GETTING OLD - OR JUST CAUTIOUS?

Your blogger is a huge Steelers fan. He and his wife Phyllis proudly wear their many Steeler shirts. Our golf cart license plate announces to one and all down here that they are in "Steeler Country."

Just about each Steeler game finds us abandoning our "reckless abandon" purchase - a 52 inch Sony TV - just so we can root for the Steelers somewhere in the presence of other fans.

We prefer Firkins & Fox on Manatee Ave because they allow us to bring along the worlds smallest Steeler fan, Bella, the 2.4 oz Chihuahua. and sit on their outdoor deck.

Yesterday, the game was blacked out, the second such experience for Buccaneer fans so far this year. While we heard rumors of a bar or two possibly willing to defy the NFL's blackout ban, we chose to stay home.

Phyl was working back in her office trying to "takedown" an extremely challenging and lengthy medical report she was writing after reviewing thousands of medical documents that had been Fed-Exed to her several weeks ago.

My job was more difficult, of course. I was "forced" to sit in the living room recliner with "Da Punk" in my lap and shout the changing score results of the Steeler/Buc's game. They were posted periodically in the upper right hand corner of the screen, as I watched Atlanta, a previous Steelers victim, surprise the reigning NFL champion Saints.

Rooting for the Steelers was a relative new experience for Phyl when we started exchanging likes and dislikes about 10 years ago. She is now into it "full boat", but remains baffled as to how I can allegedly enjoy a football team so much and yet constantly spend time screaming at the screen when something doesn't go my way.

The answer is that I'm old - but "cautious". Let me explain.

I am in love with Charlie Batch. Before my "leventy seventh" retirement back in 2004 a co-worker in Harrisburg picked on me constantly because Pittsburgh had decided to acquire Charlie Batch - whose final grades from Detroit included a lot of incompletes.

Charlie was never intended to be Pittsburgh's starting quarterback. He was a Pittsburgh guy from the Munhall/Homestead section and a great athlete in addition to beng heavily involved in several Pittsburgh activities and charities. The guy looks good and speaks well.

With Ben deciding to re-explore "the child within" this past offseason -resulting in him being banished for a minimum of 4 games, - I was perplexed. Despite this, I was silently rooting for the Steelers to give Charlie his chance over a former NFL starting quarterback who seldom unpacked his bags and a young guy who just "didn't seem to get it."

The Steelers brass thought otherwise and went with the latter two over Charlie, who apparently concluded he was retained only due to giving the appearance of being enamored of sweating in the summer sun at Latrobe each year.

That not unreasonable impression by Charlie lasted through camp, almost all of the pre-season and most of the first two regular season games . Injuries and indecision forced the Steelers to look his way finally - a puzzle to Charlie as he had seldom let them down in the past when asked to jump into the fray.

One caveat here. Despite rooting for Charlie I have never and will never see him as the "Savior of the Steelers." I love the guy, but probably won't invite him down for Christmas dinner - no matter how hot it might get.

OK, here comes the cautious part: Charlie started and finished yesterday's game. He threw 3 touchdowns for a team that had failed to score one offensive touchdown in 2010 regulation play. Now he is being heralded by both the media and the fans as "the second coming."

That is so Pittsburgh. Look up "underdog" in the dictionary and you'll be staring at a picture of the Golden Triangle and the confluence of three rivers.

Three of Charlies touchdown passes were apparently accompanied by "Charlie's Angels."

The first pass, a 46 yarder was caught by Mike Wallace when Grimm, the safety failed to look for the ball. Apparently the safety still has Pittsburgh ties as the son of Russ Grimm , a former Steeler coach and a Pitt standout

The second, a 21 yarder to Wallace, (quote) "clanked" off the hands of cornerback Agib Talib's hands and into those of Wallace. Now, please keep in mind Talib was the unintended recipient of the very first toss by Charlie yesterday. He is a very talented defensive back. He apparently was playing "tit for tat." Those Pittsburgh Pirates fans in attendance at Tampa cheered wildly - due no doubt to their respect for anything resembling a .500 performance.

The third throw was a 9 yard toss to Hines Ward who admits - "nobody guarded me." Now, this is a guy who has achieved all kinds of Steeler receiving records and whose bust will no doubt end up in Canton, Ohio some day.

Thank you "Angels"!

Pittsburgh has not received that sort of celestial charity since actor Paul Douglas, aka Aloysius X "Guffy" McGovern, was managing The Pirates in the movie "Angels in the Outfield", filmed in Pittsburgh. It was 1951, and Janet Leigh was the only "outstanding" player to appear for us at Forbes Field that year.

Now, does all of this mean I won't be rooting for Charlie in Game 4.

Sure I will - but, it will be"cautious" enthusiasm.

I mean, Angels can't be everywhere - or can they?