Football in The Pitts

Per my previous post, watching football has become more of a social activity than I initially anticipated when I moved here. Despite not being a Steelers fan (at all), I'll admit that living close to Heinz Field gives me the kick in the butt I need on Sundays to get up, put on something other than sweats, and enjoy the electric atmosphere that is Football Sunday. Today, I break down the anatomy of what makes a great day of watching football (Saturday or Sunday.. or both).

Attire
Alright ladies, hang up the heels and put away the curling iron. If you're wanting to meet a man in Pittsburgh, you better throw on a pair of jeans and study up on your football facts, because there is no room for a diva at the bar when there's a game on, and Pittsburgh men love their football. My go-to for football days: jeans, boots and a casual top/sweater. If my team is on, I will gladly sport fan gear. Be comfortable, wear good walking shoes (in cases of tailgating and accidental bar crawls), and get into it Pittsburgh gals and guys.

Places to Go
The atmosphere on Football Saturdays and Sundays is not only electric by the stadiums, but in the plethora of local bars and restaurants as well. Both the "I'm going to scream in your face when we score" fans and "please shut up and let me drink my beer" fans can find places to go to enjoy the games their way. For a quieter fan experience, head to Industry Public House, SoHo, or Piper's Pub. Want to get rowdy? Check out the selection of bars on Shore Drive between PNC Park and Heinz Field, or head over towards Pitt's campus in Oakland (Peter's is a personal favorite). Go to Fridays, for all I care - just get out and enjoy!

Rules and Regs
As a Patriots fan living in Steeler Country, I've had to learn how to conduct myself rather quickly. I don't want to get beaten down by an angry fan mob, but I also don't want to cower in my apartment and watch the game in silence. So here's the deal - it turns out that Steelers fans aren't as bad as others (cough Jets), and seem to have a respect for football in general, on top of their love for the Steelers (unless you're a Browns fan). While they may not like the Patriots, they atleast respect them, which is good enough for me. Oh, and both groups of fans are dealing with an.. umm.. interesting start to the season, so we are currently sharing this confusing pain. As the saying goes - treat others how you would like to be treated.

Why can't we be friends?

The fun begins tonight with Thursday Night Football! How do you spend your Football Saturdays and Sundays?

SJ