Steelers v. Ravens

I am a California girl!  It really pains me to admit it.  I was born just outside of Los Angeles, I was around 3 three years old when we moved to San Diego and we lived there for a few years.  I basically grew up in Colorado and my parents, claiming it was for a job, moved me back to California before high school graduation.  I personally think it was just an evil trick!  Anyway, somewhere in the middle of San Diego and Colorado there was a short detour to Oregon but that move barely registers these days.  So with all these moves in my childhood, I really only use “California Girl” excuse to explain why I am such a weather wimp (and why I love my Raiders).  As soon as the temperature drops below 70 degrees I am pulling out the winter woolies and counting down the days until summer. No respectful Coloradoan would be this wimpy in the cold.   

The reason that I am telling you this is that all this moving around in my youth should make for a very confused sports fan.  But I was born a Raiders fan -- not sure why but, a Raiders fan none the less.  I have been a fan through the Oakland, Los Angeles, and back to Oakland phase and even when they were contemplating being the Irwindale Raiders, I was a fan.  Through the wins and more often the losses, still a fan.  I admit that there was a blip while I was in Colorado that I was a Bronco fan but it past quickly and for that blip I truly apologize to my Raiders.  

The day after retiring Ivan, I left for New York to start Team Training.  I was devastated to be giving up Ivan.  There were close to five hours of tears and I was not sure that I could go through all of this again. Could I love and trust another dog? 

On about the third day of training we started working with the dogs.  The trainers brought each of us a different dog to work with to see how well we got along.  One of the trainers, Laura Ann brought out a big Golden Retriever, Black Lab cross and handed me the leash, this beautiful graceful dog walked up to me placed his head on my lap, wagged his tail and looked up at me with his big brown eyes. I looked at Laura Ann and said, "I’ll take him, what's his name?" She said, "Steeler!"

There are many stories about how Steeler got his name but the one I like best is from his puppy raiser (a most amazing woman).  The Pittsburgh Steelers donated money to CCI and they had a puppy named after them, Steeler!  So now, this Raider fan has to become a Steelers fan too.  Not that I ever had anything against the Steelers, except the fact that they beat the Raiders, from time to time.  But, no matter what I would and will never give up my Raiders. 



Steeler in his jersey



Now, I was becoming a Steelers fan! I did not do this half way. I watched the games, took up the trash talk, Steeler got his jersey, leash and collar.   A good Steeler's fan, I became and am today.  So when I talked to the trainers about getting a successor to Steeler I asked the trainers specifically not give me a dog named "Cowboy" or "Raven" and they promised.  So, I get Nin.

The day before graduation with Nin I find out that she was raised in Southern Maryland-- Raven country.  Buddy, Nin's puppy raiser (Cool guy), also is a Ravens fan.  If you know anything about the Steelers, you know that it is not possible to be a Steelers and a Ravens fan.  From the day I got Nin we started the Steelers education. I was convinced that she was young enough to relearn her ways.  So her education started with the Steelers collar and leash, pink no less.  Then we moved up to watching all the games and I got her a Troy Polamalu jersey (which she promptly grew out of before the Superbowl).  Her education was going well until Dave enters into her cast of characters.  Dave is a curator at the museum we work at.  Among his curatorial duties is a dog walking duty.  3:00 pm every day, rain or shine Dave dutifully walks Steeler (yes he retired to the office next to mine) and Nin.  Nin stares at Dave with stars in her eyes (did I mention that he generally has a pocket full of treats) and does whatever Dave says and that includes cheering for (wait for it…) the Ravens!  You heard me right, the Ravens!  Steelers collar, leash and now Mendenhall jersey and a Steelers T ‘Shirt and she still cheers for the Ravens.  It is truly an embarrassment.  Next week he is threatening to paint her toenails purple – at least Ravens sounds a lot like Raiders, I am not sure how to explain away the purple!