One for the Thumb!

What a great year to be living near Pittsburgh! The Steelers won the Super Bowl last night, and I admit it's the first time in my LIFE I've watched it for the football and not merely the commercials. (Although I thought the Hummer ad was just freakin' funny, and the Budweiser magic fridge was a hoot. Apparently the best was the streaking sheep, but I miss that. Drat.) When the game ended, you could here car horns, fireworks, and just general shrieking all around. Yes, we picked a good year to move here. :)
What have I learned from my brief but intense flirtation with Steeler football?
1- Jerome Bettis is "The Bus." That makes Benjamin my minibus.
2- People think Ben Roethlisberger is one hot man. I think he's fine, but I don't care for the beard. Wonder if he'll shave it off now that they've won??????
3- Pittsburgh loves their Steelers so much that they opened the Pittsburgh Public Schools 2 hours late today in honor of the win. Now this is a city that knows how to have a bit of fun.
4- If you want a Steelers Champions shirt, you'd best go buy it RIGHT AFTER THE SUPER BOWL. Stores opened after the game last night and the shirts were sold out by morning here.
5- Troy Polamalu has a cool name, cool hair, and a catchy tune about how to pronounce his name.
6- Terrible Towels are all the rage. Now I want one of these gold numbers to wave around.
7- It is possible to reclaim our living room TV on game day. Camden even runs around in anticipation. Then, when the game starts, he disappears upstairs to play Star Wars. If only Darth Vader were a player. He'd watch it for sure then.
8- Apparently the Steelers are more than a winning team. They're full of character. Really. (Joey Parker's trash talk aside) I heard so many comments from news heads referring to the players' strength of character. From what I've seen in interviews with Bettis and Polamalu, among others here and there, it's true. Many of these men love God, play for each other, and recognize that their strength is in their numbers, not just in themselves. I just love that.
9- For some reason, you are not allowed to push off of another player as you pursue a pass. I don't get this. It seems to me that if you're allowed to knock the hell out of each other, you should be allowed to use that force to help you out a bit. But I don't write the rules of football. I barely know them.
10- Inspired by the game, Benjy now runs around the living room and hurls himself onto the ground, Steeler style. That's my minibus! He also shouts, "kick ball!" Amazing how this game has gripped us, turned us into Steeler fans, and helped my little boy pick up a few new words. :)