Let's start with this: HOLY S&@!
That's my reaction to any number of topics following our five-year anniversary celebration Tuesday at Highmark Stadium.
The turnout of 100-plus? Yep.
The sincerity of conversations shared and interactions enjoyed? Mmhm.
Willy Peppers' insane sauces and killer grub? You bet.
Where my thoughts failed me and landed on a crude expletive, Dejan Kovacevic instead offered the following summary:
So yeah, he was speechless too. And that guy is usually really, really smooth with words. You've probably noticed.
That'll happen when you've got a turnout like this:
On a day like this:
That all results in a night like this:
It was more than just a get-together with great food and company, though. DK detailed the journey to Tuesday night's celebration before any of this happened. He set the stage — and what a grand stage it was — without knowing if a single person would actually show. But just as many of you flocked to the site following its inception five years ago, you flooded Highmark Stadium Tuesday, ready to say hello, to put down some food and to discuss anything and everything on your mind.
That connection is everything. And here's how you know it's just special:
I was (virtually) introduced to community member DLFord in the comments section immediately after being hired here in December. He mentioned his ties to Fulton County, Pa. — my hometown — and that was that. Fulton County is small — crazy small. It's home to more cows than people. That's a fact. So whenever somebody pops up and identifies as a Fulton Countian, I take note.
Tonight, I got the chance to hear more about his journey through life, his love of Pittsburgh sports and, of course, his ties to our home county. Somewhere along the way, the narrative progressed like so:
Me: "So DLFord ... Is your last name Ford then? I'm trying to think if I knew any Fords back home."
DLFord: "Yep. It sure is."
Me: "Man, the only Ford I can remember from Forbes Road [a local school] was a kid named Dylan. I played basketball against him. And I remember him because he was pretty damn good. Always had to game plan for him."
DLFord: *nods* "Yep. That would be my son."
I mean ... Come on, man.
From northern Maine to Michigan and beyond, you all showed up to support this site and the people who populate its pages for your apps and browsers every day. It's a surreal thought when broken down on that level.
But it's powerfully driven home when you can stand face-to-face and talk about anything — sports or not — and feel that connection and that sense of family. It's here, and it was apparent Tuesday night on a perfect evening in the Steel City.
I'll let Matt Sunday's camera wizardry take it from here:
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
DKPittsburghSports.com fifth anniversary party, Highmark Stadium, July 23, 2019 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS