Steel City Jim

It was a sobering day in the Burgh. The Steelers lost. They gave up a TD on the opening kickoff and suffered an unspeakable safety. That is nine points right there. With five points behind and one timeout Ben led them down the field at the very end. They had two plays from about the 10-yard line with time running out. Twice Ben threw into the end zone. Twice receivers came up empty ... thus, the loss.

One shouldn't say this. But when a team like the Steelers are missing Troy Polamalu and Heath Miller, these are not merely names or numbers. These guys are game breakers. Spaeth, Miller's replacement, is a good tight end. But he dropped some crucial passes that Miller surely would have tucked in. Polamalu makes the whole defense better. Having played some doubles tennis over the years, I find that when I have a superior partner, I can take some risks knowing that my partner will back me up. I think the demeanor of the Steeler defense plays with more recklessness and gusto knowing he is in there. When he's not there, it's just not the same.

Oh well, it's a game of attrition, and the Steelers are lucky that they have the record they have and will play out the last two games against Carolina and Cleveland. I'm not saying that these games will be easy. Yes, I am saying they will be easy. These two wins will assure a playoff berth, and maybe, just maybe, Miller and Polamalu will be back along with Aaron Smith. Yes, Smith just may be able to play in the playoffs.

I saw the Ravens had a tough game, but they pulled it out against a very strong Saints team. I also saw the end of the Eagles-Giants game. It might have decided Coughlin's fate in New York.

** Some of you have been talking to me about Cliff Lee going back to the Phillies. For once a player left a $150 million contract on the table to accept a measly $120 million. Does anyone know the difference between $120 million and $150 million? Be that as it may, he made his decision based on his gut instinct about where he would rather play rather than on the almighty dollar. I would guess that his agent probably had a heart attack over this as I really think that agents, looking out for their cut, almost always gide their charges towards the bigger dough.

But Lee prevailed this time and with him the Phillies will have an awesome starting pitching staff. The Yankees are now stuck with an aging shortstop who will make megabucks and no obviously stellar pitcher from free agency. Ain't it a shame? The Yankees, with an aging, fat, overpaid team might just not make it to the playoffs in 2011. On the other hand, the Bosox spent a fortune on their two acquisitions, which means that baseball still sucks, but just a little less this week because the mighty Yankees struck out with Cliff Lee.