U mad, bro?: Rage. Denial. Acceptance. Defiance. Steelers fans cope with playoff grief.

This edition of “U mad, bro?” serves a specific purpose for Steelers fans. It’s a coping mechanism.

In the wake of the Steelers playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns, many Pittsburgh sports fans are surfing their way through various emotions and responses.

Pain. Grief. Sadness. Rage. Denial. Deflection. Acceptance.

We get a little taste of all of those emotions this week.

Let’s work backwards. Let’s start with acceptance. Dennis sent me an email about my recent evaluation of the Steelers.

“I often get really angry with your column in the Trib. But as I reflect I can see the wisdom. Everything you have written is true.

“Tomlin needs to go. Ben needs to retire. The young receivers need to grow up and someone needs to be a disciplinarian. Players need to stop spouting off on social media and play.”

Yikes! The Steelers have gotten SO BAD that even diehard Steelers fans are agreeing with my criticism of them.

My Lord, it’s even worse than I thought.

Time for Art Rooney II to fold the team. Bring back the Maulers.

Someone named “W. Casey 7971” sent me an email about my Steelers Seven Deadly Sins column which was posted last Friday.

“You left secondary’s inability to tackle people off your list. Too interested in trying to strip the ball, and avoid hitting low.”

That’s only because there were only seven sins, Casey. If there were eight, this would’ve made the list.

Especially Terrell Edmunds in that playoff game against the Browns and Minkah Fitzpatrick against them the week before.

Woof!

EK replied to the column I wrote about Ben Roethlisberger at the end of that playoff defeat. He has a lot to say. And, apparently, he is doing it all in one breath.

“Why shouldn’t he be upset I have no problem with that and it weighs it does need some time to be defeated in such a way it would have done this and anybody else would have done that what he did because you lose he’s a competitive individual and he wanted to win knowing his future was in jeopardy go Ben Roethlisberger.”

EK I completely agree and tried to make that point abundantly clear in the column as I repeatedly said I understand Roethlisberger’s disappointment and concern about the future those are valid responses which is why the photo of him slumping into the bench was so poignant and striking I’m sorry if that message didn’t come across in the piece that was my intent I will try to do better next time thanks for reading anyway ha ha go Steelers.

(Pant, pant, pant)

Phew!

His period function must work. I mean, he put one at the end of the email. What’s he worried about? Does he think every keypad has a limited amount of punctuation or something?!

This is a twist. Here’s one that makes me mad. I’m not picking on this one guy. He’s just one of many who tweeted something to this effect Sunday night. And I had to vent.

He’s bemoaning the fact that Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White has been playing so well and that the Steelers were without “the other Devin” from the 2019 draft — fellow inside linebacker Devin Bush. He went on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered during a victory over Cleveland in Week 4.

Just watching Devin White play makes me think about how different our season would have been had Bush not tore his ACL ?

— Cris (@C1arrieta) January 18, 2021

A few things on this.

• White was better on draft day. And he’s better now. It’s not a valid comp.

• The Steelers won their next six games without Bush. Losing Bud Dupree in the second Baltimore game later in the season was obviously a bigger deal.

• If losing Bush was such a big casualty, why were we making his backup, Robert Spillane, out to be the next Jack Lambert before he got injured, too?

Don’t get me wrong, Bush is becoming a quality player. I think he will prove to be a good first-round choice. And the Steelers missed him.

But this strikes me as using injuries as leverage to buffer our disappointment over how the season ended.

In other words, here’s the denial.

This is a fun exchange with a guy named Randy. He is pulling a Chase Claypool by ripping on AFC North teams who lost in the second round of the playoffs.

Of course, completely ignoring that the Steelers lost to the Browns in the first round of the playoffs.

I thought Baltimore was the team nobody wanted to play.

— Randy Diffendal (@randy_diffendal) January 17, 2021

Too bad the Steelers were the team everybody wanted to play.

They swept the Ravens.

— Randy Diffendal (@randy_diffendal) January 17, 2021

The Ravens won a playoff game. The Steelers haven’t done that in a while.

Hurray! maybe they will throw a parade

— Randy Diffendal (@randy_diffendal) January 17, 2021

I heard they are. It’s going to be the day after Pittsburgh’s parade to celebrate the 2020 AFC North title and the 11-0 start. You goin’?

The Browns celebrated with second place tee shirts.

— Randy Diffendal (@randy_diffendal) January 17, 2021

That’s weird since they finished third.

What was the Pitt- Syracuse score yesterday again?

— Randy Diffendal (@randy_diffendal) January 17, 2021

I yield my time.

And, finally, the rage.

Here’s an in-depth, well-thought-out retort to some of my recent comments about the Steelers and Penguins.

“If you don’t like Pburg teams ,,,then….(expletive abbreviation)!!! You (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted)”

Dear Sir,

I do appreciate your impassioned defense of “Pburg” teams. And please understand that I do like them. In fact, I (expletive deleted)ing love ‘em!

Which is why I’d prefer they stop stinking in the playoffs, if they even get there. And I’m not sure the Pens will do that this year. Nor am I certain the Steelers will do so next year.

Sincerely,

A (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted)