Random Thoughts from a Black-and-Gold Mind: Desperation and Die Another Day Edition

With the Pittsburgh Steelers suffering a devastating loss last week in New Orleans and finding themselves needing to win and get help to make the ‘offs, my black-and-gold brain is drenched in Louisiana hot sauce. As always, I feel compelled to pass the ravings on to you. But first, I must offer up apologies for any offense that was taken after my last submission. So, a Mardi Gras of remorse goes out to and for the following...

• Jerome Bettis’ undercarriage
• Bad pick-up line artists
• Multiple Christmas Story references
• Former child stars that choose porno as their profession.

And now for the latest edition of Random Thoughts from a Black-and-Gold Mind.

• I have a great charity idea. For a $50 to Operation Underground a person could nominate a member of Steeler Nation for Mike Tomlin to go on the website of said-person’s employer and post #FireJimmy or #FireSmitty or whatever that person’s name might be. The gander might think twice before they call for the head of the goose in this case.

Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images

• Speaking of fickle Steeler fans, I had originally found it refreshing that not much venom went towards JuJu Smith-Schuster following his fumble to seal the Steeler loss on Sunday. However, I was wrong. Even though the guy played courageously and with an aggravated groin injury, fans attacked the team’s MVP over social media for the rare mistake. The worst continues to be from the media hack Mark Madden, who despises JuJu’s happy demeanor and blasted No. 19 for taking responsibility. This guy has no joy in his life and probably rooted for Johnny Lawrence, Monstars and the Fratelli Family. I know I haven’t recovered from having to see this shirtless blob getting beaten up by Tank Abbott in a WCW wrestling ring in 1999.
• Madden and others have been vociferously stating that the Steelers don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. I have a hard time saying that any team deserves the postseason over another. The Steelers are battling other teams with close to similar records. If the team was gifted games by referees and cheated their way in, I could support the claim a little more.
• Back to JuJu, Antonio Brown had the same zest for life until media and internet trolls wore him down to speaking a whole lot less.
• AB did represent with his “BrownS” jersey tweet this week. The Steeler superstar inspired me to add an ‘S’ to my No. 84 jersey as well. It may feel dirty to root for Cleveland this weekend, but sometimes in life we need help from unlikely sources. If in 1985’s Rocky IV the Russian fans (still under a communist regime) could chant Rocky Balboa’s name in a match against Ivan Drago, Steeler Nation can cheer for the Browns for 3 ¹⁄₂ hours.

• Chris Boswell is on the IR with a phantom injury. It’s kind of like the 1972 “Fender Benders” episode of The Brady Bunch when Harry Duggan wore a neck brace in court when he wasn’t actually injured. This may be the first Injured Reserve designation for a player that suffered from “a case of the yips”.
• As ridiculous as Keith Butler’s scouting report of an injured Tyler Eifert were, Bob Labriola set him up and displayed it in a classless attempt to embarrass the Steelers DC. Further evidence that the media creates stories for the sake of their own recognition.
• Some people are speculating Ben Roethlisberger was snubbed by his teammates for not voting the QB as their team MVP and are speculating disrespect for Big Ben. It could be true, but I’ve seen AB and others support BB time and time again. Despite the gaudy numbers, the ill-timed and large amount of interceptions probably dipped him below JJSS in the voting.

and finally....

• I wonder what Terrance Mathis is doing these days.

Untill next time, I urge Steeler Nation to ponder the significance of these Madonna lyrics (as they hopefully pertain to the Steelers) from the 2002 film Die Another Day.

For every sin, I’ll have to pay

A time to work, a time to play

I think I’ll find another way

It’s not my time to go

I’m gonna break the cycle

I’m gonna shake up the system

I’m gonna destroy my ego

I’m gonna close my body now

I think I’ll find another way

There’s so much more to know

I guess I’ll die another day

It’s not my time to go

Take that for what it’s worth, Don’t Stop Shalievin’ and Go Steelers.