LARGO, Fla. -- Chris Seefeld escaped the fierce winters of his native South Dakota to open a bar in this Sun Belt suburb of Tampa, and, with a bit of serendipity and word of mouth, he found himself at the crossroads of Steelers Nation.

Like countless numbers of taverns around the country and around the globe that feature Steelers football on its plentiful TVs, the Niagara Tap is the kind of neighborhood establishment in which any Pittsburgher would feel at home.

The patrons socializing over Super Bowl talk Monday night were from all walks of life: a retired couple (Dave and Betty Jack) from Verona; a Wyoming native (Earlene Guzzo) who grew up on a Navajo reservation in Arizona but is a die-hard Steelers fan, and a couple (Tim Clark and Julie Gray) who made the 18-hour drive from Pittsburgh to be here and pulled into the parking lot in a black Dodge Ram truck boldly adorned with flags and Steelers logos.

"This place rocks and rolls when the Steelers are playing," said Seefeld, 35.

He has organized a bus trip Sunday, complete with Iron City beer, to take 40 or so fans to Raymond James Stadium. They don't have tickets for the big game, so they're returning to Largo to watch it, but they wanted to soak up the atmosphere.

"I just have to go over there," Seefeld said. "If your team makes it to the Super Bowl in your hometown, you better take advantage of it."

Jack, wearing her Steelers earrings to match her black-and-gold jersey, said the place is like a little slice of home.

"It's more yinz than y'all," she laughed. "But you can't get chipped-chop ham."

Guzzo has no connection to Western Pennsylvania, but she loves the camaraderie of the Steelers' crowd and wouldn't think of supporting Arizona Sunday.

"Never in my life would I root for them. I'm a die-hard Steelers fan," she said. "They don't have cheerleaders. The fans really care about the team and each other. We believe from our belly buttons."

On game days, fans carry out long-standing rituals. Each patron brings a stuffed doll or a towel or, in one case, a box of Betty Crocker cake mix adorned with a Steeler logo.

As for Seefeld, he dons his Steelers socks and wears a Troy Polamalu T-shirt under his Ben Roethlisberger jersey, then places his Jerome Bettis jersey next to his Terrible Towel.

"I always liked The Bus. I always ask him for luck," he said as shots and beers were served in the bar.

Tim Clark, a steamfitter who lives on the North Side, isn't sure he has tickets for the Super Bowl. But that didn't keep him from driving down.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said. "On the drive down, I either got waves and smiles or people would give me the finger. No matter. We represent the Steelers."