The fifth oldest franchise in the modern day NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers offers their fans something that cannot be discounted – Tradition. Many fans of teams in all sports, including the great New York Yankees, the Duke Blue Devils, Michael Jordan’s Bulls, or the ultimate likes of John Wooden of the UCLA basketball teams, have something in common. When their team does not show up or has a “bad game,” you can count on one thing – they come back and give you a stellar performance.
This week, the Steelers dismantled the Seattle Seahawks in a 24-0 rout, coming of a disappointing loss the week before to the Raven. So while the Steelers now sit at 1-1, it’s how they have responded to the adversity of their week one loss that reveals the tradition of excellence.
Unlike most stadiums you visit, the first things you notice when going through the gates of Heinz Field are the Lombardi Trophies – six large trophy replicas, each one with a shrine of team pictures, super bowl tickets and superstars from its corresponding event. This experience alone, even before you make it out to see the field, is worthy of a visit.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the gold standard. All the other marquee organizations in sports have had their ups and downs – the Yankees have had their bad runs, the Celtics have disappeared for years, even the Lakers have had some rough patches, although they have also been a steady force.
In my 40 years, the Steelers have had 30 winning season, 25 playoff berths, 21 division championships, 15 AFC Championship appearances, 8 AFC Championships, and 6 Super Bowl Rings. The bottom line is that the Rooney family have created a franchise that is the most successful in the NFL. The band wagon always has more room for a few more fans to hop on!
