What a Super… Bowl!

February 2, 2009

I grew up in the Steel Valley. You should know one thing about the Valley: the blood of the people runs black and gold. Football in the Valley is more of a religion than a sport; from PeeWee to High School and College but most importantly to the Steelers. Some of the fans are really crazy and the rest are totally insane. I have one family member who has a Steelers room in his house and his truck has Steelers upholstery. So to say that we are Steelers fans is somewhat of an understatement. In my family it’s not as much an option as a family creed. It would be unthinkable to cheer for anyone else. So on Sunday the family gathered together for the game.

The funny thing is I’m not much of a football fan. I tend to get turned off by the rivalry and nasty talk that floats among the fans. It’s just another area where we as a nation can no longer agree to disagree. There was a time when fans from opposite sides could watch the games together but it’s gotten to the point where saying I disagree with you is the same as saying “I hate you, you’re stupid”. For some reason the world has come to the place where if we disagree, someone has to be right and therefore, someone else has to be wrong. It is no longer possible to perhaps have two opinions on one subject. Friendly rivalry is dead and I’m right and you’re wrong is the only answer. I find this very sad.

I really enjoy having a spirited debate with another intelligent adult, or at least I used to. But today if I express my opinion and it differs from those around me, then I’m being argumentative. I really don’t mean to be, and in most cases I’m not even trying to change someone else’s mind. I may be trying to get them to recognize there can be two answers to a question or two opinions on the same subject. So few things in life is either right or wrong or black or white.

What I do know is Sunday’s Super Bowl was one of the best football games I have ever seen, and I think most people would agree. On the other hand I’m sure some PoPu or Martian will disagree with me. Maybe someone who likes birds, especially Cardinals. It says in Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” I wonder how much of our edge we are losing by not sharpening one another? I’ve never considered myself to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, maybe now I know why. But I do know that our Steel Blade was sharp enough to cut through Sunday’s bird…mm good.