Question for outta towners

[swissvale72]

What made "yinz" steeler fans? Most of yinz aren't old enough to have become fans in the 70s.

And for native Pittsburghers, what section of than yinz from. I'm from Swissvale obv, and I believe KC is from charleroi.

Just interested to know.

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

why all the personalized posts Swiss? Doing a book report?

[Ice]

Born in Shadyside Hospital, moved to STD's stomping grounds when very young, but Steelers (and all Pittsburgh pro sports) fandom was a family thing, passed down from Dad and his side of the family, who've had season tickets from Forbes Field till present day.

I'd be willing to bet the family pass down fandom is a pretty common story.

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

sounds like Swiss is starting a new DOxxing program here

[swissvale72]

why all the personalized posts Swiss? Doing a book report?

Yeah, hope I get an A.

[Stlcrtn1974]

Born in Youngstown in 74. 1st game I remember was the 79 afccg against Houston. My late older brother liked the Oilers and was crying about them getting beat. I remember saying I like the black team. My parents went to the Super Bowl in Pasadena the following week and brought back steelers pennant, were#1 pin, program, etc. Been following them ever since.

[gojira5150]

What made "yinz" steeler fans? Most of yinz aren't old enough to have become fans in the 70s.

And for native Pittsburghers, what section of than yinz from. I'm from Swissvale obv, and I believe KC is from charleroi.

Just interested to know.

I've been a fan since '74 (7y/0). Never been to Pittsburgh (on my bucket list). I was born in Cedar Rapids, IOWA (I'm pretty sure you can guess why now). As a Hawkeye fan (Dad did security at home games) I would see the same colors for the Steelers and thought they were the Hawks (dad told me they were the Pittsburgh Steelers). Been a hardcore fan ever since

[Steelersfan]

Honestly, I can't remember my first year as a true fan. What I do know was I was 10 in 1971 & was all about baseball, Roberto & the Pirates. My baseball fanaticism started a bit before 1971, but The Pirates World Series win (We Are Family) hooked me even harder. So, from that time on, I was entrenched as a Pirate fan leading to being a sports fan & then a everything & anything Pittsburgh fan. Then along came the 70 Steelers.

A tradition in my family was spending the day at my Grandmother's (Bubba's) house on Sundays. The entire family 35-45 of us. If you weren't at work in the Duquesne blast furnace, you were there EVERY Sunday. Football season consisted of my entire family sitting around the TV screaming at the TV for good or bad. Just way more cuss words from my Uncles & cousins for the bad.

Born in McKeesport hospital. Lived in Duquesne until 7 yrs old. Then moved to West Mifflin until I left PA in 86 for the military. Graduated in 79 with Pirates World Series champs & the Steelers Super Bowl champs (City Of Champions). The 70's ingrained Pgh sports into my blood. My dumb ass still follows & roots for the Pirates (Bucco's) religiously. Looks like the same will hold true for the Steelers now for the next 35 yrs of losing seasons. Somewhere in the 70's the Penguins entered my heart of dedication. Seen Roberto play in Forbes field as well as 3 Rivers. Pops & Lemieux were hero's as well as every single Steeler that played in the 70's. Still ache for days after every single lost & cherish the wins. Fuck Nutting for the cheap dollars & the Rooney's for not demanding to continue hiring "hall-of-fame coaches.

[langer]

What made "yinz" steeler fans? Most of yinz aren't old enough to have become fans in the 70s.

And for native Pittsburghers, what section of than yinz from. I'm from Swissvale obv, and I believe KC is from charleroi.

Just interested to know.

I've been a fan since '74 (7y/0). Never been to Pittsburgh (on my bucket list). I was born in Cedar Rapids, IOWA (I'm pretty sure you can guess why now). As a Hawkeye fan (Dad did security at home games) I would see the same colors for the Steelers and thought they were the Hawks (dad told me they were the Pittsburgh Steelers). Been a hardcore fan ever since

Dang man, you gotta take a weekend and visit the promised land.

No matter what Tomlin and Art the Moron have done, the city is still a gem.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

In So Cal, there are many working class Mexicans who identify with the blue collar image and who like the PS. In Mexico they have a big following as well. (and so does non-PC Speedy Gonzalez who only offends neurotic white women).

Hire any of them to replace the lazy ass Rooneys and the franchise might live up to that image.

[XPGH]

Born in St. Joseph’s Hospital on the South Side. We used to stand on Carson Street and wave up at my mother, after another sibling birth.
Raised in Carrick, graduated Pitt, and moved for a job in the South Jersey area in 1976. I loved visiting where my Dad and I would search for my uncle at Bills or the Mill Site in the day when J&L was still going.
As a kid, the Pirates were my team. I loved going to knot hole games at “the house of thrills”, hoping for 2 bloops and a blast!
My Dad took me to my first Steelers game at Pitt Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals, and I never looked back; it’s my connection to my family, my childhood, my past.

[AirRescueFF]

Just saw them on TV as a child in the 70's.

Was a fan well before I knew what all the team positions were.

[Steelraptor]

Born in So Cal in 1971 and my step dad was a fucking asshole and he liked the Cowgirls. So anything he liked I hated and the Steelers were putting the beat down on the cowboys at that time. He hated the Steelers and here I am today. Never liked the Chargers. I thought the name was stupid anyway. Still a Padres fan though. Also fuck the losing ass Padres.

[Who Dee Knee]

I was growing up in the Lehigh Valley in the Sixties. Back then baseball was the main game. I didn’t like the Phillies, so I needed a new team. I consulted my baseball cards.

Red Sox. Why would you name a team after a pair of stockings?

Angels. Devils might be a good choice, but Angels?

A’s. What exactly are A’s?

It came down to the Pirates or Giants. Both were cool names to a seven-year old. The Pirates were in the state and had Roberto Clemente. Pirates it was.

The Steelers were a natural addition in the autumn.

I remember watching the first game of the 1969 season on television. The Steelers won their first game in Noll’s first year.

I remember Bradshaw being drafted, and everyone thinking he was dumb.

The breakthrough was in 1972. The Steelers were finally good! Then, the 1974 draft! By the time I headed off to Washington & Jefferson College two years later, the Steelers were two-time champions.

Talk about a three-peat, it should have happened in 1976. That was perhaps the best Steelers team ever.

They won two more Super Bowls while I attended W&J. Of course I had picked the school in part to be close to the Burgh.

[gpclay]

Born in 1967, so exactly the right time? Grew up in Claysville, a small town in Washington County near the WV border. Live in Central PA now.

Edit: posted before I read yinz posts. Also started out as a rabid Buccos fan. Saw Roberto play in TRS and 1970s Pirates were where it was at for me as a kid. Played and loved baseball 100x more than football. So sad how Nutting has pissed all over that franchise (walking into PNC Park for the first time made me weep for my lost years watching baseball in the concrete donut though). Mom was an huge Stillers fan and pulled me along. Came to the Penguins in the late 1970s when I went to middle school and met kids from other parts of the district who I became friends with and we played a lot of street hockey. Also graduated from W&J and Pitt Law.

[Deebo]

Born in '78- the youngest of 5 in Northwest Ohio. Dad was born in Pittsburgh/Shadyside and my siblings (except for the middle child) were Steelers fans.
There is an 8MM film of my family in Latrobe with Lynn Swann holding me as a baby.

Hard to remember the exact timing, but I swore we were in the car most every weekend taking the 4 hour trip to Pittsburgh to visit my Aunts (they lived by the zoo). The TV there was always tuned to the Steelers, Pens or Pirates games. I just became enmeshed with the city and fell in love with it.

[bradshaw2ben]

Born in So Cal in 1971 and my step dad was a fucking asshole and he liked the Cowgirls. So anything he liked I hated and the Steelers were putting the beat down on the cowboys at that time. He hated the Steelers and here I am today. Never liked the Chargers. I thought the name was stupid anyway. Still a Padres fan though. Also fuck the losing ass Padres.

The best reason to be a fan-- spite!

[bradshaw2ben]

You guys probably already know my fandom story. I was born at St. Clair Hospital... lived in–as the kids would say now–– a small, coal-minimg company town called Coverdale that was colonized by Bethel Park in 1949.

The Pirates were always on in my house, but at the time I started playing peewee, the only three teams I knew existed in the NFL were Green Bay with Vince Lombardi (my PeeWee coach played for Vince and used his playbook and terminaology), the Jets with Pittsburgh Kid Joe Namath, and the Baltimore Colts with Johnny U. I thought the Colts were our team, with another QB from Pittsburgh––one who really had the vibe of my Dad and his friends. Learned all about them in the way a 6-8 year old can, with books and trading cards. Loved Mike Curtis, who played my position.

Then one day in 1972, there was this sudden burst in the news over this guy Franco. He became the most suddenly famous person I'd ever heard of, and then I heard that he played in Pittsburgh. For a football team IN THE NFL.

Blew my mind. I might have been late to the party, but by October 29--the day after my 9th birthday, Franco went toe to toe with OJ Simpson, the Steelers won to get to 5-2, something they hadn't done since 1947–the only time they'd ever reached that mark and their only postseason appearance in history up to that time.

Been a hardcore Steelers fan ever since. When I moved away from Pittsburgh in 1988, it was extremely difficult to follow for years-- required a lot of time at bars with satelllite dishes at so on... but it was worth it. Once it got to the directtv dish era, it got easier. Now with streaming... easy peezy.

[jebrick]

not sure if I count as "out of town". Grew up in Ohio( by Stebenville) and we got season tickets in 1974. 40 minute drive to home games.

[Steeldrama]

Born in 1971

Raised in Shaler Township

My mom was the ultimate Steelers’ fan.

Loud and proud

Christmas tree and front yard decorated all black and gold

Steelers bumper stickers all over the back of the wood paneled OldsmoBuick station wagon.

I was just a little kid, but I was at least in the room during every game of those great Super Bowl teams.

My dad could care less about sports, but for his own sanity, he built my mom the ultimate Steelers’ mancave complete with that cheap 70’s wood paneling

If ever there was a time for my dad to have an affair, Sunday’s at 1:00 was it.

During the 80’s decline, my mom’s boss sold us his season tickets.

So, mom and I went to every home game at Three Rivers with my aunt and uncle for nearly ten years.

Yep, Noll's decline kinda sad but despite the obvious drop-off in talent, games were still fun to attend.

That 1987 draft cemented my Steelers’ fandom and draft obsession. That fantastic class laid the foundation for Cowher’s early success.

Throughout the 90’s, my Pitt buddies and I rarely missed a home game. If no tickets, we would tailgate then hit a bar. Some of the best memories of my wall to wall fun life.

LOVED those 90’s Cowher teams.

I would’ve run through a wall for that man. YOU SUCK, Tonlin!

Pitt football and basketball, the Pens, and even the Pirates playoff teams were always on our sports menu.

Man, Mario and those high- flying Pens teams at the dump that was the Civic Arena made for a fantastic night out.

Moved here to glorious Suwanee, GA to teach in 2002.

Would hit a shady Steelers bar called Barnacles to watch games. Good wings, sketchy but lively crowd.

My second year here, Suwanee88’s daughter was in my class.

He had the Sunday ticket, so we watched the games in his awesome Steelers’ mancave.

We watched the draft a few times back when it was a Saturday afternoon event.

Saw the Steelers draft Big Ben Roethlisberger.

A home run pick that we both applauded.

Enjoyed watching two Super Bowl wins while living down here, but neither came close to the party like atmosphere of the ’95 Super Bowl loss to the Cowboys.

Marriage, kids, and my own Sunday ticket, I’ve since watched the slow but steady decline of my once beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.

Thanks Art

Thanks Mike

Now?

I don’t even want to do the math on 20 years of paying for the Sunday Ticket, but it’s now more for fantasy football and occasional betting purposes than to actually sit and hang on every play of a Mike Tomlin coached Steelers’ game.

Noooo thank you.

Better things to do with my time.

Georgia a golf mecca

My son and I are rabid Georgia Bulldog fans.

Athens a fun college town.

T’Town even more so.

Truist Park and the Battery over in Cobb County helped resurrect my interest in Baseball.
New ballpark, bars, shops, restaurants…Just a tremendous venue to watch a ballgame.

The great Freddie Freeman and the Braves winning the 2021 World Series doesn’t erase the pain of those early 90’s Pirates playoff losses, but I’m firmly entrenched as a die-hard Braves fan.

Falcons and Hawks will never be on my sports radar.

Great venues
Piss poor organizations

I still enjoy my annual summer visits to PNC to see Nutting's Buccos, but I haven’t been to a Steelers or Pitt game at HEINZ in at least 15 years and could care less if I ever go back.

Words cannot adequately describe the ruination of my Pittsburgh rooted Steelers' fandom.

It's just SAD

All that's left are cherished memories

Again,

Thanks Deuce

Thanks Mike

Go ‘Dawgs!
Roll Tide!!
Go Braves!!!
Go Skenes!!!!
GOOOOO LIVVVYYYYY!!!!!

[W&M_Steeler]

I'm from SWPA, about 70 miles from Pittsburgh, so the Steelers were my home team. I was old enough to start paying attention to the NFL right around when Cowher started and was hooked on Steelers football.

[bradshaw2ben]

not sure if I count as "out of town". Grew up in Ohio( by Stebenville) and we got season tickets in 1974. 40 minute drive to home games.

How far from Mingo Junction?

[gojira5150]

What made "yinz" steeler fans? Most of yinz aren't old enough to have become fans in the 70s.

And for native Pittsburghers, what section of than yinz from. I'm from Swissvale obv, and I believe KC is from charleroi.

Just interested to know.

I've been a fan since '74 (7y/0). Never been to Pittsburgh (on my bucket list). I was born in Cedar Rapids, IOWA (I'm pretty sure you can guess why now). As a Hawkeye fan (Dad did security at home games) I would see the same colors for the Steelers and thought they were the Hawks (dad told me they were the Pittsburgh Steelers). Been a hardcore fan ever since

Dang man, you gotta take a weekend and visit the promised land.

No matter what Tomlin and Art the Moron have done, the city is still a gem.

I know and I will. I want to come to Pittsburgh to watch the Steelers vs Ratbirds.

[gojira5150]

Born in So Cal in 1971 and my step dad was a fucking asshole and he liked the Cowgirls. So anything he liked I hated and the Steelers were putting the beat down on the cowboys at that time. He hated the Steelers and here I am today. Never liked the Chargers. I thought the name was stupid anyway. Still a Padres fan though. Also fuck the losing ass Padres.

Family moved to So Cal in '77 (I was 10y/o) living in the IE ever since. Yeah, EFF the Padres as I'm a huge Dodgers fan

[955876]

I've been a fan since '74 (7y/0). Never been to Pittsburgh (on my bucket list). I was born in Cedar Rapids, IOWA (I'm pretty sure you can guess why now). As a Hawkeye fan (Dad did security at home games) I would see the same colors for the Steelers and thought they were the Hawks (dad told me they were the Pittsburgh Steelers). Been a hardcore fan ever since

Dang man, you gotta take a weekend and visit the promised land.

No matter what Tomlin and Art the Moron have done, the city is still a gem.

I know and I will. I want to come to Pittsburgh to watch the Steelers vs Ratbirds.

Back in 2014 we were taking a family trip to DC. While there we were driving up to Gettysburg as well as going to Pittsburgh. I let my son decide which game we were going to. Could either do Pittsburgh first and see a day game vs. the Colts or do Pittsburgh second and go to Sunday Night Football against the Ravens. He chose SNF.

Week before Ben goes off and tosses 6 TD passes. We were like ah man we missed that.

Then he goes and does it the following week on SNF against our hated rival. Good times...

[jebrick]

not sure if I count as "out of town". Grew up in Ohio( by Stebenville) and we got season tickets in 1974. 40 minute drive to home games.

How far from Mingo Junction?

About 10 miles north. The town is called Toronto.

[cyberlaz]

Born in the early 1970s and growing up in the Philadelphia area, people ask me all the time if I am an Eagles fan. So I've been asked and responded to this question many times...

As any other son would I guess, I grew up watching football with my Dad. He was a die hard Steelers fan and basically any other Pittsburgh sports team but he especially liked the Steelers. My dad grew up in a small coal mining town outside of Johnstown, PA. Poor as dirt, his parents emigrated from Eastern Europe sometime in the early 1900s and settled in western PA with my grandfather working his whole life in the coal mines. My dad's oldest sister came over on the boat through Ellis Island and the story was that she was so scared she peed the bed on the boat. lol

My oldest memory of watching a game was when my uncle Frank, my dad's brother-in-law, came for the weekend with my dad's sister to watch the superbowl at our house. I believe it was SuperBowl X, Steelers and the Cowboys. I remember my dad and uncle sitting on the couch, drinking beer and talking about what and how the Steelers needed to do to win the game. I didn't understand any of it at the time but it's a cool memory. And back then the SuperBowl was like any other Sunday game....on in the early afternoon without all the pomp and circumstance of today's SuperBowls.

Living in the Philly area, we really couldn't watch all the games and my dad installed a TV antenna on the roof that had the capability to be turned. So sometimes we could redirect the antenna to get games out of channel 8 in Harrisburg which typically showed the Steelers. As I got older we used to go to a nearby racetrack which would show all the games on Sundays and park ourselves in front of the Steelers game with a bunch of other Steelers fan. That was a lot of fun to cheer with others instead of watching the game at home when we could see it on TV.

Then along came DirecTV and myself and my sisters all pitched in to get my Dad a satellite dish for father's day so he could get the NFL Sunday Ticket and get all the games. Back then you could get DirecTV and just get the ticket without having to get a base subscription. I think I was in college at the time and I would come over on Sundays to watch the game with my Dad.

Sadly in 2001, my dad passed away from cancer at the somewhat young age of 67. We would still put the games on for him when he laid in the hospital bed in the family room for him while he was on hospice care. He was pretty out of it being all morphined up but I would sit and watch the game with him anyway. Unfortunately, cigarettes had taken away many years from my dad and he never got to see Roethlisberger play. He would've loved him as my dad was a huge Bradshaw fan. When we buried him we put a Terrible Towel in the casket with him just in case he needed it in the future...

I've been one of the lucky few on this board I think to have been around for all 8 SuperBowls that the Steelers have been to. I remember asking my mom to stay up past 9 on a school night so I could watch the Lombardi Trophy be awarded to the team after they beat the Rams in 1980.

I don't think there is any other franchise that has given their fans some of the best play, results, etc. than the Steelers. Four SuperBowls in the 70s and then an epic championship 2005 season almost out done by the 2009 SuperBowl. Things aren't so great now but I suffered through the 80s and 90s to be paid off handsomely in 2005 and 2008 and somewhat in 1995 and 2010.

Soon it will be our time again...have faith in the Steelers!

[Stlcrtn1974]

not sure if I count as "out of town". Grew up in Ohio( by Stebenville) and we got season tickets in 1974. 40 minute drive to home games.

How far from Mingo Junction?

About 10 miles north. The town is called Toronto.

I knew of a guy from Toronto who drove up to Youngstown for work every day, Fuck that. 11 is a miserable drive.

[Texas Steel]

Born in '67 and mom's family was in Braddock. We'd visit for thanksgiving/christmas so the Steelers were on TV and became my team. Was riiiight at that age 7-14) when they were winning Super Bowls so the pride got instilled early and been a fan ever since. I remember the lean years of the 80s the dagger in 96 and the highs of the 2000s.

It's hard to give up when you've taken the flavr-aid at such an early age.

[cyberlaz]

Born in '67 and mom's family was in Braddock. We'd visit for thanksgiving/christmas so the Steelers were on TV and became my team. Was riiiight at that age 7-14) when they were winning Super Bowls so the pride got instilled early and been a fan ever since. I remember the lean years of the 80s the dagger in 96 and the highs of the 2000s.

It's hard to give up when you've taken the flavr-aid at such an early age.

I remember in the 80s we got to the AFC Championship game but lost. I think Brister was the QB. That was Noll's last good year and I think he won coach of the year that year for the first time ever. I don't think he ever won for the 70s teams which is just not right.

Or I could have this all wrong as it was a long time ago...