Patch vs. Patch: Cranberry Editor Admits Defeat, But Says the Steelers Will Be Back

Sunday was an all-around terrible day for Jessica Sinichak in Pennsylvania.

Not only did her lose to to the Green Bay Packers in , her friends burned the Packers sweatshirt she reluctantly was going to be forced to wear all week as part of a bet with yours truly on who would win the game. (Cranberry editor's note: That part wasn't terrible!)

"I was at a house party and they took the sweatshirt out into the street for cars to run over, again and again, and then they set it on fire," said Sinichak, editor of the Patch site in Cranberry, PA.

Apparently, in Mudville, Casey has struck out, big time.

"It's hard to come back from three turnovers and win the Super Bowl," she said.

Gently reminded that not only did the Steelers lose, they never led for a single second of the historic game, all she could muster was "the Steelers will be back."

Ever the optimist, Sinichak further rationalized: "I think we'll still have our key experienced players with us for another year."

Asked gently, by me, how the party went after the game, she was a little slow to admit that "we were watching with neighbors and friends ... everybody just kinda, well - everybody just got up and left. The TV got turned off and they were gone."

"And I didn't even have a Packers shirt to wear," Sinichak lamented. "I really don't know what I'm going to do!"

"But we'll be back!" she said again.

"I think everyone will turn their attention toward the Penguins."

"The who?" I asked.

"The Pittsburgh Penguins. You know, they won the Stanley Cup in 2009!"

"The Penguins, eh?" I replied, and then asked: "Well, what about the Pirates?"

"Forget about the Pirates," she said with complete conviction.

Hmmm, forget about the Steelers, I thought, as I wished her well and told her to try a brat.

"Good night, Jessica."

"Yeah, OK," she said dejectedly. "I just cannot believe it ... I can't believe it."

"Good night, Jessica."

I hung up the phone as gently as I could.