2010 Roethlisberger Scandal-Themed Design Award

Of the many Roethlisberger scandal-themed designs on the market, this one takes the cake for brevity, directness, and subtlety...all the makings of good graphic design.   Major accolades to this sticker's unknown maker.

Spotted on a utility pole in Pittsburgh, 8/27/10

2010: THE NEW PITTSBURGH

On August 14, 2010, I attended the first preseason game of the Steelers' 2010 season.  
Upon entering Heinz Field I was greeted / welcomed / astounded by the above sighting...a BLUE Penguins jersey, in a seat at the football stadium.  Seated next to a generic Steelers shirt.  Pretty amazing.  'Used to be that hockey fans wore Steelers gear to the Arena, cause all you needed was some Black n' Gold to show how you feel.  Any gear you owned, which was most likely Steelers gear, would cover you for whatever event you attended.  This remains and always will be the case, but this sighting shows that the hegemony of football over hockey in steel town has officially come to an end.  I welcome this new era of equal opportunity fandom with open, wide-receiver type arms.  THIS IS THE NEW PITTSBURGH.

Prior to the toss, the incomparable, inimitable Dick LeBeau was recognized by all in attendance with a standing-O in honor of his arguably long-overdue Hall of Fame induction, which had occurred the Sunday prior.  Dick looked totally classy and 'NTBFW' on the jumbo-tron, as seen above.  I felt immense gravitas as I stood clapping and tearing for this great man who, as mastermind of our Steel Curtain defense, has in a very quiet, almost unseen way engineered an unquantifiable portion of my personal emotional fabric.  It was a rare moment when the unseen-but-felt becomes seen & very clearly felt.  

As my pops and I dined pre-game at Max's Allegheny Tavern, we discussed the ever-tenuous Roethlisberger situation.  Throughout summer 2010 I've observed small colonies of Roethlisberger jerseys in the windows of Pittsburgh's many thrift stores, having sprouted up in no time, just like all the off-the-highway-suburban-shopping-center-towns that seem to appear simultaneously, contents totally predictable and invariable.  Once the prized belongings of adoring fans, these castaway jerseys apparently can't even be sold from the prime real estate of a Goodwill window.  In the days leading up to the first preseason game, I anticipated that fashion choices on that day would serve as an unspoken and powerful litmus test for the Roethlisberger situation.  Would anyone wear a #7 jersey?  The answer as seen above, is 'YES.  Our entire family will wear our Roethlisberger jerseys.  Young girls included.'  On the other hand I have since spoken with many parents who have forced their children to give up their #7 apparel and will no longer wear it themselves.   2010 is undoubtedly a good time to monitor the jersey situation as public opinion on Roethlisberger's character / worthiness continues to split and shift.

It is worth noting that 4 plays into the Steelers' opening drive, a chant sprung up on the other side of the stadium and gained considerable momentum before dying away: "WE WANT BEN".  

REALLY?  Four plays into pre-season offense?  It's generally not the stuff dreams are made of, Ben or no Ben, 1st or 4th stringer.  So both on the apparel and mass-chant fronts, Ben's reputation appears to be at least somewhat unscathed, if not brazenly unscathed, here in Pittsburgh.  2010.  

This is Ms. Pittsburgh, over n' aut.