Mark Madden Columns category, Page 21
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Messi is arguably the best ever, but MLS competition must be taken into context
Lionel Messi’s debut for Inter Miami was electric. Messi netted a 94th-minute free kick Friday to give the MLS club a 2-1 win over Mexican side Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup, whatever that is. A-list player, maybe the best of all time. A-list goal, though Messi has produced many...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ commitment to defense is flawed in today’s NFL
Edge rusher Alex Highsmith signed a four-year, $68-million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Good move, bad move … that’s beyond debate. It’s simply what the Steelers do. When a player of any regard is up for renewal, he gets what he wants. That’s the Steelers way. Highsmith didn’t even...
Mark Madden: Running backs just aren’t that important in today’s NFL
If anybody’s at fault for the quandary of the NFL’s running backs, it’s the NFL Players Association. The franchise tag isn’t fair. It keeps free agency from being free. But the NFLPA approves it in each new CBA, getting instead the right to smoke pot. (That’s more important to the...
Mark Madden: Risk-averse Steelers play it too safe
The first practice at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp takes place July 27 at 1:55 p.m. It’s scheduled as precisely as a NASA launch, or the ball dropping in Times Square. “Times Square” should be Diontae Johnson’s nickname. Break out the lawn chairs and Styrofoam coolers. “I really like that undrafted...
Mark Madden: Exclusion of Barry Bonds shows how Baseball Hall of Fame is a joke
Barry Bonds has rarely groused publicly about his exclusion from the Baseball Hall of Fame. But he presented his case thusly on a recent podcast: “I was vindicated. I went to court, I was in federal court, and I won my case, 100 percent. Where is the vindication of me...
Mark Madden: Nice draft pick, Pirates. Now don’t screw it up
The Pittsburgh Pirates took LSU pitching phenom Paul Skenes with the first pick of the MLB Draft. That’s step one. Step two is to not screw it up. Don’t keep Skenes in the minors till June next season by way of manipulating an extra year of team control via Super...
Mark Madden: Picking Paul Skenes was rare, easy win for pitiful Pirates
When no single topic jumps out, refreshing sports notes are the best option. Just like the Pirates, I made the obvious choice. • Concluding that 2 + 2 = 4 shouldn’t get you congratulated. But, regardless, be glad that the Pirates drafted pitcher Paul Skenes. They have botched simpler. •...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Top-of-rotation talent Paul Skenes is best choice for Pirates
Mitch Keller deserves lots of credit for making the Pittsburgh Pirates’ season interesting. The right-handed pitcher is 9-4 with a 3.52 ERA. Keller has made 11 quality starts out of 18. Keller is an All-Star and could contend for the National League Cy Young Award. The Pirates aren’t yet very...
Mark Madden: Don’t blame Pat McAfee for ESPN’s firings
Pat McAfee got $85 million to join ESPN. ESPN laid off about 20 on-air personalities shortly thereafter. Idiot’s logic dictates that if B follows A, A caused B. But that’s not what happened. Even since Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann transcended ESPN and became some semblance of mainstream stars in...
Mark Madden: Kyle Dubas improved Penguins’ bottom 6, but work remains to rebuild roster
The Dubas debut is well underway. New president of hockey ops Kyle Dubas has made quite an impact on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster during his brief tenure, and it feels like he’s just getting started. The bottom six is improved. Lars Eller and Noel Acciari are efficient, pragmatic centers. The...
Mark Madden Hot Take: On 2nd thought, Pirates should keep Andrew McCutchen
It’s been just a few days since this space suggested trading Andrew McCutchen if it would be best for the Pittsburgh Pirates. If it would provide decent return. I’ve already changed my mind. Whatever prospect the Pirates might get from Texas (or whoever) for McCutchen likely would not pan out....
Mark Madden: MLB’s greed was on display Thursday — Pirates’ players should have refused to play
Feel my heat, takin’ you higher, burn with me, these refreshing sports notes are on fire! So is Canada. That’s why we can’t breathe. • The Pittsburgh Pirates should be canceling games because of unsafe air quality. The players stated their concerns but were forced to play Thursday. It’s MLB’s...
Mark Madden: If trading Andrew McCutchen makes sense for the Pirates, they should
Texas is reportedly interested in acquiring outfielder/DH Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates. McCutchen, 36, signed with the Pirates as a free agent this past offseason. It was a much-ballyhooed return to Pittsburgh after leaving the Pirates via trade to San Francisco following the 2017 campaign. Tears were shed, smiles plentiful....
Mark Madden: Can Kyle Dubas work miracles for the Penguins this week?
When Jim Rutherford was Penguins GM, you knew what he’d do: A lot. When Ron Hextall was Penguins GM, you knew what he’d do: Often something stupid. But now, with Kyle Dubas as the team’s president of hockey operations and a very important week ahead, it’s hard to draw a...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: When will Mike Tomlin be judged by his results?
Something called Pro Football Network ranked the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin third among NFL coaches, trailing only Kansas City’s Andy Reid and New England’s Bill Belichick. Pro Football Network seems small potatoes. But this is exemplary of how Tomlin is rated, and why. He’s good just because. “A Tomlin team...
Mark Madden: Tom Barrasso worthy Hall of Famer, but there’s a reason it took him 17 years to get in
Ex-Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso made the Hockey Hall of Fame. It took him 17 years of eligibility. Former New York Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist made it on his first ballot. After just three years. Lundqvist had the advantage of playing in New York, North America’s top media hub. But...
Mark Madden: The NHL is broken. Here’s how to fix it
UFC impresario Dana White offered a candid assessment of the NHL: “They are all old, dumb (expletive) people that have no idea what’s going on. They have no idea where this younger generation is, how you reach them.” (There’s a Van Halen lyric in there somewhere.) White pointed out that...
Mark Madden: We were privileged to listen to Stan Savran
Stan Savran’s funeral begins at 1 p.m. Wednesday. My radio program starts at 3 p.m. So I’ll attend Stan’s funeral but will leave at 1:45 p.m. whether it’s completed or not because I want to make certain I get to the studio on time. That’s the biggest tribute I can...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Don’t join the ‘culture’ club
After his team lost the Stanley Cup Final in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice gave a powerful interview that referenced his “special group” and talked about how his players “love each other.” Hockey’s romantics fairly wept, citing the Panthers’ great culture. But it’s...
Mark Madden: With Alex Highsmith, Steelers shouldn’t pay Batman prices for a Robin
Pro Football Focus projects Alex Highsmith will get a four-year contract extension worth $65 million. That’s an average annual value of $16.25, which would rank him 13th among the NFL’s edge rushers. That’s insane. But Highsmith will get it. The Pittsburgh Steelers are bullied by their players easily and often....
Mark Madden: The Steelers aren’t as good as you think … unless they are
In the new-age media tradition of compiling endless lists and providing content that would be more apropos in, say, 10-12 weeks, I present: Top 5 reasons the Steelers aren’t as good as you think 1. Defense doesn’t win. Not even elite defense, and it’s a big leap to assume the...
Mark Madden: Pirates might be fun if not for Bob Nutting
When no single topic stands out, it’s time for refreshing sports notes! (Problem is, that kills a gaggle of column ideas in one fell swoop.) • The Pittsburgh Pirates almost could win me over. They play hard, aggressive baseball and have a modicum of talent. But I don’t trust owner Bob...
Mark Madden’s hot take: Hey fans, don’t be stupid — cash in
Whenever a fan is in the presence of a big-time athlete, the fan should remember that the athlete doesn’t care about him or her. You won’t be friends. It’s an empty encounter, so don’t feel bad about wanting a selfie, autograph, whatever. (Be polite.) This especially goes if you have...
Mark Madden: Time for the Pirates to up the ante with top prospects Henry Davis, Endy Rodriguez
The Pirates swept bogey team St. Louis and then lost two of three to Oakland, perhaps the worst team in baseball history. It’s maddening, but the Pirates have somehow hung around the top of the very generic National League Central despite their consistent inconsistency. Shortstop Oneil Cruz won’t be back...
Mark Madden: Money always wins, and the PGA did what was best for golf
Before you moralize about the Saudis buying golf — which is exactly what they did Tuesday — ask yourself this: How would you feel if they bought the Pittsburgh Pirates? If the Saudis bought the Pirates, they would be the best team in MLB within two or three years. No...
