Martin's and given a few hundred bucks to get a few things for his family?  How lucky are we?

I thought about thanking the good lord for gifting me with a Stanley Cup final appearance for the Penguins last season.  I have in the past thanked God for allowing me to be a small part of the local sports scene by being the voice of the Mountain Lions.  That is truly a blessing. 

I think it will suffice to thank God that I live in America.  We fight for freedom.  Not so much myself, but those wonderful human beings who consider it their duty to protect our freedom.  We fight amongst ourselves and even though we fundamentally disagree with each other, we don't kill each other for our differences.  Ok, in some places for some reasons, there is more killing than there should be.  I do regret that. 

Our country is being overtaken and overrun by interests other than those that we might have been built on, but for the most part, this is the best country in the world.  If it weren't it wouldn't be possible for me to have so many things to be thankful for. 

I am most thankful for my wonderful family.  They are my miracle.  I try to be a good person, but to be blessed with the people I am closest to, is more than anyone could expect in return. 

I apologize for not being able to turn the hell holes of the world into oases.  I am sorry I can't make my way of thinking prevalent, so that all the pain and suffering could be solved rather than continue on in increasing severity.

I thank God I am an American.  For all the trivialities that my life includes, I do know there is much pain, and turmoil.  I pray that good wins.  And I hope the Steelers win the Super Bowl.

The good news is that the Steelers took care of business early and are resting up for the evil New England Patriots game on Sunday.  The bad news is that the weekend was without a Steeler game to get all worked up over.

My weekend took place in West Virginia.  Since I was out of state and didn't have internet access, I didn't know who won in the high school football playoffs.  State College did, which surprised me.  Hollidaysburg did not, which was expected.  Thought they might have a chance at an upset, which they did.  Central did, by a bunch and they'll start playing some top notch competition when they play 12-1 Wilmington on Friday night at Slippery Rock. 

Gateway did not, which took everyone by surprise.  Now, State College getes to play Bethel Park for the right to play in the Western Final.  You'd think it was a good thing that Gateway lost, but it takes a great team to beat #1 and this game will be in Pittsburgh.

And the team with the largest hurdle to leap over is Bishop McCort.  After easily disposing of Portage last week, they'll get #1 single A team, Steel Hi at Mansion Park.  If you want to see some great players, turn out on Friday.  Jeremiah Young has broken the all-time PA rushing record.  Most of the players on Steel-Hi were on the team a year ago when they pummeled Bellwood.

On Saturday, I was in front of the TV for three college games of interest.  First, West Virginia beat Louisville and Pat White became the top QB rusher ever.  Louisville isn't very good this year and WV has disappointed their faithful at times.  But, I assure you, they'll be on top of it on Friday when they visit Heinz Field to play Pitt. 

Penn State followed and I don't want to hear about how the Nits deserve a better status.  They'd be in the title mix if they hadn't stumbled at Iowa.  They'd be better thought of if Ohio State hadn't looked so bad in their title games recently.  The Big Ten is getting little respect on the national stage. 

Speaking of little respect, how much respect should I have for Florida when they are rolling up the score against The Citadel?

Pitt took on Cincinnati on Saturday night.  You never have a good feeling when the opposing coach challenges the community to get behind his team and to make their stadium a nightmare for your team.  Cincinnati has been an improving program.  So much so that it's likely a bigger program will scarf up their coach.  Pitt battled but couldn't get over the hump.  Friday is huge.

Then on Sunday, I was on the road for much of the day and only saw bits and pieces of the Steelerless NFL schedule.  I did manage to catch some of the Eagles' meltdown.  They're far from the team that beat the Steelers in week 3.

Andy Reid's offense has always been annoying to me, but when you can't run it in from the one, you've got issues.  Thanx, Eagles.  Thanx for laying down and allowing B'more to dominate.

No, not the football Panthers, the hoops Panthers.  As another fruitless November/December schedule commences, I'm yawning at the prospect of huge, meaningless victory margins over the likes of Akron and Vermont.  There are a few decent games sprinkled in, but for the most part, the wins will easily mount. 

My question is will a similar late season fade set in after January?  If Monday's game with Miami of Ohio can be a measuring stick, this Pitt team may be the deepest we've seen in the Jamie Dixon, Ben Howland era.  They have size, speed, shooting ability and an incredible depth. Even the frosh contributed against Miami. 

In the past, the Panther teams have been a little thin and the wear and tear of a full season seemed to take it's toll on them.  Their depth may be a great asset in trying to avoid a fade.  On Monday they played without Gilbert Brown, a starter, who is one of their better players.

I'm not getting too far ahead of myself here.  The Panthers take on Akron tonight.  Not a game which will tell us much.  Pitt will fight a Penguin game at Atlanta and the Steelers' game with Cincinnati for attention.  The spotlight will be on them in March.  Here's hoping they're peaking instead of fading by then.

I watched the Steeler game yesterday.  Being an emotional person, I nearly lost my voice yelling at the coaches, the players and the officials.  The Steelers only won 11-10.  Ok, so a win is a win.  But, why does it have to be like this?

Upon further review this morning, numbers say the Steelers crushed San Diego.  Ben Roethlisberger was 31-41 for 308 yards and no interceptions.  Willie Parker rushed for 115 yards.  They recorded 4 sacks.  Hines Ward had 124 yards receiving.  Matt Spaeth caught six passes.  11-10???

Bruce Ariens continues to catch my wrath almost weekly.  I don't like his play calling.  4th and one at the goal line.  A plunge comes up short.  First of all, I might just refer to the emporer, the great Chas Noll for advice...GET THE POINTS!!!

Meanwhile, on WVAM, I was listening to the game while watching it on TV.  Tunch Ilkin went on about going for the touchdown instead of the field goal.  Since the series of plays resulted in a Steeler safety, Tunch declared the move was a good one.  I'm not a math genious, but how is two points better than three?  Add in the huge punt from San Diego and a penalty and the Steelers wound up at their own 6 or thereabouts.  But, the whole day was like that.

I think the officials were trying to even up with the Chargers.  If you'll remember, San Diego was on the wrong end of some bad calls in the first two or three weeks of the season.

I particular, the pass interference penalty against Ike Taylor at the goal line was awful.  Hines Ward's last hold was terrible.  The last score was admittedly a legal score, but the officials just talked about it and left the field.  I couldn't begin to estimate how many gamblers lost money on the game.  The spread was 4.  Starts to look like someone's on the take.

7-3 shouldn't feel like this.  The Bengals are up next.  I hate saying this, but Cincy shouldn't be much trouble this Thursday.  The Steelers will probably find a way to make it a trying quest.  Something the Eagles should have done is tell themeselves that it's the NFL and anyone can win.  If the mind is in the right place, the Bengals should be just what's for dinner on Thursday night.  Oh, and by the way Eagles, go ahead and beat Baltimore.

I watched the Penguins on Saturday and it appears that they're getting their act together.  But, they do start awfully slow.  Buffalo is a good team and had the Pens on the run for a good portion of Saturday's game.  But, the tide turned about midway through the third and they finally put a team away in regulation.  Watching the Penguins play is enjoyable and at this point, every game is entertaining.

Understand that I feel like I write a lot.  So, when I see that it's actually been weeks since I visited the blog, I am shocked.  There's so much to consider. 

Of course, the Steelers are #1.  And I feel like they are burning their own house down.  Why have a backup quarterback if it would take a death to play him?  Why get rid of your fullback if you are supposed to be a running team?  Why throw the ball at the end of each half when running the ball would have been such a better option?

The Steelers can't get out of their own way.  They've absolutely given away two games.  The loss to the Giants was explanatory.  The Giants were miraculously held out of the end zone many times in the first half.  That the Steelers were in position to beat them was a bit surprising.  But, if they don't snap the ball out of their own end zone, they may be able to get it done. 

And last week's loss to the Colts was the product of an accumulation of testosterone that even the best athletes couldn't overcome.  I rarely use the word stupid when I speak of athletic endeavour.  While the best are smart in the way they play the game, few are Rhodes Scholars.  Ben Roethlisberger was dumb last week.  The Steelers are dumb for playing him if he can't practice and is dinged up.  Ben was dumb for throwing risky passes deep in his own end. 

The Steelers' offensive coordinator is dumb as well.  What the Colts' defense was giving the Steeler offense wasn't worth taking.  What ever happened with imposing your will on the opposition.  The Colts came in with a lowsy record against the run.  Why were the Steelers not running the ball with great regularity?  They found a way to do it.  It was the counter play with the pulling guard.  They got nice yardage each time they ran the play.  It seems that the Steelers have lost their patience with the running game.

Injuries have certainly taken their toll.  They've taken a toll on all the NFL teams.  The fact is that the Steelers could have/should have won the last two games they lost.  If this keeps up, they'll struggle to get into the playoffs.  And if this defense is on the outside for the post season, someone's head should roll.

Penn State suffered the WVU-Pitt loss from last season.  How on earth could Penn State have lost that game to Iowa.  Iowa shouldn't be in the same solar system with the Nits.  This was a game that Penn State needed to take control of from the beginning.  Maybe that's why they came out throwing.  I believe Pitt did well on the ground against them.  What would be wrong with that?  Truth is, Penn State just looked different on Saturday. 

Darryl Clark has been impressive but on Saturday, he looked confused and seemed to lack the confidence he exhibited in the previous nine games.  His concussion must have had some lingering effects.  And when they needed it most, the defense let the Nittany Lions down.  That was a can't happen event.  The problem with college football is that losing to a team that you were supposed to beat throws you off the table of those considered for a national title game.  The good thing about college football is that every game matters.  Saturday, Penn State lost.  The consequences are obvious. 

Back in the opener, Pitt lost to Bowling Green.  Then they struggled against Buffalo.  It was apparent that they just weren't as good as the experts thought.  Then, they beat South Florida.  Then they lost to Rutgers.  Geez.  Then they beat Notre Dame and Louisville.  Now, they're 21st and on the climb.  They play at Cincinnati on the 22nd. 

This by the way is the third off week, the Panthers will experience.  Who the hell made this schedule.  My son seems to think the off week hurt Penn State heading into Iowa.  Suppose that's possible, but three off weeks is insane.

Oh, and Harrisburg lost their playoff game to Central York last week.  Not sure if it mattered but they did lose a player because of the late game squabbles they had with Altoona in the regular season finale.  They also turned the ball over seven times.  I wish I could say that I was disappointed for them.  Maybe their coaches will try to teach them something positive from the loss.  From what I was able to see, there hasn't been much in the way of positive lessons taught these young men before now.

This baseball season, I've listened to Phillies fans whine about the team, the manager, the history, the city and a few assorted other things as the team looked like they would, then they wouldn't, then they did get to the World Series.  I understand that it's been a long time since Philadelphia celebrated a championship of any kind, but the baseball team has at least been in the mix for the last couple of years.

And this team just happened to run into the hot team in last year's playoffs.  This year, the hot team was the Phillies.  The truly jinxed Chicago Cubs met the fate all Phillie fans feared would be there own and Philadelphia became the best team in the league by default.  I'm not trying to minimize their accomplishments, maybe they'd have beaten the Cubs heads up, but it didn't hurt having the team with the best record out of the way.  Now, I'm hearing all this teeth gnashing from Phillie fans.  How will they lose?  Silly talk.  They're in the World Series.  Get used to it.  Only one other team is still playing.

This whining prompted me to think about my own difficulty to please in sports.  The Steelers have five rings.  I should be satisfied with their history.  Still, I think of those home AFC Championship games that got away.  I even go back to Dan Marino and wonder how many rings the Steelers would have if they'd drafted him.

Things are going well this season, even though there aren't many left standing after a string of injuries over the first seven weeks of the NFL season.  Still, the gloom of a difficult stretch in the schedule looms ahead.  If one thinks negatively, they attract negativity.  Give it a try, you'll see.  Many times, I've fought off the urge to be negative during a Steeler game and fortunes have turned toward the black & gold.  I like the way this Steeler team fights.  Whether they win enough to win a championship this season is insignificant.  These next ten games will be entertaining and if the team comes through with a great record and another ring, it will be one of the greatest accomplishments any NFL team has ever had. 

I am most judgmental with the Pitt Panthers.  I know, most of you are Penn State fans and I actually am pulling for them this season.  Why would I want Ohio State to win?  Penn State fans are the opposite of Phillie fans.  They are usually unrealistic when assessing their team's chances.  But when the need for speed was properly addressed, Penn State improved their chances to compete with the best.  The road is clear for the Nits this season.  They've only got to win the rest of their games to win a seat in the title game.  Admittedly, winning in Columbus is a challenge, but should they do that, there's no further roadblocks.  Texas and Alabama must negotiate a more competitive field of teams and then have a playoff for their conference.  It's unlikely that both will run their tables. 

For Pitt, I am starting to gain some respect.  I am always critical of the Panthers and head coach Dave Wannstedt, since they have a history of making the same mistakes over and over.  But, when they beat South Florida, they blitzed on defense and stopped making stupid errors on offense.  Bill Stull made one glaring error on Saturday at Navy, but for the most part, Pitt was strong in Annapolis.  And Shady McCoy has started to run north-south and the yards and scores are mounting.

Rutgers is another test for Pitt, just because they've always beaten the Panthers when I figured they wouldn't.  I've still got to train myself to be positive about the Panthers' chances.  I'm still in a prove it to me mode.

The Penguins are starting to get used to each other.  There were so many off season moves that they've not looked together early on.  Last night, they eked out a shootout win over Boston.  In the first period, it was all Boston.  Still, Miro Satan scored the first goal on a rebound and Evgeni Malkin scored in the shootout to lock down two points.  After the lopsided first period, the Pens were equal to or better than the Bruins.  And as Pittsburgh's players get used to each other, the offense should start to put more pucks in the net. 

All in all, local sports fans have a lot to be positive about.  Run this experiment.  If your team is faltering, drop the criticism and just pull hard for them.  See what happens.

Altoona is struggling.  The Mountain Lions got everyone's hopes up with that big win over North Allegheny to open the season.  After a win over Chambersburg, they've lost the next five.  Unless there is another divine intervention, they'll have a good chance to lose their sixth this weekend against State College.

Sometimes coaches try to do too much and while I'm no expert, I get the feeling this group may be frantically searching for what might work with these guys.  Effort isn't an issue.  These kids play hard and tough.

The loss to Cedar Cliff was very disappointing.  The defense held the Colts to 17 first half yards and the offense had numerous opportunities to put Cedar Cliff away before they had a chance to do anything positive.  But in the end, the weight of the losing streak just sat down on the shoulders of the players and coaches. 

Offensively, the team appears to be searching for something they can count on.  They've used a variety of formations and two quarterbacks.  They've used a bevy of running backs and have shifted and motioned themselves to death.  It might be good to find a handful of plays that the team can be reasonably sure will gain some yards and stay with those.  I know, easier said than done.  And I'm sure that is what the coaches would do if something would just present itself as the "thing" they need.

Defensively, there were about three or four plays that Cedar Cliff used to build a lead on Altoona in the second half.  They use a spread offense, often without a running back.  On more than a few occassions, there were quite a few more receivers than defenders on one side of the field and the quarterback just had to wait until one was open.  And they were able to run to open space after the defense went away from the flow of the play.

Cedar Cliff was not the best team, they just scored more points.  The frustrations of five straight losses are festering. 

Jim Abbott and I have discussed the potential playoff situation in recent weeks.  (Yes playoffs) The team has lost five straight and might have two more losses down the stretch.  A win over Central Dauphin East will make them 3-7 if they lose to State and Harrisburg.  Jim thinks the young kids need the extra weeks of practice time.  And, I think that's a noble cause. 

But 3-7 doesn't deserve playoff participation in my eyes.  4-6 perhaps.  Either way, the playoffs should be a reward for regular season accomplishment, not an extra chance to work the kids. 

Penguins

Not exactly a great start for the Penguins.  They've struggled on offense, particularly the power play.  Sergei Gonchar's absence is noticable.

In the long run, the injuries will make the Pens' depth much better.  But, as explosive as the Penguins have been, it may be tough to watch the games until something gels. 

Miroslav Satan was a nice pickup but he's far from a Marian Hossa type.  There are so many new names in the lineup I can't tell if the announcers are referring to good guys or bad guys when they call out their names.

The Penguins started slow a year ago.  It wasn't until Ty Conklin took over for Marc Andre Fleury that the Penguins started to blossom.  This season, Fleury has proven to be a solid shot stopper.  Attribute their 5 points in 4 games to him.  You don't need to get out of the gate fast in the NHL.  The season goes on forever.  As the newcomers mesh with the dependable, solid veterans, the Penguins will get better.  And with Ray Shero keeping his eye on the stable, it is likely that the Penguins will improve as the season progresses.  It would be nice to blow someone out though.

Steelers

Why do I have this uneasy feeling about Sunday's game with the Carson Palmer-less Cincinnati Bengals?  The Bengals are one of two winless teams in the NFL.  But, it has already been proven that any team can beat any other team in this tough to figure league.  Ask the New York Giants.

We might have had a clue on the Giants' Monday night failure against the Browns, had we noticed that the Bengals almost beat them in the Meadowlands just before their break.  How do the Rams beat the Redskins?  How do the Colts blow out the best defense in the league?  How do the Cowboys lose to Arizona?  How does Carolina look so bad against Tampa Bay?  Why does Minnesota only beat Detroit by a point?  How can the Bengals hope to beat the Steelers?  Exactly. 

The facts are that the Steelers actually are better in Cincinnati than at Heinz against the Bungles...ooops, no disrespect intended...Bengals.  If you want to get the real skinny on the Bengals read the Cincinnati Post.  Their writers have already taken the poison and are waiting for the dirt to cover them up.  This is the NFL.  Any given Sunday, ya know? 

While it seems like it's been forever since Ben and the boys have suited up, for an ailing body, two weeks really isn't all that much.  Injuries like the shoulder that Ben has and the knee that Willie has and so on, will take a lot more time to completely heal.  So, don't expect these people to be 100% as the season progresses.  But, then, who in the NFL is 100% after about half the season.  These people take a pounding.  And, the Steeler schedule won't be very helpful either.  There isn't much relief in sight. 

The Bengals will give the Steelers all they have this Sunday.  An 0-6 start gives the Bengals no hope of making the playoffs.  With no more than playing the team they hate the most on the line, some of the Bengals will be prepared to give it their best shot.  Who knows if there will be enough of them to make a difference.  In order to prevent the playing down to the level of the competition issue to rise up, the Steelers have to be thankful for the opportunity to get another divisional win against a team that is less than whole.  Those chances may not come again all year.

A series of events has led me to neglect the blog.  Apologies.  We've returned to the column format.  No comments are being taken so things are back to the way they used to be.  I could count the comments that you've sent in on one hand anyway.  You might say the opportunities to comment on my thoughts weren't taken advantage of.  I'll take that to mean that you agreed with everything I said. 

I am being asked to believe so much these days that I am leaning toward believing none of it.  Let's start with politics...

The economic turmoil we are facing is a product of greed.  Gordon Gecko was wrong.  Greed is not good.  Gluttony in fact is a mortal sin.  The excesses of our consumerism is finally coming home to roost.  I will not accept that this is some politician's fault for allowing for too many bad mortgages.  I will not accept that this is not just abuse of a system that allows for, no encourages greed and gluttony.  The AIG failure party is an indication of what I am talking about.

I believe that the way we do business is at least marginally at fault.  All numbers must be better this year than they were a year ago.  If we made 2 million dollars a year ago, and made 1 million this year, we lost a million dollars in the books.  So, consequently, we'll just have to sell more or raise prices or do something to compensate for the "loss".  This is messed up. 

I could go on.  And I am no student of economics.  I realize that.  But those who have cannot be considered successful unless they get more.  What if the million was ok.  Let's face it, that's not a bad total income. 

But it's not 2 million is it?  Athletes who were making 4 million a year are holding out for 10 million.  How much do you need?  Do you need to carry a pocket full of thousand dollar bills?  Look, I'm not really a socialist.  I'm just asking for some reason.  I do know that it seems wrong to throw a bunch of taxpayers' money at the problem. 

It makes me want to do nothing but watch football.  And that's been interesting so far.  The Mountain Lions were in a rebuilding phase that we all thought was going to make this a lean year.  Then they opened with a win over North Allegheny.  I don't think anyone jumped overboard with toughts of state championships, but hopes certainly went higher from there.  The offense looked potent with a successful trip to Chambersburg.  Then reality set in.

Cumberland Valley did what Altoona can least defend.  They used their power running game all night.  Altoona's defense stiffened for much of the night, but they couldn't get the offense going.  This game verified something we've all thought.  If you want to score on Altoona, unless you are highly skilled, just run behind your big fat guys. 

The loss at Lower Dauphin was disappointing.  Physically, Altoona was superior to the Falcons, but they made too many mistakes.  Four first half turnovers set LD up with all the chances they needed.  Altoona came back, but they couldn't convert a Lower Dauphin fumbled kick off and they fell short. 

Altoona could have won at Central Dauphin, but the offense is now officially searching.  It was during the CD game that the Lions tried something different.  They changed quarterbacks and took their leading rusher out of the rotation.  There were lots of opportunities but no follow through and they lost for the fourth time at Landes Field.  In fact they've lost twice to CD, once to East and once to McDevitt on that field.  All of the games have been close.  The 10-0 loss was actually the worst loss of the four.

Bishop McDevitt is just on a different plane than Altoona.  They are one of those schools that have multiple future big time college players on their roster.  This is a very young team.  For their own good, they've got to play better first halves.  I've never seen a game where a team had a 7-0 lead at halftime, and lost the game, 46-21.  McDevitt has lost to the WPIAL each time they've played them at Mansion Park.  They'll probably get the chance again this year.  They should step carefully.  The WPIAL doesn't seem to be very impressed with them.

If Altoona can split their remaining four games, they should and likely will participate in the playoffs.  We have found out that the six AAAA teams in Districts 6, 8, 9 and 10 are in one big pool and will match up according to their accumulated points.  Allderdice is likely out of the playoff picture.  They've not won yet.  It is not automatic that Altoona will go in.  I hope they do so that they can get an extra week or two of training for the young guys.  Cedar Cliff is a toss up.  They've not played well on the road, but they've beaten this team everytime they've played them since joining the Mid Penn.

Pitt

Which team is it?  Are they the folks who fell behind Syracuse?  Are they the team that lost to Bowling Green at home?  Are they the same guys that narrowly beat Buffalo? 

Or are they the group that hung on to beat Iowa?  Did they come back and whip Syracuse?  Did they really win at South Florida and come from behind to do it?

You can't blame the Bulls for being surprised by the Pitt defense.  They hand't shown any ability to pressure the quarterback, cover the receivers or stop the run consistently until the South Florida game.  Again, is this the Pitt team we were expecting to see? 

They've been recruiting well from all indications.  The question has been asked about Dave Wannstedt.  He's really never had any success as a head coach.  Other questions have surrounded Matt Cavenaugh, the offensive coordinator.  Against the Bulls, he opened up the offense.  And Bill Stull, the USF quarterback had his best game leading the offense.  His throws were accurate and his decisions were good.  Still, it's hard for me to say that this team should take the Big East.  The conference is up for grabs but Pitt's got to be more consistent before I'll go so far as to expect victory.

Penn State

For the Nits, the obstacles to a title opportunity are falling by the wayside.  They've answered al the questions so far, but this is a huge week for them.  Here's a question I'm going to ask before another ball is kicked.

Were the Nits conservative against Purdue because they didn't really want to give much information to Wisconsin or are they shrinking the playbook in big important games?  If the offense gets more conservative this week, they're going to lose.  There's too much athletic ability on this team to get conservative.  Athletes must have the ball in open spaces.

Wisconsin is one of those tough to win in atmospheres.  But, if there are great things ahead for this team, Penn State must win.

Steelers

You can't be anything but pleased with Pittsburgh's record at this point.  4-1 with the loss out of conference and 2-0 in the division satisfies the most fickle fan.  In fact, you have to look around for reasons why they've been able to win.  I think I may have found one.

It's the million dollar man.  Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be one of the toughest players in the league.  I've heard some accuse him of embellishing his injuries but I think you have to admire his ability to get it done in less than ideal circumstances.  He's driven the Steelers to late winning drives 15 times in his short career.  For some QB's they never do that.  He's done it since his first season. 

The schedule is going to stiffen here real soon.  Healing is taking place this week, then a pesky trip to Cincinnati.  After that it's Giants at home, at Redskins on a Monday night, home to the Colts and Chargers, then the Bengals again on a Thursday night.  I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here.  That should be plenty to worry about for now.

I'm thinking that the Giants are backing up their Super Bowl victory well and the 'Skins are gaining confidence.  The Colts and Chargers have been disappointing but they've sure got the ability to improve by the time the Steelers face them. 

I'm thinking that the players are starting to think Ben is Superman.  There is a trust and a belief there that is getting stronger every week.  I think he has the ability to make the rest of his team play harder and that's a champion's quality.  None of the experts think the Steelers can do it.  Of course, none of the experts thought the financial world would collapse either.

You just don't get many football weekends that work out like the one just experienced.  All wins.  All relatively impressive wins. 

It started for me on Friday night.

MOUNTAIN LIONS

Could it be that Altoona is a bit better than we thought?  First on Chambersburg. 

This was our second straight visit to Peachtown.  I have a history with Chambersburg.  I was at a radio station in Charles Town, WV the first time I did a game in Chambersburg.  The football team has been involved with the Trojans through about 14 of the 27 years I've been doing Mountain Lion sports.  We used to eat at the Copper Kettle along Route 30.  We went to Ryan's buffet a couple of times.  But after games, it's impossible to find a place to catch a bite before heading back over the Route 30 s's.  Dilly's advertises in the program, yet when we pulled in there, we found that they have no food after 10.  There is a Sheetz, but seriously, don't you people go out after a game?

This game turned in 30 seconds of the late second quarter.  After Chambersburg cut the Altoona lead to 14-10, Altoona's Mike Treese ran around a jam in the middle of the line for 84 yards and a touchdown.  They scored again on an interception return by Jordan Novosel less than 30 seconds later.  Now, it's 28-10 and Chambersburg is essentially done.

Altoona got the second half kick and scored on the drive to make it 35-10.  Give Chambersburg credit for staying on plan and putting some points on the board, but Altoona scored 49 to keep adding distance to the comeback for the Trojans. 

Altoona's offense has turned out to be pretty effective.  Derek Gallardy had 188 yards but no touchdowns.  He is hard to bring down and has enough speed to be dangerous.  Defensively, Altoona has done an adequate job.  Chambersburg moved the ball, but the defense came up with big plays to slow them down. 

If you were looking for further reason for excitement, North Allegheny dismantled Mount Lebanon on Friday.  Mount Lebanon is 0-2, so we don't know much, but we do know that Altoona is overacheiving.  Friday, they host Cumberland Valley.  If there is a team they must have a feeling of revenge for, this would be it.  Repeated questionable spots and a late roughing the quarterback call helped an otherwise ineffective Cumberland Valley team come from behind and beat Altoona last year. 

A win over this team would lift Altoona into the upper echelon of the Mid Penn-Commonwealth.  It surely won't be easy, but I'm starting to think most anything is possible.

Pitt and Penn State

Two more wins.  Penn State is proving to be more efficient offensively than usual.  I'm used to seeing a team that needs a stout defense to pull off wins.  It's surely early, but there is reason for excitement in the land of the "Nittaly Lions."  Hey, that's what Barak Obama called them.  They're at Syracuse this week, and that's no problem.

I went to the Pitt game on Saturday.  I am concerned with Dave Wanstadt.  The defense just doesn't do anything special to try to stop the opposition.  They set up in their positions and play people according to the plan.  No blitzing, no stunting, no stopping.  Buffalo moved the ball up and down the field.  Pitt led by one point for most of the night and it felt like they were down by two touchdowns.  That they moved a receiver to linebacker in the off season is one more indication that this defensive genius is struggling. 

I'm surely no football genius either.  The things that appear obvious to me might be stupid by coaching standards.  I just think that when something isn't working and Dave's defense isn't, a change would be valuable.

All-in-all, I think the win over West Virginia at the end of last season is becoming more and more miracle-like as time progresses.  And I just wonder if Dave is capable of delivering a big time team as he has been able to deliver big time athletes.

Steelers

It couldn't have gone much better for the Steelers in their opening win over Houston.  After Gary Kubiak went for it on fourth down and didn't make it near mid-field, the game was essentially over.  Ben Roethlisberger had the best quarterback rating in the league going into tonight's games.  That's overshadowed by the running of Willie Parker, but Ben was superb.

More dominating than Ben or Willie was the offensive line.  So many question marks on that unit and they came through with stars on their foreheads.  It's early to declare they are back, but there is at least hope that they'll be good enough to allow this offense to take advantage of its weapons.  And, those are many.  Keeping all the weapons happy may be the biggest problem.

Defensively, they were outstanding.  They pressured the quarterback, covered the receivers and stopped the run.  And they came up with turnovers. 

Even more encouraging than their handling of their business on opening day was the rest of the NFL on day one.

Cleveland is next week's opponent.  The Browns added defensive personnel and hoped to build on a pretty good 2007.  They had some injury issues in the pre-season and lost all of those games.  Dallas made them look like a lower echelon team yesterday.  While the Cowboys are being touted as the best in the NFC, the Browns surely should have been able to play with the 'boys.  They were not.  The Steelers visit them next week and a win would put the Browns quite far behind.  You couldn't ask for a better start if that's what happens.

New England lost Tom Brady for the day, perhaps longer.  I'm not dancing on their chests, but the Patriots are due to face some adversity.  And I don't wish injury on anyone.  Brady's great.  I'd be satisfied if he didn't play another game this season. 

Indianapolis lost to the Bears.  Not sure I could have seen that coming, but Peyton Manning was out for the pre-season.  Apparently, those games are needed for freshening.

San Diego gave up a last second touchdown to Carolina and they lost at home.  You just never know with John Fox's team.  If they could win the games you expect them to, they could take that division with ease.  If they follow this up with a bad loss, you'll know they are back to normal.

So, all in all, the weekend was beyond expectations.   A weekend like that makes the week tough to go through.  I can't wait until Friday.

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