If you were able to tear yourself away from all the mock drafts littering the Internet like twitters, you would have noticed the NFL released the 2009 schedule Tuesday night.

Of course, this got everyone in Western Pennsylvania whipped up into a frenzy. It’s Pittsburgh Steelers’ news ... in April ... that doesn’t involve the draft or kickers beating up bathroom fixtures.

What other interesting news is there? The Pens? OK. The Pirates? The Somalia Pirates are more interesting this time of year than the Pittsburgh ones.

So, when the schedule drops, football fans take notice.

There are a few games on the Steelers’ schedule that stand out:

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Thursday, Sept. 10 vs. Tennessee Titans. If the Steelers win this rematch of Terrible Towell-Gate, Willie Parker will stomp on a Miley Cyrus CD.•

Sunday, Oct. 11 at Detroit Lions Jerome Bettis will flip the coin. Ben Roethlisberger will call it “heads-tails.”•

Sunday, Oct. 18 vs. Cleveland Browns. The Steelers are stunned when the Browns send only long snapper Ryan Pontbriand to Heinz Field with a white flag and a letter of forfeit.•

Monday, Nov. 9 at Denver Broncos. Denver will be on their 15th quarterback by then. Odds that it will be Tommy Maddox: 8-to-1. John Elway: 7-to-1. Anyone but the neck bearded Kyle Orton: 1-to-1.•

Sunday, Nov. 29 at Baltimore Ravens: FEMA will be on hand to evacuate the survivors.•

Sunday, Jan. 3 at Miami Dolphins: Yes, the regular season ends in 2010. Do we have to call it the 2009-10 NFL season like in the NBA?