What if....

"It's just a shot away,
It's just a shot away."

-- Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones



Steelers everywhere.

I can't just leave the TV dark to avoid the bombardment of Steelers. Terrible Towels and black-and-gold hang on homes like Christmas decorations. Everywhere I go, people are decked out in the garb. Even bank tellers and Giant Eagle managers. Cars have stickers and magnets and flags and painted messages on the windows.

Pittsburghers are not fairweather fans. They haven't just busted out the hype for the Super Bowl. But this sort of display of loyalty is normally limited to game days in the regular season. Now, it's been two solid weeks of it.

Am I sick of it? Toward the end of week one, I was. Now, I'm rather fascinated with it. It didn't plateau, it didn't just go away, it just spread to Detroit and grew and grew and grew, and it kinda grew on me.

My dad bought me an official Roethlisberger jersey, and I was tickled. I've been humming every Steelers fight song I grew up with and every one I've learned since I moved back. Zoe is quick to tell everyone that Number 7 is her favorite. It's really hard to not get caught up in it.

But I'm still relatively reserved about it. I still haven't signed up for my new Pittsburgh identity. I still feel like that outsider, like I've been in a coma for the past 10 years.

I seem to be the only one who's asking: "What if the Seahawks win?"

For the sake of the spirit in this town, I hope that doesn't happen.

And for the sake of my former coworker with whom I have a cookie bet, I REALLY hope that doesn't happen.