You don’t need me to tell you this but I will; everyone wants everything to be a story. The 24/7 news cycle and social media have created a society that demands controversy where there is none. The last week or so has seen the Pittsburgh Steelers deal with what may be something and what may be nothing at all. How will we know if it’s one or the other? The results on Sunday could be a key indicator of that.
Local and National pundits along with a plethora of fans tried their best to make Mike McCarthy’s “We need to clean up our house” comment into something far more than what it was. Context matters. It matters more often than you think and it absolutely did in this case. Off the heels of the Joey Porter, Jr trade and some emotional outbursts during the game, there were many that wanted this to be a huge soap opera.
Pat Freiermuth was asked about it the next day in the locker room and immediately stated it for what it was – a nothing comment. McCarthy made the comment while discussing “self-scouting.” This was a throw away type comment at the end of the presser yet even those who knew that still wanted to make it into something more. Look at social media in the hours and days following the Porter, Jr trade. The mad dash to be “right” or to get out the perfect comment was enough to make one throw up.
There might come a time this season when the Steelers do in fact have issues bigger than they do now. Heck, it could come as soon as Sunday for all we know. But the constant need to make a mountain out of a mole hill has grown tiresome. Do I recognize that this is just the way things are these days in regards to covering sports and news in general? I do, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it or even accept it.
When I started blogging and podcasting the Steelers nearly 20 years ago I quickly learned what was acceptable and what wasn’t. I’d like to think those same principles still exist but I fear they do not. There wouldn’t be much of a story in that case now would there?
