Tim Benz stories, Page 153
What makes a good linemate for Sidney Crosby? And what makes him so great?
Thursday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast features Sonny Sachdeva. He’s the Sportsnet.ca writer who put together the piece about Sidney Crosby’s linemates over the years. He chronicled the likes of Patric Hornqvist, Colby Armstrong, Chris Kunitz and many others — dating all the way back to juniors. It’s a really interesting...
First Call: Sleepers may prove to be biggest contributors from 2020 Steelers draft
NFL first-round picks are usually supposed to contribute in at least some significant capacity as rookies. Just look at the Steelers’ track record over the past decade. Maurkice Pouncey started all 16 games as a rookie center in 2010. T.J. Watt started 15 at outside linebacker in 2017. David DeCastro...
Tim Benz: Gov. Wolf’s comments about sports fans were arrogant and inaccurate
While exploring the prospect of major sports events returning to Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf put his foot in his mouth. Even while wearing a facemask. Yup, for this guy, that’s possible. Apparently, Wolf isn’t satisfied telling Pittsburgh’s quarterback whether he can get his haircut. He’s also telling Pittsburgh fans whether...
‘U mad, bro?’: Fans hot over Harrison’s envelope, Pirates payroll, Crosby comparisons
This week’s “U mad, bro?” hits on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates alike. So all the Pittsburgh pro sports fan bases can be satisfied with those who are unsatisfied! We look for balance here at “Breakfast With Benz,” and we aim to please. Or agitate. Whatever comes first. It...
First Call: How to bet on Big Ben. Why some national guys won’t. Bad options for his backup.Video
In Wednesday’s “First Call,” we look at how you should — or shouldn’t — bet on some individual Pittsburgh Steelers. One national take on the Steelers I like. One I don’t. And the ugly reality of the NFL quarterback situation. Who wants to bet big on Big Ben? FoxBet.com has...
Curtis Martin on Pitt Hall of Fame, advice for James Conner, beating Steelers in playoffs
Curtis Martin’s relationship with football has always been complicated. Especially since it seems like the sport chased him more than he pursued it. Martin’s mother, Rochella, essentially dragged her son onto the field to keep him occupied and out of trouble. So, for his senior year at Taylor Allderdice High...
First Call: Odell Beckham Jr. jabs Myles Garrett over helmet swing; Watt brothers’ ‘Ultimate Tag’ to debut
How do you connect the dots between ESPN’s “Last Dance” documentary about Michael Jordan and the Pittsburgh Steelers? Follow along. One of the scenes from Monday’s finale of the documentary depicted some exaggerated backside slapping between Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone during the 1998 NBA Finals. Cleveland Browns defensive lineman...
Some goals. Some goons. A brawl. A building. The top 20 Penguins grudges of all time.
Last week, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan published a list of unresolved grievances for every NHL team. She got an assist from ESPN producer and Pittsburgh-area product Denny Wolfe for some perspective. And it’s a pretty good list of the unresolved anger issues Penguins fans hold in the pit of their gut....
Tim Benz: A link between the Rooney Rule and the NFL Draft is bad. What it says about the league is worse.
The NFL’s plan to expand the Rooney Rule is bad. The commentary the league is making about itself for even considering such a proposal is even worse. The NFL has only four minority head coaches (Mike Tomlin, Steelers; Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins; Anthony Lynn, Los Angeles Chargers; and Ron Rivera,...
Jackie Sherrill: ‘A lot of mistakes I’ve made in my life. Leaving Pitt was one of them.’
It has been 39 years since Jackie Sherrill’s last game as coach of the Pitt Panthers. After three straight 11-1 seasons, four bowl victories and a career record of 50-9-1, he now sounds like someone who wishes he had never left. “There’s a lot of mistakes I’ve made in my...
First Call: Sidney Crosby is the Michael Jordan of hockey, former Penguins star says
Let’s hope we are a long way off from “The Last Skate” when it comes to Penguins star Sidney Crosby. But in the wake of the successful ESPN “The Last Dance” documentary about Michael Jordan, Sportsnet.ca asked Penguins assistant coach Mark Recchi for a hockey comparison to Michael Jordan. And...
Mark Madden on JuJu Smith-Schuster: ‘He wasn’t unmotivated, he was unfocused’
Some sports are starting to play without fans. Golf. NASCAR. Soccer. How can the four major North American sports — and the NCAA — learn from what they are seeing so far? That’s how Mark Madden and I start off this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. Mark has been watching the...
Tim Benz: The ‘Dumb, Dumber, Dumberest’ of James Harrison’s envelope story
Back in a different lifetime — a fuzzy, faded memory known as 2014 — I used to host “The X Morning Show” on 105.9 The X. My cohost/producer, Bob McLaughlin, and I used to produce a weekly bit called “Dumb, Dumber, Dumberest.” It was essentially a collection of the dumbest...
What fantasy sports players expect out of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, 82-game MLB season
Part of the reason many folks have been missing sports so much is the loss of fantasy sports, too. So if Major League Baseball comes back soon — if the players and owners ever get their acts together — that means fantasy baseball can come back, as well. Now what?...
Jackie Sherrill: ‘A lot of mistakes I’ve made in my life. Leaving Pitt was one of them.’
It’s been 39 years since Jackie Sherrill’s last game as head coach of the Pitt Panthers. After three straight 11-1 seasons, four bowl victories and a career record of 50-9-1, he now sounds like someone who wishes he had never left. “There’s a lot of mistakes I’ve made in my...
First Call: James Harrison has much more to say about Steelers beyond ‘the envelope’
In Friday’s “First Call” we look at everything James Harrison said in that interview with Willie Colon besides the inferred payment for his hit on Mohamed Massaquoi. Also, that story isn’t sitting well with Saints coach Sean Payton. Fake crowd noise on NFL broadcasts? And another “Lemieux” has No. 66....
Ken Macha on Pitt Hall of Fame, almost managing Pirates, Dave Parker legends
For nearly 70 years, baseball has been tied to Ken Macha. At age 69, the former Major Leaguer is still coaching with Westmoreland County Community College. His path on the diamond saw him roam as far as Venezuela, Montreal and Japan. But it so often threaded its way back through...
First Call: Ranking all 10 of Steelers first round picks of 2010s
NFL.com posted this ranking of the No. 1 overall picks in the draft from 2010-19. That’s what you do when you are in the midst of a coronavirus shutdown and you have no content to speak of. Hey, I’m not hatin’. I’m praising! Good job, Ali Bhanpuri. The check is...
U mad, bro? Readers fume over coverage of Ben Roethlisberger, Barry Bonds, NHL return
This week’s “U mad, bro?” has a little of everything. Angry hockey fans. Miffed Barry Bonds defenders. Football historians in a snit. Even a good ol’ fashioned case of mistaken identity. “B Byrnes” goes hard after Fox’s Jay Glazer for his shot at Ben Roethlisberger’s history of offseason fitness. Or...
Tim Benz: MLB owners are sneaky, but anti-cap paranoia makes players look worse
I’m not one who likes to compare big-time sports to everyday life. Matters of salaries and collective bargaining agreements and billions of dollars of revenue crop up quite a bit in professional athletics. When that happens, tune in to a sports talk radio show and invariably “Joe Working Class Hero”...
First Call: Jay Glazer unhappy with response to his jab at Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger
Wednesday’s “First Call” features NFL insider Jay Glazer’s latest attempt to clarify his characterization of Ben Roethlisberger’s workout habits. More heat on New York Jets coach Adam Gase for how he is using Le’Veon Bell. And there is a large Pittsburgh presence on the Pro Football Focus All-Decade team. Overcorrection?...
Odds set for ‘MNF’ booth. Antonio Brown is actually on the board.
Football fans can actually bet on who will be the next color commentator in the “Monday Night Football” booth. By some stroke of insanity, former Steeler Antonio Brown is on the board via Sportsbetting.ag. With odds of 100/1. I know. I thought they’d be greater when I read the headline,...
Tim Benz: NHL players, if you don’t want to play, stay home. You may be helping.
Some NHL players have expressed reservations about trying to reboot the NHL season. For instance, Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher wonders if a return would be worth it for a team such as his, unless the postseason bracket is expanded. The Canadiens would resume play 10 points out of a playoff spot...
Tim Benz: Trying to answer ESPN’s impossible question about Barry Bonds and Pirates
Recently, ESPN.com put forth one overarching debate for every franchise in Major League Baseball. Not one they are currently facing. Rather on an “all-time” question for each club. Items such as: • Which member of the Red Sox belongs on the Boston sports Mount Rushmore: Ted Williams or David Ortiz?...
First Call: Odds on Cam Newton to Steelers? Stats hint Chase Claypool can help. Myles Garret staying in Cleveland.
Tuesday’s “First Call” looks at how Chase Claypool may best help the Steelers. Why many gamblers seem to think Cam Newton is coming to Pittsburgh. And so much for those Myles Garrett trade rumors. So how can rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool specifically help the Steelers in 2020? Well, after...
