odd, that.

I grew up in Pittsburgh in the 70s. Ties to and love for that city continue to run strong and deep.

The last pic in this post is one of my favorites of my dad. He died a little over eight years ago. Lung cancer in a lifelong heavy smoker. No surprise. No major tears. Love him a lot, but okay with it all, y'know?

But I cannot read this essay or others like it without the tears flowing. In a good way. But it surprises me and makes me laugh every time. 

I spent much of last weekend alternating between choking up and laughing out loud as I transcribed many ESPN interviews as a rush job for a Super Bowl documentary that will air this weekend. I liked the Cardinals interviews. I LOVED the Steeler interviews. 

My dad would've been 68 today. Tomorrow, I will pin Steelers buttons from my childhood onto my shirt and the rest of my family will wear their Steelers paraphernalia as we gather with old friends to watch the Steelers in the Super Bowl, again :-), and remember one of their biggest fans, whose shenanigans and Steeler-love live on. 

Because even though we packed the Pinto and the U-Haul and physically pulled away from the 'burgh 30 years ago, our roots clearly still reach all the way back there and the Steelers Nation is not bound by geographic location.