Back to the Future - Is it 1979?

Growing up in Pittsburgh I was treated to many Championship Rings with the Pirates, Penguins and Steelers. In fact in 1979 Pittsburgh was nicknamed "The City of Champions" as the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers were both World Champions.

The Pirates won the World Series as the We are Family song was their theme song and the Pirate family was led by Pops himself Willie Stargell. That was the last title for the Pittsburgh Pirates even though they had very good teams in the early 90's until free agency left their once stocked cupboard bare and thus the beginning of the most annoying phrase "small market team"...more on that later.

The Steelers also found success for the 4th time in the 70's as they too were crowned World Champions winning the Super Bowl behind QB Terry Bradshaw. Yes times were good and I was spoiled having 2 championships in the same year as an 18 year old.

Well could history be about to repeat itself? The Steelers did their part now another Pittsburgh team wants to bring back the phrase City of Champions to Pittsburgh. No I'm not talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates I'm talking about the Penguins who appear heading to a rematch with the Detroit Red Wings for Lord Stanley's Cup.

The Penguins lost to Detroit in last years Stanley Cups Finals but looked like a team that might not even make the playoffs this year until the firing of their head coach during the season. Michael Therrien was fired just months after leading the Penguins to within 2 games of the Championship. The Penguins named minor league coach Dan Bylsma as Head Coach and the Penguins turned the Season around going from being in danger of not making the Playoffs in February to the #4 seed in April.

I may live in Vegas now but I still call the Burg home. In my 47 years I have seen 6 Pittsburgh Steeler Super Bowl victories, 3 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series Wins and 2 Pittsburgh Penguin Stanley Cup wins not to mention some great super stars..

In 1979 it was Willie Stargell and Terry Bradshaw on the Sports Illustrated Cover wouldn't it be nice to see "City of Champions - Part 2" with Ben Roethlisberger and Sidney Crosby.

One final thought that phrase Small Market City is just an excuse for teams that have an inferior product. The Pirates have been using that excuse ever since Bonds & Bonilla left for Big Money elsewhere. Is Pittsburgh a small market only in Baseball because last I looked the Steelers share the same parking lot with the Pirates and the Penguins have the oldest building in the NHL yet they manage to win in that same small market???