Crossing the turnpike, with more style than it probably takes
Ok, ok the super bowl is over, and my Eagles have lost. You can't say it wasn't a close one. Okay say whatever you want. The only problem was that I was at a superbowl-watching party where 2 people said to me (separately): "It's weird to be watching this with only one person in the room who actually cares."
A friend's Dad seems to think that Conference pride is important/exists. So he was rooting for the Patriots since like the Steelers they are in the AFC. I would call this ridiculous if he didn't come to most of our shows.
I thought that Pittsburgh should have been a little more supportive of the Philadelphia Eagles than they were. There are a few reasons why I think this:
1. The Patriots beat the Steelers in the AFC Championship, and
2. Philadelphia is the birthplace of our nation.
I just don't understand what it is that Pittsburgh has against the city of brotherly love. Or may I do.
When I first moved here about two years ago, an innocently begun conversation with a native Pittsburghers about where I come from devolved into this:
Her: We don't like Philly because everything is always about Philly. You never stop to think there is a world outside of you.
Me: I never knew Pittsburghers felt that way. Maybe that's because we don't really care and kind of don't have to.
Her: That's just it. You don't realize you are part of Pennsylvania.
Me: well, I'd like to tell you what we think about that. But we don't care. It doesn't matter that you are out here thinking that. You are wasting your time.
Somehow in the end, it all boiled/deep-fried down to Primanti Brothers Sandwich versus the Philly Cheesesteak. I am sick of this discussion. Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are fat, fat cities, with Pittsburgh soaring ahead if mullets weigh more.
I do get teased, so sometimes it's easier to not say where I'm from, and to keep a lid on my accent. Sometimes though when I am feeling up to it, I'll mention where I was born and raised (on the playground, spending days), and I get something like this, from the other night: "Are you from a suburb, or Philly proper- but I guess there's nothing proper about Philly." HAHAHA. Another Iron City for this incredibly creative drunk guy.
I didn't realize that, when threatened, my own personal hometown pride comes out swinging. "Birthplace of our nation?" I am surprised as anybody.
So, to Western Pennsylvanians: Your beef with Philly is completely irrelevant and you are wasting good energy that can be spent on say, soaping your windows with football propaganda or watching Channel 11's team coverage of light drizzle. I understand though. In Philly, we don't like New York very much. And they don't even care. We waste good energy that can be spent on, say, boxing Apollo Creed , or cracking bells. Perhaps its like the food chain: the big apple is to the cheesesteak as the cheesesteak is to the sandwich with the fries on it.
I am not saying I don't like Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, I have come to love it here. I even find myself saying "we" when I am talking about the city, for example, "In Pittsburgh, we get used to the hills" or "we ignore crosswalks" or "we just break into people's houses in the middle of the day while they are still at home."
And did you know that the Lewis and Clark expedition kicked off in PITTSBURGH?? Hello, how could I not love it here? Maybe I should rethink the birthplace of our nation thing, and just measure places on the availability of a wide range of Tastykakes. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1.
A friend's Dad seems to think that Conference pride is important/exists. So he was rooting for the Patriots since like the Steelers they are in the AFC. I would call this ridiculous if he didn't come to most of our shows.
I thought that Pittsburgh should have been a little more supportive of the Philadelphia Eagles than they were. There are a few reasons why I think this:
1. The Patriots beat the Steelers in the AFC Championship, and
2. Philadelphia is the birthplace of our nation.
I just don't understand what it is that Pittsburgh has against the city of brotherly love. Or may I do.
When I first moved here about two years ago, an innocently begun conversation with a native Pittsburghers about where I come from devolved into this:
Her: We don't like Philly because everything is always about Philly. You never stop to think there is a world outside of you.
Me: I never knew Pittsburghers felt that way. Maybe that's because we don't really care and kind of don't have to.
Her: That's just it. You don't realize you are part of Pennsylvania.
Me: well, I'd like to tell you what we think about that. But we don't care. It doesn't matter that you are out here thinking that. You are wasting your time.
Somehow in the end, it all boiled/deep-fried down to Primanti Brothers Sandwich versus the Philly Cheesesteak. I am sick of this discussion. Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are fat, fat cities, with Pittsburgh soaring ahead if mullets weigh more.
I do get teased, so sometimes it's easier to not say where I'm from, and to keep a lid on my accent. Sometimes though when I am feeling up to it, I'll mention where I was born and raised (on the playground, spending days), and I get something like this, from the other night: "Are you from a suburb, or Philly proper- but I guess there's nothing proper about Philly." HAHAHA. Another Iron City for this incredibly creative drunk guy.
I didn't realize that, when threatened, my own personal hometown pride comes out swinging. "Birthplace of our nation?" I am surprised as anybody.
So, to Western Pennsylvanians: Your beef with Philly is completely irrelevant and you are wasting good energy that can be spent on say, soaping your windows with football propaganda or watching Channel 11's team coverage of light drizzle. I understand though. In Philly, we don't like New York very much. And they don't even care. We waste good energy that can be spent on, say, boxing Apollo Creed , or cracking bells. Perhaps its like the food chain: the big apple is to the cheesesteak as the cheesesteak is to the sandwich with the fries on it.
I am not saying I don't like Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, I have come to love it here. I even find myself saying "we" when I am talking about the city, for example, "In Pittsburgh, we get used to the hills" or "we ignore crosswalks" or "we just break into people's houses in the middle of the day while they are still at home."
And did you know that the Lewis and Clark expedition kicked off in PITTSBURGH?? Hello, how could I not love it here? Maybe I should rethink the birthplace of our nation thing, and just measure places on the availability of a wide range of Tastykakes. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1.
2 Comments:
GO PITTSBURGH!!!! Totally rules over Philly!!!
lol
Okay.. let me try to put this into perspective.
1.) I hope and pray that during your time with us in "da 'burgh" you have been treated with nothing but kindness and generosity. You'll have a-holes anywhere though. But, there's an above average chance that if you run into a random Pittsburgher, they'll be cordial. It's a blue collar city with blue collar values.
My encounters with Philly people (other than you) have been lukewarm having lived in State College, PA. I used to go and support my Penguins in Sports Cafe and Grille when I was the only person drowning in a sea of Black and Orange. I was once shoved in the back by a Flyers fan after his team scored a goal. Would it be fair to judge everybody from the "eas-side" from that one a-hole? Probably!... but still...
All my roommates and co-workers that I had in college were from the eastern part of the state and I enjoyed the company of everyone during those years.
2.) The Philly v. Pitt rivalry basically is based on culture and/or sports. Lets face it, the Philadelphia McNabbs and the Philadelphia Iversons will never ever get anywhere. When you have one player carying the load for the rest of the team, it takes it's toll on a long season. The Flyers? Don't get me started! They didn't get the nickname "the broad street bullies" for nothing.
3.) Should you get homesick, I reccomend listening to the Glenn Beck Program on 104.7fm. He broadcasts nationally from his home of Philadelphia and uses the town often for his wacky stunts.
4.) I hear you on the New York thing! I wish New Yorkers would get over themselves. Being a member of the media, I've studdied a lot of broadcasters and so I'll save my "anti bi-coastal bias" for another time.
It's just a hometown thing, I guess. The taunts and teasing would cease if we both approached it with civility and respect. There's no need to prove that one city is better than the other. After all, we all know who the real enemy is........ CLEVELAND!!!!
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