U mad, bro?: Steelers fans torn on T.J. Watt topic; Pirates fans struggling to find a solution

On the Steelers front, we appear to have mixed opinions on the T.J. Watt situation.

On the Pirates front, there is no such divide. Everybody has had it up to their eyeballs with frustration.

In this week’s “U mad, bro?”, we surf through both emotions.

Bryant doesn’t like the fact that I feel T.J. Watt should’ve gotten back to full practices before Wednesday’s sessions.

Love it when the scab mindset sports writers wake up in the morning to defend management and ownership lmao. hE HAs a coNtrACt!

— Bryant (@ReifTerrance) September 7, 2021

Well, I love it when the fanboys on Twitter wake up in the morning and defend all the players all the time in hopes that they get a like or a retweet from their heroes.

jUst PaY hiM wHatEver He wAntS! Lmao

Did I do that right? Do I have my cheeky Twitter-snark skills sharpened enough?

Speaking of the term “fanboys,” a guy calling himself “Gaspipe” followed up on that comment. He doesn’t like that phrase.

Love it when people attempt to use fan boy as an insult. I've been a fan ever since I knew what football was. I'm 46 now, just bought a new house and I've adorned my man cave like it's a shrine to the Steelers. Very proudly and with great passion.

— Gaspipe Casso (@godfather_casso) September 7, 2021

Dear ‘Pipe,

“Fanboy” is used as a term to describe those who let their fandom and hero worship of a player (or team) cloud their judgment. If that’s not you, then don’t worry about it.

If it is you, also don’t worry about it. Because you only want to hear what you want to be told in the first place and my response will fall on deaf ears in your man cave.

Brian sends a tweet about Watt’s contractual situation from a different point of view.

He has every right to get paid what he’s worth but everyone should remember this the next time cbs or ESPN does a puff piece on the Watts about how much they love footbaw and would play for free.

— brian spezialetti (@bspezy) September 7, 2021

True. But let’s also add that “he has every right to get paid … once he becomes a free agent.” He’s not that yet. This isn’t even a franchise tag situation like Le’Veon Bell’s absence was.

Perhaps the more accurate statement — if we are focusing on “rights” here — is that the Steelers have every “right” to pay him by his fifth-year contract terms this year and franchise him next year.

Maybe even before 2023 as well.

Those are the team’s rights. And if Watt wants to exercise his right, he can refuse to sign the tag next year like Bell did up until the first game of 2017.

Not long after that exchange with Brian, this guy jumped in on the conversation.

Hes not morally obliged to “follow suit” as your implying when majority of the business is played the same way Face it thats what the ultimate goal of this game has become anyways ‍️ not to win a SB its who can get the mostI want it to be a someone on the Pittsburgh #Steelers

— Yinz Central (@YinzCentral) September 7, 2021

I never implied that at all.

I also never said he is “morally obliged.” I said he is contractually obliged.

Monty emailed me. He is pretty much fed up with the Pirates.

“I believe most local fans think the Pirates are playing NOT to win games.

So in this scenario we have a Major League Baseball team playing like a minor league baseball team. So don’t you think the Pittsburgh Pirates in September should drop their ticket and concession prices to the same rates as they charge at the Altoona baseball park?”

Monty, I’ll go one better.

I think they should take the Major League team and move it to Altoona. Or Greensboro. And take the minor league teams and have them play their games at PNC Park.

Why not? We are constantly being told the only thing that matters with the Pirates these days is what’s happening in the organizational development aspect of the club.

OK, so let’s see those guys then.

And, yes, I also endorse the price adjustment you mentioned so we can watch the Curve or the Grasshoppers.

#RaiseTheJollyHopper

I didn’t get the name of this emailer, but we will wrap up with one more on the Pirates.

“Until they establish a couple of drafts that meet their basic needs (power, pitching, catching, and speed) they are just throwing stuff against the wall and hoping that it sticks.

This year’s draft was much better in my opinion. But it may take a couple more like this one and that means that their miraculous rebuild will probably be pushed back a few years.

I am not getting any younger. I was 10 when they won their last World Series. I hope I live long enough to be able to understand what I am watching when they play the next one.”

My friend, I was five years old when they won their last World Series. That makes me almost 47 years old now.

And I’m already unable to understand what I am watching from this team on a nightly basis.