Rich's Sports Beat

Last week, 2 – 0 (Postseason, 7 – 3) So, the stage is set for Super Bowl XLV. The Green Bay Packers took care of business in Chicago by dispatching the Bears, 21 – 14, and claiming the NFC Championship. While quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not have his best day as a pro, he did enough to get the job done. Throwing two interceptions is not a good M.O. to reach the Super Bowl, but the rest of the Packers came up big in support of their team and their quarterback. The Pittsburgh Steelers claimed the AFC Championship as they put together a textbook first half of football Sunday night, then had to hold on for dear life as the New York Jets mounted a furious comeback. While the final score was 24 – 19, it should have been a lot worse. What the Steelers need to do, now, is take the second half of the Baltimore game, the first half of the Jets game, and put them together next Sunday night in Dallas. They will need four quarters of football to beat the Packers. What we have, now, is a m...

Last week 4 – 0 (Postseason, 5 – 3) No gloating here at Sports Beat. We just call it the way we see it. Let’s get right to the meat of the matter. I was so furious as to how the Steeler game unfolded Saturday night that I actually changed channels after Baltimore went up 21 – 7 and watched an infomercial and then part of Predator, a movie I have seen countless times. Sometimes this Steeler team so infuriates me that I can’t watch them. Quit reading your press clippings and watching your highlights and PLAY BALL! I did leave the game on in another room and I also had the radio on to listen to the play by play. They needed to give me a reason to turn the game back on where I was watching. Finally, they got it together in the second half, thanks to three turnovers by the Ravens and turned those into points. Yes, this game did live up to its billing, but they cannot Sunday night like this and expect to win. They will need to put together 60 minutes of football, not make mistakes...

Last week 1 – 3 Nope, not a good week last week. Not at all. From the shocker in Seattle, to the stunner in Indianapolis, to the egg laying in Kansas City, only the Packers saved me last weekend, and it took a last minute interception by Green Bay to preserve the victory. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why they play games. Everyone is always ready to award a win to a team before the game even starts. Not so fast, my friends! Having said all of this, the divisional playoffs take place this weekend. Your Steelers will be coming off their bye week. More on that later. This is the weekend that will sort out the contenders for the conference title games next weekend. Just like last weekend, anything goes. Anything is possible. With that in mind, let’s get straight to it. Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers We are going to go in order, just like last week. Game one this weekend is on CBS at 4:30 pm on Saturday. For the eighth time in three years, these two will strap it ...

Okay, the Steelers went up to Cleveland and took care of business with a decisive win over the Browns, won the AFC North, and received a bye in the first round of the playoffs. That means no game for the local populace next week. No matter. The playoffs have begun and that means some serious football viewing for those of us who are football junkies. These next two weeks will give the Steelers time to rest and heal. Troy Polamalu needs some time to rest his ankle and Aaron Smith needs time to rehab his arm. Ben needs time to allow his foot to get back up to speed. But, make no mistake about it, Mike Tomlin will have his troops sharp and ready to play, and that will be Saturday January 15 at 4:30. They will play one of three possible opponents: Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, or Baltimore Ravens. The thing to keep in mind is that the high seed plays the low seed, so the Steelers cannot play the New York Jets unless it’s for the AFC Championship. So, given that informati...

Let’s begin this week with a remark our editor made in regard to former Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt. He mentioned that the Wannstedt years were mired in mediocrity. Let me recount a previous edition where I discussed the Pitt coaches from 1973 through the present. Between 1976 and 1983 were Pitt’s last glory years. When Jackie Sherrill left Pitt before the 1982 season, that was the beginning of the end of those glory years. Pitt has been mired in mediocrity since. This is not a Wannstedt problem, this is a Pitt problem. Nothing against the new coach, Mike Haywood. But college recruiting is about the coaches, the facilities, the surroundings, and how a potential player is going to be treated. Yes, those players have to be coached, too. But Pitt is in the worst conference in the country. Most of these recruits were coming here because of Wannstedt. Now, they will be going elsewhere so they can be seen on TV and have a chance, perhaps, to play in the professional ranks....