Game mania is Pittsburgh’s alone

In my five years as a Pittsburgh resident, I have somehow remained ignorant of the impact and… In my five years as a Pittsburgh resident, I have somehow remained ignorant of the impact and influence of football on this region. I have always thought of the game as an enjoyable and sometimes worthwhile distraction, enjoyed by fans who truly love it. It can certainly be that. But for this city, games at times seem to be the focus of life, rather than a distraction from it.

The Steelers’ franchise is absolutely critical to the mental and economic stability of the region. How can I make so bold a statement? Let’s examine:

Football is big money in this town, no doubt about it. Fans will buy up Steelers’ paraphernalia with little regard to cost. Unlike any other city I have seen, Pittsburgh seems to enjoy the consistent sales-boost that the Steelers add to the city. And it happens season after season.

Although this is anecdotal evidence, I’ll use it to illustrate my point: My days as a mall clerk taught me that Sundays were awfully slow days. During football season, there was almost zero business being done. Quite incredible, considering that any other city would be rather unaffected by a regular-season game. It underscores the loyalty, the pride and the sense of oneness that fans have with the Steelers.

From the perspective of an outsider, all this hoopla seems very silly. It’s as if there is nothing else to be happy about. It doesn’t surprise me. Pittsburgh obviously isn’t the greatest of locales. We have weather patterns that cycle between cloudy and rainy. Life in the suburbs is rather drab and the city isn’t that promising for young people.

What are the ingredients that go into making a city that self-medicates itself on football? I’m not entirely sure, but perhaps I can take some cues from this city’s past.

This was a steel town a hundred years ago. It was inhabited by very hard-working individuals who had little time to pursue activities other than work. Not much unlike the Pittsburgh residents of today.

We are, as a populace, preoccupied. In fact, since I arrived here in 2001, I have chosen the word “zombie-like” as an accurate descriptor for this city. The city lives, thrives and produces. But its people are somehow asleep.

The roots that the Steelers have in this city are so deep that they affect more than just private citizens. Banks, businesses and other such large organizations are advertising their joy and support for their team. It’s rather surprising that these organizations have administrative people who actually encourage these shows of support. It’s as if their employees – or perhaps, their city – would turn on them if they didn’t.

Advertisements are very important. Since we all know that money makes the world go ’round, there must be a way to profit off a sport to make it major. Football has an incredible amount of stoppage time: one-hour games usually take three hours or more. This is a great opportunity for companies to saturate that time with advertisements, causing you to buy cars, beers or whatever else.

The complexity of football rules can really be burdening for fans. I say it’s a burden because of the amount of mental involvement required by the game. I can’t imagine how anyone can follow all these complicated plays without losing himself in attachment. Then there is the relationship that some fans make between the team and themselves.

I’m not here to judge anyone. If you enjoy being distracted, good for you. But for me it’s a mental commitment that I don’t have the time to partake in.

With that being said, I must admit that I too have recently become interested in football. With all the success the Steelers have had this season, the societal cues to take a look have overcome me. You could also think of it as interest by proxy: When I see that the sanity of my peers is affected by a few football games, it makes me interested to know what all the buzz is about. However, I won’t ever let the fan mentality take me over. It’s a level of distraction that I cannot yet handle.

I will be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday. If you’re reading this article, chances are likely that you will be doing the same. I ask only that you do not get lost in the moment when Pittsburgh wins. Football will be back in eight months. That’s plenty of time to prepare for next year’s Steeler-mania.

Karim doesn’t know how to play football. Send your verbal abuse to kab85@pitt.edu.