The Super Bowl has become just another business trip for the Steelers.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- For the third time in the last six years the Steelers are in the Super Bowl.
To put that achievement into perspective, the New York Jets won Super Bowl III back in January of 1969 and haven't been back since. However, for the Steelers, this is becoming a semi-annual business trip.
This is the fifth Super Bowl I have covered and something new always happens. On Monday, on our way out to meet the Steelers, the press received an all-out police escort to their hotel. Over a dozen motorcycles and cruisers with their lights flashing blocked off traffic as we made the long drive from downtown Dallas to Fort Worth.
When it comes to experience on the NFL's biggest stage, the Packers can't touch the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Brett Keisel, James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley have nine Super Bowl rings between them; all of them with the Steelers.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin might only be 38-years old, but this is his second trip to the big dance in the last three years. Tomlin said the experience factor will end up helping the Steelers more with the off-field distractions a team experiences during Super Bowl week.
"There is a certain level of comfort that comes with being experienced in terms of dealing some of with these things. It lessens the anxiety in terms of some of the non-football things. And if that allows you to focus your energy more clearly on preparation and ultimately play, if there is a benefit -- it is tha," Tomlin explained.
Like Tomlin, Woodley is making his second trip to the Super Bowl in the last three years. Woodley admits that he still takes direction from the more-seasoned members of the team.
"I am still following those veteran guys that have been around awhile and following their leadership and making sure I'm doing things the right way so we can go out here and have a successful game," Woodley said.
Keisel has what might be the greatest beard in professional sports. He's been on the team for all three Super Bowls over the past six years. To the witty Keisel, the experience factor will help the Steelers dealing with a day-to-day routine that is so much different than what they experience during the regular season.
"You know what to expect. You know what this is all about. You know what the media sessions are like. Hopefully that's an advantage for us. Will it be? I don't know but I hope so," Keisel said.
A big key to the Steelers success is the ability of the leaders in their locker room to tell the younger players about what is expected of them at a Super Bowl. Keisel and other veterans on the Steelers spent the bye week counseling their younger teammates about what they are about to experience over the next seven days.
"We talked a lot to the younger guys what to expect and about how to manage their time. There's going to a lot of people pulling at you in a lot of different directions this week and you have to remain with one thing: And that's we're here to win this game and if we win it, a lot of great things are going to happen," Keisel told the media.
One of the most popular players within the Steelers locker room is Farrior. The man everyone on the Steelers call "Potsie" says all that experience takes away a lot of the anxiety that comes with taking part in an event of this magnitude for the very first time.
"Definitely I think there's more sense of calm on our side of the ball being that a lot of guys in this locker room have Super Bowl experience so I think it will help us with everything going on this week," Farrior explained.
It was interesting that while the Packers were dealing with the fallout from their on-again, off-again team photo, the Steelers had a relatively-calm week of preparation,
The only real issue surrounding the Steelers when they arrived in Dallas was the status of rookie centre Maurkice Pouncey. Despite numerous reports that Pouncey has already been declared out for Sunday's game, the calm and cool Tomlin gave a much different update.
"We're just trying to do everything in our power to give him the best opportunity to participate. I don't know what his chances are at this point to be quite honest with you. He is not on a running clock in my mind until Wednesday. We are going to give him every opportunity to possibly get into this football game and remain hopeful," Tomlin said.
Spoken like a man who doesn't let a whole lot bother him.
Now it should be noted that Pouncey had to be driven in a golf cart the 25 metres from the Steelers airplane to their team bus. If he can't play, Tomlin will just tell Doug Legursky that he's starting and to go and get the job done.
Other than that, Tomlin gives you the impression of a man in complete control of his team and surroundings.
Then again, going to the Super Bowl is nothing new for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
