Go Stillerz!

Rooting against the Cardinals goes against some general principles of mine. I love the Southwest. When my team isn't playing, I tend to root for the underdog. And I have an affinity for teams that have gone a long time without a title (like the Red Sox and the Cubs, but not that race-baiting Cleveland team). But I can't help it -- I like the Steelers. And, as a fan of the Cowboys and the Patriots, I know how un-fun it can be to root against them. (The Steelers don't just win -- they demoralize -- which is great ... as long as it's not happening to your team.)

One reason to support Pittsburg is Troy Polamalu. Did you see his interception for a touchdown at the end of the AFC championship game?! It pretty much sums up every kid's fantasy about playing football ... except it actually happened.

And then there's Hines Ward, who is the exciting playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. In addition to being incredibly talented and competitive, he seems like a stand-up guy. How do I know this just from watching him on the field? I don't but, for me, the video above confirms it. It's about Ward's struggle -- in the US and in the country of his birth, Korea -- with his biracial identity and what he's doing to help biracial kids get through it. This struggle is tremendous in mostly homogeneous countries like Korea -- and, as Ward points out, being biracial in the US isn't exactly a cakewalk, either. I think he's got a chance to really make a difference. I'll be rooting for him on Super Bowl Sunday for sure.