U mad, bro?: Fans unload on Penguins for blowing playoff lead; rip Pirates' hitting; mock Vogelbach's mad dash

To the surprise of no one, Pittsburgh Penguins fans are ticked off about their team blowing a 3-1 series lead against the New York Rangers en route to playoff elimination.

Meanwhile, Pirates fans are ticked off about … everything.

That’s why we invented “U mad, bro?” It’s basically a public service.

You’re welcome.

We start with Mark. He pretty much nails the biggest issue that faced the Penguins in their series against New York.

Couldn’t hold a lead. Had plenty of chances to win. Gotta look in the mirror

— Mark Miedel (@MM_VFP) May 16, 2022

Honestly, Mark, I think these guys were looking in the mirror too much. And they kept seeing the guys who won the Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

This isn’t that team anymore.

To your point about blowing leads, I employ the “Duck” Hodges school of logic to what happened with the Penguins to end their season. When the Duck-Mason Rudolph 2019 Steelers missed the playoffs, everybody said, “Eh, give ‘em a break. Look at how banged up they were.”

Sure. But they went 8-3 in their first 11 games after Ben Roethlisberger got hurt. If that’s the case, asking them to beat the Jets or avoid turning the ball over five times against the Bills or beat the Ravens backups isn’t asking too much.

I’d argue the same thing about the Pens in this series. If you are good enough to be up 3-1 in the series or up two goals without Sidney Crosby in Game 6 or leading in the second period in Game 7, then they were good enough to win.

“Sharpie” has a gripe about Penguins coach Mike Sullivan.

It’s time to clean house, starting with Sullivan and his “playing the game the right way”

— sharpie0975 (@sharpie0975) May 16, 2022

Well, I don’t think it’s time to ditch Sullivan. But his attempts to get his players to “play the game the right way” have ended up on the wrong side of the ledger the last five playoff series.

In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden wondered if the word “choke” was too strong to attach to the Penguins’ performance against the Rangers.

Choke is not too strong a word. Upon taking a 2nd period lead in games 5/6/7 (elimination games). The pens were subsequently out scored 12-3 after taking those leads. That’s the very definition of choking. Esp by Demingue.

— TAG (@Real_TAG) May 16, 2022

I think you can spread the blame beyond Louis Domingue for those two scoring flurries launched at the Pens in Games 5 and 6. And I tend to avoid using the word “choke” unless I really have to do so.

But when one of the team’s own players (Mike Matheson) went so far to say that the team got “rattled” after some adversity in Games 5 and 6, that’s almost saying the same thing.

Harry has a complaint about the Penguins.

“All Sidney, no team.”

Eh, I think that kid who wears No. 59 is OK.

JAKE GUENTZEL HOW⁉️ pic.twitter.com/H4RF9Rlz4x

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 16, 2022

How about you?

Mervin is understandably upset with the Pirates offensive production … or lack thereof.

“I’m wondering why there has been no articles coming out of the Burgh suggesting the Pirates should FIRE their ‘hitting’ coach!”

Maybe because the bigger deal is that all the “hitters” they employ stink, and no hitting coach can fix that.

Joel has seen just about enough from Pirates management.

I’ll get rooting for any team playing against the Pirates til ownership actually spends money on the major league team instead of pocketing the profits the Pirates generate!!!

— joe lechman (@joelechman5) May 18, 2022

Well, Joel, they play the Reds 12 more times. You might start rooting for a few ties in those games.

Lastly, did you happen to see the play at the plate Tuesday night when Pirates’ third base coach Mike Rabelo decided to send Daniel Vogelbach (who had just miraculously tripled, by the way) on a sacrifice fly attempt?

The keyword being “attempt.”

So you decided to run on Seiya Suzuki: pic.twitter.com/9vBKIPWDQj

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 18, 2022

Well, Pirates fans had a field day on Twitter with that one.

Uuugghhh.... what just happened here?

— Frank Drebin (@Frank_Dreb) May 18, 2022

Fire that 3rd base coach now pic.twitter.com/N1w4UdYjMM

— SportsStooge (@TheSportStooge) May 18, 2022

Oh yeah! pic.twitter.com/3vmvb2A03f

— AZ_Panther (@AZ_Panther) May 18, 2022

Keystone Cops

— Local Hero™ (@HofSpillane) May 18, 2022

Maybe he can tryout to be on the O line this fall??

— DustyBootsBD (@BD3Hockey) May 18, 2022

You know what? You people are so gosh darned negative. You need to learn to be more positive. Like me.

Look at the bright side! The Pirates actually got a guy to third base.

How often does that happen?