THE BLACK AND GOLD POST

This years annual fan Club Picnic is set for Saturday, June 2 at the Vietnam Veterans Hall in Dundalk. Due to the late publication of The Black and Gold Post, the picnic was not properly advertised and for those who are only learning of the event now and are unable to attend, I apologize.

Efforts were made to spread the word via e-mail and the web site and a modest turnout is expected but there will surely be those who wished to attend but didn't get the word in time. This is inexcusable on my part and I take full responsibility for the delayed notice. All I can offer is that I will try to do better.

Just as the Mighty Steelers change from year to year, so does the PSFCOB and this change, while difficult to swallow, is sometimes a necessity. I'm referring to the decision by Lola's at Hemingway's to no longer be an Official Pittsburgh Steeler Fan Club of Baltimore location.

While this decision is certainly a sad one from the PSFCOB perspective, it is nonetheless well respected. Owner Steve Arentz has been more than hospitable to those of us that frequented Lola's over these past few years and for that we are thankful. Many friendships have been formed over beers and bay breezes and the term "deckgator" has become a regular part of our vocabulary.

Many thanks also go out to PSFCOBer Norm Amarose for his tireless efforts in taking care of the Fan Club affairs at Lola's. Until you actually perform these tasks on a weekly basis, you can't appreciate the time and effort that goes into making a patron's three plus hours on a Sunday afternoon an enjoyable experience.

I know there are others who deserve a lot of credit for the success that Lola's has enjoyed but to mention them all would fill this entire page so suffice it to say, Steve, Norm, et al., Thanks for the Memories.

This past year's Hall of Fame designation was presented to none other than our web site guru Ed McConnell. Anyone who has visited the PSFCOB web site or is a part of the Fan Club e-mail group is familiar with Ed's talents. It is certainly an asset to have someone like Ed with the computer prowess to keep the PSFCOB in the 21st century while, at the same time, sharing the same passion for anything and everything Black 'n Gold that we all have. Considering all that Ed has contributed over the past years, this was an easy decision and Ed is more than deserving of this honor.

Isn't it funny how things work out. The PSFCOB plans on going to a game and it turns out the best home performance of the year by the Black 'n Gold. The scene was set: Next to last game at Three Rivers Stadium; The 6-6 Steelers fighting for their playoff lives; The opponent; the 10-2 Oakland Raiders. Two of the most intense rivals from the era of the 70's ready to do battle one last time in the house that Art built.

The PSFCOB descended on the 'Burgh en mass on Friday and Saturday and turned The Sheraton at Station Square into our own personal pre-game party headquarters. The traditional Saturday Night Gala was rocking and rolling but got tuned up a notch at the arrival of noted author Jim O'Brien. Jim stayed around for the next few hours and signed books and toasted the greatest football team in the land with the rest of his Black 'n Gold brethren. We finally shut things down in the wee hours of game day for the true task at hand was about to begin.

7:00 AM on Sunday morning broke cold (11 degrees) and crisp but the hearty faithful who take it upon themselves to set up and start the best damn Tailgate Party were raring to go. We faced numerous obstacles ranging from frozen kegs of beer to a moronic parking lot manager with a cigarette butt fetish but we more than aptly demonstrated that the PSFCOB would not be denied.

By 9:00 AM, things were rolling right along. The Terrible Bar was starting to pour and the Terrible Grill was putting out burgers and kolbasi at a record pace and the crowd was reaching a fevered pitch. Jim O'Brien even came out to down a few cold ones along with a couple burgers and kolbasis and then assembled the entire Tailgate throng for a group photo which he will use in an upcoming book.

As game time approached, we made our way into Three Rivers for one last time and saw arguably the game of the year. The Mighty Steelers drove down the frozen field on their first possession for a 7-0 lead only to see the Raiders tack on 17 unanswered points to take a 17-7 lead into halftime. The Black 'n Gold was re-energized at the start of the second half when starter Kordell Stewart came back from a first half injury to lead the team. The defense stepped up and only allowed a single field goal and Stewart scored the eventual game winner on a 17 yard scramble to open up the fourth quarter. As the Raiders tried to call a time out they didn't have, the scoreboard read 21-20 for the good guys and the celebration was on.

We made our way back to that best damn Tailgate Party where we were greeted by steaming piles of pit beef as well as more beer, burgers and kolbasi and the celebration ensued for another three hours. Of course, in typical PSFCOB fashion, we were once again the last ones out of the parking lot (except for Mr. parking lot manager and his cigarette butts). The party then continued over at The Sheraton until the bartender said "closed".

There are definitely too many people who work hard and long to make this weekend what it is and what it has become over the years so I will not mention names so as not to do anyone an injustice by omitting someone. I will say this, though. There is no group of people I would rather depend on and lean on than this hardcore group of PSFCOBers who make this all possible year after year. Wait until this year...

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