The Patriots have re-signed 25-year old safety Ross Ventrone to a futures/reserve deal.  Ventrone played in 8 games for the Patriots last year and he had 2 tackles.  Ventrone was like a yo-yo for the Patriots last year as they kept signing him and waiving him.  He spent half of the year on the practice squad in 2011, but he will lose eligibility for that when he plays in one more game for the Patriots.  It will be interesting to see if Ventrone steps up and snatches a full time job with the Patriots in 2012.

New England Patriots NFL News – Patriots Football Blog

The Green Bay Packers will have the No. 28 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Here’s a look at the last five players selected at No. 28, their stats and how they panned out.

Total Packers

Prior to planning a family trip to Europe, you will have to get your children’s passports. When traveling abroad, every member of your family will need a separate passport. While it is not a difficult process, there are certain documents you will need for completing the applications.

Form DS-11

Complete Form DS-11 for each child. The application will need to be submitted in person to an acceptance facility. The child and both parents must appear in person when submitting the application. Most post offices act as acceptance facilities. Check with your local post office to see if they are authorized to accept passport applications.

Citizenship

Documentation showing proof of citizenship will need to accompany the application. The easiest document to use for this purpose is a birth certificate. An original certified certificate that includes the signature of the birth registrar is required. Photocopies will not be accepted as a legal document but the original will be returned to you along with the passport. Another acceptable document would be a “Report of Birth Abroad”.

Evidence of Relationship

Evidence of your relationship to the child must also be provided. If both parents are listed on the birth certificate, this will be sufficient proof. However single parents will need to provide a Court Order that states they have custody of the minor they are applying for. For parents who have adopted, an adoption degree must be presented.

Parental Identification

You will submit personal ID along with proof of relationship. You can use a photocopy of your driver’s license or a copy of your passport if it is still valid. Any State, City, or Federal worker can use their Employee ID as identification. Another acceptable form of ID is a Military ID. You will need photocopies to submit with each application.

Fees

There are two fees involved and they must be paid separately. The total cost for a child’s passport is one hundred and twenty dollars. The application fee is ninety-five dollars while the execution fee is another twenty-five dollars. You may be able to pay in cash if you have the exact amount or you can pay by personal check, money order or credit card. Not all acceptance facilities accept cash so you may want to check with the post office you plan to use.

Photos

The final step is to provide two passport photos. The passport photo must be 2 x 2 inches in size and printed on quality paper. The background must be white or off white and the picture needs to be a full-face view with dimensions of the face no smaller than 1 inch from the chin to the top of the head. Most post offices will also offer passport photo services.

Signature Must Be Witnessed

Decide what location you are going to use for submission of your documents and inquire about their hours of operation. Make an appointment if they are available to help speed the process along. Once you have all the information gathered and your photocopies made, you are ready to submit your U.S. passport renewal application. It is important to note that you are not to sign the application until in the presence of the acceptance agent.

Owner/GM Jerry Jones did a nice job in last April’s NFL Draft as they found two impact players on offense in OT Tyron Smith and RB DeMarco Murray.  They also got some nice complementary type players who could see their roles expand in the future.  Here is a look at how the rookie class did in 2011:

21-year old OT Tyron Smith came to the Cowboys in the first round last April and he was really good as a rookie.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Cowboys last year.  He is going to be a big part of the foundation of the Cowboys’ O-Line both now and in the future.

23-year old LB Bruce Carter didn’t get to play much as the Cowboys have a pretty solid LBing unit.  Carter played in 10 games for the Cowboys last year and he had 8 tackles and 1 pass defensed.

23-year old RB DeMarco Murray was a steal in the 3rd round for the Cowboys.  He played in 13 games for the Cowboys last year and he carried the ball 164 times for 897 yards (5.5 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 26 passes for 183 yards (7.0 avg) and he returned 2 kickoffs for 36 yards (18.0 avg).  Murray is likely going to push Felix Jones out of his starting role in 2012.

24-year old OG David Arkin was a 4th round pick last April.  He didn’t get into any games for the Cowboys in 2011 as he was banged up most of the year.  He still could develop into a decent O-lineman if he can stay healthy.

22-year old CB Josh Thomas came to the Cowboys in the 5th round last April.  He didn’t make the cut with the Cowboys and he was picked up by the Panthers.  Thomas played in 9 games for the Panthers last year and he had 1 tackle and 1 fumble recovery.

24-year old WR Dwayne Harris was a 6th round pick for the Cowboys.  He was outstanding in the pre-season for the Cowboys but he didn’t catch any passes for them in the regular season.  Harris played in 7 games for the Cowboys last year and he returned 15 punts for 80 yards (5.3 ypc) and he also returned 8 kickoffs for 231 yards (28.9 avg).  The Cowboys cut Harris early in the season but they brought him back a few weeks later and he’s still with the team.

23-year old FB Shaun Chapas was a 7th round pick of the Cowboys.  He only played in 3 games for the Cowboys last year and he didn’t touch the ball.

24-year old OG Bill Nagy was also a 7th round pick of the Cowboys.  He won a starting job right off the bat.  He played in 4 games (all starts) for the Cowboys last year.  His season ended due to a severe ankle injury.  I look for Nagy to reclaim his starting job in 2012 if he can stay healthy.

GRADE FOR THE 2011 SEASON:  B

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  B+

Dallas Cowboys NFL News – Cowboys Football Blog

I don’t really know what I’m supposed to say here.

The Giants‘ pass rush was nonexistant. There were points to be had on almost every drive. New York put the ball on the ground three times. The defense played as well as you could have possibly asked for. The running game was good enough to keep the defense honest. There were players open. The Patriots had chance after chance to put the game away. But they couldn’t get it done. And once again, the Giants came through in the clutch and scored the game winner late after a ridiculous circus catch. That’s pretty much all there is to it.

I don’t have it in me to say much more than that. Fan Notes after the jump.

• Tell me that Tommy B didn’t look pissed off when they came out. It was probably because of the hat hair in the starting lineup announcements.
• The only ten minutes that lasted longer than the period in between the National Anthem and opening kickoff was the last time I hopped on a treadmill in 2005. 10 minutes and half a mile later, that was the end of my stint with exercise.
• I don’t know about any of you – but I took a great deal of comfort in that grey hoodie.
• How much money was won and lost worldwide on the opening coin toss? 10 million? 20?
• Where do you think Tiquan Underwood watched this game? Poor guy.
• Antuan Molden on Hakeem Nicks and Sterling Moore on Victor Cruz…eek.
• That said, though, Cruz was a relative nonfactor all game, other than his TD catch.
• 3rd and 13 on the Pats 42 in 1st quarter. Mark Anderson comes up with a huge sack for a loss to force a punt. That set the tone and the Giants were relatively ineffective on 3rd down overall.
• Steve Weatherford is the best punter in the NFL, hands down. I know that is the equivalent of being the smartest kid on the short bus, but still…
• 1st New England play from scrimmage results in a safety. I had absolutely no idea what was going on with that play and I still don’t.
• Is it me, or did every member of the Giants offense have like 8 inches on the entire Patriots secondary?
• Jerod Mayo was in PERFECT position to intercept the quick slant to Cruz that put the Giants ahead 9-0. He just forgot to turn around, look for the ball, and be aware of what was going on. He just kind of jumped and threw his hands up. Not a great look, Jerod.
• Very sad to see Kevin Faulk inactive yesterday. Knowing that he had to watch what is likely his last game as a Patriot from the sidelines isn’t a fitting end for his career.
• I wonder how the unstoppable force that is Jason Pierre-Paul feels this morning after spending an entire game getting absolutely owned by one man that most people probably haven’t even heard of. Helluva game, Brian Waters.
• Seriously, we heard Waters’ name once, when he was called for a holding penalty. Other than that, whoever he was up against was like me at speed dating five years ago: nothing.
• She’s not naked, GoDaddy.com. You aren’t going to fool me. Not again.
• Not gonna lie; I was kind of hoping this game would be 35-0 after the first quarter. Not exactly the start I was looking for.
• They are making movies out of board games now? BATTLESHIP? Really?
• I was a fan of the “Missing Cat” Doritos commercial, though. Anything that promotes the disappearance of cats is something I can fully get behind.
• Do you think people will ever stop drinking Coke? Do they really need to advertise so heavily?
• Also – Coke is NOT what people reach for after their favorite team loses. Trust me.
• I’ll tell you when I just kind of knew the Patriots were in trouble – when Tommy B’s second straight pass was batted down in the middle of the 2nd quarter. The camera cut to a closeup of his eyes, and he just had a look like, “Huh. Not really sure what’s going on here.”
• The Giants ran a lot of the quick out plays I originally expected from the Patriots, with a tremendous amount of success. Those short plays set up those deeper in-routes beautifully. It was exactly the opposite of what I was expecting – which is probably one of the reasons it worked so well.
• DANNY WOODHEAD!! Who said he’d be a Patriots Unsung Hero this past week? I don’t remember, but whoever he is, he’s a genius.
• Tommy B – longest drive in SB history. 16 completions in a row. Yawn. More records for Brady.
• Whatever happened to the Bud Bowl? Now THAT was a halftime show – not some afroed guy in a toga repeatedly ruining any chance he may have of reproducing by playing crotch trampoline on a tightrope.
• I honestly don’t think that Madonna sang one lick until “Like A Prayer” came on. It must be nice to get paid insane amounts of money to basically just stand there.
• I never noticed how much Cee-Lo Green looks like Vince Wilfork.
• Madonna said she was going to “bring the gay” to her halftime performance. I don’t know exactly what that means, but I’d put the gay factor of that show at about a 4.
• HALF. TIME. ADJUSTMENTS. BOO YA.
• Aaron Hernandez’s touchdown dance really is awesome. He doesn’t just make it rain; he goes to the safe, opens it, takes out the money, and THEN makes it rain. Sometimes it’s a turn-knob combination. Sometimes it’s digital. And sometimes it’s a thumb print. The only thing that never changes is that there is always money in there. Lots of it.
• PAT CHUNG! How you like dem apples, Nicks??? WOOOO! I think Nicks was spitting blood after that hit.
• That Chung hit is the kind of thing you just put on replay over and over again when you’re especially mad at the city of New York – which, for me, is all the time. Especially now.
• Gronk would have come up with the ball on that Tommy B pick if he was healthy. I don’t want to make excuses, so I won’t speak to his injury any more.
• Who was that guy they cut to in the middle of the third quarter right after Tynes’s field goal? Did you see that guy’s forehead? Good lord! He has to be a Manning.
• Latest sign that I’m a horrible human being: I was cheering like a blonde at a Texas high school football game when Jake Ballard went down.
• It became obvious very early in this one that the game was going to come down to whoever has the ball last. And for the most part, that was true.
• At least 8 games this season took years off my life. Yesterday must have taken another ten off. For all intents and purposes, I should be dead before July.
• I’d love to see a study on the counteractive effects adrenalin has on alcohol. I must have had 15 beers throughout the course of the game and I was sober as a nun the entire time. What a waste.
• How does Tommy B’s block taste, Osi? That can’t feel good.
• Of all the times for Wes Welker to drop the ball…
• The Pats were just up-and-down offensively all game. They mixed long, sustained drives with 3-and-outs and other longer drives that ended in no points at all. The Giants deserve all the credit in the world for not allowing any offensive rhythm.
• Also, penalties absolutely killed us. They almost always allowed a drive to continue, negated turnovers, or resulted in points.
• All I could think on that amazing Manningham catch was, “Please, no. This can’t be happening again. I can’t live through this again. Please, God, No.”
• And yet, it happened again. I now have to make room in my own personal hell for that Welker drop next to that Asante Samuel drop in 2008. That drop didn’t cost us the game – but if Welker makes that catch, I’m feeling a lot less awful today, I do know that much.
• How many ridiculous catches is this team going to pull down against us? Must this happen every single time? The only solace I can take from that Mario Manningham catch is that it was just a spectacular grab, and one he could definitely make again if he had the chance. It wasn’t some million-to-one freakshow like it was four years ago.

I watched this game at my friend’s house uptown. I ended up walking home, all the way back to Brooklyn from 87th Street. That’s about 9 miles, and it took me over three and a half hours. As I walked, the city of New York its usual mix of drunken revelers celebrating in the background and people who hadn’t even watched the game passing me on the sidewalk, I went through the whole gamut of emotions. Sadness, depression, rage, and eventually, just numbness. I even longed, for a brief moment, for those days of the mid-90s when this team was absolutely terrible and I was absolutely ecstatic with a regular season win over the Bills. This isn’t healthy. The amount of sleep I’m going to lose over this one is completely disproportionate to what kind of impact this game had on the world in general. Millions upon millions of people didn’t care about this game in the slightest and went to bed afterwards without any problems whatsoever. The world will continue to turn, and in the grand scheme of things this Super Bowl will be long, long forgotten.

There are also Patriots fans out there who are happy when the Pats win, but when they lose it isn’t the end of the world to them. They are upset for a while, but after a few days of sulking they are back to normal again and are looking forward to all of the other amazing things that life has to offer. Watching football is still fun for them. It still has its rightful place on priorities lists and allows them to spend Sundays outside or with family instead of alone in a dark room screaming at the television, pouring my soul into a team that doesn’t even know I exist. You have no idea how much I envy those people – I would love to make the life change necessary to allow Patriots football to be fun for me again, but I simply don’t know how.

I’m going to try and have have more on the game later in the week. But I just don’t have the energy or the willpower to deal with this right now. I feel nauseous and it’s all I can do not to start crying at my desk.

Congratulations to the Giants. Once again, the better team prevailed. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find a noose.

Pats Pulpit

For people who travel frequently, it is very easy for their passports to be filed up. Therefore, it is important to get additional pages added to the document if they have to continue using it and they do not want get a new one since they may be in need of traveling urgently. If you like traveling a lot or you are a businessman, you need to know the easiest way to add pages to pasport fast.

Minimum Pages

If this document has fewer pages left, you need to look for a way to get additional ones added, particularly when you have to leave your country or travel within the shortest time possible. Therefore, you can decide to apply for the document manually since the whole procedure usually takes a total of four to six weeks. Applying for the document in time will reduce the problems of failing to travel at the stipulated time.

Additional Pages

Remember that in order for you to request for pages to be added to your passport, the travel document should be valid. Keeping the travel document valid at all times will ensure that you can visit anywhere at anytime. Having proved that the passport is valid, you will be required to fill out an application letter or form. The completed form is supposed to be sent along with the present travel papers to a given address.

Forms

First, completing the form requires that you submit your personal details. This calls for you to make sure that you give details of your sex, phone numbers, address, birthplace and birth certificate. While listing the phone contact details, you may also need to provide an emergency phone contact. Also, indicate the date the form was completed.

Routine

When it comes to charges, consider if you are going by the normal routine. If you decide that this is the way forward, you should not incur any extra cost. However, when looking for legal papers to travel abroad urgently, you should consider looking for expedited services, which generally will require that you spend more.

Help

Another thing to note is that you can look for assistance from a travel agent near you. In the presence of an expert, you will have more information and also fill the form in with the assistance of a professional. The expert will assist you on how to get the requested document without any delays. Remember to include the security number and also the PIN number.

Expedited Processing

Should you be in need of quick processing, you can opt to go for an online agency for the process to be hastened. Online agencies take care of a lot of needs for a frequent traveler. You can do all this in the office or in the house, which makes it the most convenient method because you are not spending on transportation costs to and from the agency office. Look into getting a same day U.S. passport.

They did it again.

The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, 21-17, thanks to yet another comeback that reminded you of the Super Bowl these two teams played four years ago, a game the Giants won.

No play will be remembered more than Mario Manningham’s 38-yard reception to kick off the Giants comeback drive. It was the first play of the drive and Manningham made an incredible over-the-back reception near the sidelines. He had two guys on him — one right behind him and a safety coming right at him — yet he still managed to haul the pass in and keep his feet in bounds. Here’s video of that play.

From there, Manning took the Giants down the field before Ahmad Bradshaw punched in the final touchdown with 57 seconds remaining. Bradshaw almost went down at the one yard line so that the Giants could run out the clock but his momentum carried him into the end zone. Here’s video of that play.

The Giants are the champs. At least it was a good game.

Arrowhead Pride

A couple of weeks ago, as I watched the final seconds of the AFC Championship game unfold, I couldn’t help but realize just how much luck is involved in winning a championship. There was the Ravens’ Lee Evans with the game-winning touchdown in his hands for a brief moment before having it knocked out at the last second. Just moments later, Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yard field goal that would have tied the game and sent it into overtime. Instead, it was the New England Patriots who were off to Super Bowl XLVI while the Ravens players had to be thinking, “you mean we signed up for this?”

Even before those events transpired, the Ravens had to be thinking that. They spent the entire 2011 season trying to get to where their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, had been so many times in recent years–the AFC Championship game–but instead of playing it at home like Pittsburgh has been able to do so many times over the years, there they were getting ready to face Tom Brady’s bunch at Gillette Stadium.

And that brings me to the point of this post. In my lifetime, I’ve had the good fortune of seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers play in five Super Bowls, and in every single one of them, there was at least a little bit of uncontrollable good fortune that helped them get there, and maybe even in some cases, win it all.

Super Bowl XLV

Just last year, the Steelers were in the exact same position as the Ravens were in 2011. Pittsburgh finished the 2010 season with a 12-4 record and had a bye into the second round of the playoffs. After the Steelers survived their divisional round showdown with the Ravens, it seemed to be an almost foregone conclusion that the team would have to travel to New England for the AFC Championship game to face a Patriots team that had thoroughly defeated them on a Sunday night in November during the regular season. For their divisional round playoff match up, the Patriots were taking on a New York Jets team that they had manhandled, 45-3, in early December. But, shockingly, the Jets pulled off the upset, and instead of the Steelers having to play a team that they had very little success against over the years, they got to host the New York Jets at Heinz Field for the right to go to the Super Bowl. The Steelers jumped out to a 24-0 lead, and held on for a 24-19 win before the home folks. Would things have been different if the Steelers played in Foxboro for the AFC title instead of Heinz? I guess we’ll never know.

Super Bowl XLIII

The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers captured their record sixth Lombardi trophy with a very thrilling, 27-23, victory over the upstart Arizona Cardinals. Just like the 2010 team, the ’08 Steelers entered the playoffs as the number two seed in the AFC. The Tennessee Titans had the first seed by virtue of their 31-14 defeat of Pittsburgh in the second-to-last game of the regular season. The Titans were surely the favorites in the AFC going into the playoffs, and beings that the Steelers suffered more than their share of ugly losses at Tennessee over the years, the thought of having to travel to LP Field for the AFC Championship game couldn’t have been very appealing to the team, and certainly not for the fans; the Joe Nedney game still makes my skin crawl.

Fortunately, before the Steelers even played their first playoff game, the Titans were knocked out of the divisional round by the Baltimore Ravens. And after Pittsburgh took care of the Chargers the next day, the AFC Championship game was set for Heinz Field the following week. The Steelers went on to defeat their division rivals, 23-14, for their seventh AFC Championship.

In the Super Bowl, the Steelers defeated a Cardinals team that finished the regular season with a 9-7 record. And even though Arizona gave Pittsburgh all that it could handle, I often wonder how things may have turned out against a different NFC representative. In the NFC Championship game, the Cardinals narrowly defeated an Eagles team that thoroughly whipped up on the Steelers in a week 3 match-up. Philadelphia’s defense was so dominant that day, they finished with more sacks (9) than the Steelers had points (6). Beings that the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers may have had the worst offensive line ever for a Super Bowl team, it could have been a long day in Tampa if the Eagles were the Steelers opponent. And let’s not forget about the New York Giants. They were the defending Super Bowl champions, and they, too, defeated Pittsburgh during the regular season. It was a close, exciting game that the Steelers could have very easily won, but they didn’t, and the Giants probably would have been a slight favorite in the Super Bowl. Fortunately, the Eagles took New York out in the divisional round, and they in-turn were vanquished by the Cardinals the following week. So, once again, I guess we’ll never know.

Super Bowl XL

This is my favorite Steelers Super Bowl, and maybe the best example of good fortune helping a team get to where it needed to go. There is no doubt that the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers were rolling once the playoffs started. After surviving an early 10-0 deficit in the wild card game against the Bengals, they dominated the rest of the way and won going away, 31-17. Pittsburgh never trailed against the Colts the following week, but man, did they need some good fortune to survive that game. The Steelers were ahead, 21-10, with barely under a quarter to play and appeared to have the game salted away when Troy Polamalu stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass for what looked to everyone in America to be a pretty obvious interception. However, after Tony Dungy desperately challenged the play (can’t blame him, might as well, right?), the referee agreed with Dungy’s challenge in one of the most bizarre reversals in NFL history. The Colts capitalized on the reversal by taking the ball down the field and scoring a touchdown and two-point conversion to make it, 21-18. But after the Steelers defense snuffed out what appeared to be the Colts last gasp with barely over a minute to play, Pittsburgh had the ball first and goal and looked poised to score the clinching-touchdown. Unfortunately, Jerome Bettis fumbled, and Nick Harper picked up the football and took off the other way. He probably should have scored on the play, but for whatever reason, he did some weird zigging when he should have zagged, and this allowed Ben Roethlisberger to trip him up. It was later discovered that Harper’s wife stabbed the Colts’ corner in the knee during an argument just the day before. Would Harper have scored if he and his wife had done a better job of communicating? I guess we’ll never know. Anyway, the Colts made it all the way to the Steelers 29 yard line, and the very accurate Mike Vanderjagt was set to send the game into overtime with a 46 yard field goal. Just like the Patriots two Sundays ago, the Steelers had basically no control over their own fate. It all came down to a kick, and if my memory serves me right, Vanderjagt didn’t miss a kick from that distance at home the entire year. Fortunately for the Bus, not only did the Indy kicker miss, he missed it by a mile!

Anyway, you know the rest of the story, the Steelers went on to win their next two games to capture their first Super Bowl in 26 seasons.

Despite all the wacky stuff that occurred in the Indy game, the Steelers wouldn’t even have been in the playoffs to experience it if it wasn’t for a defensive holding call in a game involving the Chiefs and Cowboys on December 11, 2005. The Steelers had just ended a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Bears at Heinz Field to climb to 8-5, but they were still on the outside of the AFC playoff picture and needed a ton of help to get in as the sixth seed. The Chargers helped the cause by losing to the Dolphins at home to fall to 8-5. The Steelers held a tiebreaker over San Diego, but the Chiefs not only held a tiebreaker over Pittsburgh, they entered the week with an 8-4 record. The Cowboys were trailing the Chiefs, 28-24, in the closing moments, but Dallas had the ball deep in Chiefs’ territory and had a chance to take the lead in the final minute. The Cowboys were stopped on 4th and goal, and it appeared that the Chiefs would hold on for the victory. I was watching that game, and for a split-second, I thought, “oh well, at least the Chargers lost.” But before I could even finish my thought, the referee was signaling defensive holding against the Chiefs, and the Cowboys had a fresh set of downs. Dallas eventually converted to knock off Kansas City, 31-28. The Chiefs also went on to lose to the Giants the following week, and the Steelers stayed ahead of them by winning out and clinched the final playoff spot. Everytime I think of the Steelers magical Super Bowl XL run, I get goosebumps knowing that it wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for that holding call in that Cowboys/Chiefs game.

Super Bowl XXX

The story of the 1995 Pittsburgh Steelers was pretty awesome. The team had rebounded from a 3-4 start to finish the year at 11-5. They were the AFC Central Champions and were the number two seed in the AFC once the playoffs began. Just like in ’08 and ’10, however, they were able to host the AFC Championship game after the Cinderella Colts knocked off the top seeded Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs. I know that, just like his long-time friend Bill Cowher, Marty Schottenheimer never met an AFC title game that he liked, but still, ’95 could have been a much different story had the Steeler traveled to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Chiefs for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

And, also, let’s not forget about Colts receiver Aaron Bailey. He had Jim Harbaugh’s Hail Mary pass sitting on his chest for a very brief second on the last play of the 1995 AFC Championship game. Had he been able to securely wrap his hands around that football, well, it would have made the 1992 NLCS loss by the Pirates seem like an exhibition game in-terms of heartbreak. Fortunately, we never got to find out.

Super Bowl XIV

The 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers captured their fourth Super Bowl in six seasons, but they may not have even made it to the game if instant replay had been in-place for the AFC Championship game against the Houston Oilers. Late in the third quarter, with the Steelers ahead, 17-10, the Oilers appeared to tie the score on a Dan Pastorini to Mike Renfro touchdown pass. I can see where the Oilers and their fans would be very upset with this call–it obviously was a touchdown–but in retrospect, seeing it at full speed, it’s easy to see where an official could have missed the call. If there had been instant replay, the call on the field would have more than likely been overturned. I guess we’ll never know. However, as Mean Joe Greene said, “give them the touchdown. We’ll still kick your butts.” A touchdown there would have only tied the game, and it’s easy for fans to talk in “absolutes” today and say that the Oilers would have gone to the Super Bowl. But even in a tie game, they still would have needed to score some more points, and Pittsburgh shut them out the rest of the way and won, 27-13.

As for the Super Bowl itself, the ’79 Steelers took on a Los Angeles Rams team that finished the regular season with a 9-7 record. When the playoffs began, the Dallas Cowboys were the number one seed in the NFC, and beings that they were the two-time defending NFC Champions, and winners of Super Bowl XII just two years earlier, they were the odds-on favorites to make it back to the Big Game for a third-straight-time. The Cowboys had met the Steelers in Super Bowl XIII just a year earlier, and that game could have easily gone in Dallas’ favor had a few plays gone the other way. Who knows what may have happened had there been a re-match. I know the Rams were one of the more consistent teams of the 70′s, and their 9-7 record was due mainly to some early season injuries and front-office unrest, but 9-7 is 9-7. Some have said that you could sort of see the Steelers dynasty eroding during Super Bowl XIV, and had the Cowboys been their opponents in that game, the history of the 70′s might look a lot different today. The fact that the Steelers missed the playoffs the following two seasons while the Cowboys made it to the next three NFC Championship games lends even more credence to that thought. I guess we’ll never know.

In conclusion, this isn’t to suggest that the Steelers have gotten as far as they have over the years simply by luck. Like Chuck Noll once said, “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” and the Steelers have been the most successful franchise in the NFL since 1972. When you make the playoffs as many times as the Steelers have over the last four decades, and when you can fill your roster with players named Greene, Lambert, Bradshaw, Harris, Woodson, Bettis, Harrison, Roethlisberger, Polamalu and Ward, well, you’re bound to get “lucky” more times than other teams.

Behind the Steel Curtain

While it can often take a number of weeks for a passport application to be completed, there are ways to expedite the request. If travelers apply for an emergency passport with a valid excuse, such processing time can be cut in half. The answer to the question “how quickly can I get a US passport” greatly depends on how quickly documentation is needed and for what reason.

Passports

Passports are federal documents that allow travel between countries. When someone possesses a passport they can freely enter any country depending upon that particular countries admittance policies. This is why passports are very important. There are different reasons to have a passport such as business or personal, but they an essential document none the less.

Available Help

Of course, while those with valid emergencies can often obtain a passport more quickly, unless one has a valid reason along with accurate and answers when filing for such emergency identification, the process can take longer. For, while such generally take less time to process, any incorrect or unclear answers on the forms are often red tagged. Of course, while this delay generally has nothing to do with the individual making the application, it can cause a severe delay in the process.

Reasons For Expediting

If those wishing to obtain documentation start the process as early as possible when planning a trip, the passport will have plenty of time to arrive. However, when going through traditional channels, it is important to note that it can often take between six and eight weeks to acquire a complete passport. In addition, applicants also need to assure that any passport photo one plans on using is in good condition and matches the identify of the individual as closely as possible and follows passport guidelines.

Time Frame

While wait times can vary based on information provided, those providing the most up to date information along with a valid reason for obtaining such documentation are often serviced quickly. Those who fail to complete such forms accurately have to correct the information before the process can continue.

Importance of Accuracy

In order to assure that the processing takes as little time as possible, it is imperative to answer all questions. There are many different passport assistance associations that can assist applicants online however; there will be a fee for this assistance in addition to any passport processing fees charged by the issuing government.

Speed Up The Process

The amount of wait time for processing such information is decreased when children’s pass port forms are submitted with accurate, complete answers. The most important aspect is that one is honest. Only then can you be assured the passport will be issued in a timely manner.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the NFL’s MVP. We pretty much knew that would be the case, but we didn’t know how much he’d win the award by. Let’s say it was a large margin.

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