Rick Reilly, of Sports Illustrated, said it best when he said that Pittsburgh NEEDED to win the Superbowl. I don't think he knew the number of ways that he was right. Pittsburgh has been a dead city walking for about 20-something years. Think about it, the last time the Steelers won the Superbowl, the last time the Pirates won the World Series, our major industry fell, thousands were unemployed. The city has been struggling to right the ship since the early 1980's. I don't mean just economically.
Pittsburgh has built a new economic frontier with hospitals, medical research, banks and other blue-to-white collar jobs. But, the city still seemed to be in a funk. There was a cloud of doom hanging over the shoulders of the one-time steel-mill worker that is now finishing out his career at WalMart. There's been a lack of pride in all that Pittsburgh has. I've been lucky enough to travel around the US--to the "other places which have it so much better." And, I have to tell you, I don't think Pittsburgh'ers know how damn good they have it. They have all the luxeries of big city living, but we're still a small town. We don't have the rampant problems other cities have. Yet, we have great food, music, entertainment, shopping and business. But, I think people were unwilling to look past their personal cloud of doom to see all that we have.
This Superbowl was more than a big game. The Superbowl was more than the return of the Steelers to national recognition. This Superbowl was the return of pride to a city that desperately needed to re-connect with its citizens. It's been a long, long time since I've seen somebody beat their chest and say they were proud to be a Pittsburg'er. Even as we drove to Detroit, saw fellow Pittsburg'ers walking the streets of Detroit, there was a sense of community and pride. Coming back from Detroit, Pittsburgh'ers were waving out the windows to one another. We all came back to a city that had something to rally around--our Steelers.
We've always lived and died by our Steelers, which is what Rick Reilly meant. But, this reaches well beyond that. I know this is a temporary boost to our pride, but it was a necessary one. Add to this, the potential economic impact. Steeler fans were eating out more, they were buying more supplies, they were buying more merchandise, they were travelling more, not to mention the out-of-towners that were also investing in our city. Combine this pride and an economic shot in the arm, it is my hope that we can begin to see an emotional and economic turning of a corner.
So, let it be agreed, that Pittsburgh NEEDED this Steelers Superbowl win on a number of levels!
