Breakfast With Benz category, Page 172
Tim Benz: Gut reactions to following Gerrit Cole as opposed to Marc-Andre FleuryVideo
When the World Series starts Tuesday night, former Pittsburgh Pirate Gerrit Cole will take the mound for the Houston Astros against the Washington Nationals in Game 1. Cole’s dominant run through the postseason hasn’t exactly been embraced in the same way that one-time Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s was when he...
Tim Benz: How awful ‘Mud Bowl’ Dolphins compare to awful team set to face Steelers
This Miami Dolphins team the Pittsburgh Steelers will face Monday night is bad. Really bad. Every bit as worthy of being 0-6 bad as you might assume. Offensively, the Dolphins are tied for last with the New York Jets in the NFL in points per game (10.5). They are 31st...
First Call: Schooner crash, great onside kick, Duquesne running back pushes the pile
We start Monday with a “First Call” featuring a Sooner Schooner skid. One of the toughest runs you’ll ever see. And a creative onside kick. Oh, those onside kicks Onside kicks are getting fun again. Cam Sutton made a great play on one for the Steelers last week in Los...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer discuss Penguins’ goalies, Marc-Andre Fleury’s play
No Madden Monday this week, as Mark Madden is off for a few days. So consider this a “Metzer Monday.” Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network joins me for his weekly hockey chat a day earlier than normal. And why not? It was a busy weekend of Pittsburgh Penguins...
Tim Benz: An airing of grievances even without a Steelers gameVideo
So I’m sure you’re thinking, with no Pittsburgh Steelers game this week, there will be no “Airing of Grievances” on “Breakfast With Benz.” C’mon. You know me better than that. Just because the Steelers give us so much to complain about, that doesn’t mean we can’t complain without them. Especially...
Tim Benz: Some Steelers superlatives as the bye week endsVideo
Now that the bye week is done, it’s time to look at some Pittsburgh Steelers superlatives thus far in the 2019 season. After all, Mike Tomlin always likes to say how much self-evaluation he likes to do of his team during the bye. So we did a little of our...
Fantasy sports podcast: Elimination pool plays, QB importance, tough bye week
My fantasy football team is terrible this year. I’m not Miami Dolphins kind-of-bad. But I am, like, Arizona Cardinals or Atlanta Falcons kind-of-bad. And I don’t feel alone. Many people I’ve talked to who play are having a really hard time in their leagues this year. I float some theories...
First Call: Who would punch Myles Garrett in the face? Early goal of the year candidateVideo
It’s our final “First Call” before an extended Steelers bye weekend. We tip our cap to Dan Potash’s efforts on ‘70s night. There was one goal last night even better than Sidney Crosby’s. And someone was dumb enough to punch Myles Garrett in the face. Hit and run? If I...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ Mike Tomlin makes right call on quarterbacks, despite odd logic
What Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin decided to do with his quarterback situation was the right move. I’m just not so sure about the logic he used to get there. Or why he is as secure in the decision as he appears to be. On Wednesday, Tomlin was asked if...
First Call: XFL fan account jabs Antonio Brown; Ex-Pirates Gerrit Cole, Daniel Hudson shineVideo
In “First Call” on this Wednesday, no Antonio Brown in the XFL! The NFL knows its refs screwed up during the “Monday Night Football” game. And the Nationals are on to the World Series. Can we handle more “Baby Shark”? Hard pass on A.B. You won’t see “Mr. Big Chest”...
Tim Benz, Seth Rorabaugh: Who will run out of players first? Steelers or Penguins?
Which team is going to rack up more injuries this year? The Steelers or the Penguins? The Steelers have a bigger roster. So they have more chances for guys to get hurt. But at the rate they are going, I give the Penguins a shot at keeping up. Seriously, this...
U mad, bro? Readers aren’t happy with Mike Tomlin’s coaches, referees, Steelers’ defenseVideo
Stillers, Stillers, nuthin’ but Stillers, n’at! That’s where we are living in our “U mad, bro?” post for the week. Readers lob opinions on the Steelers defense, Mike Tomlin’s assistant coaches, referees and the field in Los Angeles. What? Nothing about the return the Pirates got for Gerrit Cole? Or...
Tim Benz: Did refs in Steelers’ game open replay wormhole to fix call?Video
Because of all the bad calls in the “Monday Night Football” game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, NFL officiating is top of mind this week. So it got me flashing back to Sunday night’s confusing fair-catch moment between Los Angeles Chargers punt returner Desmond King II and...
First Call: James Neal has his own goal song; Gerrit Cole faces Yankees
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” James Neal is making beautiful music. Gerrit Cole looks to dust the New York Yankees. And the Penguins get ready for the red-hot Colorado Avalanche. Real Deal Neal James Neal had a 40-goal season in Pittsburgh back in 2012. He’s on pace for more than that...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer discuss Penguins winning, scoring without key forwards
You know what Penguins rookie Sam Lafferty needs? A fun nickname. Like, for instance, if anyone had ever called him something like “Duck” before, this kid would be running Pittsburgh by now. The Hollidaysburg native has five points in his last two games and the Penguins have won their last...
Tim Benz: Dear NFL officials, you stink. Be brave. Do better.Video
Dear NFL officials, This is Tracy Walker. He plays for the Detroit Lions. He was trying to intercept a ball on this play Monday night against the Green Bay Packers. This isn’t a penalty. Walker was playing the ball. But the NFL doesn't want to hear it. pic.twitter.com/OMdW5ZqoOV— Due# (@JDue51)...
Tim Benz: Steelers win, but some grievances to air: Injuries, wide receivers’ play, stopping tight endsVideo
Given that the Steelers have only managed to win twice this year, I wanted to allow a little time before our weekly “Airing of Grievances.” After all, we’ve got to pick our spots to bask in the warm afterglow of victory, don’t we? That said, the Steelers’ second win of...
Tim Benz: Robert Morris goalie Justin Kapelmaster off to strong start
When starting goaltender Francis Marotte transferred to Clarkson during the offseason, it created what appeared to be a massive void on the depth chart for the Robert Morris Colonials. Usually, problems like that aren’t patched over by the time the first weekend of conference play is concluded. Usually. Fortunately for...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss if Steelers stick with Devlin Hodges after win against ChargersVideo
Mark Madden (right off a plane from Las Vegas) and Tim Benz break down the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday night. The TribLIVE columnists got together Monday morning on Facebook Live to discuss the win. The guys say the play of the Steelers defense and...
First Call: Le’Veon Bell kids coach after first win; Dolphins are as bad as we thoughtVideo
In Monday’s “First Call,” Le’Veon Bell needles his coach with a little post-win celebration. A high school football highlight for the ages. The Miami Dolphins-Washington Redskins game was every bit as bad as advertised. And the Pope accidentally reveals his favorite NFL team. You should’ve seen it coming. Laughing Le’Veon...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden on Steelers win, Penguins hot offense
It’s another edition of “Madden Monday.” This one from Las Vegas as Mark Madden checks in from the road. We recap the dawn of the “Duck Dynasty” as Devlin “Duck” Hodges gets the win in his NFL starting debut. He and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Los Angeles Chargers 24-17...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ feats of strength after 24-17 win over ChargersVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers were traveling to the West Coast — where they are always bad — to play the Los Angeles Chargers. They were banged up, absent eight regulars. And they had to start third-string quarterback Devlin “Duck Dynasty” Hodges. So I had the “Airing of Grievances” template ready to...
Fantasy sports podcast: These Chargers may feast on Steelers again
It’s our weekly fantasy sports podcast with Jeff Erickson of RotoWire. This week, I vent about my recent lack of big-time production from Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. I’m probably not alone there. Speaking of Houston’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, we have a prediction about someone besides...
First Call: National broadcast jumps on ex-Pirates ALDS battle; James Neal stays hotVideo
For our final “First Call” of the week, we recap the ex-Pirates battle in Game 5 of the ALDS. James Neal can’t be stopped in Edmonton. And a very happy anniversary for a Pitt football legend. No contest Gerrit Cole and the Houston Astros blew by Tyler Glasnow and the...
Football Footnotes: Browns could continue downslide, 49ers-Rams a marquee matchup in Week 6
The Steelers play Sunday night in Los Angeles against the Chargers. So let’s fill up your plate with NFL viewing before the Black and Gold kickoff at 8:20 p.m. And maybe beyond. Here’s what to watch as you get ready for — and recover from — the latest Steelers game....
