Breakfast With Benz category, Page 164
Tim Benz: If Pirates are serious about getting a real MLB center fielder, here’s an ideaVideo
Here are the options for the Pirates in the outfield now that Starling Marte has been traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. 1. Move Bryan Reynolds to center field and have newly acquired Guillermo Heredia play left field. 2. Keep Reynolds in left field and have Heredia play center. 3. Move...
First Call: Diamondbacks bask in Starling Marte trade; Montana’s advice for Brady; big games for Pitt and Duquesne
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Arizona is celebrating the Starling Marte trade in a way we might not like. Joe Montana has advice for Tom Brady. LeSean McCoy talks about his reduced role. Jeff Capel’s return to Duke. And stunning numbers for Duquesne’s big game Wednesday. Hey! You can’t do that!...
A look at Penguins depth on defense, trade mentality, goalies, competition
A week off for the Penguins doesn’t mean a week off for Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network. He joins us for his weekly hockey chat even though the Penguins are continuing their break until Friday. Brian gives us his thoughts on the All-Star weekend and breakout media star...
Tim Benz: Different melody, same lyrics from Pirates after Starling Marte trade
Ask someone more social media savvy than me. You know, one of “these kids today.” But I think now that Ben Cherington has made his first significant trade as Pirates general manager, this would be an appropriate time to go with the Spider-Man meme that I see on Twitter all...
First Call: T.J. Watt shines at Pro Bowl, Kris Letang’s son becomes All-Star media darlingVideo
Monday’s “First Call” features T.J. Watt’s big play in the Pro Bowl. Kris Letang’s son was the star of stars at the NHL All-Star Game. NBA and NFL players honor Kobe Bryant. Cameras capture Tiger Woods’ reaction to the news about Bryant in real time. TD for T.J. Pittsburgh Steelers...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden: Kobe Bryant’s death, PiratesFest futility, Penguins second half, Super Bowl preview
This week’s “Madden Monday” starts on a somber note as we address the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Mark Madden and I discuss his legacy, his place in NBA history, what made him unique, and the sad memories Pittsburghers may have of Roberto Clemente’s passing as a result. After...
Tim Benz: Duquesne coach shares his memories of playing in NBA against Kobe BryantVideo
How many charges do you think a guy takes by the time he makes it to the NBA? Hundreds probably. Thousands, maybe? Of them, how many do you think a player actually remembers? Well, Duquesne assistant basketball coach Carl Thomas certainly has one that stands out. Because it came from...
First Call: Video of Antonio Brown turning himself in; NFL draft tight end emerges
For Friday’s “First Call,” you can watch Antonio Brown turn himself in as he goes to jail. Maybe the Steelers should pay attention to a small conference tight end who is emerging at the Senior Bowl. Pitt and Duquesne hit the road in college hoops. Robert Morris has a big...
Stan Savran reflects on 45 years of broadcasting Pittsburgh sports
After four-and-a-half decades in Pittsburgh sports media, Stan Savran has done it all. Yes, yes. Even this podcast. Twice now! In honor of Savran’s 45th anniversary on the air in our city, he joined me to discuss some of his many memories of covering sports in the Western Pennsylvania market....
Tim Benz: Ben Roethlisberger, his draft peers and QB mortality
On Wednesday, I got this text from someone who covers another NFL team besides the Steelers. He was at the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala. “(Mike) Tomlin is standing right here watching quarterbacks pretty closely.” Sure. I admit it. Upon reading that, my brain went places for a cheap...
Taking stock of Penguins’ health, goaltending and trade mentality at break
A break for the Pittsburgh Penguins means a break for our hockey beat writer Seth Rorabaugh. But not before we get one more podcast out of him prior to the All Star game. While the rest of hockey returns on Monday, the Penguins don’t come back until Jan. 31. And...
U mad, bro? Prickly Pitt fans, Matt Murray defenders, Barry Bonds debaters sound off
How are we going to start this week’s “U mad, bro?” With me being mad. That’s how. I was mad because I got locked out of my email. My stupid password expired. Why do they make me update that thing so often?! So I couldn’t get to my usual material...
First Call: Watt brother to host ‘SNL’, Chris Archer rips Astros, Todd Graham’s new job, Kansas hoops brawl
In Wednesday’s “First Call”: J.J. Watt to host SNL. Chris Archer fires at the Houston Astros. A major basketball brawl. A new home for Todd Graham. Live! From New York … How big of a personality is Houston Texans star J.J. Watt? Big enough to host “Saturday Night Live” on...
Mike DeCourcy talks huge night for Duquesne, Pitt hoops; Ben Roethlisberger; Super Bowl
It’s a big night for Western Pennsylvania college basketball on Wednesday. Pitt plays host to Boston College at 9 p.m. Duquesne visits Rhode Island at 7 p.m. And Penn State visits Michigan at 7 p.m. So we turn to college basketball expert Mike DeCourcy from The Sporting News and the...
Tim Benz: Let’s break down this list of potential Steelers free agent targets
The Steelers don’t have a first-round draft choice this year. No, Minkah Fitzpatrick doesn’t count. Again. So will they try to fill some holes via free agency instead? We should hope. My colleagues at USA Today’s Steelers Wire listed a few potential candidates. Let’s see which ones make sense. Teddy...
First Call: Browns to hire offensive line coach that some Steelers fans wanted in Pittsburgh
At the end of the NFL regular season, if you did a Twitter search of Bill Callahan’s name, you got a ton of people suggesting the Steelers should hire him as a special assistant to help coach the offensive line. Or just get him to flat-out replace Shaun Sarrett. The...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer talk Penguins’ Matt Murray’s state of mind, brutal schedule after break
It’s our usual Tuesday hockey podcast with Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network. And by usual, I mean typically unusual. Eventually we get to hockey, after much more pressing debates about Godzilla movies, baby Jabba versus baby Yoda, and Led Zeppelin covers. Following all those important topics, we get...
Tim Benz: Who cares if Penguins crowd jeers Matt Murray? What matters is how he responds.Video
In the wake of the derisive cheers aimed at Penguins goaltender Matt Murray Sunday, there was quite a showdown on Pittsburgh sports talk and online. In the Black corner, you had the “It’s my money. It’s my ticket. I’ll boo if I want” crowd. In the Gold corner, you had...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Penguins beating Bruins, Super Bowl matchup, Astros scandal
This week’s “Madden Monday” with Mark Madden features three big topics: • The Penguins comeback win Sunday against the Boston Bruins • The AFC and NFC championship games • The Houston Astros cheating controversy We start with the Penguins. How big of a deal is it that they got at...
Tim Benz: How Penguins flipped the script against troublesome Bruins
Normally, Pittsburgh’s obsession with losing to teams from New England is focused on the football field. This week, it bled onto the hockey rink, too. Whatever success the Penguins seemed to spin against the rest of the league this season, it had failed to manifest against the Boston Bruins. The...
Tim Benz: Hard to find sympathy for ‘cheated’ Astros rivals who stood silent
For the past week, the news cycle surrounding the Houston Astros sign-stealing controversy has been constant. And so has the bloodletting. Manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow have been fired. Because they were formerly members of the Astros, Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Mets manager Carlos Beltran...
First Call: Steelers’ surprising 2021 Super Bowl odds; Alex Ovechkin nears Mario Lemieux
The odds to win the Super Bowl in 2021 are out. And it appears the oddsmakers have a lot of faith in Ben Roethlisberger making a healthy return. Let me rephrase. The oddsmakers seem to have a lot of faith in Steelers fans having a lot of faith in Ben...
Tim Benz: Steelers inductions part of needed debate for Hall of Fame changes
Many debates have popped up this week over who should — and shouldn’t — get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a result of the 2020 “Centennial Slate.” I default to one self-reflective question: “What makes me more angry? Borderline guy who gets in? Or those who are...
Ex-White Sox catcher, Pitt star Kevan Smith at center of Astros’ sign-stealing: ‘We knew they had something’
A former WPIAL baseball star is speaking out about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. He was a first-hand witness to it and was prominently featured in the exposure of it. I spoke with Seneca Valley alum and former Pitt quarterback Kevan Smith on Thursday. You can hear the entire conversation...
First Call: Eagles may want Hines Ward; charity drops Antonio BrownVideo
Wednesday’s “First Call” features some news about a pair of former Steelers receivers. A dreadful call crushes Pitt. And two hockey oddities. Thanks. But no thanks Here is the latest, greatest example of how toxic Antonio Brown has become. The former Steelers wide receiver recently posted a video where he...
