Just What The Fanbase Needed

This has been the worst offseason in recent memory for the Steelers. 2009 left a bad taste in our collective mouth, and we’ve had one problem after another piling up in the offseason. And I think it’s a good thing for us all in the long run. Yeah, you heard me.

This is what we needed. Jump.

Let’s recap everything that has gone wrong for the Steelers since their victory in Superbowl XLIII.

The 2009 Season: The defense lapsed time and again, the Steelers blew those 4th quarter leads that they had become accustomed to taking in 2008, and a 5-game losing streak put the team out of the playoffs following a Superbowl win for the second time this decade.

Ben Rapistberger: I don’t care what your personal stance on the Ben Roethlisberger scenario is. I talk about football fandom, not ethics. The bottom line is: the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback was suspended for six games to start the 2010 season. He’s the centerpiece of the offense and the whole team revolves around what he is able to do. Losing him means relying heavily on an inconsistent running game and some backup QBs.

Santonio Holmes: In what has become a trend for the young wide receiver, Holmes was arrested or given a citation or sent to his room or something again for, in general, being kind of a douche. The Steelers apparently decided that you can only get away with that if you’re a quarterback, and they sent him packing for a 5th-round pick. (That pick was later turned into Bryant McFadden so it isn’t all bad but still)

Limas Sweed: Torn Achilles’. Out for the 2010 season, and a prospect with so much upside will likely never don the black and gold again.

Willie Colon: I shudder to say this, but Colon is actually one of the “proven veterans” on the offensive line, so that’ll help put in perspective just where that line stands. Torn Achilles, see you in 2011. (Assuming we don’t face a lockout)

The Bengals: Added Antonio Bryant and Pacman Jones. Didn’t lose anyone important.

The Ravens: Joe Flacco gets to throw to Anquan Boldin and Donte’ Stallworth now in addition to friggin’ Derrick Mason. Balls.

The Browns: Mike Holmgren isn’t just sitting around. At some point the Steelers will see a backfield that has both Josh Cribbs AND Seneca Wallace in it, and perhaps even a QB (Jake Delhomme) just to confuse everyone further. They are still the Browns, but it just goes to show that everyone else in the AFC North got better this year.

Mark Madden: Has not been attacked by a swarm of bees lately.

Here’s why I’m okay with all of this: I don’t like homers. I love the Steelers and I will root for everything I can that will put them in a better position to win, but I also do my best to look objectively at the game. It’s often said about the Steelers’ fanbase that it’s mostly fairweather fans, but the weather is always fair in Steeler Nation. If you don’t agree with that, look at the comments people have made about the Roethlisberger situation. I’ve referenced this before: “We’d rather lose with dignity than win with Ben.” Ask those people what they think when the Steelers are 1-4 and they’ll probably respond with either a snipe at Bruce Arians or maybe, “Oh I’m not really following them much this season.”

Football is a wonderful game. People who claim to be fans of the sport and yet won’t watch if their team isn’t winning aren’t the kind of people I really want to associate with. All the signs this offseason point to a down year for the black and gold. But maybe we could use a down year. Maybe some of the worse fans could stand to get away, and those of us who watch purely for the love of the game and the love of our team (not just for the love of victory and being a prick about it) can watch a full season in peace. We’ll still hear people on the Subway Nightly Sports Call complaining that they need to fire Tomlin or trade Malkin Farrior or sign Terrell Owens or something. But after a down year or two, maybe Steeler Nation could step back and realize how good they really have it.

During that 5 game skid in 2009, I mentioned my distaste for the fans who were giving up on the team after loss #3. (Yes, they ended up being right all along, but that doesn’t mean they should speak ever again) I also mentioned a friend of mine I met in college last year named Ron. Ron is a fan of the Cleveland Browns. And he watches every single Browns game from start to finish, win lose or tie. He, a lowly Browns fan, is a better football fan than all too many of those in Pittsburgh. I talk about football with him because he understands the game and the league. We hate each others’ teams, but we can each respect each other for our dedication to them.

That’s the opposite of how people see Steeler fans. By and large, we’re rude to other fans, we think we run the NFL, we always believe the Steelers have such higher standards on and off the field (Looks like that theory is out the window) and the Steelers couldn’t possibly be seen as just one of thirty-two organizations competing for a trophy at the end of the year. Well guess what, everyone? We don’t run the NFL. This franchise has had more success in the Superbowl era, but that certainly doesn’t give anyone the right to look down on a fan of another team. As it turns out, they’re all rooting for their teams the same way we root for ours.

To put this into a pop-culture context, the Steelers are the Draco Malfoy to the Browns’ Ron Weasley. Maybe an offseason or two of hard times could help put us all, as a fanbase, in our place.

Go Steelers.