When I was coming into my high school years, I didn’t merely like the Pittsburgh Pirates. I wasn’t just a season ticket holder, who was born into it after my parents first got them in 1994. No, being a fan wasn’t enough for me. I had to live and die by whether the Pirates won or lost.
Back in the 105-loss massacre that was the 2010 season, the Bucs suffered a 20-0 pummeling to the Milwaukee Brewers. I was so depressed that I couldn’t bring myself to come to West Allegheny Middle School the next day. More than once, I remember picking up every piece of Pirates merchandise I could find in my house and tossed it on the front step.