EDITORIAL - Asides for August 30, 2009
JUAN PONCE DE LEON never did find the Fountain of Youth, but Dick LeBeau evidently has. The Steelers' defensive coordinator, who will turn 72 on Sept. 9, has been in the National Football League for 50 years, 14 years as a player and 36 years as a coach. Last week, this extraordinary record was recognized by his nomination as one of two senior candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Every Steelers fan knows the wonders he has worked since coming to Pittsburgh for the 2004 season, but he also had a great career as a player for the Detroit Lions. His 171 consecutive games for a cornerback remain an NFL record and his 62 career interceptions are tied for seventh all time. He appeared in three Pro Bowls. This oldie but goodie deserves to be in the hall, and Pittsburghers hope the voters will agree when it comes time to cast ballots at Super Bowl XLIV.
AS TV EDITOR Rob Owen reported, Pittsburghers watch a lot of television, a surprising distinction for a city that prides itself on vibrant neighborhoods. How vibrant can communities be if many residents are inside watching the box? Yet according to Nielsen Co. research, Pittsburgh ranks fifth in the nation's Top 50 markets in prime-time viewing. On average, more than 70 percent of the 1.1 million homes in the Pittsburgh market were using television each quarter-hour of prime time during the 2008-09 season. Wednesday's story asks why and several theories surfaced -- we are an older region and older people watch more TV, or our viewing patterns are a legacy of shift work in the mills. Perhaps there's another explanation: People are eager for more glimpses of the Steelers and the ageless Dick LeBeau.
POINT STATE PARK'S fountain isn't as old as Dick LeBeau -- it was dedicated in 1974 -- and it isn't a Fountain of Youth. In fact, it's showing its age so much that it hasn't gushed for almost a year because of piping, pump and electrical problems that will cost $5.5 million to fix. The good news is stopgap repairs will be made to get the fountain to shoot its iconic plume of water for the free concert to mark the Steelers' season opener at Heinz Field on Sept. 10 and at selected times during the G-20 summit on Sept. 24-25. The $4,000 cost will be paid for by Alcoa, which is also supplying engineering help for the temporary fix. Although this won't solve the long-term problem, the return of the fountain to operation even briefly will be a welcome sight.