Eat My Sports: Good night and good luck

The past two weeks have been a complete whirlwind of emotions and smack talking. I got the same lines from nearly everyone in the two week-long anticipation of the Super Bowl, “Bryan, the Steelers are going to lose, but good luck anyways.” As if I had some type of way of determining the outcome of the 43rd installment of the biggest football game of the year. And I’m not even going to go on some sort of self-righteous rant and pretend that I did, that’s absurd. Anyone who thinks that what they’re screaming at the television or wearing beneath their jeans has any sort of relevance to a final score is just plain moronic. However, if you believe that any of that shows and further increases your dedication to your chosen squad, well then I have no argument.

Heading into Sunday night’s game, I had on my lucky Troy Polamalu jersey, white Under Armour, and my Old Navy khakis. Read that above sentence again, and if you are superstitious, tell me that combination should work on any team winning. I felt exhausted, not from the lack of sleep or the long car rides, but from the season. Mind you that I don’t watch pre-season games and the first game of the season was not aired anywhere near where I live, but from Week 2 on, I did not miss a single minute of Pittsburgh football. So let’s say that each game only lasted three and a half hours, at 19 games that gave me almost 70 hours of just watching the games this year. Add on the additional five hours per week discussing the games with the regulars at where I bartend, this season started to become taxing as per defending my Steeltown crew.

People get overly defensive about their sports teams, some people attack just because their team is terrible and they want you to be stuck in their misery. I don’t want to boast, I just want to enjoy the game. On the contrary, if you are one of those people that razz me just to try and get a reaction, don’t be surprised when you get a big fat “I told you so” whenever I get the chance.

I’m not part of a team, but I am passionate about my sports, and that I think is the whole key is to why my dedication had me tired by the time February 1 rolled around. I didn’t need any good luck sentiments from anyone, nor did I want any fake “I hope Pittsburgh wins,” I’ll settle for a “good night” any game day of the week.