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 Blast from the Past: A Bitter Pill

via newok.com Here’s what Ben’s ankle looked like the previous week…

After the double whammy of two AFC North games within four days of each other the Steelers were understandably battered and bruised, none more so than Ben Roethlisberger. He was sporting not only the Giant Shoe of Death (in which he, inexplicably, often plays well) but the Massively Taped Ankle of High-Sprainedness. I don’t know whether he generally plays well with a high ankle sprain (I’m guessing not) but he certainly didn’t in this particular case. Yes, I’m referring to The Embarrassment at Candlestick Park.

The game was not just an embarrassment for the Steelers. The power went out at least twice, making for major delays—something which probably wasn’t helpful, as it gave time for the pain shots to wear off and the affected muscles to get cold and harden up.

A Blast from the Past: Questions We Were Debating Back in the Day

AP photo/Don Wright, via Washington Post

After the previous Sunday’s glorious victory over the Patriots, Steelers fans were ready to see the Ravens crushed as some sort of payback for the season-opening debacle. But alas, it was not to be.

As Hombre de Acero wrote on that dreary day in early November of 2011:

A week ago the Steelers had pole position on an AFC first round bye and at least one guaranteed home playoff game at Heinz Field Now tie breakers place them third in the AFC North. Does anyone require more proof that the NFL really stands for “Not For Long?” The upside is that the Ravens sweep gives us plenty to talk about.

A Blast from the Past: Another Question We Were Debating Back in the Day

via rfhcollective

On to November of 2011, and Steeler Nation was still pinching themselves over an unexpected 25-17 victory over the New England Patriots.

As Hombre de Acero penned:

The Steelers victory over the New England Patriots was one of the most remarkable and impressive regular season wins of the Mike Tomlin era. Yet, despite the milestone moment, the victory still managed to usher in as many questions as it did answer about the team and its chances moving forward, beginning with this Sunday’s home matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

Fittingly for this, our first post-Heath Miller week ever, Miller was the top receiver for the game, with seven receptions for 85 yards. (A shame it wasn’t 83…) The low yardage was because Ben spread the ball out to nine different receivers, all of whom caught at least one pass: Young Money, naturally (AB was actually the receiver with the most receptions, at nine for 67 yards), Jerricho Cotchery, three backs (Mendenhall, Redman, and Mewelde Moore), and David Johnson.

A Blast from the Past: Another Question We Were Debating Back in the Day

AP photo/Don Wright

We’ve made it all the way to October 18th of 2011. The Steelers had played the Jaguars the previous Sunday, and beaten them. But no one in Steeler Nation seemed terribly excited by this fact.

As Hombre de Acero said:

The Steelers win over the Jaguars may have been lackluster. It might have missed the intensity of previous match ups with the Big Cats. But it certainly provided plenty of fodder for this weeks 5 Burning Questions.