I am very happy the Steelers are going to the Superbowl. Not only was I born in Pittsburgh, then lived there until I was 12 and a half, but I am the product of a man who SUBSCRIBES to THE STEELERS DIGEST. Did you know there was such a thing? Well, there is. I’ve seen it. Monthly.

One problem. I have to work on Superbowl Sunday, ‘till 8 p.m. If there’s a long first half, this might position me to see a second half… but where? I could go up to Matty’s in Boca, but that’s 45 minutes from work, and that is cuts into precious football time. He agreed to come down to Hollywood, but wasn’t crazy about just sitting by himself, watching the first half alone on my couch.

So I had this plan – The Steelers Mission. We’d spend Saturday night bar-hopping downtown, scouting for Steelers-friendly venues that would be showing the game, AND would not harbor anger against those sporting the Black and Gold.

Another problem. Matt’s a big nerd, jumped on the computer, logged onto the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and found the only Steelers-friendly bar in downtown Hollywood before I’d even finished my pre-going-out whiskey. Such are the hazards of dating a dedicated nerd.

Still, I wanted to forge ahead. Maybe Kelly’s was no longer the Steelers haven it once claimed to be? Maybe when my other friend Matt and I started our bender, we’d gotten kicked out and asked never to return – possible, since we both have major holes in our memory of that night, just as you SHOULD, after a decent bender. Maybe the vibe at Kelly’s simply wasn’t a WINNING vibe, and we’d need to find a backup. Besides, I’d already strapped on my boots.

So we were off.
Well, it turned out Kelly’s was just fine. They even had a bar dog, who would leap onto his owner’s lap, while the owner was perched in a bar stool.

Matt got us cocktails.

Neither of us could shut up long enough for me to snap a photo of our success.

There was some gloating on the way home.

But he earned it… at least now I have a place to watch the end of the game, when the Steelers finish stomping the living CRAP out of Seattle.

Okay, the boots deserve one more shot.

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