The 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers

Joann Baney has spent the last decade as an associate professor at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University. She has an additional 19 years of experience as part of the executive education faculty of the Columbia Business School. Beyond her professional activities, Joann Baney enjoys following the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six Super Bowl championships since joining the National Football League (NFL) in 1933, a league record. The Steelers won three of those championships between 1974 and 1979, including the team’s dominant 1978 run.

The 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers went 14-2 during the regular season, a franchise record that would hold until 2004, when the team won 15 games before ultimately losing in the second round of the playoffs. Over the course of the 1978 campaign, the Steelers held six opponents to single-digit scoring. The team won seven games to start the season and entered the playoffs on a five-game winning streak.

In the playoffs, the Steelers continued to dominate, eliminating the Denver Broncos 33-10 and the Houston Oilers 34-5 en route to Super Bowl XIII. Their Super Bowl opponents, the 12-win Dallas Cowboys, proved tough adversaries. At one point in the second quarter, the Cowboys took a 14-7 lead. The advantage was short lived, however, and the Steelers eventually pulled away for a 35-31 victory.

Underrated Broadway Musicals

Joann Baney is a successful educator and business leader with nearly 20 years of experience. A graduate of the University of Chicago, she teaches courses at Columbia University and provides business communication consulting as the owner and vice president of the Professional Development Company. In her free time, Joann Baney enjoys attending the theater and is particularly fond of Broadway productions.

Over the years, Broadway has hosted many well-known musicals, from the Lion King to Wicked. However, there are plenty of underrated musicals that have graced the Broadway stages. Below are just a few examples:

- Miss Saigon - Written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, who are best known for the musical tragedy Les Misérables, Miss Saigon tells another tragic story. It follows a native of Vietnam and an American soldier through their story of love.

- Ragtime - Despite its 1998 Best Musical nomination, Ragtime is often overlooked in by theatergoers. The musical tells the story of a group of African Americans, American upper-class, and European immigrants. Taking place in the early 20th century, it serves as a unique glimpse into history.

- Light in the Piazza - Based on Elizabeth Spencer’s book, the Light in the Piazza musical was written by Adam Guettel. It blends Italian and opera-style music. Viewers are told the story of a mother and daughter who travel to Italy. When the daughter falls in love with a local, the family’s trip becomes more complicated.

- The Drowsy Chaperone - A parody of musicals, this comedy features a classic Broadway feel accompanied by catchy music and dances. It follows a man as he leads the audience through backstage and onstage antics at a musical show called The Drowsy Chaperone.

St. Bart's Players - New York’s Oldest Community Theater Group

Joann Baney is a Columbia University associate professor and the cofounder of the Professional Development Company, Inc., in which role she provides clients with custom communications training. An avid theatergoer in her free time, Joann Baney has joined the St. Bart's Players in performances of classic musicals such as Damn Yankees and Kiss Me, Kate.

New York City’s oldest community theater group, the St. Bart's Players was formed in 1927 and maintains a reputation for giving some of the city’s finest off-off-Broadway performances. With professional designers, directors, and musicians helping shape productions, the group is, at its core, volunteer driven. Volunteer members handle the lighting, the sound, props, and theater operations, and they form the cast of each production.

The theatrical group maintains a home base at the historic St. Bartholomew's Church in Manhattan and produces two main-stage musicals and a play each year. The 2015 season began with Broadway Broads: The Madcap Madams of Musical Comedy and culminated in the well-received farce Don't Dress for Dinner.