Breakfast With Benz category, Page 129
Tim Benz: Let’s meet in the middle on this Penguins trade for Jeff Carter
Over the last 30 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins have cobbled together a long history of in-season “swing from the heels” trades. Some with markedly better results than others. Pre-deadline acquisitions of Larry Murphy, Peter Taglianetti, Scott Young, Ulf Samuelsson, Grant Jennings and Ron Francis in 1991. Kjell Samuelsson and Ken...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss what getting Jeff Carter means for PenguinsVideo
Tim Benz and Mark Madden return for this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLive’s Facebook page to talk about the Pittsburgh Penguins acquiring forward Jeff Carter and how he will fit in with the team. The guys also talk about the Steelers and the upcoming NFL draft, the Pirates’ recent...
Madden Monday: Will Jeff Carter be another Patrick Marleau? And what does the trade says about Evgeni Malkin’s injury?
The Pittsburgh Penguins are acquiring veteran forward Jeff Carter from the Los Angeles Kings ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. As our Seth Rorabaugh reports, the deal is in exchange for conditional draft picks and partial retention of Carter’s salary-cap hit. Which is sizable. The 36-year-old is still owed a prorated...
First Call: A response to JuJu Smith-Schuster’s interview with Michael Irvin; Marc-Andre Fleury climbs up wins chart
In Monday’s “First Call,” I fire off a delayed salvo about JuJu Smith-Schuster’s interview with Michael Irvin. A look back at some Troy Polamalu highlights. Former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury keeps moving up the all-time wins chart. NHL trades are already paying off in the East Division. And you need...
Tim Benz: Kevin McClatchy, former players reflect on PNC Park on the 20th anniversary of its debut
It had been a long time since something went right for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In fact, pretty much everything since the end of the eighth inning in Atlanta on Oct. 14, 1992 had been downhill. They lost their last shot at making the World Series. Their MVP went to San...
Tim Benz: As schedule eases, Penguins can’t afford a slump with points on the table
The Pittsburgh Penguins have nothing to worry about. This is just a little slump with about one-third of the season left. They’ve been playing so well, for so long now, that they are bound to pull out of it. I mean, good teams like this don’t fall in the tank...
First Call: Will Ben Roethlisberger stay with Steelers through 2022? A potential landing spot for James Conner
It’s an all-NFL “First Call” for Thursday morning with lots of Pittsburgh Steelers tidbits. At least one reporter thinks Ben Roethlisberger will be back with the Steelers after 2021 ends. A familiar foe from the AFC North is looking for work. And one outlet thinks it has found a landing...
20 years after PNC Park opener, Pittsburgh’s Sean Casey reflects on hitting 1st homer (and his quest for the ball)
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2021 home opener is Thursday afternoon at PNC Park. They host the Chicago Cubs at 1:35 p.m. The first regular-season game ever played at PNC Park — an 8-2 Pirates loss to the Cincinnati Reds — was April 9, 2001. That means the 20th anniversary of the...
Tim Benz: Duquesne football embraces restructured spring season, hosts NEC championship game
This time of year in Pittsburgh sports, normally the only postseason action taking place is the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Penguins. We aren’t usually thinking about postseason for football. Especially on the college level. Frankly, we are often just wrapping our brains around the concept...
U mad, bro?: Steelers, Pirates fans can’t decide if they are madder at teams or media for criticizing them
Steelers fans are mad at the team. Pirates fans are mad at the team. Steelers fans are mad at me for being mad at the team. Pirates fans are mad at me for being mad at the team. And everybody is mad at Skip Bayless. So, you know, a fairly...
First Call: Steven Nelson says pay cut was never in play with Steelers; Triple H on idea of Ben Roethlisberger joining WWE
Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us some answers about Steelers free agency from former cornerback Steven Nelson. A former WWE star kicks around the idea of a guest spot with Ben Roethlisberger. Ex-Steelers are being considered for the team’s Hall of Honor. And the NHL’s East Division continues to be constantly...
A trade idea for the Penguins — and who they may move in return
By this time next Tuesday, we will know what the Pittsburgh Penguins did — or didn’t do — before the 2021 NHL trade deadline. It’s Monday afternoon, April 12. In our weekly “Breakfast With Benz” hockey podcast, Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network has an idea about who the...
Tim Benz: Steelers aren’t becoming Pirates (yet). But there was one familiar theme this offseason.
I watched the Pittsburgh Pirates’ season-opening series at Wrigley Field over the weekend, and it got me thinking about the Steelers. Yikes. If that’s not an alarming open to any column about the local football team I don’t know what else could be. Now before all of you “Defend the...
First Call: Najee Harris praises meetings with Steelers; Mike Hilton fires back at trolls after signing with Bengals
Former Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Hilton is a little salty about how he has been treated by fans since signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. Alabama running back Najee Harris has some good things to say about his pre-draft interaction with the Steelers. Antonio Brown is openly pleading to stay in Tampa...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Penguins, NHL playoffs, Steelers’ draft, Pirates’ seasonVideo
Tim Benz and Mark Madden return for this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLive’s Facebook page to talk about the Penguins recent games, NCAA men’s basketball championship, as well as the Steelers and Pirates. After winning in Boston last week, the Penguins lost the second game of the series to...
Madden Monday: A theory on why Penguins’ Kris Letang has been more tempered in his approach
When speaking about Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, his propensity to take chances and gamble at inopportune times is usually only outweighed by his stubborn defense of his own style. Not in 2021, though. At least not since the Penguins have been saddled with so many injuries to their forward group....
First Call: Steelers’ Devin Bush uses some furry friends to help his ACL rehab; ex-Penguins get Capitals back atop East
In Monday’s “First Call,” Steelers linebacker Devin Bush has some interesting rehab partners helping him on his way back from a knee injury. Former Penguins are aiding the cause of the Washington Capitals. We look at the recent past and potential future of the Pirates pitching staff. Plus, a little...
Tim Benz: In a strange way, a near defeat may actually heighten Gonzaga’s legacy
That Gonzaga-UCLA Final Four game Saturday was the sporting event this country needed. I mean, when was the last time everybody in America on Twitter agreed that something was good? Well, aside from FS1’s Skip Bayless. Generally speaking, though, if he doesn’t like something that’s all the more proof of...
First Call: Steelers interested in ‘brawler’ of a tackle; A.B. pricing himself out of Tampa? Ex-Pirates shine in Rays’ opener
The Pittsburgh Steelers have their eyes on an interesting tackle prospect. Antonio Brown may be bargaining himself out of Tampa. Money is starting to come in on the red-hot Penguins. Ex-Pirates shine in Tampa Bay’s season opener. Gerrit Cole has a choppy 2021 debut for the Yankees. And we share...
Tim Benz: The harder you look to disqualify Gonzaga as an all-time great, the more you see it belongs
For as many upsets as there were through the first two rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, a lot of chalk made its way into the Final Four. Two top seeds (Gonzaga and Baylor) and a No. 2 seed (Houston) make up three of the Final Four teams, with...
Opening Day Feats of Strength: Pirates did a lot right against Cubs, and managed to avoid what could’ve gone wrong
After that Opening Day victory in Chicago, I suppose I’ll have to adjust my predicted win total for the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates. All the way up to 58 or 59. My minimal expectations for this club aside, Opening Day is always looked upon as its own entity anyway. Almost as...
Ron Hextall provides update on Tristan Jarry, goals for Penguins before trade deadline
During his 105.9 The X radio show Wednesday night, Penguins general manager Ron Hextall provided an update on injured goaltender Tristan Jarry. He also got very specific about the goals for the team as the trade deadline nears. On the goalie front, Hextall praised the work of both Jarry and...
First Call: Former WVU star visits Steelers; Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert at Notre Dame’s Pro Day; Sabres finally win
The Steelers may try to snag a defensive free agent away from the Cleveland Browns. They are also looking at some draft prospects from Notre Dame and North Carolina. Postseason odds are getting even longer for the Pirates. Plus, the Buffalo Sabres’ losing streak is finally over. And guess who...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans snarl about Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt hoops, the Pirates and our coverage of it allVideo
This is stunning. I went a whole week with no negative feedback from Steelers or Penguins fans. Nary a complaint from a reader about the Pirates. Not one angry tweet about Pitt. Not a single Facebook post lashing back at one of my columns. It was amazing. Ha! Gotcha! Happy...
Penguins could finally snap skid in Boston by taking a page from Bruins’ playbook
Leave it to the Boston Bruins to figure out a few things right before the Penguins come to town. The Penguins haven’t won in Massachusetts since 2015. They are on a 10-game losing streak in the Bay State. Prior to Tuesday night, the Bruins seemed ripe for the picking. And...
