But as I posted our black and gold garb on Facebook, I felt a little dirty. For two weeks, the nation was horrified with the NFL. Many were announcing their deflection from football.
I cannot do it. I cannot leave football. It is more than a game to me.
When I was young, long before the Steelers were the six time Super Bowl Champs, they were the chumps.I would ask my dad for something and he would respond, "as soon as this quarter is over." When you are young, fifteen minutes is eternal. When it is "fifteen minutes in football land", it is eternal.
So one day, Crazy Russell said, "sit down and learn this. It is about math, you need all the help you can. It is about 10 yards and getting 10 yards as fast as you can. You know football, and you will get a boyfriend." I didn't get a boyfriend out of it but I did get more.
I can still hear the sound of the oven door opening with a pot roast or pork roast being slid into the oven. When you heard that sound, it meant one thing...We were going to church and the roast was for halftime.
Football Sunday, and the Steelers became about family. And food. Let's not forget the food. Where were we going to watch the game and what were we eating. We would track on over to my mamaw's...TV's upstairs and down.
After Terry Bradshaw showed up in Pittsburgh, things really changed. We wore Steeler shirts, knew the players and the numbers and my Uncle Bernard bought season tickets to the games. Was it wrong that we secretly prayed that other family members would get sick so your turn to go would come faster?
And, after a Super Bowl win, we didn't have school. We got the day off. How cool was that?
And then I became a Mountaineer. About the time they started to win. Again, game day became, "who was I going with, what was I wearing and what were we doing afterward." It was an event.
It was about belonging to something, routing for victory, and memories.
As I grew older and graduated from college, my football Saturday's were at some one's house or they at mine routing on the WVU Mountaineers.
And Sundays, The Steelers.
In between those two days were phone calls. I would call my mamaw or my mom during the games, my uncle, whomever, and we would discuss plays, coaches and players. Football was one thing that made us closer and a reason to talk.
I married a man who could care less about football. He doesn't know a "holding in the backfield call" but he loves food. He knows he is guaranteed a great meal on Sundays when the Steelers are televised. And he loves watching my son sit there with me cheering and stumping, celebrating or cussing.
I do feel like the entire lineup listens to me from my home, telepathically, and I also feel a personal connection to them.
And maybe that is where the sting came from.
I hate the Ravens. If you are a true Steeler fan, you are supposed to. I understand though, that those Ravens fans feel the same about their players as I do mine.
The scene in the elevator was sad. Sad. Sad all the way around.
But instantly, a nation went crazy. The head of the NFL should resign, Mr. Rice was out of a job and endorsements, Mrs. Rice was the topic on every talk show and people couldn't quit talking about it.
Is it because we scream and yell and wear their numbers on our backs that make us feel personally let down or repulsed when they make poor decisions?
Why is it that the mayor of DC can get caught with a prostitute while smoking crack in a hotel room and nobody calls for resignation and later, runs again and wins?
The former Governor of SC disappears to Argentina to see his young lover but tells the people of SC that he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail and everyone goes about their business? Later, he gives a press conference that humiliated him but he runs again and almost wins?
Why do other people and their actions get dismissed but athletes do not?
People leave season tickets in their wills. Nobody ever leaves tickets to the next gubernatorial debate in their wills. Why is that?
Athletes endorse anything and everything. Do we really believe that they use Head and Shoulders?
Why aren't politician endorsing products? Aren't they credible? Why don't we believe the people we elect but believe the athletes that can jump high and fast? Is it because we are in awe of their abilities?
Somebody saw the tape from the elevator. That was there job. They came into work everyday and watched the tape from elevators in the morning. Most likely, it was the first thing they did. Somebody saw the tape. Somebody say the incident with Mr. Rice. Somebody saw it and somebody didn't tell. And that was their job. I wonder why they didn't tell?
Joe Paterno went to his grave without seeing anything, but was told about something, and all hell broke lose.
As a nation, we forgive those who represent us in government, on our tax paying dimes but athletes, it is the other way around. Personally, I feel like we should be more harsh with our leaders and those who are elected to be our voices.
I can not give up on football. Next weekend, the NFL will bring out the pink. Love the Pink. Love the support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Love the monies that players have raised for their causes. Love the good. There is good.
Love the memories that football has brought to my home. Love my son looking at me Sunday night and saying, "this is best night of my life", immediately following a complete pass from Ben.
I love that my family gets up on Sunday and discusses the "football menu" and comes together to cheer. I love that sometimes we are furious with calls and lazy runs and filled with disappointments. But, just like in life, we get up and go back and do it again the next Sunday.
It is okay that people speak out and show their discontent with players and poor decisions. They should. It is America. And we all have the right. We need to understand that it is a right because of freedom, not because we "own" the right because they play football. And we should teach children, good lessons and bad. That will help them learn.
But, I am not giving up on football. Maybe it is a bit selfish, but football has given me too much. I am not willing to let it go. In three weeks, I am going to Morgantown with three of my best friends to celebrate friendships over 30 years, all centered around football.
For forty years I have been watching and cheering on men with shoulder pads and helmets.
I have seen hundreds of players, some stand out, some do not. Most went on to do other things, some did not. But quite a few, went on stand for and stand up for many fabulous causes. Autism, Childhood Cancer, Literacy, just to name a few. Too many men, along with their wives, have done too many great things to make me get rid of my terrible towel.
Doesn't matter what you do for a living, be the best person you can be to yourself and others at all times.
It is Thursday night. Game night.
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