Pittsburgh Passion and DC Divas Set for Epic Clash on Saturday

On Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Passion, welcome the DC Divas, their long-time rivals, and this Saturday figures to be as epic as all of the previous battles between these two teams. These two beasts of the Mid-Atlantic opened the season against each other in DC, a game that the Passion won by a score of 35-34, a win that put the Passion in the driver’s seat to win their division and the 5-0 Pittsburgh squad can secure their playoff position by sweeping the Divas, a fact of which both teams are acutely aware.

In the world of women’s football, the Divas and the Passion are Duke versus UNC, the Sox and the Yanks, Lebron and Cleveland. All of which is to say, more often than not when the Divas and Passion take the field together it’s a memorable night. 

Pittsburgh Passion Defeats Cleveland Fusion, Secures Playoff Spot

Krystal Cozzo (right) with Michele Brevard

"Wow! Was that great? How great was that?!"

I turned and there was Franco Harris just behind me on the sidelines, thoroughly enthused and grinning like the Cheshire Cat after Krystal Cozzo jumped a little sideline route and took the INT to the house for the first score of the game, to put the Passion up 7-0.

As of January, 2011, Franco is part-owner of the Pittsburgh Passion and a long-time supporter of the team. And, I think we can safely say, an expert on football. This being Pittsburgh and all, it's like having a rock star on the sidelines. At halftime, Franco remained on the field and had security open the gate, so that the kids who wanted to meet him could hang out on the sidelines with him for a bit. (Frankly, I think the parents were just as excited, if not more so, to get the chance to meet Franco and get a picture of him.) The guy is good with kids. He was like the Pied Piper out there, talking to the kids, signing anything that people thrust at him, posing for picture after picture. It was good stuff.

Pittsburgh Passion Win 2011 Home Opener

The turning point, according to Michelle Brevard, was the offense getting something going midway through the 3rd quarter. As a six year veteran, team captain and starting safety for the Pittsburgh Passion, I suppose her opinion should count for something.

Women's Football Back at Cupples Field This Saturday

The Pittsburgh Passion are back in their old home, Cupples Field on the South Side. I, for one, couldn't be happier. I'm not much of a suburban girl and schlepping to five miles past where God kissed the hoot owls goodbye to the North Allegheny H.S. Field was not really my cup of tea, so the return to the South Side is an occasion for raucous rejoicing.

Currently, the team is 3-0, having opened the season with three successive road games, all victories. They christen their return to Cupples, appropriately enough, by hosting the Columbus Comets, a team they haven't played since beating them in the 2007 National Women's Football Association (NWFA) Championship game in Nashville.

That game was played at Whites Creek High School, just outside of Nashville and, despite its proximity to Nashville's downtown, the school's setting was more rural. In fact, I'm fairly certain that I made a right turn after the third cow pasture, but it could have been the right after the second cow pasture.

It was an old-timey setting, too. The field was nice, but the bleachers and booth and lights were old and worn. It all looked like something from another era, the kind of setting typical to a time when football players still wore leather helmets.

The Passion were up 26-0 at halftime when they jogged down to the locker room. On their way back up to start the second half, the lights went out. I mean, all the lights went out. We never did figure out how, but a circuit was overloaded, taking out all the field lights and sound. Everything was out. Except, ironically enough, the lights in the parking lot. Everybody started finding their way around by the light of their cellphones. The delay dragged on for an hour. Some people suggested they postpone and finish the game the next day, a Sunday. Somehow, T. Conn, the owner of the Passion, stuck to her guns and even though they didn't finish until well after 11:00 that night, finish they did.

Since then, there have been lots of changes. The Passion left the NWFA for the IWFL (Independent Women's Football League), while the Comets stayed with the NWFA. Eventually the NWFA sort of just faded away and the Passion and Comets are reunited under the umbrella of the Women's Football Alliance (WFA). Everybody up to speed?

In addition to the leagues shifts, there have been so many changes for the Passion. Conn has owned the team since 2005 but Franco Harris (yes, the Franco Harris), a long-time booster of the Passion, came on board as part of the ownership over this past winter. Pretty exciting stuff.

Many players from the 2007 championship team have retired, but many still remain, including three of the current team captains -- Sarah Young, Sharon Vasquez and Michelle Brevard -- as well as the defensive MVP from that game, Olivia Griswold.

I haven't seen the Passion play this year, so it'll be interesting for me. And I haven't seen the Comets since that summer night in 2007.

Tonight's game will air live on ESPN3. Viewers can tune into www.espn3.com for details, but don't let that keep you away. Kickoff is at 7:00 at Cupples Field at 9th and Carson Streets in the South Side. Parking and other gameday information can be found here.