By Dave Crawley

Should odd acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?

Nay! ‘Tis time for one last shot at the year we leave behind.

We’ll check the long and short of it, as we are backward glancing

At a year when Steeler great Hines Ward scored points with fancy dancing.

That hunt in Beaver Reservoir, where searchers looked about
To find a wayward alligator who never showed his snout.
LCB’s ill-fated kiosks weren’t welcomed on these shores.
“And, in some ways, have been detrimental to our stores.”

Summer Science Center snowballs are guaranteed to please her.
“Got snow from the fresh driven snow, and saved it in the freezer.”
In a year of great achievements, tire flipping has to rank.
An eating fest in Market Square was filling, to be frank.

When it came to Guinness records, competitors were stout.
Pitt students set a flashlight mark in which there was no doubt.
Walking thirty-five at once. Each dog was filled with pride.
The walker says they fill a space 25 feet wide.

A Renaissance of records. Mighty Milsom gets it done.
With a yen for tasting torches, he swallowed 41.
When the fire eater finished, the air was rather wispy.
What do torches taste like? “Feels absolutely crispy.”

For one brief shining moment, even Buc fans got to cheer.
“Clearly dramatic improvement from last year.”
Uncommon, but much stranger in this land of black and gold,
Where Steelers vie for sainthood and glories yet untold,

We all would watch the Super Bowl, and give it all we’ve got!
“Maybe I’ll get away for a couple minutes, but probably not.”
Ignore the mighty Steelers in Roethlisberger’s shrine?
Nothing was surprising in the days of Odd Lang Syne.