Pixie Dust or Holy Water
Monday night’s football game was a play-in game — win and you’re in the playoffs.
Steelers vs. Ravens.
This season has been an emotional mess, and last night was no different.
OMG.
What just happened?
What a game.
What a crazy season.
My Pittsburgh Steelers somehow made the playoffs.
Their season has been a lot like my life — a roller coaster of twists and turns, ups and downs, and everything in between.
Wonderful… and stressful as hell at the same time.
They’ve lost games with terrible play, then won others with nothing but pure luck.
One moment, I think we’re the greatest team ever.
The next, I don’t think we can beat anyone.
Last night’s game was the same.
We should have lost — yet we didn’t.
Before the game started, a priest was shown spreading holy water in the end zone.
I remember thinking, yeah, we’re going to need a lot of that — he better use a bigger bottle.
In 1976, I was six years old.
It was a different time in America. There was pride in everything — pride in our country and pride in our teams.
That’s how I remember it anyway.
It was my first Super Bowl. The most televised event of that time.
The Dallas Cowboys vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.
America’s Team versus the legendary Steel Curtain.
I remember watching it as a family on our first color TV — a big, heavy floor cabinet.
It was a big deal.
I remember those Mean Joe Greene Coca-Cola commercials from that era. — where he’s limping off the field, the little kid hands him a Coke, he drinks it, then turns and says, “Hey kid,” and throws him his jersey.
Here is the video:
I don’t remember the game itself or how we won.
I just remember that we won.
And if I remember correctly, I was the only one pulling for the black and gold that night.
It was bittersweet — one of those moments when everything felt perfect.
Last night’s game felt like that again.
Classic hard-nosed football, exactly what you’d expect from a Ravens–Steelers rivalry.
The Ravens outplayed us in the first half.
Our defense kept us alive.
Then, in the second half, the offense found a little pixie dust.
Back and forth through the third quarter.
In the fourth, we hit the go-ahead touchdown.
The extra point would put us up by three with under two minutes to play.
Wait.
OMG.
The snap… the kick…
Wide right.
Chris Boswell — the most reliable kicker, maybe ever — misses the extra point.
Tipped.
Now we’re only up by two, with too much time left on the clock.
Of course Lamar Jackson hits a big play.
They’re in field-goal range.
It’s over.
We’re going to lose.
We’re going to miss the playoffs again.
Wait.
No way.
Wide right.
He misses.
We win.
Wow.
What a game.
So lucky… again.
Or was it the holy water?
Maybe. 😉
Either way — what a season.
Here we go, Steelers.
Here we go. 🖤💛
