U mad, bro?: Steelers fans are brash despite offseason concerns. So are ... Pirates fans?

I expect Steelers fans to get froggy with me this time of year. I’m used to it.

Every March, I tell you the Steelers roster is in decline. You call me “hater” and say Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season. I tell you they’ve gone eight out of 10 years without a playoff win.

You make a short joke. I make fun of your fanboy @SteelYinzinAfterAllTheseYears Twitter handle.

Rinse. Wash. Repeat.

It really is the offseason cycle of my life. So I’m good with all that. But when Pirates fans get yappy in March, that’s when things get weird.

You folks are supposed to have given up hope by now, right?

Well, I’ve got a smattering from both camps in this week’s “U mad, bro?”

Let’s start with the Pirates. “Uncle June” is bullish on the Buccos. And he thinks I take too many cheap shots at them.

Instead of snarky comments you’re a sports guy why not analyze actual players or the make up of the team versus the yinzer Nutting is cheap retorts. You’re better than that.

— Uncle June (@uncleJunior32) March 14, 2021

Two things, Uncle June.

1.) Who are you to tell me I’m “better than that”? I am nowhere near better than that!

2.) If one were to analyze their roster, how would that make you feel any … better, exactly?

I think I know why you want me to “analyze” their roster. It’s because you can’t recognize any of the names on it.

And I’ll be darned if I do that kind of legwork for you. I need someone to do that kind of legwork for me first.

Brian has an even better opinion on this year’s Pirates team.

Pirates will finish above .500

— Weihrauch0621?? (@BrianWeirauch61) March 14, 2021

Disagree, Brian. Not even the Pirates can lose 500 games in one season.

Oh. Wait. You mean … Oh, you poor child.

So much to learn. The real world is going to be so, so cruel to you.

Tell you what. Let’s get back to the Pirates later. Let’s dive in on NFL free agency where there are lots of people mad at me and telling me I’m being too harsh in my assessment of the Steelers offseason.

We lost, what, a slot corner, a nose tackle and a offensive lineman who everyone was calling to be replaced by a rookie? And as much as I love Vince Williams, he's a huge liability in coverage where Spillane is not. It's far from the end of the football world.

— Mike Frazer (@MPFrazer) March 17, 2021

You’re right, Mike. It isn’t the end of the football world.

Being down 28-0 in the first quarter of a home playoff game to covid-Cleveland was the end of the football world.

We’re now just towel-waving zombies living in the afterlife.

I had this exchange with a Steelers fan named Jim. He thinks I shouldn’t worry about the departures endured by the Steelers in free agency.

Dupree looked great this year but given his injury and his limited success he is a gamble at the money he got. Hilton is a piece that works as long as he is in the slot only. Over paying for him given cap woes makes no sense.

— Jim Duron (@JimDuron1) March 17, 2021

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I get it. Plus, Matt Feiler was overpaid. And Vince Williams is one dimensional. Yada, yada, yada.

OK. But the defense went 1-5 after Bud Dupree got hurt and Alex Highsmith had one sack in six starts as his replacement. Who cares if the Tennessee Titans overpaid for Dupree?

Are the Steelers better or worse without him?

They are worse.

“Vince Williams can’t cover.” Yeah, I know. But is Robert Spillane good in coverage? Or is he just better than Williams is? And is Spillane as good against the run or as a blitzer?

No, he isn’t.

“Nose tackles are replaceable, so losing Tyson Alualu is no big deal.” Really? Or was Javon Hargrave just replaceable because Alualu was pretty good?

”Feiler got paid too much by Los Angeles after he was moved inside to play guard.” Agreed. But I’d prefer to have him back at right tackle with Chuks Okorafor on the bench.

“Cam Sutton is more versatile than Mike Hilton.” True. Is Sutton versatile enough to play both nickel and dime at once and play with 10 guys on the field? Or is the comparison more about Hilton versus Justin Layne?

See, this is such a Steelers fan way to look at free agency. We do it every year. We prop up guys as important, key contributors in the fall, then highlight their shortcomings on the way out the door in March, with no true replacement in mind.

And we keep doing it even though we are constantly reminded that we shouldn’t. I mean, Le’Veon Bell went bust in New York and Kansas City. So what?! That doesn’t mean the Steelers run game is better without him.

Antonio Brown washed out with the Raiders and Patriots. Big deal. The Steelers still haven’t found a No. 1 receiver to replace him.

It’s not always about who the Steelers let go. It’s what they have ready to replace that player. And zero playoff wins over the last four years tells me they have done a lousy job with that second part.

I mocked some of the Twitter fawning over all the compensatory picks the Steelers would be getting with the loss of their free agents. Kenny called me out for that.

I cant hate on how everything is playing out right now. PIT isn’t in a position to “overpay”. So they will revert to their normal FA dealing, after a few days try and find guys on a cheaper deal to fill roles. Comp picks are just gravy. Its really no different than any other year

— Kenny Morgan (@KennyLenny11) March 16, 2021

Kenny, I’m not “hating” on failing to keep the free agents. I’m hating on the fan and media narrative that they are winning by creating holes on their roster in the name of acquiring comp picks.

I’m hating on the inconsistency of bothering to keep Ben Roethlisberger under contract to “contend” in 2021 — then putting a tattered roster around him.

OK, one more Pirates entry. David seems to be more of my thinking on the outlook of the team. He asks a very important question about our coverage of the Pirates.

“Hey Tim can you explain why the Trib still covers the Pirates in the MLB sports section?”

Because the pandemic has been a real buzzkill and we think our readers need a laugh. The comics can only do so much.

Any answer beyond that is above my pay grade.