Tim Benz stories, Page 183
Tim Benz: Sifting through Jim Rutherford’s mixed messages about Penguins
Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is sure sending a lot of smoke signals. Either that or Rome is burning. Maybe both. For the first time since 2006, a Penguins season ended without the team securing at least one playoff victory. And after the season ended, Rutherford said changes needed to...
First Call: Carl Hagelin stays with Capitals; another Carmody commits to Notre Dame
For “First Call” Monday, the Stanley Cup celebration in St. Louis was quite a show. There were a few hockey signings of note for Penguins fans. And another WPIAL star is heading to South Bend. Home for Haggy Carl Hagelin is staying with Washington. The former Penguin played in Pittsburgh,...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden talk Olli Maatta trade, Steelers running backs, Pirates quandary
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden and I discuss whether Jim Rutherford did the right thing by trading Olli Maatta to Chicago. We also investigate the quality of the return in Dominik Kahun. Maatta took a lot of grief in Pittsburgh. We debate whether it was warranted. Another...
Tim Benz: Even Olli Maatta defenders should endorse this Penguins trade
My first reactions to Saturday’s trade of Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta to Chicago for forward Dominik Kahun were: • What am I missing? • Are the Penguins absorbing a lot of the salary? • Is this part one of a two-part deal? So far, the answers to those questions appear...
Tim Benz: Pirates bullpen shows encouraging signs vs. Marlins
I don’t want to get too crazy. Simply file this one under “credit when it’s due.” But let’s give a mild golf clap to the Pirates bullpen for helping to win the series in Miami over the weekend. Boy, it’s amazing how much facing the Marlins’ bats can help, right?...
Fantasy sports: Will Pirates pitchers finally get a break in Miami?
In this week’s fantasy sports podcast, we are once again joined by Jeff Erickson of Rotowire. We start off talking about how fantasy owners had to navigate through a tricky week, dealing with some risky pitchers making multiple starts. One of those guys was the Pirates’ Joe Musgrove, courtesy of...
First Call: Strange Stanley Cup odds; Seth Meyers talks Pirates
Friday’s “First Call” features NBC’s Seth Meyers talking Pirates. Emmanuel Sanders actually saying something nice about Antonio Brown. And inconsistent odds for the Penguins and other NHL teams winning the 2020 Stanley Cup. Sliding scale The Penguins are usually one of the top offseason favorites to win the Stanley Cup....
Tim Benz: The NFL is screwing up its own replay fix
Leave it to the NFL to block itself from doing the right thing when it comes to pass-interference replay. The league was about to do something that showed eminent good sense. Now, it’s going to screw it up. Bear with me through this winding road of missteps and stupidity as...
Tim Benz: A ‘change’ is coming for Pirates 1st-rounder Quinn Priester
A change is coming for Pirates 2019 first-round draft pick Quinn Priester. Already. And that’s a good thing. Because the high school pitcher needs one. No, he’s not changing positions. Or going to back to football. The “change” I’m talking about is the one Priester is adding to his pitching...
First Call: Sir Charles loves Sir Sidney, Mike Rupp eats his shoe
In Thursday’s “First Call,” Charles Barkley loves him some Sidney Crosby! Mike Rupp eats his shoe. And Jenna Fischer has the last laugh. Sir Charles on Sir Sidney For reasons still unknown, the NBC hockey crew decided it would spend the first intermission of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup...
U mad, bro? Fans defend Steelers, Steve Blass, attack Pirates pitching
In “U mad, bro?” this week, defenders of the Pittsburgh Steelers come out of the woodwork. People are still angry at those who lashed out at Steve Blass. And what would this weekly post be without a few agitated Pirates fans honked off at the pitching staff? Jamie didn’t like...
Tim Benz: Is Penguins GM Jim Rutherford kidding us? Or himself?
When it comes to Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, one question needs to be asked. Who is he kidding? Us? Or himself? Right now, I’d say it’s the former. By the time the 2019-20 season starts, it may end up being the latter. Over the past three weeks, the...
U.S. Open Preview: Koepka looks for threepeat, Mickleson wants his first
Golf’s U.S. Open starts today. So that’s the topic of our Thursday “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. We turn to our expert on the links, Brian Taylor of “Real Golf Radio.” . He joins us to talk about all the major championships. Those events are often won by Brooks Koepka. He...
First Call: Pirates’ Melky Cabrera’s rising trade stock; Antonio Brown embraces ‘Hard Knocks’
For “First Call” Wednesday, is Melky Cabrera getting traded? How about Derek Dietrich? Antonio Brown seems pumped for “Hard Knocks.” High praise for a Pitt product in the NFL. And the Pirates first-round pick insists his arm is fine. Will Melky move? MLB.com posted a list of 10 players whose...
Pitt’s Qadree Ollison could be ‘dangerous’ with Falcons’ offense, NFL analyst says
It wasn’t the strongest NFL draft class for running backs. But Pitt’s Qadree Ollison may be one of the most impactful of the bunch. That’s according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. Here’s what he said about the Falcons’ fifth-round pick. “In a perfect world for the Falcons, Devonta Freeman and Ito...
Steelers’ Sutton Smith, ex-hockey player and Blues fan, breaks down Stanley Cup Final
It’s Blues vs. Bruins on Wednesday in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. So I turned to the best possible hockey expert in Pittsburgh for analysis for our podcast today. Look out, Bob Errey and Phil Bourque. Step aside, Colby Armstrong and Mike Rupp. This is Sutton Smith’s time...
Tim Benz: Can ‘Sweet Feet’ Shaun Sarrett fill Mike Munchak’s shoes with Steelers?
Everybody is in on the joke now. Not just the offensive linemen. “There you go, ‘Sweet Feet,’ ” Ben Roethlisberger hollered as he walked past a throng of media waiting for new offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett. “Uh, I mean, coach Shaun.” It’s been the running joke of Steelers spring...
Tim Benz: 10 years after 1st Cup, expectations change for Crosby, Malkin
Penguins fans have had a lot of fun anniversaries to celebrate lately. • The 35th anniversary of drafting Mario Lemieux was Sunday. • The end of this season marked the 30th anniversary of Lemieux’s 199-point campaign in 1989. • Today is the 10th anniversary of the 2009 Stanley Cup championship...
First Call: Antonio Brown is a singer now; enough Drake in the NBA Finals, already!
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Antonio Brown dabbles in Le’Veon Bell territory. Emotional reaction to Kevin Durant’s injury. Kyle Rudolph is staying with the Vikings. And, please, enough Drake! Move over Le’V Mr. Big Chest is Mr. Big Voice now. Yup. A.B. is trying his hand at singing now. View this...
Paul Steigerwald reflects on Penguins drafting Mario Lemieux
What did you do for “Happy Mario Day?” Did you go down the YouTube Mario Lemieux highlight rabbit hole? Wear a No. 66 jersey to Sunday dinner? Maybe place a bouquet at the statue in front of PPG Paints Arena? Those are all completely appropriate responses, by the way. However...
Tim Benz: Sick of ex-Pirates yet? Charlie Morton’s Cy Young-caliber year continues
Tired of hearing about how those ex-Pirates are blossoming in Tampa after the Chris Archer trade? Austin Meadows and that annoying .346 batting average to lead the American League. Tyler Glasnow and that 1.80 ERA before his injury. Tired of being reminded that Gerrit Cole is leading Major League Baseball...
Tim Benz: Josh Donaldson’s antics vs. Pirates prove MLB players don’t get it
If this is Major League Baseball’s idea of “letting the kids play,” then it shouldn’t. Because the kids can’t handle themselves. Whether it’s Derek Dietrich posing for every home run he hits, Max Muncy acting like a first-inning homer in June is a walk-off homer in October, Madison Bumgarner channeling...
First Call: MLB world offers prayers for David Ortiz; A.J. Green wants to stay with Bengals
In Monday’s “First Call,” an update on David Ortiz’s health after he was shot over the weekend. A.J. Green wants to remain a Bengal. Tensions rise in the N.L. West. Praying for Papi Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez reached out to former teammate David Ortiz on Sunday night after Ortiz...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Mario Lemieux memories, Pirates problems, state of Steelers
Well, what do you know? It’s a “Madden Monday” podcast … on a Monday! Will wonders never cease? Between holidays, vacation days and our mutually busy concert schedule, Mark Madden and I haven’t been able to connect on a Monday for the past few weeks, pushing our usual post back...
Tim Benz: Francisco Liriano latest issue for Pirates pitching staff
The Pirates don’t need this. It appears Francisco Liriano may be turning into their latest problem, after having previously been one of their most reliable performers. Liriano allowed a two-run homer to Mike Moustakas in the eighth inning Sunday. Mike Moustakas continues to hurt the Pirates. This is his 12th...
