Breakfast With Benz category, Page 2
Tim Benz: Don’t overthink it. Yes, the Penguins should try to acquire Vince Trocheck
The idea of the Pittsburgh Penguins trading for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck was a hot debate on local sports talk radio Tuesday. I don’t see a reason for the debate. If the Pens can do that, they should. In his recent “32 Thoughts” podcast, SportsNet insider Elliotte Friedman...
First Call: High profile training partner with Will Howard; huge money coming in on Pirates win totalVideo
Wednesday’s “First Call” has a big name training partner (and tutor) for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard. Gambling money is pouring in on the Pirates. Pitt needs to close the college basketball season strong, as Robert Morris is ready to start tournament play. Plus, postseason accolades for Duquesne women’s basketball,...
First Call: Steelers alumni pile on reports of bad NFLPA grades; Maxx Crosby to Baltimore?
Tuesday’s “First Call” has some validation for those bad NFLPA grades for the Steelers, and it’s coming from some alumni of the team. Also, a fierce AFC pass rusher may wind up in the Steelers’ division. Pitt’s former athletic director, Heather Lyke, is wrapped up in a negative story at...
Tim Benz: We can talk about Malik Willis and the Steelers. But let’s have the entire conversationVideo
The dialogue about the Steelers potentially being interested in free-agent quarterback Malik Willis seems to have cooled. The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns appear to be the teams most commonly linked with the current Green Bay Packers backup. That doesn’t break my heart. I’m certainly not sold on...
First Call: New spin on QB Malik Willis’ price tag; Goalie fight for ex-Penguin; Vince Trocheck trade rumors
“First Call” opens the week with a different twist on the Malik Willis conversation. A former Steelers defensive lineman will be leaving his current team soon. Pittsburgh native Vince Trocheck could get traded before Friday’s deadline in the NHL. An ex-Penguin got into a goalie fight. And the Robert Morris...
Madden Monday: Bad NFLPA grades come from ‘spoiled brat prima donna’ Steelers
Last week, it was revealed that the Pittsburgh Steelers ranked last among the NFL’s 32 organizations in the NFL Players Association’s annual report cards. During this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 the X wondered if that may motivate Art Rooney II to pay big once...
Tim Benz: Penguins handling life without Sidney Crosby as trade deadline approachesVideo
It wasn’t the most obvious path to a hot start after the Olympic break. But you can’t argue with the results. Knowing that the Pittsburgh Penguins would be without Sidney Crosby for four weeks because of his injury suffered in Italy, there was a reason to worry that their status...
Beyond the Bylines: Bad Steelers NFLPA grades, Malik Willis’ price tag, Jack Hughes wins the crowd at PPG Paints Arena
In this week’s “Beyond the Bylines,” Joe Starkey and Tim Benz discuss the Pittsburgh Steelers’ poor showing in the NFLPA grades. What does this say about the players’ perception of the franchise in the post-Mike Tomlin era? We also investigate Malik Willis’ price tag and the importance of toilets in...
USA Olympic star Jack Hughes: ‘Every time I come back to Pittsburgh, I’ll really appreciate what they did for me’Video
The last guy with a similar smile to get an ovation that big in Pittsburgh might have been Jack Lambert after Super Bowl XIV. Some of Jack Hughes’ teeth are still chipped from a stick to the mouth he endured during Team USA’s gold medal win over Canada last weekend....
First Call: There’s ‘momentum’ for Steelers using an early pick at safety; Malik Willis’ reported asking price
Friday’s “First Call” suggests that the secondary could be a primary point of interest in the draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite a high asking price, a former Pitt legend loves what Malik Willis could bring at QB to the Steelers — or anyone else. Duquesne takes on the best...
Tim Benz: Offensive tackle has entered the Steelers’ draft chat … againVideo
After Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan addressed media members at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, most of the headlines were centered on what he said about the team’s plans at quarterback. Naturally. Why should this year be any different than the previous four in the wake of Ben...
U mad, bro?: Aaron Rodgers, the unearthed Steelers-Ravens officiating debate, 3-on-3 Olympic hockey all take shots from fansVideo
This week’s “U mad, bro?” goes from Milan to the North Side Notch. Hockey in the Summer Olympics to the reconstruction of PNC Park. Three-month-old football games to WWE wrestling. In other words, just a typical week. Here’s the latest edition. I took a jab at Team Canada coach Jon...
First Call: Konnor Griffin should ‘bat third’ for Pirates; Omar Khan on the idea of signing Tyreek HillVideo
Our Wednesday “First Call” has NESN’s reaction to Konnor Griffin’s two homers against the Boston Red Sox. Omar Khan dodges a question about Tyreek Hill. Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey may adjust the kicker market before Chris Boswell becomes a free agent. And it’s a busy night for Pittsburgh college basketball. Making...
Tim Benz: Don’t buy Omar Khan’s praise of Will Howard just yet. We’ve heard him sing this tune before
For a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, the Pittsburgh Steelers appear willing to entertain the prospect of a former sixth-round draft pick who has never thrown an NFL pass to be their quarterback this fall. The key word in that sentence is “appear.” During two media...
Months later, NFL admits it got another call wrong in crucial Steelers-Ravens gameVideo
More than two months after a Pittsburgh Steelers’ win in Baltimore, the NFL is saying that it got a controversial call wrong in that game. During the Steelers’ 27-22 victory Dec. 7, Aaron Rodgers caught his own pass that was batted back in his face. Baltimore linebacker Teddye Buchanan seemed...
First Call: Potential Steelers WR draft target limited at combine; Rickard Rakell on playing center while Sidney Crosby is hurtVideo
Tuesday’s “First Call” has some disappointing news from the NFL combine regarding a potential Pittsburgh Steelers draft target. The Cowboys are massaging the franchise tag situation with George Pickens. Plus, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell shares his Olympic opinions, and he discusses a potential move to center with Sidney Crosby injured....
Tim Benz: Sidney Crosby’s injury comes at tricky time for Penguins with trade deadline looming
Ben Kindel sat at his locker after Monday’s practice, next to Sidney Crosby’s empty stall. As the rookie forward responded to the question, he looked up at Crosby’s name plate — as if Crosby’s presence was there even if he wasn’t. “Sid’s quite a big part of our team. Our...
First Call: Ex-Steelers say its time to move on from Patrick Queen; Team Canada’s coach grousing about 3-on-3Video
Monday’s “First Call” has some sour grapes from Team Canada’s hockey coach regarding his team’s loss to the United States in the Olympic gold medal game Sunday. A pair of former Steelers think it’s time for Pittsburgh to say goodbye to a big-ticket starter on defense. The Tush Push may...
Madden Monday: Steelers want Aaron Rodgers so badly ‘they will wait as long as it takes’Video
A few weeks ago, it felt like Aaron Rodgers’ return to the Pittsburgh Steelers was simply a matter of time. This past week, though, multiple reports suggested otherwise. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said Rodgers’ decision could take months. CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala said she was told that the chances for a...
Tim Benz: Team USA didn’t need a miracle this time. It just needed to seize the momentVideo
The Team USA Olympic ice hockey win over Canada wasn’t a miracle. This time, the American skaters didn’t need one. They just needed the last goal. Forty-six years ago, in Lake Placid, a miracle was necessary. When the roster was composed of American college kids playing against the Soviet Red...
Former Pirate Neil Walker shares the depth of his bond with Bill Mazeroski
Former Pittsburgh Pirate Neil Walker was about 8 or 9 years old. He remembers the words of advice from his father. “Make sure you ask him for an autograph. You tuck that away. You are going to want it when you are older,” Tom Walker told his son. Walker was...
Anatomy of a buzzer-beater: Why Duquesne’s game-winning shot to beat La Salle almost never happenedVideo
Tarence Guinyard’s coast-to-coast, buzzer-beating drive to beat La Salle on Wednesday made it onto ESPN SportsCenter’s “Top 10 Plays” for the night. Coming in at #️⃣5️⃣ on SportsCenter!! #GoDukes | @TarenceGuinyard pic.twitter.com/Ht5nMibufb— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) February 19, 2026 But the exhilarating highlight from the Duquesne guard almost never happened. During...
Sidney Crosby’s injury spotlights many Olympic hockey debates. Let’s get into all of them
Sidney Crosby’s injury has not yet cost him a game as the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It may not even cost him a game as the captain of Team Canada. For now, his status is uncertain heading into Friday’s semifinal game against Finland after getting hurt in the quarterfinals...
First Call: Aaron Rodgers decision ‘could take months;’ draft analyst questions QB idea for Steelers at No. 21
Friday’s “First Call” tells Pittsburgh what it may not want to hear about Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. One draft analyst has some advice for the Steelers when it comes to the idea of picking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. A Duquesne basketball player just set an individual mark that reflects team...
Beyond the Bylines: Joe Starkey, Tim Benz on Sidney Crosby’s injury, NHL in the Olympics, Steelers PodcastgateVideo
This week’s “Beyond the Bylines” streamed on Thursday instead of Friday because Joe Starkey already needs a vacation, and he’s only been back at TribLive for about a month. So he is going to Florida to play golf on Friday. We did not discuss Joe’s golf game. We did, however,...
