Why I am Rooting for the Steelers Today

1). The AFC. I am a lifelong fan of the American Football Conference. The first football game I ever watched was the 1973 Super Bowl between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins. Since the Dolphins were undefeated going into the game I decided I would root for them to have a perfect season. I have been a Dolphins fan ever since, although my loyalty has declined greatly since the end of the Don Shula era. As a Dolphins fan in the 1970s, I despised the Steelers. But with the passing of time, my dislike of the Steelers has mellowed to the point that I am actually willing to root for them as the representative of the good old American Football Conference.

2). The working class grit of Western Pennsylvania. I love working class cities and the Steelers have always represented the hard-working people of Pittsburgh. These are the kinds of people who William James praised in his essay “What Makes a Life Significant.” Of course this image of Pittsburgh is a bit nostalgic. The Onion recently suggested that the Steelers should change the name of their defense from the “Steel Curtain” to the “Mid-Level White-Collar Curtain” to reflect the city’s changing economy. Fair enough–but I reserve the right to be as nostalgic as I want to be on Super Bowl Sunday.

3). My kids. My daughters are not big football fans during the regular season, but they are thoroughly caught up in the Steelers fever that has captured the imaginations of all Pennsylvanians who live west of the Susquehanna River. The walls of their room are covered with Steelers posters that they got from the sports section of the Harrisburg Patriot-News. In years past I have wondered if they were more excited about the Super Bowl because Mom breaks out the junk food, but this year I actually think they are eager to watch the game (and the commercials!). I look forward to watching it with them.

Go Steelers!

P.S. This is the first Super Bowl in which I am anticipating the halftime show(Springsteen!) as much as the game.