Breakfast With Benz category, Page 196
The other side: From Islanders, no trash talk necessary after sweeping Penguins
Some of the quotes coming out the Penguins locker room were illuminating. The same could be said about comments in the Islanders room. New York finished off a sweep of the Penguins last night. And trash talk was minimal because when you beat a team that easily, is it necessary?...
First call: Ex-Pirates Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows dominating with Tampa Bay
Glasnow’s game Two of the biggest reasons why the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place in the American League East are former Pirates. Specifically, the two players Tampa got in exchange for Chris Archer: Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows. Glasnow improved to 4-0 on Tuesday night, getting a win...
Islanders’ structure, discipline helped exploit Penguins’ flaws
The Penguins season is over a lot earlier than we expected. And there are many reasons why. So let’s take a look at all of them in our final Peguins Sided.co podcast of the 2018-19 season. Tribune-Review beat writer Jonathan Bombulie joins me to discuss how the Islanders managed to...
Tim Benz: In wake of sweep, Penguins say they must be more like Islanders
Watching the Islanders sweep the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals was like watching the Steelers defense at the end of the Dick LeBeau era. They kept trying to do the same things they’ve always done, even though those things stopped working long before they were willing to admit. This...
First call: Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin called out for fight with Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov
In Monday’s “First Call,” Alex Ovechkin’s knockout in a fight. A preview of the Pirates series in Detroit. Gerrit Cole is heating up for Houston. Ovi K.O. Alexander Ovechkin didn’t score for the Capitals on Tuesday night. No one from Washington did. The Capitals were blanked by the Hurricanes, 5-0,...
How long can Penguins stay alive vs. Islanders?
The Penguins are facing playoff elimination in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals Tuesday night against the Islanders. Puck-drop is 7:30 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena. Penguins Radio network host Brian Metzer isn’t sounding too optimistic about the club staying alive in our weekly Sided.co hockey podcast. He’ll tell...
Tim Benz: How Penguins could climb out of 3-0 hole vs. Islanders
So how do they do it? The truth is, it almost assuredly won’t happen. But … If the Penguins are to come back from a 3-0 hole against the New York Islanders in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, how will it happen? The usual empty explanations were thrown around the...
First call: Miles Sanders to Steelers?; Tiger wrecks bookies; Lightning nearly fried
In “First Call” Monday, there’s a chance the Steelers could draft Miles Sanders. Le’Veon Bell continues to illustrate Twitter schizophrenia. Tiger Woods killed bookies. The Lightning are about to fall just as hard as the Penguins. Sounds good to me USA Today’s Draft Wire site updated its five-round mock draft....
The other side: Islanders thinking ‘Game of Thrones’ before coup of Penguins
Penguins fans might have “Game of Thrones” on their minds watching this series against the New York Islanders. Because it has been a massacre akin to “The Red Wedding.” Apparently, the Islanders players have been thinking about “G.O.T.,” too. Instead of wondering about what a sweep of the Penguins would...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden break down Penguins’ 3-0 hole vs. Islanders
We bring you this week’s Madden Monday from PPG Paints Arena after the Penguins drop a 4-1 decision in Game 3 to the New York Islanders. Mark Madden of 105.9 the X and TribLIVE joins me as we figure out how the Isles have built a commanding 3-0 series lead...
Why Penguins coach Mike Sullivan might stick with Game 1 lineup
In Friday’s Sided.co podcast, Jonathan Bombulie, the Trib’s Penguins beat writer, joins me from Long Island to preview Game 2 of the Penguins-Islanders series. We figure out why Mike Sullivan may stick with his failed lineup decisions from Game 1 against the Islanders. We also talk about why Phil Kessel...
First call: Are you ready for Antonio Brown TV?
In “First Call” Thursday, will you subscribe to A.B. TV? The Lightning blow a big lead to Columbus. And Jordan Lyles may be a Pirates hidden gem. A.B. TV? Is this what ex-Steeler Antonio Brown meant by not giving us media guys anything else to write about? Within 24 hours...
In Twitter rant, Rashard Mendenhall calls Ben Roethlisberger ‘a racist’
Just when you thought the cycle of former Steelers blaming Antonio Brown’s actions on Ben Roethlisberger had ended, you get this accusation from former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall. He flat out calls the Steelers quarterback a racist. Alright, I’ll end the mystery... B’s racist and @AB84’s black. He had...
Podcast: What went wrong for Penguins vs. Islanders in Game 1?
It’s our weekly Sided.co hockey podcast with Pens Radio Network host Brian Metzer. He worked the postgame show Wednesday night on 105.9 the X after the Penguins lost 4-3 in overtime on Long Island in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Metzer and I picked it apart top-to-bottom. LISTEN:...
Tim Benz: Plenty to anger Penguins fans in Game 1 loss to Islanders
What does it mean? Big picture. That Game 1 loss of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs for the Penguins against the Islanders. For me, it means a series that I thought would go Pittsburgh’s way in five games will now end in six. That’s all. Otherwise, that 4-3 overtime defeat...
Masters preview: Tiger Woods’ chances, rain, possible winners
Wednesday’s Sided.co “Breakfast With Benz” podcast looks at golf. It’s our annual Masters preview with my former broadcast partner in Salt Lake, Brian Taylor. He is covering his 20th Masters this year. Round 1 is Thursday. The Par 3 tournament is today. We talk about that and how some of...
First call: Steelers mock draft with a WPIAL tie; Devils win NHL draft lottery
In Wednesday’s “First Call,” an encouraging — but odd — mock draft for the Steelers. Ray Shero scores the first pick. And heartfelt goodbyes for Dirk and D-Wade. Mega mock Dane Brugler of The Athletic went through the massive task of doing a full seven-round mock NFL Draft. Here is...
Tim Benz: Penguins defensemen embrace cliches as playoffs loom
It’s playoff time. So that means all aspects of a hockey player’s game should rise. Their skating. Hitting. Defensive intensity. And cliché usage. That’s right. As the stakes rise, so do the amount of regurgitated, empty quotes. Hockey locker rooms usually win the cliché battle among the four major sports...
Podcast: Can Penguins crack Islanders’ top-ranked defense, goaltending?
In Tuesday’s Sided.co podcast, we get a preview of the Islanders from News 12 Long Island Sports Director Kevin Maher. The Penguins open in New York for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday. Among the questions we try to answer: • Can the Penguins crack New York’s...
First call: Shannon Sharpe flip-flops on Antonio Brown; new Steeler says ‘screw the Patriots’
In “First Call” Tuesday, calling out Shannon Sharpe for his Antonio Brown double talk. A new Steeler comes into Pittsburgh with Patriots hate in his heart. And Chris Davis sets the 0-fer mark. Now that’s a 180 If NFL coaches knew Shannon Sharpe could backpedal like this, he might have...
Tim Benz: Pirates’ loss to Cubs a comedy and tragedy
I’m not sure if it was more comedy or tragedy. But I know one thing about the Pirates’ loss to the Cubs Monday afternoon. I sure don’t want to see a sequel. Chicago whipped the Pirates, 10-0, in the Cubs’ home opener. Perhaps better said, the Pirates stumbled off a...
First call: Shazier’s remarkable progress; Brown’s remarkable stupidity toward JuJu
In Monday’s “First Call,” the remarkable progress of Ryan Shazier. The remarkable stupidity of Antonio Brown. The remarkable early-season struggles of the Cubs. On the bright side Buried under the avalanche of negative headlines surrounding the Steelers this offseason, we can be inspired by the steady progress of Ryan Shazier....
Tim Benz, Mark Madden talk Penguins-Islanders, Antonio Brown vs. JuJu, Pirates bats
In this week’s “Madden Monday,” Mark Madden and I hit on the big three: The Penguins, Steelers and Pirates. We start with the Penguins and their upcoming series with the Islanders. Mark likes the Penguins in six games. I’m thinking five. Yet somehow, I’m still expecting every game to be...
Tim Benz: Winning with bats a good sign for Pirates
They needed that. Yeah. It’s early in the season. And yes, what Pittsburgh baseball purist doesn’t like back-to-back 2-0 wins? That’s what high-grade starts from Jordan Lyles and Joe Musgrove gave the Pirates on Thursday and Friday nights against the Reds. Twelve combined innings of starting pitching, no runs allowed....
First call: Pirates pitchers performing, hitters failing; Capitals clinch division
In “First Call” Friday, some interesting early numbers for the Pirates. The Capitals win the Metro. And the Lightning continue to chase history. That’s a good `start` A week into the season, the Pirates starting rotation has been every bit as good as you think it has. Granted, they have...
