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LLT
01-30-2011, 05:11 AM
Pittsburgh's fortunes rise, slide with its sports teams
By Tom Fontaine, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, January 30, 2011


Ron Vergerio calls himself the world's ultimate Steelers fan.

It's tough to argue: Steelers-related tattoos cover most of Vergerio's body, and the decor of his Springdale home is all Steelers, all the time. He named his son, now 29, Melvin Cornell after Steel Curtain cornerback Mel Blount.

"It's part of who I am," said Vergerio, 57.

Vergerio is what academics call a high-identifying fan. Pittsburgh is chock-full of them.

Such fans don't just don their favorite player's jersey or wave a Terrible Towel on Sundays.

"They exhibit loyalty through good times and bad times. It's a central part of their self-concept. They tend to use pronouns like 'we' when talking about their teams," said Christian End, associate professor of psychology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, who studies sports fan behavior.


Read more: Pittsburgh's fortunes rise, slide with its sports teams - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_720469.html#ixzz1CW3Dc4vr