Post-season thoughts on Steelers

In reference to the end of the Pittsburgh Steelers season, the onus has been placed upon the coaches, which is mostly valid. I offer my own thoughts on this matter.

Chuck Noll went from the basement to NFL history. He demanded discipline. He drafted the best athletes, not necessarily the big names. Bill Cowher inherited a so-so roster and spit and slobbered his way to the Super Bowl and into the Hall of Fame along with several of his players.

Mike Tomlin did inherit an (obviously) Hall of Fame quarterback and a decent, albeit underachieving in their own history, number of core players. His teams did make it to the Super Bowl twice, winning once. After building his own team, sometimes fraught with disciplinary issues, the sesquipedalian “standard bearer” failed to deliver another championship. Oh, but since eight wins and eight losses is not a losing season, proclaim that glorious “never a losing season” statistic throughout Sportsland.

Thank you, Coach Tomlin, for your efforts and loyalty to to the Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club, the fans and Steeler Nation as a whole. If you feel you are not ready for a sabbatical or retirement, other teams would be happy to have you.

And all of us should remind ourselves that it’s only a game which provides entertainment and a bonding experience. Many other important issues in our lives matter more. Now, on to Penguins hockey!

Richard W. Mondak

Hermitage

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We all deserve economic justice

I could not agree more with the op-ed “Gilded age for college football” (Dec. 30, TribLive). Coaches are making 10 times what they made in the 1980s, adjusted for inflation, around 540 times what teaching graduate assistants make and over 400 times what adjunct professors make. This extreme income inequality carries over into our whole economy.

Over the last 40 years, CEO compensation skyrocketed 1,209.2%, while worker compensation only grew 15.3%.

Our runaway inequality is increasing the gap between the haves and have-nots, creating an economy rigged to serve the super rich at the expense of workers. The time is long overdue for Congress to address the rampant greed, inequality and destructiveness that is being caused by our current policies. We need an economy that serves humanity rather than exploits it.

Tell your lawmakers that all workers need a living wage, and all citizens must pay their fair share of taxes. We citizens deserve economic justice.

Julia Bojalad

North Huntingdon

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Authorities like MAWC need greater scrutiny

Why is the headline “Greensburg law firm gets $72K raise for Westmoreland water, sewer advice” (Jan. 17, TribLive) interesting? Not because of the sidebar covering the 9% rate hike for many customers. Also, “interesting” is the wrong word. The right word is “outrage” — actually, it’s a double outrage.

The first outrage — the one that allows the second outrage — was committed by financially and management ignorant — or was there a self-serving benefit gained? — county commissioners when they sold utilities to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.

Pay close attention, especially you, Sen. Kim Ward and Rep. Eric Nelson; IRS and PUC too, because such “authority” companies need greater scrutiny and regulation.

Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County is a misleading name — it is a private company — a business with stockholders who elect a board of directors to oversee the business to make a profit for the stockholders. Nothing wrong with that — or with the fact MAWC pays someone else to manage its sewer and water systems. So, what is outrageous beyond the sale of public services to private business not being the most public beneficial way to provide water and sewer services?

The article says Scott Avolio “reviews all of our acquisitions … .” Acquisition costs are investor/stockholder costs — not a cost of serving customers; not costs that should affect what customers are charged. The outrage is the mindset, ignorance and lack of regulation that allows such behavior to occur. This is evidence that behind the closed doors of private utility providers lies philosophical differences between government, utility customers and private service providers.

Jim Baker

Greensburg

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Trump’s call for unity rings hollow

After his win in the Iowa Republican caucuses, Donald Trump said with a straight face that it is now time for our people to come together.

Does the call for unity include those who oppose him, whom he has characterized as “vermin”; the immigrants who he says are “poisoning the blood of our country”; and those members of minority groups who are targeted by the white supremacist thugs of Proud Boys, who are “standing back and standing by” at Trump’s direction?

No, Mr. Trump, you do not want people to come together. You want only for your sycophants to coalesce. You have succeeded in your longstanding efforts to divide and polarize.

Oren Spiegler

Peters

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Trump’s my guy

“Trump’s your guy” (Jan. 15, TribLIVE) made me wonder about the hate in the writer’s heart that prompted him to write such a letter. And to what end?

Is he trying to change the minds of those who reveled in the low cost of gasoline and groceries and who were proud that America was energy independent, that desperately sick people have the right to try new medications, that our southern border was more secure than ever before, and that the Abraham Accords brought peace to the Arab nations?

I could go on, but my goal is not to create a long list of of President Trump’s accomplishments against all odds, but to urge people to look past the foibles of a man who has proven he loves America and will leave no stone unturned to restore to the lives of all Americans the freedoms our country was founded upon. Yes, Donald J. Trump is my guy!

Kathryn Starr

Leechburg

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County tax hike one more slap in the face

Wow! A 32.5% property tax hike passed on to Westmoreland County residents a week after county commissioners gave themselves and other elected officials raises. Not a good look. Three days before Christmas, no less.

And speaking of elected officials, I bet the public would be interested to know that some row officers don’t even come to work every day. You read that right. For anywhere from $50,000 to $90,000 a year, the people who were (begin ital)voted(end ital) in are free to choose not to come to work.

If that’s not a slap in the face to voters, I don’t know what is.

Joan Sweeney

Greensburg

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Greensburg Salem school costs disheartening

The article “Greensburg Salem seeks committee to navigate potential construction upgrades” (Jan. 19, TribLive) concerning capital needs of Greensburg Salem School District was disheartening. How could such a long list of needs developed? Has maintenance been deferred or ignored?

Would the millions of dollars of covid relief funds spent on air conditioning have been better used to address what sound like dire needs?

Sandra Finley

Greensburg

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