U mad, bro?: Readers sound off on Kenny Pickett's comments, George Pickens trade talk and the live Eagles mascot

In certain ways, this week’s “U mad, bro?” is very conventional. It features some consternation about Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback miscues, George Pickens, and the state of the Pirates.

I mean, that’s “U mad, bro?” meat and potatoes right there.

On the other hand, we have a hockey reference from 1993, a football reference from 1972, a complaint about the real-life Philadelphia Eagles mascot and an ode to the Muppets.

Even more unexpected, two different NBA names are referenced

I said two … TWO … NBA names! In Pittsburgh. In the same week.

Will wonders never cease?

Someone named @blourbon1 replied to my post about the now-infamous Pirates fan survey.

They can’t be serious with these survey questions. It's like putting a kick me sign on their back ???? ????

— Yinzer (@blourbon1) January 30, 2025

Knowing the Pirates’ luck, if Bob Nutting really did put a “Kick Me” sign on his own back, that would result in Ke’Bryan Hayes tearing a hamstring while trying to do it.

Frank hated my column comparing the Luka Dončić trade to one I’d like to see the Steelers make with George Pickens.

“How can you possibly defend that trade? As for the comparisons to George Pickens’ situation with the Steelers, Doncic is going to the Naismith HOF first ballot. Pickens is going straight to the Diontae Johnson Hall of Infamy. This trade is the equivalent of the Steelers trading Joe Greene at age 25 in 1972 to the Raiders for Ben Davidson.”

Yeah. That might be accurate if Greene was out of shape, often injured and was about to ask for $345 million in 1972.

Then it’d be exactly the same.

Also, my link between Pickens and Dončić wasn’t a comp between their level of accomplishment. It was a comp between selling as high as you can on a young player with some obvious issues that may not be worth working through once he breaks the bank in the offseason. That’s all.

I get the impression that “Relaxed Styles” was a little dubious of that column too.

Comparing Luca to Pickens?

— Relaxed Styles (@Relaxed_Styles) February 4, 2025

If your suggestion is that Luka is way better than Pickens, that’s part of the point. The Mavs grew weary of a guy who was going to cost a ton (and maybe weight a ton) so they moved him, even though he’s way better at his job than Pickens.

Hence, the Steelers shouldn’t be afraid to trade Pickens. That’s what I’m saying.

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“Mike in the Mountains” sent a similar message regarding my column about what Kenny Pickett said at the Super Bowl and what could have been if he had stayed in Pittsburgh.

“That’s just media (baloney). Any Steelers fan and anyone who actually watched him play knows now there never would have been.”

OK. That’s fine. But allow me to argue that everything the Steelers have done at QB since Ben Roethlisberger hurt his elbow has also been, um, “(baloney).”

So who is to say they may not have been dumb enough to have Pickett be the starter in 2025 if he had backed up Russell Wilson to the same level Justin Fields did?

And, based on the numbers Pickett posted in his first six games of 2023, that is exactly what he was capable of doing.

Someone named “Dr. Matt Canada” was equally fond of that column about Pickett’s Super Bowl comments.

Kenny Pickett is an oft-injured, tiny-handed loser with less heart than the Tin Man before he met the Wizard of Oz.

— Dr.MattCanada (@TheMattCanada) February 5, 2025

OK. And that’s why … as I mentioned in the column … it’d be bad if he was still the starter here.

But the point wasn’t to say, for instance, that he’d be a better option than Fields. The point is that if Pickett didn’t push his way out of town, he might just still be here. So, be thankful he’s in Philly as a backup.

Unless, of course, Fields does return as a full-time starter next year and ends up being even worse than what Pickett was by the end of 2023.

Don’t rule out that possibility.

Steve checks in about the Kansas City Chiefs trying to get the rights to use the phrase “three-peat” from former Lakers coach Pat Riley.

“I remember the Penguins getting in trouble for not realizing they couldn’t use that in 1993. I had a shirt that had Three-Peat on it. I can’t get in trouble though because I tore it off and threw it into the fire as soon as Volek scored.”

When you threw the shirt into the flames, was Tom Barrasso sliding on his knees in front of the fire trying in vain to stop you?

May 14, 1993#Game7 of Patrick Division Final@NYIslanders' David Volek scored in OT to halt Pittsburgh's bid for a 3rd straight #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/b25GYoNfSN

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 14, 2017

Finally, John reaches out with a completely valid, totally sane, and thoroughly understandable reason for rooting against the Philadelphia Eagles on Super Bowl Sunday.

“The Philadelphia in-stadium pregame use of a domesticated Bald Eagle disgusted me. It is a protected species and symbol of America. It offended me to see an eagle used as a pregame prop as the fans sang ‘Fly Eagles Fly.’ In my opinion, it was animal abuse. Free the Eagle! Suffice to say I will root Sunday for the KC Chiefs even if they run the table.”

These are some fantastic points, John. And they clearly deserve some further clarification and investigation.

1. Is it animal abuse when Ralphie the Buffalo runs on the field at Colorado too?

2. Instead of singing “Fly Eagles Fly,” what if they just sang a song by the Eagles instead? “Seven Bridges Road,” maybe? Would that be more palatable? The harmony in that song may be hard for so many drunken Philadelphians to hit at the same time in the stadium. But I say we give it a shot.

3. Just so I am clear, you are offended by Philadelphia’s use of an eagle. However, you are not offended by the nickname “Chiefs,” their fans who still do the tomahawk chop, or the stadium name “GEHA Field at Arrowhead.”

Do I have that right?

4. Lastly, are we also boycotting the Muppets because of that time they hit Sam the Eagle in the face with a pie? Please advise.

John, the road is long. The path is steep.