U mad, bro?: Readers upset about Pirates ownership, criticism of Steelers, this weekly column

Things are getting better in Pittsburgh sports right now.

Jared Jones and Paul Skenes have Pirates fans optimistic. The Steelers are nothing but smiles at OTAs. And Mike Sullivan is such a good coach, he is going to be on the bench for Team USA in the Olympics.

What could possibly go wrong?

USA! USA! USA!

That’s not stopping us from posting this week’s “U mad, bro?”, however. After all, plenty of you still have gripes.

Things like complaints about Pirates management, my opinions on the Steelers wide receivers, and “U mad, bro?” itself.

We start with an email that comes from “Flannigan.” He’s a huge fan of “U mad, bro?” every week.

“That is the most annoying article title ever. Makes me sick every time I see it. Hopefully you end (it) soon. Otherwise, I really like your paper and your content. Been following it for a decade or so. Title of that article drives me insane.”

For you, Flannigan, we’ll consider some new names. How about:

• “Are you miffed, my friend?”

• “What has you troubled, dear sir?”

• “What’s eatin’ at yinz, n’at?”

Do any of those tickle your fancy?

Rest assured, though, Flannigan, whatever we call it, I promise that “U mad, bro?” will never die.

Last week’s “U mad, bro?” featured lots of people who were upset at me for pointing out the lack of depth in the Steelers wide receiver room. Apparently this week’s “U mad, bro?” is going to feature even more.

The only one mad about the WR situation is Benz, he's projecting on fans who understand what an Arthur Smith offense looks like.

— Apocalypse Cow (@dmc200802) May 16, 2024

Oh, I understand what an Arthur Smith offense looks like. Over the past three years in Atlanta it looked like, on average, 23rd in passing offense, 22nd in scoring offense and 23rd in total offense.

It also looked like exactly 7-10 all three years.

That’s what it looked like to me. What did it look like to you?

Chuck is also a big fan of my thoughts on the wide receivers.

It is amazing how ridiculous all the sports personalities just want to get people fired up. I guarantee before camp starts a move is made. Conversation about who we’d like would be great but all this talk of incompetence or they may not get someone is hilarious. It is for clicks.

— Chuck (@barkeycj) May 9, 2024

Chuck, exactly what do you think I got for the “click” you just gave me for replying? Is it money? How much? Where do I collect?

It’s how you push rhetoric to get people to respond to your show. Now it is about pushing outrage and getting people upset no different than the political babble between both sides. If we enter camp with this group I’d be concerned but too early to state mistakes or incompetence.

— Chuck (@barkeycj) May 9, 2024

Where did I “state mistakes or incompetence” from the Steelers? I just said it’s a weak point for the team and trading Diontae Johnson may prove costly if they can’t find someone to fill his spot by September.

Who is the one pushing outrage in this conversation, exactly? Pot meet kettle.

More sports

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• Steelers' homegrown players excited to see what city has in store for 2026 NFL Draft
• Steelers notes from OTAs: 1st-round pick Troy Fautanu bounces back from ‘rough’ Day 1

Bruce doesn’t have any faith that the Pirates are going to cash in on the window of opportunity they have to win with Jones and Skenes on the Major League roster at the same time.

“Here we are with the top two pitching prospects in MLB and they’re going to ruin everything without intervention! … The Pirates ownership is disgracing (their) history with frugality and mismanagement. How and when will this end? A few months ago, Joe Buck was in town to call a Steelers game. He posted a picture from the ninth street bridge with the ballpark in the background. And he bemoaned that he would never get to call a world series from this amazing place. What are YOU going to do about it?”

What am I going to do about it? I’ll probably write about it.

Either that or I’ll buy the team from Bob Nutting with all that sweet, sweet “click money” I made off of my wide receiver column.

Here’s another email I received about the Pirates. “Trag91146” is dubious of general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton.

“Cherington and Shelton are stealing Nutting’s money — the fact that they are paid anything at all for their management skills is theft!

It’s not stealing when you beg the robber to take it.”

Are there any robbers they can beg to “steal” a lightly used Rowdy Tellez?

Finally, “John E.” sent me an email. The words “I’m worried” were all that were written in the subject line.

“You’re making sense.”

John, I’m tempted to ask what topic I’m making sense about.

Let’s be honest, though. The specific subject that inspired this email doesn’t matter. I always make sense.

What might be worrisome to you is that you are just finally coming around to opening up your mind enough to realize it.