Let Sleeping Towels Lie! aka Brant’s Terrible Towel!, somewhere near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January 2009, photo © 2009 by Brant’s Grandfather J. All rights reserved.
In a few hours, Super Bowl XLIII begins at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida where an estimated 72,500 people will attend the 6:30 EST kickoff of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. The National Football League champions of the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC) will battle it out for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy. Can you guess who my family in Pennsylvania will be cheering for?
Liz saw an NFL poll yesterday that showed 55% voting for the Cardinals to win. But I don’t know. I lived my teenage years in Pennsylvania and I know what a powerhouse the Steelers can be! Steelers fans are hardcore.
The Terrible Towel in the photographs is vintage 1976. That cute little guy is my grand nephew, Brant (or is it great nephew?), taking a little rest after one of the play-off games. He’s covered by the Terrible Towel belonging to his Grandmother D. (known to us on red Ravine as alittlediddy).
Abbey Wearing The "Terrible Towel", near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January 2009, photo © 2009 by Brant with his Fisher-Price camera. All rights reserved.
D.’s Terrible Towel is a never-been-washed original. It was a Super Bowl gift from her brother in 1976 when she went home to watch Super Bowl X with her family. The game was between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys — Steelers won 21 to 17. Her dress attire consisted of black jeans, yellow turtleneck with black sweater, and, of course, yellow earmuffs and black gloves, all the while, waving her Terrible Towel.
We went back and forth about the Towel on a New Year’s Day post on Sunshine Shrimp (which, by the way, would make a great Super Bowl appetizer!). I’m a fair-weather play-off fan; she’s die-hard Steelers. The story of the creation of Myron Cope’s Terrible Towel jumped out at me. When Liz saw a piece about it in The New York Times this week, that was all it took — the Tales Of The Terrible Towel post was born!
Ivory & The "Terrible Towel", near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January 2009, photo © 2009 by Brant with his Fisher-Price camera. All rights reserved.
Myron Cope, the Pittsburgh broadcaster credited with creating the Terrible Towel in 1975, (and inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2005), died last February at age 79. His daughter Elizabeth Cope watched last year’s Super Bowl with him in his hospital room; she draped his coffin with a quilt that a fan had made out of Terrible Towels.
But what’s remarkable about Myron Cope’s story, is the way he has left a legacy of paying it forward. Most of the proceeds from the sale of the Terrible Towel go to Allegheny Valley School (AVS) where his 41-year-old son, Danny Cope, diagnosed with severe mental retardation when he was 2, and later with autism, has been a resident since 1982.
Danny Cope now lives in a supervised group home with four others in a Pittsburgh suburb, shops and goes to sports events, and has a paying job packaging pretzels and snacks on an assembly line. About 80 employees with severe disabilities help fold, tag, and box shipments of Terrible Towels at a workshop in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, similar to the one where Danny Cope works.
Brant's Photo Of His Grandmother D.'s Original "Terrible Towel", near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January 2009, photo © 2009 by Brant with his Fisher-Price camera. All rights reserved.
You have to applaud the generosity of spirit of Elizabeth Cope, Danny’s sister, who receives none of the proceeds from the Terrible Towel. Her father transferred the trademark in 1996 out of gratitude to AVS, a network of campuses and group homes across Pennsylvania for people with severe developmental disablities. According to the Allegheny Valley School website and the recent NY Times article, President and Chief Executive Officer Regis Champ tells it this way:
Myron Cope was a true friend to Allegheny Valley School and his gift of The Terrible Towel® trademark has created a living legacy to his incredible life. He came into my office, and he had a pile of papers. He threw them down on my desk and said, ‘Regis, I’m giving you the Terrible Towel.’ I said, ‘Myron, I have about 10 of them. I’ll take another one, but …He said, ‘No, I’m giving you the rights, and you’ll be able to get all the proceeds from the Terrible Towels.’ I was speechless.
Before this season, Allegheny Valley School had received more than $2.5 million from the towels since 1996. With the final tab for last year’s Super Bowl at $2.5 billion, isn’t it comforting to know that the proceeds from this year’s Terrible Towel will go to a worthy cause?
My grand-nephew Brant is 7 years old. Born at the end of June, he’s a Gemini just like his Grandmother D. Brant will inherit his grandmother’s Terrible Towel as part of the family legacy. Along with that inheritance, comes the vision of Myron Cope, the notion that anyone can take a simple idea like a terrycloth towel, and do something good for the world.
If you buy a towel for the Super Bowl, make sure it’s authentic. McArthur Towel & Sports of Baraboo, Wisconsin produced 450,000 Terrible Towels last week, after the Steelers won the A.F.C. championship. And a Steelers Super Bowl victory may lead to orders of at least 500,000 more (one set with the score against the Cardinals, another declaring the Steelers six-time Super Bowl champs). I admit, I usually go for the underdog. But with the stakes so high for Allegheny Valley School, I’m waving for the Steelers.
RESOURCES & READINGS
To read more about the Super Bowl, the history of the Terrible Towel, and Myron Cope, below are links to the resources used in this essay:
- Super Bowl Is World’s ‘Billion Dollar Game’ on NPR’s Talk of the Nation – January 29, 2009 — Allen St. John, author of The Billion Dollar Game, writes about an “economic engine that’s bigger than the GDP of many nations” and “the world’s biggest party.”
- For Terrible Towels, a Wonderful Legacy by John Branch of The New York Times – January 29th, 2009 — Great article on Myron Cope, his son, Danny, and daughter, Elizabeth, including photographs of the three.
- Allegheny Valley School – official website of Allegheny Valley School in Pennsylvania
- Myron Cope and the Terrible Towel at Allegheny Valley School – story of Myron Cope on the Allegheny Valley School website. Click this link and scroll down to the bottom of the page for info on how to order Myron Cope’s Official The Terrible Towel® or purchase a wide variety of Steelers Terrible Stuff Products online.
- Hear Myron Cope’s voice at The Museum of Broadcast Communications — Cope retired from the broadcasting in 2005, after a 35-year run with the Steelers. That summer, he received the Pete Rozelle Award for long time exceptional contributions to pro football in television and radio. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2005.
- Official Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Club – Fan club site of the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Arizona Cardinals Official Website – site of the Arizona Cardinals
- NFL Super Bowl History – History and stats of all the Super Bowls
— all photographs used with permisson of the family, parents and grandparents of my grand nephew, Brant. Brant’s camera equipment is Fisher-Price. No animals were harmed in the making of these photographs!
-posted on red Ravine, the 43rd Super Bowl Sunday, February 1st, 2009
redravine.wordpress.com 
It’s nice to find out that some of all that money made through the Super Bowl is going to a good cause.
I’ve had a soft spot for the Steelers since high school. Franco Harris went to my high school (he played for the Steelers in the 70’s). His younger brother was on my high school football team when I attended high school.
And now that we live not far from Pittsburgh, it’s almost a given that we’d root for the Steelers.
I love that first photo. 🙂
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Just came back from a Superbowl party (are we party-poopers for leaving after the thrid quarter?). I’m rooting for the Steelers, as was one other party goer. Many for the Cardinals, being the underdogs; and then there’s the fact that AZ is neighbor to NM.
I usually also root for the underdog, but I like those Steelers. And The Boss…wasn’t he fabulous?!
diddy and QM, the Terrible Towel tale is amazing. Even more reason to root for the Steelers.
diddy, is there a reason your TT has never been watched.
Yikes, the game is getting tight…
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OH NO! AZ has the lead! I’m the only Steelers fan here among my husband and daughters.
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Well, I’m happy but my girls were both pretty bummed. I was never that into a football game when I was a kid. Em cried. 😦
diddy, the photos of Brant and Abbey are adorable!
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First of all, I want to thank you QM! Wonderful post! And, as you know we all gave the ok to use the photo of Brant, because he looks nothing like that when awake. What a trooper he is. He cherishes the Terrible Towel. The photo was taken after the AFC championship game. He took his photos & then crashed on the loveseat.
We won!!! J was great, made our dinner & even massaged my back when the Cardinals went ahead. I hit him once (accident) in the face with the towel.
Thanks, Robin, somehow I knew you would have a soft spot for the Steelers! Yes, the 70’s were just soooo awesome! Cool, about Franco Harris!
yb, thanks for your support, as well!!! QM & I were emailing each other yesterday. I can’t count the times. But, I find comfort in knowing where the proceeds of towels go!
I have never washed the towel, call it superstition, I suppose.
My hat goes off to AZ. Great game!
Well, all I can say now is that I wish I had my own 6-pack! D
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Oh, my gosh! WOW, that was one of the best Super Bowl games I’ve ever seen. Amazing plays, right up to the end.
yb, you missed some good football leaving at the 3rd quarter. We couldn’t take our eyes away from the TV. I thought the Cardinals had it, to tell you the truth, then Holmes and that last touchdown.
I actually really liked the Cardinals and would normally have gone for the Underdog. But this year, I wanted the Steelers to get it. Think of the money from the Terrible Towels for all those good causes.
Robin, bet you were happy about the Steelers, living right there near Pittsburgh. Party in the steel town tonight!
Diddy, how did it go at your house? Quite the game. Bet you were waving the Terrible Towel like no tomorrow.
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Oh, diddy, we must have been commenting at the same time. I just read your comment to Liz and she cracked up when you said you hit J. in the face with the Terrible Towel by mistake. When Holmes got that last touchdown, I thought Liz was going to jump off her seat and crush our cat, Kiev, in the process. But so far, all three cats have survived!
Wow. I still can’t get over that game. What about that 100 yard dash touchdown. I just love those breakaways.
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It was only a ten-minute drive home, so we saw AZ get the touchdown and then Pittsburg. It was a great game, especially the last quarter.
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That was good, wasn’t it? I thought the guy who made that touchdown surely had a broken neck. Did you see how he landed on it? Ouch.
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Oh, great yb, glad you saw those key plays. Some good football. Sorry to the Cardinal fans in your home. They can be proud though. The Cardinals played really well when it counted.
Oh, Robin, I forgot to say, I definitely remember how big Franco Harris was during the time in my teens when I lived in Pennsylvania. I remember liking him, kind of an everyman player.
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Oh, it was kind of cool to watch Larry Fitzgerald who made some key plays for the Cardinals. They kept cutting away to his dad up in the Press Box. He’s a Minneapolis reporter. I bet he was proud of his son during a few of those plays when Larry kept grabbing the ball out of thin air, then finally made a touchdown. But being a solid reporter, you sure couldn’t see it on his face!
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Ha! The 100 yard run by James Harrison forced me to call my Dad at half time. Although we spoke earlier today, we vowed not to talk again until after the game. We also spoke after the game & he joked that he had fallen asleep & didn’t know how the game ended! When we were growing up, my Dad & my 2 younger brothers would put the games on & I had no choice but watch them. They would all fall asleep & there I would be, alone, cheering for Pittsburgh! Family joke to this day!
Poor J, I always take out my frustrations on him!
Oh, & yes, the best halftime ever. At least in my opinion! The Boss still rocks my world.
Besides, I had Obama on my side! How cool is that? 🙂 D
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The Boss was great. He rocked. And yes, Obama was for the Steelers, wasn’t he. He also invited Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota as one of his guests during the Super Bowl. I like her. Go Amy! Just saw a blurb on the news where she was talking about having her 12-year-old daughter, Abigail, there and she was thrilled to meet the two Obama girls. I’m sure there will be a lot more about the Super Bowl tomorrow. Maybe I’ll plug some stats in later.
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QM, DIDDY, & all,
Even though it’s late and I’m tired, I just have to put in my 2 cents. What an exciting game; a real cliff-hanger, right to the last seconds!! Both teams gave it their all, but, knowing about the towel, we all had to be glad the Steelers won!!
What a great history the towel has; I am so touched by the generosity of its creator and his whole family!
I even made Sunshine Shrimp and really enjoyed it…thanks to diddy for the recipe.
GOT to go to bed now. Great post; and love the photos!
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oliverowl, so glad you made the Sunshine Shrimp! I have yet to try it. May wait until the grill is out of its winter home. The game was amazing. BTW, I wanted to add in this thread that Jennifer Hudson (from Dreamgirls and one of the finalists on one of the original American Idols) really nailed The Star-Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl. Brought chills. What a voice she has. I think she was as good as Bruce. Totally different genre though.
The little pre-game interview with Bruce where he was asked about turning 60 was eye-opening. He talked about how rock has this mystery about it that you can stay forever young…that for just those few moments while you are performing, you haven’t aged. I guess it’s kind of the draw of rock…getting stuck in those old rock songs you sang when you were younger. At the same time, he and his band did look like they had aged to me. There is also something kind of strange about seeing these older bands like the Stones up there rocking.
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QM, yes, Jennifer Hudson did a great job with The Star-Spangled Banner. Not only did it bring chills, I cried.
I was a nervous wreck all day yesterday. That might sound silly, but that is how pumped up I get.
I’m so glad to read that oo made the Sunshine Shrimp!
BTW, QM, your links in the post are terrific!
Well, today I am so proud to be Steeler fan! I’ll keep my towel out for the rest of the day & then pack it away until next year.
Great Super Bowl!
QM, what was your favorite commercial? D
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Did anyone else see the blurb in the pre-game show with the Commander of the International Space Station? Mike Fincke was floating in circles with his Terrible Towel!!! What a sight! 190 miles above the earth we have the legendary Terrible Towel, the first one in space!?! His confidence in the Steelers is apparent in that he had to bring his Steelers hat & towel with him when he left in October. I bet he had to wash his Terrible Towel before it was allowed in space 😉
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skyWire, I’m glad you brought that up! It was quite a sight!
I had to chuckle about him having to wash towel before it was allowed in space! D
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skywire, that was really funny, the way he held the Terrible Towel upside down in space, then it rotated to right side up whenever he let go and gave in to the weightlessness of his cabin! The Terrible Towels are everywhere!
diddy, Liz usually fast forwards through the commercials but I made her watch them for the Super Bowl! She didn’t seem to mind. They were pretty funny.
1) My #1 favorite commercial was the one with Dylan in his early days. Did you see that one?
2) My 2nd faves were the ones with the Budweiser Clydesdales. Beautiful horses. Did you see the one where the horse went to fetch the branch of the tree, after the Dalmatian brought back a stick to its owner? Also the Clydesdale that followed his mate to the ends of the earth and ended up at the circus.
3) My 3rd fave was the Doritos commercial about the crystal ball. The way the office guy threw it through the vending machine glass. Then, well, you know what happens next. He doesn’t get the raise.
What were your faves? ybonesy, did you have a fave commercial? What about you, skywire, oliverowl, Robin?
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I liked the Clydesdales. That one (where he talks about his grandfather in Scotland coming the America) was about the first one I actually laughed out loud at. I had to find a chart that listed them all so I could remember which ones I saw [LINK].
To tell the truth, most of the ones I saw didn’t do much for me, but I missed a bunch of them—your #1 and 3, for example. I might have liked those, but the only time I watched the ads was at the party. At home I wandered off during the ads.
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I also missed the pre-game show. In fact, this might have been the first Superbowl game I’ve actually ever watched in my adult life. 8) Which is why I’m blown away by my daughters’ enthusiasm over it.
I honestly don’t think Jim and I have ever had a football game on in our house, although my parents and siblings are huge fans. As are Jim’s. And if we go to a party, I usually end up socializing more than watching. Yesterday was the exception.
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Ok, The Clydesdale commercials were my faves!
I especially liked the Horse love one & the fetch. I also thought the one about his grandfather coming to America was hilarious!
The Dorito commercial was also good & I saw all, but somehow missed just one, the talking e-trade babies. Must have been a bathroom break!
I’m very fond of Clydesdales, as my Great Uncle raised them on his farm. I was always amazed by their size & grace. I forget how many he had (I was pretty young), but every year he brought them from W-PA to the Annual Farm Show in Harrisburg. D
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diddy, I forgot about the Clydesdales in your family history. I think I remember you mentioning that before. From Scotland, aren’t they? Do you have any old photos of those Clydesdales? I liked the talking trade babies commercial, too. We rewound that one and watched it again. We watched a blurb about the makers of those famous commercials. It must be a thrill for them to see their work on TV like that. The two guys that did the Doritos commercials are just normal Joe’s — Joe and Dave Herbert. They seemed so excited and talked about how much they had given up to do the commercial. Lots of work went into it. But they are getting a million dollar check from Doritos from a contest they entered. WOW.
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Another note on Groundhog Day. I just commented on this NPR piece on the Vote for Punxsutawney Phil post (LINK) but I wanted to drop these lines into the Terrible Towel post because the old TT was alive and well on Gobbler’s Knob near Pittsburg today!
Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn in front of an estimated 13,000 witnesses, many dressed in black and gold to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl victory the night before. “There’s significant buzz from the Steelers win and quite a few Terrible Towels floating from the crowd,” said Mickey Rowley, deputy secretary for tourism in Pennsylvania. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced the forecast in a short proclamation, in which Phil acknowledged the Steelers’ 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Here’s the link for the full scoop and photos from PA — NPR: Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow; winter to continue (LINK) Also, there’s 6 more weeks of winter on the way!
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OH, yb, thanks for the link to the commercials. You can watch them all at the link there. I totally forgot about Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head take a drive. 8) Oh, and the “I’m good” one.
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My girls reminded me about how we all chuckled over the commercial on “LMAO”—laughing my ass off. Remember that one?
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J’s favorite commercial was Mr. & Mrs. Potato head. I’m sure it was my Dad’s favorite, as well! I thought that one was pretty good. I was able to see the babies one on an early morning show, so though I had missed it, I got to see it. J & I watched a few on a link again this afternoon. We watched our favorites & were still laughing!
The Phil thing is pretty cool. I saw them there with Terrible Towels in hand!
If there are any photos of my Great Uncles Clydesdales, my Mom have them. It was her Uncle who owned them.
Tonight we had dinner with T & DD. We ate mostly leftovers from a Super Bowl gathering they hosted for a few friends. I took the makings for crab souffle (One of T’s favorites). We were there so DD could cut our hair. I feel human again! D
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The Clydesdales were my favorites, too. I still remember one from last year, when the Dalmation was “personal trainer” to the horse that didn’t make the cut on his first try. But my very favorite over years, was the cowboys herding hundreds of cats!!!! Anyone remember that one? Couldn’t tell you what they were selling, but it was just so darn clever, plus, I still wonder how they did it.
p.s. Diddy, the grandson IS beautiful!! (Little guys look so angelic when asleep!)
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oo, I remember the herding of the cats! That was a funny one! I can’t remember what they were selling either.
Thanks about Brant! I can’t take the credit for his good looks. One strange thing though, & it really freaks me out, is that he usually sleeps with his eyes partially open. I wonder if other children do that? D
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I’m thinking a lot of $$$ was generated for the Allegheny Valley School from those Terrible Towels sold on Super Bowl Sunday 43. Some fun stuff from different places around the web. Sources vary in their numbers, so I’m going to say all numbers are in the ballpark. Well, except for the final score!
–Steelers 27-23 over Cardinals
–232 Countries and Territories broadcast the Super Bowl in 34 Languages
–U.S. audience of 100+ million viewers
–69 advertising spots for the game
–Ads sold for between $2.4 & $3.0 million per 30-second slot
–Total ad revenue for the event, a record $206 million
–$261 million in ad revenue for all of Super Bowl day
–7.5 Million parties held on Super Bowl Sunday with 43.9 million party-goers
–1.5 Million TV sets sold during the week leading up to Super Bowl
–Super Bowl is the top at-home party event of the year, ahead of New Year’s Eve
–Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day of food consumption, second only to Thanksgiving
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Aunt QM, Thanks! I hope you liked the photographs. Love, Brant
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QM, Brant was thrilled to see this post! I didn’t get to read it with him though. It was a very short visit, but I promised we would come back to it when he stays here next. The words above are his, although I typed them. I should have spelled photographs his way, but wanted him to know that it did not start with an f!(Besides, we don’t allow him to use the laptop, a lesson learned when he was left in charge of the tv remote, while I made breakfast upstairs & he ordered movies & a pay per view of a sports shown on On Demand!
Hey, those are some interesting tidbits you’ve added! I hope many people purchased Terrible Towels this year! But, as you mentioned in your post, there are many imposters out there. D
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diddy, tell Brant thanks so much for his note! And a big hug to him. He’s quite the character, ordering up those Pay Per View channels, isn’t he?! I’m glad he liked to see his photographs posted. He seems to like photography.
Yes, a lot of Terrible Towel imposters, including the NFL. I think I read that even they couldn’t resist hopping on the bandwagon and creating their own towel for game day. But I’m hoping that more people want to buy the two new Steelers towels from Allegheny Valley School mentioned at the end of the post — one set with the score against the Cardinals in this Super Bowl win, and another for being one of the only teams to win 6 Super Bowls!
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diddy, BTW, I don’t know if I told you, but Liz actually took a drive around our area in Minnesota on game day to try to find a Terrible Towel. None of the local sports stores sold any kind of merchandise that wasn’t Minnesota related.
I’m sure we could have gone to the Mall of America but it was way too late in the day. I just thought it was interesting that more local stores wouldn’t carry the two Super Bowl contenders’ merchandise.
Liz said she talked to someone at work who is from Pennsylvania and tried to get another Terrible Towel, too, and the same thing — couldn’t find one. (I say another TT because, of course, she already has an original like you!)
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QM, I think Brant placed those pay per view movies & a boxing event when he came upon the channel while surfing for cartoons. We normally are busy doing other things, but after he left J & I turned on the TV & began to get pop up messages that we missed this program & that program & we could reorder! Yes, he loves to take photos & I’ll upgrade the camera for his birthday this June. But, the Fisher Price camera was a good start out camera. You look into it just like a view finder. Great for children as young as 3.
How cool that Liz went out to buy a towel! Hooray for her! The Steelers have a good following, so it surprises me that she was unable to find one. Sold out, maybe? So, she has an original too! Wow! D
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diddy, no towel yet! We didn’t have time to go to the MOA that day. The local sports chains here weren’t sold out but just don’t carry sports items from teams other than MN. I think I’ve seen a few stores around that do. But we ran out of time that day (it didn’t keep Liz from waving a few other yellow T-shirts around)! Will be fun for Brant to have a new camera, I’m sure. The Fisher-Price sounds perfect for learning. I bet he’ll be glad to graduate and to learn more about photography!
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diddy, we don’t write about football much on red Ravine so I couldn’t think of a better place to drop this comment. I suppose you heard about Green Bay Packers Brett Favre coming to play with the Minnesota Vikings? Made official yesterday. Crazy!
Just read that The Vikings have sold more than 3,000 season tickets and 10,000 single-game tickets in the 24 hours since the news broke. And tons of purple #4 jerseys! How do you think he’s going to do here in MN? Can’t wait for the Packers/Vikings game. And I don’t even follow football. 8)
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QM, I just signed on briefly tonight, read the Woodstock post & will comment on it in the morning.
Personally, I think Brett Favre should have remained retired (for about the 7th time?) . If I were a Vikings fan, I’m not sure how I would feel about it. Brett was great for Green Bay, but I fear he is a bit too old for the game now. I do wish him well, though. I just think he should have gone down in a blaze of glory. Maybe he still will…
So much football news lately. How about Michael Vick being reinstated & signing with the Eagles? I’ll leave it at that. My opinion doesn’t really matter, however, I feel even more proud to be a Steeler fan in PA.
Gotta tell ya, I’m looking forward to football again. The brother who bought me the terrible towel just gave me a brand new official Polamalu jersey (size 50). Ok, so I can wear it as a dress with black tights beneath! Now I need some yellow sneakers! D
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diddy, I have a softspot for Old Man Favre! Back to the only football post on red Ravine! We’re watching the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys, playing in Minneapolis today. It’s one of those must-win situations. And if the Vikings don’t win today, Favre may retire — AGAIN. Go Vikings! (I even have a family member Steelers fan routing for us today!)
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diddy, Steelers are doing well! I can’t help but think of my family in Pennsylvania (and this post about Myron Cope’s Terrible Towel) when the Steelers are in the news. Good luck! I’m thinking about you! I am picturing you in your official Polamalu jersey (size 50)!
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Steelers are in the Super Bowl this weekend, Superbowl XLV – Superbowl 45! I”m sure my family in Pennsylvania will be glued to the game. I live in the Midwest right near the Packers, but this year, I’m for the Steelers! Think of all those Terrible Towels that will be sold with all the proceeds going to the Allegheny Valley School in honor of Danny and the vision of Myron Cope! Go Steelers!
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Gearing up for Super Bowl 45! I’m seeing lots of Terrible Towels in the Steelers audience. It’s a tough choice today. I live in the Midwest but my family’s in PA and all for the Steelers. I could live with either win, but I’m going for the Black & Gold. I see the announcers are all for the Packers– except for Bradshaw. Good luck, Steelers!
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I thought of this post today. I’m cheering for the Steelers. The reasons are not particularly sports-like. We live fairly close to Pittsburgh and this part of Ohio is oddly divided between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I used the word “oddly” because it seems like most folks don’t cross state lines when it comes to their sports teams.
The other reason is personal. Franco Harris, who played for the Steelers way back in the day, went to my high school and I sort of knew his brother, and wound up being a secret Steelers fan in a world of Eagles fanatics.
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Robin, OMG! I can’t believe you just mentioned Franco Harris! Liz and I were just talking about him a few minutes ago. She asked me who he was and I had to show her a photo of him. She said, “Oh, I saw him on TV this morning! He’s still around!” I remember the Steelers from the Franco Harris days when it seemed like all of my friends were Steelers fans. I didn’t come from a sports-minded family, even though me and one of my brothers played sports all through high school. We got a lot of support from our family, but no one seemed to follow professional sports.
It’s an interesting point about crossing state lines. Here in Minnesota, there are lots of Packers fans. And I’m guessing it’s the same in Wisconsin, with lots of Vikings fans. Of course, with Brett Favre going back and forth from the Packers to the Vikings, everything just got all mixed up. But I bet it’s more common than you think for teams loyalties to cross state lines. The game has started and I’m cheering for the Steelers. Liz is for the Packers. She’s bummed because there are so many Terrible Towels being waved around — and she said it’s impossible to swing a cheesehead! 8)
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LOL! I got this great visual of someone trying to swing a cheesehead. Thank you. That’s funnier than the Super Bowl commercials I’ve seen so far.
I didn’t realize so many people crossed state lines that way. Growing up in NJ where they don’t have their own pro football team, it’s usually a matter of which part of the state you happen to be in (the Philadelphia area or the New York area). I was amazed to find that my brothers (big, big Eagles fans because they live close to Philly) are actually cheering on the Packers tonight. I thinking thought it would be the Steelers since they are in a nearby state, but it seems there is some stink between the Eagles and the Steelers (I don’t follow football closely enough to know what’s going on). It’s enough to move their support to the Midwest, whatever it is.
My husband is cheering on the Packers. I’m not sure why. We’ve moved around so much, it’s hard to be loyal to any particular team. I know he was hoping for a Bears-Packers Super Bowl since we lived in Chicago and explored Wisconsin a lot when we lived in Chicago.
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Robin, glad you got a laugh out of the swinging cheesehead. 8) I’ve got to be honest, I’ve seen some downright offensive commercials tonight. I haven’t found them inviting or funny at all. What’s going on? Really strange. Was hoping for better.
Well, so far, your husband is on the right track. I’m still for the Steelers but we’re a little behind real time. So far, they haven’t impressed me. I’m not a diehard football fan. I do get caught up in the Bowls though. And when I like the teams that are playing. So your husband has no reason for cheering on the Packers? I bet you could do a whole thesis on how people choose their football teams.
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None of the commercials have appealed to me either (I suppose they aren’t supposed to??). I agree with you about some of them being downright offensive. I did like the VW commercial with the child pretending he’s Darth Vader. Not that I like Darth Vader but I did like the magic/imagination of it, especially when the parents found a way to encourage it.
I’m not a diehard football fan either. I prefer soccer over football, and the World Cup is a bigger deal for me than the Super Bowl. My parents used to have big Super Bowl parties when I was growing up. We don’t do anything near as big, but it is a good excuse to eat food we don’t normally eat. 🙂
It would be interesting to look into why people choose their teams, that’s for sure. I wonder if someone has done that?
I think someone should make a swinging cheesehead commercial…
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Robin, well, it was a good game even though my Steelers lost. I think the Packers made the most of those turnovers. Half time I could have done without! I did like the VW Black Betty Beetle commercial. And there was one other commercial that had vintage black and white photos, a look back at history, that I liked. What about “See the USA in your Chevrolet…” Oh, wait, I think that was “Glee” right after the Super Bowl!
I was listening to this guy on MPR today talking about football as the gladiator sport. He was talking about the violence in football, how that’s how everyone wants it, including the players. I had heard his perspective before but he was pretty forceful about it. I think I heard that 111 million people watched Super Bowl 45. The highest rated show ever. Does that seem right?
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