Ok, you get lots from me each day. Now I need something from you, and I need it today. Will explain in greater detail soon enough, but for those who don't know, I'm in a graduate school program at the University of Washington in digital media communications. If you're so inclined for whatever reason since we 'talk' just about every business day or you wonder what the F it is I do in between all this Steelers talk, you can see a short video about what we're basically up to and thinking about or read this short Q&A with our director recently on Tech Flash.

Anyway, what I need for a paper I'm doing is for you to answer one or two or all of the following:

1) Why you became a Steelers fan if you did not live in Pittsburgh or the surrounding region growing up. This is particularly of interest to me for fans who became fans for the first time during the 60s or 70s when football was first being broadcast on the television with any sort of regularity for the first time. Were Steelers games on more than other teams? If your city didn't have a team, why the Steelers?

2) Why did you start searching for Steelers related information online and what were your reasons for looking for blogs in the first place? Hint: without 'forcing' an answer, what I'm specifically looking for is related to the lack of enough information and/or wanting to connect with other fans. Again, not trying to get you to say anything cheap, but if you think you have an interesting story for someone interested in knowing why you were looking for a haven like BTSC, please share.

3) Anything you could share about 'tribal' formation of Steelers fans in general? And more specifically how a community like this one and others that is defined by nothing more profound than a mutual love of Steelers football has changed the way you interact with the game, the information related to the game, and other fans who share your interests, regardless of their age, religion, etc.

Thanks, and I'm not looking for treatises or anything. Just a few lines or thoughts if you have anything to say and that you'd be willing to take the time to share. Much, much appreciated. And please don't feel inclined to participate if you don't want or to say anything fluffy just for the sake of doing so. I still heart all of y'all regardless. Cheers.

Oh and you can just email me if you'd rather do that at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com