The Sunday Football-Related Music Post: A Short History of “Renegade”

Since it is clearly time to start getting ourselves worked up for the coming season, what better musical way than a hand-picked selection of “Renegade” videos, combined with a few entirely ignorable facts?

As anyone who has been a fan of the Steelers for more than about 15 minutes and who has gone to at least one home game knows, the playing of “Renegade” to accompany a montage of defensive highlights is a beloved tradition used to pump up the crowd (and perhaps also the defense) when a stop is badly needed. It is a tradition going back centuries decades about 15 years.

The song itself is much older than that. It was written ine 1978 by Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw, but according to the Wilkipedia article fellow guitarist James Young asked to take the solo on it, although each player usually soloed on their own compositions. It was a hit, and remains Styx’s most recognized song. They finish every show with it.

A Special Treat For an Otherwise Steelerless Sunday

via Wikipedia

The Pittsburgh Symphony, a world-renowned organization, teamed up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, (also well-known in some far-flung places) to celebrate the induction of Jerome Bettis into the Hall of Fame. Here’s the video, which I’m sorry to say I can’t embed, since it is from Steelers.com:

http://www.steelers.com/videos/videos/The-Bus-gets-his-ring/6f5ac044-45c0-4f4b-8ad9-95271ea82e84

And here is the video of just the symphony performance, which is fun to watch in a non-footbally way:

http://www.steelers.com/videos/videos/The-PSO-Plays-Heinz-Field/da20f6ab-77b6-47cc-b821-995fdf01d6de

Enjoy!

The Little Darlin’/Roxanna Firehall Football Jamboree, Part 6

Day 9. Game Day.  

Fear and Loathing in Tarentum, or How I Almost Didn’t Make It to the Ravens Game.

We left Canton early, eagerly anticipating getting to the campground north of the ‘Burgh, a place called Tarentum.  As my story unfolds, you will discover why the memory of Tarentum, aye its very mention, will scare the bejibbers out of Roxanna, and even more so Little Darlin’, until they shall breathe no more.

Our trip began innocuously enough.  We packed up quickly and efficiently getting on the road by 9:20, hoping to get into the campground by noon or so.  The plan was to eat lunch, take a nap and get ready for the game.  We were planning to meet Rebecca and her husband for a drink at Station Square and go on to the game.  Eeeeeeehhhhhhhhh, NO.

The Hall of Fame Game: What is it and Why Play It?

Peter Diana photo, via Post-Gazette

by Rebecca Rollett

Let’s Have Some Football!

I think we’re all ready for some Steelers football by now. The off-season seemed even longer than usual this year—a barren wasteland of non-football activity. Thank heavens for the Pirates…

And I think I’m definitely in the minority here, but I like pre-season games. It gives a chance to shine to some young men who have aspired to make it to the NFL for perhaps most of their life. They finally have a shot at it, however brief the window may be.

And while a great many of them are going to fade away into the sunset in a few short weeks, perhaps never to be heard from again, they have these opportunities  to catch someone’s eye. Even if your current team doesn’t keep you on, maybe someone else will see something they like and pick you up. At least you had a chance.

And in fact preseason favorites do often get a more extended look. Linebacker Howard Johnson, better known as HoJo, made some pretty impressive-looking plays last summer, and was retained on the practice squad. He has another chance to grab a roster spot this season, although given the LB depth on the team at the moment, it maybe isn’t much of one.

But What is the “Hall of Fame” Game?

The fact that I don’t know about the Hall of Fame game demonstrates, I suppose, how short is my football fandom tenure and how little interest I take in other teams : ) But just in case any of you are also unaware of it, it turns out to be the traditional beginning of the preseason. Not surprisingly, it is played in Canton, Ohio on the same weekend as the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. 

It is generally although not invariably an AFC vs. NFC match-up. It was cancelled in 2011 during the labor dispute. I note that, had the labor agreement been ratified a mere three days earlier, the game would have been played. Knowing that at least the veteran players are probably not terribly keen on exhibition games which could result in injuries, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that the players held out the extra few days just to make sure the game would be cancelled.