RICHMOND, Va. -- When it comes to the Steelers' playoff games, for some reason I can remember where I watched nearly every single one, going all the way back to my earliest days as a football fan.
For this game, the unexpected upset against the Broncos on the second to last day of 1984, it was my maternal grandparents' living room in Manuta, Ohio. It was the sort of place where nobody ever seemed to make much noise. Indeed, I can vividly recall sitting there quietly on the couch for hours, as the big clock in the corner tick-tocked and my reserved, depression-era grandma and grandma sat in silence.
This day, however, was different, as several other uncles, aunts and cousins joined us on New Year’s Eve eve to create a roomful of split allegiances, several of my family members having jumped ship from brown and orange to black and gold a dozen years earlier when local boy Jack Lambert was drafted by the Steelers. The Cleveland contingent, motivated then, as now, by jealousy and schadenfreude, razzed we Pittsburgh faithful loudly and mercilessly as our team suffered missed field goals and a blocked punt, cheering on John Elway, of all people. But fortunately for us, Elway wasn’t ELWAY yet, and it was the Steelers who would pull off the thrilling, last-minute victory.
It was easily the most fun I ever had in that house.
ROB ULLMAN / DKPS
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