Emotional Connection to this years team.

Does anyone else feel less connected to this year's team? I find myself in the weird position of having a feeling of indifference to what they do during any given week. It is easy to say well I must be a fair weather fan or a bandwagon jumper but I have been emotionally invested in bad Steeler teams over the years as well as good ones. I have been so keyed up the Saturday before a game that I didn't sleep and ready to argue with anyone if they said anything negative about the Steelers. This year was the first time I have ever shut a game off and walked away before the end of the game. That is huge to me, I mean i stayed up and watched the Bronco's beat us in the 90's or the Oilers tearing us apart with the run and shoot. I watched the fog bowl where Curtis Martin and the Pats ruined our postseason. I watched NOD single handedly ruin our shot at one for the thumb before the new century. So turning off a game and be ok with it is just not what I am used to.

I just don't seem to be emotional invested in the team this year for whatever reason. I celebrate the wins but seem less concerned about the losses. I posted in one thread that I have zero expectations for the team this year. If they win tomorrow and next week that is great if not so what. There will always be next year and I hope that I have that connection, back that giddy feeling when the defense is feared and watching the Black and Gold force their will on opponents. Maybe it is just a season of "couldabeens"

Just some random musing of a parent who has been up way to long the last two days.

 

It's the lack of fear of the Defense that's killing it for me. I'm tired of hearing about "Splash" plays! Screw that lay the wood on people and they will start coughing it up! It goes back to a discussion we had about the 80's and 90's teams. In the 80's they weren't winning Sb's, but everyone knew they were going to be leaving the game beaten up! Now I see these guys smirking and coking and joking on the sidelines!

 

no thorn i don't feel that way. i do feel they are better then they are showing and that makes me very disapointed in this team. now that i'm not used to. as i said in another thread, in all my years of watching them, i've never seen a steeler team quit. this year i did. i'm not very happy about it either. that is not steeler like. things need fixed i know that.

 

I, too, have been a little disconnected this year. I think it is a combination of the passive style of play and several of my favorite players have retired. New celebrities have yet to replace the old guard that made the team such fun to watch. I will always bleed black and gold, but I could use more excitement (of the positive kind).

 

I find this to be true, I also find them to be boring
and painful to watch.I had higher expectations for this team,
we should never be in the position we are in today. Oh well lets
see how things play out. just a simple question to fellow board members,
Do these current Steeler players seem excited to be playing football?
Do they look like they are having any FUN out there?

 

The Steel Curtain needs to be resurrected.

 

Yup I totally feel what you are describing. I dont get mad this year when they lose. I feel somewhat disappointed but I dont let it ruin my entire day nor week such as it has in the past. You used the perfect adjective to describe my feelings as well "indifference" For me it's because I know they are sub par this year and my overall expectations have declined considerably.

I miss those years when the Steelers were dominant and because I have been a fan for 35 years it does not mean that I have given up on these guys but sadly I have giving up on this year. There is just so much wrong on this team it's like its an epidemic.

We will return to the levels of being dominant, that much I am sure..

This year I have taken comment after comment from people that barely know what football is but know our Stillers lost to the raiders, browns and chargers.. Now as displeased and frustrated I am with this years team I still get pissed off when people diss my Steelers.

Bman

 

I think seeing team win SB's recently has taken the "edge" off of some fans. Getting older and knowing that this team isn't going to make the playoffs or win the SB every year helped me make the transition into a less disappointed fan. Looking at the situation rationally with understanding helps. The reason this team isn't having as good a season as expected are injuries and turnovers. They remained competitive through that adversity. They may or may not have the same amount of injuries next season. I doubt the turnover ratio is as bad next season. I believe that if they can make it into the playoffs they will have as good a chance as any team to win the SB(if they can take care of the football).

 

Steelers play this year / my emotion .........you see the connection.