Dateline (Pittsburgh) AP: In an unprecedented move in the NFL, Steelers Owner Dan Rooney today announced that the Steelers would forfeit their upcoming game this Sunday in the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots. Rooney cited numerous reasons for his team giving up, chief among them was his concern for the continued health of his players in a match up that he concluded the Steelers had no chance in winning. Rooney stated, “Everyone knows that the Patriots would have beaten the Steelers this week. Their coach is a genius. Their quarterback has never lost a playoff game. Their defense held the greatest offense ever to a Field Goal last week. Plus they have Corry Dillon this week. (Dillon did not play in the Patriots-Steelers first encounter earlier this year, a 34-20 Steeler victory.) I could not look at myself in the mirror if I put my team on the field and risk them having any type of injuries in a game that would have already been predetermined. They have families and careers to consider.”
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Coach Bill Cowher, summed up the Steelers sentiments best. “When I look across the playing field, I cannot help but be in awe of Coach Belichek. I joked around earlier this week with the coaching staff, its as if God is calling the plays and preparing the schemes on the other side.” Cowher suddenly became more serious. “I mean it. Everything that we try to do, Belichek has an answer for it. He knows what we are going to do before even we know what we are going to do. From an organizational standpoint, from the players, the coaching staff, the front office, and from the ownership, we recognize that we had absolutely no chance against the Patriots. Mr. Rooney has given the players a gift, sparing them possible injury, the coaching staff a gift, saving us the humiliation of losing another AFC championship, and the whole city of Pittsburgh a gift, avoiding the embarrassment and loss of civic pride that goes with such a defeat.” When asked to reconcile his winning record against Coach Belichek throughout his career and an earlier victory this year with his current thoughts about the coach, Cowher appeared briefly stumped then quickly interjected, “You know , Correy Dillon would have played against us. Thank God we will not have to live through that.”
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The Sports World has met this shocking turn of events with nothing less than absolute approval. Experts ranging from Hall of Fame Quarterback turned broadcaster Joe Theismann, to ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen, Len Pasquerelli, Sean Salsbury, to CBS analyst Boomer Esiason have all applauded the Steelers decision, noting that the Steelers should not be ashamed for being second best. All noted, that the Patriots are an unstoppable dynasty and Belichek is the greatest leader ever to lead a bunch of young men in sports or for that matter in anything, even greater than even such historical luminaries as Alexander the Great, Napolean and Vince Lombardi.
Paul Tagliubue, is expected later today to cancel the Eagels-Falcons NFC Championship and declare the Patriots the Super Bowl XXXIX champions. Also, preliminary discussions are under way to anoint the Patriots as Super Bowl XL and XLI champions as well and to immediately admit Belichek, Brady, Bruschhi, Dillon, Law, Seymour, Gay, Faulk, Branch, Givens, Brown and Fauria into the Hall of Fame.
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