THE 5 BIGGEST RIVALS OF THE BLACK-N-GOLD

Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you #3 of the 5 Biggest Rivals of the Black-N-Gold. Today's team is a team your Pittsburgh Steelers have been playing since 1950. When the NFL-AFL merged, both teams made their home in the newly created AFC. #3 is the Steelers longtime division rival, Cleveland Clowns. The Steelers lead the all-time series 67-57. However, this series wasn't always dominated by the Steelers as it is today. The Steelers didn't pick up their first victory over the Clowns until 1954. Things really got rolling for the Black-N-Gold when Three Rivers Stadium opened in 1970. The Steelers beat Cleveland 16 straight times on their home turf. The Clowns haven't swept the series since 1988. The Clowns did get a bit of a reprieve when Art Modell moved the original Clowns team to Baltimore to become the Baltimorons (more on them at a later date). When Cleveland did return a football team to the NFL, they were welcomed in their nice, new, shiny stadium with a trouncing at the hands of the Steelers, 43-0, in 1999. Another fantastic Steelers victory in this series was on Christmas Eve of  2005, 41-0. What Steelers fan could forget the image of Steelers LB James Harrison bodyslamming a drunken Clowns fan that stupidly ran onto the field of play? Merry Christmas, Clowns. The Steelers continue to dominate this series, winning the last 3 games. Cleveland will forever be the Mistake by the Lake and their football team will forever be the Clowns. Maybe, someday, they'll put together a team that is worthy of playing with the big boys. Until then, Steelers fans will have to appreciate the rich history of this series and the fact that if they can't get tickets to a Clowns-Steelers game at home, they can always make the trek north to root on their team. That is why the Cleveland Clowns are #3 of the 5 Biggest Rivals of the Black-N-Gold. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!