Tim Benz stories, Page 161
First Call: When the Browns called on Bill Cowher; saying no to Bud Dupree; praising Jason Zucker
Tuesday’s “First Call” features Bill Cowher’s dance with the Cleveland Browns, panning Bud Dupree, Jason Zucker’s impressive past, and the mean streets of the XFL. Bill almost a Brown? There was always some belief that the Cleveland Browns went after former Steelers coach Bill Cowher to coach their football team...
Tim Benz: Minkah Fitzpatrick doesn’t need to move in Steelers defense. Stats, video tell the story.Video
Is Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick perpetually unhappy with his job description? Or does he have a point? When Fitzpatrick requested a trade from the Miami Dolphins early last season, apparently part of his reasoning for doing so was that he was switching positions too much for his liking within the...
Jason Zucker is coming to Pittsburgh. Was he worth the price? How will he fit?
Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford got his man. The second time. Rutherford wanted to get Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker as part of the return for Phil Kessel last summer. But Kessel rejected that deal. No such problems this time. The left winger comes to Pittsburgh in exchange for a...
First Call: Antonio Brown dissed in boxing challenge; potential Penguins trade target scores; Larry Fitzgerald winsVideo
In Monday’s “First Call,” Antonio Brown’s potential boxing opponent throws an internet haymaker. The XFL’s ratings are off to a good start. A crazy mascot dunk. Larry Fitzgerald wins a title. And watching a potential Penguins trade prospect. A.B. KO’d in video Former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is passing...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Penguins injuries, Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick quotes, MLB news
We are all over the map when it comes to our “Madden Monday” podcast this week. Mark Madden and I touch on the Penguins, Steelers, Pitt football and two major baseball issues. We start with the Penguins splitting two games in Florida and how they will deal with their latest...
Tim Benz: Ex-Pirate Charlie Morton accepts scorn for Astros’ cheating. More need to do the same.
In the wake of the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, one player I’ve been anxiously waiting to hear from is Charlie Morton. After his stint in Pittsburgh, Morton was traded to Philadelphia then to Houston where he ended up winning Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. It is that 2017...
First Call: Outlet tabs Steelers, Chiefs as potential trade destinations for Le’Veon BellVideo
Friday’s “First Call” features some wild speculation about Le’Veon Bell and the Steelers. The Penguins’ next opponent is sliding. And Charles Barkley has an epic insult for one of his former teams. Green means … go? If the New York Jets do trade Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers and the Super...
Fantasy sports podcast: Impact of the Mookie Betts trade, Josh Bell’s future, quarterback movement
Hey, Red Sox fans. Welcome to how the other half lives. OK, maybe not the other “half.” How about the bottom of the lower third? Whatever. This is what it is like to be a small market team, Boston. Selling off your best players in the prime of their careers....
Tim Benz: Antonio Brown’s interview was maddening. Now let’s talk about where he was right.
Antonio Brown’s first Pittsburgh radio interview since he left the Steelers was 22 minutes of rambling inconsistencies, inaccuracies and illogical denials. That being said, let’s try to do what you may think is impossible. Let’s talk about where Brown was right. Because, believe it or not, A.B. was actually on...
Antonio Brown apologizes to Steelers, while making excuses in rare Pittsburgh radio interview
In an interview that was as inconsistent and wandering as his behavior for the past 14 months, Antonio Brown made his first live radio appearance in Pittsburgh since his football career came off the rails. Brown appeared on “The Fan Morning Show” on 93.7 FM Thursday morning. In a 22-minute...
First Call: Jim Rutherford cooling on Penguins trade talk?; Pat Narduzzi on MSU rumors; Duquesne wins
This edition of “First Call” gives us Jim Rutherford’s view of Matt Murray and the trade market. Tom Brady keeps playing coy. Pat Narduzzi is talking himself in circles. And a big road win for Duquesne. Standing tall During his Wednesday night radio show on “105.9 the X,” Penguins general...
Tim Benz: Penguins’ Bryan Rust’s ‘foundation’ for his goal-scoring surge on full display
This is what Bryan Rust’s season has become. On a shift where the Penguins winger scored a goal, the actual scoring of the goal wasn’t the most impressive part of the play. And, during the same game, a play where he almost scored an overtime game winner may have been...
U mad, bro? Pittsburgh fans jump on Hall of Fame voting, Penguins’ trade talk, Pirates roster
If nothing else, our readers show their great emotional range in this week’s “U mad, bro?” They are angry over Hall of Fame snubs. They are angry over Hall of Fame snubbers. They are angry at the idea of the Pirates trading away veteran talent. They are angry at the...
Penguins vs. Lightning preview; marveling at Alexander Ovechkin; assessing the NHL Eastern Conference
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning are going to see quite a bit of each other over the next few days. The teams play each other Thursday in Florida. Then they face off again at PPG Paints Arena next Tuesday. So we check in with Pittsburgh native and Lightning...
First Call: Le’Veon Bell on idea of reuniting with Antonio Brown; Penguins goalie trade talk
In Wednesday’s “First Call,” Le’Veon Bell talks about his future and Antonio Brown. Trade rumors for a Penguins goalie. And Super Bowl celebration hilarity. Whatever you say, Le’V Remember when New York Jets coach Adam Gase refused to directly answer a question about whether the team would be keeping Le’Veon...
Tim Benz: I’m not ripping Peter King for his Troy Polamalu snub
“Football Morning in America’s” Peter King admitted that he didn’t vote for Troy Polamalu for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, even though he felt Polamalu was worthy of being in the top five. His rationale? King felt Polamalu had the votes to get in anyway (which proved true), so...
First Call: Why Peter King didn’t vote for Troy Polamalu; emotional goal for Western Pa. NHL starVideo
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” we somehow bring Antonio Brown, Mike Vick and Plaxico Burress together. A great Twitter burn by an NFL team. Someone outs themselves as a person who didn’t vote for Troy Polamalu to make the Hall of Fame. And two great stories about some NHL products from...
Tim Benz: How Patrick Mahomes is becoming the NFL’s Sidney Crosby
Is Patrick Mahomes about to become the NFL’s version of Sidney Crosby? I can see it happening. How about you? A well-adjusted, mature-beyond-his-years, media-poised, marketing-friendly star who plays in front of a maniacal local fan base and has national appeal. He puts up points. He’s exciting to watch. And he’s...
Tim Benz: My bad, Troy. I could’ve done this better.
My bad, Troy. You deserved better for this. I dropped the ball. I was so busy being concerned about Steelers guard Alan Faneca getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — and mad when I found out that it didn’t happen — that I barely acknowledged your candidacy and...
First Call: Troy Polamalu jabs Patriots; Antonio Brown says he doesn’t have CTE; Trump’s Twitter mishap
In Monday’s “First Call,” Antonio Brown speaks. President Donald Trump tweets. And Troy Polamalu burns the New England Patriots over cheating allegations. Hall of Fame comeback Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday night. He also had a Hall of Fame comeback to...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden recap Super Bowl, Hall of Fame voting, Penguins’ wild weekend
“Madden Monday” this week is jam-packed with Super Bowl reaction, Hall of Fame fallout, the Penguins’ celebration after a win in Washington, and…. …Shakira? Mark Madden and I start by recapping the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers. I consider it a tribute to Kansas...
Tim Benz: Pirates’ Josh Bell thinks he knows why his hot start faded in 2019
Pirates first baseman Josh Bell has an interesting philosophy on his swing. It’ll be worth tracking as this season progresses for him in Pittsburgh. Well, unless he gets traded for two prospects that are barely old enough to shave, as was the case for Starling Marte last week. Bell is...
Tim Benz: Cleaning up that list of 50 greatest Super Bowl momentsVideo
Longtime football writer Rick Gosselin compiled a list of his “Top 50 Greatest Super Bowl Moments” for the “Talk of Fame” network. He had the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl LI comeback against the Atlanta Falcons after trailing 28-3 as the top moment. It was followed by the David Tyree...
Jaromir Jagr feels Mario Lemieux was ‘chafed’ when he signed with Flyers
Penguins owner Mario Lemieux may have been more upset about how Jaromir Jagr spurned his franchise to go to Philadelphia in the summer of 2011 than we thought. And Lemieux may have carried that grudge longer than assumed, as well. Former Penguins player and current team radio broadcaster Phil Bourque...
Tim Benz: 3 crucial points for Penguins to address out of the break
The Penguins’ 10-day break ends Friday night when they host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. It begins a 32-game stretch to the end of the regular season. They start it in second place of the Metropolitan Division with 67 points, six points back of the division-leading Washington Capitals. They...
