fandom: chapter 3

Unsaid item from my previous article, �God, Family, Steeler Football�

My wife is a PK (that�s preacher�s kid for you heathens).� She�s not fond, though, of my telling people that the closest I�ve ever come to having a religious experience was the Steelers-Browns playoff game, following the �94 season.� But think about it�..I hadn�t been to a Steeler game in 6 years; I hadn�t been to a playoff game, for God�s sake, in 16 years!! Three Rivers is drenched in black & gold, the Terrible Towel is swinging unison from 60,000 crazed hands, the chant �Here we go, Steelers, here we go!� is ringing throughout.� Who would not be moved? Who would not worship at the foot of the Art Rooney statue?

Today�s topic, Fandom, Volume III, is on the trials and tribulations of videotaping Steeler football�no, not taping as you watch live, but needing to miss the game, and taping to watch later, as though it were live.� There are two major sources of anxiety when engaged in such an endeavor:

1. Electronic failure of various sorts (human error, power outage)
2. Not being able to keep oneself� �in the dark.�

I�ve been rather fortunate, while taking great care.� Let me share my highlights:

1. Steelers-Patriots �95.� Saturday afternoon December game, and I�ve committed to see the god-forsaken NUTCRACKER with my family (remember, I live in Patriots country).� I set the VCR, and go to the NC equipped with cotton�to stuff in my ears, lest someone is talking about Steelers-Pats on the way out.� I know, I know, what are the chances of such discussion coming from ballet-goers, but one must take no chances!!� I leave the ballet, cotton in ears�I even duck into a pizza shop in the way home to pick up a take-out pie�arrive home & watch the Ernie Mills score the game-winner.
2. Steelers-Falcons �96.� To show the family that they are more important to me than Steeler football, I agree to go to Boston on a beautiful Fall afternoon, setting the VCR.� Just before leaving Boston, we enter a pizza shop for a sandwich; football is on the TV!!� I scream, and run out into the street, not willing to return, lest I hear the score.
3. �02 season.� Steelers-Jax.� Returning home to NH from my cottage in PEI after Thanksgiving.� I call my neighbor via cell from New Brunswick.� �Chuck, it�s Dave.�� Should be OK, Dave, there�s been no power outage.�� �Thanks, Chuck.�� As I pass Portland, Maine, I�m simultaneously more excited, and more scared.� Exicted, as I�ll be watching Steeler football soon. Scared, as I have to stop at a� Turnpike Sbarro�s, and what if extraneous conversation reveals the score.� Wait�.my daughter has her swim bag with her, containing ear plugs to help with bad ears from which she�s suffering.� In go the ear plugs�.can�t here a damn thing.� It�s quite the experience though, gnawing on pizza with plugs in your ear.
4. I�ll skip the explanation why, but I�m on the Maine Turnpike again, returning from PEI again, while the Steelers face the Browns in the �02 playoff wildcard round.� What the hell am I doing driving in Maine, listening to a safe Xmas Carol station during a playoff game!!� We get home, my wife goes on-line, right beside me�the AOL headline reveals a Steelers OT victory�she runs upstairs, not wanting to be in my presence while knowing the outcome.�
5. All time highlight.� We�re at our cottage during the �01 Holiday season.� I�ve set the VCR to tape two games!!� I go for over a week without learning any scores (not hard to do in the Canadian Maritimes).� We arrive home on New Year�s Eve in time to see the ball drop.� The family goes to bed; I stay up to watch a Steeler doubleheader!!� Very cool!!

Lowlights:

a.       November �99.� Returning home from a Thanksgiving vacation in North Carolina, the family wants to stop overnight.� I ignore their pleas, and proceed on with a vanful of grumpy passengers, toward NH�.cause I know that a Steeler-Cinci game is awaiting me.� We arrive home after midnight.� I exit the vehicle�I�m aghast�.I can see the lights on the stove flashing!� Power outage!!� Ahhhh!!! I�m reduced to finding the score on-line.� Stillers lost!!

b.       October �01:� I return home from PEI�no power outage�great!! I rewind the tape to see the Stillers first ever game at Heinz Field, again vs. Cinci.� I hit play�..nothing but static.� Stupid me has set the VCR for 1am, rather than 1 pm.� The VCR taped� 4 hours of nothing on the appropriate DirecTV channel.

Some tips:

a.       Always try to have a backup taper.

b.       Plan your activities carefully�.have plenty of earplugging material available.

c.       Avoid having anyone in your presence know the outcome�too much anxiety

d.       Don�t�.answer the phone

e.       Take advantage of rest times to gather yourself when the action heats up

f.         Good Luck!!