There's plenty of local zeal for the Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers Fever

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Jerry Olsavsky and Michael Zordich

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Former NFL players Jerry Olsavsky (Pittsburgh) and Michael Zordich (Arizona) share their opinion on Super Bowl XLIII. For the complete story, read the story by Tom Williams in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com Sunday.

By KATIE SEMINARA

Vindicator Staff Writer

Black and gold bleeds across state lines. Steeler pride and football enthusiasm will be super-high when Pittsburgh and Arizona face off for Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday.

Wearing her Ben Roethlisberger jersey and Steelers tennis shoes, Michelle Bonacci, 43, of Austintown said she’ll be celebrating game day with at least 30 people in her basement.

Her Pittsburgh-themed room became even more black and gold when Jeff Reed, the Steelers’ kicker, stopped for a recent visit.

“He’s so down to earth,” said Bonacci while eagerly showing off her picture with Reed and the Terrible Towel he signed.

Reed was signing autographs at Luciano’s restaurant in Austintown and made a special visit to see Bonacci’s Pittsburgh-clad basement where Steeler memorabilia and signs serve as wallpaper and the floor is half turf and half black and gold tile.

Behind the bar in her basement, which will be serving IC Light for the game, Bonacci has three swings with gold chains and seats padded with Steelers fabric.

“We all have to sit in our seats,” said Bonacci’s friend Jacki Bender — who also noted specific clothes must be worn on game day as well.

Only the girls get to sit on the swings, and if seating is out of order it’s bad luck, Bonacci and Bender said.

While Bonacci and Bender discussed the Super Bowl menu, Bonacci’s cousin Ryan Cox, 22, of Austintown, who will also be joining Sunday’s festivities, wanted to discuss the game.

A final score of 28-17, in favor of Pittsburgh, is Cox’s prediction.

“I’d say we have one of the toughest teams in the NFL,” Cox said. “If they can stop [the Cardinals passing attack] we’ll win — if not, we might be in trouble.”

A Steelers loss would leave Bonacci “irate.”

“I’m a poor sport,” she said.

Such a loss, however, would leave Youngstown native and life-long Cleveland fan Bryan Brantley elated.

Brantley moved to Pittsburgh in 2001 and happened to get a place next door to Max Starks, who plays offensive tackle for the black and gold. Though the neighbors are friends, they don’t see eye to eye during football season.

When Sunday rolls around, Brantley said, “I’m going to abstain from cheering.”

But in truth he’ll be “quietly cheering for the Cardinals,” possibly from the stands in Tampa.

Brantley left for Orlando, Fla. on Thursday to see the Cavaliers play the Magic. While in Florida he will be attending some pre-Super Bowl parties hosted by Starks, who is originally from Orlando.

“I’ll have to play it by ear,” said Brantley of possibly staying for the Super Bowl. “If I’m having a good time I’ll stay.”

Starks is very excited, said Brantley, who is happy for his neighbor and other friends on the team, but being a Browns fan in Pittsburgh is still tough.

“I’ve got to live in this city with all the yinzers, waving their yellow towels,” Brantley said.

“I’ll probably go into a deep funk [if they win],” he said. “Not just because [Max] has a ring, but because they all have one.”

No matter which team wears the rings in the end, parties will be going on all day Sunday.

More than seven million parties are hosted for the Super Bowl with more than 40 million party-goers, according to www.tampabaysuperbowl.com.

“It’s a party every day at Cleats,” said Steve Welch, owner of the Warren restaurant. But Sunday will be a “special party.”

Welch is expecting about 75 to 100 people in house and about 300 take-out orders. “We’ll sell anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 wings,” he said.

Cleats wasn’t open the last time the Steelers were in the Super Bowl, so Welch said he doesn’t know how many Steeler fans will show. “Either way we’ll be ready,” he said.

Bill Novosel, owner of Billy’s Black and Gold in Sharon, Pa., has been preparing all week with tailgate parties and by showing clips of old Super Bowl moments.

“It’s the Steelers; it’s what we live and die for,” Novosel said.

The American Football Conference championship game was crazy at Billy’s, and Novosel expects the same for Sunday.

All the people cheering for the same team creates an atmosphere just like the stadium, he said.

“It feels like you’re at the game,” Novosel said. “Feels like you’re all family.”