U mad, bro? Steelers fans think we're too optimistic, too pessimistic. And they’re mad at John Harbaugh.

For some Steelers fans, being 7-0 and beating the Baltimore Ravens is cause for celebration.

For others, it is a certain sign of impending doom.

That’s how we start this week’s “U mad, bro?” Then we hear from other Steelers fans who don’t want any criticism of the team at all.

Ha! And you thought politics was the only forum where there was no middle ground.

Plus, we gripe about JuJu Smith-Schuster’s socks, a bad Pirates trade and whining from Baltimore.

Steven sent me an email. He thinks I’m getting too optimistic about the Steelers in light of my column about their 7-0 start.

“This kind of bravado reminds me of Saturday Night Live’s “Short Memory Loss Theater” skits.

The 2018 (7-2-1) Steelers went on to lose the next three games versus Denver, San Diego and the Raiders, of which only the Chargers were any good. But that loss came at home after blowing a 23-7 lead at the half. Remember that (expletive) show of a team? At that point people were seriously making Super Bowl reservations. How quickly does everyone forget?

Haven’t you learned anything over the many years of watching (head coach Mike) Tomlin’s Steelers and how they have a habitual and chronic tendency to play down to their opponents in games they have no business losing? I won’t even get into the failure to do anything in the playoffs for the past 10 years, because I’m not silly enough to look that far ahead.

It’s never the games against the better teams that worries me about this team, it’s the ones like they have coming up in the next three weeks (against Dallas, Cincinnati, and Jacksonville). I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they only manage to go 1-2, setting up a tie-breaker for the division lead against the Ravens.”

First of all, I bet Steven is fun at parties.

Second, umm, he’s not wrong.

Third, I loved SNL’s “Short Term Memory Loss Theater.” That’s a tremendous reference. And Bill Hader was great in that sketch.

Fourth, I bet Steven is fun at parties.

But to the point of his email, yes, the Steelers do have a well-earned reputation of being a team that puts itself in a great position to succeed, only to have upset losses undercut their success.

They’ll slay the dragons. Then lose a battle to woodland elves.

Which is why I mentioned those exact issues in my post, even referencing 2018 and last year’s losses to the Jets and the Ravens backups. And the 2009 team which missed the playoffs (between two Super Bowl seasons) because it lost to four sub-.500 opponents.

So maybe Steven has memory issues. Or he just didn’t read the column.

By the way, Steven, SNL used to do a bit called “Short Term Memory Loss Theater.” I think it starred Bill Hader. Have you ever heard of it? You should watch it on YouTube.

Now, let me answer your email about the Steelers.

First of all, I bet you are fun at parties …

This week, Steelers offensive players JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner were busted for wearing their socks the wrong way.

And they were fined $5,000 for the egregious transgression.

So they got punished more for their socks than the Titans completely ignoring covid protocol and forcing the league to rearrange the schedule? How very NFL

— chuck hanton (@ChuckHanton) November 3, 2020

Hmm. Uniform code violation > covid-19 violation.

Socks too low versus viral infection rates getting too high.

Playing with uniforms slightly askew as opposed to practicing illegally and with no masks?

Exactly, Chuck. Perfect NFL logic.

I know “mask shaming” is a big thing for finger-waggers on Twitter. The NFL seems to have taken up sanctimony when it comes to sock-shaming.

Sean was one of many Steelers fans I heard from who were mad about John Harbaugh whining over Minkah Fitzpatrick’s pass breakup at the end of the Steelers’ 28-24 victory over the Ravens last Sunday.

The Baltimore coach seemed to think it was either a blow to the head or pass interference or both.

It was neither. But that didn’t stop Harbaugh.

@minkfitz_21 was playing the ball. Not the player. That nullifies any pass interference call. It was what it was. A brilliant defensive play once again from Minkah!

— Sean McCarthy (@jem77pmc) November 2, 2020

It was a really nice play by Fitzpatrick. As was his pick-6 versus the Browns three weeks ago.

But before Sean gets too gushy about Fitzpatrick, let’s not act like he’s turning in the same amount of huge plays every week like he was in 2019. He could also take some improved angles and wrap up better on tackles. In general, he hasn’t been the same All-Pro he was in his first Pittsburgh season.

That said, I bet he gets at least one, if not two, turnovers this week against Dallas. He’s due. And the Cowboys’ quarterback situation is a mess.

I was on WPXI’s “Final Word” Sunday night. And we discussed the Pirates’ refusal to pick up Chris Archer’s contract option. We wondered if the franchise’s acquisition of the pitcher in 2018 was the worst trade in the history of Pittsburgh sports. Especially since they gave up Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz to do it.

Patrick doesn’t think that topic was strong enough.

Worse trade in PGH history?....it's one of the worst trades in sports history!

— Patrick Marcolini (@pmarcolini) November 2, 2020

Well, Patrick, the Rams and Mets may have a thought or two about Jerome Bettis and Nolan Ryan.

But I see your point.

Oh. And keep in mind, it can still get worse if Shane Baz ever gets to the Tampa Bay Rays and lives up to his first-round draft choice pedigree.

Just to cheer you up a little bit more.

And, from a local perspective, was the Gerrit Cole deal with the Houston Astros even worse? How about Jaromir Jagr to the Washington Capitals?

Finally, Thomas listened to the “Madden Monday” podcast this week. He thought Mark Madden and I were a little too critical of the Steelers for their first-half performance versus Baltimore and their inability to stop the ground game of the Ravens offense.

A WIN IS AWIN TSKE IT AN RUN

— Thomas Dunn (@ThomasD68466940) November 2, 2020

OK, Thomas. You talked me into it

I’ll “tske the win an run.”

Hopefully, I eventually catch up to Baltimore’s J.K. Dobbins. Because after last week, I think he’s still running.

All the way to Indianapolis for their game this week.

Oh, and, Thomas, never drink and tweet.