THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY FONTANA, COSTA, FERLO, LOGAN, ORIE, PIPPY, STOUT, VOGEL, ALLOWAY, BAKER, BOSCOLA, BRUBAKER, CORMAN, DINNIMAN, EARLL, GORDNER, KITCHEN, PILEGGI, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS, STACK, WARD, M. WHITE, WILLIAMS, TOMLINSON AND WAUGH, FEBRUARY 4, 2009

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, FEBRUARY 4, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Congratulating the National Football League champion Pittsburgh

Steelers for winning Super Bowl XLIII and becoming the most

successful franchise in NFL history with their record sixth

Super Bowl title.

WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII by

defeating the Arizona Cardinals 27 to 23 in Tampa, Florida, on

February 1, 2009, winning their second Super Bowl Championship

in four years; and

WHEREAS, With this victory the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise

has set a new NFL standard for most Super Bowl victories with

their record sixth Super Bowl Championship; and

WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Steelers went 15-4 against the

hardest ranked schedule in the NFL and defeated the San Diego

Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals during their

record-setting post season run; and

WHEREAS, Linebacker James Harrison returned a goal line

interception 100 yards for the longest play in Super Bowl

history; and

WHEREAS, Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went 21-30 for 256

yards and led the team down the field for the 19th and most

important 4th quarter comeback of his career; and

WHEREAS, Wide Receiver Santonio Holmes won the Super Bowl MVP

award with a 9-catch, 131-yard performance, including the game

winning touchdown in the corner of the end zone with 35 second

left in the game; and

WHEREAS, The Steelers' young offensive line continues to work

together and capitalized on their efforts at the Super Bowl with

292 total net yards; led by Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the

33:01 minutes of possession included plays by stars Willie

Parker, Mewelde Moore, Gary Russell, Santonio Holmes, Heath

Miller, Justin Hartwig, Hines Ward, Nate Washington, Carey Davis

and Matt Spaeth; and

WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Steelers' new "Steel Curtain"

defense, including stars James Harrison, Ryan Clark, Troy

Polamalu, James Farrior, Ike Taylor, Larry Foote, Casey Hampton,

LaMarr Woodley, Brett Keisel, Chris Hoke, Deshea Townsend and

Aaron Smith were ranked number one in the NFL in overall team

defense; and

WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Steelers defense allowed the least

points scored, lowest average passing yards per game and the

least overall yards per game in the entire National Football

League; and

WHEREAS, Head coach Mike Tomlin is the youngest coach to win

a Super Bowl Championship and has continued in the legendary

tradition of head coaches Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher by bringing

a Super Bowl championship to Pittsburgh; and

WHEREAS, Linebacker James Harrison was named the NFL

Defensive Player of the Year for the 2008-2009 season; and

WHEREAS, Team owner Dan Rooney and team President Art Rooney

II, the son and grandson, respectively, of Pittsburgh Steelers

founder Art Rooney, have remarkable loyalty to Steelers fans and

the City of Pittsburgh, and have assembled an exceptional team

of players, coaches and staff that made achieving a championship

possible; and

WHEREAS, Although Myron Cope, the long-time Steelers

sportscaster passed away last year, his signature "Terrible

Towel" has become one of the most well-known fan symbols in the

world since its introduction in 1975; in Cope's own words: "The

Towel is a positive force that lifts the Steelers to magnificent

heights - and poses mysterious difficulties for the Steelers'

opponents only if need be;" and

WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base, known as "Steeler

Nation" was ranked in August 2008 by ESPN.com, as the best in

the NFL, citing their current streak of 299 consecutive sold-out

games going back to the 1972 season and the Steeler Nation is an

integral part of the great success of the Pittsburgh Steelers

team; and

WHEREAS, Other team members - Patrick Bailey, Mitch Berger,

Fernando Bryant, Jason Capizzi, Tyrone Carter, Willie Colon,

Bruce Davis, Dennis Dixon, Nick Eason, Trai Essex, Keyaron Fox,

Andre Frazier, William Gay, Tony Hills, Chris Kemoeatu, Travis

Kirschke, Byron Leftwich, Anthony Madison, Bryant McFadden, Sean

McHugh, Jeremy Parquet, Scott Paxson, Jeff Reed, Jared

Retkofsky, Orpheus Roye, Anthony Smith, Darnell Stapleton, Max

Starks, Limas Sweed and Lawrence Timmons - played an essential

part of the team that allowed the Pittsburgh Steelers to win

their "Six-Pack" of Super Bowl rings; and

WHEREAS, For 76 years, the people of the City of Pittsburgh

have seen themselves in the grit, tenacity and success of the

Pittsburgh Steelers franchise, and they proudly join the team in

celebrating their NFL record sixth Super Bowl Championship;

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate congratulate the National Football

League champion Pittsburgh Steelers for winning Super Bowl XLIII

and setting a new championship standard for the entire National

Football League.