In Pittsburgh, You're Born a Steelers Fan

It's certainly not indoctrination. The simple fact of life is, if you're born in proximity to Pittsburgh, you just are a Steelers fan.

That's why a hospital in Mt. Lebanon, 11 miles from the Steelers home field, is wrapping newborns up in Terrible Towels this week.

The famous yellow symbol was created in 1975 by famed radio broadcaster Myron Cope. And it's been a staple ever since, wherever the Steelers go.

St. Clair Hospital is helping their pint-sized Steeler fans get into the spirit of Pittsburgh playing in Super Bowl XLV. The hospital staff is continuing its tradition started in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIII (2008) to wrap babies up in black and gold.

Black and gold is a birthright for babies of the "Burgh," even if you don't get wrapped up in a Terrible Towel.

“They’re born Steelers fans here in Pittsburgh,” Sharon Johnson, clinical supervisor at the hospital’s Family Birth Center told Chartiers Valley Patch.

That's just the way it is. I can't really explain it, although I've theorized there's sometime in the water. I've been a Steelers since birth, even though my parents were transplants to the Steel City and happen to root for a rival team.

Disclaimer: It doesn't appear that newborns in Wisconsin will get mini cheeseheads this week.

UPDATE Thursday, Feb. 3: They don't sell mini cheeseheads, but hospital workers in Green Bay can make them. However, I still don't think they are as cute as those tiny Steeler fans.

The Most Talked About Knee in America (since Tom Brady's)

Chicago is a tough sports town, and football is one of the most physically grueling games.

That's why even before the NFC Championship game had ended, the criticism was mounting for Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler.

Cutler was on the bench with an injured knee, looking his usual morose self.

Rushing to judgement a glut of analysts and players started to question Cutler. Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew tweeted, "He can finish the game on a hurt knee. I played the whole season on one" and "Hey I think the urban meyer rule is effect right now ... When the going gets tough........QUIT."

Former NFL star Deion Sanders said "I never question a player's injury but I do question a player's heart."

In all honesty, I too was wondering whether Cutler had just quit. We got an answer today.

In what's been the most discussed knee injury since New England QB Tom Brady went down, Cutler was sidelined for the second half of the Bears biggest game of the year for a Grade II MCL sprain, which would probably sideline a player 3-4 weeks during the regular season.

I don't quite understand all the heat Cutler's been taking for not being "tough" enough.

He plays football with Type I diabetes, and this year started in 17 of 18 games behind a porous offensive line which allowed him to get sacked an NFL worst 52 times. While that doesn't elude toughness like playing with a dislocated elbow, you can't be soft and make it through 50 sacks.

Sure, Cutler doesn't have a cuddly personality and the perception of the body language on Sunday came across that he didn't give care. But when has Jay Cutler ever been called one the games great leaders?

The only thing I've heard is he's a great talent, a guy with all the right physical tools.

You can't play a game at such a high level and just go through the motions. Cutler cared, he just didn't show it and never really has.

Hopefully, he can learn (and mature) from going through the ringer of a ridiculous media cycle.

Then maybe tomorrow the people of Chicago can start asking some real questions about the Bears, like what was coach Lovie Smith thinking when he called an end-around for a wide out not named Devin Hester, during the potential game-tying drive?

A day at the Hope Classic

It's one of the most unique events on the PGA Tour. The Bob Hope Classic is the first stop in the lower 48 every year and it is the only tournament to play 90 holes.

What really makes the Bob Hope unique is that amateurs pay money for charity to play with the pros. The format gets up close access to tour pros and celebrities.

Prime examples: "Dr. J" Julius Erving walked within feet of me on the way to the 12th green; and I was about runoff the road by Rays 3rd baseman Evan Longoria crusin' in his golf cart.

My favorite moments from the day, watching actor Kurt Russell skip a tee-shot off the water and give the cliche that sometimes it's "better to be lucky than good."

And getting a mini-show from comedian Tom Dreesen, who told several jokes including ... in 1870s baseball players were mandated to wear cups. In 1970s, players were mandated to wear helmets. "It took men 100 years to figure out the brain is important too."

Despite walking around the most scenic golf course in the Coachella Valley and seeing a family of bighorn sheep grazing on a fairway, the PGA Tour event felt antiquated.

I guess that's partly the point. Golf is a game of tradition and dates back long before cell phones and cameras where even dreamt up. But I hardly saw anyone under the age of 30 at today's event. That spells trouble.

I don't have any ideas right now, but the PGA clearly needs to start developing the next generation of fans.

Oregon's New Court Gets Lost in the Woods

Go behind the scenes of the new Matthew Knight Arena.

The University of Oregon should probably just renamed itself Nike U.

Nike's co-founder Phil Knight was a Duck. Thanks to his riches they have the most unique football uniforms in the country and can now lay claim the most unique basketball court in the college ranks.

Kilkenny Floor, named after long-time UO athletics supporter Pat Kilkenny, is framed by a forest of trees inspired by the Pacific Northwest's landscape and the Ducks 1939 national title team nicknamed "The Tall Firs."

Nike's always pushing the design envelope and rather than making the court bright yellow, the symbolism stands out.

Why the court will be recognizable on any TV set, I think there's one issue. Of the few highlights I saw from the Ducks home opener, a 68-62 victory over USC, I couldn't focus on the plays. My eyes were memorized by the court.

The Ducks slogan in the center of the court, "Deep in the Woods," is meant to intimidate opposing teams.

Rather I think they'll get "lost in the woods" playing on those tall firs. That's really the point, creating an unbeatable home court advantage.

'Best damn' Legos in the land

There are some things that are just too cool not to pass along.

Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, and more people seem to hate The Ohio State Buckeyes, what Paul Janssen has created is amazing.

The associate professor in OSU's Physiology and Cell Biology Department recently finished a multi-year project building a replica of the Buckeyes' famed Ohio Stadium with Legos.

Janssen's "Horseshoe" is built at a scale of 1:120, which took him two years to build, and even more to plan. He's now getting some national press for his creation, talking to NPR's Robert Siegel on All Things Considered.

See more of the results of this project in the full photo gallery by The Columbus Dispatch.