Tim Benz Columns category, Page 23
Madden Monday: Fights to start Team USA-Canada game ‘devalued’ the momentVideo
A lot of people went crazy about the Team USA hockey win over Canada on Saturday, in large part because of the three fights in 9 seconds to open the game. USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS ????????: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025 For his part, though,...
Tim Benz: A lesson to be learned by the Steelers from all the ‘SNL 50’ hoopla
Amid all of the hoopla for this weekend’s 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” I watched the four-part docuseries on Peacock called “SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night.” I really enjoyed it. I thought it was better than any individual SNL episode I’ve seen in recent years. All four parts were...
After last month’s blowout loss to Dayton, Duquesne is taking rematch ‘personally’
Duquesne’s last game against Dayton knocked the Dukes men’s basketball team off track. The Dukes (10-14, 5-6 Atlantic 10) see Saturday’s rematch as an opportunity to finally stay on track. “They beat us so bad at home the last time, I am taking that personally,” forward Jakub Necas said Thursday...
First Call: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields favored to get Jets’ QB job; Jake Guentzel shines for Team USA
Friday’s “First Call” has the same potential destination for both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. An ex-Steelers assistant coach is part of the shuffling deck in Detroit. A trio of former Penguins registered points in the Team USA win over Finland in the American opener of the 4 Nations Face-Off....
Tim Benz: Everyone refutes that the Steelers called about Trevor Lawrence. OK, but is it a bad idea?
Trevor Lawrence probably isn’t coming to Pittsburgh. Quite frankly, no one Thursday said anything to the contrary. You wouldn’t know that, though, based on the spitfire and gnashing of teeth that accompanied pushback to a report that said the Steelers inquired about his availability from the Jacksonville Jaguars. To immediately...
Tim Benz: After finishing a game with no healthy goalies and an empty net, RMU hockey finds an EBUG
A week after the Robert Morris men’s hockey team had to finish a game without a goalie, the Colonials are preparing for this weekend’s games with the NCAA version of an EBUG: Emergency Backup Goaltender. The Colonials entered last weekend’s series against Bentley with one of their goalies, Croix Kochendorfer,...
First Call: Duck Hodges and Lainey Wilson get engaged; Mario Lemieux feels the love in Montreal
Thursday’s “First Call” has wedding plans for a former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback. Sidney Crosby stood out in Canada’s first game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Mario Lemieux was a star of the pregame ceremony as well. Plus, a Cincinnati Bengal has requested a trade, and Pitt’s women’s basketball team plays...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans angry after Day 1 of Pirates spring training, annoyed with Kenny Pickett’s Super Bowl ring
Kenny Pickett winning a Super Bowl has certainly touched a nerve within Steeler Nation. So has the state of Pittsburgh’s current quarterback situation. It took one whole day for some bad news to come out of spring training for the Pirates. And some people didn’t appreciate my gambling advice. That...
If the Steelers are following the Eagles’ model, are they capable of putting it together?
It’s been three days since the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl, and I keep hearing that’s good news because it means the Pittsburgh Steelers are “on the right track” toward building a team in their image. Since, you know, the Eagles are all about defense and running the football....
First Call: Jets tried to ban Aaron Rodgers from Pat McAfee’s show; Steelers DB lashes out at idea of Rodgers in Pittsburgh
“First Call” for Wednesday has some interesting news about Aaron Rodgers’ demise in New York. We also tell you which Steeler is aggressively opposed to the notion of Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh. It might not take very much for the Steelers to pry Deebo Samuel loose from San Francisco. Also,...
Tim Benz: Hey, new Pirates, it’s not your fault
I feel like I’m channeling Robin Williams from “Good Will Hunting” on this one. But with Pittsburgh Pirates players reporting to spring training this week, I think it needs to be said. Hey, Adam Frazier. It’s not your fault. There are going to be times this year when you think...
Tim Benz: Super Bowl commercial puts a new spin on Eagles comps for ‘Fast & Furious’ Steelers
I hadn’t really been thinking about the Pittsburgh Steelers all that much during Sunday’s Super Bowl until I saw a Häagen-Dazs ice cream commercial in the second half. It featured Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Ludacris from the “Fast & Furious” movies. That reminded me of the Steelers because, much...
First Call: Bill Cowher expects Steelers to have ‘dialogue’ about Aaron Rodgers; reasons behind big Super Bowl TV ratings
Comments from former Steelers coach Bill Cowher are likely to keep the Aaron Rodgers speculation going in Pittsburgh. An ex-Steeler is on his way out of New England. Television ratings for the Super Bowl were good — and for some very specific reasons. We have an idea of how Sidney...
Deebo Samuel’s agent will reportedly contact Steelers, AFC North foes may also be in the mix
According to a report from SI.com, Deebo Samuel’s agent will reach out to the Pittsburgh Steelers to discuss a trade. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver has received permission to seek a trade with another team. Via Noah Strackbein of S.I., one of those clubs he intends to talk to...
Tim Benz: Justin Fields, not Russell Wilson, is the greater point of intrigue from recent Steelers QB reports
When Fox’s Jay Glazer threw a log on the fire of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason quarterback conversation last week, I got the impression a lot of us were talking about the wrong part of what he said. What Glazer mentioned (on the “Fantasy Football Happy Hour”) about the unlikelihood of...
Madden Monday: Steelers ‘a million miles’ from replicating what the Eagles have done
When evaluating what went wrong with the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday night, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X has a very simple explanation. Look at quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “Mahomes absolutely soiled the bed,” Madden said in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “He was...
First Call: Steelers listed as a potential destination for Deebo Samuel; Kenny Pickett ends Super Bowl for the Eagles
Monday’s “First Call” starts with Kenny Pickett’s Super Bowl appearance. We also examine the potential of the Pittsburgh Steelers rebooting their efforts to land a wide receiver from San Francisco this offseason. Multiple reports have Matthew Stafford likely staying put in Los Angeles. Terry Bradshaw is laying out his exit...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ postseason funk recreating an all-too-familiar Super Bowl rooting interest
If you’re a Steelers fan trying to figure out who to root for in Sunday’s Super Bowl, I can’t blame you if you are having a tough time reaching a conclusion. On the one hand, you’ve got the dominating, three-peat-hungry Kansas City Chiefs with their perceived NFL “favorite child” status....
First Call: Matt Stafford’s wife on board with move if trade happens; Steelers legend presses need for QB improvement
If the Pittsburgh Steelers really have an interest in acquiring Matthew Stafford, it appears his wife is willing to move from Los Angeles if needed. A Steelers legend is encouraging the team to make a move at QB as soon as possible. We preview the Penguins weekend ahead, potentially without...
Football Footnotes: Gambling tips for Super Bowl LIX
This Friday’s “Football Footnotes” is our annual “Super Bowl Bets” edition as we get ready for Sunday’s Showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year was a rough one. On the plus side, I went 3 for 4 with bets on the Chiefs and their players....
First Call: Jameis Winston wants a job in Pittsburgh; Steelers legend rooting for a K.C. 3-peat
Thursday’s “First Call” has some Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame comments about the Kansas City quest for a Super Bowl three-peat. Jameis Winston is angling for a job in Pittsburgh. George Pickens is getting a reality check from an unlikely source. And if the Steelers do end up playing a...
U mad, bro?: Readers sound off on Kenny Pickett’s comments, George Pickens trade talk and the live Eagles mascotVideo
In certain ways, this week’s “U mad, bro?” is very conventional. It features some consternation about Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback miscues, George Pickens, and the state of the Pirates. I mean, that’s “U mad, bro?” meat and potatoes right there. On the other hand, we have a hockey reference from 1993,...
Tim Benz: For the Penguins, ‘solid’ effort vs. Devils sums up adjusted eye-level of the team
It was the kind of loss just about any hockey player or coach could live with. Maybe even some of the fans. Especially if it had been late October and there were still 70 games to play. Now, though, Tuesday’s outing for the Pittsburgh Penguins became the kind of game...
First Call: Ben Roethlisberger agrees with criticism of Steelers’ defense; Alex Ovechkin scores a buzzer-beater
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some quotes from Ben Roethlisberger that the current Pittsburgh Steelers defense won’t like. The NFL has a deal in place to officially use the phrase “three-peat” if the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Alexander Ovechkin scores a buzzer-beater goal. Marc-Andre Fleury hits another milestone....
Could backlash over alleged referee-favoritism toward the Chiefs benefit the Eagles in the Super Bowl?
The Kansas City Chiefs and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes get the benefit of so many officiating calls that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had to answer a question about the trend being intentional during his pre-Super Bowl press conference. “That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously,” Goodell...
