Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

[hawaiiansteel]

Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation

May, 25, 2011
By James Walker


Earlier this year Brett Kostoff, a Cincinnati native and longtime Bengals fan, contacted the AFC North blog and said he was so fed up with the team's losing that he is auctioning off his fandom on eBay.

This week we caught up with Kostoff to get an update on which team he's supporting this season and how that transition is going. Here was his response:



Some of the Steelers merchandise recently acquired by former Bengals fan Brett Kostoff.

"As far as how the eBay auction went, it sold for $510 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I couldn't be happier, honestly. I know that might sound crazy coming from a former Bengals fan, but it's like going from the basement to the penthouse as far as football operations. I never disliked Pittsburgh like the rest of the city of Cincinnati. I always RESPECTED it.

I've been 100 percent following everything Steelers since the auction ended, including watching the interviews and reading up on Cam Heyward, Marcus Gilbert and hoping that if Ike Taylor doesn't re-sign (hopefully he does) that Cortez Allen or Curtis Brown can step up! I'm not like the other die-hards that will write you and say how they should sign Nnamdi Asomugha. That will never happen in Pittsburgh. When is the last time they dropped that kind of money on a free agent?

After reading your blog [Monday] about Mike Brown not trading Carson Palmer it only makes me that much happier about my decision! Everyone in this city will still bash Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, T.O., Corey Dillon and myself and call us quitters. But as Einstein once said "Insanity -- doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." I think we all might be just ahead of the game. I've never been more excited about a season. Hopefully we actually have a season. I thought it would take me longer to make the transition than it did, but I actually dislike the Bengals as a whole and it may just be the 20 years of torment as a fan they put me through. Haha. Thanks for checking in."

Wow. Kostoff is very serious about his new fandom and happy to be a card-carrying member of Steeler Nation. He also sent the AFC North blog the picture of his new Steelers merchandise that you see above and provided a list of items he purchased with the auction money.

Here was Kostoff's complete list:

One signed 16x20 autograph picture of Troy Polamalu
One white-stitched NFL official Polamalu jersey
Two Terrible Towels
Two hooded sweatshirts (one of the black NFL equipment)
One black NFL equipment hat
One glass license plate with a Steelers logo
One black mini helmet in a Steelers display case
One yellow mini helmet in a Steelers display case

[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/28012/former-bengals-fan-joins-steeler-nation"]http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_ ... ler-nation[/url]

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

It's like having a lobotomy reversed.

[SteelCrazy]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

I have been a fan of the Steelers for uh...34 years now. I watched them suffer through the 80's and 90, 91. Not once did I think of changing teams and this was during my impressionable years. Not quite sure what to make of it, but to each their own.

[Djfan]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

I have to admit that I am a bandwagoner. I have never lived in PA, and never anywhere near them. I picked them because they are winners, just like all bandwagoners do.

I jumped on the band wagon in '72. Can I stay?

[fordfixer]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

I have to admit that I am a bandwagoner. I have never lived in PA, and never anywhere near them. I picked them because they are winners, just like all bandwagoners do.

I jumped on the band wagon in '72. Can I stay?

I seriously wonder if I can keep on being a fan. I just can't stand the direction of the NFL.

UFL, here I come.

Sounds as if you are already on the way out

[Djfan]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

I have to admit that I am a bandwagoner. I have never lived in PA, and never anywhere near them. I picked them because they are winners, just like all bandwagoners do.

I jumped on the band wagon in '72. Can I stay?

I seriously wonder if I can keep on being a fan. I just can't stand the direction of the NFL.

UFL, here I come.

Sounds as if you are already on the way out

Sounds crazy, I know. The problem is that I will want to watch, and when I do, the wussy factor will take over and I will be so upset that I can't see me watching.

I can't believe I'm even thinking this way, but the love of the Steelers involves the love of smash-mouth, kill on command defense. Take it away, and you take away the heart and soul of the Steelers organization. That would kill me to watch.

I don't want the Patriots team in the black and gold. This whole thing kills me.

Jerks!

[Silicor]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

I'm a born and bred Steeler fan but this thread has me thinking. We've seen bad years, disagreed with decisions but I never stopped cheering and supporting the team. What would it take for me to stop being a fan?

Clearly, I would never switch teams. But I love our coaching consistency, good ownership, smashmouth football and awesome players. There is pride in supporting a great organization and players you can respect. I think if the Steelers organization were to devolve like Cinci or the Browns I might lose my love for the game. Let's pray the Steelers never get in that situation.

[eniparadoxgma]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

Pretty sure this has been done before. I think it's just someone cashing in on the rabidness of Steeler Nation's allegiance.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

Bengals-turned-Steelers fan responds

June, 1, 2011
By James Walker


Last week former Cincinnati Bengals fan Brett Kostoff caused a tizzy in the AFC North blog after we updated his story on changing allegiances to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fed up with the Bengals' losing ways, Kostoff sold his fandom on eBay for $510 and is now a card-carrying member of Steeler Nation.

Kostoff received a lot of criticism from our community. So, in fairness, we asked Kostoff if he wanted to respond to the heat he's received. Here was his message:

"For all the people who thought I CHOSE the Steelers, it was an AUCTION. The auction was open to all NFL teams and luckily a great organization had a fan that won the highest bid. The Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions had just as much of a chance as the Steelers. People act like the only teams I listed was Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, Packers and Eagles as the teams I would like to be a fan of. The "bandwagon" fan is far from the truth, if that was the case I would have choose my new team on my own, not left it at the hands of the public. The bidding started at $19.95 and I had no clue if anyone would even look at the auction much less it get into the media. I guess people wanted me to not allow the Steelers to be in the bidding? If I was unhappy with how poorly an organization (Bengals) was being ran for 20 years, why would I leave a team off which has been a model for how an organization (Steelers) should be ran? That's not very smart. Bengals fans please realize Cincinnati is not a rival to Pittsburgh fans. The Ravens are the rival. Cincinnati's rival is Cleveland (comparable organizations).

"As far as never being a fan? I find it comical. Honestly, if you are/were a true fan for the past 20 seasons of the Bengals and haven't contemplated "What am I doing?" or "Why don't I just don't cheer for another team?" then you must not have been a true fan. I owned season tickets since Paul Brown Stadium opened in the first row of the stadium/ I guess all the "fair-weather" fans own those. I was still watching games in December between 1998-2002 when they had a combined 19-61 record. I was at games in December in 15 degree weather when they were finishing up those 4-12 seasons, while all these "so-called" true fans were at home. I cared so much, that when you feel like the owner doesn't care as much as you, something has to give. Cincinnati is full of fair-weather fans. The two playoff teams in 2005 and 2009 there was more Bengals fans all of sudden in Cincinnati then ever before. People screaming "I've always loved the Bengals." Right! Fool somebody else. I was at last season's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Carson Palmer went over 25,000 passing yards for his career and the entire stadium booed a QB who is the only one to lead them to those two playoff games in the last 20 seasons. I'm not the "true fans" who threw garbage in his yard after a loss.

I'm not the true fan who called radio stations non-stop after every game yelling that Carson has to go. When Carson does say he wants out, which is what all fans around here wanted, everyone calls him a "quitter" and throws him under the bus. I don't blame Bengals fans for sticking with them and not doing what I have done. I invest a lot of time and money into the organization that I cheer for and 20 years of never seeing a playoff win was enough for me to take my money and loyalty elsewhere. If you paid your cable bill for 20 years and it only worked two (winning seasons) out of those 20 years, yet all your neighbors were getting eight out of 20 years, you wouldn’t inquire any more details since you've been loyal? What reward have Bengals fans gotten from ownership to remain loyal?

"As far as Pittsburgh fans go - I hope they can/will accept me. If they don't I understand. I will be up there for a few games and the majority of Pittsburgh fans have been great to me so far. I will put in my time, study and cheer them on as good going forward as any fan in Pittsburgh."

[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/28184/bengals-turned-steelers-fan-responds"]http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_ ... n-responds[/url]

[The Man of Steel]

Re: Former Bengals Fan Joins Steeler Nation via eBay

Bengals-turned-Steelers fan responds

June, 1, 2011
By James Walker

Bengals fans please realize Cincinnati is not a rival to Pittsburgh fans. The Ravens are the rival. Cincinnati's rival is Cleveland (comparable organizations).

I've been trying to tell Browns fans that exact same thing for years now too but they don't wanna hear it.