Mark Madden stories, Page 21

As a wise old veteran of sports media once told me: When in doubt, write/talk about the quarterback. That’s always been a go-to in the Pittsburgh market. The Steelers re-upping third-stringer Mason Rudolph generated headlines, clicks and conversation. Extending backup Mitch Trubisky’s contract did the same, but more. Both moves...

Refreshing sports notes seem a worthy method of celebrating Mason Rudolph still being a Steeler. He can’t return because he never left. • Mason Rudolph’s re-signing with the Steelers gives him a job but also reveals that no other team considered him worthy to compete for a No. 2 spot....

The New York Rangers want Mike Sullivan to be their coach. The New York media that stooges for the Rangers have leaked that. But Sullivan is under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins through 2027. That doesn’t discourage the Rangers’ stooges, who somehow think the Rangers matter despite a first-round playoff...

Retired future Hall-of-Famer J.J. Watt schmoozed Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Twitter. Watt called Tomlin “an incredible coach and incredible man,” adding that “there’s a reason your players would run through a brick wall for you.” Watt didn’t offer a reason why Tomlin’s players haven’t won a playoff game for...

Let’s be blunt about the NHL playoffs. They’ve been awful so far. • Too many lopsided games. • Terrible goaltending. (Today’s NHL has so few good goalies.) • Two of the best teams got eliminated in the first round, namely regular-season champ Boston and defending Stanley Cup winner Colorado. As...

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t win the Connor Bedard lottery, not least because they couldn’t. Nor did rivals Philadelphia or Washington. They could have. So, there’s that. The Penguins got the 14th pick in the first round. That’s the equivalent of a scratch-off ticket winning you another scratch-off ticket. (Bedard probably...

If refreshing sports notes are wrong, you don’t want to be right! Something for everybody! • Pro Football Focus projects the Pittsburgh Steelers as a possible landing spot for free-agent veteran edge rusher Kyle Van Noy. Sounds like a good idea. Fourth-round draft pick Nick Herbig isn’t a known commodity....

In 1997, 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania voted against new stadiums for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates being built via public funding. They were built anyway. Using public funding. The idea of a new stadium for the Steelers will be mooted sooner than you think. Three Rivers Stadium operated from...

Now that the Pittsburgh Pirates don’t stink for the first time in a while, it’s time to discuss them like a real baseball team. Weak links can be questioned and dissected. Is third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes a weak link? Hayes will keep playing even if that’s the case. He signed...

Defenseman John Marino had two assists and was plus-4 in New Jersey’s Game 7 victory over the New York Rangers. Marino and the Devils play Carolina in the NHL playoffs’ second round and have a good shot to beat the banged-up Hurricanes. Marino is 25. The Penguins traded him to...

The Pittsburgh Steelers had an excellent draft. It’s not quite 1974 when they drafted four Hall of Famers. But it was clinical. It filled need after need. It didn’t fill every need. The Steelers are weak at inside linebacker. They need a center better than Mason Cole to have the...

We don’t know who the Pittsburgh Penguins’ next GM, president of hockey operations, etc. will be. But here’s a situation that needs to be considered. Penguins prospect (they don’t have many) Filip Hallander is no longer a Penguins prospect. His contract is expiring. He’s a restricted free agent as per...

The Stanley Cup playoffs are showing what’s wrong with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and not just in terms of talent and depth. Edmonton is converting on the power play 57.1% of the time during the postseason, an absurdly high rate. Like the Penguins, the Oilers’ man-advantage unit has mega-stars — even...

There’s been some dissatisfaction with the refereeing in the Stanley Cup playoffs. As ex-player Scottie Upshall advised the refs via Twitter: “Put the whistles away. Let games be decided five-on-five. Tougher/bloodier teams win.” Upshall, a winger, got drafted sixth overall in 2003. He cracked 20 goals just once in his...

Refreshing Pirates notes. I haven’t done this for a long time because the Pirates haven’t been relevant for a long time. So here goes: • At 16-7, it’s hard to imagine the Pirates stumbling to 90 losses. It’s easy to see them navigating a .500 season. But that might change...

The Pittsburgh Pirates returned from a 5-2 road trip that ended with a three-game sweep at Denver to play in front of a mere 14,051 at PNC Park this past Thursday. Bucco Fever isn’t spreading that quick. Perhaps people still are wearing masks. Or maybe the inevitable reality of 162...

The NFL wants to be everywhere 24/7/365. To be a constant in the news cycle. The NFL Draft is proof of the league achieving that. The draft used to take place in hotel ballrooms with GMs clutching legal pads. But in 1980, fledgling all-sports network ESPN wanted to televise the...

The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in the mushy middle. Finish middle, draft middle, stay middle. That happens when you set the bar at your coach never having a losing season. The biggest worry is “draft middle.” Drafting high is how you escape the cycle. But finishing middle doesn’t allow that....

On Friday, Fenway Sports Group’s Dave Beeston gave the impression that the new Pittsburgh Penguins ownership was reconciling with the old Penguins ownership, namely franchise legend Mario Lemieux. President of business operations Kevin Acklin said Lemieux had talked directly to FSG. CBS Sports posted this headline: “Penguins ownership expects Mario...

The Penguins’ offseason will be one of difficult decisions. One of the primary ones involves winger Jake Guentzel. Guentzel, 28, is heading into the last year of a contract that pays $6 million annually. He had a quietly effective season, collecting 36 goals and 37 assists in 78 games. Listed...

As the Pittsburgh Penguins begin a crucial and difficult offseason, a lot must change. It started with GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey ops Brian Burke being fired. A good replacement GM won’t be easily found. It’s not an attractive job: An elderly roster encumbered by eight players with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t good. Listing their blown leads and losses to rotten teams would take too long, and it adds up to a simple description: horse manure. Tuesday’s 5-2 home defeat to Chicago was one of the worst losses in franchise history, given what was at stake and the...

If Tiger Woods can still make the shots but can’t walk, the PGA and the four major tournaments should let him use a cart. (Here’s betting LIV Golf would.) It would violate one of golf’s most sacred rules and give Woods an unfair advantage over the rest of the field....

The Pittsburgh Penguins have played 80 games and won 40. They’re an average team at best, clearly flawed in many aspects, and have a lot of bad players. But if the Penguins miss the postseason and their playoff streak ends after 16 years, don’t dare place even an ounce of...

Friday was opening day for the Pirates’ home schedule. Or Opening Day. Depending on how you feel about it. (Thanks, Jim Bouton.) There is a groundswell of enthusiasm for the Pirates given their 5-2 start after a 13-9 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Friday was supposed to be a...