Trip of the Week: Pittsburgh

Trip of the Week – 10/23/09 - Pittsburgh

Friday – Florida Panthers @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 7:30pm

Saturday – South Florida Bulls @ Pittsburgh Panthers – 12:00pm

Sunday – Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers – 1:00pm

Head over to the Steel City for this weekends Trip of the Week.  Known by many as the “City of Champions” because it is the home of both the reigning Stanley Cup and Super Bowl Champions both play down the street from eachother.  You will get to see both these teams in action and another Champion Contender, the Pittsburgh Panthers.  Enjoy!

Friday – Florida Panthers @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 7:30pm

Our first stop on the trip of the week takes us to Mellon Arena, formally Civic Arena, to see the defending Stanley Cup Champions take on the Florida Panthers.  As of 2009, Mellon Arena is the oldest and lowest capacity arena in the NHL by official capacity.  Still, when packed this arena is known to be one of the loudest and wildest in the NHL.

Before the game, head over to Souper Bowl Restaurant.  The Scene – Appropriate that a '70s-era bar be named after the greatest decade of Pittsburgh sports. The Souper Bowl is what it is: A smokey, dark meeting place to grab an Iron before a game

. Its location across from the Chatham Center parking lot is perfect rendezvous point.  The Food – Fried food starters and sandwiches are the specialty of the house. All meals are nicely priced with the most expensive item being chicken parm with a salad for $6.50. Wings are tossed in a tasty, not flaming.

Saturday – South Florida Bulls @ Pittsburgh Panthers – 12:00pm

  On Saturday, head over to Heinz Field where the Pittsburgh Panthers host the South Florida Bulls.  Pittsburgh has only one loss and could compete for the Big East title and a shot at a BCS bowl game in January.  In order to do this, they must beat the one loss South Florida Bulls, coming off a tough loss at home to #8 Cincinnati.  You may be confused to hear that the Panthers play at Heinz field, but  the Panthers share Heinz Field with the Steelers even when they share a week of home games.  This could be a good thing as there is much to do around Heinz Field. 

Heinz Field, opened in 2001, is filled with much to see.  Start off at the two-storied Coca-Cola Great Hall, located by the east entrance.  This spot is the centerpiece and a great gathering spot at Heinz Field.   In addition to pregame and postgame entertainment, with TVs and concessions galore, the Coca-Cola Great Hall features six, huge Lombardi Trophy column displays devoted to the team's like-numbered Super Bowl titles, along with replicas of each trophy. There are a dozen graphic murals displaying Steelers, Pitt Panthers and other regional football history, complete with videos and music. Be sure to check out the seven interactive displays that feature trivia and other memorabilia. The stadium also has two, giant faux Heinz ketchup bottles atop the Jumbotron scoreboard that tip and pour ketchup on the screen when the Steelers reach the Red Zone. (If the Heinz Ketchup bottles were filled with ketchup, they would contain 1,664,000 fluid ounces each, enough, if emptied, to cover the entire football field three-quarters of an inch deep.) Heinz Field also has been dubbed The Mustard Palace by locals because of its yellow seats.

Start your day by getting to the Panthers game early and heading over to Jerome Bettis Grill 36.  Jerome Bettis Grill 36 is a food focused sports-themed restaurant.  It is the perfect spot before and after games as it is highlighted by over 50 HD Plasma and LCD tv’s, that show up to 12 separate sporting events at once.  Their dynamic, diverse menu provices a choice of appetizers, cooked burgers, sandwiches, salads and specialties such as pastas, steaks and seafood.  On gamedays, they live the college tradition and open up at 8:00am with kegs and eggs (breakfast and beer) and is the perfect spot to hit before a game.

After you get in there at 8:00,and gobble a few beers and eggs, check out the tailgate scene for a few hours before heading into the stadium. 

EXTRA NOTE: If the Pittsburgh game isn’t enough for you, at 7:30 the Penguins host the NJ Devils down the street.  If you can’t get enough sports, head over there!

 Sunday – Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers – 1:00pm

End the trip with another defending champion, the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Watch Big Ben Rothlisburger and Hines Ward host the undefeated Minnesota Vikings led by the infamous Brett Favre and the unbelievable Adrian Peterson.  This should be one of the best games of the week if not the season.  Enjoy the different atmosphere for your second trip to Hines Field and see why Pittsburgh is known as one of the best home field advantages in the NFL. 

Not much different to do for the Steelers game, head out early and try to get into Jerome Bettis Grill 36.  If it somehow didn’t fit your fancy (or you want to try something else) head over to Peppi’s Sandwich Shop.

Peppi’s is a bustling sandwich shop serves loyal patrons an assortment of large sandwiches, including hoagies, cheese steaks and more.  Known to the locals as a place with some of the best burgers and cheese steaks and is known for its super large portions.  Try the Rothleis-burger, a massive burger with a fried egg on it, and see how far you can get. 

Other Things to do in Pittsburgh

-Carnegie Museum of Art

-The Strip District

-John Heinz History Center

-Tour PNC Park

Weather

Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
53º - 72ºF Rain: 20%	53º - 65ºF Rain: 50%	41º - 56ºF Rain: 40%	37º - 45ºF Rain: 20%