Exciting Times

Remember back in February, that week or so after the Steelers had won the Super Bowl and we were still riding that big-time high that only world champions know? If you remember, one week after we hoisted Lombardi, The Red Wings came to town and gave the Penguins a pretty good smacking. A week later, after an embarrassing 6-2 loss against the Maple Leafs, Michel Therrien was fired. Enter Dan Bylsma.

Call him Mike Tomlin 2.0 if you want. Much like Tomlin, Bylsma is all business and came in talking the talk and forced his players to walk the walk. Now the Pens are playing a physical, up-tempo, take-it-to-them style of hockey. Bylsma is a perfect fit to coach a Pittsburgh team, and he has the Pens right on the doorstep of joining the Steelers in holding something silver over their heads at the end of the season.

Additionally, it was announced yesterday that Pittsburgh will be hosting the G-20 summit in September. Regardless of what you think of the G-20, this is a HUGE deal for the Pittsburgh economy and for the perception of the city on an international level.

I’ve always said Pittsburgh is the capital of the world, now I get to laugh at those people that laughed at me.

For those of you who might not be aware, the G-20 is the gathering of world leaders from the 20 largest countries in the world (that make up about 90% of the world’s economic marketplace) to discuss economic issues and stuff. So not only will world leaders (and President Obama) be in town, but there will be a media extravaganza as well.

Now, since we love conspiracy theories around here. Here are our conspiracy theories about why the G-20 summit is being held in Pittsburgh.

1) Barack Obama wanted to meet James Harrison.

Why? Because James Harrison is scarier than discussing global economics. James didn’t want to go visit Barack, so Barack is coming here to visit him. The summit is just a cover so that Barack can meet James Harrison.

2) Barack Obama wanted to distract the media from the Steelers/Bears game.

Conspicuously, the summit will be on September 24 and 25. Who do the Steelers play the week before? That’s right: Chicago. With the recent popularity of the Steelers around the White House, questions may arise about where Obama’s allegiances truly lie.

Well, with the Steelers-Bears game in Chicago the week before, Barack is making a great political move by creating a distraction big enough to keep the media away from the Steelers-Bears game and his torn allegiances. And what could possibly be bigger than bringing the leaders of the 20 biggest nations in the world to Pittsburgh?

3) Barack Obama wanted more pancakes.

For those that may not have heard, while he was campaigning here Mr. Obama swung through one of Pamela’s P&G Diners. He was so impressed with the pancakes, he invited them to come cook pancakes for his family and the white house staff over Memorial Day.

This theory is about as thin as the Olsen twins, but we needed something non-football related.