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Tim Benz stories | TribLIVE.com

Tim Benz stories, Page 169

Tim Benz
Tim Benz
Tim Benz: 3 Steelers who deserve no blame for 2019 mess
There is plenty of blame to go around for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 1-4 start in 2019. Game-planning and play-calling have been atrocious at times from the coaching staff. Just look at the field goal in New England, the conservative game plan vs. the San Francisco 49ers, the overuse of the...
First Call: Antonio Brown's rambling plea to Patriots; Gerrit Cole vs. Tyler Glasnow in ALDS Game 5
In Thursday’s “First Call,” Antonio Brown says he wants to get back into the NFL with the Patriots. A Major League Baseball player channels his inner A.B. during a postgame celebration. John Gibson is back in Pittsburgh with the Anaheim Ducks. And Zion Williamson’s NBA career seems to be starting...
Tim Benz, Seth Rorabaugh examine how Penguins can withstand so many injuries
We welcome Seth Rorabaugh to the “Breakfast With Benz” podcast today. He is our new medical sciences beat writer at TribLive. Oh, I’m sorry. Did I say medical sciences? I meant Pittsburgh Penguins beat writer. But really, what’s the difference? Since Seth has come on board, the Penguins have lost...
U mad, bro? Steelers are bad, so it's all Mike Tomlin, all the time for readers
It’s all Mike Tomlin, all the time in “U mad, bro?” this week. His decision to kick away in overtime. His hypothetical relocation to Washington. His superiority to me as a head coach. All of these matters are clearly up for debate. Well, most of them anyway. Billy did not...
Tim Benz: Steelers are dealing with many unhappy returns
Mike Tomlin’s hunch about his dreadful kick return team was so bleak, the Steelers’ head coach felt the need to give up possession of the football after winning the overtime coin toss last Sunday. That was an overreaction from Tomlin. And it was the wrong move. Yes, I say that...
First Call: NFL villains abound; Ex-Pittsburgh players star in MLB, NHL, NBA
Wednesday’s “First Call” has two themes. The first is NFL villains getting what they deserve. The second is former Pittsburgh athletes thriving in new places. Everywhere. Shake-gate On Monday night, Richard Sherman made the claim that Baker Mayfield snubbed him in the handshake line before the coin toss. Based on...
Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman discuss whether Steelers would trade Mike Tomlin
Kevin Gorman and I wrap up Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Boy, there’s a lot of meat on the bone this week, even though the season appears to have slipped through Tomlin’s fingers. * If the Washington Redskins really want Tomlin as...
Tim Benz: If Devlin 'Duck Dynasty' Hodges starts for the Steelers, just let him fly 
My expectations weren’t high. But I allowed myself to be pleasantly surprised. Hey, I can do that. I witnessed the Pirates win three whole playoff games back in 2013, you know. With my own eyes! I had a micro-level response like that on Sunday. That’s when Devlin “Duck Dynasty” Hodges...
Tim Benz: Penguins' inconsistent start leading to low-tension games
This year’s Pittsburgh Penguins team certainly doesn’t seem to be one that’s high on tension. It’ll let you beat the traffic out of the arena. In the club’s first game, it put forth a listless effort in a flat 3-1 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Sabres. In Game 2 Saturday,...
First Call: 49ers' Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman mock Browns' Baker Mayfield after 'MNF' romp 
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” San Francisco is really enjoying beating up Baker Mayfield. Charlie Morton continues to shine in the MLB playoffs. And we see — um — a unique football formation. Sweet, sweet revenge Back when Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was at Oklahoma, he made waves by planting...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer discuss how Penguins can get around injury issues
Times aren’t good for the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. We all know that. But it’s a struggle for the Penguins, too. They have to find a way around injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust. And they are only two games into their 82-game season. Game 3 is...
Tim Benz: What it would take for Steelers to trade Mike Tomlin to Redskins 
I’d do this. Would the Pittsburgh Steelers? No. Would Mike Tomlin want it? Unlikely. He shouldn’t. At least if football stability itself dictates his decision. For other reasons? Well, only he would know that. Since both ESPN and CBSSports.com are fanning the flames on this topic, let’s take a look...
Tim Benz: Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad injuries have ripple effect beyond their absences 
I’ll reiterate a sentiment I expressed last month. Someone please give me a giant sleeping pill so I can pass out until January 2020. It’s time to be done with 2019. This weekend the tone surrounding Pittsburgh’s pro franchises went from bad to worse to “I think need a new...
First Call: James Harrison defends hit on Mason Rudolph, calls himself a 'Steeler to the core'
In Monday’s “First Call,” James Harrison weighs in on the Mason Rudolph hit. The medical cart fails at Heinz Field. Marc-Andre Fleury is up to his old tricks. I beg to differ In case you didn’t get a clean look at the hit that knocked out Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph,...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden break down Steelers’ loss to Ravens, Penguins’ start, Pitt's big win
We have so much on the plate in this week’s “Madden Monday.” Most of it has to do the Pittsburgh Steelers’ latest loss, this time to the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore won at Heinz Field Sunday by a final score of 26-23 in overtime, thanks to a game-winning field goal by...
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin’s OT call in Steelers loss was logical but lacked common sense 
Mike Tomlin’s decision to kick off to begin overtime against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday made perfect sense. If you are willing to ignore common sense. Which I am not. In case you missed what happened, the Steelers won the coin flip to start overtime, tied with their AFC North...
Tim Benz: Much airing of grievances as Steelers lose to Ravens 
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s turnover cost the Steelers the game. His overtime fumble allowed the Baltimore Ravens to kick a field goal and win 26-23 Sunday at Heinz Field. That’s an obvious grievance. Mike Tomlin’s call to defer after winning the overtime coin toss worked. By his logic anyway. But that decision...
First Call: Ed Reed's 'Steelers week' speech to Ravens; Mark Melancon meltdown
In “First Call” Friday, the Ravens get a “Steelers Week” pep talk from a franchise legend. Mark Melancon melted down. What other teams are doing to Aaron Donald. Bring out the big guns Some have bemoaned the fact that so many of the players who laid the foundation of the...
Robert Morris hockey balancing youth, experience as season begins
The Penguins aren’t the only hockey team in town getting underway for 2019-20 campaign. The Robert Morris Colonials begin their season Saturday at the Island Sports Center. Three-time national champion Michigan Tech visits Neville Island. The Huskies are just one year removed from winning the 2018 Western Collegiate Hockey Association...
Tim Benz: Sabres' Conor Sheary proves to Penguins that he 'can still play'
By the middle of the third period, Pittsburgh Penguins fans were booing like they didn’t want to be at PPG Paints Arena anymore. Meanwhile, Conor Sheary was playing like a guy who wanted to be traded back. He scored twice en route to a 3-1 Buffalo Sabres win Thursday night...
Football Footnotes: Antonio Brown reportedly walks out of court; Ravens address in-fighting
This week’s “Friday Football Footnotes” starts with Antonio Brown’s latest slip from reality. Earl Thomas talks about the Baltimore Ravens clubhouse argument last Sunday. We look at the game of the week from the NFC. And we do some long-term forecasting in the AFC. It keeps getting better I know...
First Call: Ex-Pirate Charlie Morton is postseason star; Marc-Andre Fleury wins Vegas opener
In “First Call” Thursday, another postseason ex-Pirate moment. Marc-Andre Fleury’s 2019 is off to a good start in Vegas. Jon Gruden is mad about Vontaze Burfict’s suspension. Clutch Chuck Former Pirate Charlie Morton already has a World Series Game 7 win to his credit. He did that for the Houston...
New chapter of Steelers-Ravens rivalry has different feel
Thursday’s podcast takes a trip down to Baltimore. We check in with Jeremy Conn of 105.7 The Fan. The Ravens come to Heinz Field Sunday afternoon to play the Steelers. Conn gives us the reasons behind the ups and downs of the Ravens so far in 2019. Few teams looked...
U mad, bro? Fans pounce on Clint Hurdle firing, Steelers offense, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith
Are you mad about the Steelers? You’ve come to the right place. Angered over how the Pirates mangled the firing of Clint Hurdle? I’ve got you covered. Hate the NFL pass interference debate? Come on in. The water is just fine. Wanna nitpick minor flaws on supermodels wearing costumes of...
Tim Benz: In awful AFC, Steelers not dead yet 
An interesting dynamic is brewing in the AFC. It’s good news for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The dynamic is that, right now, most of the conference is awful. Not just the crummy AFC North. The whole conference has been lousy so far. It’s so bad, even at 1-3, the struggling Steelers...


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