A big Pacific Islander-looking fellow comes out of the shadows of the stand to wait on me, I can now see he's rocking a *correct* Polamalu 43 Steelers jersey.... I tell him Troy and Franco are probably my 2 favorite Stillers of all time .... He says, "That's my Uncle!"
We talked for several minutes about the glory days and he asks me if I'm from Pittsburgh (I am) and I ask him if Troy still has a house out here (he does). I also tell him about my fan-board buddy "Swissvale" who was in the house for both Troy's playoff pick-6 and Franco's Immaculate Reception, and reported they were the 2 loudest crowd roars in Pittsburgh history! (although in retrospect, I wonder if Maz's Yankee-killing, world series-winning walk-off homer might've been in the running as well?)
So yeah the current Pittsburgh sports scene is pretty bleak but at least there's some great folks and memories out there and maybe even some future hopes, once the current clowns running things move on or die off.
Anyways Happy Independence Day everybody, don't drink too much and if you're lighting stuff off, be careful you don't "put your eye out!"
