Ok I’ll admit. I am from Pittsburgh. I love my hometown. It’s unique and has a history unlike anywhere I’ve been. I am also a Steeler’s Fan. Some years we’re really good and other years we’re just good. We’re everywhere across the Earth and space. I now live in Arizona. Home of the Cardinals. Unless you live under a rock right now, you know there’s a football game this weekend. I remember reading about the Ravens fans who visited Pittsburgh for the AFC conference championship at Heinz Field, and the newspapers were interviewing them to ask about how Pittsburghers had been treating them. The Baltimore fans were surprised that Steeler fans were so nice and cordial. The Steelers went on to beat the Ravens and advance to the Superbowl. So did the Cardinals. The Cardinals hadn’t been to a championship game in 61 years and they’ve made it. That’s awesome. I am very happy for the Cardinals.

I’ve been in Arizona for almost a decade now. My wife and I love our new town (weather not withstanding!), and everything is wonderful here. Until two weeks ago.

Now I wear the same Steeler’s Gear I’ve worn all along, but people treat me differently. Friends and colleagues poke good natured fun at me and my team. I ignore them. Some of them I know have been Cardinals fans for years, and others have been Cardinals fans for minutes. It got worse. Less good natured. People I barely know saying crass things to me. Then complete strangers. People on the streets. I deleted most of the comments from Facebook and rarely retorted back. Last night after a movie I walked through the parking lot to my truck to the jeers “Steelers Suck” from a truck full of men. I was alone. It was almost midnight. Not fun. Today I take my kid to a garage sale, and the owner of the house turns to his wife “Look a Steeler’s Fan. Go get our gun.” I was wife my friggin’ kid. I get to the car dealer. The manager sees my shirt, and he says “For Steelers’ Fans we charge double”. Then he chuckles. Ok, I am done with it.

If you’ve been a Cardinals fan for years, then I’m happy for you. Good luck tomorrow. If you’ve been a Cardinals fans for a coupe of months, since they’ve gotten good, or only for 2 weeks, then shut the hell up. Don’t give me crap about my team, because no matter if the Steelers win or lose tomorrow, we have one of the best teams in the NFL. We have decades worth of wonderful fans across the globe who are proud of who we are and what we represent. We have a family owned team who never sold out and less coaches turnover than any other team ever. We (usually) hear great things about our team from complete strangers everywhere we go. The Steelers have won more Superbowls than everyother team except the Cowboys and 49ers, and that might change tomorrow. I can hope, pray, and cheer, but I am not out there making crass jokes to any Cardinal fan. And I am done hearing it.

I wanted an awesome Stillers (that’s Steeler for yinz who don’t come from the ‘burgh!) sweatshirt on Black Friday from Penney’s but they only had Cowboys (terrible!) and Cardinals (go figure, we’re in AZ!). I finally convinced catalog to order me up one, but the makers were gonna have to mail it straight to my house. This was fine with me since I live 10 miles from our local Penney’s.

After about 2 weeks I was pissed my shirt hadn’t come so I called to complain. Yesterday Penney’s catalog told me it was currently on the UPS truck to be delivered that day. My only package at home that night was a gift for a family member, so today while we were cooking dinner, I was complaining to Donna about Penney’s. I said something about the awesome Steelers sweatshirt for under $30 that I had ordered and hoped to wear to work while they’re in the playoffs.

She gave me this odd look and started laughing. Yesterday a package had come in her name. She’d opened it when I was out of the room and quickly wrapped it for me. She thought she had forgot and bought me a new Stillers shirt for Christmas!