IT JUST BLEW UP - THAT'S ALL!

It's almost impossible to skip over a headline on your computer that "pops up" unexpectedly and reads: "Man dies while trying to blow up condom machine, police say" - as I did this morning, (Monday) only to find out it took place in Germany where condoms are either in large demand - very expensive - or rather porous.

My first reaction was that the incident must have occurred in Baltimore - where everything else was blowing up for the Pittsburgh Steelers football team yesterday.

If you haven't been keeping track - once more (as they had done in the last three years ) the Steelers have allowed a badly mismatched opponent, in this case the Baltimore Ravens, with a 4 and 10 won/loss record to catch them either unaware or victims of completely unsuspected chicanery. 

 Baltimore posed a legitimate stumbling block that most fans were aware of based upon previous three point game outcomes - and their capability to interrupt a pretty good quest by this years Steeler team who were seeking legitimate playoff status.

Apparently Coach Tomlin did not as he opted to pass on the first three point field goal made available to him.

Unfortunately,  losing under these circumstances is not an infrequent occurrence for the Steelers, but attempting to determine it's causation is like trying to get someone to come forward and identify the kid with the illegal gun who murdered an innocent child in a gang related shooting.

 It's also apparently like a "hot potato" for the local Pittsburgh sports media) and seniors like me who are old enough to remember the old parlor game as a legitimate macho option for "spin the bottle" and "post-office."

It  -"Causation" -  begs for an in-depth journalistic investigation involving  interviews with past and present Steeler players - opposing coaches who may wish to remain anonymous (and deservedly so) - and actual feedback from the Steelers present GM, coaches, owners, as well as  people directly involved with the Steelers prior misfortunes. If that doesn't work let's hire a good sports psychologist.

If it needs to be "off the record" so be it. We definitely need to find an answer if we ever hope to gain the status that made the town so rightfully proud of it's football team and their ethics.

A failure to investigate causation  by the Pittsburgh sportswriters and editors may have finally caused the fans to ask the legitimate questions: "Has Mike Tomlin become another 'bank" that is too big to fail"? and:

"Do we have to wait for ESPN or Sports Illustrated to supply the answer?"

Listening to Steeler personnel who after yesterday's game were supposedly baffled by this continuing turn of events and gave us responses like: "We just didn't play our game." or the thoughts of a future prospective NFL HOF quarterback who was quoted as saying:"I  just couldn't find my rhythm" is equally troublesome.

While suggesting the possibility of a large family this last response simply doesn't make it in a world where "folks want to know" regardless of the importance of the subject matter.

Tomlin's record against good teams - those winning ten or more games - is truly impressive, but this same fact baffles even the most casual sports observer when comparing his success level there with his apparent inability to get his team up for games they should have won. It's scary.

Unfortunately, there appears to be sufficient representation by other professional sports teams in Pittsburgh who apparently believe that the sole goal for their organization is to get into the post season, also.

It would seem that the Pittsburgh fans definitely can't let one more local team not only continue to practice that philosophy, but who may - worse yet - adopt an attitude even more puzzling by failing to the extent that they may not even reach that post-season honor for three out of the past four years.

Failure is not the end of the earth - but failure with no apparent follow-up as to why you failed - as well as a lack of dedication to the gathering and sharing of information that may make it possible for a new game plan to be developed is usually the only "true failure."

With apologies to those involved: "A couple who is desperately trying to have a baby - and spend a considerable amount of time and money for in-vitro treatments or whatever else may be available to them, receive little solace in determining they  "almost  became pregnant".

 But, usually hope springs eternal, and rightfully so.

In most instances the medical experts can hopefully explain what went wrong, suggest other possible solutions  and the couple can continue to try with God's blessings.

The Steelers woes are definitely not in that life giving category and God may have quit Pittsburgh when he left his angels in Forbes Field's outfield back in the 50's.

The Steeler problems are not nearly as serious! It's about a game folks - not a living organism - and I've failed to figure out just what God's involvement might be in the game of football - if at all - despite all the chest crossing and fingers pointed toward the sky.

But despite that surprise revelation by me to the serious Steelers fanatics - where the Steelers ARE concerned in all of this is that it is becoming abundantly apparent that the bottom line is that "nobody in a position of responsibility - either team wise - or involved with the local media", really seems to care enough about this puzzling major sports wart to seek a valid explanation - let alone work on achieving future success in that regard. (OK, readers - catch your breath)

 Seriously, does it take well educated experienced football folks this long to come up with a logical conclusion? Poor planning? Poor coaching?

I know! I know! The fans are filling up the seats - the waiting lists increase in size - the seat license payments are up to date, this coach guy has an admirable winning record - and the guys sitting at the sports desks are not seriously concerned about being moved over to "obits."

Unfortunately,  it's the old Brooklyn Dodgers cry: "Wait till next year." which begs the question, "So, how did that all turn out for you?"

Okay, one more "I know".  I'm aware the new business philosophy is now "it's all about the money, dude", but I, perhaps foolishly, am stuck with believing in the oft repeated motto I learned years ago: "It's not the Steelers way".

In addition and adding to the puzzle is the fact that no sane individual could possibly understand the disconnect between winning the division, the conference, and the Super Bowl and accomplishing today's ever present God of "Making Money".

However, I guess there is one consolation.

That is, if you're a thin skinned professional football coach who may be without a team at the end of the year  - Pittsburgh is definitely the type of coach friendly environment where you may want to plant new roots should the present one vamoose.

Just saying, Chip & Lovie.