Tim Benz stories, Page 193
Tim Benz: Le’Veon Bell can blame only himself for contract with Jets coming up short
Le’Veon Bell agreed to a contract with the New York Jets that’ll reportedly pay him somewhere between $52 million and $61 million over four years. The last reported offer he had to stay in Pittsburgh was $70 million over five years. Le’Veon Bell’s four-year deal with the New York Jets...
First call: Where were the Steelers as NFL free agency was going nuts?
In “First Call” Tuesday, the first look at Antonio Brown as a Raider. Kinda. What were Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin doing as the NFL free agent frenzy was taking place? A funny check on Le’Veon Bell and Adisa Bakari. The Penguins can’t gain ground in the Eastern Conference. Sneak...
As Jets start dishing out contracts, could Le’Veon Bell be next?
As the pain of the Antonio Brown saga fades, we wait to see where Le’Veon Bell may wind up. Everyone wants to see if his odyssey to free agency pays off the way that he thought it would. Of course, Bell wants us to think that teams are falling all...
First call: Even WWE in Pittsburgh piles on Antonio Brown departure
In “First Call” Tuesday, even the WWE is piling on Antonio Brown’s departure. A local kid impacts the NHL last night. And the Eastern Conference playoff picture is still chaotic. Who wants to walk with A.B.? Plum native and WWE star Elias played the bad-guy role perfectly in a recent...
Podcast: How many points will Penguins get in 4 games this week?
Brian Metzer of the Penguins radio network joins me for our weekly Sided.co hockey podcast. We talk about Matt Murray’s steady play. Was he the star of the weekend? And can he hold up against the Capitals on Tuesday night? We get into the emergence of the Florida guys, particularly...
Tim Benz: Drew Rosenhaus’ Antonio Brown interview should anger every Steelers fan
If you weren’t sick to death over the Antonio Brown trade to Oakland, Drew Rosenhaus’ weekend interview on the NFL Network probably put you over the top. It did for me. Antonio Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, breaks down how the WR ended up in Oakland landing a new contract."It was...
Former Steelers teammate: Ben Roethlisberger fumbled on purpose
You know the “Steelers circus” Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney II insist never existed? The one that is a total media creation and fabrication? Well, here’s another imaginary dancing bear to throw into the ring. Former Steelers running back Josh Harris — someone even die-hard Steelers fans may not remember...
Feeling down? Here’s a way to make yourself laugh at the Antonio Brown trade
If you don’t laugh, you are going to cry. I prefer to do that first thing. There is no way for Pittsburgh to put a happy face on how the Antonio Brown situation ended. They will get only third- and fifth-round draft choices from the Oakland Raiders. Brown will get...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Antonio Brown trade, Penguins’ split weekend
This week’s edition of Madden Monday comes to you from the catacombs of PPG Paints Arena. Mark Madden of 105.9 the X joins me as we exhale after that Penguins win against the Bruins on Sunday night. Man, was that huge for the Penguins after the loss in Columbus Saturday....
Tim Benz: Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell cases prove NFL needs CBA changes
If the Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell situations have illuminated one thing, it’s this: It’s time for the NFL to change its salary cap system. Because right now, in a collective bargaining agreement set up to give the players no power, the players are starting to realize they do have...
Plenty to praise as Penguins take 1st of back-to-back games vs. Blue Jackets
In the most important stretch of the season, the Penguins are starting to get hot. Thursday night, they won the first of two crucial games against the Blue Jackets, with a return match coming Saturday in Columbus. The Penguins blanked the Blue Jackets, 3-0. And a lot went right along...
First call: Todd Haley said what about Antonio Brown?
Friday’s “First Call” features some unbelievable quotes about Antonio Brown from Todd Haley. Ramon Foster channels his inner Will Ferrell. And Marc-Andre Fleury continues to climb the ladder of all-time wins. Todd Haley said what? Todd Haley spent six years as the Steelers offensive coordinator from 2012-2017. All of them...
Football footnotes: Eric Weddle to Steelers sounds better than it really is
Sports Illustrated mentioned the Steelers as a potential destination for free agent safety Eric Weddle. We did the same thing here at “Breakfast With Benz” two days ago when word came out that Weddle was going to be released by Baltimore. Weddle is a Mike Tomlin favorite, and the Steelers...
Tim Benz: Lamenting the death of the Antonio Brown-to-Bills deal
How many times have you heard this phrase from disgruntled Steelers fans in the weeks since Antonio Brown demanded a trade? “Pfft! They should screw him over and just send him to the Bills.” Well, early Friday morning, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, tweeted that was actually going to happen....
Marc-Andre Fleury nearly gets into goalie fightVideo
The “Fleury! Fleury! Fleury!” chants were going strong in Vegas Wednesday night for former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. No, not because of a good save. And, no, he didn’t finally get that empty-net goal he has been endlessly searching to score. He almost got engaged in a goalie fight! There...
U mad, bro? The all-Antonio Brown edition
In this week’s “U mad, bro?”, it’s all Antonio angst! Well, except for the weekly mandatory swat at Mike Tomlin, of course. Gerry in Florida sent me an email responding to our poll about whether people in Pittsburgh hated Le’Veon Bell or Antonio Brown more. For the record, Brown won...
First call: Le’Veon Bell to Kansas City? Duquesne player scores 40 … and loses?
Kansas City, here he comes! Le’Veon Bell to the Chiefs? That’s how we start Thursday’s “First Call.” It also features a fantastic Duquesne game, major Metropolitan Division machinations and how Kyler Murray may have faked his height measurement at the combine. How do you do that exactly? Asking for a...
Tim Benz: Build a Kevin Colbert statue if he gets a 1st-rounder for Antonio Brown
If Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert really ends up with a first-round draft choice for disgruntled wide receiver Antonio Brown, that will make me sad. I’ve always liked Colbert. So I’d hate to see him wind up in prison on a grand-larceny charge. That’s what would be warranted if Colbert...
Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley previews Atlantic Hockey tournament
Our Sided.co “Hockey Week” podcasts continue with Derek Schooley. The Robert Morris men’s hockey coach previews his team’s first-round playoff series against Holy Cross (10-19-5, 10-14-4 AHA) this weekend at the RMU Island Sports Center. The ninth-seeded Crusaders come to Neville Island for the second time this season. They split...
First call: Ravens cut Mike Tomlin-favorite Eric Weddle; Bruins help Penguins
A Mike Tomlin favorite from Baltimore is hitting free agency. The Bruins helped the Penguins…a little bit. And Bryce Harper is so rich he may think that he can buy the definition of “tampering” out of the Oxford dictionary. We want Weddle? The Ravens released Eric Weddle. The Steelers could...
Analysis: Replacing Jason Witten with Pat McAfee on ‘Monday Night Football’ is right move
Let’s hope the “Monday Night Football” decision makers learned a lesson from the Jason Witten fiasco. Last week it was announced that Witten was going to leave the broadcast booth to go back to the Dallas Cowboys. I have to admit, as much as Witten struggled with the job, I...
Tim Benz: Gushing over Jake Guentzel’s OT goal and what it means for Penguins
When it comes to praising the Sidney Crosby-Evgeni Malkin-era Penguins, as a fanbase — and media corps — we can get a little … What’s the word I’m looking for? Gushy? Effusive? Flowery? Fawning? Yeah. Any of those fit. Big picture, given the franchise’s accomplishments over those years, that applause...
Previewing critical back-to-back Penguins-Blue Jackets games
Somerset native Bob McElligott is the play-by-play man for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He joins me for the Thursday Sided.co “Hockey Week” podcast. The Penguins and Columbus have enormous back-to-back games coming up. These contests Thursday and Saturday are huge in the Metropolitan Division standings and may go a long...
First call: Peter King predicts Antonio Brown, the walrus, going to Raiders
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” a noted Steelers foe is about to become a free agent at inside linebacker. An amazing failed NHL goal. Antonio Brown is “The Walrus.” And he may become a Raider. That’s optimistic In Monday’s “Football Morning in America” post, Peter King writes this about Antonio Brown:...
Breaking down what could be biggest week of Penguins season
It’s our weekly Sided.co hockey podcast with Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network. He joins me to talk about a crucial week for the Pens. It features four Eastern Conference games. The first of those contests is Tuesday against the Panthers. It’s definitely the least daunting task of the...
