Don't Be That Guy: Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh Fandom

We all know that one guy; he’s a huge Steelers fan, but still likes the Guardians and Cavs. You don’t like him, I don’t like him, but there’s nothing that can be done about it. 

You can’t help that his step-great-grandmother was from Pittsburgh, but he grew up five minutes away from downtown Cleveland. It’s not his fault that he likes the best teams from each city, it’s simply a family thing. Well, I’m done with it. 

I know that I’m riding on my high horse right now, but how in the world can you be a fan of Cleveland and Pittsburgh teams? There’s no way you could ever convince me to cheer for any team from Pittsburgh. 

I’ll be honest, I don’t really watch hockey; however, I hate the Pittsburgh Penguins, simply because the team is located in the worst city on the planet.

I know the Blue Jackets are a “newer” team, and some people might’ve grown up as Penguins fans, but I still can’t get myself to root for my rival city. On the other hand, the Cavs have been around forever, so how can a Pittsburgh fan sincerely root for this Cleveland team?

I know it’s lame to gatekeep fandom for a team, but there’s a reason the Cavs put up the Steelers logo when opponents are shooting free throws; we hate Pittsburgh. If you are able to wrap your brain around that and still be a fan of both, then I wish you well, but I will never understand it. 

There is nothing worse on the planet than a Steelers and Guardians fan. You are the worst human in the world. You are the bottom of the barrel. Just because the Pirates stink, doesn’t mean you get to pick and choose your city. 

There’s no bigger dork move out there than splitting up your teams like that. At that point, just pick random sports teams to root for, don’t turn your back on your crappy franchise. 

It's all about balance. Not everyone gets to be a constant winner like the people of Boston. I get to watch the great successes of the Guardians and Cavs because the Browns stink. Additionally, every 100 years that the Browns surprise everyone and choose to be competent, it makes that success so much better.

Maybe this is a pointless rant, but I needed to get this off my chest. Choose your city and deal with your crappy sports franchises like the rest of us. No shortcuts.