If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player,
and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler.
~ Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction
Remember that Cold War era song by Sting that wonders “if the Russians love their children too”?
That came to mind Saturday as I was wondering if Green Bay fans have a place to gather that’s anything remotely as glorious as the Strip District 8 days before a Steelers Super Bowl appearance.
If they don their colors and brave the cold and snow to line up 10 or 15 deep, waiting to get in a half-dozen stores selling all things green and gold, singing along with any number of fight songs that blare from loudspeakers.
If on every corner they hear the Packers equivalent of things like, “Oh my God, it’s a Joe Greene!” accompanied by a squeal of delight over simply seeing a #75 jersey for sale.
If they stand in still more lines for their version of Pamela’s pancakes or dippy eggs at DeLuca’s or a Kolbassy & Cheese at Primanti’s and compliment one another on their NFC Championship attire.
If they can revel in the unique situation of being surrounded by hundreds of perfect strangers on a city street but feeling like they’re in the bosom of a big happy family that doesn’t bat an eye when they say Wiscahnsin in that nasally way.
Frankly, I never questioned if the Russians love their children. And I have to believe that Packers fan have their own “sacred” places to gather and revel beyond their Field on game day. They’re great fans. They have a great team. They’ll give us a run for our money on Sunday. They’re even close to wearing the right colors. With a little mud on those jerseys (which I’m sure our defense would be happy to supply, if the turf weren’t fake), they might even pass for black and gold.
I’m expecting a 50-50 mix of Packers fans and Steelers fans in the stands on Sunday. Of course, we’re the only ones that have the right to be waving towels, even though they’re copy-catting like all those other teams. (That’s flattering. Thanks!) Theirs don’t have Myron’s mojo though, so good luck with that.
Funny, I’d be rooting for the Packers in any other situation. Instead, I’ll just offer my congrats to the team and their fans for making it all the way to second place.
Photo by Jenny Kane
They say that when you’re the champs, everybody will try to beat you.
Well, I′m glad we′re champs, so bring ′em on, bring ′em all on.
If we die, we ain′t gonna die running. It′s gonna be a fight.”
~ Joe Greene
Writing by Ear 
Rege said,
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:31 am
I’d be rooting for the AFC team(except N.E. of course), also, in your tags, are you expecting some bad refereeing?
WritingbyEar said,
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 10:03 am
Ha! Perhaps the dreaded subliminal typo at work. I’ll leave it (nobody searching Super Bowl wants to read my blog).
Seriously, you’d root for Cleveland or Baltimore? You are a bigger person than I am.