Mark Madden stories, Page 36
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Robert Spillane is better option than Devin Bush for Steelers
Devin Bush Jr.’s father called a Pittsburgh radio show to defend his son’s subpar performance at inside linebacker for the Steelers. Devin Bush Sr. made two points: • Devin Bush Jr.’s knee isn’t all the way back after ACL surgery last year. • If you didn’t play the game, you...
Mark Madden: Steelers aren’t facing the typical ‘Bungles’
For years, Pittsburgh has referred to the Cincinnati Bengals as the “Bungles.” (Thanks, Myron.) With good reason, too: The “Bungles” stink. But maybe not anymore. The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since 1990. They haven’t been to a playoff game since 2015, and they blew that in spectacularly stupid...
Mark Madden: Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin make case to be among hockey’s all-time top 5
My list of hockey’s top five players ever (excluding goaltenders) is clear-cut. The top three are Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. That’s my order. But it’s impossible to argue with putting those three in any order. The next two are Sidney Crosby and Gordie Howe. Once again, that’s...
Mark Madden: Steelers should follow lead of Cam Heyward, Ben Roethlisberger
Refreshing sports notes are the Thanksgiving dinner of journalism: Something for everybody, and a lot of it. Dig in! • Cam Heyward and Ben Roethlisberger were the primary factors in the Steelers rallying to almost win Sunday at Los Angeles. They’re focused professionals and real Steelers. Heyward was double-teamed all...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers’ lack of identity, focus an indictment of Mike Tomlin
Did you know Mike Tomlin never has had a losing season? Tomlin is perceived to be a great coach, but that’s by rote. We say it so often, and the national media says it even more often. Perhaps it’s time to judge the actual coaching, not chant the Tomlin mantra....
Mark Madden: Steelers coordinator Matt Canada is outsmarting himself, even when facing the obvious
The Los Angeles Chargers have the worst run defense in the NFL, conceding an average of 155.1 yards per game. The Steelers need to run the ball down their throats Sunday night. Just like the Steelers needed to do against Detroit this past Sunday when they had first-and-goal from the...
Mark Madden: Keeping players happy not a winning formula for Steelers
On Nov. 2, the Steelers traded edge rusher Melvin Ingram to Kansas City. Ingram was unhappy with his playing time and asked out. This past Sunday, during a 16-16 tie with Detroit at Heinz Field, edge rusher T.J. Watt left the game hurt. An MRI on Watt’s hip and knee...
Mark Madden: Forget wishful thinking about AFC North; the Steelers are a bad team
Let’s get the excuses out of the way: Ben Roethlisberger didn’t play. T.J. Watt, Joe Haden and both starting guards left mid-game via injury. The refereeing was sketchy. Let’s address the wishful thinking: Baltimore lost to Miami, Cleveland got routed by New England, nobody in the AFC North is very...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers are walking tightrope that usually leads to heartbreak
The American Football Conference stinks. The Tennessee Titans have seven wins, the Baltimore Ravens have six and nine teams have five (including the Pittsburgh Steelers). The AFC might be deep, but so is an outhouse’s reservoir. This has led to optimism among Steelers fans, especially with win No. 6 pending...
Mark Madden: Louis Lipps made a mistake but should still get his Steelers Hall of Honor moment
Louis Lipps is an all-time Pittsburgh Steelers great. Had Lipps played on Super Bowl teams, he might be recognized as their best wide receiver ever. Lipps was arrested for DUI this past Saturday night. His truck struck a parked trailer. Lipps was scheduled to be inducted into the Steelers’ Hall...
Mark Madden: T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward have played great, but Steelers’ defense isn’t elite
The Steelers’ “elite” defense crumbles at inopportune times. Is the defense about the excellence of edge rusher T.J. Watt and defensive end Cameron Heyward, or is that offset by, say, defensive back Arthur Maulet getting beat like a rented mule late in Monday night’s near-loss to Chicago? (A win is...
Mark Madden: Missing playoffs would hurt Penguins economically but be ideal for rebuild
For the Penguins, the best thing would be to miss the playoffs and begin a rebuilding process that gets pushed back and made harder every year they strive in vain for “one more run.” The absolute worst-case scenario is to be in contention for a postseason spot come the NHL’s...
Mark Madden: In win over Flyers, Kris Letang showed again that he’s a one-of-a-kind talent for Penguins
Center Sidney Crosby is the Pittsburgh Penguins’ best player. Defenseman Kris Letang is their least replaceable player. That was evident in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime victory over Philadelphia at PPG Paints Arena. Letang won that game by any and every means that it’s possible to do so. Letang literally decided the...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: No chance of Andrew McCutchen returning to Pirates
The Philadelphia Phillies declined their 2022 option on Andrew McCutchen’s contract. So, naturally, a flurry of “reporting” launched that theorizes McCutchen’s path back to Pittsburgh. (Did you know McCutchen named his son “Steel”? WELCOME BACK, CUTCH!) Forget it. That has no chance of happening. It’s another example of the local...
Mark Madden: Path to playoffs doesn’t look as daunting for improving Steelers
The Steelers are 4-3 going on 6-3. If they don’t beat Chicago and Detroit to get to 6-3, this next question answers itself. The Bears and Lions both stink. But are the Steelers any good? You can answer that via a couple of other questions. One is, is the NFL...
Mark Madden: What was Mike Tomlin thinking on Steelers’ fake field-goal attempt?
When the Steelers visited Cleveland on Sunday, it was a battle of traditional rivals, mediocre teams and a whole lot of idiocy. The dumbness manifested itself at many levels: • Thirteen penalties in all, a few more that canceled each other out and a few more that went uncalled. (It...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Playing Baker Mayfield against Steelers complicates Browns’ attack
Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield wants to be a warrior. If he could, he’d wear the shoulder harness that protects his injured shoulder outside his jersey. Create a “Spirit of ’76” vibe. Turn it into a commercial. Mayfield has a torn labrum and a fracture in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. He...
Mark Madden: When needed most, Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen just can’t turn the corner
When Mike Sullivan occasionally benched winger Kasperi Kapanen last season, I thought then that the Penguins coach overreacted. Just let Kapanen play. Now I don’t understand why Sullivan hasn’t yet benched Kapanen this season. Injuries leave little choice in that regard. But Kapanen’s career to date has been a bust,...
Mark Madden: Rumors of Mike Tomlin being linked to college jobs was nonstory from the start
Mike Tomlin blew a gasket when he was asked about rumors linking him to the coaching positions at LSU and Southern Cal. Tomlin overdid it. It seemed he might start pounding the podium with his shoe. But the scene had value. It had a feel-good “Steelers for life” ring at...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Astros’ appearance makes World Series must-miss TV
Don’t watch the World Series. I won’t. Not one pitch. The presence of the Houston Astros guarantees that. There was a good chance I wouldn’t watch, anyway. MLB stinks for many reasons, not least that efficiency has quashed entertainment and robbed baseball of action and romance. But Houston cheated, most...
Mark Madden: If Aaron Rodgers lands in Cleveland, could Baker Mayfield find his way to Pittsburgh?
No matter how much Aaron Rodgers flirts with Pittsburgh on Pat McAfee’s satellite radio show, he won’t play for the Steelers next season. He’s a tease. If Rodgers leaves Green Bay, he will go to a team that’s poised to win a Super Bowl. The Steelers are not that team....
Mark Madden: T.J. Watt worth every red cent, but others on Steelers defense raise red flags
T. J. Watt got $80 million guaranteed when he signed his contract extension. He is the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. So far this season, despite injury, Watt has earned his keep. The Steelers have won three games. Watt won two of them: Week 1 vs. Buffalo and this past Sunday...
Mark Madden: Despite Penguins’ marquee absences, Mike Sullivan pushing right buttons with lineup
With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin hurt, and with Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust each missing a game to date, two fears loomed large as the Penguins’ season began. Could they score? Would they dig themselves an early hole despite playing eight of their first 10 at home, putting themselves...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers defense needs to have bigger impact
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is supposed to carry the team. So far, it’s not. It’s been crippled by injury. Stephon Tuitt hasn’t played a game. Tyson Alualu is out. Many are playing hurt, most notably T.J. Watt, the leader of the groin gang. But an elite defense manufactures results, not...
Mark Madden: It shouldn’t be this difficult for the Penguins to sell tickets
Ten thousand ticket-holders no-showed the Steelers’ second home game. The Penguins have 632 straight home sellouts but haven’t yet sold out Saturday’s home opener — which features Chicago and beloved ex-Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. PNC Park is empty because the Pirates don’t try to win. Pitt football and basketball don’t...
