BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH

After waking up on Monday morning and watching Scottie Reynolds dribble drive layup against the Pitt Panthers literally 4 times in less than an hour. This doesn't seem that amazing except none of these views were on YouTube. This weekend left me with a bad taste in my mouth much like some of the great sports losses the Floss has suffered through the years. When reading this remember that the Floss' sports life hasn't been all that bad. I have seen two Super Bowl victories which is the ultimate championship, not too mention the Pens and some other cool wins throughout including but not limited to the Franklin Regional Football State Championship season in 2005 or the MOS Eagles GCYO Championship in 2006. Some assumptions you must consider while reading:

-Sports fanhood started in '95-96 with that first Super Bowl loss when the Floss was 7, anything prior to 7 years old is not remembered.
-Pecking order of teams ages 7 through 16: 1. Steelers, 2. Steelers, 3. Steelers, 4. Pitt Hoops, 5. Pitt Football, 6. Pirates, 7. Penguins
-The point of this is to show that a lot more emotion rode with the Steelers back in the day. The Pens were really never high on the Floss' radar.
-Pecking order of teams age 16--Present: 1. Pitt Football, 2. Steelers, 3. Pitt Basketball, 4. Penguins, 5. Pirates
-Hard to keep Pitt hoops at 3 after this awesome season, but it is the truth. Pitt football rides very high nowadays.
-The Pirates will not appear on this list once due to the fact that in my fan lifetime they haven't had a meaningful loss.

Onto the Losses:

Honorable Mention: Yancey Thigpen Gives Packers Gift: This game is kind of interesting and maybe none of you remember it, but the Floss has distinct memories of it. With 11 seconds left on Christmas Eve in 1995, Yancey Thigpen blatantly drops a touchdown pass on 4th and goal. The Floss watched this game at his grandparents house. The waterworks started shortly after the game and continued for 45 minutes on the trek to church on Christmas Eve all the while being berated by the UFO(Uncle of Floss, sounds cooler than UOF). While researching the game, I found out that the Steelers had clinched a bye and the AFC Central Division title already and that the game meant jack shit.

Honorable Mention 2: 2006 Big East Championship Loss to Syracuse: Gerry McNamara is one of the Floss' least favorite Big East players ever. He single handedly took Cuse to the Big East Championship game that year. Then he laid an egg against Pitt in the title game, but Pitt couldn't muscle through. Black Magic and Aaron Gray couldn't bring this one home. This game led the Floss to punch a hole in the wall along the stairs leading down to his basement. A bloody hand and a screaming Mother of Floss (more on MOF later) put the exclamation point on this loss. Funny that the Floss covered the hole up with an autographed picture of Carl Krauser he bought off eBay. O the irony.

10. Miami--Pitt 2003: I don't know why the Floss went into this game with such high hopes, but he did. This was to go to the Orange Bowl. Why the Floss trusted in that years Pitt team is beyond me? They had a loss to Toledo on the resume plus a 52-31 shellacking to West Virginia in the teams previous game. It was Larry Fitz's last game at Heinz Field. It just had a magical atmosphere. I remember walking up the rotunda with the loudest "Let's Go Pitt" chants the Floss has ever heard to this day. That game was probably the game that should have taught me that Pitt football will always let you down.

9. Game 6, Pens--Wings 2008: This game would probably be a lot higher if hockey had meant more to me growing up. Last year it did take over from about April through that last playoff game. Game 6 hurt so much because of the unbelievable comeback in Game 5 with Petr Syk's called goal in the third OT. If the Pens pull off the Game 6 upset, everyone knows that anything can happen in Game 7. Some losses make you a better fan. Game 6 qualifies under that category for the Floss.

8. 04 AFC Title Game: The only AFC title game the Floss has attended in his lifetime. The Steelers were the 1 seed, but the Pats were real hot and 3 point favorites. The game was never really close. Big Ben was a rookie and completely gagged in this game. However, what Ben has done since then has clearly made up for his performance this game. This game just stung because it seemed like a magical year and the loss killed the chance at an all Pennsylvania Super Bowl.

7. Super Bowl XXX--O'Donnel: This game would have been much higher had the Floss really understood sports at this time. The Steelers definitely should go down in history as 2 best plays going into halftime and coming out of halftime. James Harrison's INT for 6 this year, NORM! Johnson's surprise onside to start the 2nd half of Super Bowl XXX. This game also sent the Floss up to his room crying when the Steelers couldn't pull the 2nd half comeback. This game also coupled with the fact that there were a bunch of bandwagon Cowboys fans littering the halls of Heritage Elementary School. What awful parenting. Larry Fucking Brown. You fucking suck.

6. Sun Bowl: Most people consider this game meaningless, not I said the Floss. As a diehard Pitt football fan, this game meant 10 wins and an exclamation point on a solid season. It was also the final time as a fan to watch Shady McCoy with the PITT across his chest. He didn't even have a good game due to the quarterbacking or lackthere of by Billy Stull. This game epitomized the Dave Wannstedt era: no offensive adjustments, attempting a 57 yard field goal with 2 min left in the game and a 4th and 7(not 27, which would have still been unacceptable), Wanny calling a run play on the play before to set up a 57 yarder btw, Wanny putting in the backup quarterback when it is too late only to watch Bostick and Dorin Dickerson(another player Wanny ruined) connect over the middle like a vintage Trent Green and Tony Gonzalez. To boot, the play by play announcer for the game: Verne Lundqvist. The same man who called everyone of Pitt's NCAA tourney games this year. Kiss of FUCKING death. He should join Billy Packer in the World of Old Men Who Fucking Suck head manned by Joe Paterno.

5. Khalid El Amin: The worst collapse in Pitt history. A chance to beat the number 1 team in the nation for the first time in school history(ironically happened with the Floss in attendance again this year against UConn, uncanny) ruined. MOF(Mother of Floss) took the Floss and CINC to this game for some reason. I still don't know what possessed MOF to take the Floss to this game. She pretty much deserves credit for all of my sports blowups for subjecting me to shit like this(For Christmas one year she bought me tickets to go see Pitt vs. Bucknell at the Pete, still the only non conference loss at the Pete, one of only 10 there total). Isaac Hawkins makes the worst inbounds pass in the history of basketball and then Khalid El Amin goes down and hits a floater in the lane to beat Pitt(the god damn irony). However, not all bad as this was one of a handful of times that the Floss got to see the Pitt men in action at the Fitzgerald Field House.

4. 2002 AFC Divisional Playoffs v. Tennessee: For those of you who don't remember this one, it was the Dewayne Washington running into the kicker game. This game was set up by, still the most unbelievable sporting event the Floss had ever been at, the Wild Card game at home against the Browns. That game made you believe. That game made you think that this team could be a team of destiny. Tommy Gun Auto Maddox could pass all over the field this year. He would have been the best quarterback in the league if Rich Gannon wasn't being "the original Tom Brady" for a two year period. What sucked was that if Joe Nedney doesn't flop on Dewayne Washington's still boneheaded play and the Steelers got the ball, they were scoring. No doubt we score and head to the AFC Championship Game. Sidenote: This was probably the most dejected the Floss can remember Dr. Of being after a game.

3. 2003 Notre Dame at Pitt: Julius Jones sets a school record in this game, 262 yards rushing against the Pitt Panthers. ND wins the game 20-14, and Pitt couldn't even unleash Larry Fitzgerald against them because the defense was so bad. This year took a toll on the Floss' belief in Pitt football. We lost to Toledo, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Miami, and Virginia. This game prompted one of the most ridiculous outbursts in the Floss' history. Only 3 of the Floss' friends were on hand to witness, but the Floss himself remembers the breakdown. It started with a simple shouting of "My team, my school, my life" after this horrible game was over. A phrase that if you ask some friends of the Floss, especially Mother Earth(not a reader) he will re hash this meltdown so well. After the shouting of "My team, my school, my life", the Floss started a walk around the neighboorhood in socks. Halfway through, I Hulk Hoganed the shirt off, still an amazing move to this day. Then I started punching stop signs. Needless to say the Floss arrived home in black socks, a shirt ripped straight down the middle, and with a grossly bloody knuckle. MOF was not pleased, but again still her fault.

2. Scottie Reynolds: This game is still hurting my feelings especially after watching Penn State still play basketball while I know Levance Fields is somewhere crying in Mercedes Walker's arms with a few double cheeseburgers. Pitt had the game, then they didn't have it, then they might get overtime, then BOOM, it's over. All of it is over. This loss hurts because this was the year for the Final 4. A complete blue ball feeling to get bounced in the Elite 8. Not too mention Pitt is losing 4 of 5 starters presuming Blair leaves, which no doubt he's out. Cupboard bare and 2 points from a Final 4. This one still stings, plus the fact that we will get to see this shot for years to come doesn't feel good.

1. 2001 AFC Title Game: 11 Point Favorites and playing at Heinz Field. This game was a lock right. We got the gift the week before when the Raiders lost against the Pats right? No, we were subject to the teams special teams problems all year leading to a punt return touchdown by Troy Brown. Then we injure Tommy Terrific, we are set right, no Drew Bledsoe "Armed and Dangerous" throws for a touchdown as soon as he enters. The Steelers fight back diligently to get within 7 and have the ball. Then Kordell Stewart throws his 3rd pick of the day. This game hurt the most because this was when Steeler Fandom was at an all time high. We deserved the Super Bowl that year. It was ours. It hurt the Floss especially since I was always a quiet supporter of Kordell Stewart. I thought he could do it. I thought that was our year. That game made me feel that we would never get to the Super Bowl, but look where we sit 8 years later, 2 Rings Deep. The loss to Nova made me feel that we would never get to the Final Four. Let's see where we sit in 8 years? Hail to Pitt.