Breakfast With Benz category, Page 133
Forget Sidney Crosby’s 1,001st game. Why game 1,589 matters. And what it means for his future.
I’m looking forward to Sidney Crosby’s 1,169th game as the Penguins play in Washington Tuesday night. Wait. What? I’m sure you’re wondering how I came up with that number, seeing as how we just witnessed Crosby’s 1,000th game Saturday against the New York Islanders. I just happen to think that...
First Call: Tyler Glasnow on difference between Pirates and Rays; no love for Bud Dupree; another Fleury shutout
Tuesday’s “First Call” wonders why the NFL Network is overlooking Steelers pass rusher Bud Dupree. Tyler Glasnow dishes on the difference between the Pirates and the Tampa Bay Rays. We check in on the Eastern Division standings. Marc-Andre Fleury pitches another shutout. And we recall the “Miracle on Ice.” Tampa...
Tim Benz: Steelers projected to trade up for QB Mac Jones. The prediction is meaningless. The conversation isn’t.
This week’s CBSSports.com mock draft has the Steelers making a big trade up the board to nab Alabama quarterback Mac Jones. Why not, right? He piloted the Alabama Crimson Tide to the 2020 College Football Playoff championship. And if Ben Roethlisberger is cut, the Steelers will be looking for their...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss latest on Penguins, Ben Roethlisberger’s future, PiratesVideo
Tim Benz and Mark Madden return for this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLive’s Facebook page to talk about the state of the Penguins and the outlook for Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers, and to laugh a bit at the Pirates’ projections. The Penguins are in fairly good shape right...
Madden Monday: Bold prediction on Evgeni Malkin’s next chapter; thoughts on Kasperi Kapanen’s benching
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive is unyielding in his critique of struggling Penguins center Evgeni Malkin. “He’s just useless,” Madden declared. “He has 10 points on the season. That’s as many as Teddy Blueger. Teddy Blueger makes $750,000 whereas Geno makes...
First Call: Warnings about a Steelers RB free agency hunch; Alejandro Villanueva’s value; Penguins’ division battle
In Monday’s “First Call,” we caution you from getting too excited about a Steelers free agent rumor. We wonder about Alejandro Villanueva’s future. You get an update on the NHL’s Eastern Division. And a thoroughly bizarre goalie box score in Pittsburgh over the weekend that you may have missed. Packer...
Tim Benz: Looking for a perfect end to Ben Roethlisberger’s Steelers career? Too late.
If we want to be honest, Ben Roethlisberger’s Steelers career effectively ended as the opening snap of this year’s wild-card game sailed over his head. All the discussion since then has essentially been nothing more than figuring out how both sides can best accept that reality. Frankly, it’s already become...
Plenty of key Kevin Colbert quotes about Steelers besides the Ben Roethlisberger talk
When I read Kevin Colbert’s quote on Wednesday about the status of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s future, my antenna went up. “As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.” Well. That came off as, um, non-committal, to say the least. But when I saw the video...
First Call: Offensive tackles the Steelers may draft; Titans admit interest in J.J. Watt
Friday’s “First Call” has a look at the offensive tackle draft class Pittsburgh Steelers GM Kevin Colbert seems to like so much. Another AFC playoff team admits to kicking J.J. Watt’s tires. We saw a full slate of games for the Penguins and the rest of the NHL’s Eastern Division....
Tim Benz: If Ben Roethlisberger splits from the Steelers, where might he play if he doesn’t retire?
If the Pittsburgh Steelers eventually decide to release Ben Roethlisberger, the question remains if he would want to continue his career in a new city or retire. Should such a scenario develop, the most likely destination appeared to be the Indianapolis Colts. But then the Colts decided to make a...
First Call: Potential destinations for Steelers RB James Conner; another AFC contender wants J.J. Watt
Thursday’s “First Call” speculates about the future of Steelers running back James Conner. We celebrate Steelers greats, Jack Ham and Jerome Bettis. A candidate has emerged on the Deshaun Watson trade block. And yet another AFC franchise wants to be a part of the J.J. Watt conversation. Shufflin’ off to...
What numbers say about how much help Penguins’ goalies are (or aren’t) getting
Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is a big hockey fan. A regular at Penguins games. He’s into Robert Morris’ program at the college level, too. Colbert said something Wednesday about his own team that I think translates quite nicely into a discussion about the Penguins. He answered a question about...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans rant about Maurkice Pouncey retiring and all the J.J. Watt talk
This week’s “U mad, bro?” has Steelers fans popping off about J.J. Watt and Maurkice Pouncey. Penguins fans speak up about Jim Rutherford. And cancel culture wants a piece of William Shakespeare. Lord, what fools these mortals be. We start with Tony. He hated last week’s “U mad, bro?” “All...
First Call: JuJu Smith-Schuster recruiting J.J. Watt to Steelers; Mason Rudolph ‘Instagram official’ with Eugenie Bouchard
Wednesday’s “First Call” looks at the latest Steeler to tempt J.J. Watt to Pittsburgh. Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph finds himself in another celebrity romance. The Pirates’ misery loves company. And video of Adam “Pacman” Jones’ barroom brawl video has hit the internet. JuJu woos J.J. Other teams may be courting...
Tim Benz: What a free agent contract for JuJu Smith-Schuster may look like and why the projections make sense
If the Steelers were to prioritize signing receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, what would that contract look like? And what other teams might set the market? As mentioned in a recent edition of “First Call,” NFL insider John Clayton speculated on 93.7 The Fan that the Las Vegas Raiders would be a...
J.J. Watt to Browns instead of Steelers? Signals from Cleveland and Houston lean that way.
Former Houston Texans star J.J. Watt may not join his brothers with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But he may come to the AFC North. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Watt is “seriously considering” a contract with the Cleveland Browns. Because, according to sources she has, the Browns have salary...
Might Penguins get late scheduling edge in Eastern Division race?
Here’s one thing the Penguins may have going for themselves as the 2021 NHL season rolls along. They have yet to play what appear to be the two weakest teams in the tightly compacted Eastern Division. And they won’t do so until March 11. That’ll be the Penguins’ first game...
First Call: Does Steelers RB James Conner need a fresh start?; Penguins TV ratings boost
Tuesday’s “First Call” begins with the prospect of a fresh start for Steelers running back James Conner. More problems for Steelers fan-favorite Adam “PacMan” Jones. Pitt’s basketball team has an all-too-familiar look to it. And Penguins television ratings are off to a strong start. Rejuvenating James Heading into NFL free...
Tim Benz: Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement frames an unfortunate reality for some Steelers stars
The retirement of center Maurkice Pouncey raises an unfortunate reality for this current era of Steelers. We are witnessing a batch of truly accomplished players who may never get to play in a Super Bowl. And that may dilute their position in the pantheon of Steelers legends. Pouncey was on...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Penguins, Steelers, J.J. WattVideo
Tim Benz and Mark Madden return for this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLive’s Facebook page to talk about the Penguins win on Sunday and how the season is going, the outlook for Steelers future and the buzz around fans clamoring for J.J. Watt to join his brothers with the...
First Call: Steelers are favorites to sign J.J. Watt; celebrating Jaromir Jagr’s birthday
Monday’s “First Call” looks at who is chasing the Steelers to sign J.J. Watt on the gambling odds boards. A grim assessments of the Steelers by a pair of national outlets. We celebrate Jaromir Jagr’s birthday. Plus a Marc Andre-Fleury shutout. No. 49 for No. 68 Jaromir Jagr’s birthday is...
Madden Monday: Evgeni Malkin’s future; might T.J. Watt eventually follow J.J. instead of the other way around?
Last week on his 105.9 The X radio show, Mark Madden said he was hearing that Penguins center Evgeni Malkin was not going to be traded and that an extension may be looming. But during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, based on some new information, those assertions have been tempered....
Tim Benz: 4 questions to answer before you buy that Steelers J.J. Watt jersey
Now that three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt has been released by the Houston Texans, that news has opened the spigot for speculation that he may join the Steelers to play with his brothers, T.J. and Derek. While such a move would do wonders for social media...
First Call: Penguins may extend Evgeni Malkin; potential destinations for Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown
Friday’s “First Call” will quell concerns of those who were worried that Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin might get traded. Or, on the other hand, it might anger those who wanted to see him moved. Also, Tom Brady is scheduled for surgery. One outlet predicts that Antonio Brown is staying...
Friday Football Footnotes: Who was the ‘Most improved’ Steeler in 2020? Is Al Villanueva a ‘must keep’?
Pittsburgh Steelers fans, we haven’t done “Friday Football Footnotes” at “Breakfast With Benz” for a while, have we? Well, now is as good a time as any. There are lots of little Steelers nuggets to digest. Plus, I’ve spent way too much time shoveling the snow off my sidewalk and...
