Grandma Would’ve Loved This

The Friday Flick Faceoff features films that somehow share a common thread.  Cast your vote anyway you like and don’t worry if you’ve seen the movies or not.  Love to hear why you picked what you picked though.

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To most of the world, football means soccer. We’ve got our own version here in the states, and my Steelers are heading back to the Super Bowl. My grandma would’ve loved this.

I don’t have a ton of memories about grandma and football from childhood, but we always talked about the Steelers during frequent visits over the last few years of her life. She was snappy, a real character. Her favorite player was Jerome Bettis, the Steelers hefty runner.

Kind of funny that this reminds me of grandma. Also kind of awesome.

Bettis pounded people and often celebrated with intensity, arms shaking, fists pumping in circles. Gram would always recap the action for us. “I love when Jerome does that little dance,” she’d say while mimicking his moves. Made me laugh every time.

She died in late 2002, during the football season. The Steelers won their division that year. In late October they played on Monday Night Football against Peyton Manning and the up and coming Indianapolis Colts. We watched the game in her new residence, an independent care home she moved into for those final weeks. That time was really tough for her, but we smiled a lot that night. The Steelers won 28-10. Bettis scored two touchdowns. Lying in bed, grandma gave a little fist pump and said, “I love that little dance.”

I don’t remember one other game from that season.

She didn’t live to see Bettis win that Super Bowl trophy in early 2006, but she would’ve loved that too.