Tim Benz stories, Page 163
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...
Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot says team needs to evaluate while winning
Duquesne’s hot start to 2019-20 has started to bring some national attention. At 14-2 (4-0 Atlantic 10), the Dukes received nine AP Top 25 votes this week. Also, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi isn’t ruling out a potential at-large NCAA tournament bid, if Duquesne wins its fair share of road games...
U mad, bro? Readers rip Bill Cowher, defend Tony Romo, debate James Conner, attack Tim Benz
In “U mad, bro?” this week, readers pop off about James Conner, they defend Tony Romo’s money, they rip Bill Cowher’s Hall of Fame induction, and they go hard against me. Well, not so much me. Just this weekly column. Eh, no. It’s me. It’s definitely me. The “RefofPttsburgh” sent...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer: Could familiar Penguins trade target re-emerge?
In this week’s hockey podcast, Penguins Radio Network host Brian Metzer and I tell you how to “take care of y’all mentals” during this stressful stretch of hockey. The Penguins are going to shove five more games onto the calendar between now and their 10-day break which starts on Jan....
Tim Benz: ESPN analyst says road results could get Duquesne into NCAA Tournament
The 14-2 Duquesne basketball team received nine votes in this week’s AP Top 25 poll. That may not sound like a lot. But it is miles away from where this program was when Keith Dambrot took over as head coach after a 10-22 campaign in 2016-17. The Dukes look to...
Tim Benz: Is Tony Romo, or any NFL analyst, worth $14 million?
A report from Front Office Sports states that ESPN is preparing to offer CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo somewhere between $10-$14 million annually. Let’s split the difference and say it’s $12 million. If Romo were to sign that deal, he’d make more cash in 2020 as a broadcaster than: •...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden break down Penguins’ western sweep, Tristan Jarry’s brilliance, AFC playoff stunners
In this week’s “Madden Monday,” Mark Madden is playing hurt. Why should he be different than anyone else in the Pittsburgh sports scene? Mark is really sick. But he joins us anyway for this week’s podcast. Kinda like the Penguins, right? Everyone is injured. But they are managing to win....
First Call: Ray Shero fired. Rob Scuderi promoted. Potential Penguins trade target stays hot.
It’s a hockey-heavy “First Call” for Monday. Ray Shero is out in New Jersey. Rob Scuderi has been promoted in Nashville. A potential Penguins trade target is on fire. And the sport recognizes a music legend. Bedeviled Former Penguins general manager Ray Shero has been fired as GM of the...
Tim Benz: The complicated case of Steelers RB James Conner
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Mike Tomlin and his dealings with the media, it’s this: If he doesn’t want to answer a question directly, he won’t. He’ll no comment. He’ll respond but not really answer. He’ll talk around an inquiry. He’ll say a lot without saying anything. If...
Tim Benz: Marcus Weathers a huge reason for Duquesne’s hot start
Here’s what Saint Louis University basketball coach Travis Ford said about Duquesne forward Marcus Weathers before the two teams tipped off Jan. 2. “I think Weathers has developed into one of the best players in the Atlantic 10,” Ford said. “He’s turned into an elite player. He gives you a...
Fantasy football industry looking into NFL Wild Card Weekend controversy
Controversy during last week’s NFL Wild Card Weekend wasn’t limited to pass-interference debates and arguments over the overtime format. No, it bled into the fantasy football world as well, courtesy of two former reality TV stars. A pair of alumni from “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” — Jade Roper Tolbert...
Tim Benz: Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is right to look for trade after Jake Guentzel’s injury
Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford stopped short of saying the Penguins would definitely make a trade to offset the loss of All-Star winger Jake Guentzel. Not by much, though. Speaking on his 105.9 the X radio show Wednesday night, Rutherford sounded like a GM well-aware of what he had lost....
First Call: Penguins GM Jim Rutherford talks trade interest, Kris Letang’s issues, Evgeni Malkin’s riskiness
“First Call” today is all Jim Rutherford, all the time. The Penguins general manager had his first radio show of the year on 105.9 the X Wednesday. And the hyperbole meter was on high. During the program, Rutherford: • Called Jake Guentzel “the most underappreciated star player in the league”...
As the Penguins turn: When will Sidney Crosby return? When will Matt Murray play?
TribLive Penguins beat writer Seth Rorabaugh joins me for our weekly hockey podcast. The Penguins are grinding through a difficult month with seven more games packed in before they hit Jan. 22 for their bye week. There are two more games on this road trip. And captain Sidney Crosby may...
U mad, bro? Readers trash NFL overtime, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner, Tom Brady. But mostly Tim Benz.
Most of the heat in this week’s “U mad, bro?” comes down on me because of my thoughts on Tom Brady and NFL overtime. Well, me and Brady himself. And JuJu Smith-Schuster. And James Conner. And Mike Tomlin. Ok. Maybe it’s not all me. Anyway, let’s see who the readers...
First Call: Golden Knights’ Marc-Andre Fleury blames himself for loss; Penguins trade targets heat upVideo
Wednesday’s “First Call” features an unhappy Marc-Andre Fleury after losing to his old Penguins teammates. Two Penguins’ trade targets net goals. Bob Huggins gets fined. And the Pitt hoops team may be catching North Carolina at the right time. At least Roy Williams seems to think so. No Flower power...
Tim Benz: Duquesne looks to stay hot in ‘first’ road game of seasonVideo
The Duquesne men’s basketball team hasn’t played a true road game all season. Then again, they haven’t played a true home game all season either, have they? The first of those two things will change Wednesday night. The other won’t change until next season. Duquesne (12-2) visits St. Joseph’s (3-11)...
How Titans defeated Patriots and can they beat Ravens, too?
The last time we caught up with old friend Jon Burton (formerly of WTAE-TV) on the “Breakfast With Benz” podcast, it was mid-August. The Pittsburgh Steelers were getting ready to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 of the preseason, and Burton was covering it for News Channel 5 in...
