The Penguins’ surprisingly strong 2025-26 has meant that we have had much less of a hockey presence on a weekly basis here at “U mad, bro?”

Based on how things have been going so far in the playoffs, you can be sure that is going to change this week.

We also have some pre-draft fretting from Steelers fans and folks who are sick to death of all the talk about Aaron Rodgers.

All that more in this week’s edition.

When it comes to the Penguins-Flyers series, Robert offers some in-depth hockey analysis about how the Pens have fallen behind 3-0.

“My impression is that the Flyers were intimidating with their hits and the Pens were blocking instead of putting their bodies into them.”

My impression is the Penguins can’t score 5-on-5 to save their lives. That concerns me more.

Roger is not a happy Pittsburgh sports fan right now.

“I just have one thing to say to Pittsburgh teams: TANKSALOT!”

Say what you will about the Pirates over the last 30 years — and, Lord knows, we all have.

But the Steelers are in a perpetual quest to stay 10-7. That’s why they are chasing around Aaron Rodgers at 42 years old, and keep extending contracts for the likes of T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward.

The Penguins can’t say goodbye to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. They’ve retained Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. They kept Sergei Murashov down in the AHL all season. They barely played any of the core future prospects aside from Ben Kindel.

That’s actually a refusal to tank. And that might be part of the problem.

I’m not a fan of rolling out a team designed to lose in any given year, but I’m also not big on chasing mediocrity in the name of competitiveness out of fear of a natural rebuild when the time is necessary.

Both the Penguins and Steelers appear caught in the middle in that sense right now.

Here’s an email sent by Tim R. after the Penguins lost Game 2 to Philadelphia when 33 of their shot attempts failed to hit the net.

“I saw an article link while browsing: 5 things the Penguins might change things up in game 3

How about 1 major thing: shoot the puck more and hit the net and not wait until late in the 3rd period to do so…”

Well, Tim, hopefully you read my article after Game 2, as well. Because that is pretty much exactly what I wrote. I especially meant it about the power play.

On Wednesday, it was better, scoring twice in five tries. Yet somehow, all five tries were enough to make me insane watching them try to, apparently, pass the puck into the net.

JD was so upset that he couldn’t wait until the end of Game 2 to complain.

“Did resting the starters backfire? These guys are a hot mess. Listening to the radio feed. This is beyond frustrating. Talk us all off the ledge…”

Sorry, JD. It’s gonna be hard for me to talk you off the ledge since I jumped off of it after they allowed that shorthanded goal.

Coach C offers this analysis of the Penguins’ shooting accuracy.

Watching the Penguins shoot in Game 2 was like watching Rube Baker throw the ball back to the pitcher in “Major League 2.”

On Monday, I offered up my Top 25 Steelers draft picks of the 25 draft classes in the history of Acrisure Stadium. A guy named “RB” pushed back after I put Santonio Holmes 15th.

I acknowledged that in the post. So I asked RB, of the 14 players I ranked in front of Holmes, who should be lower than him based on their overall accomplishments?

I didn’t hear back.

Earlier this week, I suggested that the Steelers should trade up in the NFL Draft. This person disagrees.

No. They have 12 picks already. That’s plenty. Trade a few to move up in the first round if needed — or to move back into the first round for a second pick later in the evening.

What do you want Omar Khan to do? Horde picks like bread and milk from a Giant Eagle before we get three inches of snow?

via GIPHY

Finally, “Sargent Barnes 7” has a theory as to why Aaron Rodgers has taken so long to sign his new contract.

Here’s the problem. Just like his own throws, Rodgers’ pigeon only travels six yards at a time through the air. That’s why he is taking so long to deliver the message.