True Steelers Fans

The Steelers probably have the biggest bandwagon of any NFL Team. I think that we should define degrees of Steelers Fans. Here is my proposal, please suggest amendments.

Steelers Fan of the Highest Order: Born in Pittsburgh to a family that has lived in Pittsburgh for at least two generations and at least one member of their direct family worked in a steel mill. Saw them play at Pitt Stadium is good evidence that you belong in this category.

True Steelers Fan: Born in Pittsburgh to a family that has lived in Pittsburgh for at least a generation, never rooted for another NFL team.

Real Steelers Fan: Born or moved to Pittsburgh under the age of 6 and was a Steelers fan prior to 1975.

Strong Steelers Fan: Moved to Pittsburgh from an area that did not at the time have an NFL team and was not a fan of another NFL team prior to being a Steelers fan.

Bandwagon Steelers Fan: Never lived in Pittsburgh, started to be a fan after 2005 and was the fan of at least one other team prior to being a Steelers fan, don't have a Steelers jersey or hat.

Newbie Steelers Fan: Didn't follow football except for fantasy football and only picked that Steelers to follow after their sixth Super Bowl.

Not a Steelers Fan: was a fan of the Steelers in the 1970's or 1980's and left for another team in the 1990's but currently call yourself a Steelers Fan again.

 

last 3 are bandwagon!

 

Where's the option that I fit into?

Been a Steelers fan all my life, well, at least as long as I've known what football was. I live and breath Steelers football. My basement has a Steelers shrine in it. I have spent probably over $20,000 on Steelers memorabilia and jerseys. I do not live in Pittsburgh though. In fact, I don't even live in the US, so moving to Pittsburgh isn't really an option for me. I wasn't a fan prior to 1975 as I wasn't even alive. I have been a fan since probably 1990 which is when I was old enough to understand football. I have watched as much game tape from the 70's as I can find on the internet. Am I less of a Steelers fan because I wasn't born in Pittsburgh (or even the US) and wasn't born prior to 1975, all things completely out of my control?

 

none for me to choose from. Ive been a die hard Steelers fan since I was a child in the late 60's. Wasn't born or lived in PA.

Having Steelers tattoos, multiple material items, multiple autographs, attended 2 Steelers SuperBowls in person. But, oh well...I dont have to prove it to anyone the level of my Steelers loyalty.

 

Why are we doing this??? AGAIN, cant we just all agree that every person on this board is a die hard Steelers fan-all equal. :roll:

I also dont fall under any of those....Steelers fan since I can remember (somewhere around 1975 when I was five years old)- I live in NW PA- have never lived in Pittsburgh and most likely never will.

 

One more reason why it sucks when the season is over. Because we've got threads like this about bandwagon fans, and you're not a real fan, and I'm a bigger fan than you, blah blah blah.. This stuff is even worse than the tired old fire Brucie stuff. Really man? You're seriously trying to categorize Steelers fans by levels of fandom? Maybe you would be happy if everyone agreed that you get the biggest fan boner award and we can just burn these types of threads.

 

some of those rules are unfair, considering your birthplace wasn't your choice. i don't think it's fair to assume you can't be a TRUE fan if you weren't born in Pittsburgh. i've never even been to Pittsburgh in my lifetime but i've been a Steelers fan since i knew what football was. shouldn't that count for something?

 

I am 46 years old and have been a Steeler fan since I was a little boy. I have lived in NY my entire life and have never rooted for another team. I bleed Black and Gold just as well as anyone who has Pittsburgh roots.

Therefor I am a TRUE Steeler fan regardless of what your silly requirements are!

 

here is my story make fun of me or not,but i get emotional when they loose more then any other sports team i ever followed.I was a big wrestling fan when i grew up,never really followed football.Vince McMahon came out with the terrible xfl but it had a little bit of wrestling flavor in it so i watched it.It was there i really liked watching Tommy Maddox,since then i have followed his career to the steelers.Id say 03 or so,and iv followed them ever since.Im in stlouis and never lived there although one of my best friends used to live there.But it was guys like ward,and the bus and then the emerging qb big ben and troy who really captivated me.Cardinals won the world series this year and i would have traded that for a victory over the texans back in week 4.A fan is a fan,and we are all steeler nation.

 

Named my son after a Steeler. Don't live in Pittsburgh, but I have represented since late 80's. Live in PA, but in a suburb of Ratimore.

Those choices were very short sighted, as is calling people band wagon fans. What's your point? That only a crappy team with just a few fans have true fans? Steeler nation is huge. God himself is a Steeler fan. I find it ridiculous every time Steeler nation fills an opponent's stadium, the stupid announcers say they travel well. More likely there are a large number of Steelers fans living in that market. Great fans like we have on this board who were excluded from true fandom based on a silly set of criteria.

 

Here is my story. I became a steeler fan when I was about 7 years old. My mother brought my brother and I the old electric football game which always had the super bowl teams. It was Dallas and Pittsburgh. I took Pittsburgh because the black jersey's look more intimidating then the Cowboys. I've been a steelers fan ever since and my brother has been a cowboy fan ever since. That was 1975 when I got that game. I never lived in pittsburgh. I grew up in philidelphia. But I have been following this team ever since. I even have a steelers office and tons of steelers gear.

When jershey's couldn't be brought and never heard of, I used to write on a white t-shirt the number 58 on the front and back and wear it under my football uniform when I played high school ball and college.

I guess I'm a bangwagonneer.

 

I've always been a Steeler fan. 34 yrs. to be exact. I really don't like this post.We are all Steeler fans.
Does'nt matter how or when..It just matters that you love the Steelers.I would go up against anyone out there suggesting that their a bigger fan of the Steelers than me.Were all brothers here right? GO STEELERS!!

 

Amen brother,,,, did I say that to "obKNOXous"....LOL

Seriously, you're right on. I've been a diehard steeler fan since 72'. Never pulled for anyone else. Spent alot of money on them. Yeah, I'm not a true fan or worst yet I'm a little higher than a bandwagon fan because I've lived in NC my entire life.

In fact I may be more of a diehard fan since I don't support the steelers because my parents worked in a steelmill or I was born in PGH because other people decided that's where I was to be born at. I'm a Steeler Fan because The first time I saw mean joe and those Black-N-Gold colors back in 72 as a 10yr old I new in my soul that was MY Team. Never waivered and I don't have that hometown pressure to stay.

Cajun-

 

How, when, or why doesn't make one fan "better" than another fan. We're all Steeler Nation.

 

BS thread. I would say those of us who never lived in Pittsburgh are just as loyal to those who do. In fact, it's harder for us to be fans, as we live with the enemy and often have to face that after big losses. For me, I lived in MA from 2000 - 2005, went to both AFCCG where we lost to the Patriots. You can't imagine the hell I faced for those years.

ALso, I have been to evey home playoff game since 1995. 8 hour drive, $350 tickets, hotels, and all that. That requires a lot more effort than those who can drive down the street on game day.

I'm not a pompous ass and gonna claim to a be a bigger fan than anyone else, but to not even categorize the likes of many of us (as based on the replies) makes those who do look foolish.

 

I was just kidding. Trying to lighten it up a bit.

 

Wow I wasn't born in Pittsburgh or pa for the matter so I guess I am not a real fan.

 

So what's the story on your MB name Cajun? I didn't realize you lived in NC. Guess I assumed LA.

 

I get really annoyed when people start categorizing other fans devotion to the team. There's fair weather fans, fans, and then there's the people that are just plain crazy lol.

 

Those rules were written by someone that lives in Pitt or was born there. Making them obviously biased.

I've been a steelers fan since I can remember football. Been a Steelers fan since I was 6 years old and remember watching the games in the 80's. I was born in PA near York, PA, and moved to Baltimore with my parents when I was 12 years old and live now with my wife and family in Westminster, MD about 15 minutes from the PA.

The only category I fall into in the above lists is bandwagon fan, so seriously, screw the OP's list and requirements for "True, Real" fans.\

How about this for an edition to your silly types of fans:

Elite Fan with huge Balls : Steeler fans that live in Baltimore and fly the flags on their cars, even AFTER last weeks loss I drive through the city with my flags flying, steelers sticker on the back of my truck and the colors high.
Fans that live in Pitt don't have to deal with the fingers, mocking horn honks and the rest of it.

 

Ridiculous.

 

Haha nice! I never really got much crap when I was in Co or Ca, but now that I'm in Az I get a lot of glaring looks and under the breath comments. It just makes me laugh!

 

You bandwagon fan! You must move to The Burgh immediately or revoke your fan card!

Me, I grew up in Green Bay and currently live in Montana, so clearly I'm not a Steeler fan; I just like to post on a message board dedicated to them. This thread is a total joke.

 

I was born in Denver and have spent most of my life in CA. The furthest east I've been in those latitudes is Louisville therefore I'm a fan of..................?
I'm confused.