Breakfast With Benz category, Page 125
‘We won a division for God’s sake’: Brian Burke defends Tristan Jarry, Mike Sullivan, core 3 and ‘Penguins DNA’
Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Brian Burke hears the fans and media members who are voicing frustration and calling for change. Speaking on 105.9 The X on Thursday afternoon, Burke offered a straightforward reminder about the 2021 East Division champions. “We won a division for God’s sake,” Burke exclaimed...
First Call: Can the Maulers return in the new USFL?; a snag in Robert Morris hockey talks already; Jordan Staal comes up big
Friday’s “First Call” wonders if a return of the Pittsburgh Maulers could be coming. Brandon Saad and Jordan Staal are keeping Pittsburgh hockey fans interested in the NHL playoffs. Gerrit Cole gets burned by an ex-Pirates teammate. And things may already be going backward in the Robert Morris hockey negotiations....
Tim Benz: What was Bill Cowher’s best Steelers team he ever coached? His answer is surprising.
One of the more surprising declarations in Bill Cowher’s new book “Heart and Steel” comes when the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach describes the disappointment of losing the 1997 AFC Championship game. “That 1997 team might have been the best team we had in my 15 seasons in Pittsburgh,” Cowher wrote....
First Call: Steelers’ Highsmith praised; RMU hockey players unload; Pitt, Penn State Hall of Fame nominees
Thursday’s “First Call” has an odd honor for Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith, Hall of Fame nominations for Pitt and Penn State greats and Marc-Andre Fleury back in the crease for the Vegas Golden Knights. Plus, the Robert Morris hockey teams get to air their grievances against the university president who...
U mad, bro: Penguins fans seething about Mike Sullivan, jawing about Tristan Jarry; Pirates fans fed up with Bob Nutting
We are in the midst of a short week coming off of Memorial Day. But there is no shortage of evil emails, tenacious tweets and pouting Facebook posts. Pittsburgh fans are livid over another early Penguins ouster from the playoffs, the pathetic Pirates and the ridiculous Robert Morris hockey mess....
Tim Benz: Penguins’ efforts to salvage Robert Morris hockey may get some help. Will the university accept it?
Like testing a newly frozen pond, we may be ready for our first skate toward progress when it comes to saving the Robert Morris University men’s and women’s hockey teams. Now it’s time to find out how thin the ice is. A day after Penguins President and CEO David Morehouse...
Trustee chair: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert tried to save Robert Morris hockey, and Penguins are willing to help
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert was among those who “emotionally” appealed to keep the Robert Morris University hockey teams alive, but his pitch ultimately fell on deaf ears. Now the Pittsburgh Penguins are willing to help resuscitate the programs. If that’s at all still possible. Those are just two...
Robert Morris president leaves little hope for salvaging hockey programs
If men’s and women’s ice hockey players at Robert Morris were hoping to hear a change of heart from university president Dr. Chris Howard, they didn’t get one Tuesday. During his first public question and answer session with media members since the school’s decision to eliminate those programs last week,...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden break down what Penguins might do in offseasonVideo
After the Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted from the NHL postseason by the New York Islanders last week, there is plenty of speculation of what changes could be coming to the team this offseason. Mark Madden and Tim Benz discuss what could be coming for the Penguins on this week’s edition...
First Call: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert resigns from RMU board as backlash continues over hockey cuts; NFL’s new European plan
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” the decision to cut Robert Morris’ hockey teams may have soured a relationship with the Steelers general manager. We celebrate a Penguins anniversary. A superb ending in the NCAA men’s lacrosse final. And how the Steelers may expand their brand in Europe. Checking out On Monday,...
Madden ‘Tuesday’: Barry Trotz’s critique of Penguins’ top line was harsh, but ‘also true’
After the New York Islanders eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the East Division playoffs, they advanced to play the Boston Bruins. When asked to compare the Bruins’ top line of David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron to Sidney Crosby’s line with Jake Guentzel and Bryan...
Bill Cowher discusses his new book, personal loss, Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichick, and drafting Ben Roethlisberger
Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher is releasing a new book on June 1 entitled “Heart and Steel” (Atria). It is co-written by Point Park graduate, New York Times bestselling author and Boston sports personality Michael Holley. The memoir starts with Cowher’s life as a child growing up in Crafton and...
Robert Morris hockey players mourn loss of men’s and women’s teams, lash out at administration
Terry Shafer and Dyllan Lubbesmeyer had one thing in common. They were both goalies at Robert Morris University. They missed each other on campus by a year. Shafer graduated in 2016. Lubbesmeyer arrived in 2017. But they still have that bond. Or at least they did. Now they have something...
First Call: Steelers get preemptive ‘no thanks’ from free agent; Donald Trump tied to Spygate bribe allegation
Thursday’s “First Call” features a “thanks, but no thanks” to the Steelers from a rumored free agent of interest. Also, Spygate is back in the news. We’ve got a look at the NFL’s salary cap for 2022. Duquesne’s football schedule has been released. And LeBron James pumps up Dukes basketball...
Tim Benz: How bad was Tristan Jarry’s goaltending? So bad that it may confuse the Penguins’ offseason plans
OK, Penguins fans. Now you can say it. Goaltending really did cost them a series. This wasn’t Matt Murray getting outdueled by Carey Price or Braden Holtby. Or Marc-Andre Fleury losing to Henrik Lundqvist twice. Or the Tampa Bay Lightning advancing by Fleury in a series when the power play...
First Call: Are Browns a fit for Steven Nelson?; NFL clears a hurdle for Steelers’ return to Saint Vincent; ex-Penguin shines
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some positive signs when it comes to the prospect of the Pittsburgh Steelers getting back out to Saint Vincent College for training camp. The Browns could be a fringe landing spot for former Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson. At least one Ravens player appears to be stepping...
Tim Benz: Penguins must reverse recent trend of elimination-game failure to stay alive
Ever since the New York Islanders put the Pittsburgh Penguins on the brink of first-round elimination by winning Monday’s Game 5 in double overtime, you have heard a lot of talk from the Penguins about maintaining flickering faith based on their past playoff experiences. “Our players are well aware of...
U mad, bro?: Penguins fans boil over following Tristan Jarry’s Game 5 flub
I had to strategize around Penguins games to figure out when to release “U mad, bro?” this week. If I planned to post it in its usual Thursday morning slot, I’d have to wait until Wednesday night’s Game 6 between the Penguins and New York Islanders ended. And I’d have...
First Call: Free-agent prediction for Steelers; Cassius Marsh makes his pitch; Najee Harris gets Penguins fan baptism
Tuesday’s “First Call” features another national outlet pairing the Steelers with Russell Okung. Cassius Marsh is making his pitch to be part of the Steelers fabric on defense. And a pair of Steelers rookies are already integrating into the Pittsburgh sports scene. Doubling down The fascination continues with the national...
Peter Taglianetti remembers the 1991 Stanley Cup on the 30th anniversary of the Penguins’ 1st championship
The 1991 Penguins were winning heading into the third period of a playoff game. “Our team was so loose,” defenseman Peter Taglianetti recalls. “Half the time between periods nobody is in the locker room. Everybody is walking around doing stuff. Joking around. Laughing. The whole year there were never any...
Tim Benz: The Penguins lost a game they couldn’t possibly lose. And maybe the series as a result
It was a game the Penguins couldn’t lose. • A game where the Penguins had leads of 1-0 and 2-1. • A game that saw them outshoot the Islanders 50-28 (20-4 in the second period). • A game that featured a 36-17 Penguins’ edge in scoring chances through the first...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden preview Penguins-Islanders Game 5Video
The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena on Monday night for Game 5 of their playoff series. After the Penguins lost Game 4 on Saturday on Long Island the series is tied at two games apiece. Mark Madden and Tim Benz preview the game and...
First Call: Why JuJu Smith-Schuster is motivated for 2021; will Ravens or Patriots get Julio Jones?; odd praise for Aaron Donald
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is channeling the criticism he got last year. Will the New England Patriots or Baltimore Ravens land Julio Jones? Odd praise for Aaron Donald. And a big night for ex-Pittsburghers in the NHL playoffs. Better luck this year JuJu Smith-Schuster says he’s using last...
Madden Monday: Penguins ‘don’t have a playoff-style team anymore’
Yet again, the Pittsburgh Penguins are finding it difficult to score goals in the postseason. It’s been that way since they eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2018 playoffs. It looked like they may have figured things out offensively against the New York Islanders in a...
Tim Benz: Beatdown from Braves a warning of what’s to come for Pirates
Even when the 2021 Pirates got off to a surprisingly decent start by going 12-12 in their first 24 games, there was a tangible sense in Pittsburgh of, “Is this as good as it is going to get?” Well, the way things have gone lately, the answer appears to be...
