Even in defeat, I still love my Steelers

This is an open letter to my one true love: the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sure, my spouse might not like that statement, but it’s a factual one. Nothing makes me laugh or cry, get excited or depressed, quite as much as supporting our Steelers. For many of us, male or female, football is a mistress. She took us away from holidays, kept us happy, and crushed our hearts, all within one feel swoop.

The love affair started slow, but for many of us, it’s one that has been going on for years.

This year was no different, except we had to wait a little longer. We didn’t get to see the stars until week three of the preseason, and that little taste, is all it took to hook us in. We were invested from the start, and while there were rough patches throughout a long, bumpy road that is the NFL season, we never strayed from our true love.

That mistress of course is the Pittsburgh Steelers; one who threatened to keep us away from friends and families on holidays. One who we threatened and criticized often over the last several months. It is a relationship that was battered and bruised, but never broken.

As they say, the “Standard is The Standard”, and our mistress, though at times not looking as she would, ended up taking good care of us.

I know for some, this might sound like a silly start to a reflection on this past season, but for others, you’ll see the analogy. There were both good times and bad, and no matter the outcome, no matter how angry, sad, or disappointed we may be with that outcome, overall, I think we appreciate those times and cherish them for what they were…

The football season indeed began with a bang… then screeched to a halt. The Steelers opened Monday Night football with a big road win, opened Heinz Field by beating a division foe (Cincinnati) then suffered one of their worst losses against the Eagles.

Were the Steelers a good team, a bad team, a good home team, a bad road team… any or all of those things?

The Bell ran against Kansas City in prime time, and struck again against the Jets. Big Ben had a scare in Miami, and a losing streak started. People hated on Mike Tomlin, Todd Haley, Keith Butler, Landry Jones, and many others they could vent their frustration toward. The defense collapsed in Baltimore, fell short at home against Dallas, and it felt all was lost.

Why do you do this to me? Why do you hurt me?

What can we do to fix this?

While we looked for answers, the team found them. Unproven players proved themselves: Sean Davis, Artie Burns, Eli Rogers, Chris Hubbard and many others. A team captain was lost, and it looked like all could be lost… but while we enjoyed turkey in front of the TV on Thanksgiving, these men sacrificed time away from their families to make right by us, and themselves.

The streak started, and Giants fell, while division foes disappeared. Kickers won games, backups won in overtime, and a team of destiny destroyed their first opponent over the course of Christmas and New Year’s.

The toll, the price paid for a full season of physical play came to an end on Sunday, at a destination many of us wanted, but didn’t anticipate at times. A legendary tight end retired. His free agent replacement seldom found the field. A star receiver was suspended for the entire season, while another star appealed to only miss three games.

Losing your starting quarterback, a signal caller on defense, and that unit’s captain, all threatened to take this away from the fans.

But the mistress’ work was far from over. The hope would be holding a seventh Lombardi trophy at the end, but the path would be cut short.

We all feel it as fans, but imagine the players. They risk it all: emotionally and physically, to fight for us.

And fight they will continue to do. The wait is excruciating, but the initial sting of a solid season should turn into a moment of pride. As a nation, Steelers Nation, we collectively raise our heads up, stick our chests out, and soldier on.

For those who will return in 2017, they will be a year more experienced, a year more battled tested, and have a year to rest, reflect, and prepare to retaliate.

We know it as fans, and it draws us back in. Frustration may have set in, but it has now settled from disappointment to something else: pride in our team for playing their hearts out.

Sure, there are things that will need fixed, and faces which won’t resurface next season, but that’s part of what makes this affair with football worth it.

Until next time old friend. Until next time…


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