Soundtrack to my (Jive) Life Part 1

Welcome back to Sherman on Sports. A long time ago I said I would throw in the occasional Frisbee piece. Well with the nostalgia sinking in as I slowly come to grips with the fact I spend my life digging in the dirt making more money per check than half a semester in the caf- (wait why do I need to come to grips with that? I’m a real life Indiana Jones! Lets gooooooo!) I felt a reflective post looking back on four years of being a Jive Turkey might actually be worthwhile.  So I pulled inspiration from the mixed cd I made for High Tide- Jive history in song, Musical memories over four years with the Jive fucking Turkeys.  So I came up with an extended song list/ potential cd- 20 songs with one bonus track, running in (mostly) chronological order, all with specific meaning to my Jive experience.  Sorry if your favorites didn’t make it, but I think I got a pretty good grasp of Jive in song. 

Honorable Mentions:   Live your Life by T.I. (something I couldn’t justify, too specific) Any number of great dance mixes from the Tavern (I simply don’t remember the names-were all too similar), Any number of Bangers from Witwer/Poon Palace (could have made a whole cd out of that alone), You Belong with Me (maybe I just think that), more ke$ha (never enough), Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO, Spaghetti cat (I couldn’t bring myself to do it), any Cudi or Chiddy (for the swagbotinfinity), NCIS:LA theme song, Step Up 3 soundtrack (really only for me and moonshine. Ok Posey too) and probably several others.  Tweet noticeable omissions if you want.

PART I

Opening Track: Baba O’Riley, The Who

If there was one song that encompassed my entire first semester Jive experience, it was this one.  To me, nothing beat being at the chateau at 2 am in September/October with a just barely-there state of mind, while horrendously playing an air guitar/keyboard.  To be honest, it might not have happened more than twice.  Either way it’s the first song for me where I woke up groggy on a Saturday morning, trying to remember what that song I had heard the night before, and quick getting it on my iTunes.  It affected me so much, I put it forward as my only submission to the “CUFF pump up list” put together by one Andy Schacter.  Speaking of CUFF….

2: “On Top of the World, T.I. ft Ludacris

Somehow this became the song of Cuff.  My first serious tournament as a freshman, and I had a ton of great memories.  With this song I just remember straight after winning the tier 2 bracket someone started blasting this song from the van (because of a hail storm we weren’t given the chance to even play in for tier 1, so we simply won every game that weekend).  Specifically I can picture Ducky singing in his distinct style (arms waving and all) trying to conduct the team in an octals-like manner. Something tells me he failed.  We had played/sang this song the whole weekend, and it still brings back memories to me.

(quick list: Windsor Canadian; Chappers getting his shoes tied together; winning CUFF- even though it was only tier 2; the hailstorm; “Whoever drank is not playing tomorrow”- followed by the realization that all but about 4 people had drank; and “Yes I did suck a dick last night” written on Christian’s arm by Nate Grefe)

3: I’m on a Boat, Lonely Island ft. T-Pain

All freshman year high tide this song got played every hour. Probably multiple times.  Everyone knew every word, and probably still does.  Just a great song that brings back great memories from second semester freshman year.  Who doesn’t like getting to yell the f-bomb every 3 words while singing with an entire house of fellow turks?  When this song made it on my mixed CD for High Tide ’12, Terri and Jake gave credit to Suze and Timbo for it sticking in their minds.

4: Closing Time, Semisonic

This ones almost too generic for Jive, but there was a time when every dance party ended (or tried to end) to this song.  As a junior and senior I became all too familiar with trying and failing to end a party multiple times, and whenever I tried, I went back to a song I remembered to my wee Freshman days.  Everyone knows enough words to get by, and you might even get a couple or two out the door.  Unless that couple involved Posey.

5: Cooking by the Book, Lil Wayne and Crazy Town

I don’t even remember the first time I heard this song, but I actually found it annoying as hell.  Eventually I came around. Its a great tribute to the necessary youtube video at the end of a Jive email, and referenced in Chapper’s 2009 upcoming year predictions.  Those interested just scroll back on the group until November/December 2008. Yes I actually somehow remember that, and yes I did go check to see if its still there. Did I mention I have a lot of free time?

6. American Boy, Estelle

Pong will always have a place on the Jive Turkeys (ping-pong Mom, duh), and has for as long as I have been on the team.  In four years I’ve seen it be debated more fiercely than any political topic, become a necessary part of the party, and then become reduced to what it was when I joined the team once again (pregame tool that gets tossed aside for a sweaty dance party).  While I may play better to other songs, Jake once listed this on a “top ten pong playlist” song or something like that. I couldn’t agree more, not that I knew much about pong anyway at the time.  Even if it has literally no meaning to anyone else, I  needed a pong song or two on this list anyway. Oh well.

7. Can’t Start Partying, Weezer and Lil Wayne

Great song. You might say a legendary song.  The Lil Wayne part at the end being everyones favorite (and if it’s not it should be).  I don’t know how many times I heard this in the palace or Morgan basement that year. Probably not enough.  It even led Posey and Wheel to attempt a mediocre(ly awesome) dub that had to do with partying and showering. Ask them to perform it for you sometime. I just can’t do it justice.

8. Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus

I hated this song. Annoyed the shit out of me, but it just got in your head and stayed there. I also make no claims to understanding anything about music pre-Junior year of college.  It didn’t help quite a few people on the team picked it up.  And then it didn’t help when Braeden got back from Germany for spring break ’10 having never heard it before, then insisted hearing it at every opportunity, leading for it to be played constantly all over again.  Shout out to specifically Err on this one, and probably a few others who I can’t remember.   Whatever way you look at it, it needs to be on this list.

9. Yes, LMFAO

I needed to put LMFAO on this list, mostly because I pushed it so much at the start of my senior year, especially Party Rock Anthem.  But Yes needs to be the song on this list for a few reasons, it got played by Jive in three different reasons, for some reason it reminds me of Simon Peeman’s last day of High Tide 2011 (which makes it applicable in any case), and it was one of many pregame songs in Morgan basement.  It doesn’t really fit in any certain year, so I’m using it to round out the first part of this CD, representing Freshman and Sophmore year.

10. We R Who We R, Ke$ha

Few artists have ever captured Jive’s attention like k-e-dollar sign-ha, leading to a Godfeather team named after her, an appearance in Godfeather’s videos (by her music not the actual artist. Although someday….). I chose this song because its vintage ke$ha, poorly/awesomely written lyrics, great philosophical meaning, and something any Turkey can (pretend to, in my case) dance to. Again, like LMFAO, this artist and song have no specific year, mostly fitting somewhere within Sophmore and Junior year.

That’s it for part 1. Give me a week and I’ll try to get out part 2.  See you all at wildwood.

Senior Year

This is it.

Pretty much my entire frisbee career I have talked about my senior year. It  got to the point where the one catchphrase I ever invented myself was "Now not that I want to talk about senior year, but...." So its here. Jive has lost its greatest class ability wise in years. Jake, Jack, Matt and Nate (yes, even Nate) all gave Jive its first run to regionals and a 11-15 scare to Pitt. I learned a lot from those four players but even if they had mroe to teach any of the remaining Jivers, they're gone. Its up to one motley crew of  replacements to try an get jive back on the path to Reigonals.

This summer I played (for the first time) on another team than my college.  Key Party is a new coed team in my area and I get to see my first tournament action with them at Chesapeake.  That means that this is the first summer where my "training" was not the occasional foray into free weights and push ups, a probably a mile or two before going back to college, and the few wednesday pickups at Longs Park I could make (I think my record was last summer with 3). Through Key Party I got in touch with several Lancaster legends of frisbee, and learned from GMU captain Wes what a 'snertz' was.

Since I have already run the risk of boring anyone to tears about how frisbee was my freedom from 8 (sometimes 9) hour work days at School Specialty, I'll cut to my real point. What do I want to see in my senior year.  I am keeping out team goals for two reasons : One, I'm V.P. which therefore means its not my job to make the goals. Two, I want to see where we are talentwise. I'm already hearing about some stud freshmen, and I've heard as weel as seen with my own eyes about players who improved over the summer. Those idiots who got hurt with toad will idealy come back better players. And well, I know my housemate Ian is lookign for a big year.

That cuts into personal goal number one, the biggest priority but actually least serious: Ian is not allowed to sky me. Fortunately I can just give up on deep cuts in scrimmages before that happens. Suck it Hall.

On a more serious note, I want to play d points. That means I have to be faster. Much faster than before. I also have to be smart. My offensive game came around last year, ad its still improving while i work on break throws and decision making, but the pure athleticism that has always been my weakness is hopefully going to start making up ground through actual workouts. Plyos are new to me but I can feel the muscle building. Lets hope it leads to results.

In short, with about a month and a half before my first tournament with Jive (playing with Key Party at club sectionals), I am already psyched for the season to begin. And I would like to see the coed team win a tournament in the Fall, and the mens team make it to regionals in the spring. Thats a ton of work before then. And whoever is back at Dickinson before school, get ready to feel what a snertz is.

Pirates Baseball

It has been months since Sherman on sports released a blog post, so here, after 6 weeks of field school, I have a free moment.

For the first time in my entire life I am paying close attention to Pittsburgh baseball past May.  I admitt fair-weather fandom, but the depressiong of watching losing seasons my entire life just left me without passion for the Pirates. In my younger days I followed my grandfathers lead in being a Yankee fan to the bone, but as I grew older the Pirates just spoke to more of what I saw in the other sports franchises I saw.  Black and gold, down to earth players, small market, small salaries, well things that were just un-Yankees.  Plus the idea of a team buying any sort of player just didn't fit the Pens or Steelers, so I slowly moved the Pirates above the Yankees around 10th grade.  For good.

And for the next five years they totured me with some of the worst baseball of all time.  Coming into this season, the best I dared imagine was something like fourth in the division, ten games below .500. and I thought I was too optimistic.

Little did I know Clint Hurdle would suddenly turn a pitching staff of rejects and underachievers into respectable status. That guys like Presley and d'Arnaud would come in for Cedeno and Alvarez and keep a scorching team going. That my Pirates could win a series from Boston and Philadelphia. Well we always seem to beat Philly.  To top the suprising four games above five hundred first half, my Pirates, whose last winning season came when I was two and a half and just left Virginia, are in the midst of a playoff hunt. Playoffs?

Who are these guys? Hanrahan? Tabata (once he returns from DL)? Correia? Karstens? And is that Charlie Morton with a 3.80 ERA? Morton of the 28 ERA infamy?

The best thing about this early success is it comes with the offense underperforming.  McCutcheon and Garrett Jones came on only in June, Tabata cooled off as of late pre-injury. Alvarez who drew comparisons to a better Aramis Ramirez orignially, has been just plain bad pre-DL. Overbay was almost out of the lineup recently. If this group ever matches the pitching watch out.

We just might be talking playoffs in Pittsburgh, for a third sport. Baseball.

Super Bowl

This is it, my personal favorite sporting event of the year.  Its got everything from somewhat funny (and sometimes downright hilarious) commercials, a halftime show that occasionally is watchable, a game that recently has actually been pretty good and a nice bit of socializing along sides.  America's current game, and the one to win it all.

It has actually been tough recently, in the best possible way, to have my favorite team in the big game. This means I am a little more stressed than usual while watching, but the chance to have the 'best football team in the world' for the third time in my life is pretty awesome.  All I am hoping for is a good game, a close game, and a clean game (no more Super Bowl XL shenanigans).  As for who I pick to win, see below.

The matchup this year is great, in having two traditional powerhouses and well known teams in the big game, and the Green Bay Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Aaron Rodgers for Green Bay is the hottest quarterback in the league, and with the newfound running game of Starks, backed by a very good defensive core makes an overall good team.  The Steelers counter with Ben Roethlisberger, an already two time Super Bowl Champion who has done this the ugly way with some questionable at best officiating (XL); and the classic way with a game winning fourth quarter drive (XLIII). Supporting him is the gritty running of Rashard Mendenhall and the always tough Pittsburgh defense, with a very strong linebacking crew.  Here are the matchups to watch.

Big Ben v. Charles Woodson:  Woodson is one year removed from his defensive player of the year campaign, but in that same year Roethlisberger tore apart the Packers for a career high 503 yards passing en route to a 38-37 victory. Woodson can be moved all over the field, and is sometimes used on the corner blitz, but Ben might simply be too tough to be brought down. Ben must be aware of Woodson's play, whereever he is.

Doug Legursky v. B.J. Raji: Its pretty obvious that Pouncey is not going to play in this game, and if so, Legursky has to face the phenomenal defensive tackle that is Raji. Raji took an interception back for a touchdown last week, showing the athleticism the big man up front can play with. Legursky will need to be able to win this matchup, or Ben will have to put the team on his back for the entire length of the game without any pass protection.

Aaron Rodgers v. Dick Lebeau: Rodgers is playign very well, its obvious. All week the talk has been on Polamalu and the win percentage of the Steelers without him. But Polamalu has been a step slow recently, which means Lebeau has to have his entire unti ready to go, especially pass rushers Woodley and Harrison. Woodley typically plays well in the playoffs, with sacks in his first 6 playoff games and counting, and 10 overall.  Harrison typically plays well always, a former defensive player of the year, and one of the most feared players in football. This is the matchup I am most looking forward to this weekend, and should be a great game of cat and mouse all game long.

At the end of it all there is only one team that clearly comes out on top. And as much as sports expert Tom "Moonshine" von Allmen would love to convince you that the Flyers can win another Super Bowl, its obvious that the Pittsburgh Pirates are the real winners. With the added attention to another deep playoff run, fans in Pittsburgh will remain placated with the success of the Rooneys and the Steelers organization, making that 19th straing losing season that much easier to get through. Go Bucs. sigh.

You didn't think I would actually pick a winner did you?

Defense!

Its been a while since my last blog. Way too long, in fact, even Jake Rainwater managed to update his while I haven't done anything this break. So I decided to give my thoughts on the Playoffs so far, especially with the first double six seeds in the championship games.

That's right, you probably didnt notice, given the recent success of wild card teams winning the super bowl (see '06 Steelers, only six seed to ever win, and '08 Giants, the only five seedto ever win) but two six seeds in the playoffs? Great stuff for the NFL, no way they can screw this up.....lockout anyone?  But perhaps my favorite thing about these playoffs is the reemergence of Defensive oriented teams. The Bears, Packers, Jets, and Steeles all have phenomenal defenses ,and phenomenal players. You could probably create an all-pro defense just from these four teams.

But look at the teams who lost in the Playoffs. The Patriots and Colts featured phenomal quarterbacks and offenses, but Rex Ryan's scheming (I even am starting to like the guy now) shut down both teams. The Saints got kicked out because they had no defense. The Chiefs were soundly beaten by the Ravens when their rushing attack failed, and the Falcons lost at home due to some phenomenal defensive plays on the Packer secondary's part. 

I love defensive battles.  Love. Them. That doesnt mean low scoring necessarily, as exemplified by Steelers-Ravens, no, I am talking about games where the defenses overshadow the offenses.  Where the offense has to struggle for plays and fight for every yard. Where the quarterback has to get up after eating the turf of Soldier or Heinz Field and then convert a third and twelve. or nineteen (still cant't get over Antonio Brown).  Any way you cut it, I will be peeking at Mike Bennet's smartphone all dinner shift Sunday night, trying to get scores of both games. A shame to miss, and whoever isnt working should definitely check out both games.  You know you want to see Ben break his nose again. Or Jay Cutler get nailed by Clay Matthews. Or Sanchez knocked down by James Harrison. Either way, this is one playoff round no one wants to miss.

Big Ten goes Haiku

Jive Turkey-abroad and residing Legend The Wheeeeeeeeeeeeel, requested a blog post on Big Ten Football teams.  Here are all 12 teams that will be a part of the Big Ten in upcoming years. But because I want to feel like I am special, I did it in Haiku, because I am awesome. Yes some of them are probably off syllabically, some have very strong bias, and one ends a syllable short (intentional). This is what happens when Carts gives me ideas. Suck it Cartwheel.

Illinois:

Freshman Q Can Play

They Beat Penn State and I cringed

No one really cares

Indiana:

Dead last in conference

Even Penn State beat these guys

Better Luck next year

Iowa:

Disappointing Year

Went four and four and collapsed

Down the stretch. Free form!

Michigan:

Rich Rod is no good

Spread offense means nothing

When you have no d

Michigan State:

Surprising season

Still got killed by Iowa 

Go suck it Cartwheel

Minnesota:

Three and Nine: not good

They lost to South Dakota

Go switch to the MAC

Nebraska:

Still Stuck in Big 12

Ndamukong Suh is gone

Things not Looking Up

Northwestern:

Blew 21 point

Lead against Penn State and Joe

Pa gets his four hund-

Ohio State:

Thank God not in B

CS Championship game

They cant screw it up

Penn State:

My favorite team

If you can’t already tell

Joe Pa is so old

Purdue:

Purdue- just not good

They need Drew Brees back badly

Lost to Toledo

Wisconsin:

Won the whole Big Ten

Good Luck TCU Horned Frogs

Don’t be Boise State

Ravens Steelers Running Diary

These are my play by play reactions to the recent Steelers-Ravens Game. They are waay to long to be well read by anyone, but if you have a while to kill, take a look. Yes, I completely stole the idea from Bill Simmons.

Ravens- Steelers Running Diary

8:25pm Myself and Housemate Adam in the old palace living room, He’s a ravens fan, but I can forgive him, provided the ravens win. Game time in 5

8:27 Along with Adam, we are joined by Non-football fan Harsh, who by several accounts was once convinced last years Super Bowl was cancelled. His Football analysis will be necessary for this game.  Also joining in is Russell, a friend of Adam’s, and Daud. I don’t really know who Daud was originally friends with in this house, but he is here all the time now, so I guess he is all of ours ‘acquaintance.’

15:00 left in the first quarter: Ravens start with the ball and Flacco overthrows Todd Heap, who is in his own right a Legend of hurting the Steelers in big moments. Heap is hurt, he’s hurt! Great start for Pittsburgh.

14:44 1^st quarter- Flacco looks shaken so far, he has missed two passes, second one was probablymroe of a throw away

SACK by Ziggy hood, I like it, coverage sack, Pittsburgh d-backs playing well. For now.

14:16 Steelers start with good position, and it’s the….. pistol formation? Ive seen this work in college, I guess… big bens not even getting under center at this point with his foot

1324 Redman converts a third and eight, great pump fake by Ben, but Redman is hurt. Yep, its Steelers-Ravens alright.

Next throw, Ben overthrows Heath Miller badly, then a run in the middle for nothing, then Ben goes down hard.

Ben gets a broken nose, oh that’s just awesome. (actually it led to the funniest picture in recent football memory, see the sidebar).

Next five minutes involve Adam and his buddy Russell arguing who is the dirtier player: Suggs or ray Lewis? I’ve got Lewis. Lewis killed people. (Note: as the night goes on, Suggs kills Ben several times, but Omar Epps calls his buddy House and saves him, oh crap that’s Mike Tomlin. We are screwed.)

Ravens offense is stalling, this is just a big defensive game, third and nine and WOW that sucked, Ravens rookie tight end has literally blocks of stone for hands. Not top ten this Friday, you heard it here first.

FAKE PUNT! Ehh…no it’s a false start! What? This is one of the worst games of football I’ve watched in a while. Never mind, I just had flashbacks of Stevie Johnson dropping the ball last week. Steelers putting Ben back in….

 10:30 left in first quarter, Mendenhall decent run, I always like him, still no chance for a big night tonight, if he gets above fifty it is phenomenal.

Big Ben just misses Wallace on second down, third down and FIRE BRUCE ARIANS!  Hot read was simply abysmal. Miller was wide open for five and catch an run on the blitz by the ravens. The Hot read went for about 4. Miserable. 

Old Faithful now joins us, a fellow Frisbee and Pittsburgh fanatic combo, like my own awesome self. Russell and Faithful want a go for it on fourth and one. I like the punt here, it’s a tough fight, and field position will be hard to come by. 

8:24 in the First, Ravens drive; Rush game going nowhere for either team, but in better news (for me) Heap is probably out of the game.  Ryan Clark gets burned on third down and McFadden forgets how to tackle, tried to body slam him instead of tackle him. Fundamental tackling kids! 61 yard gain. Followed by a four yard rush and then first down to the tight end.

5:00  In the First : On First down, Housh for about two. Second down, Steelers get to Flacco, and get a hold, ten yards back.  Housh again for a good gain. Flacco is carving up the Steelers at this point.  Mcgahee dances for a little bit but gets a half yard. Might hold them here……crap.

 Touchdown Ravens! Flacco gets about ten years behind the pocket and finds Boldin wide open. McFadden gets caught looking at the thrower, bad mistake in football. Miserable coverage now for Stiller’s d-backs.

Fight on the extra point!

Ravens dude false starts straight into Harrison.  Harrison is gonna get fined for that. Dude ran into him and he held him down. Definitely a 300,000 dollar fine. Faithful concurs.

1:59 in the first, Steelers need a drive here. Medenhall for a good run on first down, Ben finally under center.

Big Ben should have been sacked, but just flips it to Moore who gets a good spot for the first.

Challenge on ball spot by ravens, call upheld, then incompletion, sack, run for 12 yards by Redman, but not enough, punt coverage is awful, returned for about 40 yards. Game is just not going well for Pittsburgh.  And the Punter is down! Sepulveda is hurt,I  guess Suisham is now a punter?

1300 min in second quarter, incomplete, good coverage by McFadden, then Flacco overthrows again. Then short to Mason, and he gets up slow, but he will probably be back. Three and out. Ravens mess up the coverage and let it fall back to the endzone.

Steelers Drive: Big Ben is starting to get in a rhythm, two completions now.  Big Ben throws it away on first down inside ravens territory, and…….Roethlisberger throws it to the ravens deep!  Ravens first down from their own two.  Awesome. I would quote Russell here, but then I remember my Mom might read this….Looking out for you mom!

9:52 ravens with the ball on their two. Flacco rushes for two.  McGahee for nothing.   Third and long back on the Ravens five…. And I’ve seen this before! The Steelers leave Stallworth wide open, same scenario as last time.  Pinned on third down, and a giant 60 yard gain. McFadden decided to cover the receiver already in double coverage as opposed to his man. Guess Willie Gay is teaching him the new Steelers coverages for cornerbacks not named Ike Taylor.

McFadden makes a tackle for once.  Flacco is just outplaying Big Ben at this point. False start then run for nothing. Steelers d holding on first and second but in this game they normally fail on third.   Holy crap! Sack by Ike Taylor, we are gonna force the punt, dodged a bullet there.  Watch and learn from Taylor, McFadden

Randle El fields it inside the 15. C’mon Steelers.  Just showed Big Bens nose again, paused. Best picture in football this weekend.  Ben gets Wallace for a good gain and a first, then another completion to Sanders. Now Mendenhall goes for a good gain. This is looking like a drive. Mendenhall intentionally doesn’t catch to avoid getting killed by Suggs. Two minutes had to go for it on fourth down, and boom, David Johnson for the first. 

 AAAAAAAAA! By me and Russell and the same time. Ben almost throws a pick. Another incompletion….

Third down. Ward gets hit in the chest. Drops it.  STOP SMILING. Kick downed inside the five. Then there is holding on the punt. Oh boy.  Ravens are just running out the clock at this point. Seven-nil for the first half. Pittsburgh offense are basically shooting themselves in the leg a la Plaxico Burress (plug for Giants fans-look NFC, this is a real conference!)

Big drive needed here. Second half here we go. It starts with a touchback. More pistol formation to Mendenhall, then a first down past to Mendenhall. Next play, big ben gets all kinds of time and he gets Ward, who catches it this time. Quick screen to Wallace for 23 yards, who just outruns everyone.  Hurt his yards per catch average with that one. 

Suggs singlehandedly breaks up the next run.  At this point he is by far a better LB than Lewis, just doesn’t have the same emotional leadership. Then a bad pass on third down, 45 yard field goal try, then a timeout by the Steelers. Not sure what Omar Epps was thinking there. Suisham nails it.

Steelers get lucky on what should have been pass interference, but McGahee breaks a ten yard run. First big run allowed either side tonight.  Flacco throws one away while being hit, then misses another receiver on second down. Then McFadden gets burned again. McFadden needs a derogatory nickname, someone post a suggestion, if they read this far.

 Short run, then Flacco squeezes one in for a first down.  Another short run, then refs just simply ignore a blatant hold (hat thrown at the referee here)…..and calls a more blatant illegal contact on Ike Taylor. Harsh, the non-football inclined housemate remarks, “If this were in Pittsburgh there would have been a riot.” First and goal, incompletion, incompletion, Flacco pressured…incompletion. Field goal. 10-3.

Kickoff destroyed by Billy Cundiff.  He has just dominated the crap out of kickoffs this game.  Heath Miller for 9, now hurry up offense for Pit.  Mendenhall dances for negative yardage, not the best play, he missed his hole.  Third down, shotgun, FUMBLE!

 Kemeouatu picks it up and runs with it. Highlight of the run game tonight. Never mind, its defensive holding call. Rookie on the Ravens, thank you! Short pass to Mendenhall turns into a nine yard gain.  Mendenhall hits his hole this time, first down.  Big Ben has improved his mobility as the game wears on. Sanders for eight, he is turning into an everyday player now, not just on returns. Sorry Randle El, but your only good for throwing. Mendenhall stuffed on first down, big hit by Ray Lewis.  Steelers go for it on fourth, but wait, NEUTRAL ZONE! Suck it Ravens.  (Courtesy of Ian Hall who has been walking in and out of the Palace, but now joins us for good).

Dumb penalties by the Ravens are keeping the Steelers are in this one.  Miller gets lit up. That’s an instant foul for the Steelers. I’m not too happy about it. Ask Faithful for a summary of what profanity was uttered over the course of this game from me.   Replay.  Harrison knows if it was him, he’d have to retire for too many fines. Screen goes for big yards.  False start on Foster….run for no gain and Flozell Adams is down.

Third and eleven, classic Ben, flushed out of the pocket, dodges a d back, throws a dart for a twenty yard game. Love it. Wait, I retract it, you are a rapist! Rapist!   

Sanders again, should have gotten up and gone in the end zone but some scrub on the Steelers came over and tackled him. Oh boy Steelers, memories of Burress again (two references to Burress in one game is never a good sign).   Suggs buries Redman on first and goal. Mendenhall buried on second and goal.  Short pass to Wallace and he gets stuffed.  That is not good play calling in the red zone.  Suisham from nineteen yards and just squeaks it in, 1.000 field goal percentage as a Steeler. 10-6.

Fourth Quarter 12:46 left in the game.  And it’s an off sides on the kick. YAY PITTSBURGH!

First Play of the drive: Woodley tackles a lateral about 8 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Faithful: “that’s actually bad news for the Steelers because Flacco now has to throw it deep.”

 Short pass to Rice for about 15. Third and 8. My math is off somewhere on that series.  Steelers force a bad throw, fourth down.  Big kick, and its Steelers.  All Steelers fans in the palace are now inevitably waiting for a turnover.  

Short run, then Mendenhall drops it. First down to Wallace, but the call is illegal formation for ssix men on the line…replay shows…..four men on the line? I’m a little confused.  Roethlisberger throws it away on third and long. Punt! Suisham has to punt now, because Sepulveda is out.

Ravens get great field position.  Short run, followed by another short run. “Hey wasn’t that six men on the line?”- about four housemates. Can someone clear up this rule for me?

Third down: Timmons runs straight by Flacco. Flacco throws it straight into the D-line, batted down.  Ray Rice has done a phenomenal job of blocking in the Pocket, nicked Timmons on that, great play.

Steelers ball. Eight yard pass on first down.  Ben hits Wallace for a catch and run for about 20 yards.  His yards per catch average is just plummeting this game.  Mendenhall for a short run.  Big Ben now sacked, gotta throw the ball.  Third and ten.  Short pass to the tight end.  Fourth down.  Punt rolls, and a steeler runs out of bounds, illegal formation, five yard penalty. Re-punt.

Only 443 left in the fame, you should probably go for it there.  Run for no gain. Clock ticking, ticking…..shotgun on second, and its pass interference on McFadden.  (insert profanity here) Game summery reads on espn.com: McFadden fired.  Run for four…

 HIT BY POLAMALU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flacco fumbles, Woodley picks it up and Steelers have it inside the ten! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

First down, Big Ben should have been sacked, must have been sacked. Just pulls away from Terrell Suggs and just kinda tosses the ball toward the ground.

Another faithful quote: “Ben is just allowed to rape chicks after that play.” Ouch. I do not agree, nor does actually faithful, but it was funny in an inappropriate way at the moment.  Throw away on second down.  Third down…..

RED ZONE REDMAN! Catches a short pass and just wills himself into the endzone, sheds two tacklers, shades of the bus.

Daud: “flag! Steelers are not allowed to score!” Calling was not that bad in retrospect, but hey, my housemates were making comments with no encouraging from me. I swear!

Sanders with a great tackle on the ensuing kickoff.

2:50: Final drive, here it is. If Flacco is for real  he proves it here. Sacked by Farrior on first down.   Rice misses his first block.  He has played a great game, but that was big.  WILLIE GAY! Clutch time for him, time to get burned and its by Boldin.  3^rd and 2. Housh drops it.  Great tackle by Farrior. He wants this.  Fourth and two. Gay burned again by Boldin. Why is Gay on Boldin? Old Faithful: “Gay is sticking all his normal failures into these last two minutes.”

2 minute warning.  LETS GOOOOOOOO! Flacco hits Boldin again, this time covered by Ryan Clark. Great step up by Flacco. He is playing well this drive, not looking too good. Flag on McFadden. Automatic first, horrible penalty.  Stupid penalty, cant take that, although Tomlin claims it was uncatcahable….Eh, I think it was the right call.

Flacco hit in the chest on First Down and it drifts, McFadden almost got the pick to save his night, now Clark lands on him and McFadden is off the field.  Check down to rice on second down, third and five.  Short pass, Flacco misses his wide open tight end, so he has to make a diving catch, and he gets tackled short inbounds.  Fourth and two.  Ravens go for it.  This is the game….

Flacco entirely misses his tight end on fourth and two. YESSSSSSSSSSSS. Let’s go Steelers!

 Not a good throw. Officials did miss a defensive holding, but that doesn’t really matter too much, doesn’t affect the play.

Pittsburgh picks up a big win.  Officials not up to this game.  The Miller hit has to get reviewed by the league, I am sure.  Overall, a must win for the Steelers, who now have the inside track to the number two seed. Should shape up to a good last couple games, and I feel like the teams will see each other again later on. Special thanks to Old Faithful for various quotes.  Made my game. Don’t forget: demeaning nickname for McFadden, go, comment now.