Starting Over

By Mike Batista

I can't listen to "Black and Yellow" anymore. It hurts too much.

The Steelers' loss to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV is like a painful breakup. And Wiz Khalifa's tune, adopted as an unofficial Steelers anthem during this thrilling season, reminds me of the good times that have come to an end.

After the 2009 season, it was easy to look forward to 2010 because the Steelers didn't even make the playoffs. But it's not so easy to look ahead to 2011, even if there is a season.

This is the first time since 2007 the Steelers have made the playoffs and lost.

When this happens, I think about how far they've come, and how they have to start over again.

The Steelers' 3-1 start without Ben Roethlisberger seemed like a huge accomplishment at the time, but from the vantage point of the Super Bowl, it doesn't seem like a whole lot.

The Steelers might have taken control of the AFC North with their win in Baltimore. But after playing in the Super Bowl, the AFC North seems like baby stuff.

Such regular-season highlights are like people on the ground when you're looking down from the side of a mountain. They look like they're the size of ants.

The Steelers almost made it to the top of that mountain. Now the climb has to start all over again.