U mad, bro?: Steelers fan still crusty; NFL referees absorb some shots; Pirates cynicism
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Lingering bitterness from Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Agitation over NFL officiating. Cynicism about the Pirates. And disinterest in the Super Bowl.
It sure seems like our readers weren’t hugged enough on Valentine’s Day. Or at all. Like, ever. I mean, going back to when they were kids.
That’s why I put together “U mad, bro?” every week. It’s emotionally therapeutic for you. Cathartic for me.
We all win … even if the Pirates never will again.
Yeah. I can be cynical too.
Let’s start with Steve. He loved my Super Bowl gambling preview.
NO ONE CARES!
— Steve Tuttle (@SteveTu73357179) February 10, 2023
Steve, pregame projections were that $65 million to $80 million were going to be wagered on the Super Bowl in Pennsylvania alone.
So I’m pretty sure people probably cared.
Now, as it turns out my gambling advice this year was really rotten. So maybe they shouldn’t have listened. But I know people cared.
An emailer named “Hollywood 6” chimed in on Max Starks spilling the beans about the Steelers’ game plan in Super Bowl XLV. The former offensive tackle suggested that the Steelers had an agenda to get Ben Roethlisberger an MVP trophy more than they concentrated on running the ball.
“Well, well, Max Starks spreading the word, about that QB who was not a TEAM player. Told you there was a cancer on team — old QB, and current coach!
Hey, Tim, how’s the winning season? No playoff, NFL title, No Super Bowl!!!
Have lost count of losing seasons!! How many!!”
Well, no losing seasons in the 16 years Mike Tomlin has been the coach — and now 19 overall.
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that stat referenced once or twice, right?
But if you are coming at me to praise the 9-8 season, you are barking up the wrong tree. I’ve made that point abundantly clear on numerous occasions.
In terms of Roethlisberger and Tomlin being “cancers,” I will point out that Tomlin got to two Super Bowls and Roethlisberger got to three. Also, the most recent season that was sub-.500 for the Steelers was the year before Roethlisberger was drafted.
So maybe “cancer” is just a bit too strong of a word, don’t you think?
Someone calling themselves “@SteelesScout” agrees with the “Madden Monday” podcast this week. Mark Madden said the Steelers are a long way off from ever being able to compete in a Super Bowl, let alone with teams like the Eagles and Chiefs.
He's right about the Steelers. Maybe when Mahomes retires
— SteelersScout (@SteelersScout) February 13, 2023
Scout, they may have to worry about Joe Burrow retiring first, just so they can get out of their own division.
Bob thinks I missed the point of why the Eagles’ vaunted pass rush didn’t get any sacks against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
“Part of the story of how the Chiefs negated the pass rush was the field conditions. Reddick (16 sacks during the year) consistently beat his man, only to slip and slide on the grass as he beat his blocker. … The field conditions negated or limited one of the strengths of the Eagles.”
Agreed. But I think the bigger deal is that Mahomes is pretty much a quarterbacking unicorn.
But, sure, I get it. The field was slippy n’at.
More sports
• First Call: Another ex-Steeler critical of the offense; Brian Flores discusses time with Steelers; a Rex Ryan return to coaching?
• Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds opens up on his trade request: ‘I want a fair deal for both sides’
• Mark Madden: Back to being a distraction, JuJu Smith-Schuster shows who he really is — an immature punk
This guy is on board with my complaint about the Miles Sanders fumble that was overturned during the Super Bowl. I thought it should’ve been allowed to stand as a second “scoop and score” for the Chiefs.
Can we please go back to two feet down and possession is a catch. Just make it easy. If you catch the ball and have two feet down and go out of bounds, it’s a catch but any other time you must do a “football move”. Makes zero sense
— Likea66 (@hopium4cope) February 13, 2023
I know Twitter has “like” and “retweet” functions. Elon Musk needs an “Amen, brother” icon for tweets like this one.
Finally, this guy replied to a thread I retweeted from ESPN Boston about Alex Cora. The Red Sox manager was goofing about the size of the new bases in MLB stadiums. He said, “They look like a pizza box.”
The Buccos are the Totino’s of the baseball world.
— Dr. VanNorstrum (@DrNorstrum) February 14, 2023
Ohhh! You’re on to something. I’d definitely go for Totino’s Pizza Rolls in the left-field food court at PNC Park. That actually may be reason enough to go to a game this year.
But wouldn’t it be fitting if Bob Nutting decided that the new bases were too expensive to buy and he actually did just use pizza boxes on the infield this season?
Just cheese pizza, of course. There’s no way Nutting is splurging for extra toppings.