Since Gretz is a season-ticket holder, he’s going to take a look at the debauchery and insanity that takes place in the Heinz Field stands after every home game he attends.
– As expected, the Steelers introduced their starting offense on Sunday (for the first time this season) and Ben Roethlisberger received one of the loudest cheers, rivaled only by the reception for Hines Ward. Apparently there was a small group of protesters outside the stadium, but we encountered none of them. The Post-Gazette, however, has some pictures, including this one. I’ll say this: it’s nice to see the protesters using the Pittsburgh-ese insult and referring to Ben as a “Jagoff.”
– Being such a one-sided matchup dating back to when the original Browns were still in Cleveland has really taken the intensity out of this thing. Not a single “Cleveland Sucks” chant, not even when the game was 28-10 in the fourth quarter. It’s also worth pointing out that Browns fans, at least the ones that sit near us (including the guy the regularly sits behind us for a couple of games per season) are good people. I’m sure there are fans somewhere else in the stadium that have different stories to tell, but I can’t recall a single bad experience with a Browns fan during any game at Heinz Field. I can’t say the same for Ravens fans or Bengals fans.
– Speaking of Browns fans…
Colt McCoy already has a fan:
Amazingly, Brady Quinn still has a fan in Cleveland…
– As for the Steelers jersey watch, well, there’s really not much to say about this picture: A Duce Staley jersey standing next to a Mitch Berger jersey. Worlds are colliding. As Ryan pointed out during Steelers Lounge Podcast #9, I would love to know the chain of events that leads to a person owning a Mitch Berger jersey. That said, if you happen to be the person wearing said jersey, feel free to drop us an e-mail and tell us how you came about it (I was going to ask the guy myself but he walked away before I could get his attention).
Maurkice Pouncey is not amused by “Super Dave” stealing his number for this customized jersey foul.
And, yes, Ben Roethlisberger jersey’s are still out and about…
– I’ve said many times (including on this very website) that it does not bother me that Heinz Field doesn’t have all the amenities and attractions of a PNC Park (or any other baseball stadium, for that matter) because, as a football stadium, it just doesn’t need them. There’s not as much down time to go and roam the stadium, and once you get into your seat, there’s really not much of a reason to leave unless it’s to get rid of your pre-game beer. I also don’t expect a football stadium to be a culinary masterpiece. I don’t think it’s asking too much, however, to at least have edible food. That seems to be getting worse every single week, and I’m officially at my breaking point.
Some advice to any Steelers fans (or opposing teams’ fans) that may be attending a future game at Heinz Field: Eat before you get into the stadium and don’t waste your money inside. Whether it be a pre-game tailgate, or one of the many (and there are many) restaurants or bars along the North Side near the stadiums, any and all will be better, more satisfying choices, both in terms of actually being able to eat said food, and also in terms of the bang for your buck. On a scale of 1-10, the food at Heinz Field is a negative-four. Just for a quick comparison, I was at the Penguins game on Friday night and the food at the Consol Energy Center was not only edible, it was actually quite good.
– Ben looked good in his 2010 debut. He missed a couple of plays, including the first quarter interception, as well as the pass to a wide-open Mike Wallace in the fourth quarter that would have been an easy touchdown had he not thrown it 20 yards out of bounds. As he gets back into the swing of things, I have a feeling those plays will be made.
– Not sure how it looked on TV, but it seemed like once the Browns connected on that one big screen pass to Peyton Hillis the Steelers didn’t blitz anywhere near as aggressively as they were earlier in the game, and instead forced Colt McCoy to fit passes into tight windows.
– Three straight road games for the Steelers before they return home for a Sunday night game against the Patriots, which should be complete madness. The combination of a prime time game (always fun) and a matchup with the Patriots (also always fun) should make for an interesting night.
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