Hundreds of thousands of Steelers fans lined the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh today to celebrate the team's 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, its second championship in four years.
In true blue-collar fashion, coach Mike Tomlin declined to ride in the motorcade, opting instead to walk the full length of the parade route from the intersection of Grant Street and Seventh Avenue to Stanwix Street and Boulevard of the Allies.
As he did in 2006 after the Steelers won Super XL, strong safety Troy Polamalu jumped from a truck to body surf on sea of black and gold.
A cluster of fans gathered in PPG Plaza screamed "1...2...3...jump!" Polamalu tied back his trademark mane of black hair, removed his watch and launched himself, putting his trust in the crowd's hands.
They chanted "M.V.P" as wide receiver Santonio Holmes drove by. Even the sun broke through the Pittsburgh gray.
Pittsburgh police estimate that 350,000 fans attended the parade, which set out shortly after noon. That's 100,000 more than the estimated turnout three years ago.
They perched themselves on trees, lamposts and rooftops to glimpse their conquering heroes, packed 50 deep in some places. They watched from the warmth of Downton office buildings, pressing their faces against the glass.
At 11:45 a.m., after temporarily changing the city's name to Sixburgh in honor of the team's sixth Super Bowl triumph, members of Pittsburgh City Council walked the parade route to the stage at Stanwix and Boulevard of the Allies. Council President Doug Shields grabbed a woman and danced a polka.
Some fans, many of them youngsters, said they began securing their places in line around 3:30 a.m ., which might expain the high rates of absenteeism being reported at schools throughout the region.
"We basically just didn't go to bed," said Cameron Long, 9, whose family left their Sutton, W.Va., home about 1:30 a.m. and arrived Downtown about 5 a.m.
The Longs -- Cameron, his brother Tyler, 13; father, Gary; and mother, Julie -- missed the 2006 parade and vowed not to miss this one.
Brother and sister Jaime and Jonn Stokes said they lined up on the parade route early in hopes of seeing their "local boy," Steelers safety Anthony Smith, who hails from Hubbard, Ohio.
"I wouldn't miss this," said Jaime Stokes, 31, of Youngstown, who brought her daughter, Paige Dirando, 3, to see the parade. "She was two months old the last time they won the Super Bowl, so I couldn't come up. I wish I could have seen (Jerome) Bettis last time."
The three family members filled a prime spot at 9 a.m. along the Boulevard of the Allies. Thousands of fans braving 25-degree weather -- many of them bundled up in black and gold coats, hats and gloves -- lined the boulevard.
Sidewalk hucksters sold chemical hand warmers, pennants and plastic bull horns.
Maryann Zarichansky, 44, of Cecil, could have left work for only a few hours to catch the parade near her Downtown office.
Instead, she took the day off from her job as an auditor.
"It doesn't get any better than this," she said. "I really want to see Hines Ward. He's a great player and he just seems so genuine to me." Jason Gerstner, 33, a U.S. Marine from Irwin, said he returned from two tours of duty in Iraq just in time to watch the Steelers steamroll through the playoffs and to attend the parade with his son, Derek, 10, and his son's friend Drew Bannon, 10.
"I've been all over the world, but there's no place like Pittsburgh," said Gerstner, who hopes to catch a gimpse of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "It's great to be back for this."
Denise Williams, 44, of St. Clair Village, said she couldn't miss this event.
"Just to see them is such a thrill," she said. "It was a close game. I almost had a heart attack. But I'm here to get a glimpse of somebody, whether it's (tight end) Heath Miller, quarterback Ben (Roethlisberger) or (wide receiver) Hines Ward."
Leading the parade down Third Avenue, Pete Haas, 48, of Clairton, high-fived his son Jessie, 8.
"This is better last time, right?"
"Absolutely," Jessie replied.
Live video feed
The Tribune-Review's television news partner, WTAE-TV, is streaming a live video feed of the parade, which is currently under way.
To watch it, click here .
