Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins used their first game this season against the Washington Capitals to set some high expectations for the Winter Classic.
That painful loss to the Jets must quickly be forgotten by the Steelers. The NFL schedule has provided Pittsburgh with the perfect tonic: a home game against Carolina.
When Penguins president David Morehouse and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl attended the NHL's first Winter Classic, they talked about how great it would be to bring the hockey showcase - and all the publicity and money generated from it - to their city one day.
Mario Lemieux will be joined by Hall of Famers Paul Coffey, Ron Francis, Bryan Trottier and Larry Murphy on the Pittsburgh Penguins' roster for a Winter Classic alumni game against the Washington Capitals on Dec. 31.
Mario Lemieux and a team of former Pittsburgh Penguins stars will take on Peter Bondra and past Washington Capitals players at an alumni game the day before the NHL's Winter Classic showcase in Pittsburgh.
A year later, Pittsburgh still feels the sting.
Pat White and Steve Slaton of West Virginia couldn't prevent a seismic shift in the Backyard Brawl. Neither could LeSean McCoy and Dion Lewis of Pittsburgh.
Several Oakland Raiders players called it a sandpit. By the time the West Virginia-Pitt rivalry game kicks off, it might resemble the fabled Church Pew bunkers at nearby Oakmont Country Club.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have cut Jeff Reed, who began the season as one of the 10 most accurate kickers in NFL history but has been erratic all season.
