What My 4yr Old Son Taught Me About Being A Steelers Fan

We ALL Can Learn From Kids In This Case...

I am going to be honest.  I get pretty "down in the dumps" when the Steelers, or the Pirates, or the Penguins don't meet my expectations that I have for them.  Obviously, Sunday the Steelers fell WAY below "the line" in terms of expectations, and what occurs when that happens?  Let the semi-depression kick in.  I'm not poking fun at those that are clinically depressed, instead I am talking about the funk that all of SteelerNation is feeling even days after such a horrendous beat down on opening day...at HOME.  However, while in my funk, life still goes on.  I still am a father of 3, a husband, a coach, and an educator. You can't be in the dumps too long when all of those things are still up at sea level.

After the game though, I realized something.  I wasn't in the mood to watch any football, let alone Steelers lowlights (like what I did there?).  So my 4 year old son and I were in the basement playing his new favorite game.  Beating the hell out of a beach ball back and forth at one another.  While we were playing, I watched him running around in his Steelers jersey chasing after the ball.  Almost every time he got the ball, he would stop...look back at me...throw up a fist and yell "GO STEELERS!"  At first, I would echo that sentiment in a very melancholy tone.  Then, just like the Grinch in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" I realized something.  Something that I need to be reminded of about once a season.  No, it isn't the Christmas doesn't come in stores, etc...no, I realized that even though the Steelers had one of the worst performances I've ever seen, I am still a tried and true fan.

My 4 year old knows the Steelers.  He knows what their colors are, he knows the logo, and he knows when they are on TV.  He doesn't know if what they are doing is any good...or if they won or lost the game, but leave it to a 4 year old (especially my son) to show me that it doesn't matter if the Steelers win or lose.  It shouldn't make me any more or less of a fan, and it certainly shouldn't let it ruin my day. Fans can get caught up in the end result, and I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to this. All I know, is its been 2 days since the debacle at Heinz Field and guess what...the Steelers still have 15 more games to play this season.  They are 0-1, but then again, so is every other team in the AFC North currently.  As dismal as it seems, if the Steelers were to scratch out a victory in Cincinnati on Monday Night next week, SteelerNation will be singing a different tune.  I enjoy watching the Steelers...good or bad.  I watched the Mike Tomczak era, the Neil O'Donnell era, the Bubby Brister era, the Tommy Maddox era, and if this part of the Ben Roethlisberger era equals losing...I'll still watch.  After all, what my son taught me was that no matter how bad the Steelers might be playing...sometimes you have to throw your fist up in the air and say "GO STEELERS!"