BATTLE ROYAL SUPERBOWL XLV

Today is SuperBowl Sunday in America, of course, and today's lineup is HUGE. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers are two of the oldest franchises in the NFL, representing the heart & soul of the American industrial heartland. To our Commonwealth brethren I cannot emphasize enough just how significant today's Clash of Heroes will be:

Pittsburgh vs. Green Bay is like Manchester United vs. Birmingham. It's like my mighty, mighty Collingwood Magpies going up against the Carlton Blues . . .

. . . and watching it on the 19-inch black & white telly at my grandfather's place in St. Kilda. It's like the Canadiennes vs. the Maple Leafs pl;aying that stick-ball game they do on the ice up there in the Great White Frozen NorthLand. It's Wellington vs. Bonaparte; Patton vs. Rommel; Reagan vs. Carter (No - that's a bad analogy; Carter is a waffling, effete weirdo with serious loyalty issues - the Green Bay Packers are Heroic Warriors of the Ice Cold CheeseLand). In other words, this will be a BATTLE ROYAL of historic proportions.

I'm not a sports writer, I'm a soldier-philosopher, so I'll leave the in-depth analysis to an expert who had done a tremendous job:


TRADITION SET TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AT SUPER BOWL 2011
By James Varney, The Times-Picayune Sunday, February 06, 2011, 6:00 AM

DALLAS — Finally, something other than cold will grip Texas today, as Super Bowl 2011 features two of the most tradition-rich teams in football.

The Green Bay Packers hold a dozen NFL titles, the most of any franchise, and the half-dozen Super Bowls won by the Pittsburgh Steelers set them above all in that category.

The Steelers are the only NFL team that wears their logo on only one side of their helmets:

Yet the teams embody something about the league and the game that goes beyond their championships. Though both areas have moved beyond their hardscrabble history, they still evoke smokestacks, coal, and beer, a Midwest where the people are as famed for the friendliness as much as their football.

Each franchise earned its fame with grit, muscle and clouds of breath on cold afternoons — with a style that mirrored and pleased their fan base. The Packers will forever be stamped as a team that won on ice-crusted fields, and the Steelers’ glory days featured a rangy defense led by men with seemingly fewer teeth than hockey players.

Read the rest of it HERE

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has the highest postseason passer rating in NFL history, threw for 366 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in a methodical dismantling of the NFC's top-seeded Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round of the playoffs. (photo credit David J. Phillip/The Associated Press)


But who do you back when you're a thrice-transplanted Oakland Raiders fan?

Both teams are worthy and well-qualified . . . I like the Packers because of their traditions . . . but these days I live in Pennsylvania, and today the Heroic Pittsburgh Steelers stand to win an unprecedented SEVENTH Superbowl TITLE . . .

. . . today's STORMBRINGER BIRD reflects this sentiment . . .


. . . the Steelers are the team of America's greatest living philosopher Rush Limbaugh, they are the team of Hank Williams Jr, and most important of all, they are the team of TigerLily - a.k.a. MRS. STORMBRINGER so that pretty much decides the issue . . .


I'm not a sports writer although sometimes I wish I was - writing about football for a living would be FUN! Hell - PLAYING football for a living would be fun! Come to think of it, back when I got off the banana boat - if I only knew then what I know now; I did not know then that the NFL had a walk-on policy - if I had known that I would have had a GREAT career as a placekicker for the Oakland Raiders because everyone knows that NOBODY can kick a football farther than an Australian - ESPECIALLY if he's from Victoria.


Oh, and hey there Cheeseheads - there's something for you, too, over on the BABES OF STORMBRINGER side.

"Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant"

"Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you"

It's going to be just like this - the field is going to be LITTERED with bodies.

. . . SEAN LINNANE SENDS


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A FELLOW MELBURNIAN

Hi Sean,
I enjoy your blog, and check it out daily. How did you come to join the US military?





So, a Melbourne boy, huh? And a 'Pies supporter too. Definitely authentic, as nobody would make that up.








Blood is thicker than water.






I too am from Melbourne, variously Box Hill, Mount Martha and South Yarra. But happily in Perth these last 20 years. Yet still a Hawthorn supporter these past 40-odd years.










Anyway, my question is this: Why does the US military designate a 2LT with gold bars, but a 1LT with silver?










Second Lieutenant, United States













First Lieutenant, United States




Likewise, a major with the gold device, but a Lt Col with silver? You'd expect the reverse, eh?

Just curious.


Regards,

Greg


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Hello Greg,

Good to hear from a fellow Melbournian. Tell me was I exaggerating about the penguins? I swear I saw them swimming in the bay that one time.


The Natives are Friendly


I joined the US Army because I wanted to be a soldier, ever since I was a kid. I considered joining the Australian Army, but at the time they weren't going anywhere except the outback; I love Australia, but I wanted to see the world. I SERIOUSLY thought about joining the French Foreign Legion - all I had to do was make it to Tahiti, but the US military seemed like such a better deal.


Sean Linnane, STORMBRINGER


It turned out to be a good plan - I saw the world, I have enough adventures to fill ten lifetimes, and I retired from active duty into the most incredible professional network in the world.

As far as the bars and the oak leaves go - here's what I learned:

The present system of US officers’ grade insignia began on 18 June 1780 when it was prescribed that Major Generals would wear two stars and Brigadier Generals one star on each epaulette. In 1832, the Colonel’s eagle was initiated and in 1836, leaves were adopted for Lieutenant Colonels and Majors, while Captains received two bars and one bar was prescribed for First Lieutenant. Second Lieutenants did not receive the gold bar until December 1917.










Major, United States


In General Regulations of 1835, the leaf was first introduced to designate Lieutenant Colonels and Majors. It stated that it was embroidered on the shoulder straps of the frock coat, one at each end, each leaf extending 7/8 of an inch from the end of the border of the strap. The color for Lieutenant Colonels was to be the same color as the border. At this time, Infantry Lieutenant Colonels had a silver border and other Lieutenant Colonels had a gold border. For Majors, it was stipulated that the insignia would be the same design as the Lieutenant Colonel except the leaves would be silver where the border was gold and the insignia would be gold if the border was silver. This policy resulted in the use of both gold and silver leaves for both ranks.










Lieutenant Colonel, United States


In 1851, the border of all shoulder straps was changed to gold. As a result, the leaf for Lieutenant Colonel became silver and for Major it was gold for wear on the shoulder straps.

I don't know about the reasoning behind the silver insignia for First Lieutenants, and gold for Second Lieutenants.

You'd expect the reverse - what can I say? That's officers for you.

Thanks for reading STORMBRINGER, and thank you for your support.

- Sean L.


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Onya Sean! And you're right, that's officers for you.

Happy landings,

Greg

THE MIGHTY PIES . . .

. . . are fixin' to ARRIVE!



SEASON OPENER
March 29 v Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.



LOOK OUT.



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