SPORTS & THE CITY

     While watching a recent "Sex & the City" marathon, Mrs. Black-N-Gold got to wondering: What if she were Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrier Bradshaw? And instead of "Sex & the City", she wrote a column called "Sports & the City". It could be based on the teams that she loves, instead of the men. The city, of course, would be the City of Champyinz, Pittsburgh, not NYC. Carrie can keep the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Madison Square Garden. We've got PNC Park, Heinz Field and Consol Energy Center. I could trade cosmopolitans for Iron City and Manolo Blahniks for Black-N-Gold. Hmmm.

     Steelers-This is a rock-solid relationship that is, unfortunately, beginning to show cracks. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is feeling taken for granted as the Steelers have become undisciplined and unfocused through the years. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would never think of cheating on the Steelers, but feels that the relationship needs a bit of a change. The Steelers have tried to inject youth into the mix, it's just taking a little longer to gel than expected. Clearly, if Mrs. Black-N-Gold is going to receive a 7th ring from the Steelers, she will need to exhibit patience, and the Steelers will, obviously, need to re-commit to making this relationship work by focusing on the task at hand and raising the bar for the standard.

     Penguins-Mrs. Black-N-Gold keeps things on the back-burner when it comes to the Penguins. She knows that she shouldn't but can't help herself. Hockey season begins during the MLB postseason and when the NFL is under way. She usually holds out until the cold winter months hit and she's looking for companionship on a lonely, freezing evening. However, the spark has been re-ignited recently. There's a dashing new man behind the bench and the team has an exciting, revitalized mix of players. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would love to keep seeing the Penguins well into the summer, as long as Marc-Andre Fleury and the penalty-kill don't break her heart.

     Pirates-This is a romance that has spanned decades. It's been on-again, off-again. Ok, I'm in denial. It was mostly off-again for a little over twenty years. But lately, things are looking up. We've been seeing the Pirates late into the regular season, and have even made it to the postseason together the last two years. Is this a tease and will we end up with our hearts broken and a cubic zirconia? Or will Bob Nutting buy us that bobble at Tiffany's that we've so wanted for so long? A girl can dream, can't she?

     To paraphrase Carrie Bradshaw, the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with your sports teams. And if the teams you love, return that love in the form of championships, well, that's just fabulous! Lets Go Steelers!!!!!! Let's Go Pens!!! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!