Lancaster Online.com: Local Sports : Shaffer: Steelers will fall
CV grad says Browns are ready for revenge
By Matt Pawlikowski
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Dec 06, 2006 12:37 AM EST
CLEVELAND - Ask former Conestoga Valley standout Kevin Shaffer for his favorite football team growing up, and you’ll be surprised at the answer.
It wasn’t the Eagles, but instead the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ask him about the Steelers today, and his look could turn a room quiet.
“We’re taught from day one when you get here, that you hate the Pittsburgh Steelers,” said Shaffer, now a left tackle for the Cleveland Browns. “It’s always been a huge rivalry, I’ve known it since I was a kid. Everyone around here knows it, and this means a little bit more this week than any other game. We hate the Steelers, and we’re going to take them out.”
Although the “Turnpike Rivalry” is one of the most revered in all of sports, taking Pittsburgh out will be no easy task, when Shaffer’s Browns (4-8) travel to Heinz Field Thursday night, in a nationally televised game on the NFL network.
Just 19 days ago, the Steelers (5-7) were able to overcome a poor first half for a 24-20 come-from behind win in Cleveland, scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Pittsburgh has won 13 of the last 16 games — including the last six, in The Turnpike Rivalry, and since 1969, are 28-7 against the Browns at home, including 10-2 in the Bill Cowher era.
“Every game is important in this league, every game requires your best effort,” said kicker Phil Dawson. “But there are certain games that are special, and the Browns-Steelers are certainly that.”
Dawson, who is best remembered for kicking the game-winner as time expired for the expansion Browns in 1999, did the same last week in overtime against the Chiefs, and is pumped about the team’s chances on Thursday.
“Back in 1999, we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into,” he said. “We were all transplants to Ohio, and kind of showed up, and ended up winning, but now we all have an appreciation of this rivalry, and want to show up and give it our best shot.
“One thing we haven’t done around here is win two in a row, so I like our chances. We know what we’re getting into, we get to go to Heinz Field, and show the whole country on Thursday night, hopefully, what we are capable of.”
Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, who is questionable for the game, and 0-2 since becoming a starter last year, compares the game to Ohio State-Michigan, which is the equivalent of what once was Pitt-Penn State.
“It’s a rivalry game. It’s like Ohio State vs. Michigan and Akron vs. Kent State,” Frye said. “Those games mean guys go out there and leave it on the field. I think it showed after we played the first time because both teams struggled the next week.”
Asked if losing to Pittsburgh has the Browns pumped up even more than usual, coach Romeo Crennel gave no bulletin board material, instead saying it was a lesson learned.
“I hope so. I really do,” Crennel said. “They know that we are going to have to play hard and give an effort because it’s Pittsburgh and we are going down there.”
Such were the exact sentiments of Josh Cribbs.
“We owe them one,” said Cribbs. “We should have had that victory against them before, but they took it away from us so we need to get that victory.”
A win is something the Browns haven’t accomplished in Pittsburgh since 2003, but the Steelers are 0-3 when they have played on Thursday night, and already have lost two at home this year.
“They got us the first time, and we still have a chip on our shoulders,” said Pool. “It wasn’t that long ago that we played them, so I don’t think they are going to change things up that much. We know it’s not going to be easy, we just have to be on our P’s and Q’s when we go in there, but we’ll be ready.”
CV grad says Browns are ready for revenge
By Matt Pawlikowski
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Dec 06, 2006 12:37 AM EST
CLEVELAND - Ask former Conestoga Valley standout Kevin Shaffer for his favorite football team growing up, and you’ll be surprised at the answer.
It wasn’t the Eagles, but instead the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ask him about the Steelers today, and his look could turn a room quiet.
“We’re taught from day one when you get here, that you hate the Pittsburgh Steelers,” said Shaffer, now a left tackle for the Cleveland Browns. “It’s always been a huge rivalry, I’ve known it since I was a kid. Everyone around here knows it, and this means a little bit more this week than any other game. We hate the Steelers, and we’re going to take them out.”
Although the “Turnpike Rivalry” is one of the most revered in all of sports, taking Pittsburgh out will be no easy task, when Shaffer’s Browns (4-8) travel to Heinz Field Thursday night, in a nationally televised game on the NFL network.
Just 19 days ago, the Steelers (5-7) were able to overcome a poor first half for a 24-20 come-from behind win in Cleveland, scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Pittsburgh has won 13 of the last 16 games — including the last six, in The Turnpike Rivalry, and since 1969, are 28-7 against the Browns at home, including 10-2 in the Bill Cowher era.
“Every game is important in this league, every game requires your best effort,” said kicker Phil Dawson. “But there are certain games that are special, and the Browns-Steelers are certainly that.”
Dawson, who is best remembered for kicking the game-winner as time expired for the expansion Browns in 1999, did the same last week in overtime against the Chiefs, and is pumped about the team’s chances on Thursday.
“Back in 1999, we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into,” he said. “We were all transplants to Ohio, and kind of showed up, and ended up winning, but now we all have an appreciation of this rivalry, and want to show up and give it our best shot.
“One thing we haven’t done around here is win two in a row, so I like our chances. We know what we’re getting into, we get to go to Heinz Field, and show the whole country on Thursday night, hopefully, what we are capable of.”
Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, who is questionable for the game, and 0-2 since becoming a starter last year, compares the game to Ohio State-Michigan, which is the equivalent of what once was Pitt-Penn State.
“It’s a rivalry game. It’s like Ohio State vs. Michigan and Akron vs. Kent State,” Frye said. “Those games mean guys go out there and leave it on the field. I think it showed after we played the first time because both teams struggled the next week.”
Asked if losing to Pittsburgh has the Browns pumped up even more than usual, coach Romeo Crennel gave no bulletin board material, instead saying it was a lesson learned.
“I hope so. I really do,” Crennel said. “They know that we are going to have to play hard and give an effort because it’s Pittsburgh and we are going down there.”
Such were the exact sentiments of Josh Cribbs.
“We owe them one,” said Cribbs. “We should have had that victory against them before, but they took it away from us so we need to get that victory.”
A win is something the Browns haven’t accomplished in Pittsburgh since 2003, but the Steelers are 0-3 when they have played on Thursday night, and already have lost two at home this year.
“They got us the first time, and we still have a chip on our shoulders,” said Pool. “It wasn’t that long ago that we played them, so I don’t think they are going to change things up that much. We know it’s not going to be easy, we just have to be on our P’s and Q’s when we go in there, but we’ll be ready.”