Full disclosure first: I'm from Pittsburgh and I bleed black and gold.
There's a terrible towel in my old office, where I still work part-time in semi-retirement. No one dares take it down.
And the Steelers hard-fought win over a tough and deserving Baltimore team is the perfect topping for a day that included the best concert I've ever seen in my life.
But I want to tell you why you also should be happy....
...after the jump.
The Steelers have been a family-owned business since their inception in 1933. The founder, Art Rooney, was remarkably color blind.
When Gus Greenlee - who owned the Pittsburgh Crawfords in baseball's Negro Leagues - died in 1952, Art Rooney was a pallbearer. It turned out Art was also part-owner. (It was said the two shared a common interest in numerology - or policy.)
A young African-American Steeler player, Lowell Perry, suffered a terrible injury in his rookie season in 1956. Mr Rooney hired him as an assistant coach the next year, making him the first black coach in NFL history. He helped put him through law school. Perry was eventually appointed EEOC Commissioner by President Ford. All this because Mr Rooney would not turn his back on a young African American athlete no longer able to walk.
Art Rooney - "The Chief" - lived all his life on Pittsburgh's North Side. When he was young, it was an all white neighborhood. Eventually, it became 99.9% black, but the Chief stayed put. And when Franco Harris moved down the block, the neighborhood began to gentrify. It is mixed today.
His son Dan, who has run the team for 33 years, is credited with coming up with the "Rooney Rule," which requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate for any head coaching or general manager vacancy.
But, most important, the Rooneys practice what they preach. And when Coach Bill Cowher retired in January, 2007, Dan Rooney stunned the football world by hiring a young African-American who had been an Assistant at Tampa and Minnesota over two well-known and popular internal candidates. Mike Tomlin's character, preparation, and character so impressed Dan Rooney that he took the gamble.
Two weeks from today, Mike Tomlin will square off against Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt and Arizona offensive coach Russ Grimm. Those were the two internal candidates, who left Pittsburgh and signed with Arizona. It ended well for everyone, but Steeler Nation wouldn't trade Coach Tomlin for anyone!
Dan Rooney is a Republican. But he was so impressed with Barack Obama that he endorsed him early in the primary season. And campaigned with him in the primary and general elections.
And Steeler legend Franco Harris - a dedicated Democrat - not only campaigned for Obama, but was on Obama's Pennsylvania slate of electors. Franco would kick Arlen Specter's butt in 2010 if he ran.
During the camaign, Barack stopped by Steeler headquarters on Pittsburgh's South Side, and got a lot of support from the players - as well as former players.
I wouldn't be surprised if Michelle has to put up with him waving a black and gold towel in the White House two Sundays from tonight.