Super Bowl 2011: Should Syracuse Fans Root For The Packers Or Steelers?

The Steelers and the Packers are getting ready to kick off the Super Bowl and there's a lot of folks in Cuse Nation who still haven't figured out how they want this one to go down.

Do you root for the Steelers cause they're closer? Do you root for the Packers cause they enjoy cheese? Tough decision.  Let's see if we can't make it easier.

ROSTERS - A quick glance at the active rosters shows that neither the Packers nor the Steelers will feature a Syracuse player during the game. That said, technically a Syracuse player is involved with the Packers. Safety Anthony Smith is among that dubious group of Packer players on IR you've been hearing so much about lately. Maybe that makes you want to root against the Packers for the way they treated players in Smith's position, or maybe you just want to root for them cause he'll probably get a ring if they do win.

There's also this...Smith was originally a Steeler and played for them for three seasons. After the 2008 season the Steelers did not offer him a new deal and he became a free agent. Vengeance time?

HISTORICAL - Historically, the Packers have had six Syracuse players on their roster (Smith, Paul Frase, Blaise Winter, Larry Morris, Tim Moresco and Jim Ringo). Meanwhile the Steelers have had thirteen (Gary Anderson, Craig Bingham, Dee Brown, Erinie Brown, John Brown, John Hinkle, Pat Killorin, Dick Lasse, Terry Richardson, Guy Ruff, Willie Sydnor, Anthony Smith and Craig Wolfley). So I suppose if you want to support the most Orange possible, you can go with the Steelers.

LOCALES - Let's apply where these teams are from to our selection process. The Packers represent Wisconsin, home of Marquette, who recently vanquished us National Marquette Day-style. The Steelers are from Pittsburgh, home to the Pitt Panthers, our nemesis of late. We can hate them both equally for recent transgressions but the Eagles still don't measure up to the Panthers. You can bet there's a lot of folks who are Steeeler fans AND Pitt fans. Let's not give them any more satisfaction than we already have.

FAVRE FACTOR - Brett Favre isn't involved, which is great. A Packer win would tarnish his reputation just a bit as the Packers will have won a Super Bowl without him despite his burning desire to prove them wrong. Aside from every broadcaster out there, we can all go with that.

At the end of the day, Syracuse fans have to go with the Packers. The Anthony Smith factor is present but also a vote for the Steelers is a vote for the Pitt Panthers. And that's just not kosher.