8月5日，名人堂纪念赛将在美国东部时间晚上8点在俄亥俄州的坎顿打响。 

　　40年前， AFL球队第一次击败了NFL球队。这对于想在周六名人堂纪念赛上击败国联球队新奥尔良圣徒的美联球队匹兹堡钢人来说，可能是一个好的先兆。

　　40年前的这一天，也就是1967年8月5日，在AFL与NFL合并前，AFL的丹佛野马队在一场季前赛中坐镇丹佛大学体育场，在21228名球迷面前以13-7击败了NFL球队底特律雄狮。

　　而这一次，圣徒作为“主队”迎战钢人。上赛季是圣徒主帅肖恩·佩顿（SEAN PAYTON）执教的第一年，他把球队首次带入了NFC决赛，被美联社评为了年度最佳教练。

　　钢人队则将在新主帅迈克·汤姆林（MIKE TOMLIN）的带领下作战，他是球队过去38年的第三任主帅，现年34岁，与另两任主教练查克·诺尔（CHUCK NOLL）和比尔·考赫（BILL COWHER）上任时的年龄一样。

　　"我在一定程度上也可以算是一个美式橄榄球的历史学家，我对于我的前任们充满了深深的敬意。“汤姆林说，"我将尽我最大的努力，以让我的后继者们能够站在我的肩膀上取得更大的成就。”

　　相关资料：

　　名人堂赛交锋纪录

　　圣徒和钢人曾经在1983年7月30日的名人堂纪念赛中相遇过，结果钢人27-14取胜。

　　新奥尔良圣徒

　　圣徒第一次参加名人堂纪念赛是在1996年，上赛季他们历史上首次打入AFC决赛。主帅肖恩·佩顿被美联社评为年度最佳教练。

　　全明星四分卫德鲁·布里斯（DREW BREES）以4418码传球和96.2％的传球成功率名列球队榜首，他有8场比赛传球距离超过300码，其中包括一场传球510码的比赛。

　　跑卫杜斯·麦克阿莱斯特（DEUCE MC ALLISTER）以1057码在全队冲球榜上领先，上赛季是他5年职业生涯中第4个冲球超过1000码的赛季。另一名跑卫雷吉·布什（REGGIE BUSH）完成了88次接球，是NFL历史上新秀跑卫中完成最多的。

　　外接手马奎斯·科斯顿（MARQUES COLSTON）以接传球1038码在球队中领先，是第一个在新秀赛季超过1000码的第6轮之后被选中的新秀。

　　防守端锋威尔·史密斯（WILL SMITH）入选全明星赛，以职业生涯最佳的10.5次擒杀在球队中领先。

　　匹兹堡钢人

　　钢人队1998年首次参加名人堂纪念赛，今年他们将庆祝球队成立75周年。前任老板丹·鲁尼（DAN ROONEY）和现在的亚特·鲁尼（ART ROONEY）是第二对进入名人堂的父子，在他们之前的是蒂姆·玛拉和威灵顿·玛拉父子（TIM & WELLINGTON MARA，纽约巨人队的前任老板）。

　　主帅迈克·汤姆林是自1969年1月22日以来的第三任主帅。

　　四分卫本·罗斯利斯博格（BEN ROETHLISBERGER）上赛季完成了职业生涯最高的3513码传球和18次传球达阵，以87.9％的传球成功率在队中领先。

　　全明星跑卫威利·帕克（WILLIE PARKER）以单赛季16次达阵（13次冲球达阵，3次接传球达阵）创下球队新纪录，并以冲球1494码和总推进1716码名列球队榜首。

　　外接手海因兹·沃德（HINES WARD）连续7个赛季在全队接球次数排行中领先。

　　全明星中卫特洛伊·坡拉玛鲁（TROY POLAMULU）以3次截球领先全队，并帮助球队在冲球防守方面排名AFC第二。

原文 

Maybe it will be a good omen for the AFC Steelers against the NFC Saints in this Sunday's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Forty years ago to the day - on August 5, 1967 - an American Football League team defeated an NFL team for the first time when the Denver Broncos topped the Detroit Lions 13-7 in a preseason game in front of 21,228 fans at the University of Denver Stadium.

The next night, present-day football takes precedence as the Saints face the Steelers, who are the "home" team.  New Orleans, under first-year head coach SEAN PAYTON, went all the way to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history last year, earning Payton NFL Coach of the Year honors from the Associated Press.

Pittsburgh will be led by their new head coach MIKE TOMLIN, only the third coach of the club in the past 38 years.  Tomlin is the same age —— 34 - as those two men, CHUCK NOLL and BILL COWHER, were when they were appointed by the Steelers.

"I'm somewhat of a football historian, and I've got a great deal of respect for those who came before me," says Tomlin.  "I'm going to try my best to provide a shoulder for those who come after me to stand on."

NOTES

TEAMS MET in 1983 HOF game (7/30/83).  Steelers defeated Saints 27-14…

SAINTS:  First HOF appearance since 1996…Advanced to 1st Championship Game in franchise history last season.  Head coach SEAN PAYTON was named 2006 AP NFL Coach of Year…All-Star QB DREW BREES set team records with 4,418 yards & 96.2 passer rating.  Had 8 300-yard games, including 510-yard performance…RB DEUCE MC ALLISTER led club with 1,057 rush yards, his 4th 1,000-yard season in past 5 years.  REGGIE BUSH had team-best 88 receptions, most in NFL history for rookie RB… WR MARQUES COLSTON led team with 1,038 yards & was 1st player drafted in 7th round or later to record 1,000 yards in rookie season…Pro Bowl DE WILL SMITH led team with career-best 10.5 sacks…

STEELERS:  First HOF appearance since 1998……Club celebrating 75th year…Owner DAN ROONEY & late ART ROONEY is 2nd father & son duo in HOF (TIM & WELLINGTON MARA)……MIKE TOMLIN was named Steelers 3rd head coach since 1969 on 1/22/07…QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER totaled career-highs in passing yds (3,513) & TDs (18) last season.  Owns club best 87.9 career passer rating…Pro Bowl RB WILLIE PARKER set club single-season TD record with 16 (13 rush, 3 rec.) & posted team-high 1,494 rushing yds & 1,716 total yds from scrimmage…WR HINES WARD has led team in catches for 7 consecutive seasons…Pro Bowl S TROY POLAMULU tied team-high with 3 INTs & helped rush defense rank 2nd in AFC.