SmizBlog Is Out Of Control

If you were to read the comments on SmizBlog today, here are some impressions you may walk away with:

1.) Opie is God
2.) The Pirates are a World Series Contender right now
3.) Troy Polamalu Sucks
4.) The Steelers have carte blanche in Pittsburgh (this is 50% true, some people are all overly critical. some worship them)
5.) The Pirates have not had 18 straight losing seasons.
6.) The Pirates are 47-32 and 5.0 games up in the central.

I will attempt to explain and justify these claims as well as rebut:
#1.) Apparently, Huntington's trades, drafts, and free agent pickups have totally resurrected the franchise. First of all, when he got here this team had no place to go but up. So any type of improvement would be great, but also attainable. But the team's 2 best position players WERE DRAFTED BY LITTLEFIELD. Opie didn't even want to bring Walker up and did so rather reluctantly last season. Morton looked good for 2 months this year, but he's 2-2 with an 8.50 ERA in June. One poster passed that off as bad luck, balls finding holes, and defense. If he was 2-2 with a 1.50 ERA and gave up 10 unearned runs, that would be bad defense. Spotting a team a run an inning isn't merely bad luck and neither is a WHIP of 2.11. It's called regressing. The team is also totally bereft of power hitters and there is no help in sight.

#2.) The Bucs are 40-39 and 3 games out of first place, currently sitting in 4th in the Central. They are 5.5 games out in the Wild Card race. They are the 2nd worst offensive team in the NL, ahead of only the pathetic Astros. We are not quite at the halfway point of a season where the pitching has overachieved and luck has smiled down upon the Bucs. Yet, every Pro Nutter is having their Ted Leonsis-like "One Shining Moment".

#3.) SmizBlog dared challenged the fundamentals of the holier than thou Buccos today. He pointed out the MANY glaring flaws and left out a few more. However, one person pointed out that Troy Polamalu doesn't wrap up on every tackle and therefore Bob's criticism is baseless. I don't know where to strart critiquing that shit sandwich of a comment, but for the last 2 decades, the Bucs don't deserve to breath the same air as the Steelers ( and Pens for that matter). When anybody on this current Bucs squad has the status of Polamalu,  then you can throw stones. Even then, he'd probably miss the cutoff man.

#4.) That same poster wanted to know why Bob is looking for a reason to rip the Bucs and then later another said the Steelers cut guys and are never accused of a salary dump. Well, let's see: We cut Jason Gildon to replace with Joey Porter, and that worked out. We cut Porter and replaced him with Harrison, that worked out. We got rid of Foote and slotted Timmons in; Foote begged to come back and sit on the bench rather than start and make more money in his hometown. We dumped Haggans to start Woodley, I think that turned out okay. So yeah, the Steelers are known to get rid of past their prime free agents looking for a huge pay day. The Pirates are known for picking those types of guys up and realizing why they were let go in the first place.

#5.) For some reason, people still can't fathom the source of the negativity and skeptical attitudes of the Anti crowd. It's not as if the Bucs were a perennial playoff team or defending World champs and we are picking just for the sake of picking. This team lost 299 games from 2008-2010. They lost 105 games last year and did nothing to improve the major league team outside of the managerial position. Yes, the record has improved, but it's absolutely positively 100% the Lightning in a Bottle theory we tout so often. This franchise still has lost more than they won for 18 straight seasons.

#6.) Once again: It is June 30th and the Bucs are in 4th place and whopping 1 game above .500 while playing out of their asses. I say it won't last, not beacuse I want them to lose, but because I know what I am seeing. They have been dangerously close to using up their 9th life for a month now. Sunday looked like the real Bucs returned, there were glimpses Tuesday and Wednesday as well. It's not like they are way ahead in the division or having great team numbers. Team ERA is outstanding but the hitting is as bad as the pitching is good. Actually, probably worse.

I can totally relate to people wanting to see this team win. We deserve a winner here. But to be in your face, telling people to believe, telling us we are wrong to not buy everything the FO sells to us, that is ridiculous. It's divisive, as well. And a fan base at each other's throats is not a good thing for unity. Or, maybe it is. Maybe we need an insurrection. Because right now, here is how I see it:

The Bucs are magicians and the Anti's are calling out their tricks. "I saw you use that trap door", "I can see the string on that floating dollar", etc.  The Pro's are the little kids sitting in the crowd, totally in awe, believing that somebody really disappeared into thin air, only to return seconds later in another part of the show.

<END RANT>