Chapter 1: What were the Pittsburgh sports fans' overall sentiments about the 2025 season?
2025, not a banner year in the Bender household. Not a great year in Pittsburgh sports. In fact, it was the winter of your discontent and your fall, spring, and summer of your discontent if you're a Pittsburgh sports fan. Everything finally sort of came home to roost. Everything came to, you couldn't take it anymore. You couldn't take it anymore.
At the Pirates opener, we had a plane flying above the stadium saying, sell the team. We had fans chanting, sell the team. The manager was booed in the intro at the home opener. Eventually, at least, the Pirates changed. They fired the manager, and now they've gone out and unbelievably brought in two All-Stars from last season in a matter of a week. It's way too late.
In some ways, it only underscores the rage you must feel about last offseason. I get that. But at least something's changed. With the Penguins, something pretty big changed. They got rid of a Hall of Fame coach. That's a pretty big change. And like I said, the Penguin anger. We're tired of this. We don't want to watch this anymore.
You know, manifest itself more with that franchise and just screw it. We just won't go. Then it does in, you know, fan insurrections. And then, man, with the Steelers. Just blind rage is what it's turned into. And they've had these franchise teetering moments this year coming off the horrific playoff loss to Baltimore.
And I've sent out a mass text today to all my colleagues here at the fan saying, give me your best, worst moments of the year. A lot of them are texting in the worst moment.
The worst game, the worst thing was that, and we've forgotten about it by now because it's been usurped by the Cleveland game, plus it was a year ago, was getting destroyed, just systematically destroyed and seemingly quitting on national television in a playoff game against the Ravens. A lot of them are pointing to that. But anyway...
I guess this is a long way of saying you're the story in Pittsburgh sports this year. You, the fans, are. Honestly, I really believe that. And I can't tell you how many people that I run into. In person or just get feedback from on this show. Columns that I do for the Post Gazette, all of that is just like, oh, my God, is is anybody going to change anything?
Are we just going to sail into oblivion with these three underachieving, in some cases, tragic sports teams? Well, a couple of them said, no, we're not.
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Chapter 2: What were the Pirates' worst moments during the 2025 season?
I wonder about the third one. They have a pretty big game on Sunday. And I know what some of you are thinking is that a loss would prompt the kind of change you want. That really, really presents a twist on the affair, to put it mildly. We have a bunch of people on the lines, O Limitless Wonder. Actually, you're Charlie Borges, aren't you? I find that offensive.
Well, I think you're a Limitless Wonder as well. You're capable of anything. Who's on? Let's go to Matt in Greensburg. What's up, Matt? Hey, what's going on? Happy New Year. Yeah, you too. It's still going to be hard to beat. Probably 10 of the Pirates' worst moments of the year with their PR. Yeah, you're right about that. I mean, I'm a season ticket holder, so it was... Well, what do you think?
Let me ask you this, Matt.
Chapter 3: How did the firing of the Pirates' manager impact fan reactions?
And yes, we could pick 76 different pirate moments for the worst of the year. What do you think when people out there blame people like you and say you're part of the problem over at the Pirates? Because I think people like you should be commended to no end for still supporting this team in spite of it basically kicking you in the groin year after year. Yeah, so here's the thing.
I don't expect them to win a World Series, probably in my lifetime. but I love baseball. I have a 10 year old son that loves baseball. So I like, I love, I love pirates. I love all of MLB, but I follow it closely. So I kind of have a different take. I'm not there. Like they need, they're not going to spend money. Okay.
And I think like this year could change if they, if they sign Okamoto, but I, I go in with a different expectation, maybe like, And I go to the games for what, you know, like my kids like to go, our family likes to go. I love, you know, so it's, I'm not there to, this is winter, winter, go home.
Chapter 4: What significant changes occurred with the Penguins this season?
You know what I mean? So, um, that's why I go. I don't. So if I walk up to you, if I'm one of these people and I say, Matt, buddy, you're part of the problem. Stop getting season tickets. Let's get fired up here, Matt. What do you tell him back? I would say, cool. Don't go. That's a great answer.
I mean, I don't know what, like, me not getting season ticket is not going to make Bob Nutting spend money. Exactly. That's not, you know, that's not going to happen. Like, it's to each their own. And, you know, we've seen the protests come and go every year.
Now, maybe I will say this, though, maybe the fan anger within the building and things like that and just the general vibe did help to create some change. But but you're right over the years. I think you have a right to do whatever the hell you want with your own money. I think that is that it has been felt. You could feel it, I think, just with their moves this this offseason. Yeah.
And I think there would have been a riot at Pirate Fest, I know that, if they just went and signed Adam Frazier again, like they did last year. I'm surprised they didn't sign him back for a third turn. Yeah. A third tour of duty. I didn't even call it, I didn't know we were talking Pirates, but can I just say about the Steelers? Yeah.
They are one win away from, you could spin this however you want, they're one win away from being four and one last five. and hosting probably just as bad an offensive team as we are as the Houston Texans in two weeks. And you could...
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Chapter 5: What were the Steelers' most disappointing moments in 2025?
All it takes is one win in the playoffs, and here we go. So I know it's doom and gloom. I called Crowley last week because, oh, you know, we could ā He's a nice man, isn't he, Matt Crowley? Yeah, he's awesome. But the roller coaster of, like, you know, it's like it's not as bad as we think and it's not as good as we think.
And I thought that, you know, if we watched Pittsburgh Steelers football the last 20 years ā Wait, what? What did you say before that?
it's not as bad as we think and it's not as good as we think after the good wins and after the bad they won a playoff game or even come close in nine going on nine years Matt that's that's horrible it's horrifying and and you were you said it's one of the worst you know listen I've watched them lose to David Carr and yeah with all this on the line with an AFC North title on the line and Shador Sanders is the other quarterback I get it but
Road game with Adam Thielen and MVS as your top two. I don't care if they had me and you as their top two. They lost to the Cleveland Browns on the road in that stadium. And believe me, Browns fans would have turned in a second with Shador Sanders playing quarterback.
Chapter 6: How did fans express their frustration during the Steelers' games?
I get it, Joe, but this game coming down to week 18 is more of an indictment on Baltimore. They're having these same conversations. They were the AFC favorite coming in. No, the indictment's on the Steelers, I hate to tell you. It's on both teams, but as I mentioned earlier, at least the Ravens win playoff games. The Steelers simply don't anymore. Yeah, but they lose the biggest ones.
They choke at home. They get to the biggest ones, though, don't they? I mean, it's...
whatever i mean they were afc favorites though and now they have to go and beat pittsburgh with maybe snoop huntley well within this calendar year they completely embarrassed the steelers um and had people saying they were the steelers were quitting so yeah no believe me the ravens are also teetering here but again at least they've had some success what else did that guy say we'll get to the general in about uh three four minutes here nelly um
I was reading something else while he was talking and just astounded by it. But now I forget. Go to the next call, please. One real quick thing. I know you asked for a phone call, but a couple of people on the text line have pointed out that in the sea of negativity, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds did win a championship.
And even though it's not as big of a deal as a big four sports championship in the community, it is a big deal for a local team to win. Yeah, yeah. That was big. Pit volleyball getting back to the final four was big for sure. Who's next? Let's go to Mike in South Park. Hey, Mike. Hey, Joe. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a good New Year. You too. What's your resolution, Mike?
I got an 11-month-old daughter. I'm trying to get her to stop throwing her plate on the ground. Good luck with that one. You might want to pick something easier than that. What's on your mind? So I called initially about a question, but I wanted to comment on the worst of 2025. So I was at the opening day for the Pirates, and it was like a scene.
And I've been to so many sporting events, went to the Pirates playoff games, been to so many Steelers games. That was insane. The negativity, the fan vibes, the booing. Yeah. But, but... I didn't go to the Bills game, but just watching it on TV, I just couldn't believe what unfolded that game. The booing, the renegade booing, the fire calm. It was sad. It was.
It was like the Steelers are Pittsburgh, right? So for that to happen, it just felt like a moment in history, if that makes sense. I'm sure there's been booing in the past. But not in the last, I'd say, 25 years. No, it was a low point in Steeler history is what it was. It was the fans turning on their team with justification and their coach for all the world to see.
And to their credit, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin, they bounced back the following week and won a big game in Baltimore. To their immense discredit, they undid and may have undone everything by staging one of the worst losses in their modern history by losing to Shador Sanders and the injured Cleveland Browns. You can talk about Watt and Metcalf.
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Chapter 7: What role do fans play in influencing changes within Pittsburgh sports teams?
She was enduring the game. Maybe that's the theme. This year in Pittsburgh sports, everyone turned into a baby and just started. They can't take it. They just started crying and throwing things. Exactly. Exactly. But my question is, take Tomlin's name out of this, right? So a coach.
who hasn't been competitive in a playoff game in a decade, hasn't had a home playoff game in half a decade, and you lose to a three-win team with a chance to win the division and have a home playoff game, what other coach doesn't have immense pressure on him this Sunday to win or get fired? Does he? I don't know. I guess that's the question here is, does he?
Is there immense pressure on Mike Tomlin to win this game? Now, I saw the report from Adam Schefter or the comment that Tomlin may be inclined to move on here. It always seems to come down to whatever Tomlin wants to. Yet in these other cases of successful, high-profile coaches who have been jettisoned by their franchise, that's just the point. They were jettisoned. They were pushed along.
Or flat out fired. Bill Belichick, for God's sakes. Forevermore. For however long the NFL exists. If anybody in any town has a question of, should we really be pushing this guy out of town? Go back and refer them to the Patriots and tell them that the most successful coach who ever lived by the measurement of Super Bowl trophies was basically fired. Use that example forevermore.
But you can throw in Pete Carroll in Seattle. You can throw in Andy Reid in Philly. You can throw in Tony Dungy in Tampa. You can throw in Mike McCarthy in Green Bay. But somehow, someway, it always seems to be here. Well, it'll be Tomlin's call. I guess that's when you have an owner who allows it to be that way in art. But hey, we will see what the Steelers do Sunday.
Remember what this town was like after the Bills game. They bounced back against this very same team. All right, let's go to the general. It's time for Starkey's Card of the Week from the Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry. Your chance to win the card or cards of the week comes from going on our website, 937thefan.com, to our contesting page right around noon Wednesday through Friday.
The 50-minute mark on the fan brought to you by South Hills Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Route 19 in Peters Township. And fan weather brought to you by Myers Law Group. It's very cold. Going to be snowy today, too, I think in the 20s. Pittsburgh's choice for affordable legal solutions. I don't know. That was kind of a weak weather forecast, Charlie, wouldn't you say? Me guessing that it's in the 20s.
Still isn't the forecast. What's the actual weather? I think that's important to delineate. Look, I was right. 23 degrees. The high today is 31. The low is 19. Calvin Austin III. Yes, with flurries expected. All right, let's get to the general. General Patton. I was just out at his store last week. In general, I was in a hurry that day. But, man, I just wanted to stay there all day yet again.
And Charlie here says you sent in the card of the week. But I don't know what the card of the week is. He was going to tell me, and I said, no, I don't want to know. I'm going to guess that the card of the week is, I was going to say Archer's Shelops, but I don't think it's going to be him. Maybe in a bad way, DK Metcalf. Maybe in a good way. Let me think. How about the new guys?
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