Mark Madden stories, Page 7
Mark Madden: Forget the allure of a shiny new toy. Here’s what Steelers should address in draft’s 1st round
The Pittsburgh Steelers should do the obvious Thursday and draft a much-needed defensive lineman with the 21st pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. Save fixing quarterback till 2026. That draft is stronger at QB and, with any luck, the Steelers go 5-12 this coming season to get a...
Mark Madden: Pirates fans get Paul Skenes bobbleheads and a reality check
“SELL THE TEAM! SELL THE TEAM! SELL THE TEAM!” Except he won’t. So the joke’s on you. Saturday was the epitome of Bob Nutting’s Pittsburgh Pirates. It was sold out because the first 20,000 entering got Paul Skenes bobbleheads. But Nutting saw the lines that extended far away from PNC...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: 10 things to expect for Penguins in 2025-26
Ten things that will happen before the end of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ next season: 1. Winger Ville Koivunen will be NHL Rookie of the Year. Good speed, great playmaker, plays the 10-foot game that Sidney Crosby prefers. He had seven assists in eight NHL games this season and only scratched...
Mark Madden: Aaron Rodgers plays the victim while Steelers continue looking weak
I watched the entirety of the Aaron Rodgers interview on “The Pat McAfee Show.” God help me, I did. It was wall-to-wall horse manure. Rodgers presented himself as a victim. He isn’t, not in any small way. Rodgers hasn’t been “slandered,” as he said. He doesn’t know what that word...
Mark Madden: With Deion sure to interfere, Steelers should steer clear of Shedeur Sanders
The Steelers would be insane to draft Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Any NFL team would be. They would get a legit first-round talent. Sanders’ ability is undeniable. But they would also get the nuttiest Little League dad this side of LeBron James. Make no mistake, Deion Sanders would be interfering....
Mark Madden: The Steelers will give T.J. Watt what he wants, but it’s the wrong move
The Pittsburgh Steelers simply can’t pay T.J. Watt $40 million per year, or one dollar more than Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, or whatever figure Watt desires to satiate ego disguised as comparison shopping. Many absurdities accompany this drama, not least that the Steelers would be paying quarterback money to two players...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Erik Karlsson reached 200 goals and his expiration date with Penguins
Erik Karlsson scored his 200th career goal Tuesday night. That’s pretty impressive given that Karlsson never got to play against himself. The Pittsburgh Penguins have several players they would be well rid of at season’s end. But despite being a three-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defenseman, Karlsson...
Mark Madden: Penguins’ development plan should focus on building a championship contender
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a plan. President of hockey ops/GM Kyle Dubas has a plan. Like with any plan, whether it works remains to be seen. The Penguins have 18 picks over the first three rounds of the next three drafts. That includes four first-rounders. That indicates a commitment to...
Mark Madden: Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal renews debates
Alex Ovechkin eclipsing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career record for goals has renewed a debate: Who would be on hockey’s Mt. Rushmore? The correct answer: Nobody. There will never be a Mt. Rushmore for hockey or baseball or football or anything but Mt. Rushmore. Mt. Rushmore doesn’t even seem to be...
Mark Madden: Ridicule Pirates for many things, but not for disrespecting Clemente family
The Pittsburgh Pirates erected a statue of Roberto Clemente outside PNC Park. His retired No. 21 is on display. The right-field wall is called the Roberto Clemente Wall, is 21 feet tall and adorned with two No. 21s. Clemente was in the first class inducted to the Pirates’ in-house hall...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: The Pirates continue to fleece fans, city
Pirates owner Bob Nutting garnished the home opener at PNC Park this past Friday with a huge steaming helping of horse manure. Nutting said that winning is “the most important thing we’re focused on.” A bold-faced lie. Nutting also said, “I think I’ve done everything I can to provide the...
Mark Madden: Management failures, Paul Skenes’ future and more Pirates notes ahead of home opener
If the Siege of Leningrad were re-enacted on a baseball diamond, PNC Park would be the logical location. Let’s bunker in with refreshing Pittsburgh Pirates notes! • The New Yankees are killing it with those newfangled torpedo bats. The Pirates might as well be using Wiffle ball bats. Not much...
Mark Madden: Penguins’ Kyle Dubas makes right call with rookies Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty
To my mind, there was debate about when to start the influx of prospects from the Penguins’ system to Pittsburgh. I might have finished this season plugging gaps with scrubs, then promoted a chunk of legit kids at the beginning of next season — readiness permitting, of course. Let energy...
Mark Madden: Alex Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record, but how he does it matters for NHL
Alex Ovechkin has 890 career goals. He’s going to break Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career record of 894. But how should he do it? What would be best for business? The Washington Capitals have to consider what’s best for their team. They unexpectedly have the top seed in the Eastern Conference...
Mark Madden’s hot take: Sidney Crosby’s unrivaled consistency portrayed in latest milestone
Sidney Crosby invented a record. It wasn’t there before he did it. On Thursday at Buffalo, Crosby’s goal clinched him being the first player in NHL history to average a point per game or better in 20 consecutive seasons. Wayne Gretzky did it for 19 seasons but didn’t do it...
Mark Madden: Short-term gamble on Aaron Rodgers means long-term consequences for Steelers
Aaron Rodgers still isn’t a Pittsburgh Steeler. It’s already got a touch of Rodgers’ tenure with the New York Jets about it, where he skipped mandatory minicamp to vacation in Egypt. If Rodgers had any sense of commitment to the Steelers and to maximizing what’s left of his career, he’d...
Mark Madden: Steelers remain incompetent at managing quarterback position
Rampant speculation holds that Aaron Rodgers will announce that he’s a Steeler at Pat McAfee’s live event April 9 at PPG Paints Arena. If that’s the initial confirmation of Rodgers’ commitment, the Steelers will have lost control of that situation from the very first moment. A legendary logo becomes reality...
Mark Madden: What exactly does Aaron Rodgers bring to the Steelers?
It seems possible that the Steelers will (drum roll) sign Aaron Rodgers. He visited, probably had a Primanti’s sandwich, maybe rode the incline, so he’s hooked. What exactly would Rodgers bring to the table? It might not be everything you think. Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks of all...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Has Tristan Jarry saved his future in Pittsburgh?
When goalie Tristan Jarry cleared waivers and got sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League in mid-January, his Pittsburgh Penguins tenure seemed over. Perhaps his NHL career, too. But since being recalled to Pittsburgh three weeks ago, Jarry has rallied. Jarry has done so under very little pressure, true....
Mark Madden: Steelers QB drama has plenty of subplots, no leading man
Aside from waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind as he indulges his endless narcissism, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback debacle has some interesting sidebars. Why would Mason Rudolph come back to Pittsburgh? Rudolph had a queasy six years with the Steelers before spending last season with the Tennessee Titans....
Mark Madden: It’s long past time for the Penguins to tank, even if they don’t know how
The Penguins ran out of fool’s gold Tuesday night when their four-game win streak came crashing to a halt against the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena. Much of what’s wrong with the Penguins this season was on display in the third period as they saw a 2-0 lead...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ quarterback focus should be on 2026 draft in Pittsburgh
It doesn’t matter who the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback is in 2025. The Steelers entered NFL free agency with more than $60 million in salary cap space. That ranked between fifth and 10th among the league’s top figures, depending on the source. The Steelers haven’t exactly made spectacular use of their...
Mark Madden: Steelers should pursue long-term path, timetable that’s best for the franchise
The Steelers offseason is all over the place. The highlights of free agency so far: • Recycling a quarterback they never trusted previously. • Getting a second-string running back to go with their other second-string running back. • Adding a 34-year-old cornerback. The Steelers might sign a 33-year-old fullback, which...
Mark Madden: Give Penguins’ rebuild time, and watch Kyle Dubas become the hero
The “2025 trade deadline” phase of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rebuilding project is complete. President of hockey ops/GM Kyle Dubas did well. But then the players fouled it up by winning their last two games, and against good teams, too. You can’t tell Sidney Crosby to not be Sidney Crosby. Fewer...
Mark Madden: With DK Metcalf in the fold, it’s time for Steelers to change their dynamic
Full props to the Pittsburgh Steelers for acquiring wide receiver DK Metcalf from Seattle for a second-round draft pick. That’s not too pricey. Signing Metcalf to a five-year, $150-million contract is. The Steelers are paying two guys quarterback money. But neither plays quarterback. That’s OK. A bold move was needed...
