Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since people are saying the exodus of workers in the 70s and 80s are a big reason, does that mean I will soon see lots of Lions fans all over the country since Michigan has lost so many lately?
I won't call myself a Steeler fan, but more of an "admirer". The two main reasons:
Smash-mouth football: I don't like how much the league has become a big QB love fest. Nowadays, we've got a bunch of prima donnas who want to sit in the pocket like they're Prince Charles and play pitch and catch. The Steelers play old-school football, emphasizing defense and toughness. I love when they play the Ravens; only one team can win, but both will be limping back to the locker room.
Organization/Tradition: Around the time I began following the Redskins, thiir owner died, and was succeeded by a bratty, ego-maniacal young billionaire, who preceded to shuffle coaching staff like a deck of cards, make ridiculous free agent signings, find new ways to stick it to regular fans every year and give the team an increasingly corporate culture, and generally suck the morale from the organization. I look at the Steelers as the anti-Redskins: team's been in the family the whole time, and they value consistency (how many coaches have they had in the last fifty years, three?).
I have to agree. Im not a Steelers fan, but I respect the organization, and I really hate how the league (and media) is in love with the QB position like it isnt a team sport (but that is a whole different thread).
Second, I like that the organization's philosophies (smash mouth, hard defensive football), seem to permeate the entire organizational structure. Basically, I like the way they run the ship.
All that said, there is nothing like this time of year for all of the bandwagoners to start to show up!
Since people are saying the exodus of workers in the 70s and 80s are a big reason, does that mean I will soon see lots of Lions fans all over the country since Michigan has lost so many lately?
I am one of the exiled Steeler fans. I grew up in the 'burgh in the early 70's and left when my Mom's job went away whe teh Steel industry cratered. Pittsburgh has ALWAYS been a football town. Much more then Detriot is. When the Steelers were the laughingstock of the NFL before the Chuck Knoll era and the Pirates were winning World Series with Roberto Clemente - alls anyone cared about was the Steelers. Always been that way, always will. Just like St Louis people are diehard Cards fans or Boston folks are died in the wool Red Sox fans, Steeler Football is Pittsburgh's passion.
Additionally alot of people admire the Steelers approach to the game. You'd be hard pressed to find finer owners of any sports franchise then the Rooneys. Plus the Steelers style of play - Smashmouth defense and a run center offense - attracts alot of football purists. Put it all togther and alot of people like the Steelers "Brand".
Have there been bandwagon jumpers? Sure, every winning team has them. But the Steelers were one of the first teams to become known for their national fan base.
I am one of the exiled Steeler fans. I grew up in the 'burgh in the early 70's and left when my Mom's job went away whe teh Steel industry cratered. Pittsburgh has ALWAYS been a football town. Much more then Detriot is. When the Steelers were the laughingstock of the NFL before the Chuck Knoll era and the Pirates were winning World Series with Roberto Clemente - alls anyone cared about was the Steelers. Always been that way, always will. Just like St Louis people are diehard Cards fans or Boston folks are died in the wool Red Sox fans, Steeler Football is Pittsburgh's passion.
Additionally alot of people admire the Steelers approach to the game. You'd be hard pressed to find finer owners of any sports franchise then the Rooneys. Plus the Steelers style of play - Smashmouth defense and a run center offense - attracts alot of football purists. Put it all togther and alot of people like the Steelers "Brand".
Have there been bandwagon jumpers? Sure, every winning team has them. But the Steelers were one of the first teams to become known for their national fan base.
So if this is what so many people like, than why don't other teams follow. Why doesn't every team play smashmouth football and a run center offense? It's not like there is a rule that says only the Steelers can.
I mean, some of it is just luck. Every team tries to pick the best players and coaches, and there is no guarentee who will produce and who won't.
So if this is what so many people like, than why don't other teams follow. Why doesn't every team play smashmouth football and a run center offense? It's not like there is a rule that says only the Steelers can.
I mean, some of it is just luck. Every team tries to pick the best players and coaches, and there is no guarentee who will produce and who won't.
They do -Most glaringly the Baltimore Ravens. But different teams develop different styles. The Pats system seemed to have worked for them, so has the Giants.
But their are other aspects of the Steelers "system" - Coaching continuity (only 3 different head coaches since 1971), no "splash" free agent signings, Drafting for football smarts vs. for position, willingness to cut veteran stars who do expect big bucks based on past performance (See Lloydd, G., Fanneca, A. and Burress,P. for eample), etc - that define how the franchise approaches the game that other teams have not adopted
Outside of Pittsburgh I'd say it's mostly bandwagon fans. They've popped up in recent years. Just like the Patriots, Colts and Saints "fans".
People will try to say it's because of Steeler fans moving about the country but that's a load of crap. Fans in every NFL city move around the country but don't spawn legions of fans elsewhere. If/when the Steelers take a dip in form again many of the fans will disappear.
Why do so many people who have no ties to Pittsburgh like the Steelers? I have lived in 9 states and traveled to all 50, and it blows my mind how many Steeler fans there are everywhere. I have had many co-workers who have no ties to the city, have never been to Pittsburgh or know anything about it, or seen a game in person. And yet the Steelers are "their team".
I was recently in Kansas, and their top team is obviously the Chiefs. But in stores, they would carry Chiefs, and the only other team they would carry is the Steelers.
I may be taking a trip for work to Iowa, and so I sent for some visitor info. There was some info about a school on one of the pages. The picture had a little boy at a desk coloring, and he was wearing a Steelers' jersey.
I was in San Antonio last week, and out on the Riverwalk with some friends, and saw tons of Steelers jersey before the game.
So why is this? If the answer is simply "because they're good", then that is not a good reason. Is it becasue they are a "low risk" because more often than not they do win, and when they do have a slightly bad year, it is just an exception to the norm? Is it tied to the whole "blue collar" concept people still have about Pittsburgh? There are other cities like that; Cleveland, Detroit, Green Bay, Chicago, but I never see them like I do the Steelers.
I am from Pittsburgh, but lost my love for the city and everything about it because of some really bad experiences growing up. But if you are from Pittsburgh or live there now, then it makes sense to be a Steeler fan. But if you are not from the area, then why out of 32 teams, do so many love this team?
Well folks these days are too lazy to pick out a team or doesn't like their home team, so alot of folks resort to going with a team that is considered good. ie. Steelers.
I've always said the Steelers have had one of the biggest fanbases and do have alot of loyal and true fans. They have one of the biggest fanbases in sports many of which are true and even die-hard fans. Any team that wins the Super Bowl attracts alot of bandwagoners and since the Super Bowl win it's increased. Not every Steeler fan is a bandwagoner, but after winning alot of games its no surprise folks have hopped on their bandwagon maybe 50% of their fans are bandwagoners.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
