The Pittsburgh Passion women's professional football team is undefeated and in the playoffs again this season.

The Passion has won 22 straight games and will play the Chicago Force in the Independent Women's Football League Eastern Conference title game on July 12.

Pittsburgh, the North Atlantic Division champion, reached the finals by breezing past South Atlantic champion Orlando, 41-6, on Saturday at Cupples Stadium.

They won the championship last year in their final season in the National Women's Football Association.

The team has gotten the job done with a mix of new and veteran talent.

Players such as Monroeville native and Plum resident Beth Amato are leading the charge to what could be another championship.

Amato is in her sixth season with the Passion.

The team has grown in popularity each year since its formation in 2002.

More and more people are taking notice of the Passion and what the team is accomplishing.

Not too many teams in the history of professional football, for both men and women, have put together a winning streak of 22 or more games.

The streak shows the dedication of these women and the true sense of the word "team."

Chicago will see that dedication when it lines up against the Passion.

Soccer, European style

Every time there is a major soccer tournament somewhere in the world, the discussion about the popularity of the sport in the United States gets ramped up.

The UEFA championship, won by Spain over Germany on Sunday, drew a higher television rating than Wimbledon or the coverage of the PGA's Buick Open.

I don't normally watch soccer on television, but I did find myself tuning in to the finals between Spain and Germany.

The action was fierce, and the play was crisp, indicative of two of the top soccer countries in the world.

It would make a good instructional video for young soccer players.