Saturday October 23rd. Our last full day in Pittsburgh. I phoned Dan Edwards and he told us to come over to the stadium at 1300 as the players would be leaving for Cleveland at 1430. We had arranged to present the MVP trophy to Barry Foster, so our expectations were high.
On the way to the stadium, we popped into our favourite sports card shop where I picked up media guides from 1974 & 1975 at £8 each. I also brought a couple of Barry Foster photos and one of Rod Woodson.
As we entered the Steelers front office, DJ Johnson and Rod Woodson were walking out. Media guides were thrust at Rod and I asked him to autograph a photo for Colin Channing back home. No one took any notice of poor old DJ, so I felt better about greeting him with "Hello DJ"' when we first met. At least it let him know we knew who he was, even if nobody did ask him for his autograph.
We waited in the lobby after being told that Barry had popped home, but would be back shortly. Kevin Greene walked by and said, "Nice shirt!" to James who was wearing #91. Dwight Stone came in and inquired "How's it going?" Neil O'Donnell walked through, then Bill Cowher came by.
It was very difficult to remain seated with all the personalities walking about, but our lads behaved themselves immaculately. It would have been no surprise for someone to have gone off uninvited looking for autographs, but they didn't. #
We were rewarded when one of the coaching staff came out and told us to go and gets something to eat and drink. The lunch room that had earlier seated the Steelers now became our banquet hall. We passed Rod and DJ again on the way. I also bumped into Mike Fabus, who admired my Steelers UK Supporters sweatshirt.
 |
Barry Foster
with Andy. |
Finally, the man himself arrived. Barry nervously inquired if we were who he thought we were and then I presented him with his trophy on behalf of the club.
He thanked all the members for his trophy and signed autographs for us. He posed for photos and I think was a little surprised that we didn't make further demands upon him.
The guys dispersed outside to seek more signatures as the players were boarding their buses. Yes James did get Kevin Greene's. "Anyone who wore his shirt deserved his autograph," Kevin said.
I had taken a photo of Bill Cowher leaving his hotel in Barcelona and had it enlarged so I asked Dan Edwards if he could get the coach to sign it. He did and it now takes pride of place in our house. I presented Dan with a little gift from the club in appreciation of the help he gives us. He was very surprised and grateful.
We then watched the team embark on the journey that we were due to take in less than twenty four hours time. We took our last photos of the stadium before going back to the hotel to prepare for the Penguins vs the St Louis Blues game that evening.
Once again, I encountered further problems when asked for ID before they would serve me a beer in the Igloo The crowd of 17,101 for the game was the largest in Penguins' history. They saw the Pens give up the win with just thirteen seconds of the game remaining.
It went into overtime but the score remained even at 3-3. It snapped a 13 regular season home winning streak. We were disappointed but our minds began to turn to the awesome journey that we were about to take the next day.
THE CLEVELAND GAME
Sunday October 24th, we ventured out earlier than expected for breakfast. This was a day to be savoured. We wanted to enjoy every second of it. The biggest debate had centred on what we were going to wear to the game.
With all the warnings that we had received, our Steeler jackets remained in the hotel. I had nothing else to wear so Andy lent me his London Thunder team jacket. For the first time in over a week, except for Jame's Kevin Greene shirt, all black and gold disappeared .
The Sports Garden was opening at 1100, but we were down there long before that enjoying the gorgeous weather. As we waited for the Gardens to unlock their doors, Steeler fans were being dropped off, together with their cases of bear, bottles of snaps and wine coolers. They obviously take their drinking seriously.
We picked up our tickets for the game from Lori of Mon Valley Travel together with a Steeler Road Warrior T-shirt. So all attempts at not wearing anything suggesting who we were supporting went out the window as we proudly put them on.
Just after midday, the two bus loads of Steeler supporters departed in convoy. As we left the city that had found a special place in our hearts, the sun bounced brilliantly off the skyscrapers and the tension inside me began to mount.
I decided to try to sleep so that I didn't have to think about this important game. I knew the Steelers' record of just one win in ten years, yet defeat for our team didn't enter my mind. I say that I tried to sleep because there were about thirty guys on the bus who were having a serious drinking contest while they attempted in their own unique way to get into the mood for the game.
Together with the drink, went the singing on the three hour journey. "I've got a feeling, Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl," was the most popular. "Whoops, there it is," was another.
Giles and Andy taught the Steelers fans some of their soccer songs which were well received. On finding out that we were not locals, beer was presented almost as a prize for supporting their team. I kept my head down as this was too important a game to miss because of an alcohol haze.
Onboard the bus, we had our very own cheerleader, Leroy. A very loud extrovert, Leroy led the singing and the noise. As the countryside rolled by, the beer flowed freely. Eventually, we entered enemy territory and invaded Ohio. The signs of Brownie fans became more evident and the intensity of the banter between the two sets of fans increased. As we approached Cleveland, the traffic had increased enough to reduce our speed to a crawl.
Brownie cars passed us with "F**k Pittsburgh" T-shirts hanging in their windows. The immediate response was "Cleveland sucks," and other abuse regarding sex with their mothers. Our travel gradually ground to a halt as we neared the stadium and the traffic became heavier and heavier.
Leroy began to hit top form as he whispered, "Vineee," before increasing the decibels by shouting, "we're COMING!" You could imagine the evil Jack Nicolson in "The Shining" saying it.
Cleveland Stadium is situated on the edge of Lake Erie and we had to go through the town into dockland to see the game. The number of Brownies increased sharply as the stadium neared, almost like ants swarming around sugar although their attitude to us wasn't that sweet.
There was a lot of innocuous banter exchanged, even the Cleveland police joined in the fun. When the stadium finally came into sight Leroy offered, "Hey man that ain't no stadium. Who the f*** would play in there?"
As we struggled past the stadium towards the parking lot, the clock was ticking ever faster towards kickoff time. The driver wouldn't let us off the coach until we had parked up because, quite rightly, he wanted us to know where to find it at the end of the game.
That didn't prevent anxious fans from saying it didn't matter, let us off now. Nerves were becoming tattered as we became more agitated about entering the affray that represented our gateway into the game.
 |
Leroy and Giles |
As the bus parked up we had to join the long lines of supporters who were making their way towards the stadium. Leroy piled off the bus with a large cardboard sign that screamed, "Avoid the Lloyd!" on one side and "Lloyd Have Mercy" on the other.
He strutted up the dusty road, appearing like a crusader on the road to Jerusalem. Only Leroy's expedition was more important to him than any crusade, and his language and taunts betrayed his unchristian nature.
This was Pittsburgh versus Cleveland, with Steeler fans aplenty but Brownies dominating. Leroy took every opportunity to tell the Brownies that they had no chance of winning the game Some say that football is a matter of life and death. Leroy knew that it was more important than that.
We stopped temporarily as Ed brought a T-shirt that bore the slogan, "If you aren't a Steeler fan you ain't sh**." With less than twenty minutes to kickoff we approached the gates of hell. Our tickets indicated gate B, but it appeared that everyone outside the stadium was making their way to this same gate.
Someone over the tannoy was telling us what we already knew, too many people were trying to get in the same gate so he suggested we use another one. No one moved, except towards gate B.
The crowd was immense, but Leroy stood out. Bold, brash and telling anyone who would listen that! "Vinnie was nothing!" He was a brave Steeler because Pittsburgh supporters were easily outnumbered 10-1. We fought our way into the cauldron called Cleveland Stadium and made our way to our seats.
We found ourselves surrounded by a reasonable contingency of Steeler fans. We were seated in the front row of the second tier, almost at ground level. It was handy for us because there was a crash barrier immediately in front of us upon which we could put our Steelers UK Supporters Club Union Jack.
It was also the main route for the peanut and beer sellers. As we took our seats, the Steeler players were being announced and we held our Union Jack up as high as our anticipation was. I'm sure Bill Cowher gave it a quick look, or maybe he was just checking for a quick exit from this bedlam. That place was described as a mad house, but this was far worse - the people inside the stadium were meant to be sane. The Browns' team were announced to a huge roar of approval.
The game kicked off, the Browns received. The crowd erupted. A woman in the section in front stood up obscuring our view. The Steelers supporters behind us asked her to sit down. Did I say asked? They questioned her womanhood, her parentage and her looks while telling her to get down.
Her large bottom became the focus of abuse as she rose out of her seat every time there was any action. The security people came down to have a word with her, although it appeared to have little effect.
The Browns score, the stadium erupts with the energy of a Cape Kennedy shuttle launch, except the Steelers fans are still on earth. We urge our team on with chants of, "Here we go Steelers, here we go!" Our words appear to fall on death ears as the Browns increase their lead to 14-0.
Leroy enters centre stage as he storms up and down the thoroughfare urging his followers on. He choreographs the chants with his hand held high, much the same as Leonard Bernstein would conduct his orchestra.
Leroy's timing is just as precise. The noise subsides, the ball is snapped. Eric Green receives a pass for a 55yd gain. The noise around us reaches crescendo level. The Steelers score, but I see a flag come in and question whether the touchdown is good. It stands!
The Steelers have hit back. I find out much later when watching the tape of the game that the flag had come from the dog pound. Not even they can stop the Steelers scoring this time. The woman who stands up is the recipient of more abuse. But she doesn't care, her team is still in front.
Just before half time, the Steelers tied the game up and we were now in heaven. The Steelers were a better team so the expected victory was in sight. During the interval, Leroy was on his podium when he was approached by a roving female reporter for an interview. I would have loved to have heard the interview because Leroy couldn't put two words together without using a swear word.
Some guy descended from the crowd and asked us which one was Gordon? When they pointed me out to him, he came and shook my hand and said he had heard me on Myron's show. That was it, he was then gone
The reporter saw our flag as she glided across the walkway, then saw the London Thunder badge on my jacket.
"Are you from England," she asked. When I confirmed her guess she proceeded to interview me. "Why did I support the Steelers?" By now, I had been asked that question so many times that I had the answer immediately to hand.
"They play with so much passion and intensity I volunteered. "Yes, but there are some great Brown supporters," she hit back. I retorted, "There's no supporters club for the Browns in the UK. The Steelers have a supporters club because they are number one!"
She departed and I think my unkind words about the Brownies now lay on some editor's floor at a TV station somewhere in Cleveland. Andy, who had been sitting right next to me asked me what I had said. I replied that he must have heard me, but he hadn't. The noise had been that fierce.
Steeler supporters came up to us to have their photos taken with the Union Jack. The atmosphere was more than we had expected, the Steeler fans were just marvellous
A cameraman from WTAE turned up and introduced himself. He patiently waited until the Steelers came back into the stadium. We were all out of our seats chanting for our team. He took some shots of us for transmission the following night.
Nothing was put on for the camera. Our team came out, the Union Jack went up and the vocal cords vibrated while the camera rolled. We gave our team maximum support . You don't go all that way to retain your inhibitions. You let it all hang out. This was like nothing that any of us had experienced before. We were not about to let our English (or Irish) reserve hold us back.
The cameraman faded away, the Steelers received and Leroy began to strut his funky chicken. As I had taken a few beers onboard (purely to lubricate my failing vocal cords, you understand), a visit to the rest rooms was necessary.
As you enter the causeway under the stadium, it's like a little village with food and beer stalls. Television screens are spaced around so you don't miss any of the action.
The Browns score while I am out. The noise was now unbelievable. They talk about foundations shaking, but there was enough energy to have lifted the stadium to the skies. Perhaps it did move, nobody would have noticed. The game was too important a spectacle to warrant any diversion. If aliens had landed, what would they have made of it all? Perhaps it would remind them of the battles of old.
The Steelers took the lead with just over seven minutes to go. We were dancing in the isles, a dream victory now appeared possible. Then, Eric Metcalf reminded us that it was just a game by returning another kickoff for a score.
The Steelers lose again and we have to take our tired limbs back to the bus. We were shattered. I went to sleep in the dark and woke about an hour later when the bus moved off. We had waited in vain for the return of Leroy's friend. He didn't make it. We left him in Cleveland to find his own way back the hundred odd miles to Pittsburgh. Leroy observed that his friend had no money on him, so he may still be there in Cleveland now...
Monday 25th Octobers the sun shone. After seeing Steven off at the greyhound depot for his trip to Atlanta, we sunbathed in the 75 degree heat of Point Park as we waited to go out to the airport. I rang our hosts to thank them for their efforts to make our stay such an enjoyable one.
Jim and Mary Kay, Richard Price and Nick Nery, you made it a great holiday. Thanks a lot and thank you Pittsburgh, the Pens and the Steelers for making the holiday one to remember through our cold winter nights. Thank you lads for being great company. I've always said that the Steelers' supporters were the best, now they've proved it!
THE TRAVELLERS GIVE THEIR OPINION ON THE TRIP
Thank you for all the trouble you went to while I was in Pittsburgh. My holiday from start to finish was one great experience after another. Many memorable Steeler moments thanks to your efforts.
A quick fifty three hours jaunt back to Pittsburgh, which I can safely say was the best city I saw and visited. After all my travelling through vast stretches of the USA, I now know for certain that the only football team I would support ply their trade in Pittsburgh.
Even if Three Rivers Stadium was uprooted and all the current players ended up in any other city in the States, there would only be one Pittsburgh team and only one Steeler team.
My later journeys were a good success. Eighteen hours on a Greyhound bus gives you a great opportunity to see the everlasting countryside. I did make it down to Atlanta where I was able to see the Georgia Dome as well as the Coca Cola museum, the Olympic experience and the CNN. tour.
It was a short stay in Atlanta that preceded a fifty hour trip to Las Vegas. That journey took in Nashville, St Louis, Kansas City and Denver in a snowstorm. Vegas is a fun city that delights in stripping you of your cash.
Thanks again for all your efforts before and during the trip. To sum up how good the trip was, I flew the Grand Canyon which was fantastic, but I saw the Steelers play and play well, met and talked to great Steeler players and stood on the stadium turf. Steven Melvin
Many thanks for organising the trip. I probably would never have got to Pittsburgh without you. Now, I can't wait to get back. Mike Harris
Editor's note: a couple of years later, Mike did return - this time with his family.
