This is what heartbreak looks like...

I can't believe it. We lost the Superbowl. It was so unexpected. But of course, when you're a Steelers fan, you never really expect to lose. All day yesterday I was wishing I was in the 'Burgh for the parties, but now, I'm actually glad I am not there. I can only imagine the exceptionally brutal road rage, the grumpy water-cooler chatter, and the worst case of "the Mondays" that you've ever seen. I'm sure the phrase, "At least we still have 6!" has been uttered more times than can be counted (if facebook statuses are any indication of zeitgeist), and that curses toward the Packers have been swirling around Pittsburgh like "compro oro" fliers swirl around Toledo.

But I'm still heartbroken. And I'm definitely not a gracious loser. Nope. Definitely not. I can't really decide if my less-than-upbeat mood today is a side effect of the loss. It probably is. And only time will heal my wounds.

I watched the game in the Irish Pub here -- the one that's always full of Americans. And I remembered why I never go there. They were really obnoxious. And really drunk. And really embarrassing. I would say that about 85% of the kids at this bar were cheering for the Packers. I met another girl from Pittsburgh, and we bonded in our solitude and misery during the first half. Then she left. She actually gave up on the Steelers -- a Pittsburgher!! A Yinzer by birth! I couldn't believe it.

Later on, a guy came in wearing a Roethlisberger jersey. I assumed he was American, but he was not. He was Spanish, and I was surprised. So, during the second half, we bonded in our misery. He had doubts, and I told him that if you want to root for the Steelers, you have to have faith. We cheered and trash talked in Spanish as the Steelers made a valiant comeback effort, and we wept (proverbially) when it didn't work out. And then, since I had two Terrible Towels with me, I decided that he should have one. I'm just doing my part to grow the "Steeler (inter)Nation". He was so excited, so hopefully that helped console his wounds from the loss (though I'm sure his wounds aren't nearly as deeply-rooted or as ego-damaging as my own).

Anyway, it was a fun night. And I was really proud of my city and my team, and I'm pretty sure that if it is actually possible to "be somewhere in spirit", that I was in Pittsburgh, ready to start rioting in the streets of the South Side with the rest of them had we won. (The Spaniard said he was going to jump in the fountain near the Puerta de Bisagra if the Steelers won -- I said I'd follow. But alas, it never came to be.)

I suppose, though, that humility is a good quality to have, and sooner or later, we all get served our own big, fat slice of humble pie. I just wish it tasted a little better, or came with a mountain of whipped cream on top.