To Me, Its More Than Just "Sports"

If I had a dollar for every time that I have heard someone tell me that "I don't really follow a sports team(s)...I don't have time and it isn't that important to me."  I must say, I feel the complete opposite.  As I've said before on several different platforms, I grew up a Pittsburgh fan.  My parents (especially my father) wore his pride for his favorite teams on his sleeve (and on his Starter jackets), and it is something that I have adopted as an adult with my own children (just minus the Starter jackets!).  When people ask why its important, the answer is easy.  Its more than just sports...its a way for me to stay connected to the place I once called home. I can honestly say that if it weren't for the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins I don't know how much I would have to talk about with my father.  Sure, we talk about the grandkids and how we golfed that week, but its Pittsburgh sports that always seem to be the topic of our conversation.  Its about the hundreds (and I'm not exaggerating) of phone calls I field from my Dad and brother during Steelers and Penguins games.  The intense discussion about "what we would do" in crucial situations of sporting events.  Do we all want our favorite teams to win? Sure, but I have been a Pirate fan my entire 29 years on this Earth, and we all know there wasn't much winning going on there for the last 19 years.  It isn't about the teams winning, its about the fact that we are all fans.

Its the fact that since I now live in Maryland, I get to take a piece of home with me when I wear my #7 Roethlisberger jersey, or my #87 Crosby jersey to the mall or grocery store and stop (and get stopped by) other Pittsburgh fans that I don't even know and immediately have a connection.  Its almost like a giant fraternity.  I can't say I've seen it with any other sports city like I have "the 'Burgh".  Its walking into a Steelers bar for the first time wearing your Buccos hat and a Steelers t-shirt and being treated like Norm in the show Cheers. 

Its more than just sports to me, it is something that I am passing onto my children.  If they grow up and don't want to root for the Pittsburgh teams, I'll be okay with that...as long as they are loyal to their teams.  That is what my parents always told me, but it wasn't long till the Pirates hat was worn all over the place, and the Hutch Steelers Uniform and helmet was a regular staple in my wardrobe when I played football outside with friends.  I remember wearing my Penguins jersey and pretending to be Mario Lemieux scoring goals in the street in front of my house while playing street hockey, and I can already see my kids following in my footsteps.  My son can recognize all 3 Pittsburgh sports teams and roots for them even though he doesn't know what he is technically watching happen.  This makes me happy deep down inside...

Sports are fun, and they are fun to watch and to think you are a part of something bigger.  To me, its a break from the "doom and gloom" news that dominates our country on a day to day basis.  That's why to me, its more than "just sports".