Time for another Volvo Challenge. As always, please keep voting for me. I am not trying to win the popularity part. I just want some sort of impact above 1%.

This challenge is a simple one.

What are your favorite places to watch your team when you can’t be at the game?

When Pitt made that startling run in the Big East Tournament in 2001, my four closest friends and I were only connected by our e-mail chains regarding Pitt. We all lived at least a couple hours away from each other. One of us still in Pittsburgh.

After Pitt pulled the OT win over Syracuse to get to the finals, I fired off an e-mail.

Basically, it was a demand/plea that we get together in Pittsburgh to watch the game. It didn’t matter if it was on a crappy TV in an apartment. It didn’t matter if it was a dive or a sports bar. Hell it didn’t matter that we knew Pitt probably didn’t have a chance against Boston College with only a six-man rotation and the fourth game in four days. If there was a chance, any chance that Pitt could win we needed to be in the ‘Burgh and together for the game. Everyone was still fired up after the win and immediately agreed.

It helped that we were still more than a year away from any of us having kids and extra responsibilities, that could up and go away on a whim. Leaving our wives and girlfriends so abruptly. Our one buddy in Pittsburgh chose the bar. I don’t even remember the place, other than it was located just shy of being on the corner of Shady and Forbes in Squirrel Hill. It didn’t matter. What mattered was being with my friends and surrounded by other Pitt fans for the game.

Yeah, Pitt got crushed in that game against BC. Completely gassed. But it was still a great night, and one more reminder that sometimes the best thing about being a Pitt fan is sharing in the game with other Pitt fans (and seemingly the only thing in the bad times).

There’s actually a relevant point in there.

These days, there is no question that my basement is my favorite spot to watch the game. I have an excellent selection of beers, Scotch and bourbons available. Snacks are plentiful. And this:

When we got this house a couple years ago, they left the HD projector, surround sound system, and the installed 90″ screen. We didn’t choose the house because of this, but it didn’t exactly hurt.

Here’s what makes this place work for me as far as watching the game. It isn’t really the big TV and great picture. It is doing the liveblogs.

I do liveblogs because they are fun and I get to be connected with a bunch of other Pitt fans for almost every game. Even when things have been going horribly wrong at times during the season. When the frustration level has been insane, and it has seemed like more trouble than it was worth. There is no question it would be easier just to watch the game without the computer and Tweetdeck. Just watching the game. But it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.

We’re all gathered online. Sharing in the game from where ever we are that day or evening.

The wife will roll her eyes about me scurrying downstairs for games. The TV. Me sitting on the couch with the laptop, smart phone and beer. Generally being useless during the time. The reality is she is okay with it because it means I’m not itching to go to some sportsbar or some other place to watch the game and the need to be around other Pitt fans.

The kids will occasionally come downstairs and watch with me. Slowly getting drawn into the game, the excitement and doing things to make me proud by cheering on Pitt and chanting, “Let’s go Pitt!” with me.

So really, the best place for me to watch a game  is anywhere I can still have a good internet connection and connect with everyone else.