LAMENTATIONS OF A FOOTBALL FAN

Fellow Hubbers, and other readers if you’ve read any of my hubs you’re aware I am an avid sports fan. I love my Mountaineers in all sports and I am a great fan of Pittsburgh professional sports. I do, however have my limits to my fandom and the time has come where I have reevaluated my loyalty to the Pittsburgh Steelers!!!!!!!!!!!! 

On Friday night of September 10, 20010 my Mountaineers were down to archrival and in state rival Marshall by a score of 21-6 with 6:30 to go in the fourth quarter of the game. I was corresponding with my friend Susie via email and I told her it was over at that time. She told me the Mountaineers would come back and I replied, ”Possible, but doubtful.”

Then in the miracle of Huntington the Mountaineers mounted the impossible comeback and pulled victory from the jaws of defeat by a 24-21 margin in overtime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been a fan of all professional sports in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for as long as I can remember. I went and saw Pirate and Steeler games in old Forbes Field when each team was a joke. I went to Mellon Arena to watch the Penguins long before Mario Lemieux made the team a contender. My loyalty to Pittsburgh professional sports has been a lifelong passion!!!!!!!!!!! I am however having second thoughts about the Steeler organization this season as you can see by the letter, which I wrote to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and to the Wheeling Intelligencer, which was published yesterday, 9/11/2010 on my 64^th birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Letter

 

I am a lifelong resident of Moundsville, W.Va. I have always considered Pittsburgh as my city.

This is particularly true when it comes to professional athletics, but I have reached my limit.

My 64th birthday (is today) and I went to Forbes Field to watch the Pirates and Steelers when they were perennial losers - and I stick with them through thick and thin.

I am not a "Johnny come lately" when it comes to rooting for Pittsburgh teams, but if the Steelers don't get rid of Ben Roethlisberger, I will never watch or root for another Steelers team until my dying day.

I gave Ben the benefit of the doubt when the first charges were made, but these latest charges show at the very least a total lack of maturity and at worst a serial rapist on the Steelers' roster.

Tom Whitworth

Moundsville, WV

 

I am not judging Ben Roethlisberger guilty of rape. That’s a job for a jury, but my loyalty is mine to give. I know “The Chief” is rolling in his grave over this confounding situation!!!! He did everything he could to maintain a good reputation for the Steelers. I’m not sure whom to root for in the NFL this season if the Steelers don’t drop Ben Roethlisberger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am an eternal optimist and I haven’t given up hope yet, as it seems Ben’s teammates are none too thrilled with his shenanigans either. Even 13-year veteran, and Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward wouldn’t walk side-by-side with Roethlisberger into training camp, and he wasn’t voted team captain. If Dennis Dixon has a good start to the season, and Byron Leftwich comes back from injury strong the creep, Roethlisberger may be kicked to the curb by the Steelers even yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!