U mad, bro?: For Pittsburgh sports fans, it's an OTA week (outwardly tangible anger)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are knee deep in an OTA week: organized team activities.

“U mad, bro?” is also knee deep in an OTA week: outwardly tangible anger.

Booing Rowdy Tellez. Bemoaning the Penguins’ place in the NHL hierarchy. Rationalizing the Steelers’ lack of wide receiver depth.

It’s OTAs, people! Let’s get in shape.

This fan named “RRoberts” wasn’t happy with Pirates fans booing Rowdy Tellez every time he hit at PNC Park last Thursday afternoon during Paul Skenes’ start.

Great. Sure that helps.

— RPRoberts1958 (@RRoberts1958) May 23, 2024

Actually, maybe it does. Because that was so stark, so embarrassing for the Pirates and so overwhelming, perhaps it actually made the Pirates manager — and management — realize how bad this situation is and how helpless it has become.

And how it is time to move on.

It’s bad for the team, and for the player.

Scott has thoughts on Rowdy too.

This is "play the bat we spent money on" at its finest.

— Scott Keenan ????⚾️????(@ScottKeenan724) May 23, 2024

Indeed, Scott. Exactly. Except that you say “at its finest.” I say “at its absolute worst.”

This unsigned email is regarding all the projections about the number of fans that may — or may not — come to Pittsburgh for the NFL Draft in 2026.

“Keep in mind that Detroit has 3 million neighbors that could attend this year’s draft festivities — they are called Canadians and live very close to Detroit and are just as big of fans of football as most North Americans — but they probably won’t travel this far to Pittsburgh for the fun.”

First of all, good. However many people come to Pittsburgh for this thing, it’ll be plenty.

Secondly, when you say “three million” Canadians, I’m not sure what you mean. If you mean “all of Toronto,” that’s roughly 3 million people — and Toronto is roughly four hours away from Detroit. If you mean Ontario in general, that’s 14 million.

And in terms of Canadians coming to Pittsburgh, Maple Leafs fans sure find their way here any time their team plays at PPG Paints Arena. Not to mention that people from Buffalo, Washington, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and even New York are all less than a six-hour drive from here.

Eh?

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A guy named @Fansville412 is frustrated by watching the NHL playoffs Monday night.

“The Penguins are light years away from the Final 4. Anyone see Dallas destroy a dominant Edmonton Oilers first period team? The Penguins woulda lost that game 10-1 (Probably still crying about Jake).”

I’d argue the Penguins are light years away from winning any playoff series, let alone a conference final.

Bob didn’t like the fact that, in last week’s “U mad bro?,” I cited Arthur Smith’s offensive numbers in Atlanta when he was the head coach and play caller instead of what he did as the offensive coordinator in Tennessee.

???? ???? ???? Arthur Smith, the HC and OC have different track records... to choose to hone in on his offense while HC is irrelevant and poor shaping for his time to come here. Go look at the Tennessee numbers. Way different results.

— Bob Backus (@PghChalkTalk) May 23, 2024

Here’s how I responded.

Hmmm. I wonder why that was? pic.twitter.com/yZpmc8kbTq

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) May 23, 2024

Bob wasn’t done.

Thats one reason for sure, but King Henry plays WR too?? Bc Tannenhill had 33 TDs with only 7 ints, and a rating of 106 in his final yr under Smith.

— Bob Backus (@PghChalkTalk) May 23, 2024

Here’s how I responded.

Hmmm I wonder why that was? pic.twitter.com/UuI8YeAkuD

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) May 29, 2024

Look, I think Arthur Smith is going to be better than Matt Canada. That’s a low bar. But he needs more than one good wide receiver in George Pickens. That’s not enough. Period.

Speaking of receivers, RJ takes issue with something I wrote in “First Call” this week regarding how well former Steeler Hakeem Butler is playing in the UFL.

“When you stated ex-STEELER, Hakeem Butler was tearing it up in the USFL I read on then you wrote that he was signed in MAY and released in AUG. This Tim, does not make him an ex-STEELER, to be an ex-STEELER, most STEELER fan should tell you, it takes actual participation in at least one season with the STEELERS, Tim. Tim, Tim, Tim, you of ALL people should know how we people of western P.A. feel about our team. A STEELER is not a STEELER until he plays like a STEELER in games an entire season. SO, Stop writing half truths or I’ll sic Cam on you.”

A couple things, RJ. It’s the UFL. Not the USFL. That league has died twice now already.

Also, if you are going to “sic” Cam Heyward on me, wouldn’t he have to be at OTAs to do something about it?

And, regarding your personal standards for what qualifies as a Steeler — sorry, a “STEELER” — I supposed Johnny Unitas wasn’t good enough to count either? After all, he was drafted and never played for them. But I guess since he grew up in Pittsburgh, that’s different, right?

Most importantly, no matter how many times you put “STEELER” or “STEELERS” in all caps, it’s not going to help.

You can put the word in caps, boldface, underline it and put it in 20-point font, and that’s not going to help them win a playoff game for the first time since 2017.

What might help is actually finding a No. 2 receiver — someone even better than the great Hakeem Butler.