Celebrate the Launch of D23 this Weekend!

Your favorite walk is down Main Street, U.S.A., and your heart skips a beat at the sight of the world's most beloved mouse. You know the lyrics to every Disney song, and one of your favorite pastimes is wishing upon a star. You're a fan of all things Disney, and up until now you've had no official community to share your passion for Disney, to celebrate timeless Disney stories and traditions with other fans. That all changed today at The Walt Disney Company's Annual Shareholder Meeting in Oakland, California, when Disney President and CEO Bob Iger officially launched D23, the first official community for Disney fans.

Named in honor of the year 1923, when Walt left Kansas City, headed for Hollywood and founded what would become the Disney Studios, D23 gives Disney fans VIP access to all things Disney through a brand-new website; Disney twenty-three, the club's beautiful quarterly magazine; and, in perhaps the most exciting news of all, the D23 Expo, a Disney fan mega event to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center this fall!

Dave Pacheco Product Release & Signing Celebrating the Launch of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans

Special Guest: Disney Master Artist, Dave Pacheco
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Location: Disneyana Shop, Main Street, U.S.A.

Disney Master Artist Dave Pacheco will be on hand for a very special appearance and signing on Saturday, March 14, 2009. Dave will sign a selection of artwork, a t-shirt and a pin featuring some of Disney's most beloved characters, which he created for D23's stunning new advertising campaign. D23 - Disney's first official community for fans - celebrates the wonder and excitement that begin in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his studio in Hollywood.

The following items will be available as part of the product release & signing:

Deluxe Prints with D23 matte

Bandleader Mickey Deluxe Print - $40.00 (Dimensions: 14"x18")
Jiminy Cricket Deluxe Print - $40.00 (Dimensions: 14"x18")
Tinker Bell Deluxe Print - $40.00 (Dimensions: 14" x 18")

T-shirt
"Made For Me and You" T-shirt - $24.95

Pin
Bandleader Mickey Pin - $12.95 (Limit TWO (2) per Guest)
(Specially created to celebrate the launch of D23. See Wristband Guidelines Below. Available while supplies last.)

D23 Membership Exclusive Charter Member Certificate Custom Matte & Frame - $89.95 $89.95
See Cast Member for Details

D23 Disney Twenty Three Magazine Premiere Issue - $15.95

Special Preview

This weekend, guests will have the opportunity to preview a prototype of the Walt Disney Classics Collection sculpture of Walt Disney with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit ("True Originals").

Sculpted by renowned Disney artist Ruben Procopio, "True Originals" is plussed with pewter ears and presented on custom hardwood base with inlaid porcelain plaque commemorating "Walt Disney and Oswald'' in a vintage art font (the sculpture can be removed from base).

400 of the General Limited Edition will be produced with an exclusive Walt Disney Archives Collection/D23 backstamp.

You do not need to be a member of D23 to attend this event. For more information regarding D23, please visit Disney.com/23.

Below is a video ad for Disney’s new Official Community for Fans D23 (courtesy of YouTube.com). If features clips from Disney movies plus Disney Cast Members and Guests talking about some of the greatest Disney moments in their lives.



Wristband guidelines are as follows:

Wristbands will be distributed entitling bearers to the opportunity to purchase the D23 pin released in association with the product release and signing. Wristbands for pin will be distributed near the West Esplanade Guest Information Kiosk one hour prior to park opening until one hour past the opening of Disneyland® park. Wristbands will then be available at the location until 12 Noon or while supplies last. In addition, holding a place in line for others in your party will not be allowed. Guests who wish to obtain a wristband to purchase a pin must be present when the line forms or they will be escorted to the back of the line. We ask that you do not queue up prior to 6 a.m. Wristbands will be valid for the purchase of the pin at the designated merchandise location until 1:00 P.M. on the day of distribution. Wristbands are limited. At 1:00 P.M. any remaining pins will be available for purchase at the designated merchandise location by persons who have not previously purchased the pin on the day of release. Theme park admission required. Lost, stolen or damaged wristbands will not be replaced. Wristbands have no cash value. Restrictions apply. Subject to change without notice.

Merchandise available while supplies last. A limited number of pieces will be available on the day of the event. We ask that only two (2) items be signed per Guest. We ask that you bring no personal items to be signed. Event merchandise must be purchased on the day of release at the event location. Valid Disneyland® Resort receipt may be required. Artist signing is subject to space and time availability and is not guaranteed. Artist will only sign their respective merchandise purchased on the day of the event only. Event information subject to change without notice. Separate admission is required to enter Disneyland® Resort theme parks.

All Sewn Up!: Dry Retirement of the Dress Mannequin from Cinderella

Honored today (03-09-09) as a dry retirement is the Dress Mannequin from Cinderella.

The Dress Mannequin made its WDCC debut in February, 2005 (the 55th Anniversary) as an Open Edition release with Cinderella ("Oh, Thank You So Much!), Lucifer ("Catnap Interrupted") and Mice in Sewing Basket ("Surprise!"). The Dress Mannequin includes Cinderella's Sewing Book as part of the sculpture. In February 2006, Gus & Jaq ("Tiny Tailors") was released as a companion piece to Lucifer.

This is the second sculpture from that scene release to be retired. The Mice in Sewing Basket were retired in August, 2007. Cinderella was sculpted by Rafaello Vecchione; the Dress Mannequin, Lucifer and the Mice in Sewing Basket was sculpted by Chris Peterson and the Gus & Jaq miniature was sculpted by Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales.

A dry retirement means that there is no longer product in the warehouse. Please check with your authorized dealer for availability.

Review: Hawaiian Holiday

The most anticipated release for me for First Quarter 2009 was the scene release from Hawaiian Holiday (1937). The set finally arrived this past week and I couldn't be any more happier.

Hawaiian Holiday is one of those rare occassions when all of Disney’s Fab Five shared the screen in the same cartoon short. The gang is on vacation. The Mice have little to do with the plot but Donald's hula (Donald learns why you don't wear a grass skirt near a fire), Goofy's attempts at surfing (Goofy has some surfing problems) and Pluto's encounters with a starfish & crab (Pluto and a starfish have a tiff, followed by an encounter with a hermit crab) are very enjoyable.

This short translated perfectly into 3D. Each character is perfect sculpted! It's really hard to pick a favorite. Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales did an amazing job in bringing this short to life. The coloring and plussing (at least for me) is very reminiscent of the Snow White Dancing Scene (released between November 1994 and August 1995), which featured Snow and the Seven Dwarfs. Ironically, both films were released in 1937.

I specifically like the coloring used for Mickey and Minnie's face and the way it was applied, a soft flesh-tone coloring with a slight hint of blush near the corners of each of their mouths. The pose chosen for each compliment one another very well and displaying Minnie at a slight angle (vs. straight on as in the official images provided), she interacts more with the sculpture of Mickey and gives a more realistic feel of her doing the hula to the strings of his guitar. These two could have held their own released as a boxed set if so desired.

The Donald sculpture not only gives us the character of Donald but the added bonus of having him sitting in the boat (giving the scene some depth) plus two additional characters, the crab and starfish (could these be the same two that Pluto encountered?). Like Doc in the Snow White Dancing Scene, both Donald's ukulele and Mickey's guitar are plussed with brass strings. They could have cheated and painted the strings in a darker coloring but plussing such as this, is what sets WDCC apart from other collectibles. The body of the crab (except for his two front legs) is made of pewter.

Goofy rounds out the scene in his retro bathing suit holding his classic long board. This is my favorite Goofy released to date. Goofy is plussed with nylon hair and the surf board is made of resin. Hopefully we'll see this scene completed with the future release of Pluto and an Opening Title. This is my favorite scene to date of any combination of the Fab Five characters. It's a feel good/put a smile on your face scene and one that was worth the wait in seeing done!

For your viewing pleasure (courtesy of YouTube.com) is the animated short Hawaiian Holiday (1937):



Hawaiian Holiday ©Disney

Fab 5 Go Hawaiian Giclee

Collectors Editions has released a giclee that I'm very excited about - Fab 5 Go Hawaiian from Disney's animated short, Hawaiian Holiday (1937) featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and Pluto. I think the pairing of this giclee with the recently released Hawaiian Holiday Scene from the Walt Disney Classics Collection would make an awesome grouping!

Upon my first visit to the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World, as I approached the elevator in the lobby, my eye immediately went to a hand-painted cel of Mickey and Minnie from this short. I was unfamiliar with the Disney shorts at that time, so did some research upon returning home to find this short not only contained Mickey and Minnie but the rest of the Fab Five as well. I had always hoped WDCC would release a scene from this short (still keeping fingers crossed we see Pluto to complete the scene in the near future), so you can imagine how excited I was with the 2009 First Quarter announcements :) If that wasn't aware, this year Collectors Edition also announced something from this short as well. Does it get any better than this??

I didn't waste any time in ordering this giclee. Mine is from the general edition size of 95 and referred to as a B.A.T. (Thanks Very Much Michael!!) which means Bon a Tirer. Here an “official” definition of B.A.T. (French of course…):

When the artist is satisfied with the graphic from the finished plate, he works with his printer to pull one perfect graphic and it is marked "Bon a Tirer," meaning "good to pull." The printer then compares each graphic in the edition with the BAT before submitting the graphic to the artist for approval and signature.

There are in fact two editions of this image that were done, and the following details should help to disseminate between the two:

Animation Art Limited Edition

Collectors Editions premiered this painting and limited edition at Animation Art Limited event in Schaumburg, IL during a VIP Trevor Carlton event on December 5, 2008. This edition is limited to 30 and measures 15" X 25-1/2". The original painting was sold at this event and fully disclosed to all in attendance that the 30 piece edition was the debut and unique to Animation Art Limited. Additionally, it was announced that a general edition of this painting would be released as part of the first Disney Fine Art releases in 2009.

2009 Winter Disney Fine Art General Release

This limited edition has a general edition size of 95 and measures 22" X 35".

About the Artist

Monte Trevor Carlton was born in 1972 in Olympia, Washington State. Although he took up painting in high school, the first artistic passion that Trevor embraced was acting. He decided to forgo an art scholarship in favor of attending a dramatic arts scholarship at Skagit Valley College.

Trevor next attended the Lee Strasberg Acting Workshop. The following year he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Amidst the chaos of auditions and callbacks, Trevor paid the bills by working in a custom furniture store, specializing in antiquing and faux finish designs.

It was here that a style was born. Using reclaimed lumber as his "canvas", he started painting images of vintage Americana with subjects ranging from pop icon celebrity to the hey day of jazz.

After numerous gallery shows in Los Angeles and private commissions he has now combined his unique style to that most American of symbols, MICKEY MOUSE. Along with a series of classic lobby card paintings, he has also created a performance piece that has him painting a large canvas of our favorite Disney characters in a matter of minutes.

“I want people to imagine they found my artwork in some old run down movie theater basement. Unpreserved and forgotten, an antique bearing the nostalgia and character that only time can bring.” ~ Trevor Carlton

Space Suit Figment Signing Event Update!

Disneygallery.com has updated their website with more information regarding the upcoming release of Space Suit Figment!

Event: Space Suit Figment: Journey Into Imagination, from Walt Disney Classics Collection
Special Guest: Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales
Event Date: Saturday, April 25, 2009
Event Times: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Event Location: Art of Disney, Epcot®

Product Information

Sculpted by Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales, Space Suit Figment: Journey Into Imagination is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750 that captures all the star-searching playfulness of Figment as he hitches a ride in outer space, just as in the attraction. Hand-crafted of fine porcelain, Figment features a hand-made glass portion on his helmet with kiln-fired metallic paint on his space suit. Figment stands 6 1/2" high and retails for $140.00 US.

Event Information

On Saturday, April 25, Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales (pictured at left), who will be on hand for a special appearance and signing the newest Disney Theme Park Exclusive sculpture from Walt Disney Classics Collection, Space Suit Figment: Journey Into Imagination. Jacqueline will be appearing at the Art of Disney, in Epcot® from 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For a complete listing of Jacqueline's Walt Disney Classics Collection releases and her bio, please visit her Sculptor Listing page.

Pre-Order Opportunity

A limited number will be available for pre-order. To pre-order, please contact Walt Disney Event Services at (407) 827-7600. Walt Disney Event Services is open Monday–Friday from 9:00am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm – 5:00pm.

Guests may only purchase up to two (2) Space Suit Figments. All orders will be processed and charged on Friday, April 24th. Please allow 2-4 weeks for shipping.

All pre-ordered sculptures will be signed by Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales.

Happy Mardi Gras aka Fat Tuesday!

The terms "Mardi Gras" (mär`dē grä) and "Mardi Gras season", refer to events of the carnival celebrations, ending on the day before Ash Wednesday. From the French term "Mardi Gras" (literally "Fat Tuesday"), the term has come to mean the whole period of activity related to those events, beyond just the single day, often called Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday.

The time period varies from city to city, as some traditions consider Mardi Gras as the Carnival period between Epiphany or Twelfth Night and Ash Wednesday. Others treat the final three-day period as being Mardi Gras. In Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras events begin in November, followed by mystic society balls on Thanksgiving, then New Year's Eve, formerly with parades on New Year's Day, followed by parades and balls in January & February, celebrating up to midnight before Ash Wednesday.

Other cities most famous for their Mardi Gras celebrations include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and New Orleans, Louisiana. Many other places have important Mardi Gras celebrations as well. Carnival is an important celebration in most of Europe, except in Ireland and the United Kingdom where the festival is called "shrovetide" ending on Shrove Tuesday and pancakes are the tradition, and also in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean.

A perfect scene from the Walt Disney Classics Collection that is fitting for Mardi Gras is the Festival of Fools Scene from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The scene made it's debut in March, 2007 with the release of Esmerelda ("Bewitching Beauty"), the 4th release (and rumored to be final release) in the Leading Ladies Series. Esmerelda was sculpted by Kent Melton and Limited to Production Year 2007.

When Esmerelda was unveiled, collectors were given a sneak peek at Quasimodo ("King of Fools") and Clopin ("Harlequin Host"), released in July 2007 with an Opening Title. Quasimodo, Clopin and the Opening Title are all Open Edition releases. Quasimodo and Clopin were sculpted by Tony Cipriano.

Happy Mardi Gras!! For your viewing pleasure (courtesy of Youtube.com) is the Festival of Fools Scene, to the tune of Topsy Turvy! Enjoy!!


The Hunchback of Notre Dame is ©Disney

Additional Retirement & Suspensions for 2009!

The Walt Disney Classics Collection is pleased to announce a retirement and several sculpture suspensions effective Monday, February 23, 2009:

Penguin Ornament from Disney's It's a Small World After All.

The Penguin Ornament is a dry retirement. A dry retirement is when there is no longer stock in inventory. The Penguin Ornament made his WDCC debut in July, 2006.

The following sculptures have been suspended:

Lumiere ("Vive L'Amour!") from Beauty and the Beast. Lumiere was released in March 1997 along with Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts & Chip. All three Enchanted Objects were sculpted by Valerie Edwards. Special Note: Neither Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts & Chip have been retired and/or suspended.

The Pinocchio Opening Title was released in September 1996 with the first scene release from Pinocchio which consisted of Pinocchio, Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket and Figaro.

The Sword in the Stone Opening Title was released in April 2007 with the Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) release of Merlin, Madam Mim and Archimedes from Sword in the Stone.

These items have not been retired but are sold out at the warehouse and there are no immediate plans to re-order. Collectors who are interested in either of these items should contact an Authorized Walt Disney Classics Collection retailer for availability.

Which is Your Favorite Figment Poll Results

Our recent Which is Your Favorite Figment Poll has ended. The results are as follows:

46% - Figment Pigment (Artist Figment-2008)
27% - Spark of Imagination (Figment-2005)
15% - Journey Into Imagination (Spacesuit Figment-2009)
12% - Imaginary Friends (Figment & Dreamfinder-2006)

I will leave the results up for the Which is Your Favorite Figment Poll for a few days for anyone who wants to see/compare the final results. As with previous polls, Blogger results never add exactly to 100%, so the accountant in me recalculated the results based on the number of people who voted in each category to the total :)

Thanks again to all who participated!

Retirement Roundup-Stinky Pete Honored with Retirement!

Honored with retirement today (February 16th) is Stinky Pete ("Mint in the Box-Never Been Opened") from Toy Story 2.

Released in March 2005, Stinky Pete made his WDCC debut complete with a display box. His box is made of cardboard, with a clear plastic window. It looks and feels just like a "real" box, except that it is open on the bottom so that you can place the box over Stinky Pete for display purposes. There is also a simple cardboard riser included as part of the packaging so that Stinky Pete is standing at the correct height inside the box.

Stinky Pete, also known as the Prospector, is a portly prospector doll, and is one of the main villains of Toy Story 2. He is a toy modeled after a character on the fictional television show Woody's Roundup, where the characters consisted of Sheriff Woody, Jessie, Stinky Pete and Bullseye, Woody's horse. The Prospector doll seen in the film has never been opened and is still "Mint in the Box", making him sought after by collectors.

He is the only real toy villain in the Toy Story movies, though there is an element of sympathy given the fact that he has been confined to a box since the 1950's when the original show was made.

Please check with your authorized dealer for availability.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all who visit the blog, website and Cafe today!

Who's Your Disney Dream Date? Looking for the perfect love match this Valentine's Day? Take the Disney Dream Date Quiz (courtesy of the Disney Insider) to see which Disney Character best suits your personality, then celebrate with flowers, chocolate, and your favorite heartthrob!

For your viewing pleasure (courtesy of YouTube.com), a montage of Disney film clips to When Wish You Upon a Star. Enjoy!

©Disney

Below is another clip I found on YouTube which showcases some of our favorite Disney Couples to the tune of Dance With Me by Michael Bolton. The video clip was done by Natalie. Notice how seamless she ties the words into the movie clips. Excellent Job!

©Disney

Most Anticipated Release-February Poll Results

Our recent Most Anticipted Release-February Poll has ended. The results are as follows:

40% - Vultures
27% - Ariel with Prince Eric Statue
27% - Complete Hawaiian Holiday Scene
4% - Will Turner
2% - Elizabeth Swann

The Vultures from The Jungle Book were the overall most anticipated release in our poll. Ariel with Prince Eric Statue and the Complete Hawaiian Holiday Scene tied for 2nd place. From our poll, all who participated were interested in the complete scene, as there were no votes for each character individually.

I will leave the results up for the Most Anticipated Release-February Poll for a few days for anyone who wants to see/compare the final results. As with previous polls, Blogger results never add exactly to 100%, so the accountant in me recalculated the results based on the number of people who voted in each category to the total :)

Thanks again to all who participated!

Reach for the Stars with Figment!

Extend the boundaries of your imagination with Figment! Just posted this afternoon on DisneyGallery.com!

The act of creativity is a never-ending adventure, especially when Figment is around. The very embodiment of imagination, the unpredictable purple dragon takes on many guises in the Epcot® Journey Into Imagination attraction. But, none represents the excitement of exploring creativity more than an astronaut in limitless space.

This new Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750 sculpture from the Walt Disney Classics Collection captures all the star-searching playfulness of Figment as he hitches a ride in outer space, just as in the attraction. Hand-crafted of fine porcelain, Figment features a hand-made glass portion on his helmet with kiln-fired metallic paint on his space suit. Figment is sculpted by Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales.

Update: A limited number will be available for pre-order. To pre-order, please contact Walt Disney Event Services at (407)827-7600. Walt Disney Event Services is open Monday–Friday from 9:00am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm – 5:00pm. Guests may only purchase up to two (2) Space Suit Figments. All orders will be processed and charged on Friday, April 24th. Please allow 2-4 weeks for shipping.

Product release information listed above is subject to change without notice. Separate admission is required to enter Epcot®

2009 Production Mark

"Walt Disney Classics Collection features a yearly Production Mark that is incised or imprinted on the bottom of sculptures produced during the calendar year. This year's production mark honors Walt Disney's animated classic One Hundred and One Dalmatians and the symbol is a paw print (pictured at left). The only sculptures that do not include the Production Mark are the yearly Walt Disney Collectors Society Membership Gift Sculptures. The Production Mark was discontinued on the Membership Gift sculptures years ago to discourage Society Members from purposely disrupting their memberships as they let their memberships lapse and then try to renew them a year or so later in the hopes of receiving the following year's Production Mark (when we would produce fewer with that mark).

Many of the new WDCC releases shipping now will still have the 2008 Production Mark (Sleeping Beauty's Crown) as they were produced during the end of last year. As we continue to receive shipments (and re-order) those Production Marks will transition to the paw print."

MVP Santonio Holmes Goes To Disney World!

Ben Roethlisberger No. 7 hand Santonio Holmes No. 10 of the Pittsburgh Steelers the trophy after the Steelers won 27-23 against the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

On Monday, Steelers' MVP Santonio Holmes became the 27th Super Bowl champ to be invited to Disney World. Not all of them were MVPs and the theme park has invited other sports figures and even some who are not, most recently, American Idol David Cook.

What each has in common is the same answer to the question -- what are you going to do next -- and for Disney it's been a tremendous marketing success. For over 20 years, the answer has been the same.

"Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes, you and the Pittsburgh Steelers are celebrating your Super Bowl win. What are you going to do next?," reads the Disney advertisement. "We're going to Disney World," answers Roethlisberger and Holmes in unison.

Having Super Bowl stars say just that has become an advertising windfall for Disney World. "That is a marketer's dream," says Scott Morgan of Brunner Advertising. "If you can get a saying to become part of popular culture and it has your brand name in it, tremendous value for the brand."

Today it was Santonio Holmes' turn to add to that value. "He was the honorary grand marshal in a ticker tape parade down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World," Disney spokesman Darryl Frye told KDKA Money Editor Jon Delano. "He rode in the car with Mickey Mouse actually in the parade and he greeted -- there were tons of Steelers fans among the guests in the park today."

The tradition goes back to 1987 with New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms and three years ago two other Steelers had the honors. "I'm going to Disney World . . . and I'm taking the bus," Hines Ward says in the 2006 Disney advertisement. Both Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward paraded through the Magic Kingdom, the first Pittsburghers so invited. Today was Holmes's day with a future visit reserved for Ben Roethlisberger.

"Oh, man, it was wonderful, man, to see the fans come out and support me, you know throughout the time that it's raining here," Holmes said after the parade. "That shows a lot, you know they have a lot of class, they really support a lot of the players and it's a wonderful experience." As for Holmes, his visit was quick -- he is on his way back to Pittsburgh for Tuesday's parade. Disney gave him a rain check to come back anytime he wants.

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers -- XLIII Super Bowl Champs!!!

Their Steel Curtain shredded, Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense ended a Super Bowl of incredible swings with a final-minute touchdown for a historic victory! In what was a nail biting game and one of the best I've seen, Santonio Holmes made a brilliant 6-yard catch deep in the right corner of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining Sunday night, lifting the Steelers to a record-setting sixth Super Bowl win, 27-23 over the Arizona Cardinals.

It was one of the most thrilling finishes to the NFL title game, certainly equaling last year's upset by the New York Giants that ended with Plaxico Burress' TD catch — with 35 seconds left, too. But this one was even wilder.

The Steelers (15-4), winning their second Super Bowl in four seasons, led 20-7 in the fourth quarter, only to see Kurt Warner and the Cardinals stage a remarkable rally to go in front 23-20 with 2:37 remaining. Warner hit All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald in stride for a 64-yard touchdown with 2:37 left. Already owning a slew of postseason receiving marks this year, Fitzgerald sped down the middle of the field, watching himself outrun the Steelers on the huge video screen.

Fitzgerald could only watch from the sideline as Roethlisberger engineered a 78-yard drive to win it in what resembled Heinz Field South. With waves of twirling Terrible Towels turning Raymond James Stadium into a black-and-gold tableau — Steelers fans supporting their beloved team, the economy be damned — Pittsburgh's offense rescued the title.

What an amazing weekend getting ready for tonight's game. Pittsburgh Pride could be seen everywhere you went this weekend. President Obama was even rooting for the black and gold! Way to go Steelers!!! Congratulations!!!