Maybe to soften the blow of being overmatched on the road against the Titans, Steelers fans focused their ire not on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (two interceptions, three fumbles) or the offensive line (five sacks), but on the final 16 seconds of the game. You know, after the outcome had long been decided and Tennessee's LenDale White and Keith Bulluck went to town on a Terrible Towel.
Myron Cope does not approve, and apparently neither does former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher whose salivary glands were almost certainly armed and ready as he watched the horror unfold from the CBS Pregame studios.
"That looks like a pregame talk the night before to me," Cowher said, his eyes lighting up and his voice rising. "If [we'd] meet in the postseason, I know what I'm pulling out the night before the game."To be fair, Cowher's former player, Joey Porter, had a gift for riling up opponents, but he also had an amazing knack for backing up the gum-flapping.
Cowher admonished White by saying, "You've got to learn. ... I wouldn't do this, I wouldn't go there," and said Bulluck should know better because "you are a veteran, Bulluck."
Cowher's implied message to the Titans: There's a way to win in the NFL and that wasn't it, and you might regret the sideshow should the Steelers return to Nashville for the AFC Championship Game in four weeks.
For what it's worth, on ESPN's Cold Pizza 2.0, Bulluck said he meant "no disrespect to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization or the players on that team," and Titans head coach Jeff Fisher added this:
"Why would it be a big deal? That if we play [the Steelers] again, they'll play harder? I don't think so," Fisher told ... Chris Mortensen. "They always play hard.Steelers linebacker Larry Foote echoed JJ's sentiments when he said, "We know the last time an opposing team played with our towel what happened," but also admitted that "they deserved to do that, they whooped us, they deserve to celebrate and, hopefully, we'll see them again."
"I mean, I know we weren't happy to have 10,000 people in our stadium waving those yellow towels. It's a tremendous commentary on the great fan base the Steelers have, but I'm sure our guys didn't like it. They're a good football team. They have our respect, and I'm sure we have their respect. But this isn't a big deal to me."
Plus, it wasn't even a real Terrible Towel so it doesn't actually count.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
12-22-2008 @ 6:56PM
bigflyer said...
This annoying talisman of the terrible towel is similar to those Los Angeles Angels of Ashtabula (or whatever that MLB team calls itself now) using the inflatable totems banged against the cement noggins of their seatmates at games. Also do you recall the Traitorus Fonda, Jane with her little tomahawk at Braves games?
Crapping on the Dallas Cowboy midfield star is a similar symbol of athletic disrespect.
All in all, Mr Cower, get over it. You had your moment in the sun as Steeler coach, now enjoy the paycheck in the warm studio and ignore these infantile devices of the Steeler fans.
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12-24-2008 @ 9:41AM
Dave said...
It's truly shameful some of the blogs I'm reading in here. First off, yes I'm a Pittsburgh fan. Have been for life. Is there anybody in here that can honestly say they're a fan of something so awesome as the Pittsburgh Steelers here? Doubt it. The owners, the Rooneys have run one of the classiest organizations in pro sports for over 75 years. They do it with integrity, grit and honesty. They built it through and kept it with their family and instilled the value of a blue collar, hard nosed organization. The blogs I see in here are truly an ignorant man's view. "Wipe your ass with the towel", "Keep it next to the toilet". How ignorant is that really?! Simply put, what you had was grown men being completely unprofessional given that moment in time, relishing a hard fought victory. It's over and hopefully the two teams will play again and give an even better performance with the exception of the stupidity at the end. Show some class, show some respect and do what you're getting paid to do. Put on a helluva show.
12-22-2008 @ 7:58PM
dk45 said...
No class, No class, No class, Fisher and the titians have been in last place for so long they forgot how to win with class, we know most of the players never had or will have class, but you would expect more from a coach...titians 1 and out...
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12-24-2008 @ 11:39AM
Chris said...
I agree with you. The titans will most likely lose to a lousy 8-8 Chargers, a weak 9-7 Donkey team (broncos) or the Colts who could roll over just about anyone right now. I'm a Steelers fan and I'd love to see a revenge game, but my money is on the Colts beating them this week and beating them in the second round of the playoffs. The AFC championship will still go through Pittsburgh. Thanks for being the only one that makes sense.
12-22-2008 @ 7:10PM
Matt said...
WAH WAH WAH
If the Steelers didn't get their asses handed to them then they wouldn't have to worry about this nonsense.
Easy formula:
Don't suck = you won't get disrespected
The Steelers offense is completely useless.
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12-22-2008 @ 7:57PM
pretton said...
IT'S THE PATHETIC STATE OF SOCIETY AND IN PARTICULARLY ATHLETICS. THESE GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONALS NOT INFANTILE JUVENILES. PLAY THE GAME THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE PLAYED, BY PLAYING WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO GIVE AND RESPECTING YOUR OPPONENT, NOT BY LOOKING AND ACTING STUPID LIKE THE TITAN PLAYERS DID. THEY ARE A DISGRACE TO THE GAME, AND SHOWED A TRUE LACK OF CLASS. AND I AM NOT EVEN A STEELER FAN, DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY.
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12-23-2008 @ 9:57AM
Ernest said...
I too, got a yellow towel out of the closet and took it outside and jumped up and down on it. What fun that was fun! Go TITANS, GO! When the TITANS beat the steelers again,I am going to jump up and down on that same yellow towel until it is filthy.
12-22-2008 @ 8:21PM
Mens Rea said...
this is all much ado about nothing...so he steps on a piece of cloth...give me a break...i could give a rats *** about either team or about someone "desecrating" a "terrible towel"
Cowher and whoever else is offended by this needs to get a life or a new cause to get their panties in a bunch about.
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12-22-2008 @ 8:41PM
Steel Wheel said...
That little gesture was in point a statement. Bullock and White knew what it symbolized. They know as do any Steelers fan or Steelers player what the golden towel represents. Any anti-Steelers person can dismiss it easily but the Terrible Towel is representative of the loyalty of Steelers Nation. It was introduced by perhaps the greatest Steelers fan of all time Myron Cope. It is a symbol of unity after years of cellar-dwelling. Its introduction coincided with the surge of Steelers success in the 70's and has been past on from generation to generation of Steelers fan. I personally own 5 of them and each one has a significant memory attached to it. Ask Rod Woodson what the towel means. Ask Jack Lambert what the towel means, ask Joe-bag-of-donuts that sells them outside of Hienz Field what it means...they will all tell you the same thing...It's a Burgh thing and to dismiss it as "no big deal" is a bigger slight than anyone could ever assume. Trust me all non-believers, there will be repercussions.
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12-26-2008 @ 8:48AM
Bull Durham said...
Amen, brother, keep preaching the gospel. I'm right there with you!
12-22-2008 @ 8:46PM
rockie said...
Cowher, Steeler fan and all the rest of you panzies shut the hell up! get a life, its a towel! If anything you should be upset that grown men acted immature instead of disrespectful. so what, if that has to get your team to play better then you deserved to lose. and who says you will meet again? I am sure Indy, Pats and the Ravens have something to say about a meeting in the Championship game.
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12-22-2008 @ 10:14PM
Thatsabsurd said...
You are absolutely right Pgh will not meet Tn in the playoffs this year.
Tn will not progress beyond their first playoff game .
I'll be back with an "I told you so" in afew weeks. You all get mad and respond like idiots now. but.................
12-22-2008 @ 8:46PM
Skippy said...
So...somebody's blankie got stepped on and let the whining begin. Are we talking about MEN in the NFL or little girls at pre-school?
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12-23-2008 @ 1:32PM
TheTowel said...
You Titans fans wouldn't know about history! You have sucked since the start, and you will continue to suck after you lose in the first round of the playoffs. Congrats on your one year of glory, and I repeat "ONE".
12-26-2008 @ 5:46PM
shawn said...
the steelers are earily like the browns and we treated them as such 28-9 comared to 31-14 and we rolled up 300 yds on both. i hav a terrible towel and i keep it next to the toilet. the terrible towel was originally a piss sifter to collect kidney stones. note the color lol
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12-23-2008 @ 3:01AM
Duce said...
Hey retards,
I have one question for you, are you an American?
Well, then how would you feel if I stomped on the flag?
Not to put the terrible towel up there with the American Flag, I am an American first Steeler fan next.
But the towel is a symbol and if you (I refer you to my opening greeting) can't understand that, well.............
I rest my case
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12-23-2008 @ 6:47AM
Brendan said...
In 1996, Cope gave the rights to The Terrible Towel to the Allegheny Valley School in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.[21] The school provides care for more than 900 people with mental retardation and physical disabilities, including Cope's autistic son.[13][22] Proceeds from the Terrible Towel have helped raise more than $2.2 million for the school
This is from Wikipedia.
These players not insulted the City, but these children. I think these juveniles (Just be thier behavior they are inmature babies) should make a donation to a charity. The only people that make money from the Terrible Towel are Autistic Children. SHAME ON THEM!!!!!!!!!!!
12-23-2008 @ 9:35AM
Sandy said...
Oh, so now LenDale has insulted The Children?
Oh my. How despicable.
The Children must never be insulted.
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12-23-2008 @ 12:42PM
Brendan said...
Yeah Sandy, how many children have you eaten today?
12-23-2008 @ 10:11AM
rlau said...
Steeler teams have a tradtion of reacting to insults from other teams by their play the next game they meet. That's why the Organization has five superbowls. The Organization knows how to win and loose with class because they've done a lot of both throught it's history. Respect is the only thing you have to have in order to get. Too bad Bulluck apparently missed that life lesson. The Steelers will hold a special remedial class for him in the playoffs.
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