I should probably preface this by saying that I have only registered recently (I think maybe the day of the Oakland Raiders game...?) but have been reading this blog and following the rec'd fanposts and main entries since before the season started.  And no, I didn't join to vent frustration or anything of the type.  This isn't exactly 100% football related, so delete it if it's too offtopic.  Instead, I am writing this fan post about my opinion of the blog and it's community, opinion wanted or not!

The reason I changed from merely reader to member of BTSC wasn't because of the thoughtful insight or the well written fanposts that used what little information the average fan actually has (compared to the players) to try to conclude some kind of points.  I registered because I appreciated a community that could produce these pieces as well as be very open to sarcastic banter in the comments.  I'll admit that the W-A-V-E-S enticed me!  And I think that is a very important part of a community.  I mean, look at the very title of the website: Behind The Steel Curtain - A Pittsburgh Steeler's blog.  This is an internet community with a wide and varied user base, not a college stats course or an english class.  While it is great that an internet community can put their collective thoughts and ideas together in an insightful manner, I think it is important that you not forget that this place was most likely (assumption, I know) for entertainment and to find people with similar fandom to yourself.  Bringing a doom and gloom atmosphere to a place like this is not conducive, at least in my humble opinion, of entertaining conversation.

One thing I've learned about football, and I think it can be applied to communities, is that it's never as bad as you think it is and it's never as good as you think it is.  I saw a fan post earlier where they had some quotes of sentiments that were being posted here as all but fact, and some of them were a little bit ridiculous.  That is just an example.  On the opposite end of the spectrum now, you have people whining about trolls (it's going to happen, you're on the internet, whether or not bloggers from this site troll others is irrelevant), you have a million fan posts full of all caps, and enough users registering simply to bitch and moan to make any regular's head spin.  The way I see it, is that this blog is very much like the Steelers.  When they're winning, there is going to be a winning buzz and everyone's going to be happy and getting along, where when they're losing as bad as this, obviously the opposite is going to happen.  Naturally, none of this is going to reverse until blitz/dyms/anyone else that's been absent returns.

I realize I've rambled, but all I'm really trying to say is don't let the best facet of this website go down the tube because of how bad the team or the community seems right now.  I think we all know sarcasm and jokes are the best medicine anyway.

To keep this more football related - the positives that are most likely going to come out of this season:

Mike Tomlin will never let his team get lax and have a fun training camp or try to be buddy buddy, if he's a good coach.

Due to the offense's wonderful showing this season, Bruce Arians will hopefully be shown the door.

And the most obvious, you don't have runs like we did from 05-08 without going 6-10 every once in a while and getting high first round players like Troy and Ben.  So look forward to what will hopefully be a stellar first round pick and another good run of years, we have the talent.