Pittsburgh Sports Memories

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. Is the Steelers turnover-driven defensive success sustainable? Is Pitt actually a legit contender for the CFP? Is a little adversity actually good for the young Penguins? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our Steelers-Ravens book here! E-Book |...

The Immaculate Reception is the most famous play in sports history. Since everyone in the media has covered this moment ad nauseam, we will attempt to put a little different spin on it. We’ll cover more of the forgotten aspects of the play and because this is a podcast where we tell stories from a fan’s perspective, we will have a special guest – a fan who was actually at the game that day! REWIND...

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. Is the Pens-Flyers rivalry back? Will Mason Heintschel ever lose? Can the Steelers secondary be fixed? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our Steelers-Ravens book here! E-Book | Hardcover Connect with the show: Visit us on the web Follow us on Fa...

We take a deep dive into one of the greatest games in NHL history. On May 26, 1992, the Penguins and Blackhawks met at the Civic Arena for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. What followed was a relentless back-and-forth battle marked by brilliant plays and sheer grit, with this classic ultimately settled by the one player who, at that moment, stood above all others in his craft. Get our Steelers-Ra...

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. What happened to the Steelers defense last week? How do the young Penguins keep winning? Will any of the three Pitt finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame get in? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our Steelers-Ravens book here! E-Book | Har...

In this episode we'll look back on a Steelers season in which they often vacillated between greatness and disaster. One week, they would look like Super Bowl contenders, shutting down elite teams with fierce defense and innovative offense. The next week, they would unravel against bottom-tier opponents, plagued by turnovers and baffling special teams mistakes. This unpredictable journey led t...

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. Does an unexpected big lead in the division signal that the Steelers are true contenders? Does a hot start mean anything for the rebuilding Penguins? Does a freshman QB give new hope to Pitt's season? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our S...

Have you ever felt like you have been treated unfairly? Well, join the club! In this episode, we look back at the times Pittsburgh fans, owners, and media have dished out some unjust treatment to athletes and organizations via coach firings, unpopular trades, award snubs, and other instances of poor treatment. So join us as we channel our inner victimhood and see if you agree whether or not Pittsb...

In 2005, the Penguins assembled a team of veteran superstars, young talent, and a can’t miss rookie phenom named Sidney Crosby. They called this elite group the "X Force", and their mission was to lay waste to the rest of the NHL and capture the franchise’s third Stanley Cup. However, things did not exactly go according to plan, and the X Force quickly became one of the biggest disasters...

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. What's our take on the Steelers with a quarter of the season behind us? Is Eli Holstein finished at Pitt? Will a heartfelt plea from our host sway Bob Nutting into changing his ways? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our Steelers-Ravens boo...

Over the years, an unsettling number of Steelers offensive linemen have faced battles far beyond the gridiron. Some wrestled with mental illness, others fell victim to violence, still others found themselves on the wrong side of the law or in the company of dangerous people. Many of their lives ended far too soon. Was it coincidence, bad luck, or something more? We dig into the troubled legacy of...

Fun fact: the University of Pittsburgh has sent a dozen QB's to the NFL since 1978, many of whom became starters. Some of them had legendary pro careers, some were total disasters, and some still don't have their full pro stories written yet. In this episode we will recap all of the Pitt quarterbacks who made it to the NFL. REWIND is a series of our favorite Pittsburgh Sports Memories ep...

We're back with the second installment of This or That, where we dive into some of the most debated topics in Pittsburgh sports. This round, we’re tackling questions like: Who was the better coach - Bill Cowher or Tom Coughlin? Which defense was more dominant - the 1976 Steelers or the 2000 Ravens? And how does Ben Roethlisberger stack up against his fellow Hall of Fame-era quarterbacks? We c...

Pittsburgh and Detroit are both blue collar, rust belt towns who had to reinvent themselves in recent years, but the sports histories of these two cities are more entwined than you may realize. Over the years there have been rivalries, allegiance switching, scandals, and multiple championships won on the other city’s soil. We’ll take a close look at the rich Pittsburgh-Detroit sports history which...

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. How good will Pitt be this season? Did fans overreact to the Cam Heyward hold-in? What does the Laffer Curve and the film Blue Chips have to do with the current state of the NFL? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our Steelers-Ravens book here! E...

As the Steelers and Jets gear up to open the season, we revisit the unexpected history between these two teams. While they aren't traditional rivals, their matchups over the years have delivered their fair share of controversy, tension, and memorable moments involving everyone from Joe Namath to Hines Ward to Aaron Rodgers. Get our Steelers-Ravens book here! E-Book | Hardcover Connect with th...

In this episode, we dive into the messy, controversial, and sometimes downright awkward exits of Pittsburgh sports figures who didn’t get the farewell they (or the fans) expected. From prolonged sagas to instant implosions, we're revisiting the departures that left fans stunned. Who handled it with grace, and who crashed on the way out? REWIND is a series of our favorite Pittsburgh Sports Mem...

Coke or Pepsi? Ginger or Mary Ann? (or for the younger crowd, Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter?) Chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Since the beginning of time, people have loved to argue over what’s best. As the '90s hip-hop group Black Sheep once said: “The choice is yours — this or that.” On this episode, we dive into Pittsburgh sports and settle some classic debates. Who was better? Let the...

In this episode, we dig up the forgotten controversies of Pittsburgh sports that once made headlines and lit up sports talk radio. From the NFL snubbing the National Anthem at a Steelers game, to Mario Lemieux wanting to play for a team other than the Penguins, to the Browns risking their QB's life to beat the Steelers, and fan outrage over Roberto Clemente's statue, these stories sparke...

We once again dive into the vault to unearth some surprising stories that you may not remember or may have never even heard - like the crazy story of how the Steelers landed Troy Polamalu, or the time that Penguins fans booed Sidney Crosby, or the tale of how a Pirates pitcher boldly upstaged from Bob Nutting, or how Pitt's incompetence accidentally exposed a rival's scandal. We've...

We take a break from sports history to talk about what is currently going on in the Pittsburgh sports scene. Is Oneil Cruz the most maddening player of this era? Are we excited about training camp? Are the Steelers really "all in" on the 2025 season or is that a nonsense narrative? We cover all of that and more in this special bonus episode of the podcast. Get our Steelers-Ravens book he...

In this episode, we dive into the teams and players that Pittsburgh sports fans actually respect—those fierce opponents who pushed our favorite teams to be their very best. From heated matchups to legendary moments, we’re celebrating the adversaries who made the victories sweeter and the losses more meaningful. Tune in as we shine a spotlight on the rivals we love to hate and secretly admire. REWI...

The current Pirates might be struggling, but one team in franchise history stands out as the most disastrous of them all. In this episode, we dive into the story of a squad hastily assembled under dire conditions while hemorrhaging both money and talent, and at one point recording a home attendance of just 17 fans! This team didn’t just lose - they made history as the worst to ever wear a Pirates...

We reflect on the 20+ years of drafts by Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. Which picks did he hit on, which ones did he miss on, and how did they contribute to his overall legacy as Steelers general manager? REWIND is a series of our favorite Pittsburgh Sports Memories episodes that we will be dropping in between new episodes​ Get our Steelers-Ravens book here! E-Book | Hardcover Connect with the show: V...

In this episode we will take a look back at 1994 – a year that didn’t see any Pittsburgh sports championships but did see the peak of the Steelers-Browns rivalry, the rise of a 6-foot-11 superstar, a shocking finish to the Penguins season, and the entire sports world descending on Pittsburgh for not one, but two landmark sporting events. Also throw in some bizarre Steelers controversies and the wi...