Pittsburgh Steelers: From Model Franchise to Most Controversial

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They have been known as the model franchise of the NFL.  If your team is struggling, take a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers. They do it the right way. 

The Steelers represent the east coast working man by playing tough hard-nosed football, the way the game was meant to be played. They dominate on defense while the players compete with passion and Steel City pride. 

Their fans chanted “Six-burgh” after the number of championships they have won.  Fortunately they did not win a seventh, because “Seven-burgh” does not sound as cool.

The reality is that recent events have diminished the Pittsburgh Steelers from being the NFL’s “model” franchise. Instead, they are becoming the NFL’s most controversial.

Let’s examine the evidence.

Exhibit A: Untimely Deaths and Steroids

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Tragedy has been no stranger to a plethora of former Steelers.  Several have met an untimely demise with speculation that rampant steroid use in the 1970s could be a contributing factor.

Most notably comes’ the unfortunate case of Hall of Fame Center Mike Webster.  Mike died from heart failure in 2002 at the young age of 50. 

Doctors say he suffered brain damage from all his years in the NFL.  Webster was unable to function post retirement even becoming homeless for a time.  He admitted to using anabolic steroids. 

Other untimely deaths include QB Joe Gilliam (49), Steve Furness (49), Jim Clack (58), Steve Courson (50), David Little (46), Terry Long (45) and Justin Strzelczyk (36).

Steve Courson who earned two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers was the first to open up about using steroids in 1985.

He apparently became extremely discouraged when his former teammates would not come clean as well.  Despite steroid usage being legal at the time, no further players would admit to doping fearing for their reputations instead. 

Current Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett admitted to dipping into steroids during his tenure as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills.  According to Haslett, it all started with the Steelers.

“Here we go Steelers here we go!”

Exhibit B: Ben Roethlisberger

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Let’s congratulate Mary Ashley Harlan for being the lucky winner of a joint checking account with Big Ben. 

The smitten bride to be was able to overlook the unique distinction of having two women accuse her soon to be husband of rape, while having a tendency to lurk about college watering holes for unsuspecting co-eds.

Fortunately for Mary Ashley, a bylaw in her “Meeting Mr. Right” handbook states that Roethlisberger’s two Super Bowl rings do cancel out each rape accusation.

Roethlisberger has learned his lesson though.  He served his six-game suspension last year admirably and now wears a helmet while riding his ninja during the lockout. 

The happy couple will tie the not this Saturday.

“Here we go Steelers here we go!”

Exhibit C: James Harrison

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The famous “Hit Man” has learned a lot since taking anger management stemming from a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend in 2008.

Now a days, he relieves his anger by aiming to “hurt people” through dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits that have been proven to cumulatively cause brain damage.  He has amassed over $100,000 in fines.

Unfortunately, the lockout has prevented Harrison from expressing himself on the field.  As consolation he enjoys posing while double-fisting firearms for magazine covers. 

Harrison wants to show his young fans just how cool you can look sporting guns without a shirt on.

Finally he earns the Pakistani intelligence humanitarian award for admitting that if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in jeopardy of dying a terrible death, he would pull a Seinfeld finale and let nature take its course. 

To James’ credit, if Roger Goodell is in fact Satan as Harrison has said he believes, many of us would do the same thing.

“Here we go Steelers, here we go!"

Exhibit D: Rashard Mendenhall

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The Steelers featured running back, Mendenhall has now boxed himself in as a Bin Laden sympathizer and 9/11 conspiracy theorist through several comments made over Twitter.

Now he is suing Hanesbrand Inc. parent company of Champion, through whom he had a previous endorsement deal.  Rashard claims his freedom of speech was violated because he was dropped almost immediately after his controversial comments.

Note to Rashard, we are free to speak as we may but not free from the consequences.  This is like suing your wife for not getting you a cold beer after calling her a slut.

Companies want endorsement deals with athletes who represent their customer’s ideals the most.  Not with athletes who ostracize them.  That's why the contract has so called "moral clauses."

Something tells me Mendenhall may have been depending on that endorsement deal to pay for a second or third mortgage.

“Here we go Steelers, here we go!"

Exhibit E: Hines Ward

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Off the field, Hines Ward has been a poster boy for class and dignity.  On the field, he is known throughout the league as one of its dirtiest players.

Closing in on retirement, Ward made an appearance on Dancing with the Stars in order to endear his brand to women ages 40 to 55.  He did just that by winning the popularity contest.

He celebrated just a little too much however getting a DUI and tarnishing his good guy reputation.  Apparently wisdom does not come with age.

Exhibit F: Steeler Nation

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They are the most passionate fans in the NFL proven by how they show up on Sunday’s in various NFL stadiums that are not their own.  With Terrible Towels twirling and Polamalu wigs flowing, they seem to be everywhere. 

Fans of course are the backbone of any franchise and Steeler nation is no exception.  Without a doubt they are in the top five of loyal fan bases.  In fact, the number of deceased fan’s being buried in Steelers jerseys are at an all time high.

Why then may I ask has the population of this great city been dwindling since the 1970s?  The fact of the matter is that so many Steelers fans show up in other cities, because they live there. 

The Steeler fan migration has been going on for four decades now, the result of a city unable to stabilize itself economically.

Interesting to note is that the city of Pittsburgh’s population has dwindled by 3.4 percent over the last decade while the entire state of Pennsylvania has increased by 8.6 percent. 

Even Terrible Towels are not made in Pittsburgh.

The Steel City happens to be such a dark and gloomy place that it has been chosen to be the back drop of the latest Batman movie.

It’s hard to believe, but many people have chosen to live in Seattle instead, where it rains all the time yet still has a lower suicide rate than Pittsburgh. 

Perhaps the latest Super Bowl loss to Green Bay has something to do with that, and there will be a remedy coming soon.