Long-awaited parade
Some fans waited 26 years for this Super Bowl celebratory parade. Others were too young to remember the Pittsburgh Steelers’ last championship. Some weren’t even born.
It didn’t matter Tuesday as fans of all ages jammed a mile-long parade route – 10 or more people deep in many spots – to thank the team for securing the long-sought fifth Super Bowl win.
Sixty-seven-year-old Evelyne Potts recalled being downtown for the last victory parade when her sons were both in elementary school. She said she wasn’t going to miss this one.
“I wanted to be part of history,” she said.
The players loved the fans back. Safety Troy Polamalu twice dove from atop a pickup truck into the cheering crowd.
“Thank you guys so much. This has been a dream come true for all of us,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.
Wide receiver Hines Ward told the crowd the championship was for them. “This is where the championship truly belongs, in the city of Pittsburgh,” he said.
The Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Detroit on Sunday in the team’s first Super Bowl win since 1980.
Alexander sprained foot
Turns out dropped passes, penalties and disputed officials’ calls weren’t the only things going against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
League MVP Shaun Alexander revealed he sprained his right foot during the Seahawks’ loss to Pittsburgh.
“I didn’t even know it happened, but it swelled up,” he said, hours before he and six teammates flew to Hawaii to play in this weekend’s Pro Bowl.
Alexander said he will get treatment in Hawaii before deciding whether to play on the swollen foot. He got hurt while rushing 20 times for 95 yards.
Raiders eye Whisenhunt
Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was set to interview for the Oakland Raiders’ coaching vacancy today.
Whisenhunt was planning to fly to the Bay Area and become the fourth person to interview formally with owner Al Davis for the job to replace the fired Norv Turner.
Oakland has been without a head coach for more than a month since Turner was fired Jan. 3, giving a new coach little time to hire a staff and set his off-season priorities before the scouting combine begins Feb. 22.
Around the league
Nevada’s legal sports books made money on Super Bowl bets as gamblers set a record of $94.5 million in wagers. … New Orleans hired four assistants to work under new coach Sean Payton – Pete Carmichael Jr. (quarterbacks), Tom Hayes (defensive backs), Curtis Johnson (wide receivers) and Terry Malone (tight ends). Johnson was a former wide receiver and receivers coach at the University of Idaho. … Free-agent QB Doug Johnson signed a one-year contract with Cincinnati. … Tennessee QB Steve McNair was added to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for Denver’s Jake Plummer, who is injured. … Terry Bradway stepped down as general manager of the New York Jets. Assistant GM Mike Tannenbaum takes over for Bradway, who will stay with the team as a consultant. … Jim Plunkett‘s son was arrested on sexual assault charges and accused of choking a woman in the Atherton, Calif., home of the former star QB. James Plunkett Jr., 22, was arrested Saturday, two days after the alleged attack occurred, on suspicion of assault with intent to rape and inflicting injury.