It hasn't always been this good. You don't have to remind me that there have been some dark days in Pittsburgh sports, both historically and recently. Even right now, one of our major sports teams is suffering (and suffering is definitely the right word here) through one of the most embarrassing runs of losing in professional sports history. Pittsburgh is a few years removed from almost losing a franchise to another city. But we're not going to focus on the negative today. We're not going to talk about Cam Bonifay, Francisco Cabrera, or Tony Martin. No, today, we are going to focus on the incredible string of success that we are experiencing. Don't take it for granted, and don't let it pass you by without fully appreciating it. Because, dammit, it's a great time to be a Pittsburgh Sports Fan.

Breaking news here; I'm not sure if everyone heard this: but the Pittsburgh Steelers recently won their record sixth Super Bowl title. They hoisted the Lombardi trophy for the second time in four years, and they did it in stunning fashion. They were led by a quarterback with five years experience who plays like one with ten. They have a second-year coach who appears to have no problem filling the shoes of legends. They are the consensus best franchise in the NFL, and arguably the best franchise in American professional sports. There's not really a need to belabor this point - it's been covered to death in the recent months. But it bears mentioning, Steeler fans should get down on their knees at night and thank God they follow a team with the history, present, and probably future of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pick a bridge and cross the river, and there's a hockey team that holds claim to twelve out of the last twenty NHL scoring champions. Three different Penguins have earned that title, with number four most likely on his way. If that holds true, then the Penguins would hold titles for a whopping 62% of the regular season scoring races over a two decade span. It can't be emphasized enough how fortunate this city is to watch that kind of talent night in and night out. We could all be forgiven if we became spoiled and jaded by this, but I sure hope it never happens. The Pens are a year removed from a Stanley Cup Finals appearance and are currently one of the hottest teams in hockey. There is a new arena on the way, and an embarrassment of riches in our talent pool. This team has arguably the best player in the world. While there are a few teams that can make that claim, only one can say it while remaining ambiguous as to which player you are referring to.

You can drop down to the collegiate ranks now, where your Pitt Panthers are currently a # 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. They are one of the most physical teams in the country, and a popular pick to win it all. They play in the country's toughest conference, and survived a season-long onslaught of games against the country's top teams. They have a pipeline of talent funneling into Pittsburgh, started by Ben Howland and continued now by Jamie Dixon, one of the top young coaches in the game. We'll have to see how March plays out to fully see what this team has in store for us, but they have absolutely earned their place as one of the top programs nationally.

This run of success certainly isn't unprecedented. Pittsburgh's stretch in the seventies dwarfed this one, and the city of Boston is currently enjoying a more impressive four-team stretch. But it is rare, probably more rare than it feels to us most of the time. It is important to recognize that it is rare, and to recognize that it is potentially fleeting. Since the time that I decided to write this article, Pitt made an early and disappointing exit from the Big East tournament, the Pens lost two straight games (including a gutwrencher to the previously 1-25-1 when losing heading into the third period Senators after leading them by 2 with ten minutes to go), and the Pirates; well they're the Pirates. Did that invalidate my idea for this article? I don t think so. I think that s kind of the point. It's really not that far from top to bottom. You are always one bad trade, one ACL tear, one motorcycle accident even, from heading to the proverbial outhouse. Pitt could flame out in the tournament again. The Pens could start playing like they were a few months ago and not even make the playoffs. The Steelers could suffer a Super Bowl hangover. But the fact remains that at this moment, Pittsburgh is blessed with several championship caliber teams; so as a city, we need to enjoy this. Watch every SportsCenter, read every article, DVR every game. It could continue like this for a while, or it could end tomorrow. So the best advice I can give is to just sit back, grab an I.C. Light, and soak it all in.

Go to the Main Blog Page - Go to the Home Page