Mark Madden Columns category, Page 34
Mark Madden: It’s tough to watch Ben Roethlisberger go; it will be tougher to recover from his departure
It was the best of times, it was … well, not quite the worst of times. But even as Ben Roethlisberger went out a winner in his last game at Heinz Field, his performance underscored that it is, indeed, time for the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback to retire. Roethlisberger was 24...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: James Washington didn’t get fair shake with Steelers
Mike Tomlin is fond of saying he wants volunteers, not hostages. That rationale has seen LeGarrette Blount, James Harrison and Melvin Ingram depart Pittsburgh because they were unhappy. Keeping Blount in 2014 and Ingram this season would have proven useful because of injury above them on the depth chart. But...
Mark Madden: To revive season, NHL must dictate covid terms to Canada
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a seven-game win streak. Now they also have a five-game postponement streak. The NHL schedule is being decimated by covid. Canada isn’t wholly to blame, but that country’s fear of covid and much stricter policies concerning the virus are trickling down to the entire NHL. That’s...
Mark Madden: Browns have tools to bury Steelers, but will they use them?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have many problems, and they are great. But problem No. 1 is their defense against the rush. The Steelers rank last in the NFL in that department. They allow an average of 143 rushing yards per game. Cleveland is the Steelers’ next foe. The Browns rank No....
Mark Madden: T.J. Watt’s injuries — and $80M contract — are real concerns
In October, the headline on my column trumpeted, “T.J. Watt worth every red cent.” That’s still true — when he plays. But Watt is hurt a lot. Watt played sporadically in Sunday’s 36-10 loss at Kansas City. He reportedly has cracked ribs. Watt had one tackle and zero sacks. He...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: NHL should follow lead of NFL, NBA and just play
The NHL was supposed to resume its season Monday. That’s been pushed back to Tuesday. That postpones Monday’s game between the Penguins and host Boston. The Penguins are next scheduled to play at Toronto Wednesday. But the Maple Leafs had 13 players with covid as of Friday. There are also...
Mark Madden: Immaculate Reception remains iconic moment, but still no one is sure exactly what happened
Thursday was the 49th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. It’s an iconic moment in Pittsburgh sports for a plethora of reasons. It’s got a catchy name. A fan coined it; it was popularized by the late sportscaster Myron Cope. It was thought to launch the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty in the...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ T.J. Watt deserves Defensive Player of the Year award, but will he win it?
T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers should win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. Watt should be a lock, in fact. But Watt has missed two games and parts of three others. That shouldn’t hurt him, but it might. The most basic ability is availability. (It seems Watt...
Mark Madden: Steelers produce another discouraging win but still lack momentum
If there’s such a concept as a “discouraging win,” the Steelers might perfect it. That mess against Tennessee on Sunday was more about the Titans being determined to lose, not the Steelers deserving to win. The Steelers got four takeaways, turned them into just four field goals and could have...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Evan Rodrigues deserves to stay on Penguins’ top line
Pascal Dupuis was a nondescript talent before playing on a line with Sidney Crosby. Skating with Crosby made him a legit top-six winger. Chris Kunitz was average before playing on a line with Crosby. Skating with Crosby turned Kunitz into a first-team NHL All-Star and Olympic gold medalist. Crosby can’t...
Mark Madden: Penguins should extend Kris Letang’s contract now
The Penguins’ management team of GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke has difficult work ahead between now and next season. How good do the Penguins have to be to not trade defenseman Kris Letang and/or center Evgeni Malkin before the March 21 trade deadline? Both are...
Mark Madden: Amid covid chaos, NHL should keep players away from Beijing Winter Olympics
The NHL is embroiled in covid chaos. Calgary and Carolina experienced recent postponements because of team outbreaks. Covid has caused 10 NHL games to be pushed back this season. More will follow. Covid isn’t going away. The NHL may shuffle its protocol. Some want a pause in play, but that’s...
Mark Madden: The Penguins are playing their way toward sleeper contender status
The Pittsburgh Penguins might yet morph into a sleeper contender. “Might yet” means “not yet.” But there are positive signs. Much depends on the condition and performance of Evgeni Malkin when he returns from knee surgery. (Don’t expect vintage Malkin right away.) The locker room likely sees itself as more...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: NHL not getting maximum exposure on ESPN, TNT
When the NHL left NBC to do rights deals with ESPN and TNT, it seemed good. The season’s first week featured a Tuesday night doubleheader on ESPN and a Wednesday night doubleheader on TNT. The presentation, production and announcing were all sharp. There was lots of fanfare. But ESPN hasn’t...
Mark Madden: Chase Claypool personifies Steelers’ culture problem
The Pittsburgh Steelers did not show guts and pride in their fourth-quarter comeback at Minnesota. If they had guts and pride, they wouldn’t have been trailing a sub-.500 team 29-0. The Steelers’ near-miss mostly was fueled by Minnesota lacking guts and pride, yet the Vikings still won. The biggest factor...
Mark Madden: It will be interesting to see how seasons play out for Sidney Crosby, Ben Roethlisberger
Sidney Crosby has a six-game points streak, compiling three goals and eight assists over that span. He’s up to a point per game on the season, with 13 in 13. Crosby had wrist surgery and battled covid but now looks the part after struggling for the best part of a...
Mark Madden: Kenny Pickett resurrected Pitt football but should not feel obligated to play in Peach Bowl
Hail to Pitt, certainly. But, mostly, hail to Kenny Pickett. The same could be said about the quarterback of most championship teams. That job’s occupant must be a catalyst. Pickett is that, and then some. Even breaking Dan Marino’s passing record pales next to Pickett taking a program that had...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: There’s a difference between actions of Aaron Rodgers, Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown got suspended three games by the NFL for having a bogus covid vaccination card. Brown’s ex-personal chef ratted him out because Brown owes the chef $10k. Brown’s ban costs him somewhere around $183k in game checks. Remember when those game checks were a lot bigger? Brown has not...
Mark Madden: Plenty of blame to go around for Steelers’ struggles
If last Sunday’s visit to Cincinnati seemed must-win, this Sunday’s home game against Baltimore seems a last stand for the Steelers, with Custer clad in black and gold. Propping up the Steelers season even when it’s turned hopeless is what’s best for business. Certain things can be cited to manufacture...
Mark Madden: The Steelers have a culture problem, and this group can’t fix it
Rocky Bleier said it best: “The Steelers suck.” If you want to debate, you’d be arguing with a four-time Super Bowl champion and decorated Vietnam war veteran. Bleier earned the right to opine. Ex-Steeler Ryan Clark described the current Steelers thusly on ESPN: “We want to make videos, we want...
Mark Madden: Every game counts for the Penguins, even in November
The Pittsburgh Penguins recently won five straight. But they sandwiched those victories with home losses to the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, two of the NHL’s worst teams. In the middle of last decade, that wouldn’t matter. The Penguins were a lock to make the playoffs. November was just a...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Robert Spillane is better option than Devin Bush for Steelers
Devin Bush Jr.’s father called a Pittsburgh radio show to defend his son’s subpar performance at inside linebacker for the Steelers. Devin Bush Sr. made two points: • Devin Bush Jr.’s knee isn’t all the way back after ACL surgery last year. • If you didn’t play the game, you...
Mark Madden: Steelers aren’t facing the typical ‘Bungles’
For years, Pittsburgh has referred to the Cincinnati Bengals as the “Bungles.” (Thanks, Myron.) With good reason, too: The “Bungles” stink. But maybe not anymore. The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since 1990. They haven’t been to a playoff game since 2015, and they blew that in spectacularly stupid...
Mark Madden: Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin make case to be among hockey’s all-time top 5
My list of hockey’s top five players ever (excluding goaltenders) is clear-cut. The top three are Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. That’s my order. But it’s impossible to argue with putting those three in any order. The next two are Sidney Crosby and Gordie Howe. Once again, that’s...
Mark Madden: Steelers should follow lead of Cam Heyward, Ben Roethlisberger
Refreshing sports notes are the Thanksgiving dinner of journalism: Something for everybody, and a lot of it. Dig in! • Cam Heyward and Ben Roethlisberger were the primary factors in the Steelers rallying to almost win Sunday at Los Angeles. They’re focused professionals and real Steelers. Heyward was double-teamed all...
