Steelers and Pirates and Penguins, Oh My!

Time to catch up on the world of Pittsburgh's professional sports teams....

As is usually the case, the Steelers dominate the Pittsburgh sports scene, regardless of what the calendar says, and March 2022 is no different.

The Free Agency signing period officially began today, and the Steelers have jumped in with both feet and with checkbooks open.  The team addressed specific needs by signing a cornerback and two offensive linemen, including a center, but the sexiest signing was, of course, five year veteran quarterback Mitch Trubisky.

In a Facebook post that brilliantly captured the true spirit of Steelers Nation, my pal "Mike in Burke, VA" predicted that this would enrage half of the Steelers fan base while the other half would begin making plans to travel to the Super Bowl next year.

While I expressed a belief in this space a few weeks back that Mason Rudolph deserved to head into training camp at the top of the QB depth chart, he also didn't deserve to be handed the job without competition, and, obviously, the Steelers coaches, who are in a lot better position to know such things that you or I, felt differently.  There will be competition for the starting position at QB, we are told, but by all indications, the job is now Trubisky's to lose.

I think that I am okay with this.  The Number Two overall draft pick five years ago, Trubisky has suffered when compared with two QB's who were taken after him in that draft, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.  Still, he had a winning record as a four year starter with the Chicago, and led the Bears to the playoffs in two of his four seasons.  Reports are that Chicago HC Matt Nagy didn't care for Trubisky, didn't want to draft him, and, subsequently, never properly coached him up.  Perhaps that may be one of the reasons why Nagy is now the ex-HC of the Bears.

Having signed a two year deal, perhaps Trubisky becomes a placeholder for the Next Guy.  The Steelers obviously didn't think that any of the QB's available in this year's draft, including Pitt's Kenny Pickett,  is That Guy and worth giving up what it would take to move up in the draft to obtain.

We shall see come this fall just how long the Mitch Trubisky Era lasts at Rooney U., and for whatever it might be worth, I understand that "Mitchburgh" t-shirts will soon be available at sports clothing stores all across town.  I'll have to get one to go with my Duck Hodges t-shirt.

Also for what it is worth, I can remember Trubisky having some big time performances agains Pitt in his years at North Carolina.  Then again, Mason Rudolph did the same thing to the Panthers when he was at Oklahoma State.

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The big news in baseball this past week was, of course, the fact that the lockout of players by the MLB owners came to an end when MLB and the MLBPA agreed to terms on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Spring Training could now begin and a 162 game season was preserved.  Joy reigned throughout the land!

Of course, there was no joy in Mudville, or Pittsburgh, because the new CBA did bupkis to provide anything for teams like the Pirates that might, just might, spur some form of parity in MLB between the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers et al and the Pirates, Reds, Marlins and teams of that ilk.  No salary cap, no salary floor.  The owners, including noted local tightwad and pinchpenny Bob Nutting voted 30-0 to accept the new agreement, so you have to think that Big Bob is okay with the status quo.  Pirates fans are already setting their alarm clocks for the time when Brian Reynolds and Ke'Bryan Hayes become too expensive for the Buccos and are traded for "prospects."  The beat goes on.

A story by Jason Mackey in Sunday's Post-Gazette took a position-by-position look at the Pirates now that Spring Training can begin, and the only conclusion that one could draw from it is that once again, the Pirates are going to be one God-awful baseball team.  I hope that I'm wrong, and I am glad that there will be baseball games to watch on television, but how much longer will even the most devoted of baseball fans in general and Pirates fans in particular be able to withstand getting the middle finger from MLB and, and this is important, the MBL Players before they say "Enough.  I'm done."

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Friends and readers know that hockey has never been of all that great interest to me, except when the Penguins are in the Playoffs.  However, Linda is a huge and knowledgable Pens and hockey fan. ("Some people are raised Catholic, some are raised Methodist.  I was raised Penguins.")  So, in sheer self-defense, I have found myself paying much closer attention to the Penguins this year, more so than ever in the non-playoff portion of the season.  I am happy to say that I am enjoying the action more than I expected.  Being able to place small wagers on the games helps maintain interest, as does the fact that the Penguins are pretty good.

Last Friday night, as my birthday gift to Linda, I bought Tim Baker's seats for the Pens-Vegas game, and saw my first shinny game in person since the days of the Civic Arena, at least twelve or thirteen years ago.   This was in fact the first time I had seen a hockey game at the now 12 year old PPG Paints Arena, and I really truly enjoyed it.   The seats were great, and being able to see a game in person and, almost as important, hearing the sounds of the game - skates on ice, pucks on sticks, players on players, and even the sound of a puck to the face - was just a great experience.  

Plus, the Penguins won, and I can now say that the Pens have never lost a game at PPG Paints Arena that I have attended, so, Mario, send me some freebies willya!

One other bonus: after watching games regularly on TV, I can say the in Steve Mears and Bob Errey, the Pens have, hands down, he best team of play-by-play announcers in Pittsburgh.  Admittedly, in a town where Bill Hilgrove announces for three different teams, that is not a particularly high bar to clear.  Still, Mearsie and Errey really make the games enjoyable to watch.