Baltimore-Pittsburgh Is a Hate-Filled Rivalry Deeper Than Football

Have you ever heard the expression, we are too much alike, and that is why we do not get along? Well, truer words have never been spoken when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, the great fans of each team and both cities.

For those of you waving those obnoxious yellow towels tomorrow, please do not misunderstand me. While there is a very deep-rooted respect for you, your city and your teams, ultimately, I am filled with sports hate for anything that wears black and yellow.

Despite the similarities in the cities and their fans, there is a genuine hatred between both. Please do not leave comments saying you do not understand how hate is involved. Please do not tell me it is just sports. If you are a true sports fan from either city, and do not feel the way I do, then you are not a true fan from either city.

Those in the 'Burgh may say they do not feel the same way I do because, and let’s face it Baltimore fans, this is a very lopsided rivalry in all of the involved sports between the cities. I had a Tennessee Titans fan ask me recently if I hated his team as much as he hated the Ravens, and my answer was no, but we never lose to Tennessee when it matters, so why would I?

Whether you admit it or not, and despite the hatred, the cities of Baltimore and Pittsburgh are very much alike, and so are the people.

Both cities sit on the water, rose to economic prominence through the industrial age, almost died with its decline. Each utilized the waterfront to revitalize the downtown areas, and added tourism as a measure of replacement for the loss of industrial income.

Both cities even have distinct ways of speaking with hard dialects about their teams.

Bawlmerese would sound like this from the front stoop on the white marble steps, "How 'bout dem O's hon" and “kmoin FlakO beet da terble tals fer once.” And Pittsburghese is alive and well and "Yins see the Stiller’s lose to Balteemore," or “Dwana go dahn da korner bahr and ketch da BucOs game”, are very popular in the Steele city.

To match that dialect, each city has its very own fancy beer, and even though both are no longer brewed there, both are forever linked with the cities sports franchises. In Baltimore, it is National Bohemian, but you would be wise to ask for a "Natty Boh" while out on the town.

In old Memorial Stadium, Natty Boh signs could be seen everywhere throughout the park, and for a period of time, appeared as the main advertisement on the big scoreboard in centerfield.

In Pittsburgh it’s, what else, Iron City Beer. Now brewed in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, unopened Iron City cans appear on EBay with Steelers Super Bowl Champion teams from the 70's quite frequently up for bid. Both beers, if consumed in large quantities, will make you wish you didn't the next day.

A major part of both cities' revival was the building of four new stadiums. All four were built in similar fashion. The O’s (Camden Yards) and Bucs (PNC Park) used the classic baseball stadium looks, while the Ravens (M&T Bank Stadium) and Steelers (Heinz Field) built stadiums that were perfect fits for their cities, and architecturally, looked outstanding, as stadiums go.

While all this makes these cities very much alike, what sets them apart and creates the dislike are the sports. The fact that Pittsburgh sports teams are responsible for preventing or eliminating the Colts, Ravens, Orioles, and Washington Capitals a combined 15 times from their sports post season, drives me to hatred. A respectful hatred, but make no mistake, it is a pure red-blooded hatred for all things black and yellow.

I know the sports history of Pittsburgh, as I know mine. I was there when the Baltimore Colts took a beating in one of two playoffs games in the mid 1970’s, while a small airplane crashed in the upper deck of Memorial Stadium at the end of one of them.

For the fans of those seats, it was probably a good thing that Terry Bradshaw and company were thumping Bert Jones and the Colts. Otherwise, those seats may have been filled with fans, causing many people to be killed.

Thank God I was not there when the great Roberto Clemente led the Pirates back from a 2-0 deficit to beat my Baltimore Orioles in seven games during the 1971 World Series.

However, I was in attendance for all four games at Memorial Stadium when the Pirates defeated my O’s again in seven games, this time, coming back from a three games to one deficit, to win the 1979 Fall Classic.

I remember as if it was yesterday when Pops, aka, Willie Stargell, took a Scott McGregor pitch just barely over the right field wall in Game 7 to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead. For the record, Sister Sledge and their hit, “We Are Family,” is never allowed to be played in my presence.

Speaking of being down three games to one, and another reason the Baltimore-Pittsburgh rivalry is so deep, is the involvement of hockey. I was there on more than one occasion when Mario Lemieux and his Pittsburgh Penguins completed numerous comebacks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to eliminate my Washington Capitals.

Most sports fans in Charm City are huge hockey fans, and many support the Capitals. In fact, when Baltimore had an American Hockey League franchise (The NHL’s top minor league), they were affiliated with the Penguins from 1981-88 and then the Capitals the following five seasons.

Lets not kid ourselves here, football is the fuel that feeds this rivalry between the two cities as both Pittsburgh and Baltimore have a storied and historic football past, both well documented. The Steelers of the 70's and The Baltimore Colts of the 50's, 60's and 70's have contributed numerous Hall of Fame players. Both organizations had a big hand in making the NFL what it has become today.

Today’s version of the Steelers and Ravens are almost identical in their build. Both believe in front office stability and possess solid ownership. Say what you will about Art Modell, but he was as solid an NFL owner as there was in the league.

The Ravens are on their third coach in franchise history, and the Steelers are on just their third coach in 30 plus years. Both were built on stout defenses that feature All-Pro linebackers and all-world safeties. Both have a quarterback that came from a small college, both are similar in size and build, and have played much better than fans thought they would the day they were drafted.

Even the players from both teams, who come from different parts of the country, are not bashful about using the word hate when it comes to the rivalry. They are also quick to point out how much respect they have for each other as well.

Growing up in "Bawlmer" I know what a rivalry is all about, and for me it is anything involving Pittsburgh. Making this rivalry even more heated is the fact that many from Pittsburgh migrated to Baltimore during the industrial downturn. Looking on the web, there are still six Steelers fan club bars in Maryland.

Tomorrow's matchup with the Steelers is no different from any other. It is life or death for me, and many in Baltimore and Pittsburgh as well. I live in Florida now, and see the black and gold everywhere. I guess six Super Bowls will do that for a bandwagon.

I know that many will view this article and think it ridiculous to use the word hate when it comes to sports, especially on the heels of what September 11 truly represents. It is unfortunate, but I cannot help myself, as I am sure many of you cannot. I hate the Steelers, and losing to them is one of the worst fan feelings in my Baltimore sports world.

There is respect and a lot of it, but if sports have taught us anything, hatred does not mean a lack of respect. As my dearly departed mother used to say, hate is a strong word, and she's right. However, Big Ben and Sid the Kid continue to irk me the same way Terry Bradshaw, Willie Stargell and Mario Lemieux always did, and "irk" is putting it very politely.

I was actually pulling for the Pirates this year when they had their brief trip to the top of their division, and find it very ironic that the Orioles and Bucs have been a mess for about the same number of seasons.

As I said Steelers fans, we are not all that different. We love all of our teams, and hate each other’s. I am sure your good people, but if you are wearing black and yellow, I will just have to assume that on Sunday, and pray you go away quietly and disappointed tomorrow.

Speaking of being similar, did you happen to catch my last name? Know any Polish people in Pittsburgh?