Tim Benz stories, Page 165
Tim Benz, Mark Madden rip Steelers’ season-ending disaster, ‘Hard Knocks’ possibility, offseason challenges
When you need optimism and positivity in a time of sorrow for the Pittsburgh Steelers, you turn to Mark Madden and Tim Benz. We are nothing if not a beacon of hope in your time of need. For instance, in today’s “Madden Monday” podcast about how the Steelers will miss...
Tim Benz: Final 2019 airing of grievances after Ravens humiliate and eliminate SteelersVideo
The Steelers’ 2019 season is over. Technically, so is Festivus. But that’s not going to stop us from engaging in the “Airing of Grievances” about the Steelers one more time before the calendar turns to 2020. Believe me, after what we saw in Baltimore to wrap up the year, there...
At Christmas break, a look at Penguins’ coaching, goaltending, healthVideo
Much like Santa Claus, Brian Metzer and I are all over the map on Christmas Eve. Yes, we get into our weekly Penguins chat, as always on a Tuesday. We talk goaltending. The state of the Pens’ health. And their current standing in the Metro Division. Also, we look at...
Tim Benz: Let’s not be too accepting if Steelers miss playoffs
I saw way too much of this on Twitter during the Steelers’ loss to the New York Jets Sunday. Well it all comes down to next weekend. If the Steelers don’t find any semblance of an offense, why would you want them in the playoffs? The best we could hope...
First Call: Steeler fan’s quick change goes viral; Browns collapse official in ClevelandVideo
In Monday’s “First Call,” a Steelers fan pulls off an epic quick change. The Browns meltdown continues. We take a look at Will Grier’s debut with Carolina and Saquon Barkley’s huge day. Way to come prepared Here’s one Steelers fan who planned ahead. He was ready to cheer for Devlin...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden dissect everything that went wrong in Steelers’ loss to Jets
The Steelers’ postseason hopes are hanging by a thread. Matt Murray still can’t find his game. And the Pirates are signing players who hit .151. Merry Christmas. Don’t blame Mark Madden for being a Grinch. Me either. We aren’t putting the coal in your stocking. We are just telling you...
Tim Benz: Airing of grievances after a costly Steelers loss to JetsVideo
No Steelers fan is festive this Festivus season. Why should they be? For the second straight year, the Steelers have spent most of December playing themselves out of a playoff spot. The latest issue was Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the 6-9 New York Jets. Now ‘tis the time on the...
First Call: Le’Veon Bell expects some love from Steelers fans; how Yankees won over Gerrit Cole
Friday’s “First Call” looks at Le’Veon Bell as the Steelers prepare to face his New York Jets. An odd twist to ESPN’s NHL all-decade team. And a $324 million-dollar bottle of wine. Don’t get full of yourself Le’Veon Bell says he is expecting a 50-50 split of boos and cheers...
With Bill Hillgrove out, AT&T SportsNet’s Rob King prepares to step in to Steelers broadcast
Longtime Steelers radio play-by-play voice Bill Hillgrove will not call the last two games of the regular season. He is having back surgery. It’s unclear if he will be able to call playoff games if the Steelers make it that far. So Rob King of AT&T SportsNet will be filling...
Tim Benz: Jets’ stellar run defense can’t scare Steelers
The result was bad. The explanation was worse. Last week, the Steelers threw the football with fourth-string quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges 38 times against the Buffalo Bills. That’s the same Buffalo Bills team that entered the game third in the NFL in pass defense. That didn’t end well. Hodges was...
First Call: Steelers captain Cam Heyward not on board with ditching ‘Renegade’Video
“The jig is up. The news is out.” “Renegade” is in a slump. Last Sunday, the Buffalo Bills hit a 40-yard pass-play, and went on a game-altering fourth-quarter scoring drive after the videoboard crew played the Steelers’ noted pump-up song. The Bills went so far as to practice with the...
Evgeni Malkin or Jaromir Jagr? Geno’s 400th goal brings debate into focus
Our weekly Penguins podcast with TribLive beat writer Seth Rorabaugh finds Seth on the road in Wilkes-Barre. He’s checking in on the AHL Pens while the NHL club is out west in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. They face the Oilers Friday after beating the Flames on Tuesday. Seth gives us...
Tim Benz: Steelers say game plan is to get Jets QB Sam Darnold to see more ghosts
En route to a 33-0 loss back on Oct. 21, New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold got caught on “Monday Night Football” microphones admitting he was “seeing ghosts” from the New England Patriots defense. Sam Darnold is mic’d up and he came to the sidelines and said, “I’m seeing ghosts.”(Via...
U mad, bro? Steelers loss has readers anything but merry during holiday season
So much for the idea of Christmas spirit. A Steelers loss to the Buffalo Bills has turned just about everyone on my Twitter feed and in my email into a Grinch. Understandable. Anyone who sat through four quarters of watching that offensive quack-fest from Devlin “Duck” Hodges probably didn’t walk...
First Call: CFL wants ‘Duck’ as Canada goose; Steelers LB Bud Dupree snubbed from Pro BowlVideo
In Wednesday’s “First Call,” if the Steelers decide they don’t want Devlin Hodges this offseason, someone else already does. Bud Dupree got snubbed from the Pro Bowl. And a reason to doubt the Tennessee Titans. ‘Duck’ to become a Canada goose? If things go south in Pittsburgh for quarterback Devlin...
Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman agree with Steelers’ QB decision, rip Mike Tomlin’s strategy vs. Bills
Wednesday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast features Trib columnist Kevin Gorman. It’s our weekly wrap-up of Mike Tomlin’s press conference. Kevin and I look at the fallout from the loss to the Buffalo Bills in terms of playoff impact. Gorman still has his eyes on the Browns as a threat. I...
Tim Benz: Steelers are stuck with ‘Duck’ for now. Starting him Sunday is right call.Video
I started drinking coffee when I was 13. I’ll say it before you do. Yes, that’s what stunted my growth. It was usually instant coffee. I stole it from my father every morning. He always seemed to have Folgers Instant Crystals or Taster’s Choice in the pantry. Gross. The grounds...
First Call: How the Bills used ‘Renegade’ against Steelers; Browns’ players want outVideo
For Tuesday’s “First Call,” the Bills used “Renegade” to their advantage. Some Browns players want out of Cleveland. And not everything went great for a Bills fan at Heinz Field. Renegade role reversal When the jumbotron crew at Heinz Field plays “Renegade,” the goal is to fire up the Steelers...
Penguins start swing through Western Canada while dealing with illness
In our weekly hockey chat with Penguins Radio Network host Brian Metzer, we cover a lot of ground. As the Penguins themselves will be doing over the next few weeks. The club is on the road for its swing through Western Canada starting Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames, before...
Tim Benz: What Steelers QB ‘Duck’ Hodges actually said that motivated the Bills
Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Shaq Lawson used a perceived slight from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges for motivation during his team’s 17-10 win at Heinz Field Sunday night. He claims Hodges referred to the Bills defense as “normal.” Devlin Duck Hodges apparently called the #Bills "just another defense" this...
Tim Benz: Pirates need to let manager Derek Shelton truly be in charge
A frequent criticism of the Pittsburgh Pirates in recent years has been that the franchise employed one of the most expensive managers in Major League Baseball but had one of the lowest payrolls. In August 2018, USA Today published a deep dive into why managerial contracts were dipping. Clint Hurdle’s...
Mark Madden, Tim Benz dissect Steelers’ loss to Bills, Bryan Rust shining with Penguins
“Madden Monday” for this week isn’t exactly a pick me up. Nor should it be after what we saw Sunday night at Heinz Field. I’m joined by Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 the X as we go over the many things that went wrong for the Steelers against...
First Call: Watch Patriots’ video of Bengals sideline; Texans help Steelers
In this Monday’s “First Call,” you can see what the Patriots filmed on the Bengals sideline. Three former Nittany Lions have big afternoons in the NFL. And the Steelers get a little help from Houston. View for yourself On their Sunday NFL pregame show, Fox aired the footage of what...
Tim Benz: Airing of grievances after Steelers’ ‘Duck’ Hodges was ‘fowl’ vs. Buffalo
I guess Duck finally killed ‘em. That’s what it looks like when a fourth-string quarterback faces a top-notch NFL defense. Not pretty. Devlin “Duck” Hodges seemed capable in his three previous starts against a Browns defense without three starters, the shoddy Arizona Cardinals and the lackluster Los Angeles Chargers. But...
First Call: Antonio Brown struts his Google status, John Tortorella pouts after Pens lossVideo
In “First Call” Friday, Antonio Brown is bragging about his wild “popularity,” John Tortorella wasn’t happy after Thursday’s loss in Pittsburgh, and Rob Gronkowski is staying retired. This made his day Antonio Brown spent most of the day melting down on social media again Thursday. I simply think he has...
