Tim Benz stories, Page 153
Jackie Sherrill: ‘A lot of mistakes I’ve made in my life. Leaving Pitt was one of them.’
It has been 39 years since Jackie Sherrill’s last game as coach of the Pitt Panthers. After three straight 11-1 seasons, four bowl victories and a career record of 50-9-1, he now sounds like someone who wishes he had never left. “There’s a lot of mistakes I’ve made in my...
First Call: Sidney Crosby is the Michael Jordan of hockey, former Penguins star says
Let’s hope we are a long way off from “The Last Skate” when it comes to Penguins star Sidney Crosby. But in the wake of the successful ESPN “The Last Dance” documentary about Michael Jordan, Sportsnet.ca asked Penguins assistant coach Mark Recchi for a hockey comparison to Michael Jordan. And...
Mark Madden on JuJu Smith-Schuster: ‘He wasn’t unmotivated, he was unfocused’
Some sports are starting to play without fans. Golf. NASCAR. Soccer. How can the four major North American sports — and the NCAA — learn from what they are seeing so far? That’s how Mark Madden and I start off this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. Mark has been watching the...
Tim Benz: The ‘Dumb, Dumber, Dumberest’ of James Harrison’s envelope story
Back in a different lifetime — a fuzzy, faded memory known as 2014 — I used to host “The X Morning Show” on 105.9 The X. My cohost/producer, Bob McLaughlin, and I used to produce a weekly bit called “Dumb, Dumber, Dumberest.” It was essentially a collection of the dumbest...
What fantasy sports players expect out of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, 82-game MLB season
Part of the reason many folks have been missing sports so much is the loss of fantasy sports, too. So if Major League Baseball comes back soon — if the players and owners ever get their acts together — that means fantasy baseball can come back, as well. Now what?...
Jackie Sherrill: ‘A lot of mistakes I’ve made in my life. Leaving Pitt was one of them.’
It’s been 39 years since Jackie Sherrill’s last game as head coach of the Pitt Panthers. After three straight 11-1 seasons, four bowl victories and a career record of 50-9-1, he now sounds like someone who wishes he had never left. “There’s a lot of mistakes I’ve made in my...
First Call: James Harrison has much more to say about Steelers beyond ‘the envelope’
In Friday’s “First Call” we look at everything James Harrison said in that interview with Willie Colon besides the inferred payment for his hit on Mohamed Massaquoi. Also, that story isn’t sitting well with Saints coach Sean Payton. Fake crowd noise on NFL broadcasts? And another “Lemieux” has No. 66....
Ken Macha on Pitt Hall of Fame, almost managing Pirates, Dave Parker legends
For nearly 70 years, baseball has been tied to Ken Macha. At age 69, the former Major Leaguer is still coaching with Westmoreland County Community College. His path on the diamond saw him roam as far as Venezuela, Montreal and Japan. But it so often threaded its way back through...
First Call: Ranking all 10 of Steelers first round picks of 2010s
NFL.com posted this ranking of the No. 1 overall picks in the draft from 2010-19. That’s what you do when you are in the midst of a coronavirus shutdown and you have no content to speak of. Hey, I’m not hatin’. I’m praising! Good job, Ali Bhanpuri. The check is...
U mad, bro? Readers fume over coverage of Ben Roethlisberger, Barry Bonds, NHL return
This week’s “U mad, bro?” has a little of everything. Angry hockey fans. Miffed Barry Bonds defenders. Football historians in a snit. Even a good ol’ fashioned case of mistaken identity. “B Byrnes” goes hard after Fox’s Jay Glazer for his shot at Ben Roethlisberger’s history of offseason fitness. Or...
Tim Benz: MLB owners are sneaky, but anti-cap paranoia makes players look worse
I’m not one who likes to compare big-time sports to everyday life. Matters of salaries and collective bargaining agreements and billions of dollars of revenue crop up quite a bit in professional athletics. When that happens, tune in to a sports talk radio show and invariably “Joe Working Class Hero”...
First Call: Jay Glazer unhappy with response to his jab at Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger
Wednesday’s “First Call” features NFL insider Jay Glazer’s latest attempt to clarify his characterization of Ben Roethlisberger’s workout habits. More heat on New York Jets coach Adam Gase for how he is using Le’Veon Bell. And there is a large Pittsburgh presence on the Pro Football Focus All-Decade team. Overcorrection?...
Odds set for ‘MNF’ booth. Antonio Brown is actually on the board.
Football fans can actually bet on who will be the next color commentator in the “Monday Night Football” booth. By some stroke of insanity, former Steeler Antonio Brown is on the board via Sportsbetting.ag. With odds of 100/1. I know. I thought they’d be greater when I read the headline,...
Tim Benz: NHL players, if you don’t want to play, stay home. You may be helping.
Some NHL players have expressed reservations about trying to reboot the NHL season. For instance, Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher wonders if a return would be worth it for a team such as his, unless the postseason bracket is expanded. The Canadiens would resume play 10 points out of a playoff spot...
Tim Benz: Trying to answer ESPN’s impossible question about Barry Bonds and Pirates
Recently, ESPN.com put forth one overarching debate for every franchise in Major League Baseball. Not one they are currently facing. Rather on an “all-time” question for each club. Items such as: • Which member of the Red Sox belongs on the Boston sports Mount Rushmore: Ted Williams or David Ortiz?...
First Call: Odds on Cam Newton to Steelers? Stats hint Chase Claypool can help. Myles Garret staying in Cleveland.
Tuesday’s “First Call” looks at how Chase Claypool may best help the Steelers. Why many gamblers seem to think Cam Newton is coming to Pittsburgh. And so much for those Myles Garrett trade rumors. So how can rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool specifically help the Steelers in 2020? Well, after...
Former Duquesne and WPIAL Olympic hopeful now a front-line nurse battling covid-19
Softball and baseball aren’t on the list of athletic accomplishments for former Duquesne and WPIAL athlete Anna Simone. Track is. After a stellar stint with the Dukes track team, Simone made a push for the 2016 Olympics. She also played soccer and basketball at Mt. Lebanon. But in trying to...
Why did Jay Glazer pivot so quickly after jabbing Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger?
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden and I give you tons of sports. Even though there are no sports. Thankfully, the NFL continues to give us plenty of content during the covid-19 pandemic. The league’s schedule came out. Now the question becomes, will it actually be played, or...
First Call: Steelers biggest question for 2020, thankful Jagr, future of Joe Musgrove
Monday’s “First Call” looks at an odd choice for the Steelers biggest question heading into 2020. The future of Pirates starter Joe Musgrove is an interesting talking point. Jaromir Jagr gives thanks. And we tell you how one city may play host to three teams this fall. Renew JuJu? NFL.com...
First Call: Ravens GM dodging questions about Antonio Brown, Steelers GM pumping up James Conner
Thursday’s “First Call” features attempts from Baltimore to quell rumors about Antonio Brown joining the Ravens. NFL scheduling leaks. And Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert props up James Conner as hype surrounding one of his backups swells. Antonio who? We all know former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and Baltimore...
Tim Benz: Jay Glazer’s shot at Ben Roethlisberger raises interesting dynamic
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer is known to have a good relationship with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. I’m not sure how great his relationship will be with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger now, though. In a mailbag Q&A with The Athletic, a fan asked Glazer about potential success for the 2020 Steelers...
U mad, bro? Steelers fans lash back at criticism of draft strategy, JuJu Smith-Schuster
The black and gold pom-poms are out in force for “U mad, bro?” this week. Mark Madden and I get an earful from Steelers fans. And the message is clear: “Yinz shalt not be critical of ‘dem Stillers, n’at!” Nary a discouraging word is allowed to be uttered within the...
Pittsburgh native features Steelers’ ‘Immaculate Reception’ in NFL.com’s ‘What If’ series
During the covid-19 pandemic, we’re running out of old games to replay. Speculation over the NFL Draft has come and gone. And now more lists about “all-time great sports movies” exist than actual sports movies. So what’s the new layer of content to mine? It’s not even speculation about what...
Tim Benz: New people for an old idea. That could help Steelers figure out ILB void.
The line of inquiry for Steelers linebacker Devin Bush on Tuesday was not a surprise. Most of the questions had to do with how the defense will adjust to losing 750 snaps from fellow inside linebacker Mark Barron, who was released by the team as free agency hit. How the...
First Call: Comeback Player of the Year? Ben Roethlisberger isn’t favored. Guess who is.
Tuesday’s “First Call” features Ben Roethlisberger’s odds at winning the Comeback Player of the Year award. The Steelers-Cowboys Hall of Fame game is in doubt. T.J. Watt needs some cooking advice. And the Jacksonville Jaguars are trying to cool those Leonard Fournette trade rumors. Captain comeback DraftKings posted their odds...
