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Monday, 05 July 2010 15:01

Written by Chris Merriman

World Cup fans in Pittsburgh be warned: Vuvuzelas have made their way to Pittsburgh.

The platic horns, whose incessant buzzing has sparked widespread criticism on the part of players and fans, were on display at a Pittsburgh RiverHounds soccer game Friday evening at Chartiers Valley High School.

The RiverHounds compete in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Second Division, two steps below Major League Soccer, the U.S.'s top soccer league, and the crowd of 1,200 at the stadium helped create a World Cup-like atmosphere at the game - annoying horns et al.

The team's supporters group, the Steel Army, brought drums, and plenty of energy as the RiverHounds fell just short of completing a late-game comeback in a 2-1 loss to the Charlotte Eagles. After a late RiverHounds goal, members of the Steel Army moved down to the sidelines, urging their team on through a cacaphony of sound. The moral of the story was clear: a half a dozen vuvuzelas are just as bad as a hundred.

Especially when in the hands of children.

The most unsettling discovery of the night was that vuvuzelas have now made their way to little children. Although the youngsters I saw may not have the lungs to put the bright orange noise-makers to their full use, parents everywhere should shield their children from places they might see vuvuzelas on-sale - because they will most certainly want one when they see one - or else face the sleepless nights that will surely ensue. 

One parent managed to say no to his kid, but I saw several kids walking with the "I just got a new toy and I'm ready to learn how to use it" look alongside parents dazed at having just caved into their beloved children, fearing the consequences of their moment of weakness.

Vuvuzelas don't seem to have made their way to Pirates games (which could honestly probably use some noise - any noise), but the colors of the vuvuzelas I saw Friday appear frighteningly similar to the colors worn by Steelers' fans.

Citizens of Steeler Country, consider yourselves warned.

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