We'll make our best effort to make this a liveblog, but your best bet is to follow us on Twitter - @boltsburgh. We're retweeting your pictures from inside the CEC, so if you take any, tag them #boltsburgh or #pittsburghpower so we can see them!
We're going to be back and forth between the blog, Twitter, and the Pitt game, so please don't take this as any indication of what future liveblogs might look like. It's just a busy day. Also, two of the three editors have to work night shift tonight at our real jobs, and Schwartz is in DC for the Pitt game.
We'll do our best to keep updating this post as the game goes on. If you want to communicate during the game, post in the comments or Tweet us.
7:01 PM
The Twitterverse is alive with #pittsburghpower activity. Really impressive stuff. This fanbase is super enthusiastic to beat the goggles. Pitt set to tip off in ten minutes.
7:05 PM
Charles Barkley cannot pronounce Pittsburgh. Ugh. It's never going to be 7:30.
7:20
Matt Howard is raining 3's all over Pitt. Ten minutes til kickoff.
7:30
Alright. Gametime. Finally. That was the longest half hour of my life. Bob Pomp brings us up to speed on the performance of Bernard Morris last week vs Philly. Craig Woofley on the color. Pomps pumps up Kevin McCabe and Bernie Morris. Boy, I hope that segment was pre-recorded, because there is NOBODY in the crowd.
7:36
Pompiani talks about the coaches. We mentioned John Gregory in our game preview. He is the OG coach of the Barnstormers. We all know what coach Sieg brings to the table. Power win the toss and elect to receive. Bernie Morris will go to work.
FIRST QUARTER
God, those goggles. We can't lose to this team.
Jason Willis with a nice return out to about the 17. Morris finds Willis for a short gain on the little swing route, then overthrows another attempt to Willis. Bad sign. Morris then overthrows Willis again, but he makes a sweet one-handed grab while hitting the wall. First down Power!
Morris then finds Irv Campbell for what I believe is his first catch of the year and a gain of seven. Looks for Willis again who drops a wide open ball that would've been a first down. Willis and Morris seem out of sync.
On 3rd down, Dewalt is the high motion man for the first time, and flags everywhere. Dead ball foul on the Power for a false start, it's against Lonnell Dewalt. 3rd and 8. The line collapses. Morris sacked. Edinger time?
Morris takes the field, but calls a time-out. Coach Sieg gives Morris an earfull. Edinger comes out for the field goal and it's wide left. Tommy Ellingworth plays it off the net and returns it back to the 25. Still no score with 10:41 left.
But, wait.
ROUGHING THE KICKER ON THE GOGGLES
FIRST DOWN POWER!
So, first and ten at the twelve. Morris throws directly to DB Cameron McGlenn who breaks up the pass, intended for Willis. I'm losing my patience already. Morris with a dumpoff to RUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE for a nice little gain. Morris then finds Jason Willis, close to the first down.
Man, was that a gift or what? 8:48 left in the 1st.
End around handoff to Irv Campbell to the left and he's well short of the endzone, but enough for the first down. Rue time.
There it is, off to the left, Josh Rue. ENDZONE. Edinger's PAT is money.
Power 7
Barnstormers 0
7:11 remaining in the quarter. Irv Campbell with a great special teams play, dropping the returner at his own four. First look at the Iowa offense and Banks with a quick hitter to Todd Blythe, the Iowa State product.
Banks then dumps it off to Jesse Schmidt, who had 160 Rec last year - First down Barnstormers. Banks looks comfortable out there so far.
Also of note, Pitt alum Josh Lay is making his debut at CB for the Power. If you've never seen him play, he is some kind of athlete.
Banks hangs a deep ball. Todd Blythe. WIDE open. Touchdown Iowa. 34 yards. Lenny Wicks gets SMOKED. Beautiful throw by Brad Banks.
PAT is true.
POWER 7
GOGGLES 7
Jerome Mathis, welcome back! Great return from his own endzone out to midfield, tackled by the kicker. Great field position for Morris and the Power to start.
Morris looks over the middle for Joystick Washington, the former Quip.... Another pass sailed a little bit by Morris, and it's broken up.
On 3rd and 7, Morris forced to run for his life, has no room, is sacked, and a holding penalty to boot. Iowa declines, and it brings up a 4th and long.
Power will go for it. Morris looks left. Wide open, PERFECT throw. Irv Campbell. TOUCHDOWN POWER. 25 yards. PAT is good.
POWER 14
Barnstormers 7
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love blares throughout the CEC. Power fans love Van Halen.
With 1:30 left, Tommy Ellingworth makes a great move and breaks out to near midfield on the ensuing kickoff, but it's called back for a hold. Iowa takes over at their own 8. Sloppy, but fun game so far.
DE-FENSE chant. Crowd is smaller, but rowdy.
Man, Brad Banks to Blythe for another big chunk of yardage. Banks looks so good. Tosses an out route to Ellingworth for about five, and Josh Lay roughs him up into the wall. That's the end of the first quarter. 14-7 Power.
SECOND QUARTER
Barnstormers are guilty of a false start to begin the 2nd. Banks needs to clean his goggles so he can see the snap.
He does.
Then goes underneath to Todd Blythe for a 1st down. Banks is 6/6. Herbert VERY close to breaking it up, though.
Banks then has his pass tipped by #8 Gary Butler who was rushing hard from the MAC position. Banks to Ellingworth for another short gain. Josh Lay horse collars him. Some jawing going on between those two.
Banks then finds Todd Blythe for his 2nd TD. Wide open in the middle of the endzone. PAT is good.
GOGGLES 14
Power 14
Power take over at their own five. Morris throws a ball about twenty yards behind Campbell. He then finds Jerome Mathis for a gain of 8 along the far wall. On 3rd down, he floats one high to Jason Willis, but Willis is patient, makes a good move, and picks up the first down for Pittsburgh. He's really bailing Morris out so far.
"LETS GO POW-ER" chant.
Morris is dumped for a huge loss. Looks like he may have fumbled. Recovered by the Power. A huge loss. Mike Byrne got smoked. Morris is a sitting duck out there. O-line needs to get it together.
Morris throws a pick to Patrick Stoudamire, it goes for six.
Jesus.
Flag on the play. Illegal formation on the defense.
Penalty bails out the Power yet again.
McCabe time yet?
9:56 remaining in the half.
Morris with another dumpoff over the middle to Josh Rue who regains a good chunk of the lost yardage. On 3rd and 8, Morris hits Mathis and is VERY close to the first down. Just short. 4th and 1. Power going for it. RUEEEEE. First down. He's money in short yardage.
Again, Morris under a great deal of pressure, this time is able to scamper for about six yards. Crowd comes alive. Pitch to Mathis goes for near first down yardage. 3rd and 1. Crowd again chants RUEEEEEE. Morris gives to him. Stopped well short. Flag on the play. Another procedure penalty on the defense! Wow. First and goal for the Power.
6:22 to go in the half.
Morris sweeps left. Hit and fumbles! Iowa comes very damn close to recovering, but another case of foggy goggles allows Bernie to scoop it up. Another break. The Power must've been praying a lot this week or something. Or maybe Jesus just doesn't like goggles.
Morris finds Irv Campbell at about the 1 yard line. 3rd and goal. RUEEEEEEE. Touchdown Power! Edinger's PAT is good.
BOLTS 21
GOGGLES 14
4:15 left in the half, Ellingworth retruns to the seven where the Goggles start out.
After a roughing the passer call, Banks trips over a lineman and takes the sack. A defensive stop here would be absolutely HUGE.
Banks finds Schmidt for 7 yards or so and makes up for the sack and then some. Banks is 10/11 with 2 TD so far. Pressure. Tipped! Tyrrell Herbert INT! The first turnover in Power history! Pittsburgh takes over. Neil Purvis with some great pressure and puts a solid hit on Banks.
Closing minutes of the half. Time to put it away. A two score lead in this game would be HUGE. Do it, Bernie.
Morris looks for Irv Campbell, broken up. Can't thread the needle like that. Morris then hits DL Brett Curvey in the face with the screen pass. Unbelievable. Come on, Bernard. Get your head together. Then, a false start. 1:13 left. Mike Byrne. Not having the best game of his life....
3rd and 15 from the 21 for the Power. Huge play coming up after the 1 minute warning.
Morris to Lonnell Dewalt. 20 yards. TOUCHDOWN POWER!
BOLTS 28
GOGGLES 14
48 seconds left. Plenty of time for the Gogs.
Weird bounce on the kickoff, Iowa is dumped in their endzone. Lynn Swann joining Pomp in the booth. Banks is going to drink and dunk. He knows he's got time. Another quick out. Stops the clock on 3rd down. Lynn Swann is pimping the fans.
Banks drops to throw on 3rd down and finds Schmidt who moves the chains. Wicks makes the stop. 22 seconds left.
Banks pressured, goes deep. Overthrows, hits the wall, live ball was nearly picked off. Finally Iowa gets a break. Carlos Campbell could've taken that to the house. 13 seconds left. Then they find Blythe who drives forward after making a man miss. With 5 seconds left, Iowa has it at the twelve. An early test of Brad Banks' meddle.
Pass is deflected, a ref hits the deck, incomplete. Still 2 seconds left. The Power's pass rush has been much improved. Chris Terrell iron-manning it. Solid on both sides of the ball. The Goggles are going to kick. Peter Czech out for the kick. Time out Power.
Bubba announces the Pitt score. 53-50, Panthers. The crowd roared like a lion in a cage.
Czech back on the field. The snap, kick is no good. Reminds me of the old Jarimor Jagr "Czech It Out!" t shirts from when we were kids.
HALF TIME
POWER 28
BARNSTORMERS 14
Commercial on the Pitt game for the new WWE All-Stars video game. Man, just what I've always wanted. The Ultimate Warrior vs John Cena!
Word Life.Barnstormers start off with the ball. My local CW feed is going haywire. It's like watching Arena Football on Sega Genesis. Pixels Everywhere.
Banks to Ellingworth for a nice gain down to the ten. Bojo Banks plays pitch and catch a little bit. Throws into the endzone on second down, nearly picked off by Herbert. Herbert cramps up. Scary moment, but he's ok.
Banks on a cross pattern to Blythe. Touchdown. Extra point is good.
Power 28
GOGGLES 21
Something happened to Bernard Morris... Kevin McCabe coming in. 11:14 left in the 3rd. Mathis returns it to midfield. Holding on the Power. Bring it back. Let's see what the Cal U product can do.
McCabe completes his first pass for a short gain. Pomp refers to Neil Walker, McCabes schoolmate at Pine Richland.
McCabe then goes to Mathis. Deep. TOUCHDOWN BOLTS!
POWER 35
BARNSTORMERS 21
We have said since the pre-season that Kevin McCabe is a gamer. Huge play.
Again, local CW feed is barely watchable... Freezing and pixelating in both HD and SD. I apologize if I miss anything. If Pro would be available, I'd just have him take over. I can't see shit. Banks takes off for a huge run down to the ten.
Injury for the Barnstormers after Banks finds Ellingworth along the wall. Time out.
FWIW: Butler ball, Pitt leading 69-68, 9.2 seconds left.
They get it over half court and call time out with 7.1 left.
Ellingworth is helped off the field and Banks overthrows a man in the endzone.
6:48 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Banks looks for Schmidt. Carlos Campbell on the coverage. That was fourth down. POWER BALL!
-- Pitt Game Look-In --
Pitt gives up a layup, down one, and with .9 left BUTLER FOULS THEM! LOLMidmajor.
Gilbert Brown with two shots.
Hero or goat time. Brown makes the first. Tie game. 1.4 seconds left. Gil misses the 2nd. FOUL ON PITT. I don't believe it. Pitt loses!
-- Back to the Power --
Still the same drive as when I left? 2:02 left in the 3rd. McCabe leading yet another LONG Pittsburgh drive. This has got to be some kind of record for AFL time of possession.
3rd and goal Power at about the two.
Josh Rue gets the carry, he's stopped short. 1:15 left in the quarter.
4th and goal. McCabe under center. ENDZONE. JOSH RUE on the check down. McCabes 2nd TD pass. PAT is failed.
POWER 41
Barnstormers 21
4TH QUARTER
Down big now, Iowa returns the kick out to about the 6 after another weird bounce on the kickoff. Banks finds Jesse Schmidt who rumbles for the first down down the right sideline.
Banks finds Justin Bieber (Larry Beavers) for a short gain, another tackle by Josh Lay. Banks goes deep for Blythe, but he was well covered by Wicks. Another deep shot for Blythe, no good. 4th and 8. Banks overthrows Beavers. Turnover on downs. Ugh. Flag on the play. Illegal twist on the Power.
First down Goggles.
Could've really started to get out of hand there, but Iowa still has a shot.
Beavers then catches a slant route on the near side and picks up 9. Banks overthrows Beavers this time. Another free souvenier for some guy in the stands. Banks and Morris have given a lot of them away.
Is conditioning a problem for Brad Banks? He was so money earlier in this game. Now he's looking like Morris looked in the 2nd half last week.
10:20 remaining. 4th and 1 for Iowa at the Power 12.
Banks with the keeper, more than enough. First down.
Siegfried yells at the refs about something. Who knows.
Banks misses Blythe wide, another ball into the bleachers. Iowa's offense is melting down. Banks with another horrible throw, VERY nearly picked off by Josh Lay.
Bubba announces the attendance: 9,190. Solid.
3rd down, Banks has all day. Throws. Picked off by Herbert. BAH, they call it incomplete. Herbert is having a fantastic game.
4th and goal, Iowa needs to score. Carlos Campbell breaks up the pass in the endzone. First down Power!
McCabe finds Mike "Joystick" Washington for a short gain. 6:44 remaining in the game. McCabe then finds Jason Willis over the middle. Moves the chains. Kevin McCabe has been very impressive so far. Again: We told you so.
Big Kev is 8/9 for 84 yards so far in his debut.
"Here we go Power, here we go!" chant breaks out at CEC. A loud one.
McCabe over the middle to Willis for a gain of eight. Did I saw how impressive he's been?
On a 3rd and 2, McCabe finds JOYSTICK WASHINGTON. Touchdown, POWER!
POWER 48
BOJOS 21
The kick takes a weird bounce off the net and Iowa is stopped at their own one. This game is over.
3:40 left. Tick, tock.
Power are content to sit back and let the Barnstormers dink and dunk for a first down or two and keep the clock running.
Coach Sieg takes a moment out to talk to what I presume is his son.
Banks over the middle for Beavers to the 9 yard line. First down Iowa. 2:22 left.
Banks finds Todd Blythe for his 4th touchdown.
POWER 48
Goggles 28
1:20 left. Power will get the ball. They've done nothing but eat clock the entire game. Probably an onside kick attempt coming.
Czech kicks it into the stands. Power take over with 1:20 remaining.
Pompiani refers to the Tallons as the Talloons for about the fifth time tonight. Get real, KDPomp!
Pitch out to Mathis, brings us to the one minute warning.
Field goal be Edinger.
Ensuing drive, Pick six.
POWER 58
IOWA 28
Banks throws a pick to JOSH LAY. He fumbles. Recovered by Iowa. 2 seconds left. Game over.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
KEVIN F'N MCCABE.
