I woke up Sunday morning in the comfort of mid September 80 degree weather Florida style, when I was headed in for the night I was surrounded by the black and gold comfort from Steeler Nation in the damp and brisk streets of downtown Chicago.  What a day I truly must say. 

At 8am in Orlando's MCO airport I walked proudly wearing my #7 black Big Ben jersey.  As I was going through security, I noticed a few black and gold jersey’s speckled throughout the airport.  The security guy even busted my chops a little and I assured him he probably would see more Steeler fans wearing their colors than any.  He agreed and said that is true every NFL Sunday.  As I sat waiting at my gate I noticed several more “Steelers” walking by.  A few Ravens, Eagles, and Bears where in the house but Steeler Nation was already beginning to show their domination.

When I landed in Chicago’s Midway Airport, I came out of the tarmac eager to get to a cab and my hotel.  As I raced through the airport I received a few scouls as if to say “how dare you wear that in our town”.  Maybe the people who warned me were correct, I shouldn’t wear my jersey.  Boy was I wrong.  As my cab approached the Palmer House Hotel I noticed black and gold filling the streets.  Every corner and bar was filled with Steelers fans, where were all the Walter Payton jerseys.  I checked in and hit the lobby bar for a quick one, the lobby was full of Steelers fans every direction you looked.  I learned the Steelers Team had actually stayed there that night.  The bartender claimed that teams that had stayed in the hotel were 0-7, a bad omen of things to come.  I realized that most of the Bears fans wouldn’t be hanging out near all of the hotels, they would be in place near the stadium.  I was proud of the many Steelers fans that made the trip.

This was Chicago’s home opener and Jay Cutler’s first home game.  This was a tough ticket for anyone let alone for visitors with fewer connections.  Tickets were being scalped from $350-700 by brokers.  As I was walking towards the stadium (a beautiful one at that) I was enamored with the sea of black and gold parading in.  People were honking their horns and waiving their towels.  I felt like I was in downtown Pittsburgh.  I proceeded to walk into the north gate about an hour before kick off and continued to observe enormous amounts of Black and Gold.  Killing time before kickoff I toured the stadium, drank a few beers, and chatted with Steelers fans.  For someone traveling alone on a last minute business trip to Chicago in hostile territory I must say I was quite comfortable. 

An hour before kickoff:

Come kickoff the place was packed.  A few fireworks and an F16 fly over gave me goose bumps.  Steelers fans were everywhere.  I estimate Bears 60/40 or 65/35 on total fans.  Unheard of by anyone’s stretch of the imagination for the home owner of one of the most storied franchises in the history of the NFL.  Steeler Nation was alive and proud.  Ben’s first pass to number 83 the crowd erupted…HEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH.  Chicago fans new they were in for a tough one as did I.  The Bears fought hard for 60 minutes and pulled it out in electric fashion.  Only when Robby Gold nailed the winner did they start the trash talking (is their anything more annoying than the Bear’s fight song, it is comedy to watch).  The game was over and Chicago pulled a game that we gave away.  No excuses they won!

As I was exiting the stadium the now drunk and obnoxious fans began to heckle the Steelers fans.  They were truly pissed off and overwhelmed by the sheer amounts of us and they felt invaded.  Not a knock on them as they were pretty good sports all day long.  However, when they won they let us know .  Walking in the sea of people I began to reflect.  I was disappointed we lost but oh so proud.  So proud that Steelers Nation came into Chicago and totally dominated the scene.  We packed the bars and restaurants all day and night.  We all had a great time win or lose.  So when some drunk kid got in my face and started to shout, I said “Seriously, how could I be mad, I’m proud, as a Bears fan you won, I respect it, but you will never experience as a Bears fan what I did as a Steeler’s today….it’s called “Steeler Nation Domination”.

As for the Game:

We miss Troy badly

3rd or 4th and less than 3yards is a HUUUUGE problem.  Look at our sets and play calling.  4 and goal from half yard line was a rollout pass.  1st and Goal from the 1 was a bootleg.  3rd and short was empty backfields and 5 wide sets.  At the end of the game faced with 2nd and 5 we were in spread formation, next play 3rd and two we through to the endzone (should have been caught)

I am willing to give Skippy the benefit of the doubt (just this once).  It was raining, field and ball were wet, and the biggest factor of all the, field was resodded 5 days prior to kickoff.  That was a loose surface.