PSA: I am no longer rooting for losses

[tbsteel]

I've been thinking on this the last couple of weeks, and I just don't think I can do it anymore.

Ultimately, it was kind of slowly poisoning my fandom, and I think it was starting to bleed over into over sports I follow. If I can root for the Steelers to lose, why can't I just root for any team to lose? And what am I doing with my spare time if I'm just rooting for teams I follow to lose? It's pretty sad lol.

As someone who has been trumpeting this for the past two years basically, the thrill is gone. Sorry fellas.

If I'm being honest, I was feigning rooting against them anyways. I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to lose as much as I was just okay with them losing if it ultimately led to significant changes in the organization.

But I think I've found peace in the purgatory that is being a Steelers fan in the latter day Tomlin era. It's not so bad. Not too warm, not too cold, the food is a little bland, but it's mostly filling.

So I'm turning over a new leaf. I don't think I'll ever get the same high that some others get in celebrating the wins, but I'm not going to celebrate the negative plays or the losses.

I just want to see Darnell Washington (who I was dead wrong about, the dude is actually a legit TE who can move) keep blowing up and turning into a bigger time player. I don't know if I'll ever be a fan of Broderick but I want to see the young OL keep getting better. I want to see the young guys on D keep developing and finish the year strong. And whether we draft a QB in the first round or not next year, I just want to see us land a bunch of talented young dudes with the (likely) 5 top 100 picks we'll have next April that can help get this team at a higher level.

Why I felt like making this a topic I don't know lol, but whatever.

[K_C_]

I doubt this is an actually sincere post, but you should root for whatever you want.

I've given up on the Pirates. I don't watch them anymore and I grew up a Pirates fan. Met both Clemente and Stargell (Clemente put his hand on my 11 year old shoulder outside Wrigley Field after a game in '72 and.....because of his broken English, I honestly didn't understand one word he said to me) and they are a pointless franchise to root for. Frankly though, it could be that I've lost all interest in baseball. I literally don't watch baseball games anymore.

I went to Indiana and got to see the Hoosiers win 3 college basketball national championships. I feel lucky but the program has been a joke since even before Knight was fired in what, 2000? They've struggled since the early 90's but I watch them regularly and have high hopes for new coach Darian DeVries.

IU football? I never, ever in my life believed I would see them be a legit national championship contender, but here we are. That gives me hope for the Steelers. Sure, not with Tomlin in charge but I think I'm too old now not to give a fuck, if that makes sense.

I'll continue to root for them to win every game, all the while knowing they aren't serious contenders for anything. Rooting for losses won't make a damn bit of difference. Tomlin already basically has the NHALS all but locked up.

[swissvale72]

Glad you've come to your senses, TB!!

[CKSteeler]

I've been rooting against them for about a decade now, since the Broncos playoff loss. Haven't given up and won't give up. This is My Struggle. The day Tomlin leaves the organization will be more of a relief than anything else.

You are a relative piker to the movement, but fancied yourself it's champion.

[CKSteeler]

Also, they won't have 5 picks in the top 100. They'll likely be packaging them to move up for a QB who will flop, but they'll always have that moment of drafting a first round QB when the draft was in Pittsburgh. Art II will die happy one day thinking of it.

[Texas Black & Gold]

Congratulations!
I think life is much more enjoyable when you are optimistic then pessimistic. Accepting and understanding the Steelers for what they offer makes the games more enjoyable to me.
I will always be a Steelers fan.
Penguins fan.
Pirates fan but stopped following in the early 80's.
And Spurs fan since 1985.

Here We Go Steelers!

[955876]

This team isn’t winning shit as long as the Dunce and Jibba Jabber are in charge.

So as long as that is the case, I’m all for whatever embarrassments come our way.

I LOVE that we spend all this money on the defense, give over the hill fucks mega extensions etc only to have one of the worst defenses in the league. That’s good shit right there.

Dumb ass Art II writing fat checks while his fraud defensive HC’s defense keeps getting their shit pushed in.

All the while having the ne of the worst offenses in football year after year after year.

I mean, I’m not bummed when we win. I just know it doesn’t matter. We are flawed in so many ways there is zero reason to hope for some magic. That isn’t being pessimistic, that’s being objective.

It ain’t happening with these clowns. Being “optimistic” is just off at this point: optimistic for what exactly? You know damn well me at their ceiling is and that ceiling isn’t good enough. So why bother spinning your wheels with false hope?

So we win cool.

We get embarrassed, even better. That shit used to bother me. Now I’m like, reap what you sow dipshits.

You created this mess and you need to have egg on your face over it.

[Gonzo]

you boys enjoy yoursleves

i still watch them every week - just reserved to the fact that we will see the same thing all the time

i am also a pirates fan and tried to quit them and pull for another team but couldn't. willie stargell is my favorite athlete of all time. i just don't really pay attention to them anymore and i know they aren't going to win - no chance. they have been hijacked by a phenomenal jackass. and IMO while steelers are obviously not pirates they have also been hijacked by folks with other ideas of what's "success"

this isn't spoiled fans or being overly critical - we have seen this Show for a decade or more - it won't change and I am 99.999% sure we will not win even a one playoff game anytime soon.
but i will watch a again this weekend. and celebrate the day HE leaves. and hope HIS leaving isn't so far away that i lose interest like with the bucs

[SteelerDayTrader]

I've been thinking on this the last couple of weeks, and I just don't think I can do it anymore.

Ultimately, it was kind of slowly poisoning my fandom, and I think it was starting to bleed over into over sports I follow. If I can root for the Steelers to lose, why can't I just root for any team to lose? And what am I doing with my spare time if I'm just rooting for teams I follow to lose? It's pretty sad lol.

As someone who has been trumpeting this for the past two years basically, the thrill is gone. Sorry fellas.

If I'm being honest, I was feigning rooting against them anyways. I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to lose as much as I was just okay with them losing if it ultimately led to significant changes in the organization.

But I think I've found peace in the purgatory that is being a Steelers fan in the latter day Tomlin era. It's not so bad. Not too warm, not too cold, the food is a little bland, but it's mostly filling.

So I'm turning over a new leaf. I don't think I'll ever get the same high that some others get in celebrating the wins, but I'm not going to celebrate the negative plays or the losses.

I just want to see Darnell Washington (who I was dead wrong about, the dude is actually a legit TE who can move) keep blowing up and turning into a bigger time player. I don't know if I'll ever be a fan of Broderick but I want to see the young OL keep getting better. I want to see the young guys on D keep developing and finish the year strong. And whether we draft a QB in the first round or not next year, I just want to see us land a bunch of talented young dudes with the (likely) 5 top 100 picks we'll have next April that can help get this team at a higher level.

Why I felt like making this a topic I don't know lol, but whatever.

Deal me in too

I know…..I know……Lucy and the football

I don’t enjoy being negative prior to the outcome of games.

However I still absolutely mean 100% everything I ever said about the Rooneys selling the team and fans out

[swissvale72]

My hometown and too much part of my identity to root against any Pittsburgh time. I've lived Behind Enemy Lines in New England since '79, so nearly 2/3 of my life, and maintained my allegiance to all Pittsburgh teams. The only sort of exception is I've been a Penn State fan ever since my brother enrolled there in '64, preferring the Nittany Lions over Pitt, though I root for Pitt, too.

I casually follow the Pirates, root hard for the Pens, though not on the same radar screen as the Steelers, primarily cuz I'm a football junkie and as I'm fond of saying, "I don't know shit about hockey."

[955876]

I think a better way to describe it is that I’m not rooting against the Steelers as much as I’m rooting against that fraud Jibba Jabber along with the lazy cunt that signs his highly boated paycheck.

This team isn’t the Steelers. This team is some lame creation that a coach over his head has put together.

Jibbs ceiling is position coach yet he’s been masquerading as a HC for FAR too long.

I just can’t support these two dipshits. I ultimately always want them to win. Just don’t sweat the losses any more and these days, the more pathetic the loss the better.

That shit is funny. It’s funny hearing Jibbs get ripped (finally) by the talking heads.

They deserve it.

[Steelafan77]

I have never actively rooted for loses, even though I may in ‘heat of the moment’ frustration say “they’re gonna lose” or “Game”.

In the Steelers score game I put up what “I think” may be accurate. I still always want Steelers to win despite my score choices.

Really, it wasn’t until this season my bias weakened and I began picking losing scores of which I’ve been happy to be wrong.

Even when I think they’ll likely lose I still in my soul want them to win and root for their victory, score game be damned.

The Bears game tomorrow, history will show the Steelers typically lose. My score game choices reflect that too. I still want them to Win!

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

So I’ll start by saying I went against my own advice and attended last Sunday’s game, first time in over 9 years

My journey was part of a longer weekend to see Pitt/ND first at the invite of my college buddy

I was fully going in protest of the Groundhog Day movie starring Mike Tomlin. And in true form, We won due to 2 Defensive TDs

Winning in nice fashion against the Bungles is always sweet, but come this week I’m left with “nice win” but we’ve been here many times before ! Same movie, different weekend.

I have been rooting for losses so we can get more momentum for change by the ownership to move in a new direction. I think the Steeler Nation gets Stockholm syndrome when stepping into the stadium then leaving when rewarded. It’s like a drug all those thousands marching to the golden ketchup bottle in unison.

So I went in protest and the anti jinx occurred, to my ill humor.

I had scores of fans complimenting me on my choice of jersey name and #, so much as many had to take photos of their amazement and satisfaction, that they are not alone in the struggle

So I know the sentiment is large about our well developed line of BS head coach

Anyway. We haven’t won in Chicago since 1985

I’ll keep vigil for change but I know how the movie ends

Cheers

[daikyu]

I think actively rooting for the team to lose while on their fansite is troll behavior.

My thought is, if watching a team brought you that level of unhappiness what was the point of watching that team. The most vocal critics seem to be the most active in the game day thread. I hate you but I can't quit you seems disingenuous for sports fandom.

I always root for the team to win while recognizing that they would probably be more successful as an organization with a change at the head coach position.

[Steelperch]

I’ve never rooted against the Steelers, but I sure as fuck don’t care when they lose anymore. We all know more the more losses the better for the future of the franchise. They badly need a fresh start without Tomlin and this high priced veteran riddled roster.
We’re in late stage Chuck Noll territory now with a rudderless ship and no direction.

Hopefully young Dan Rooney takes over and gives everything a massive enema. Until then I will Bronx cheer for 9 wins and have no real emotional investment in the team. I’ll still watch, I just have zero expectations of winning anything notable for the foreseeable future. My Sundays are way less stressful now than they were for 18 years with Ben knowing every game mattered and every season was a potential SB run. Now it’s a guaranteed sprint to mediocrity and I just laugh at anyone who thinks the games matter or they have a shot.

[swissvale72]

I think actively rooting for the team to lose while on their fansite is troll behavior.

My thought is, if watching a team brought you that level of unhappiness what was the point of watching that team. The most vocal critics seem to be the most active in the game day thread. I hate you but I can't quit you seems disingenuous for sports fandom.

I always root for the team to win while recognizing that they would probably be more successful as an organization with a change at the head coach position.

Yes, game day thread is troll city

[955876]

I just laugh at anyone who thinks the games matter or they have a shot

They are cute aren’t they.

As you said, there was a time every game mattered, every season had SB aspirations.

Not any more. This team is built to fail and led by Mr Magoo. Perpetually blind to what the real problems are. Problems he created.

[Stosh-67]

So I’ll start by saying I went against my own advice and attended last Sunday’s game, first time in over 9 years

My journey was part of a longer weekend to see Pitt/ND first at the invite of my college buddy

I was fully going in protest of the Groundhog Day movie starring Mike Tomlin. And in true form, We won due to 2 Defensive TDs

Winning in nice fashion against the Bungles is always sweet, but come this week I’m left with “nice win” but we’ve been here many times before ! Same movie, different weekend.

I have been rooting for losses so we can get more momentum for change by the ownership to move in a new direction. I think the Steeler Nation gets Stockholm syndrome when stepping into the stadium then leaving when rewarded. It’s like a drug all those thousands marching to the golden ketchup bottle in unison.

So I went in protest and the anti jinx occurred, to my ill humor.

I had scores of fans complimenting me on my choice of jersey name and #, so much as many had to take photos of their amazement and satisfaction, that they are not alone in the struggle

So I know the sentiment is large about our well developed line of BS head coach

Anyway. We haven’t won in Chicago since 1985

I’ll keep vigil for change but I know how the movie ends

Cheers

Sounds like that was some weekend.

[Steeldrama]

I just laugh at anyone who thinks the games matter or they have a shot

^^^
This

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

So I’ll start by saying I went against my own advice and attended last Sunday’s game, first time in over 9 years

My journey was part of a longer weekend to see Pitt/ND first at the invite of my college buddy

I was fully going in protest of the Groundhog Day movie starring Mike Tomlin. And in true form, We won due to 2 Defensive TDs

Winning in nice fashion against the Bungles is always sweet, but come this week I’m left with “nice win” but we’ve been here many times before ! Same movie, different weekend.

I have been rooting for losses so we can get more momentum for change by the ownership to move in a new direction. I think the Steeler Nation gets Stockholm syndrome when stepping into the stadium then leaving when rewarded. It’s like a drug all those thousands marching to the golden ketchup bottle in unison.

So I went in protest and the anti jinx occurred, to my ill humor.

I had scores of fans complimenting me on my choice of jersey name and #, so much as many had to take photos of their amazement and satisfaction, that they are not alone in the struggle

So I know the sentiment is large about our well developed line of BS head coach

Anyway. We haven’t won in Chicago since 1985

I’ll keep vigil for change but I know how the movie ends

Cheers

Sounds like that was some weekend.

It was cool. ESPN game day for the Pitt game. Close to full stadium and they retired Aaron Donald’s jersey at halftime

Rocky Blier did the towel twirl on Sunday and we walked into stadium along side Mel Blount

The 2 defensive TDs came before they played renegade

4 mins left in game

[Steelperch]

I think actively rooting for the team to lose while on their fansite is troll behavior.

My thought is, if watching a team brought you that level of unhappiness what was the point of watching that team. The most vocal critics seem to be the most active in the game day thread. I hate you but I can't quit you seems disingenuous for sports fandom.

I always root for the team to win while recognizing that they would probably be more successful as an organization with a change at the head coach position.

Yes, game day thread is troll city

Not nearly as bad as the ones who aggressively shit on our HOF QB every single snap of his final year in the league in the game thread. Those assholes deserve every second of this decade+ long QB purgatory we are going to suffer through.

[swissvale72]

I think actively rooting for the team to lose while on their fansite is troll behavior.

My thought is, if watching a team brought you that level of unhappiness what was the point of watching that team. The most vocal critics seem to be the most active in the game day thread. I hate you but I can't quit you seems disingenuous for sports fandom.

I always root for the team to win while recognizing that they would probably be more successful as an organization with a change at the head coach position.

Yes, game day thread is troll city

Not nearly as bad as the ones who aggressively shit on our HOF QB every single snap of his final year in the league in the game thread. Those assholes deserve every second of this decade+ long QB purgatory we are going to suffer through.

Agree on that!!

[SteelerDayTrader]

I’ve never rooted against the Steelers, but I sure as fuck don’t care when they lose anymore. We all know more the more losses the better for the future of the franchise. They badly need a fresh start without Tomlin and this high priced veteran riddled roster.
We’re in late stage Chuck Noll territory now with a rudderless ship and no direction.

Hopefully young Dan Rooney takes over and gives everything a massive enema. Until then I will Bronx cheer for 9 wins and have no real emotional investment in the team. I’ll still watch, I just have zero expectations of winning anything notable for the foreseeable future. My Sundays are way less stressful now than they were for 18 years with Ben knowing every game mattered and every season was a potential SB run. Now it’s a guaranteed sprint to mediocrity and I just laugh at anyone who thinks the games matter or they have a shot.

[Thrillsseeker]

So I’ll start by saying I went against my own advice and attended last Sunday’s game, first time in over 9 years

My journey was part of a longer weekend to see Pitt/ND first at the invite of my college buddy

I was fully going in protest of the Groundhog Day movie starring Mike Tomlin. And in true form, We won due to 2 Defensive TDs

Winning in nice fashion against the Bungles is always sweet, but come this week I’m left with “nice win” but we’ve been here many times before ! Same movie, different weekend.

I have been rooting for losses so we can get more momentum for change by the ownership to move in a new direction. I think the Steeler Nation gets Stockholm syndrome when stepping into the stadium then leaving when rewarded. It’s like a drug all those thousands marching to the golden ketchup bottle in unison.

So I went in protest and the anti jinx occurred, to my ill humor.

I had scores of fans complimenting me on my choice of jersey name and #, so much as many had to take photos of their amazement and satisfaction, that they are not alone in the struggle

So I know the sentiment is large about our well developed line of BS head coach

Anyway. We haven’t won in Chicago since 1985

I’ll keep vigil for change but I know how the movie ends

Cheers

Best jersey ever brother

[drmalba]

We’re in late stage Chuck Noll territory now with a rudderless ship and no direction.

I think I came to a similar conclusion sometime last season during that four game losing streak to end the year, watching Tomlin needing points in late game situations punt it on 4th down three weeks in a row. I've never turned off Steelers games on TV, even when losing, but after years of full-throated support and several more years of support qualified with raised side eye glances, Coach T finally broke me.

I think if he wants to keep going, he'll be a better coach for some other team, one that badly needs a culture transfusion (think Atlanta, the Jets or NYG), but I'm ready for a new paradigm.

[Stillerz Bar]

I've been thinking on this the last couple of weeks, and I just don't think I can do it anymore.

Ahhhhhh I get it now, you're doing the reverse psychology thing.

[Steelperch]

@tbsteel you back on the dark side yet?

[K_C_]

They'll beat Buffalo next week and all will be forgiven.

[955876]

Not calling anyone out here but some people simply need their sports team to win in order to feel complete or full in their own life. They become dependent on that.

Steelers win you have a good week.

Steelers lose your life sucks till they win.

That isn’t me. At one point their success or lack there of factored into my mood.

That is no longer the case. That’s why I can still love my Steelers but actively hope for doom when it comes to Jibba Jabber and the Dunce. Anything that makes these two dipshits look bad makes me happy.

Be honest, how many of you still rooting for wins were clutching your pearls today hoping and praying these cunts pulled it out in the 4th quarter and then were let down when they didn’t?

Not me. I walked off the golf course and into the clubhouse when the Bears had the ball with a minutes something left and the lead.

I saw our defensive stop and then the ohhhhh so predictable inability to just get into field goal range.

Also noticed that our “historic” defense gave up the 2nd most points to the Bears they’ve scored all year.

What a shocker. Soon as I walked into the clubhouse and saw they scored 31 points I went, ya that was super predictable.

But you guys keep clutching your pearls and hoping for wins. Maybe just maybe they’ll pull out 1 or 2 extra for you so you can wave your pom Poms an extra time or two in what is yet another failed season.

[Steeldrama]

Yeah like ‘95 I’d much rather golf
(Sunny and 75 here today)

And also like’95 win/lose my give a fuck meter doesn’t move

BUT

THAT bothers me

I WANT to care again

The longer Rooney and Tomlin stay, the further away I go.

What if they NEVER leave?

What if I NEVER care again??