There is No Mention of Sports in this Entry... at ALL!

I've been advised that I'm quite boring when I talk about sports.

Actually, the text I got was to the tune of, "I love you and your blog but I don't like the sports stuff and that's all you've been writing about lately."

Or something like that. So, since that's the only feedback I've gotten, I'm specifically not going to mention sports at all in this entry.

Well, anymore than I already have.

Unfortunately, I don't really know what else to talk about. The series between the Caps/Pens is the BIGGEST news happening in both the NHL and in the city right now (aside from the fact that they won tonight to put the series at 2-1). The Pirates are trying to not be completely terrible and doing a pretty mediocre job of it but God bless them for showing up every night.

Hey! I could be talking about the Steelers and how they decided to release Larry Foote

But I won't since I promised I wouldn't!

Honestly, I guess what it comes down to is that sports are a major part of this city's culture and so they're a major part of the people, who we are and whats going on in our lives. I'd say the same for anyone who's ever spent a significant amount of time here. A good example is my hot-as-balls boyfriend. He was born in Natrona Heights, raised in the San Fransisco Bay Area and then moved back home about a year and a half ago. He gets his Steeler Pride from his mom and dad who are both natives to the Pittsburgh area.

To understand Pittsburghers you first have to understand our obsession with sports as tradition. Our love of the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates are part of our identity. Everyone that grew up here has a savvy and sophisticated opinion of sports (especially about football). You're taught at a young age to bleed black and gold (since its the colors of all 3 sports teams) and to carry a Terrible Towel with as nearly as much reverence as you would the American flag.

To have pride in your sports teams here in Pittsburgh is to have pride in your place of residence and in yourself. When the Steelers win a game, the entire city is happy and buzzing for a week. If they lose, everyone's pissed and calling Ben Roethlisberger a bum. When the Steelers win the Superbowl, a citywide holiday is declared and kids don't have school, their parents don't have work and straight A college seniors set fire to couches in Oakland. When the Penguins win, thoughts of the City of Champions dance in everyone's mind and we consider how cool it'd be to be the home of both the Vince Lombardi Trophy and the Stanley Cup.

If the Pirates win a game, we're inspired to think that anything is possible. Its just how this city works.

My friend who told me that my writing about sports bores her, texted me during the Superbowl back in February asking about the Terrible Towel and what it was exactly. Being half drunk, I was still able to give a somewhat decent response. "Its the flag of Steeler Nation," is what I initially said but she wanted an actual reply.

I explained that back in the '70s the voice of the Steelers, one Myron Cope, was instructed to generate some sort of gimmick for merchandising. Myron told his listeners to start bringing black towels to the games they came to in order to show fan support. It eventually caught on and lived on through the 70s, 80s and 90s. Its seen 6 Superbowl victories and was the original towel waved at any sporting event. This is a great article and you can hear Myron Cope himself tell you the story of how the towel rose to greatness (the "he" Myron talks about is the Terrible Towel).

Anyway...changing topics--here's something good: My horoscope via Twitter!

DH_PiscesIf you feel like you're a doormat for a friend or coworker, stand up to them today.

I had such a terrible night at work and was so beyond ready to throw down that hearing the stars are aligning to back me up when I get ready to explode isn't exactly good news. It means that I should email my boss right now to tell her exactly what I think and that sleeping on it isn't good advice.

I'm going to sleep on it instead because I don't want to get myself into trouble. Ugh! And I'm too tired to keep typing right now so... to bed, to bed, to bed I said!