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STUDIO: Warner Home Video
MSRP: $24.98
RATED: NR
RUNNING TIME: 180 Minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Collectible insert with team record and photos
• Game of the Week: Steelers vs. Colts
• Rolling Stones halftime show
• Wires: 2005 Bill Cowher, 2005 Steelers compilation, Sabol’s Shot Willie Parker, Sabol’s Shot Steelers’ History Media day
• The Bus: 2005 Bettis compilation, Bettis retirement announcement
• SB XL promo pieces
The Pitch
Still hurting over Super Bowl XXX, the ’94, 97, ’01 and ’04 AFC Championships? Fear not, it’s time to whip out the Terrible Towels one more time and get on the Bus to victory.
"So remember kids, stay away from steroids and other drugs. Big Macs on the other hand…"
The Humans
Bill Cowher, Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, Hines Ward, and 50 or so other hulking, armored monsters of Steel Town.
The Nutshell
After years of frustration in the Bill Cowher era of the Pittsburgh Steelers, punctuated by four losses in the AFC Championship and a loss in Super Bowl XXX to the Cowboys (where Dallas should have given the game ball to Neil O’Donnell), all of the stars finally aligned and the team rode the broad back (and waist) of Jerome Bettis as they went on an unprecedented road spree in the playoffs to knock off Cincinnati, a stacked Indianapolis, Denver and finally the Seahawks in the big game to take the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XL and send the Bus into the sunset with a much-deserved ring.
The Lowdown
Pretty much the best chronicler of American sports for the longest time has been NFL Films. From either showcasing the Niners dynasty of the ‘80s, the Cowboys dynasty of the early ‘90s or the recent success of the Patriots, to even detailing the seasons of dog teams like the (insert year here) Cardinals, Browns or Texans, NFL Films are at the forefront of putting together interesting packages of the NFL teams. And this DVD is no exception. The entire Steelers season from Opening Day to the final game is displayed in typical NFL Films fashion with Harry Kalas narrating the team’s up and downs. Being a longtime football fan myself, I caught many of those games or at least saw them on NFL Primetime every week and they’re well showcased here.
"You know it’s funny, I just had a vision of Ernest Byner. Man wouldn’t that suck right about now…"
NFL Films is known for taking you right down on the field via micing the players and showing the brutality of the game and what it takes to be a player and the lives they lead. There’s a good mix of real time skull splitting and slo-mo artistry that NFL Films is known for. If you’re a football fan, especially a Steelers fan, you’ll definitely enjoy this DVD. But if you’re a Bengals, Colts, Broncos or Seahawks fan, probably best to steer clear.
"So Hines, I want you to get out there and rip some heads off, break some legs, and blow out somebody’s knees…but first gimme a hug, ’cause I love you man…"
The Package
Loaded. The footage of all the games looks great. It’s like catching hours of Sportscenter. The audio also doesn’t disappoint. The disc itself is chock full o’ Steelers goodness including Game of the Week: Steelers at Colts, a 45 minute recap of the great AFC Playoff game between Indy and Pitsburgh at the RCA Dome, which almost featured "The Fumble II". There’s also the entire Sprint Super Bowl Halftime Show with the Rolling Stones (I skipped it during the game and didn’t bother here as well). Then there’s Wires / Sound Tracks, which are four 2-3 minute pieces featuring sounds from the field, including Cowher, a Steelers compilation, and two pieces with executive producer Steve Sabol on Willie Parker and Steelers history. There’s also two quickie pieces on the Bus including his retirement announcement at the end of Super Bowl XL. There’s 10 minutes of Media Day Coverage with the Steelers and NFL promos that featured players like Daunte Culpepper and Bart Starr and also the promos done by Don Cheadle to round out the set. Overall, there’s plenty of extra stuff here to keep Steelers fans happy for hours and Browns fans still saying, "Next year that’ll be us, baby! Woof! Woof!"