06 Feb 2006 Time — and a Terrible Towel

Back during the original Pittsburgh Steeler dynasty years, I used to place my Terrible Towel on top of my parents’ TV set during Steeler games in order that it might soak in luck.

During the intervening decades, I have taken very good care of my Terrible Towel. Of course, I have never washed it.

Tonight, when the Seahawks started breathing down the Steelers’ necks and the Steelers’ play was not really all that we might have hoped for (being honest here), I draped my Terrible Towel across the top of my TV set. Carefully. Just like I did at Mom’s and Dad’s house.

Immediately came several key plays. The Steelers never looked back.

Jerome Bettis said, “It was just a matter of time before we got it going.”

Time — and a towel.

Addendum 2/6/06: More on the Terrible Towel here and here. In regards to the latter link, which goes to a delightful story by Sherri L. Shaulis in the Roseville, California Press-Tribune, there’s more than one “12th man” (ask me sometime, and I’ll tell you how I, your modest blogger, am personally just as responsible for the Immaculate Reception as Franco Harris, Frenchy Fuqua and Jack Tatum — maybe even more than Frenchy, since the ball didn’t hit him. 12th man style — but it counted).