Breakfast With Benz category, Page 120
First Call: What the Steelers can expect in Carolina; rough week for Buffalo Bills; another MLB draft pick injury
Friday’s “First Call” shows us what the Pittsburgh Steelers can expect from the Carolina Panthers in their final preseason game on Friday night. The Buffalo Bills aren’t exactly having the best training camp in advance of their season opener against the Steelers. There is some ironic injury news surrounding the...
Tim Benz: A day after earning jeers, Gregory Polanco gets some cheers
Of course, it went that way for Gregory Polanco and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night. Of course, it did. The beautiful irony of sports can even shine on the lowly Buccos from time to time. After struggling outfielder Gregory Polanco had been put on waivers and brought back —...
First Call: Contract projections for T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick; Keith Butler give us something to track for the Steelers defense
Thursday’s “First Call” gives us some ballpark numbers on potential Steelers contracts for T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Coordinator Keith Butler reveals some defensive strategy. Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett is pushing to get Penn State and West Virginia back on the Panthers schedule. And Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans are mad about Mason Rudolph and hot about Dwayne Haskins; Pirates fans are peeved
Little should surprise me at this point when it comes to how angsty online dialogue about the Steelers can be. But some of what I’ve seen about the backup quarterback “debate” between Dwayne Haskins and Mason Rudolph is blowing my mind. The funny thing is, both guys have actually been...
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t ‘want to speculate’ on timetable for Stephon Tuitt’s return
All the attention given to T.J. Watt’s non-holdout, partial participation in Steelers training camp has overshadowed a similar practice situation for defensive end Stephon Tuitt. As is the case with Watt, Tuitt has been present at most practices, working individually on the side and doing lots of conditioning. Defensive coordinator...
First Call: A Vezina-worthy Marc-Andre Fleury save as he trains for his new team; Will Myles Garrett fight Logan Paul?
Wednesday’s “First Call” shows us that former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is still in top form as he prepares to join the Chicago Blackhawks. The Paul brothers are trying to suck Cleveland Browns helmet-swinger Myles Garrett into a celebrity boxing match. A potential rookie standout sees his first season end...
Tim Benz: It may seem backward, but Steelers’ approach to finding steady 5th defensive back makes sense
When it comes to finding a steady fifth defensive back, the Steelers’ thinking may appear upside down. However, I’d argue that they are actually on the right path. Since he was drafted out of Tennessee in 2017, Cameron Sutton has been a player whose versatility has been the main reason...
NFL.com’s ‘best-case, worst-case scenarios’ for Steelers’ Najee Harris in his rookie year
This week, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah came out with his “best/worst-case projections for notable rookies.” It was an exercise to show the best possible and worst possible results for a big pack of potential NFL rookie contributor based on several variables for their teams. Of course, on the offensive side, Jeremiah’s...
Lawyer alleges Robert Morris administrator ordered employee to erase records of discussions to cut ice hockey teams
A lawyer who represents a former Robert Morris hockey player is alleging that a university official ordered an athletic department employee to “get rid of” text messages and emails about the school’s decision to eliminate the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs. In a series of interviews with TribLIVE.com, Cleveland-area...
First Call: Ex-Steeler ‘Duck’ Hodges gets cut; so much for the idea of Mason Rudolph to Atlanta; ancient Pirates history relived
Tuesday’s “First Call” tells us what’s become of former Steelers cult hero Devlin “Duck” Hodges in Los Angeles. What some thought was a potential trade destination for Mason Rudolph has come and gone. The Yankees and Braves recreated some old time Pirates history. And “Hard Knocks” needs a soft landing...
Tim Benz: Little details of Pat Freiermuth’s game could lead to a big impact on Steelers offense
The big picture on Pat Freiermuth is that the Steelers hope he will be an answer at tight end for years to come. Freiermuth’s measurables are impressive. He’s 6-foot-5, 251 pounds with 9 7/8-inch hands. And with a 4.72 40-yard dash, he’s fast enough for a tight end of that...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden rate Steelers’ preseason performance, make some predictionsVideo
Mark Madden and Tim Benz talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason games and more on this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLIVE’s Facebook page. The Steelers have won three preseason games and have their fourth and final scrimmage on Friday. Benz sees good signs in the depth of the team,...
Tim Benz: If Steelers fans are giving Dwayne Haskins a chance to improve, they should give Mason Rudolph the same shot
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin often says that his team “has no time for hypothetical conversations.” Former head coach Bill Cowher famously stated his disdain for the “what if” game. Well, I have a disdain for the annual fourth preseason game of the NFL season. Yet the Steelers are...
First Call: Joe Schobert recaps 1st game with Steelers; former Steeler injured in Baltimore; former Pirate shines in Tampa
Monday’s “First Call” looks at linebacker Joe Schobert’s first game as a Pittsburgh Steeler. Also, there is a twist that may have had him playing in Baltimore instead. One ex-Pirate shines, and another gets hurt during a battle of American League powerhouses. And Pittsburgh braces itself for the long-awaited, uh,...
Madden Monday: MLB’s biggest problem isn’t that there are so many really bad teams. It’s that so few people seem to care
This might be a difficult concept for many Pittsburgh Pirates fans to embrace after yet another season of unmitigated failure. Well, failure at the Major League level, anyway. I know that a large chunk of the fan base is chalking up what may become a 100-loss campaign as a raging...
Tim Benz: Steelers answering questions about thin roster spots as preseason wins mount
It’s always wise to caution putting any stock in the results of Steelers preseason games. Especially with this 3-0 start in 2021. After all, the Steelers are playing nothing but NFC teams that finished out of the playoffs — and with sub-.500 records — in 2020. Over the first two...
First Call: Under-the-radar Steelers pass rushers draw national praise; Antonio Brown’s practice fight; Pirates’ familiar foe
Friday’s “First Call” puts stats behind some impressive Pittsburgh Steelers pass rushing efforts so far this preseason. Antonio Brown gets into a practice fight with a Tennessee Titans player. The Pirates try to find some solid ground in St. Louis. More news on Robert Morris ice hockey transfers. And Pittsburgh’s...
U mad, bro?: Readers express doubts about Dwayne Haskins, Joe Schobert; the Pirates’ rebuilding plan
If you were mad that this week’s “U mad, bro?” was delayed by a day, I apologize. I was at a work function in Las Vegas for two days. However miffed you may have been doesn’t even approach my level of anger with some of the cards I got on...
Tim Benz: Derek Schooley hopes to build Robert Morris hockey from the ground up — again
Here’s a challenge. Recruit for a college hockey team that doesn’t exist. Here’s another challenge. Do it twice in less than 20 years. That’s the task facing presumptive current Robert Morris men’s hockey head coach Derek Schooley. Wait a minute. Is that a thing? “Presumptive current head coach.” It feels...
First Call: Oddsmakers set line on hot seat for Mike Tomlin; Gerrit Cole returns; Joe Burrow still out
Tuesday’s “First Call” tries to gauge how hot the seat really is (or isn’t) for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Gerrit Cole returned to the mound in the Bronx. We’ve found a team struggling even worse than the Pirates. And Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow isn’t ready for game action...
Joe Schobert’s laid-back personality may have factored into trade to Steelers
The football X-and-O theories about why the Jacksonville Jaguars were willing to give former Pro Bowl linebacker Joe Schobert to the Steelers for a meager sixth-round draft choice have been well-discussed. The premise is that new Jags general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Urban Meyer didn’t see Schobert as...
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Steelers adding Joe Schobert, Dwayne Haskins’ future, moreVideo
Mark Madden and Tim Benz open up this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLIVE’s Facebook page discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to acquire linebacker Joe Schobert from the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. Schobert comes in and already becomes a leader of the defense. He likely won’t leave the field when...
First Call: 2 Steelers revealed so far in NFL Network’s Top 100; news about Joe Schobert’s number
Monday’s “First Call” reveals the first two Steelers to appear on the NFL Network’s Top 100 list. New Steeler Joe Schobert is already dropping hints for fans to interpret. We find an interesting ratings twist from the NFL Hall of Fame game. And the Pirates have a mighty task ahead...
Tim Benz: Steelers are right to see value in Joe Schobert that Jaguars did not
I’m still struggling with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ decision to trade linebacker Joe Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the 2020 NFL campaign, Schobert’s lone season in Jacksonville, the linebacker wasn’t as good as he had been during the previous four years in Cleveland. OK, I get it. However, look at...
Madden Monday: Steelers need to be cautious of looming spending spree
It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers will have a lot of salary cap space in 2022. According to OverTheCap.com, the most in the NFL at a projected $63.6 million. But if all the players Steelers fans want to retain get the money they are looking for, then that number...
