I’m so upset that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn’t joining the Steelers. If he did, this weekly column could’ve written itself for his entire career in Pittsburgh.
But we aren’t going to be all quarterbacks, all the time. Our readers are upset about other things, too. Much like Rodgers, we know how to distribute the ball around here.
Let’s find out what else is getting people riled up in this week’s “U mad, bro?”
Let’s begin with Lui, who wasn’t happy with my column about how I agreed with general manager Kevin Colbert’s assessment of Najee Harris’ rookie year.
“Who asked you?”
Well, Lui, no one. But someone asked Colbert. And he gave a direct answer. So I wrote about it.
Who asked you?
Here is someone on Twitter who seems to feel that the discussion about Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh was misplaced.
If that was the one missing piece I could see us going for it, but we got more work to do than replacing a QB
— KickSmark My Heart (@TP7187) March 6, 2022
As did the Packers. But it sounds like they are giving him somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 million per year. Probably because they had 13 wins with that quarterback last year.
Without him next year? They would’ve only had six. Tops.
Rob would’ve been upset if the Steelers gave up any first-round draft picks for Rodgers.
Here’s the logic we need to use then-
Would we ever draft a 39 year old QB in the first round no matter how good we thought he might be?— Rob Sapp (@SappOutOfPgh) March 6, 2022
He won the MVP at 38. When Denver got Peyton Manning at 36 after neck surgery, he lasted four years. He was second in the MVP balloting, then won it the next year, went to two Super Bowls and won one. And Rodgers moves far better than Manning did.
Does that impact your logic?
And if he gets hit in his first game and is out because of our porous O line
I just don’t think it’s a gamble worth the cost— Rob Sapp (@SappOutOfPgh) March 6, 2022
You could say that about any first-round pick. Any player. Some people said the same thing about taking Harris in the first round last year.
Jeffery didn’t like my column about how Russian hockey players are entangled in the politics of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Hey Tim, I normally read and enjoy your articles about ‘sports’. Stay out of the politics arena. You look silly commenting without knowing the facts. Just saying. Stick to your day job.”
Not as silly as you look telling me I misrepresented the facts, without telling me what facts I misrepresented.
By the way, any time someone says to me, “Stick to sports and stay out of politics,” I know what that really means.
That means, “Stick to sports and don’t write about politics, unless your politics agree with my politics. Then it’s OK.”
Alec checks in on the Russian hockey players discussion too.
“The one point that no one seems to make is why does anyone care about the opinion of a professional athlete regarding issues of politics or foreign affairs. That’s about the same as tuning into the Kardashians to get their latest opinion on extending the child tax credit.
I understand that you have to write about it because people will read it, but I don’t understand why it matters.”
Understood, Alec. However, if no one asked Alex Ovechkin about the issue in the first place, I wouldn’t be writing about it. And people ask because Putin ostensibly put him in the role of North American Emissary of Russian Sport.
That’s why.
Now, to your point about the Kardashians and the child tax credit, I’ve yet to hear any of them voice their opinion on that topic. But I’m sure they have an opinion on who should be quarterbacking the Steelers in 2022.
Speaking of opinions on the Steelers quarterback, Thom in Houston has some thoughts.
“It is my opinion that far too much emphasis is being placed on a 1st round QB draft pick. This ’22 class is short on big-time QBs. We have three vets and there’s a few free agents. My first choice is Mitch Turbisky [sic]. He’s got NFL seasoning and a positive upside. The Steelers must add to a young OL, and (Iowa) center Tyler Linderbaum is their guy.”
Thom, like you, I’m also tentative about the projected first-round quarterbacks. I also agree that Linderbaum would be a good pick by the Steelers. I’m doubtful he’ll be available at pick No. 20, though.
As far as Mitch “Turbisky” goes, I don’t know who that is. But if he is any better than Mitch Trubisky, sign me up.
Seriously, though. On the quarterback point, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has got to be the only market in America that can somehow talk itself into being happier if its football team wound up with Mitch Trubisky as its opening day starter as opposed to Aaron Rodgers.
I’m convinced 40 years of watching the Pirates has softened our brains. We confuse “what’s a better deal” with “who is a better player.”
I swear Pittsburgh would’ve been happier with Trubisky at $10-$12 million, than Rodgers at $40-$50 million.
Or “Tursbisky” at the veteran minimum.
Finally, Jim wants to weigh in on Rodgers before we go.
“Rodgers to the Steelers is ridiculous and you should know this.”
Maybe it was.
But expecting them to compete for the Super Bowl with Trubisky, Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins at QB is even more ridiculous.
You should know this, as well.
