Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays, to Steelers fans everywhere

It was Christmas Eve, and we were preparing for our latest tradition — the Hartman Christmas Eve Open House.

With a list of guests all about to cross the threshold into BTSC headquarters, I was getting prepared for the festivities. As I got changed, one of my daughters came into the room and saw me putting on a brand new Steelers sweatshirt a student of mine gave me for Christmas.

“Why are you wearing that?! Didn’t the Steelers lose yesterday?”

“They did lose, but it doesn’t mean I still don’t love this team.”

This was an important lesson for my daughter, but also for me. My daughter learned how even when your team might lose, you don’t stop rooting for your favorite team, and I learned how this Steelers team means much more to me than a win or loss on any given day during the regular season.

Maybe it was how valiant the team played in New Orleans.

Maybe it was how heart broken I was for JuJu Smith-Schuster as he posted on social media how the loss was solely on his shoulders.

Maybe it was how this passion has actually become a job for me.

No matter what the reason, on this Christmas I realize just how appreciative I am of the Steelers, and this community. There aren’t many places where you can go and learn about football, give your opinion and just have some solid conversation about the black-and-gold. I wear my black-and-gold proudly all year, and always will. I hope everyone who took the time to read this feels the same way.

We all come here for the same reason, and it is our passion, love and unrelenting obsession with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With that said, I wish everyone here a very Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!! Let’s hope for a Christmas miracle this Sunday both at Heinz Field, and M&T Bank Stadium!