What do Native Pittsburghers Consider Themselves? (Philadelphia, Columbia: dental, area, dating)

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Indeed, although it makes sense once you start thinking about it. For example, people actually from those parts of PA (Harrisburg, Scranton, etc.) in my experience tend to be pretty adamant about NOT being part of the Philly orbit. But if they are not part of the Philly orbit, then whose orbit are they in? I guess the answer is Pittsburgh's.

Yeah, I was definitely surprised about Harrisburg, but with Scranton and West Virginia both have minor league hockey teams associated with the Penguins. This seems to be the obvious reason why they'd get FSN Pittsburgh.

[CortlandGirl79]

Originally Posted by ainulinale

That is incredible how far the Pittsburgh influence goes. I had no idea FSN Pittsburgh was broadcast all the way from Canton to Charleston to Harrisburg to Scranton!

There are a ton of pittsburgh sports fans all over NE Ohio. We used to get FSN Pittsburgh here in the Warren/Youngstown area, but time warner got rid of it several years ago. I don't really care that much though, considering i'm a Cleveland fan!!!! It would be nice to see some Pirates games sometimes, as they are my NL team and don't really compete w/my Indians.

[BrianTH]

Youngstown and similar areas in Ohio near the PA or WV borders are another interesting example in support of the theory that Pittsburgh is sort of the de facto capital city of a distinct region in between the East Coast and Great Lakes. Cleveland is very much a Great Lakes city, in the same genre as Detroit or Chicago. But once you get to the Youngstown part of Ohio, I think it is somewhat obvious you are not quite in the same region as Chicago/Detroit/Cleveland anymore, and indeed there is arguably more of an affinity in those parts of Ohio with Western PA and West Virginia.

[ainulinale]

[quote=BrianTH;3299838]Cleveland is very much a Great Lakes city, in the same genre as Detroit or Chicago.[quote]
Really? I didnt' think Chicago was much like Cleveland or Detroit at all.

[CortlandGirl79]

I don't know if i really agree w/that. I mean in some ways i identify w/western pa, but i also identify w/cleveland. It's kind of hard to say since the Youngstown area is an hour from both places. I will always argue that Cleveland, Akron, Erie, Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Buffalo are part of the same region.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by ainulinale

Really? I didnt' think Chicago was much like Cleveland or Detroit at all.

I grew up in Detroit and much later went to law school in Chicago--I was actually surprised at the time how familiar it felt to me based on my childhood.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by CortlandGirl79

I don't know if i really agree w/that. I mean in some ways i identify w/western pa, but i also identify w/cleveland. It's kind of hard to say since the Youngstown area is an hour from both places. I will always argue that Cleveland, Akron, Erie, Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Buffalo are part of the same region.

Youngstown is certainly in a "border area" so I don't think it is surprising it has affinities in both directions.

[Smily Gladshanks]

I grew up around Johnstown. Same geographical area, really. I've always thought of the city and the surround as "Northeast," and everyone I knew also thought that. Midatlantic has been used, but I don't identify with it. I identify with the same attitudes I see in other northeastern states, but certainly not those of the south. We are definitely not new England, though.

[J. Gershon]

Northeasten blue collar city. Too diverse for Appalachia and the Midwest. PGH is more diverse than most people think.

[alleghenyman]

Northeastern and Appalachian.

Nobody I've ever known thought they were part of the midwest and it really irks me when easterners say this. Culturally and geographically there are a lot of changes ten miles past the Ohio border.