This guy has it correct....Steeler Nation is large!

[In Ben We Trust]

From CNNSI:


Tuck's Takes: Steelers fans are unquestionably best in the NFL -
Jaguars game most recent example of Steeler Nation's excellence

The news out of Jacksonville Monday morning that approximately 25 percent of the fans for Sunday night's Steelers-Jags contest were waving yellow Terrible Towels came as no surprise to me. The Steelers have the most dominant fan base in the National Football League and their ability to consistently travel, en masse, and infest other team's stadiums gives the Steelers a competitive advantage that no other franchise can claim.

For the record, I grew up in eastern Pennsylvania, was an Eagles fan during my youth and subsequently played for five NFL squads that were not located in Pittsburgh, so I have no allegiance whatsoever to the Steelers or their fans. I just call it like I see it.

Seemingly minutes within signing with a new team, a player will be told by someone within the organization that, unequivocally, they have the best fans in the world. And though there are thousands of die-hard fans in Green Bay, Washington, Dallas, Buffalo, Cleveland, New England, and every other NFL city, the simple truth is very evident to every player in the NFL: Steelers fans are the best in the business.

My thoughts on NFL fans were confirmed in a recent straw poll of a couple active players who said the Steelers fans far and away do the best job of taking away a home team's advantage. None of the players wanted to state their feelings publicly and disenchant their own fans, and for good reason, but the fact remains there is nothing quite as powerful in the NFL as Steeler Nation.

I realized this for the first time in 2004, while playing for a resurgent Bills team that was one win away from a playoff berth. Running out of the home tunnel and seeing the smattering of Terrible Towels and black and yellow in the stands was disheartening. The Steelers had already clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, so this final regular season game was meaningless to them, yet their fans had made the trip in droves.

Though playing at home doesn't assure a team a victory, there are typically four significant advantages to playing in the friendly confines. There is no travel involved. The field and facility are familiar. The players can certainly feed off the energy of the home crowd. The noise can make it difficult for the opposing team's offense to call audibles or utilize the snap count to their advantage. Ask any offensive tackle how much fun it is blocking elite rushers on a silent cadence. They flat-out detest it.

The significant presence of Steelers fans in opposing stadiums, whether they are Steel City transplants or folks who traveled in for the game, effectively eliminates the last two advantages. It is difficult to feed off the energy of the home crowd when you look up in the stands and see that a significant portion of the crowd is actually cheering for the other team. Plus, the noise is not nearly as deafening when less than 80 percent of the fans in the stands are screaming in unison.

All of this adds up to the Steelers having a significant competitive advantage based upon their fans' ability to partially, if not completely, eliminate some of the basic reasons teams are so happy to play at home in the first place.

I know exactly what everyone is going to write in their e-mails to me. First, people are going to comment on the Jags having arguably the worst fans in the NFL, and I will not dispute that in the slightest. People in Jacksonville would probably be more excited to watch an SEC clash between Kentucky and Vanderbilt. But it is not just Jacksonville. Seemingly, no stadium is truly immune to the Steelers culture.

Secondly, I am well aware that the Packers, Raiders, Cowboys and Redskins, just to name a few, have great fans who pop up in away stadiums every time their team is on the road. Trust me, it does not compare to Steelers fans. I have played for some of those teams and it is not even close. The Steelers have the best fans in the NFL.

[Steeltime]

Secondly, I am well aware that the Packers, Raiders, Cowboys and Redskins, just to name a few, have great fans who pop up in away stadiums every time their team is on the road. Trust me, it does not compare to Steelers fans. I have played for some of those teams and it is not even close. The Steelers have the best fans in the NFL.

Well said.

[south dakota STEEL]

Very cool article...

[Hines57]

It is what it is

[CurtinofHurtin]

The man speaks the truth. Excellent article.

[Steelr4evr]

Well that puts a big ole smile on the face.

[Tres Rios]

Still, a big pet peeve of mine is everyone says the fans travel. Like everyone at every away game lives in the Burgh and drove or flew out. Were everywhere, bitches.

[Max Power]

Realilty of it, the City couldn't support multitudes of people who grew up in Pittsburgh and we've moved on to greener pastures but have kept our Black and Gold allegence. We waive it we flont it and make lots of annoying noise about it. Come game time we are there, already.

I also know of many who really DO travel, be it to Pittsburgh on a by Game basis or from Pittsburgh to other Stadiums. The Steeler Fan Does in fact Travel Well, and it works both ways.

Nice to see that SOMEONE will admit it - however we all know that the rest of the country knows it all to well.

We are everywhere.

[Steeler8832]

Still, a big pet peeve of mine is everyone says the fans travel. Like everyone at every away game lives in the Burgh and drove or flew out. Were everywhere, bitches.


My thoughts exactly. Same applies for other teams as well. But the rest of them aint got shit on us. We truely are Nation Wide.

[Mr. Rocco]

Steeler fans are really everywhere. I went to the Cowgirl/Bunghole game this past Sunday wearing my Woodson jersey. It was hilarious. Even with a couple Bunghole jerseys nearby, everyone was bitching and yelling at me and I took a lot of shit but it didn't bother me at all. I just laughed at all those jackasses. The fact that I got their asses so red was great. As I was leaving for the parking lot heading towards where my cousin was tailgating, someone was yelling at me from a distance, "Pittsburgh!! Yo! Pittsburgh!!" I turned around expecting more shit and it was some big dude in the back of some tricked out sedan sporting his Polamalu and waving his towel. My cowgirl fan buddy that was with me watched and just shook his head.

[JEFFRO]

Still, a big pet peeve of mine is everyone says the fans travel. Like everyone at every away game lives in the Burgh and drove or flew out. Were everywhere, bitches.
You tell em Tres, we live everywhere!
My thoughts exactly. Same applies for other teams as well. But the rest of them aint got **** on us. We truely are Nation Wide.
We're Bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're Nationwide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-----ZZ Top:cool:

[Steel Conviction]

This man is keeping it in perspective.

[Steelerfan81]

haha hell yah. Steeler Nation is the only Nation.. no Bo Sox, Patriots, or Raider.. and Dallas isn't American's team.

[Southern Steeler]

Thing is...those of us that only get to go to away games are just that much rowdier and vocal. Hell, we don't get spoiled by having season tickets or the ability to get to a home game whenever we please. We have to wait until a game gets within driving distance (like the Titans game for me this year...or St. Louis last year)

Makes it much more exciting when there are less opportunities to go. You Pittsburgh residents have it made and often don't realize it.

[Penguins Fan]

Steeler Nation consists of the transplants from the Tri-State Area (no matter how long ago they moved away), their kids, and people who have no connection to Pittsburgh but love the Steelers.

For years the only game the Browns sold out before the season - and sometimes their only sellout of the season - was the Steeler game.

Jacksonville was a terrible city for NFL expansion and nothing that has happened since 1993 has changed my mind. The Southeast loves college football, college basketball and NASCAR. There is nothing wrong with that, but pro teams in all sports there struggle to sell out most of the time.

[Diamond Dave]

Still, a big pet peeve of mine is everyone says the fans travel. Like everyone at every away game lives in the Burgh and drove or flew out. Were everywhere, bitches.

I'd like to punch someone in the teeth every time I hear "they travel well".

[slashsteel]

I was with a Steeler fan (In J-ville) that bought 80 tickets. Our group was from all over the US. But there was a decent amount who also live in J-ville. By half time my voice was gone from so much yelling. We represent !http://www.steelreign.org/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=41&mode=view

[Smooth Criminal]

I've been to games in cleveland and oakland. I'm going to Tennessee last year.

[tjack]

I still like the fact that the opposing team's Coaches have to game plan for the visiting Steelers team while their Front Office/Ticket Office Dept has to game plan for the visiting Steelers fans trying to get tickets and bringing their Terrible Towels into their stadium to wave.

[Southern Steeler]

So far I've been to games @ Atlanta (twice) @ Tennessee, @ Cincy, and @ St. Louis. The only game that did not have at least 40% Steeler fans was the Titans game. Both Atlanta games and the Rams game last year had at least a 50/50 ratio. The Falcons/Steelers OT game in '06 was so balanced that it was equally loud when we scored and when they scored

[agent45]

My first Falcons game (I live in Atlanta and am now a season ticket holder) was in 2006 versus the Steelers (I wore a Lambert jersey). My season ticket holding friends who brought me were absolutely disgusted as we walked up to the Georgia Dome. Steelers fans EVERYWHERE. One of my friends swore he had never seen so many away fans, even from division foes like New Orleans and Carolina, who always bring big crowds to Falcons games. The entire experience was incredible....except for the result. Oh, and except that it was in a dome. NO reason for Atlanta to have a dome! Now reading that article, I really want to make the trip for the Titans game. Hope I'm not too late to get decent priced tix.

[tapeANaspirin2it]

And Ed Rendell gets to work on his plan to tax roads leading to stadiums in other states.

[tjack]

So far I've been to games @ Atlanta (twice) @ Tennessee, @ Cincy, and @ St. Louis. The only game that did not have at least 40% Steeler fans was the Titans game. Both Atlanta games and the Rams game last year had at least a 50/50 ratio. The Falcons/Steelers OT game in '06 was so balanced that it was equally loud when we scored and when they scored

Owner Arthur Blank and then Head Coach Jim Mora went on the local sportstalk show early that week and asked for fans to not sell their tickets to any Steelers fans for that game. They wanted Falcons fans who weren't planning on attending to give their tickets away to some youth organization or some other fans but not us.

[Jer]

The significant presence of Steelers fans in opposing stadiums, whether they are Steel City transplants or folks who traveled in for the game, effectively eliminates the last two advantages.

Still, a big pet peeve of mine is everyone says the fans travel. Like everyone at every away game lives in the Burgh and drove or flew out. Were everywhere, bitches.

This dude understood what's up...I really wish the rest of the country would.

[bearcatsno69]

Thing is...those of us that only get to go to away games are just that much rowdier and vocal. Hell, we don't get spoiled by having season tickets or the ability to get to a home game whenever we please. We have to wait until a game gets within driving distance (like the Titans game for me this year...or St. Louis last year)

Makes it much more exciting when there are less opportunities to go. You Pittsburgh residents have it made and often don't realize it.

Hell yeah. I love going to Paul Brown each year. The best part is being there til the end and watching the bungle fans leave the stadium dejected again, again, and again.

[Spike]

check out these videos on the Times Union site....sidebar on the left


One of a Brit Steelers fan who flew in from London for the game...

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100608/jag_340717017.shtml

[markymarc]

Great article. Finally people are starting to see the light.

[Marx]

Guys, we´re not only nationwide, but worldwide! Hell, I´m German and I love the Steelers! From all the NFL teams I chose them. Guess why? It´s a classy franchise with players who actually love the game and an old-school, smash-mouth approach. How can you not like that?

"Travel well"? Yeah, right. I came all the way to Pittsburgh last year to watch a game, and I had tears of joy in my eyes. I´m following each and every game on TV, wearing my Bettis authentic and waving a terrible towel. And I know a couple of other guys here in Germany who root for the Steelers.

It´s a worldwide fan base!

[Spike]

Great article. Finally people are starting to see the light.

Copy these in your scrapbooks...


"The Steelers have the most dominant fan base in the National Football League and their ability to consistently travel, en masse, and infest other team's stadiums gives the Steelers a competitive advantage that no other franchise can claim."

"the simple truth is very evident to every player in the NFL: Steelers fans are the best in the business."

"the fact remains there is nothing quite as powerful in the NFL as Steeler Nation."

"All of this adds up to the Steelers having a significant competitive advantage based upon their fans' ability to partially, if not completely, eliminate some of the basic reasons teams are so happy to play at home in the first place""

[Coryea]

Still, a big pet peeve of mine is everyone says the fans travel. Like everyone at every away game lives in the Burgh and drove or flew out. Were everywhere, bitches.

You tell em Tres, we live everywhere!

We're Bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're Nationwide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-----ZZ Top:cool:

I'd like to punch someone in the teeth every time I hear "they travel well".



The significant presence of Steelers fans in opposing stadiums, whether they are Steel City transplants or folks who traveled in for the game, effectively eliminates the last two advantages.

He mentioned that they aren't just fans that travel. I think the whole, "they travel well" is just an easy way of saying the fans show up when the team is on the road.

[Spike]

Bwahahahaha.....Steelers fans are everywhere....

Coverage problem

Jacksonville had a legitimate sellout last night, thanks to the thousands of Steelers fans who turned out. Steelers fans covered Northern Florida like fire ants for a few days leading up to the game. They jammed the bars and hotels from Jacksonville Beach to Ponte Vedra Beach and swarmed over downtown Jacksonville.

The Jaguars last night would have loved to uncover the 10,000 seats they don't use at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. They easily could have filled them with more Steelers fans. However, the Jaguars have covered those seats since the 2005 season and must declare before the season whether they will do so or not.

The Jaguars originally covered the seats to help sell out the stadium and avoid the local TV blackout. It has not been a success. Last season, there were 10 local blackouts across the NFL -- three in Jacksonville, three in St. Louis, two in Oakland and two in Atlanta. Jacksonville was the only one of the four to make the playoffs.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08280/917830-66.stm?cmpid=news.xml (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08280/917830-66.stm?cmpid=news.xml)

[drewcary]

Thing is...those of us that only get to go to away games are just that much rowdier and vocal. Hell, we don't get spoiled by having season tickets or the ability to get to a home game whenever we please. We have to wait until a game gets within driving distance (like the Titans game for me this year...or St. Louis last year)

Makes it much more exciting when there are less opportunities to go. You Pittsburgh residents have it made and often don't realize it.

I grew up in Pittsburgh during the 70's. How could I not be a rabid Steeler fan?

You guys who are not from here and chose to be rabid Steeler fans have a special place.

[RVA Steeler]

Steeler Nation consists of the transplants from the Tri-State Area (no matter how long ago they moved away), their kids, and people who have no connection to Pittsburgh but love the Steelers.

Penguins Fan hits the nail on the head. It has been a while since the migration after the steel industry died and the exodus of Pittsburghers left, and now you're seeing all of their children cheering on the Steelers. I fit into this, as does my brother, and three of my cousins born and raised out in Dallas.

I haven't gone to a game in the city of Pittsburgh since 1992, but i still follow the teams. Well, not so much the Pirates but, neither do you. You can make friends anywhere you go wearing a Steelers jersey.

[Coryea]

IMO, just because you live no where near Pittsburgh doesn't make you a bigger or more rabid fan than the fans living near Pittsburgh.

[VirginianPeddler]

Secondly, I am well aware that the Packers, Raiders, Cowboys and Redskins, just to name a few, have great fans who pop up in away stadiums every time their team is on the road. Trust me, it does not compare to Steelers fans. I have played for some of those teams and it is not even close. The Steelers have the best fans in the NFL.

Well said.

That is all that really needs to be said. it's one thing for fans to say this or that, but to have a person who actually played for those "so-called best teams" say it, well..... you can't cut any closer to the bone than that.

[VirginianPeddler]

Penguins Fan hits the nail on the head. It has been a while since the migration after the steel industry died and the exodus of Pittsburghers left, and now you're seeing all of their children cheering on the Steelers. I fit into this, as does my brother, and three of my cousins born and raised out in Dallas.

I haven't gone to a game in the city of Pittsburgh since 1992, but i still follow the teams. Well, not so much the Pirates but, neither do you. <b>You can make friends anywhere you go wearing a Steelers jersey</b>.

Or even a Steeler hat. A few years ago I was in Florida on business and when the lady behind the counter saw my hat, she was grinning from ear to ear to see a Steeler fan. The other person working with her hated the Steelers. I got a bunch of freebies from her - snacks etc.

[markymarc]

Copy these in your scrapbooks...


"The Steelers have the most dominant fan base in the National Football League and their ability to consistently travel, en masse, and infest other team's stadiums gives the Steelers a competitive advantage that no other franchise can claim."

"the simple truth is very evident to every player in the NFL: Steelers fans are the best in the business."

"the fact remains there is nothing quite as powerful in the NFL as Steeler Nation."

"All of this adds up to the Steelers having a significant competitive advantage based upon their fans' ability to partially, if not completely, eliminate some of the basic reasons teams are so happy to play at home in the first place""

Those are definitely some good ones to keep. The NFL can't handle the Steeler Nation truth.

[Stainless]

That made me smile in spite of the fact I'm going broke.