This is supposed to be where I introduce myself. Answering why I like sports, what they mean to me, and all of that fun stuff. Yet, I’m having trouble putting into words something that has been a part of me for as long as I can remember.
When you're born and bred in Pittsburgh, growing up a sports fan here is a lifestyle. Black and gold are more than just colors – they’re a piece of your identity. Of course I could tell you that some of my fondest sports memories were watching the Pirates lose game after game at Three Rivers Stadium or catching a Pens game at the Igloo, but we all have those. Do I remember exactly where I was when Levance Fields downed Duke at the buzzer in the Garden? Absolutely. Did I beg my parents to let me skip school so I could attend the parade after Santonio Holmes tiptoed the Steelers to Super Bowl XLIII? You betcha.
I get mad when my teams lose, I argue with my friends over stupid sports topics and most importantly, I just enjoy watching sports no matter how good or bad (*cough Pirates cough*) my teams are. But chances are your memories and stories are pretty similar and that’s the beauty of being a Pittsburgh sports fan. We've all experienced the same highs and lows over the years and we all have something to say about it, which is hopefully what has brought you here.
Now let’s talk about what you can expect from me going forward. Pittsburgh sports talk is the obvious, and correct, answer. Pirates, Steelers and Pitt are the big three for me. Growing up in a Pitt household, we rooted for two teams every Saturday – Pitt and the team playing Penn State. I spent summer nights watching or attending Pirates games, and Sundays in the fall glued to the TV like all of the other Yinzers. And to be honest, I can’t say things have changed.
But I don’t want you to think that’s all I’ll be limiting myself to talking about here. Growing up, I played every sport you can think of and nowadays, I’m getting a chance to play all of the ones I didn’t get to back then. I want to cast a wide net and talk about it all but most importantly, I want to discuss topics that you all are interested in. Isn’t that the point of this anyways? Not to mention, with sports betting legal in this great state of ours for some time now, there’s even more to discuss than just the simple winning and losing of games.
So let’s not limit ourselves here - the
sports world is our oyster and I hope to touch on all of it. But all in due time.