Are you a REAL Steelers fan?
Now that the season is over, I have time to touch on some subjects that I didn’t have time to get to while the Steelers were still playing.
I know that some of you want me to talk about the draft, but we have months until the NFL draft, so there will be plenty of time to deal with that. Rather, I want to talk about an issue that has bothered me all season.
This has been a very difficult season for Steelers fans. After winning Super Bowl XLIII, most fans probably thought that 2009 was going to be a very good year for the Steelers. Most of our players were back, the team had a good draft, and we had a much easier schedule than we had in 2008. Visions of a repeat championship danced in the heads of Steeler Nation.
And then 2009 actually happened. Instead of a repeat championship, Troy Polamalu went down with an injury in the very first game. Then the Steelers lost to the Bears. And they lost to the Bengals (gasp!). And they struggled against the Detroit Lions. And for some reason, the defense seemed to disappear during the 4th quarter of every game. And then Aaron Smith was lost for the season too. And then that disastrous 5 game losing streak happened. Heck, we even lost to the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns. Murphy’s Law was striking the Steelers with a vengeance.
In the midst of this debacle, Steelers fans started asking questions like “When’s Troy coming back?”, “What’s wrong with the Defense?”, and “Where’s my heart medicine?”
But as the losses accumulated, the questions turned to emphatic statements. “We need Troy!” “William Gay sucks!!” “Fire Bruce Arians!!!!!”
After each game, fans would analyze what was wrong with their beloved Steelers. This was to be expected, since most fans expected 2009 to be a very good year for the Steelers. What wasn’t expected was the stream of Steelers apologist who would inevitably enter the conversation with accusations that “a REAL Steelers fan wouldn’t criticize the team”. They would denounce those who questioned or criticized the team. Moreover, they’d usually label them as “bandwagon fans”.
I saw this behavior repeated over and over on my own blog, on my Facebook page, and on Steelers message boards throughout the internet.
“A REAL Steelers fan wouldn’t question the coaches!” “A REAL Steelers fan trusts the Rooneys!” “A REAL Steelers fan wouldn’t complain about losses!” “Those of you who complain need to leave Steeler Nation and become Ravens fans!”
I know that I’m going to take grief for saying this, but nobody has the right to tell other Steelers fans how they should behave. There is no rule book on “How to be a Steelers fan”.
The only criterion needed to qualify as a Steelers fan is that you love and root for the Steelers. How a fan chooses to exercise their fandom is up to them.
The fan who buys season tickets is not necesarily a better fan than the fan who watches the game on TV. The fan who wears Steelers gear 7 days a week is not necessarily a better fan than the fan who doesn’t own a single Steelers item. The 70 year old fan who has been following the Steelers since before the Chuck Noll era is not necessarily a better fan than the 9 year old fan who has only been following the team for a few years. The fan who lives in Pittsburgh is not necessarily a better fan than those who live in Texas, or California, or Georgia, or Alaska. After all, that’s why they call us “Steeler Nation”. Our members reside in every state of the Union. Moreover, they exist in countries throughout the world. Calling us Steeler Nation is now inaccurate. We should actually be called Steelers Planet, because we are located throughout the globe.
The reason that a fan complains about Bruce Arians play calling is that he thinks the Steelers would have a better chance of winning if they ran the ball more. The reason a fan complains about the Steelers’ draft picks is because they think the team would have a better chance of winning if they had chosen a different player. The reason that fans complain when the Steelers lose to the Chiefs, or Raiders, or Browns, is because they believe that the Steelers are superior to those teams, and that they SHOULD beat those teams.
The very fact that these fans take the time to analyze the play calling, or to study potential draft picks, proves that they ARE fans. They care about the team. They’re passionate. They want to see them do well.
Steelers fans come in all shapes and sizes. They come in all races and all genders. Some of them are Democrats and some are Republicans. Some are Protestants and some are Catholics. Some are Jews and some are Muslims. We won’t agree on everything, but the one thing that we DO agree on is that we love the Steelers and we want to see them win.
As far as how we express our love…….well, let’s just agree to disagree.
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Well put! I AM 39 YRS OLD AND MY SON IS 18… AND WE APPROACH BEING A STEELER FAN DIFFERENTLY… HE GETS SO MAD AT EVERYTHING THAT DOESN’T GO RIGHT…. WHERE I AM HAPPY TO BE WATCHING THEM PLAY…tHANKS FOR PUTTING THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR ME.. BECAUSE I KEPT TELLING HIM… STEELERS FANS DO NOT BELITTLE OUR TEAM AT ALL..I GOT AND STILL DO GET UPSET WITH PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET NEGATIVE ABOUT THE STEELERS..THATS JUST THE KIND OF FAN I AM..
1That is a very well written statement. That is something that I always think of as I live in the land of the enemy. Every time I see a beat up pickup truck or luxury BMW driving the streets of MD, I appreciate that there are so many and so many types of fans located everywhere I go. And even if I travel during the season it’s easy for me to find Steelers bars where ever I go and instantly connect with the fans that are there. I’ll admit that I find myself (very rarely) guilty of questioning other fans for the statements that they make, but for the most part everyone sees the Steelers differently and we should all accept that. And not only would accepting that fact make you an overall better fan but it would also make you a better person which is what we should all strive towards. So in the end we all need to look forward to next year, which as much as I hate to say if everything mostly stays the same (yes including that “high-powered”offense) and improve (defense and special teams) we could be looking forward to making some space in the trophy case at Heinz Field.
2Very well said!!!! Being a Steelers Fan living in Cincinnati I see all kinds of “BandWagon” Fans. All I say is “Welcome to Steeler Nation”
3I know next season my Flag will go up and if the same “BandWagon” Fans are not fans next season more room for me and all the other DIEHARD Stiller fans around the world!! One last thing “Here We Go Steelers Here We Go”
PS. Somebody Please Beat the dirtybirds
As much as I luv The Stillers x10 hate for Baltimore
I don’t think the face paint and dressing up for a game makes you a real Steelers fan. I was born in Pittsburgh and even though I was raised in Evansville, IN I’ve always been a Steelers fan because I am a PITTSBURGHER. Win or loose I will always be a fan. Heck I’m a Pens fan win or loose. I’m even proud to say I’m still a Pirates fan and always will be. I’m loyal to my hometown teams! I have to wonder about “Steeler” fans who are from a city with a pro-football team and have never even lived near the burgh. What’s up with that?… except that they want to be associated with the very best team in football. Where will they be if the Steelers don’t make the playoffs for the next three years… yeah like that will happen. In short always have been, always will be, rain or shine. Go Steelers, Go Pens, Go Bucs!!!
4I still feel a fan should be a person that “follows” the team. A fan cannot dictate what the team does because a “fan” does not have knowledge of the day-to-day operations of the team. A fan can only give an opinion and since this is America everyone is entitled to their own. Most people have jobs where their management staff makes decisions that are well above their pay grade. The same goes with following their favorite team. A fan should just follow the team and let that teams management staff do their professional jobs.
5Here’s my thing. I guess you can say I’m “guilty” of questioning other Steeler fans not for their dedication, but in the way they express it. I’m all for questioning things when they go wrong and demanding people be held accountable, but some people TAKE IT WAY TOO FAR. Calling the players and the coaches all out of name and tearing them apart is classless and childish. These are the same players that we cheered for just a season before on the way to a Super Bowl win and watched them lay it all out there every week, and to come back and not support them when they get down is just pathetic. You can see these guys were busting their asses, they just didn’t have it this year. Yes, changes need to be made…..yes, blame needs to go around. But to call them losers and a host of other unprintables is just not right. I roll with these guys win or lose rain or shine. If theres players who can’t get with the program they need to go, coaches too. But I’m not gonna tear a guy down that I’ve seen rise up. These aren’t the Detroit Lions were talkin bout. If I thought that this may be the last chance in 20 years they could be worth a damn, I might be able to understand the craziness. But these are the Steelers. They’ll be fine. They’re more pissed in house than any of us will ever know.
6A true steeler fan can never take off the shirt,hat,or licence plate cover, we are fans from the heart! We wear our patronage from our souls. You can take the girl outta pixburg but youz cant take pixburg outta the girl!
7I feel that players and Coaches need to be held accountable and I would expect that most Steeler fans feel the same way. You do not need to lack class when calling a player out, just state the facts. If Ike Taylor does not look like he cares, call him out. If Farrior looks to old to play anymore, say it. I believe the 2 statements above are true. I think the changes on the coaching staff needed to be made, if for nothing else than to shake everyone up. True fans come in all shapes and sizes, and I am happy when I drive by a car with the Steelers logo on it.
8I AM A TOTAL STEELERS FAN AND I NEED YOUR HELP TO BECOME THE NEXT NFL DIRECTOR OF FANDEMONIUM!!JUST VOTE AT http://WWW.NFL.MONSTER.COM!!
When you vote you are entered to win two tickets to the Super Bowl!!
You can vote 1x per day per e-mail address!
9Dave, this is the one thing that bothers me. I’ve heard alot through my time as a Steelers fan that I can’t be a TRUE fan since I live and always have lived in Cincinnati. I’ll be right here wearing my black & gold if the Steelers never win another playoff or super bowl. Just because I happen to be born and raised in Cincy doesn’t mean I don’t bleed black & gold. So maybe you should stop and think as to why I am a Steelers fan.
10As a Steeler’s fan who grew up during the Steel Curtain era, there are certain things one comes to expect from Steeler teams, primarily a level of toughness that rises far above the ordinary. What was so disappointing/shocking about 2009 was the “softness” of Steeler play on Special Teams and 4th quarter defense. Unheard of! not seen in the modern era (post Chuck Noll). Hopefully next year’s roster will not contain players who do not meet the standards we have come to expect and take pride in.
11Steeler Fans who have never lived in Pittsburgh are Bandwagon Fans. Women in particular don’t understand this. The only reason 99% of non-native Pittsburgh fans like the Steelers, is because their life sucks and they want to be associated with a team that wins; it makes them feel like they are a winner. BANDWAGON FANS!!!!! You’re own fans are giving your fan base a bad name. Nobody likes you.
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