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'Home is where the heart is'
Sunday, December 17, 2000 By Bill Heltzel, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
"I know the goal posts are going down," said Sgt. Sean Duffy, as he scanned Three Rivers Stadium from his 4th level command post.
"When you're up against 60,000 people, there's only so much you can do."
Stadium staff and city police were on high alert yesterday, in expectation of a new generation of memorabilia collectors laying claim to pieces of Pittsburgh sports history. Remnants of Three Rivers would make fine additions to mantles already featuring relics from Forbes Field and Pitt Stadium in Pittsburgh's basement sports shrines.
But at the end, the goal posts stood and most of the seats remained.
At least 40 Pittsburgh police officers were assigned to the game, and just in case the crowd got out of hand, they came equipped with riot helmets and gas masks. A dozen mounties from the county and city were prepared to deal with anyone who got onto the field after the game. Six two-officer tactical response units were available.
The stadium's own security staff was conspicuous at every ramp and entrance, and from the 4th level command post two supervisors focused binoculars on the crowd and deployed "event staff" as needed.
"The combination of this being the last game, plus alcohol, there are going to be problems," Duffy said. "But the odds of getting a seat out of here are slim or none."
But the fans were tame. Police broke up three fights, ejected five people, and made no arrests.
"It was a little less than expected," said Lt. Mike Scott. "It was pretty uneventful."
Six people were taken to hospitals, and in all, paramedics treated 21 people for falls, illnesses, intoxication and assaults. That compares to an average of six to 10 patients at most games.
Two of the more serious injuries were to bystanders who were pushed around by men fighting. After the game, a man fell 25 feet from a exit ramp and injured his head and spine.
The expectation was that most of the trouble would occur after the game. Midway through the fourth quarter, police began moving toward the field. With three and a half minutes remaining, about 60 security staff -- one for every thousand fans -- ringed the turf.
During the break for the two-minute warning, mounted officers entered the field. The announcer pleaded "that you respect Three Rivers Stadium property as you leave the stadium today."
"There was a playoff atmosphere on the field," said EMS District Chief Ron Romano. "People were in high gear."
The sense of a special moment was palpable, but whether the crowd would turn sentimental or violent was uncertain. When the Steelers challenged an official's call, and lost the decision, the crowd booed and souvenir seat cushions rained down on the field.
But on the final play, a thousand flashbulbs went off simultaneously to capture the moment. The momentum had shifted, and the post-game celebration of Three Rivers' highlights seemed to further blunt whatever rowdyism was left.
Here and there, a few seats were dismantled, but security staff stationed outside were on the lookout for the hard-to-hide objects. More easily concealed, though of considerably less value, were the Mens Room and Womens Room signs that seemed to be a popular prize.
And for diehard fans who thronged along the railing at the sidelines, there was a special treat. Announcers Myron Cope and Bill Hillgrove introduced Steelers from past teams, as well as the current team, and the sports heroes congregated in the middle of the field. Then they went to the Steelers' sideline and began circling the stadium, reaching out and touching their fans at the railings.
The diehards did not get their pieces of turf or other tangible artifacts. Instead, they got the stuff of lasting memories.
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