Tim Benz stories, Page 193
Tim Benz: Steelers’ free agency moves shouldn’t impact draft strategy
Last year, the Steelers signed a 29-year-old free agent safety they thought could play like a linebacker. This year they signed a 29-year-old linebacker they think could play like a safety. This year’s move should be more of a sure bet seeing as how the candidate has been a full-timer...
Tim Benz: How the new AFC North might look
We begin our “Friday Football Footnotes” with a preemptive statement: What you are about to read is a projection, not a prediction. What you are about to read is an initial reaction to the early days of free agency, not a declaration of who is going to win the AFC...
How Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown moves will impact fantasy football
It’s time we get to what really matters when it comes to the departures of Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Your fantasy team. Obviously there will be major implications at the top of 2019 fantasy drafts with those two joining new clubs. Dynasty and keeper leagues will definitely feel the...
First call: Antonio Brown buys ‘Thank you, Pittsburgh’ billboard, visits new QB Derek Carr
In “First Call” Thursday, Antonio Brown will annoy you from afar. Lamar Jackson may be channeling his inner A.B. A look at the Metropolitan Division rundown for the evening. Laying it on thick Drew Rosenhaus bought a farewell billb …. Oops, I mean, Antonio Brown bought a farewell billboard in...
Tim Benz, Jonathan Bombulie discuss Penguins’ strong push, injury updates
It’s our weekly Sided.co Penguins podcast with Tribune-Review beat writer Jonathan Bombulie. We open up wondering if labor peace in the NHL could be a model for the NFL. Then we talk about how the Penguins have blended good play with entertaining hockey of late. LISTEN: Penguins making strong push...
U mad, bro? Tim Benz vs. national media on Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell
Welcome to the most contentious “U mad, bro?” yet. It’s mainly me getting mad at the national media because the national media seem to be mad at the Steelers organization, the NFL, Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger. That’s more politically correct, I guess, than being mad at Antonio Brown and...
Tim Benz: Penguins’ speed starting to dominate again
The comment from Nick Bjugstad resonated after the Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-0, on March 7. “It’s a little different style than what I was used to,” the former Florida Panther forward said. “These guys play … fast! It’s a fun way to play.” Even with Bjugstad’s...
Analysis: Twitter doesn’t hold back on Le’Veon Bell’s Jets contract
Reviews are in on Le’Veon Bell’s new contract with the New York Jets. And they aren’t pretty for the former Steelers running back. The basics are that Bell agreed to a four-year deal with the Jets that is reportedly worth somewhere between $52 million and $61 million, with $35 million...
Podcast: How the Antonio Brown deal came together for the Raiders
And I thought I had a lot of jobs! Marcus Mosher works for Bleacher Report, Pro Football Weekly and The Athletic (Dallas). But most importantly, for our purposes, he’s the managing editor of TheRaidersWire.com, of the USA Today NFL platforms. In Wednesday’s Sided.co podcast, Mosher joins me to talk about...
Tim Benz: Le’Veon Bell can blame only himself for contract with Jets coming up short
Le’Veon Bell agreed to a contract with the New York Jets that’ll reportedly pay him somewhere between $52 million and $61 million over four years. The last reported offer he had to stay in Pittsburgh was $70 million over five years. Le’Veon Bell’s four-year deal with the New York Jets...
First call: Where were the Steelers as NFL free agency was going nuts?
In “First Call” Tuesday, the first look at Antonio Brown as a Raider. Kinda. What were Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin doing as the NFL free agent frenzy was taking place? A funny check on Le’Veon Bell and Adisa Bakari. The Penguins can’t gain ground in the Eastern Conference. Sneak...
As Jets start dishing out contracts, could Le’Veon Bell be next?
As the pain of the Antonio Brown saga fades, we wait to see where Le’Veon Bell may wind up. Everyone wants to see if his odyssey to free agency pays off the way that he thought it would. Of course, Bell wants us to think that teams are falling all...
First call: Even WWE in Pittsburgh piles on Antonio Brown departure
In “First Call” Tuesday, even the WWE is piling on Antonio Brown’s departure. A local kid impacts the NHL last night. And the Eastern Conference playoff picture is still chaotic. Who wants to walk with A.B.? Plum native and WWE star Elias played the bad-guy role perfectly in a recent...
Podcast: How many points will Penguins get in 4 games this week?
Brian Metzer of the Penguins radio network joins me for our weekly Sided.co hockey podcast. We talk about Matt Murray’s steady play. Was he the star of the weekend? And can he hold up against the Capitals on Tuesday night? We get into the emergence of the Florida guys, particularly...
Tim Benz: Drew Rosenhaus’ Antonio Brown interview should anger every Steelers fan
If you weren’t sick to death over the Antonio Brown trade to Oakland, Drew Rosenhaus’ weekend interview on the NFL Network probably put you over the top. It did for me. Antonio Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, breaks down how the WR ended up in Oakland landing a new contract."It was...
Former Steelers teammate: Ben Roethlisberger fumbled on purpose
You know the “Steelers circus” Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney II insist never existed? The one that is a total media creation and fabrication? Well, here’s another imaginary dancing bear to throw into the ring. Former Steelers running back Josh Harris — someone even die-hard Steelers fans may not remember...
Feeling down? Here’s a way to make yourself laugh at the Antonio Brown trade
If you don’t laugh, you are going to cry. I prefer to do that first thing. There is no way for Pittsburgh to put a happy face on how the Antonio Brown situation ended. They will get only third- and fifth-round draft choices from the Oakland Raiders. Brown will get...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Antonio Brown trade, Penguins’ split weekend
This week’s edition of Madden Monday comes to you from the catacombs of PPG Paints Arena. Mark Madden of 105.9 the X joins me as we exhale after that Penguins win against the Bruins on Sunday night. Man, was that huge for the Penguins after the loss in Columbus Saturday....
Tim Benz: Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell cases prove NFL needs CBA changes
If the Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell situations have illuminated one thing, it’s this: It’s time for the NFL to change its salary cap system. Because right now, in a collective bargaining agreement set up to give the players no power, the players are starting to realize they do have...
Plenty to praise as Penguins take 1st of back-to-back games vs. Blue Jackets
In the most important stretch of the season, the Penguins are starting to get hot. Thursday night, they won the first of two crucial games against the Blue Jackets, with a return match coming Saturday in Columbus. The Penguins blanked the Blue Jackets, 3-0. And a lot went right along...
First call: Todd Haley said what about Antonio Brown?
Friday’s “First Call” features some unbelievable quotes about Antonio Brown from Todd Haley. Ramon Foster channels his inner Will Ferrell. And Marc-Andre Fleury continues to climb the ladder of all-time wins. Todd Haley said what? Todd Haley spent six years as the Steelers offensive coordinator from 2012-2017. All of them...
Football footnotes: Eric Weddle to Steelers sounds better than it really is
Sports Illustrated mentioned the Steelers as a potential destination for free agent safety Eric Weddle. We did the same thing here at “Breakfast With Benz” two days ago when word came out that Weddle was going to be released by Baltimore. Weddle is a Mike Tomlin favorite, and the Steelers...
Tim Benz: Lamenting the death of the Antonio Brown-to-Bills deal
How many times have you heard this phrase from disgruntled Steelers fans in the weeks since Antonio Brown demanded a trade? “Pfft! They should screw him over and just send him to the Bills.” Well, early Friday morning, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, tweeted that was actually going to happen....
Marc-Andre Fleury nearly gets into goalie fightVideo
The “Fleury! Fleury! Fleury!” chants were going strong in Vegas Wednesday night for former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. No, not because of a good save. And, no, he didn’t finally get that empty-net goal he has been endlessly searching to score. He almost got engaged in a goalie fight! There...
U mad, bro? The all-Antonio Brown edition
In this week’s “U mad, bro?”, it’s all Antonio angst! Well, except for the weekly mandatory swat at Mike Tomlin, of course. Gerry in Florida sent me an email responding to our poll about whether people in Pittsburgh hated Le’Veon Bell or Antonio Brown more. For the record, Brown won...
