The Test of Faith

On a Sunday evening it's only fitting that I talk about faith . . . and football.

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in my bedroom.  It was the end of the first half and it looked like the Pittsburgh Steelers were on the way to their most embarrassing playoff loss ever.  My family was off feeding the birds (literally), while it looked like the Steelers were figuratively feeding themselves to the birds (the Baltimore Ravens specifically).

My belief in the Steelers being meant for greater things was taking a tremendous beating.  I debated whether or not I even wanted to watch the second half of the game.  I'd let the thought creep into my head that waving 'terrible towels' was not the mark of a chosen people.  It was my darkest hour (or 12 minutes more technically, since that's the official length of an NFL halftime). 

Nonetheless, I stayed true to my convictions.  I stared bravely into the future (illuminated by LCD) and committed myself to seeing it through to the end.  And so there I was, at the beginning of the third quarter, witnessing the second coming of Ben Roethlisberger.  At that point I wasn't expecting much - not just because Roethlisberger is a rapist rather than a God, but because I had been so bitterly let down so far.

Oh me of little faith!  Perhaps I should have noticed the image of the Virgin Mary visible in the wave going around the stadium at the opening kickoff of the second half.  Perhaps I should have read more into the infrequent snowflakes falling like little blessings from above.

The Steelers crushed the Ravens in the second half.  And although it was a close game - due to the need to make up for the horrible first half - the end was as things were meant to be.  Still, all was not perfect in the Steeler Nation.  It appeared all too likely that the Steelers would be heading to Foxboro, Massachusetts next weekend to play the most dominant team in the NFL on their home turf.  Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

It was only tonight, after the defeat of the mighty Patriots, that the Steelers were guaranteed home field advantage in next week's AFC championship game, and against a team that they are much more likely to beat (the Jets).  The moral of the story is that giving up on your faith when things look bleak is the worst mistake possible.  Stay true - be happy - dare to believe.