Sure, Andrew McCutchen is exciting to watch.

He reminds me of a right-handed hitting Barry Bonds in his youth, minus the attitude.

And the Pittsburgh Pirates aren't nearly as horrible as they probably should be given the fact they are fielding a team that would make for a nice cast in a modernized version of the movie "Major League."

That, though, isn't enough to keep the focus away from football in these parts.

It's late August. The Pirates pennant hopes were dashed long about the time Steve Blass threw out the first pitch in the home opener at PNC Park.

Football is king again. Actually, football is always king.

I can't think of any other city that has two sports franchises on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

The differences between the Pirates and the Steelers are striking over the past 16-plus years.

n The Steelers have been in as many Super Bowls as they have had losing seasons (three each); Meanwhile, the Pirates haven't had a winning season, actually celebrated a non-100-loss season with a champagne shower in the locker room and have had 13 different opening day starting pitchers.

• The Steelers have had two coaches. The Pirates have had everyone except Oliver Onion manage a game.

• The Steelers have sold out every game. The Pirates only sell out when there is a fireworks show or a cool bobblehead of a player from the good ol' days.

About the only thing the two franchises have in common is color scheme and a fan base frothing at the mouth for victory.

The Steelers have satiated their fans with playoff runs, Super Bowl rings and success that rivals any other team in the sport.

The Pirates haven't delivered on the promise of getting it right — eventually — since Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Doug Drabek, et al, departed after a run of three straight division titles and heartbreak.

Most of the time, sport is cyclical. Teams rise, teams fall. Rarely do franchises stay at the top, or at the bottom, for as long as the Steelers and Pirates have.

That's what makes their study in contrasts so interesting.

The fortunes of both franchises — good and bad — don't appear to be changing any time soon.

The Steelers are built for long-term success. Ben Roethlisberger is young and under contract. The stars on defense are still in their prime and locked up and coach Mike Tomlin has pushed all the right buttons.

The Pirates are built for long-term success as well with a minor league system finally flushed with talent. But eager fans are going to have to wait two or three more years before it all comes together at the major league level and turns into wins on the field.

Perhaps then, the discrepancy between football and baseball in the Burg won't be as wide as the Allegheny River.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.