U mad, bro?: Readers send Valentines on Steelers predictions, Mike Tomlin’s recent record, Ron Hextall’s roster
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This is our final “U mad, bro?” before Valentine’s Day. Obviously, Pittsburgh sports fans are feeling the love.
Some of you are fawning over Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Others are swooning over Penguins general manager Ron Hextall.
And then there are all of you who just can’t get enough of me.
I get it. I’m adorable.
So sit back, open a box of chocolates, sip on a little champagne, sniff the roses and enjoy this week’s love notes from our readers.
Let’s start with something important. It’s ex-Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster’s talking trash on Philadelphia cheesesteaks just days before his Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
JuJu with fighting words in Philly pic.twitter.com/MwrEyF5htv
— PFF (@PFF) February 7, 2023
This guy on Twitter agrees.
First tweet hes not wrong on.
— X-Kaliper (@jkalp17) February 7, 2023
Well, it wasn’t a tweet. But when JuJu said, “the Browns is the Browns” before the 2020 playoff game in Pittsburgh, he was kinda off the mark on that one. Wasn’t he?
Don sent me an email about the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin.
“Hey Tim, when and what channel is the Championship game for the teams that haven’t had a losing season for … who cares how long?
All those lazy players that think Mike Tomlin is so spectacular of a coach, remind them that you need to win at least 2 playoff games in a year to have a chance at the real prize. They still play a Super Bowl these days for the best team, right?
But if you’re satisfied with a participation trophy, then Tomlin is the coach for you!”
Uhh, I believe you are looking for the Steelers YouTube channel, Don. I think it has all the programming you are looking for.
But, listen, I don’t think Tomlin’s players are lazy. I just don’t think they’ve been good enough to make a run in the playoffs lately. And, honestly, neither has Tomlin.
But if your greater point is that you don’t think the fans, media, players, coaches and front office should be as accepting of a 9-8 season that (for a sixth straight year) ended without any playoff success, then I agree with you.
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I think it is safe to say Barry is not a fan of Penguins general manager Ron Hextall.
“When the Penguins hired Hextall, I just went ‘UGH.’
He destroyed the great credo of the Flyers, and he is in the midst of destroying hockey in Pittsburgh. What a terrible management decision to bring him to this wonderful city.
Move over Buccos, you now have company.”
Well, Barry, I’ve been underwhelmed by Hextall too.
But I’m not sure what “great credo” of the Flyers you are referencing. Whatever credo it was, it never helped them win a Stanley Cup. At least not since 1975.
As far as the Penguins being the Pirates, I’m going to at least wait and see if the Pens miss the playoffs for the first time since 2006 before I assume that they are like a franchise that has only found the playoffs three times since 1992.
I came across this old tweet from “Johnny Dipstick.”
Remember when both @MarkMaddenX & @TimBenzPGH said the @steelers were going to have a losing season? Johnny Dipstick remembers. Neither of those rubes know if a football is inflated or stuffed. You’re Welcome.
— Terek (@Terek_PA) January 8, 2023
You’re right, Dipstick. I said the Steelers were going to be 8-9 this year. They ended up 9-8. I missed by a game.
Here’s an interesting thing, though. Since, you know, we are keeping receipts.
I came across another old tweet from you when the Steelers got off to a bad start in September.
The @steelers will be 1-7 at the bye, & not even your precious 80 million dollar cheerleader @_TJWatt will be able to save you clowns. You’re Welcome. #HereWeGo
— Terek (@Terek_PA) September 23, 2022
Gee, Johnny. Looks like both of our predictions were only off by a game. But I guess, it’s OK for you to be critical of the Steelers, but Mark and I can’t.
Is that how it works? Fun rules you have.
Finally, Rick responds to our debate over politics bleeding into sports. It was discussed during last week’s “U mad, bro?”
“Sports used to be sports, nothing else. You write: ‘But if the teams, leagues and athletes constantly thrust themselves into the socio-political realm, we have to cover it when the unavoidable controversies develop.’
It was the national media and some local types who were behind this. The teams and leagues had to kowtow to these liberal causes (or else). Have you noticed any conservative causes? I can help you Tim. There were none.
Go Redskins … er … Commanders.”
Then I suggest you watch more Fox News, Rick, and stop paying attention to sports. There are plenty of conservative causes on that network to keep you busy.
In fact, if all you right-wing, conservative extremists exclusively watched Fox and all the left-wing, liberal wokesters just watched MSNBC and CNN — and stayed out of sports entirely — you would all make my life a lot more enjoyable.
Whenever our next civil war ends (and I assume it will begin within the next year or two), just let me know which college conferences wind up in which half of the country. Because it could make college bowl season and “March Madness” very confusing.