Sports Psychology

The Pittsburgh Steelers football team won Superbowl XLIII (played on Feb. 1, 2009).
This was the sixth Superbowl victory for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the most of any team, and the Steelers were proclaimed the best team in football.

(the picture at left was taken outside of Heinz Field, the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers)

A type of euphoria suffused through Pittsburgh, such that despite the cold winter and the economic meltdown, had people here in a relatively jovial mood.

Then the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team started playing better toward the end of their season and ended-up winning the Stanley Cup on June 21, 2009. The Penguins were thus crowned the best hockey team in the US and Canada - and all through the summer Pittsburgh took on a new "glow".

(the picture at left is from a game we attended when they played the Florida Panthers on Oct. 23, 2009)

Most towns would be ecstatic at winning the championship of one of the four main spectator sports in America: football, baseball, basketball, or hockey. Pittsburgh teams won two of those titles in the same year - and it felt good!

This Fall, Steelers football started again, but the champions from a few months back haven't looked quite as tough as last year. Last Sunday they lost a heartbreaker to the Cincinnati Bengals and today they lost in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs. Their record this year is 6 wins and 4 losses and they will have to fight hard to get into the playoffs.

It will be a tough week of practice ahead as they will play the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday (the fact they will play in Baltimore will make it an even tougher game). My guess is that the mood in the city might be a bit subdued this week.

Thanksgiving will be here in a few days and maybe that will lift the spirits of this town.
Pittsburgh has a lot to be thankful for this year, and maybe the Steelers will also win a few more games.