So, I’m feeling a little déjà vu right now. It’s National Novel Writing Month, and I’m working furiously to polish my manuscript. I don’t like that November is the month of choice for Novel Writing Month since it coincides with the height of football season. I could just stop writing, right? Nah. So, back to the déjà vu – in November of 2020, my spirits were high: my hometown team was undefeated after eleven weeks. Not to mention – I was achieving my writing goals for November 2020. Then, last week in November of 2021, the news that Big Ben Roethlisberger passed his covid-19 protocols was like music to this fan’s ears on the week of Thanksgiving 2021. Our QB was ready to fight the good fight. We still had a chance for a hopeful ending to the season. Sweet déjà vu.
Now here’s where the train went off the rails: just the other day, my Pittsburgh Steelers lost to a division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, in week twelve of the NFL season. Correction: we got our butts handed to us in week twelve with a 41-10 loss to Cincinnati. Excuse me, it’s only been two days since the disaster, so I’m in my feelings. Even though my Steelers didn’t have a glowing record this year, there was still hope going into week twelve – at least for me, there was a semblance of hope.
It must not be understated that during week 12 of the 2020 NFL season, my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers had an 11-0 record. Fans like myself and many fair-weather fans of my team were living in our glory. However, we were unaware of the nightmare brewing in weeks to come in December of 2020. After losing three consecutive games in weeks 13 to 15, the Steelers were matched with a division rival, the Browns, in week seventeen. Today, and like last year, I’m feeling the familiar gloom and doom as I did in 2020: we lost the final game of the regular season with Cleveland. Terrible déjà vu! It was difficult to believe my Steelers had an 11-0 record at one point and didn’t advance in the postseason. That was a tune that played in my head for many a day after the other defeat by the Browns in the Wild Card playoff game a week later. Yes, a week later.
Now, on this last day of November 2021, the Steelers have a 5-5-1 record for this 2021-2022 season going into week 13. Experts say we don’t have a snowball’s chance on a hot summer’s day of making the playoffs this year. Like in the 2005-2006 NFL season, when my Steelers were the sixth seed to make it to the playoffs – I held out hope. Sports statisticians everywhere that season reported the astronomical odds of the Pittsburgh Steelers advancing in the playoffs. Well, my Steelers advanced to the AFC championship and to Superbowl XL. By the way, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Superbowl that season. How’d you like them odds, Vegas? I digress.
With all that said, one can tell I’m more of an idealist when it comes to my Pittsburgh Steelers – don’t judge me. So, anything can happen on any given Sunday. Maybe the stars will align, and other teams in our division will lose, helping our chances. (sacrificing the live chicken is not out of the question at this point) I don’t like those odds or even winning that way – but right now, it is what it is going to be. I’ll love my Steelers until I kick because I bleed black and gold. Now, where was I – oh yeah, I still have 5 hours, 49 minutes, and some seconds to reach my goal of finishing my manuscript by November 30th. It’s one goal I’ll see through this year.
Here we go, Steelers – here we go!! (Black and Gold forever!)
R. H. W. Dorsey - Author / Novelist 
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