Mark Madden Columns category, Page 18
Mark Madden: Madison Square Garden has undeniable buzz, but resident teams almost never win
NEW YORK — Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier once said you can feel the electricity of New York’s Madison Square Garden as soon as you walk into the building. Not sure if Messier said that after captaining the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994 or after...
Mark Madden: Patric Hornqvist changed Penguins; Josh Anderson could do the same
The Pittsburgh Penguins were 10-10 going into Tuesday night’s game at Nashville. You can’t get more mediocre than that. The Penguins have shown signs of life, especially against strong foes. But they don’t look like a good bet to win a playoff series for the first time since 2018 or...
Mark Madden: Steelers lacked scoring but showed plenty of good, so what’s their ceiling?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-4. They’ll be 9-4 after beating pushovers in their next two games. After that, their schedule gets harder but not a lot. It’s easy to imagine the Steelers finishing, say, 11-6 and getting the No. 1 wild card in the AFC. Heck, the Steelers could win...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Nothing should be off-limits to get Penguins on track
Going into Saturday night’s home game vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Pittsburgh Penguins had just 19 wins in regulation time over their last 64 games. They blew a 2-0 third-period lead at Buffalo on Friday night, losing 3-2. The Penguins’ season has taken on familiar characteristics that have been...
Mark Madden: Some advice for Eddie Faulkner in his Steelers coordinator debut
New Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner has blocked much of the local media on X/Twitter. But he hasn’t yet blocked me. So I must be doing something right. It’s in the spirit of that unsteady alliance that I offer Faulkner the following advice: NO JET SWEEPS. Don’t call any. Not...
Mark Madden: The Steelers’ scapegoat is gone, but will that make Kenny Pickett play better?
The Pittsburgh Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Now we find out who’s really been at fault for the Steelers’ scared, limp offense. Here’s thinking it hasn’t been Canada. Here’s betting we see more of the same. Will quarterback Kenny Pickett use the middle of the field now? Will Pickett...
Mark Madden: Without his ‘it’ factor, Kenny Pickett is one of NFL’s worst quarterbacks
Kenny Pickett is one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks. He should be benched. The Steelers are 6-4, but when they’ve won, it’s mostly been despite Pickett. “Fourth-quarter Kenny” was absent Sunday at Cleveland. Right after Pickett failed to summon a game-winning drive in the game’s final 15 minutes, Browns rookie...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers’ defensive playmakers must do more against Browns
The Pittsburgh Steelers needed two defensive touchdowns to win their Week 2 game against Cleveland. They might need the same when they visit the Browns on Sunday. The breaks are going the Steelers’ way. Deshaun Watson, the Browns starting quarterback, is out for the season with shoulder problems. His replacement,...
Mark Madden: Charissa Thompson’s actions show that sports journalism is hanging by a thread
Our nation is in freefall for many reasons. The decline of journalism is one of them. Journalism practiced correctly is about truth. But journalism these days is about entertainment and has become tribal. Injecting Charissa Thompson and sports into that mix is a bit dramatic. Sports, in the big picture,...
Mark Madden: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan another example that it’s OK to cheat in sports
It’s OK to cheat. Jim Harbaugh’s three-game nonsuspension from his duties as Michigan football coach is a reminder. Harbaugh can coach at practice. He can game plan. You know he’s in communication with his staff during games he’s “suspended” from. Harbaugh’s impact is not being at all minimized. (You don’t...
Mark Madden: The Steelers’ 6-3 record disguises real problems that inevitably await
Here’s the good news: The Steelers have found a few positives to hang their helmets on. Their running game has erupted behind the insertion of rookie Broderick Jones at right tackle and the diverse combination of power back Najee Harris and scatback Jaylen Warren. The pair totaled 183 rushing yards...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Despite playing for 9 NHL teams, Jaromir Jagr always will be a Penguin
Here are 10 factoids about prodigal son Jaromir Jagr, who returns to Pittsburgh to get his No. 68 retired Feb. 18 at PPG Paints Arena. And that’ll be the way to get along… • Jagr played for nine NHL teams. But he’s most remembered as a Penguin. It’s where he...
Mark Madden: Bryan Rust has earned his starring role with Penguins
It’s time for refreshing Penguins notes, with a San Jose Sharks chaser! Who’s worse, the Sharks or the 1983-84 Penguins that tanked by way of drafting Mario Lemieux? I watched the latter team extensively. I don’t want to think about it. • Just keep Bryan Rust out there in overtime....
Mark Madden: Just another example of Steelers’ flawed culture under Mike Tomlin
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ culture, at least the portion created by coach Mike Tomlin, is uneven and flawed. Chuks Okorafor lost the starting job at right tackle because he “acted out” during the Oct. 29 loss to Jacksonville. Okorafor said or did something Tomlin didn’t like. This switch was past due...
Mark Madden: When Penguins go splat, core 3 will head elsewhere
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 10-2 win at San Jose on Saturday was fun but insignificant. The Sharks (0-10-1) may be historically bad. The Penguins (4-6-0, last in the Metropolitan Division) started their season rotten against perhaps the easiest part of their schedule. That victory, while needed, is like slapping a butterfly...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Bobby Knight’s resume was built while being vile and despicable
Bobby Knight was barely dead when the excuse-making started. His constant boorish behavior was justified in the name of winning, just like always. “Knight turned boys into men.” Sometimes by assaulting them. We wonder if today’s athletes are too soft, deftly making Knight’s sadistic tyranny, browbeating and intimidation that much...
Mark Madden: Think these are the best of times for Steelers? You’re fooling yourself
The Pittsburgh Steelers should change their rally song. Stick with Styx. But try “Grand Illusion” instead of “Renegade.” The Steelers have been outgained in every game, and by 790 yards on the season. They have been outscored by 30 points. Their quarterback is pedestrian: Kenny Pickett completed just two passes...
Mark Madden: Who would win if WNBA champs faced top high school boys team?
Sports talker Clay Travis proposes a basketball game between the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and a state champ boys high school basketball team. (Travis didn’t specify a state or team.) Travis wants to wager $1 million. If Las Vegas wins, the Aces get Travis’ money. If the boys win,...
Mark Madden: In a QB-driven league, Kenny Pickett isn’t getting it done for Steelers
Rookie quarterback Will Levis made his NFL debut for Tennessee on Sunday. Levis did extremely well: He completed 19 of 29 passes for 238 yards, four touchdowns and a passer rating of 130.5. The Titans beat Atlanta, 28-23. That’s of interest for two reasons. • The Titans and Levis visit...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers need Kenny Pickett to pile up passing stats vs. Jaguars
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has the “it” factor, we’re told. The clutch gene. That’s good. Because what Pickett doesn’t have are the raw statistics. Pickett has passed for over 300 yards once in 19 NFL games (18 starts). He’s thrown two touchdown passes once. His passer rating has been over...
Mark Madden: Patrick Surtain would look great in Steelers secondary but wouldn’t solve biggest problem
Media stooges try to make the NFL trade deadline seem like the MLB trade deadline for the purpose of engagement. But it’s not nearly the same. The number of meaningful deals is minimal. In baseball, individual results are cobbled together to produce a team score. Players move easily from team...
Mark Madden: How many of the Penguins’ problems can be corrected?
Going into the season, there were a few things that could possibly go wrong for the Penguins. Right now, lots of them are: • They’re defensively vulnerable in every way possible. That’s because the Penguins play loose, and not necessarily to be blamed on their defensemen. • Their physicality is...
Mark Madden: Credit T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick for Steelers’ win in L.A.
When you’ve got a lot of sidebars, combine them into a dazzling edition of refreshing Steelers notes. Beautiful like the fall foliage! • T.J. Watt won the Cleveland game and won Sunday’s game at Los Angeles. He’s directly responsible for two of the Steelers’ four wins. Watt got no sacks...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Barry Melrose belongs in Hockey Hall of Fame
We’ve lost the plot when it comes to Halls of Fame. Halls of Fame used to be grandiose and special. Look at the Baseball Hall of Fame’s first class: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth. Unimpeachable. It was a special honor for special athletes. Halls...
Mark Madden: ESPN deserves ridicule for Evgeni Malkin-snubbing top players list
The compilation of rankings (lists, Top 10s, Mount Rushmores, etc.) is both a staple and the bane of the modern sports “journalism” existence. Such endeavors are well-read but lazy. You jot names/teams/events down until you’ve reached your prescribed number. It’s easy to generate debate, especially with yourself to start. You...
