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The Packers and Steelers are ready to kick off Super Bowl XLV tonight down in Dallas. So who are Boston College fans rooting for tonight? Green Bay or Pittsburgh?
Do you root for the Steelers due to the Rooney family's ties with BC? Or do you root for the Packers, home of the best big man TD celebration of this year's playoffs?
Let's recap tonight's Super Bowl in terms of BC rootability.
Rosters. The Packers make this category a clean sweep, as the Steelers don't have a Boston College grad on its active roster. The Pack have B.J. Raji and Robert Francois. Lean: Green Bay.
Historical Rosters. Historically, the Packers have had thirteen players on their roster (Will Blackmon, Al Cannava, Dick Capp, Mark Chmura, Jack Concannon, Robert Francois, Matt "We want the ball, and we're gonna score!" Hasselbeck, Bob Hyland, Joe Johnson, John Miller, B.J. Raji, Karl Swanke and Doug Widell). Meanwhile the Steelers have had fifteen (Daryl Porter, Dan Reeder, Joe Repko, Rocco Canale, Dick Capp, Brian St. Pierre, Mike Kruczek, Ernie Stautner, Dick Lucas, Alex Lukachik, Chris Sullivan, Don Currivan, George Tarasovic, Ed Toner and Mark Nori). So while the Packers have two active BC players on the roster, if you want to root for the most Eagles possible, slight lean here to the Steelers.
Locales. Green Bay is repping the state of Wisconsin, home of such fine institutions of higher learning as the University of Wisconsin and Marquette. The Badgers topped the Eagles in the 2006 men's hockey National Championship game, but BC exacted revenge in last year's title game. Marquette, a fellow Jesuit university, is a member of the Big East, though BC's departure paved the way for teams like Marquette to join the conference. Mutual Jesuit Catholic respect? The Steelers represent Pittsburgh, home of the Big East's Pitt Panthers. Unlike Marquette, the Eagles and Panthers have much more history as former Big East dancing partners. And we don't like them very much from our days in the Big East. Lean? Green Bay.
Food. Wisconsin is known for its brats, cheese and beer. Pittsburgh is home to Heinz Ketchup, Klondike Bars and Primanti Brothers (Mmm, Primanti Brothers). Despite the awesomeness of Primanti Brothers, you gotta go Wisconsin here too, no?
Extra Points. Would a Green Bay win somewhat validate Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons' Divisional Round exit from this year's playoffs? And I'm sure those Patriot/Eagle fans are definitely rooting against Roethlisberger and the Steelers. Lean -- Pack.
So there you have it. Green Bay Packers 4, Pittsburgh Steelers 1. You can root for BC Guys, rep some great foods (like beer), and root against all things Pittsburgh. Go Pack!