Steelers Burning Question: When is someone too old for jerseys and/or autographs?
Last season I did the Friday Night Steelers Six Pack and wondered if it was worth doing further. After all, interaction was not great, and sometimes you just have to adjust. So I decided to call an audible, and not just abandon the Friday night meeting of the black-and-gold minds.
Instead of six questions, I wanted to focus solely on one question.
We’ll still do the preamble of what you’re eating/drinking/listening to, but we’ll focus our attention on the one Steelers question of the week. Don’t worry, most weeks I’ll do a bonus/extra credit question for fun. With all that out of the way, let’s get to the question!
Depending on your current age, do you think there is an age where people should stop wearing/buying jerseys? Also, do you think there is a time when people should leave the autograph signings to the kids waiting in line?
This doesn’t stem from anything personal, but more a video I saw on Twitter. Just the other day WNBA star Kelsey Plum had fans waiting outside their hotel, this after the team changed hotels and the men somehow found out about the change, and she was clearly not keen on the idea of these gentlemen waiting for her outside the hotel.
Check out the video below:
Kelsey Plum wasn’t a fan of WNBA fans asking for autographs outside of her hotel
(via MinnyGraphs / TikTok) pic.twitter.com/q5bn5vqIGU
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 19, 2025
If I’m answering my own question, I bought my last jersey in 2004 when Ben Roethlisberger was a rookie. Since then I’ve been gifted many jerseys, but have never bought another jersey. I don’t plan on it either. At 42, I find it weird to wear another man’s jersey with his name on the back. It’s just my personal opinion, not a personal attack on anyone who wears a jersey for any reason.
As for autographs, I couldn’t tell you the last time I was in position to even get an autograph, but if I were to attend training camp as a fan I don’t think I’d wait in line to get someone to sign some memorabilia. It just doesn’t matter to me anymore. If you’re an adult who pushes a child out of the way to get an autograph, well, I’ll just leave my comments on those individuals to myself. My mom always said, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
What say you?
As for what I’m eating, we’re having some oven burgers and sausages with potatoes and vegetables. As for drink, it’s going to be store bought kombucha and the the Dead & Company playing on Spotify!
Happy Friday everyone!!
An autograph makes what you have unique. It makes it more valuable cuz it has a story. That said, I’m not pushing a kid out of the way for one lol. But if I can get one, I’ll take it!
As for jersey’s, If you as a fan are willing to put some billionaire’s business logo on your shirt, why wouldn’t I do it for a player that you support? 🤷🏻♂️
But the real thing I have issue with is the kombucha. 😂🤮
Speaking of the kombucha, I’d love to know what kind you had? Because if you have the wrong one to start, it won’t be a good experience. But there are thousands of types and flavors!
Not sure what’s on the menu later. Listening to a random YT jazz radio.
I think it really all depends. I don’t have much money, so I can’t afford to buy jerseys. And plus, I only wear one once in a blue moon, so it just takes up space. As for autographs, I think I would only get one if it was from a player that I truly loved and there are only four.
There’s a niche for everyone though, and I totally get collecting autographs and jerseys!
The only time I think it’s crossing a line is when you’re pretty much stalking them and coming to them when they least expect it (like what happened to Plum.) That’s just overkill and borderline creepy.
Simple answer is post highschool.
The more nuanced answer is it depends on what you’re doing. I think it’s perfectly fine to don a jersey at a game, or even at a Steelers bar during a game. Though I prefer to wear my Penguins practice jersey that doesn’t have a number or name. It’s the sweet black one with diagonal Pittsburgh on the front. Wearing a jersey to work, or just hanging out with your boys on a random day, not ok.
Joebwan’s two cents.
I don my Steelers jersey only while watching games, with my family name emblazoned on back.
My last autograph was signed by Manny Sanguillen, 1973. My grade school class visited Three Rivers in April. He was nicer than Kelsey, there were 37 of us.
Looks like low country boil, iced tea, and fruit salad (sorry Dave Schofeld) for dinner tonight. Family movie is scheduled, not sure what it will be.
Tonight is my final night in Hilton Head with my wife, son, DIL and her parents. My son just completed his Fellowship and is preparing to start his “real job” after a bazillion years of schooling and such. So, tonight we went out and I had blackened Cajun salmon and the accruements. I’m also enjoying a (couple) Palmetto Brewing Huger Street IPAs. Highly enjoy.
I’m older than many of you and I bought a JuJu and a TJ jersey in 2018/2019. I rarely wear them, but I have them. Not for any reason other than I prefer pure comfort over wearing a jersey where it can be seen. As far as autographs, the last one I got was Kordell Stewart and Pete Gonzalez in 1996 (I think) when I ran the Punt, Pass & Kick program for the Steelers and those two came to our team champion event of the Y downtown Pittsburgh to hang out with the kids. They both signed a football for me at the end of the event as all the kids had already left. I have no idea where the autographs are anymore. I’ve never been a collector though…
Congrats to your son SY!
I still have the first and only “authentic” jersey I ever bought. It’s Lloyd’s 95 – I loved that guy! I was young and working for minium wage when I bought it, so it was a big purchase. I’ll wear it in my house when I feel like they need a little extra something. I also was gifted Ward, and Lemeiux, but never wear them. I toy with framing Mario, but that’s kind of expensive. They just sit in the drawer with my football jerseys – yes I still have them, and they fit like shirts! No chance I could get pads under them.
Yeah, mine all fit a lot more like shirts than they do jerseys these days. Extrapolate from that what you will. Hahaha 😂
My last name is the same as that on the back of my #84 (white), but I don’t wear it as much since he is whacko.
I don’t buy players younger than me, and at 30 it’s far a few I wear. I pretty much wear one of my multiple Ben, Bettis, or Ward ones every game day. I have started to get away from them, but I love collecting the older ones. If you want to wear a jersey, wear it! No matter what age
The jersey thing doesn’t bother me one way or another. I have a wardrobe full of jersey’s but i have retired several to the walls in a nice framing(of course) throughout my now empty home. Is it frowned upon to have a framed Bettis jersey in the kitchen? Just asking for a friend. My new female companion is a Dallas fan(so she says) but I called her out on a photo of her wearing a Kordell jersey I had taken back some time when we worked in the DOC together at some gathering. Yes I dug it up and showed her and she laughed. So yes I will keep the Bettis jersey hanging in the kitchen just to annoy her. Forgive her for she does not know better but she will.
As far as autographs, I’m not that guy. If close enough to get said autograph, wouldn’t a handshake be more fitting. As far as pushing a kid out the way to get an autograph, even being a Steeler fan, you deserve to be punched in your face.
Go Steelers