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Wearing Sporting Team Merchandise

Read more articles on Life's Nuances and Let Me Share With You.

July 29, 2008

Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz

About This Editor: Karen has enjoyed her many varied experiences in corporate business management, dance education, and preschool assistance. She hopes to write about these past lives-and more-from her home in Pittsburgh, PA, where she lives with her husband, daughter, and 3 cats.

         

You can always tell the time of year here in Pittsburgh. It goes from Steeler Training Camp time to Steeler season to (hopefully) Steeler Super bowl playoff time, to the ultimate: Steeler Superbowl Sunday. Then, if the city is lucky, it’s Victory Celebration time for another month. Things are then a bit quieter for about 4 months, but the team still makes daily news with updates on draft choices, contracts and trades. (Not to mention players who find themselves with unwanted publicity!) Training camp has again been besieged by fans from as far away as Missouri, and there’s always something new to focus on with the up and coming stars. The countdown has begun to the first exhibition game, and as usual, the city is breathlessly awaiting the start of Steeler Mania.

Those who have never spent time in a town that has won a Superbowl victory may not understand the level of importance it gives to, and is given by, a city. Multiply this by five victories over the last 30 or so years and one can only imagine the sport’s place of honor. To say it is a high priority is an understatement. Aside from the Steeler souvenirs available everywhere throughout the year, one can purchase anything with a football-based, victory-oriented theme. If it’s not available, dozens of merchants will create anything Steeler, from floral bouquets to home décor to desserts to custom wear. Recently, a bride and groom held a Black and Gold wedding, with guests in football shirts and face paint, waving “terrible towels.”

Is it all too much? Not for the hundreds of thousands of football fans who couldn’t imagine life any other way! They probably already have their tailgating plans, know where they will be watching each and every game, and are discussing this season’s chances with their fellow fans. The unification that a sporting team who is on a roll brings to various social, economic, and cultural groups is indeed a positive aspect. Regardless of how one views professional competition, seeing teamwork and hard work pay off results in a sense of justification and enjoyment to which anyone can relate.

Now is a good time to ask you folks about your tendency to wear-well, ok-flaunt-your team’s colors, logos, or mottos on clothing merchandise. High school, college, city-whatever can be included in the question…how apt are you to don your red and white, blue and gold, or orange and blue in the height of the sport’s season? And what is your favorite way of displaying your team spirit?

I must admit that I’ve never had a warm-up jacket, winter jacket or hoodie with my city’s sport teams advertising. This is one situation where men have more options than women, simply because they have more occasions to wear such items. You don’t see women in this town wearing Penguin Hockey ties, but men do, and Steeler hats are usually worn more by guys for the simple fact girls like what pull down knit caps do to their hair. Scarves are unisex, as are lounging pants-and they’re good for all ages. The one item that’s been in my possession for years is a Pirate t-shirt, and I don’t plan on ever discarding it. The store-heck, the whole mall-where I purchased it is long gone, to the chagrin of others who compliment me on it and ask where it was bought. Now-you have to have a sense of whimsy for this: it’s an image of Snoopy, wearing a Pirate Shirt and Pirate cap-and sunglasses-leaning on a bat. Nearby, Woodstock, his feathered friends, sits on a baseball…Well, I happen to like it.

Even if you’re not into buying stuff with your team’s name, you can always just dress in the appropriate colors. A sweater and scarf in team colors blends right in with the rest of the thousands found in any stadium or arena, as do hats, shirts and sweaters. It’s not hard at all to acquire that wonderful feeling of supporting something a lot larger than your own goals, at least for a few hours. Wear your team’s colors proudly-even if they’re not playing or winning…actually, when they’re not winning is probably a more humanitarian time to do so.

Last 5 Entries by Karen Amato Schwartz

• Play the Game When It Comes to Clothes - July 29th, 2008
• Customer Service in Clothing Stores - July 29th, 2008
• Movie Review: Tootsie Will Never Grow Old - July 29th, 2008
• Movie Review: Rain Man Touches Hearts - July 29th, 2008
• Movie Review: Waiting-Really Waiting-To Exhale - July 29th, 2008

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