Steelers-Browns: Familiar Feud
Those in football know that you can define the noun “rivalry” by using the noun, “Steelers-Browns.” It’s like this: Montagues-Capulets is like Steelers-Browns except the women in Shakespeare’s play are not as pretty as those in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Hatfields-McCoys is like Steelers-Browns except the guys in helmets have a lot more teeth. Regardless, it is indeed a rivalry, not a duel. Lives and dignities remain in tact. Ahh, we'll address dignity later. Anyway, it is definitely not Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton, yet every game between the Steelers and the Browns is like USA-Soviet ice hockey all over again. It just depends on with whom you speak as to which one is the hammer and sickle.
The two teams joined the same NFL division in 1950. Cleveland had the upper hand early, but since the advent of the Steel Curtain, and with exception to the Browns success in the mid-to-late 80s, Pittsburgh has been the one to beat. Rarely have the Steelers and the Browns been great in the same season, but there is just as much color. William Green’s and Joey Porter’s pre-game discussion last year had the same effect as Turkey Jones impaling the turf with Terry Bradshaw's head in 1976. Something is always added to the story.
There are as many personal Steelers-Browns experiences as there are Steelers’ fans and Browns’ fans. A friend invited me to the two teams' final contest at Three Rivers in 2000. We sat in a mezzanine section behind an end zone. Probably for sadistic kicks, the ticket office sat fans of both persuasions in my section. Unfortunately, the numbers were even. There was a rhythm to it: every so often, fists would fly through the air, the crowd would rise like we were doing the wave, then the ruckus would abate. I sat beside a family who made the two-hour trip down I-76. As his attractive wife and two well-mannered teenage sons looked on, this guy was visibly upset over every call that went against Cleveland. Consequently, his life was threatened on numerous occasions. My life was threatened once. I’m peace-loving, choosing to walk away so I can walk away another day. But, I was caught in the cross-fire between two rival fans in a confined space full of men. Fortunately, there was only one shove apiece along with some foul language. They were probably cousins.
On to tonight’s game: Pittsburgh must shut down Cleveland’s passing attack and force running back Reuben Droughns to beat us, which of course will not happen. The aspect I am not so confident about is our passing game. Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El, Heath Miller, and Charlie Batch are going to have to get on the same page. In Green Bay, they weren’t even in the same library. And, the offensive line will have to blow them out again to allow Duce Staley to keep the Browns guessing.
Passing it the key. If we keep them on the ground and pass well ourselves, we’ll win by three touchdowns. If not, it’s a toss-up.
Those in football know that you can define the noun “rivalry” by using the noun, “Steelers-Browns.” It’s like this: Montagues-Capulets is like Steelers-Browns except the women in Shakespeare’s play are not as pretty as those in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Hatfields-McCoys is like Steelers-Browns except the guys in helmets have a lot more teeth. Regardless, it is indeed a rivalry, not a duel. Lives and dignities remain in tact. Ahh, we'll address dignity later. Anyway, it is definitely not Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton, yet every game between the Steelers and the Browns is like USA-Soviet ice hockey all over again. It just depends on with whom you speak as to which one is the hammer and sickle.
The two teams joined the same NFL division in 1950. Cleveland had the upper hand early, but since the advent of the Steel Curtain, and with exception to the Browns success in the mid-to-late 80s, Pittsburgh has been the one to beat. Rarely have the Steelers and the Browns been great in the same season, but there is just as much color. William Green’s and Joey Porter’s pre-game discussion last year had the same effect as Turkey Jones impaling the turf with Terry Bradshaw's head in 1976. Something is always added to the story.
There are as many personal Steelers-Browns experiences as there are Steelers’ fans and Browns’ fans. A friend invited me to the two teams' final contest at Three Rivers in 2000. We sat in a mezzanine section behind an end zone. Probably for sadistic kicks, the ticket office sat fans of both persuasions in my section. Unfortunately, the numbers were even. There was a rhythm to it: every so often, fists would fly through the air, the crowd would rise like we were doing the wave, then the ruckus would abate. I sat beside a family who made the two-hour trip down I-76. As his attractive wife and two well-mannered teenage sons looked on, this guy was visibly upset over every call that went against Cleveland. Consequently, his life was threatened on numerous occasions. My life was threatened once. I’m peace-loving, choosing to walk away so I can walk away another day. But, I was caught in the cross-fire between two rival fans in a confined space full of men. Fortunately, there was only one shove apiece along with some foul language. They were probably cousins.
On to tonight’s game: Pittsburgh must shut down Cleveland’s passing attack and force running back Reuben Droughns to beat us, which of course will not happen. The aspect I am not so confident about is our passing game. Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El, Heath Miller, and Charlie Batch are going to have to get on the same page. In Green Bay, they weren’t even in the same library. And, the offensive line will have to blow them out again to allow Duce Staley to keep the Browns guessing.
Passing it the key. If we keep them on the ground and pass well ourselves, we’ll win by three touchdowns. If not, it’s a toss-up.
posted by Tim McGhee at 8:15 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home