I hate to admit this but I love the new color rush jersey! But of course, unless they make them in a historic player, I can’t own one. The reason is I am cursed with football jerseys, pretty sure hockey too, but that I can’t confirm, because it only happened twice. I also am cursed with giving them as gifts.
Here is my story:
#12 Terry Bradshaw: This was technically my Dad’s jersey but he gave it to me. Brad not only left the Steelers after I received it, he went on to write a book bad mouthing Chuck Noll, didn’t go to Art Rooney’s funeral and so on and so forth…btw I purchased his away jersey a few years back…I met him in person and he was a complete jerk. But hey that probably has nothing to do with his jersey right?
I started buying my own jerseys:
#26 Rod Woodson, Home, he blew out his knee the first game of the season against the Lions, the jersey came the Tuesday after he was injured, Rod played only one more game for the Steelers. (Super Bowl), I still wear this for my Turkey Bowl every year.
#58 Jack Lambert, Home, one tough son of gun and the face of Steelers toughness. Jack is doing very well and has a great life. I think he was too tough for the curse.
#36 Jerome Bettis, Home, I figured I would go offense. I picked THE BUS!!! One of my favorite all time Steelers and one tremendous player, he was the cornerstone of the Steelers of the late 90’s. I bought this jersey and the Steelers turned their fortune around and began their slow climb back. The Bus had a great year… but by next year he was injured and never rushed for 1000 yards again.
#55 Joey Porter, Away, I picked Joey Porter over Jason Gildon because he was the future and not the past and he was on the brink of greatness…until he got shot in the ass, in some crazy story! He did have a nice career after that however.
#97 Kendrell Bell, Home, one of my favorite draft picks and an absolute force in the middle. This was the first jersey I ever wore to Heinz Field, he again represented the future…he again was injured and he never recovered. He stood on the sidelines in a track suit for two years.
#75 Joe Greene, Home, this is my gamer and my favorite jersey I own. I wear it to every game, unless it is a special occasion. Happy to say nothing happened to Joe, although pretty sure he was fired from the Cardinals after I bought it. Need to confirm.
#52 Mike Webster, Home, I figured maybe it was time to stick with historical, I needed one of the greatest players in Steelers history, it was between Mr. Mike and Rocky Bleier the American Hero. I chose Mike Webster who made the Hall Of Fame, it worked the curse was lifted…but then it happened, he freaking died after falling on some very sad and difficult times, that prompted the CTE debate. BTW Love that guy! Somewhere Rocky Bleier is smiling and breathing a sigh of relief.
#86 Hines Ward, Home, He played great and never had an issue! Steelers lost when I wore it, but that one I will chock up to bad luck. HOWEVER, pressed my luck…bought KGB a “designer” Hines Ward shirt, he was gone the next season!
#7 Ben Roethlisberger, Home, I was given this as a gift, Ben doesn’t often miss and his career has been stellar with the Steelers, of course a year after I was given the jersey, he got into trouble, (NOT going to rehash that) and was injured several times, but stills thrives with the Steelers.
#63 Dermonti Dawson, Home, not only one of the greatest players of all time, probably one of the best people, I have ever met! Love this guy, couldn’t miss with Dermonti, bought his jersey…he ran into some serious business issues! HOWEVER, he did make the Hall of Fame and is on the comeback trail, so maybe the curse can be temporary.
#43 Troy Polamalu, Home and Away, needed a new away jersey, who better than Troy, who was a superstar, long term contract and one of my favorite players to watch. Injured his MCL first game of the season (2009) and then was injured again late in the year. He only played five games all year. Of course, he still had a fairly productive career, so the curse wasn’t career ending. He seems to dislike the Steelers now.
#56, LaMarr Woodley, Away, this was a gift from KGB and to make it worse, I bought her the home one as well because he was her favorite player. I wore it to Church in England and to Stonehenge, in 2013, he was injured and never really recovered…left after the season. BTW he is out of football right now, might have been the double purchase that did him in.
#92 James Harrison, Throwback, My favorite Steeler of the last five years. I couldn’t miss on Silverback…he injured his knee, left and went to the Bengals…again though, came home and played great last year. So maybe that one is lifted.
#59 Jack Ham, Throwback “bumble bee”, One of the five best OLB of all time. A great player, I chose him for my throwback. Jack is doing well! Maybe it doesn’t affect guys named Jack?
#68 L.C. Greenwood, 1930’s throwback, got to meet LC and he was one tough guy! When I purchased my first throwback, a jersey LC never would have worn, I still decided to buy it with LC’s number…he too died, literally within a year and I was wearing the shirt the day he died. I was in England at the time. I wore it to the first game after his death.
#99 Brett Keisel, Throwback “bumble bee”, technically, I think this was KGB’s purchase but for the sake of the story, here we go; this was a gift for Hailey, “Little Miss Tailgate”, not only was Brett injured, we were AT THE GAME HE GOT HURT, he never played again!!
#26 LeVeon Bell, (T-Shirt jersey) I bought this as a gift for Eric. (E-Rock). At the start of last season…Suspended for four games (Happened before I bought the shirt) but then was injured and missed the end of the season.
#33, Merril Hoge, Away, happy to report Hogey is doing great!!! But bought this last year, so say a prayer for Merril!!
NON-STEELERS:
#14 Neil O’Donnell, JETS HOME, this was a gift given to me by my buddy who was a season ticket holder, so I would have something to wear to the games. He picked Neil because he was a Steeler of course and unlike most fans I had no animosity about him leaving, His career in NY was a borderline disaster.
#16 Vinny Testaverde, JETS HOME, I am a native NY and Long Islander, so when the Jets reached the AFC Championship game, I bought the jersey for a party and was pulling for them all the way. Also, Vinny is a NY guy, the Jets lost of course and Vinny T. was injured game one the following year.
#92 Michael Strahan, GIANTS AWAY, hosted a business event and the Giants were on Monday Night Football. I also consider the Giants and the Steelers like brothers. So I was happy to rep Michael. It actually worked out well and I don’t think anything terrible befell him. Unlike my next guy…
#17 Plaxico Burress, GIANTS HOME, went to the Dallas-Giants game in 2008, the Steelers were Monday Night Football and went to that as well. I wanted to rep the Giants, especially against the Cowboys in solidarity with the Giants fans…Who better than Plex? He was a Steeler and a terrific player…towards the end of the season, he literally SHOT HIMSELF and was sent to prison!
So you be the judge?