Wondering how alike Green Bay and Pittsburgh really are...
January 29th 2011 03:30
I'm musing on this, and have been for a couple of days now. The juiciness of this game, featuring two of the top five, maybe top three, most prestigious franchises, is readily apparent. But I'm wondering, and actually thinking, that Green Bay and Pittsburgh are just a lot alike in many key ways.
I say this, by the way, without ever having the benefit or pleasure of visiting Wisconsin. I've made it to many states in this nation of ours, but somehow have managed to miss Wisconsin. I've heard, for instance, that Madison is one of the nation's best college towns. I went to Penn State; I'm sure State College and Madison are alike at the key levels. Or mostly alike. I'm a Pittsburgher by heart and by choice, but I suspect that I'd feel very comfortable amid the cheese of Wisconsin.
What resonates most of all is the passion of the fan base. There is only one team. Period. You don't leave town and jump ship to whatever team is in your town; you remain loyal. Defending your team might occasionally be painful, but you do it. You celebrate the highs and agonize over the lows. You discuss the game of football and your team's place within it all of the time. Not once, thankfully, do you have to mention 'small market' when talking about your team. Small though the market may be in terms of local population or television market, but world-wide is the fan base of the teams. I would respect a life-long Packers fan who flew the colors with pride on Sundays. I'd badger him constantly, mind you, but with a smile on my face, and would expect to be repaid in kind. I would expect him to say "I love the Packers, but root for the Steelers when they're not playing the Packers." Because if I had to move to Green Bay, you're damned right I'm maintaining my one and only allegiance to the Steelers...but maybe I'd do some cooking with local flavors, too. And for the record, I'd say the same thing if I was in Green Bay. Maybe not in some other cities - like Dallas, Philadelphia (especially Philly...on general principle), Baltimore, New York, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Indy, well maybe most of them. I would accept a rooting interest with Chicago and Green Bay. Outside of that I'd have to think on it. Not Seattle - they whine. Not Denver - I just don't like Denver. I wouldn't bother with the Cardinals - that would be like rooting for Cincy - a wasted effort from the start.
Anyway, before the big time run-up really starts, I want to say that I'm glad that Pittsburgh and Green Bay seem to be united by a similar nature. A similar passion. A loyalty tested and found true. There are no such things as bandwagon fans for Green Bay. They're not allowed up there. They're told to go to Minnesota or something. You're born a Packers fan, raised a Packers fan, and die a Packers fan. That's how it works. I know this, because I was born, raised and will die a Steelers fan. As will my two sons. And their children. And so on. That's how it works. You don't think about it - you just do it. Football permeates your life in Western Pennsylvania. That's how it is. I believe its the same in Green Bay. It's why I can respect the fan base. Whether its your opinion that they're just like us, or we're just like them, it really doesn't matter.
I say this, by the way, without ever having the benefit or pleasure of visiting Wisconsin. I've made it to many states in this nation of ours, but somehow have managed to miss Wisconsin. I've heard, for instance, that Madison is one of the nation's best college towns. I went to Penn State; I'm sure State College and Madison are alike at the key levels. Or mostly alike. I'm a Pittsburgher by heart and by choice, but I suspect that I'd feel very comfortable amid the cheese of Wisconsin.
What resonates most of all is the passion of the fan base. There is only one team. Period. You don't leave town and jump ship to whatever team is in your town; you remain loyal. Defending your team might occasionally be painful, but you do it. You celebrate the highs and agonize over the lows. You discuss the game of football and your team's place within it all of the time. Not once, thankfully, do you have to mention 'small market' when talking about your team. Small though the market may be in terms of local population or television market, but world-wide is the fan base of the teams. I would respect a life-long Packers fan who flew the colors with pride on Sundays. I'd badger him constantly, mind you, but with a smile on my face, and would expect to be repaid in kind. I would expect him to say "I love the Packers, but root for the Steelers when they're not playing the Packers." Because if I had to move to Green Bay, you're damned right I'm maintaining my one and only allegiance to the Steelers...but maybe I'd do some cooking with local flavors, too. And for the record, I'd say the same thing if I was in Green Bay. Maybe not in some other cities - like Dallas, Philadelphia (especially Philly...on general principle), Baltimore, New York, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Indy, well maybe most of them. I would accept a rooting interest with Chicago and Green Bay. Outside of that I'd have to think on it. Not Seattle - they whine. Not Denver - I just don't like Denver. I wouldn't bother with the Cardinals - that would be like rooting for Cincy - a wasted effort from the start.
Anyway, before the big time run-up really starts, I want to say that I'm glad that Pittsburgh and Green Bay seem to be united by a similar nature. A similar passion. A loyalty tested and found true. There are no such things as bandwagon fans for Green Bay. They're not allowed up there. They're told to go to Minnesota or something. You're born a Packers fan, raised a Packers fan, and die a Packers fan. That's how it works. I know this, because I was born, raised and will die a Steelers fan. As will my two sons. And their children. And so on. That's how it works. You don't think about it - you just do it. Football permeates your life in Western Pennsylvania. That's how it is. I believe its the same in Green Bay. It's why I can respect the fan base. Whether its your opinion that they're just like us, or we're just like them, it really doesn't matter.
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