Saturday, January 22nd

Pre-Game Day!

For those poor unfortunate souls following us that are not citizens of Steeler Nation, let me offer my condolences.

Tomorrow is the next step on the way to our team's 8th Super Bowl appearance and hopefully our 7th win.
Just like the team, the fans must prepare for the game.  Preferably with some kind of party.  A tailgate party is the desired method, with our without game tickets.  Everybody meets at the stadium parking lot in motor homes, vans, pickups or cars.  Fires up grills with kielbasi, hot sausage, burgers and dogs.  On the side is wings, nachos, beans, cole slaw and perhaps even a salad.  All of that is accompanied by gallons of beer.  True locals will be consuming either Iron City or, my preference, Yuengling.

Note! everything here is designed to give you gas.  Many believe it brings strength to the fans to cheer loud enough to bust up an opposing offensive team's signal calling once or twice during the game.

In that tradition, we are going to have our tailgate party tomorrow here at our motor home with our California Cousins almost 3000 miles from Heinz Field. 

I went to get supplies this morning and since they don't have a dog in this fight, southern Californians could care less about football.  Fortunately, when I got to Ralph Supermarket, there were a few things I could use.  Gold napkins and tablecloths and black utensils.  Then the best part.  As I approached the check out, I spotted a cashier wearing a #43 Polamalu jersey and in front of her were two Steeler football balloons.  I grabbed them and she said, let me put more helium in them for you.  I said thanks and told her "of all yinz guiz, yer de only one dressed right!"  She asked what part of 'da burgh I was from and I returned the question.  She was from Upper St. Clair and had been here since first grade.  Even after a few decades she still considers Pittsburgh "home".

Spent most the day making preparations.  Judy made her famous Taco Salad, I started getting the beer cold and checking the outdoor audio and video equipment.

Later in the evening we went to Mass.  Mainly because we knew we wouldn't have time to go on Sunday.  We went to San Buenaventura Mission and I will provide more details about this historic church in a later blog.  I hope it's not blasphemous, but I must admit that I said a couple of prayers for a Steelers victory tomorrow and even one asking that no one on the Jets team got hurt too badly.

As we get nearer to game time the butterflies arrive in the gut.  They always make us nervous, those Steelers do.  But they always make us proud too!

As our Patron Saint of football, and creator of the Terrible Towel, Myron Cope said....YOI! and DOUBLE YOI!