So now Steelers Nation has caught up to the rest of the world in viewing James Harrison as Public Enemy No. 1.
Harrison turned up on TV last week to advise Le'Veon Bell to report to the Steelers, then claim an injury that would make him unable to play.
That would mean Bell would get his paychecks without doing anything.
Harrison knows how that works, because that was his game plan for his final season with the Steelers. Once he realized he wasn't going to play, he put in minimal effort and generally looked out for only himself.
It ran contrary to the effort Harrison put forth as a player, but things soured quickly and apparently irreversibly.
So now he's on the sidelines, firing darts at the Steelers at every opportunity. It's kind of like the old pro wrestling gimmick where a guy deserts his allies and becomes their enemy, for profit.
Thanks to cable TV and social media, there are plenty of those opportunities to irritate the Steelers. It's OK, given that Harrison never seemed to be a let bygones be bygones type of guy anyway.
Meanwhile, Bell is doing whatever he's doing, which is everything but playing football. Mike Tomlin said last week that he's not answering questions about Bell, which makes sense. There are no answers, really.
It's a stalemate devoid of any logic, so it's up to Bell.
The advice that Harrison relayed was so bad, you have to figure that Bell will take it into consideration.
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If you're as power starved as the Pirates are and know that home run hitters are the most difficult and expensive commodity to acquire, wouldn't you jump at the chance to get a hitter at a discount price?
They have that opportunity. The Pirates hold a $5.5 million option on Jung Ho Kang for next season. They should pick that up, and quickly.
There is considerable risk involved. Aside from this weekend series, Kang hasn't played in the major leagues since 2016. He had wrist surgery during this season. He'll be 32 years old at the start of next season.
But the Pirates desperately need power, even more so with Gregory Polanco possibly missing almost half the season after shoulder surgery. They have an opening at third base, where Colin Moran's rookie season was OK but not spectacular.
If Kang isn't motivated by the feeling that he owes the Pirates something after missing two seasons (he was paid for this year), he should have an interest in reviving his major league career.
There's no better place for him than Pittsburgh, where his skills mesh with the Pirates' need. He's capable of 25 home runs.
The Pirates have hit more than 100 fewer home runs than the New York Yankees. If you want to argue the Yankees are an aberration because they've had a record-setting season with home runs, try this one for size. The Pirates have hit almost 70 fewer home runs than the Oakland Athletics. They're almost 60 behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Home runs rule today. They're game changers. In today's game, $5.5 million isn't a lot of money. The Pirates wasted $5.75 million on Sean Rodriguez this season. Even an ordinary player like Jordy Mercer cost $6.75 million this season.
If outside alternatives were abundant, this might be a different scenario. They aren't, though.
The free agent market is unpredictable. Trades are a possibility, but the Pirates just sacrificed three prospects of some note to get Chris Archer.
Does Kang's power potential offset the considerable baggage he carries? In the Pirates' case, yes.
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Those Senate confirmation hearings were so hostile and contentious, the scene resembled a Clint Hurdle media briefing.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
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