My Love Affair with the Steelers

In the steel city of Pittsburgh, there are a few things that are just known as ‘common!’ These are things that you become accustom to. Let us start at the end of this list, and work our way to the top, shall we? Pittsburghers love to eat. We are known for affection of food and being able to get a good meal at just about any time – day or night. As we have several great universities within a 10 mile radius of one another (University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University), its imperative that food is ready and available. With that being said, we have Primanti Brothers. A restaurant specializing in sandwiches that are put on the freshest of the fresh Italian bread, using the best luncheon meats available and topped with cole slaw and fresh cut potatoes. Then we have The “O”, Original Hot Dog shop, which caters to the college students life of grease, partying and now sense of time. The O has also been featured on many television shows as being one of the best places around to get GREAT all beef Hot Dogs.

What is also very important to a Pittsburgher, is the ability to get anywhere, at anytime on public transportation. While a lot of cities have many different forms of transportation, i.e., trains/subways and buses, we only have buses to tote us around our fair city. However, they do the job and do it well. Public transportation in Pittsburgh is one of the cheapest around, and most dependable. I mean, you would have to be to climb our hills.

Now, the most important thing to a true Pittsburgher at heart is their affection, compassion and LOVE for their football team – The Steelers. While I have never understood how other residents of other cities root for another team, it doesn’t happen often in Pittsburgh at all. If you love Football and you live in Pittsburgh, then you love the Steelers. You don’t see people walking around downtown wearing hoodies of another team. There is a certain loyalty Pittsburgher’s feel for their team, coupled with the Rooney’s love for the game and constant dedication, makes the Steelers a team worth loving. While many teams seem to have players who enjoy the game, but love the money more, the Steelers have a team where individuals will take pay cuts to allow a better team to be built.

Let’s take Jerome Bettis, for example. What a stellar MAN, a class act and outstanding player. Not one person, whom I know of, didn’t want Jerome to win that Superbowl ring in Detroit (his home town). Jerome was a role model to every player on the Steeler team, and every player wanted to win not only for them, but for him. It takes a certain amount of character to accept your position in those latter years, and still go out there and play to the best of your ability. A man that is shorter than the average running back, and may even be a bit healthier – can go out there and open up holes to make touchdown after touchdown when it really counts.

Then, you have an organization that chooses it coaches according to their desire, will and integrity – and not their ego! An organization that doesn’t change coaches as much as the minds of the media, but keeps people close that love to play the game, as well as teach the game!

We also know that Defense wins championships, and defense is something we have a lot of! We have tight ends that catch balls like Wide Receivers, and wide receivers that block like linemen. We have men that love to play the game, take a hit or give a hit and get up smiling.

We also have a quarterback that makes the best out of every play at hand. Even when you think he’s not supposed to capitalize off the moment, he does! When you think the 3rd down throw is a tell-tell example of the Steelers about to punt the ball, Umm, NO! He will move around, shake you off of his 6’5in frame and throw the ball to smooth, slim wide receiver who knows just how to tap his toes. And, if you are unsure of that, check the tape on Superbowl XLIII!

After my recent review, I mean, what is there NOT to love? Okay, we have had some challenges with our offense last season, but many of our starters were out. And, I can’t even use that as an excuse. With the hardest schedule in the NFL, and half our “O” line starters rehabilitating themselves, we still manage to go to the dance - - and we Dance!

While I’m sure there are others that will debate my feelings about My Steelers, I still feel that we have all that is important for a winning team. It’s more than just physical ability; it’s always being a student of the game. It’s the ability to continually learn what to do and when to do it. It’s not only seeing the dollar signs of a big payday, but feeling the completion of working as a team.

With that being said, those are all the reasons I love my NFL Team – The Pittsburgh Steelers!


If you can find a reason why I shouldn’t, holla at your girl!! Submitted by Nada.