So I open up my browser this morning and it comes up with the MSN page like always, and I see a line near the top that says "What is the Terrible Towel?" To most that wouldn't be a big deal, but to me it brings back horrible, HORRIBLE memories that I really try to leave buried.
You see, I had the misfortune to be living in Pittsburgh during a year when the Steelers went to the Super Bowl. This was long ago, my first year of college, and it still haunts me.
I'd never had anything against the Steelers prior to my living there. I'm certain I had no opinion of them at all, in fact. But after that year that would drastically change.
I've lived other places when their sports team went to a big game, the Super Bowl, World Series, etc. And sometimes it was really fun, sometimes slightly annoying, but mostly didn't leave a lasting impact on me.
But Pittsburgh is a whole different thing. You couldn't turn on the tv or radio without being CONSTANTLY bombarded with something about the Steelers. On the rare occasions I was away from school, it was like black and gold had thrown up on everything. The mentality of the city and the team is extremely cocky, like "we are better than the world so shut up and take it". Its like the lives of everyone in the city revolved around football. I guess you could call it devotion, passion maybe...but to an outsider, it was frightening, very, very frightening.
Of course every city/state that has a team going for the top trophy gets super excited and engrossed in the retail aspect of it, that's understandable...but Pittsburgh and the Steelers fans are a different breed, I've never encountered anything like it before or since.
And the song...this penetrating song that played everywhere. That is something forever seared into my brain and no matter what I do it will never leave. Here we go! Steelers! Here we go! Pittsburgh's goin' to the Suuuuper Bowl! *shudder*
No offense (really!) to any Steelers fans out there or anyone from Pittsburgh, I'm sure you can't help it. I'm not unconvinced that it isn't something piped into the water supply or airborne contaminant. Its just...well if this doesn't help explain it, I don't know what can.
Take a gander through the wiki page on the Terrible Towel.
And here is a quote from the creator...
The Terrible Towel
Is not an instrument of witchcraft…It is not a hex upon the enemy. THE TOWEL is a positive force that lifts the Steelers to magnificent heights – and poses mysterious difficulties for the Steelers' opponents only if need be. Many have told me that THE TERRIBLE TOWEL brought them good fortune, but I can't guarantee that sort of thing because the Steelers, after all, are THE TOWEL'S primary concern. Still, at the least, the symbol of THE TERRIBLE TOWEL will serve as a memento of your having been part of the Steelers' Dynasty and if it causes good things to happen to you, so much the better.
Myron Cope
Dynasty...magnificent heights...taking it to Mount Everest...seriously people????
There's just something not normal about all of that.
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