What more should Arizonans know about Pittsburgh?

PG columnist Brian O'Neill says the first thing Arizonans should know about Pittsburgh is that we don’t share the same concerns. What do you think they should know about the Steel City?

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As for the city itself, they should know it's not a dirty industrial city where the rain is black and everything is covered in soot. I lived in New Mexico for three years not long ago and I'm still amazed at how many people still believe that old stereotype of Pittsburgh.

 I live in Scottsdale, AZ but I am a Pittsburgher at heart, living there from birth to age 25.

People out here in AZ need to know that Pittsburgh is all about loyalty and family. You are treated like a pariah out here right now if you don't jump on the Cards bandwagon. All of these fair weather fans need to know that our loyalties run deep and always will. That is the most important thing about the burgh and it's natives.

Pittsburghers are Pittsburghers no matter their mailing address.  They'll likely not be able to provide directions by naming the street signs, but you can stop them on the street to ask directions and they'll be happy to provide you with each and every landmark possible to see you safely to your destination.  We're not easily impressed by your title, what you drive or what you wear - what's important to us is family & friends, whether they live right down the road, or anywhere else in the world - there's a connection that can't easily be explained - for a Pittsburgher, Pittsburgh means home, no matter your current mailing address

     I think Arizonans should know that we Pittsburghers are freezing to death and just sick and

tired of the snow and cold.  This might explain somewhat our love of our Steelers.  We all look

forward to a game every Sunday.  Friday's at work is always a chance to dress down with  your

Steeler garb, (Monday's too!) if it's a Monday night game.  We can forget the cold, the lack of 

sun, and just cheer for our team.  It's a great way to relieve stress and share with the rest ,

our knowledge and love of the game.  Some winters are just so long, so severe, we think," Why

do I live here? I need to relocate to a sunny climate, maybe Arizona", but spring does arrive .  

Spring, Summer and Fall are just so beautiful here, it makes our terrible winters seem worthwhile.

Plus, we have our Steelers, can't ever leave them behind!

 It is the best town to grow up in.  We have learned to appreciate other cultures/nationalities - celebrate our differences.   My husband is amazed of the various "international type" foods that I have prepared for him.  I am basically an Irish gal, but I have been exposed to so much stuff growing up. I have lived in the South for the past 25 years.  They think that they are the best with hospitality.  Those of us who grew up in Western Pa. could beg to differ.  We learned to appreciate our neighbors and work together to achieve our goals.   Southern hospitality my foot!  At least we are honest caring people - from what I have observed in the South,, sometimes it is so fake.  I think that those of us who grew up in this area truly believe in working hard pays off in the long run (you know, that work ethic)and it is so important to work together.  I love our sense of humor.  I have learned that living in the South that some people do not appreciate our loudness (which I have been called on with my job) and sometimes our silliness (honestly, they need to loosen up).  I know that many of us had to leave in the '80s for jobs (and possibly had some bittnerness for moving elsewere), but if I had a choice, I would bring my entire family here.  This is truly the best part of the East Coast!

 I couldn't pass on your loudness comment. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and moved to New Mexico almost 30 years ago. For 30 years, I've heard over and over again about how loud I am...even when I whisper! I return home frequently to visit family and friends, and I've come to realize that it isn't our volume as much as it is our regional accent. Our accent really does hurt, confuse, and even offend the ears of people not familiar with our region.

Pittsburgh-ese is extremely nasal. When we speak, the sound amplifies in our sinus cavities. We just sound loud. Yes, the use of words like "yinz," and the way in which we overly stress the long "O" sound in words like "hope" exaggerate our accent, but its our extreme nasal quality that really does make us the loudest people on the planet. For some of us, who cannot seem to lose this vocal quality in the tone, timbre, and inflection of our voices, even after 30 years of trying, you should know that we are not loud on purpose.

When I visit home, the first several days I am always stunned and wonder why everyone is shouting. After a few days at home, I smile to myself and think that the Pittsburgh sound is abrasive but sweet. A week or two later I return to work in New Mexico and hear my own voice on my outgoing message, and I think: "Jesus Christ, why am I shouting? I sound just like I did 30 years ago when I graduated from Hopewell High School. Nobody would believe I've ever spent 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, let alone 30 years!"

Anyway, I'd like to tell all the people that I went to college with, and grad school with, and worked with, been friends with, dated, lived near, ect... Pittsburghers aren't intentionally loud. I never was trying to be obnoxious. If I could get rid of my regional accent, and I've tried, then I would.

It's just a 'burgh thing; I guess.

George Tadich Jr

Albuquerque NM

UPON FURTHER REVIEW 

The pride of Pittsburgh obviously runs through right through to the core...