November 12, 2025 • 33 mins
Mark talks more Steelers and is joined by Mike Decourcey on the show to talk all things Pittsburgh sports.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
What if the Steelers lose this one? I want you
to ask that question to yourselves. What if the Steelers
lose this one? It buries the season and puts Rogers
in a straight jacket if they lose this one, this
is where Rogers gets injured air quotes? Do you get
what I'm saying? Injured air quotes? I'm making the air quotes.
(00:25):
Sign Say it with me, injured air quotes.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
You know what?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Like this stuff that's not gonna happen makes me nuts
when it comes to Steelers. Like the idea that the
Steelers are going to trade Tom one of the New
York Times, that just is not going to happen. You
want me to talk about that, go down to dial.
That's all they're talking about. And people are also saying
the usual suspects that if Rogers got hurt, now that
(00:51):
Will Howard's activated. Tom, Will would go right to him.
First off, he can't during a game. Both guys would
have to get hurt, Rogers and Rudolph. Second off, if
it comes down to Rogers can't start, Rudolph starts.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Period.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
The only way that wouldn't happen and that Howard would
start is if they were playing meaningless games in week
seventeen and eighteen, which let's not count that out. You
can call the show now. By the way, I'm all
to shoveled today. I wish I was Paul McCarty. I
wish Paul McCartney would have played two shows here so
I could go again tonight. I should have gone to
(01:28):
Chicago and I see Robert Plan a second time. That's
what I should have done. But I'm just exhausted. I'm old,
I'm old. I gotta I gotta just get old and die.
Sante Samuel Junior talked to a lot of teams, but
pick the Steelers. And that's because he figured, no, not
that he wants to play for coach t Now, he
(01:49):
figured that that team and its secondary really suck, and
I might get to play right away. A's right, and
B remember when the Steelers and the media stud just
thought that secondary would be a strength.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, nobody's picked up one thornhill. Yet.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
If Darius Slay got cut, who would pick him up?
Somebody speculated the Steelers could cut him and go back
to the Eagles.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I'm thinking Eagles, They're we got this white guy. We're okay.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I love the notion that Jalen Warren will get more
touches if the Steelers converted more third downs, that that's
the carrot being dangled. I think that converting more third
downs would be its own reward.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Kenneth Gainwell ain't so good.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
That's another guy early in the season I thought was
doing better than he actually is. Never trust guys that
good teams. Let go in that vein canny pick and
cut dunked by Philadelphia and Cleveland within a few months,
both ends of the football Spectrum champion crap team.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
There's a rumor unfounded.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I forget who told me, if it was a Steeler
wife and girlfriend or a member of the pirates. But
somebody told me Kenny Pickett, we'll be selling the Super
Bowl ring he got with Philadelphia to pay for a
hand transplant.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
After all, it is no not November. And now I
know what that means.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Uh, dk Headcuff could use a hands transplant too, but
for different reasons.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Where do you kids come up with that stuff? No
not November? Like he made up a term for that,
and like, I mean, my god, what is wrong with you?
Speaker 4 (03:36):
What is wrong?
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And I didn't know what it meant. I asked like, somebody,
I know what's this mean? And he was like, eee,
you don't know what that means?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Ye, Frankly, I like the idea of the Mexican restaurant
called Oral mex Better because I would eat there, get it.
Yesterday we did the five most overrated Steelers, howmic unhinged
as Aaron Rodgers. Today, let's do the five most underrated Steelers.
(04:09):
Number five is Nick Herbick. The better he plays, the
less he plays, He's second on a team in sacks
in some weeks.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
His snaps are just like minimal. Number four is Jalen.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Warren, underrated by Tomlin. Laren might be the Steelers' best
offensive weapon, and he's playing only fifty two percent of
their offensive snaps, and Gainwell had more snaps than him
at LA. Number three is Mason McCormick at right guard.
Because you never hear he sucks. That's what makes you
(04:46):
a star on these Steelers. If we never hear that
you suck, you're a star. Number two is Kyle Dugger
because he's barely been here. Every time I hear that
name Kyle Duggar, I think of the Hendrick song Allie Dagger.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Kyle h dugger. He drinks his blood off the Jagget edge.
Number one is James.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Pierre, who played good at LA and might be the
only overachiever the Steelers have.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
By the way, A TJ.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Wat is on pace for eleven sacks, which would be
his lowest sack total since his rookie year. His rookie
year when what didn't make forty one million. Hey, this
comes as no surprise to me because I said they
shouldn't give him that deal. I said they should make
him play out the last year of his contract. I
(05:39):
said they should franchise him afterward. But now they wouldn't
because he's in deep decline and, like I said, is
on pace to have his lowest sack total since his
rookie year. What pisses me off the most about what
declining and he is And it's funny and you all
have what jerseys that makes it funnier. But what pisses
me off is that he won't line up in different
(06:00):
spots like Garrett and Parsons, who are both better. And
Wat's always got his knickers in a twist because he
thinks he's better than Garrett and wants more than Garrett. Okay,
then I play Garrett, and if you cannot play Garrett,
at least try some of this stuff Garrett does. Oh
you're not comfortable doing that, well, I'm not comfortable with
you sucking.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah. The Hockey Hall of Fame induction was last night.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Joe Thornton, Sadino, Chara Duncan, Keith ho Hum Hallo very good.
Eddie Johnston, Barry Millers and Don Cherry all deserve it more.
And I hate Thornton's beard. And there's a joke there.
I just shouldn't say, you know what. The Rock Roll
Hall of Fame at it's induction last night too, same
(06:46):
night as the Hockey Hall of Fame, and both were disappointing.
Bad co finally got in and Paul Rodgers was too
ill and couldn't attend, let alone perform. Simon Kirk, the drummer,
was there. They put Joe Perry out there. I think
Brian Adams sang a bad Coach song. Chris Robinson from
Black Crows sang a Black Crow song, and that's good.
(07:06):
But why do you wait till guys are ill or
dead to honor them? I still think one of the
things that made me so mad in Pittsburgh sports recent
Pittsburgh sports history is when the Pirates inducted a whole
bunch of dead guys into their first Hall of Fame
class when Dick Groat was still alive, and then after
mister Groat passed they inducted him then. I mean, how
(07:28):
freaking stupid is that. I'm assuming there was some way
it was cheaper. Maybe they didn't have to give mister
Groat one of the parking spaces they could sell when
he was dead. And I'm saying that flippantly toward a
sucked e organization, not mister Groat, who I revered. All Right,
I get your calls in. I don't care if you
do or don't. I don't care about anything at all.
Any well, I do. I'd like to see McCartney again,
(07:51):
Robert play again. I like music, I like Liverpool. I
liked the Penguins. But this Steelers thing, even you have
to admit that it's coming a part of the seames.
Even you have to admit this is the same season
as the last seven. Even you have to admit that
Tom Win is not a good coach and probably never was.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
How can you not admit that? How can you not.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Say to yourself Lessen, super genius. You were right all along.
I'm not very bright, my kids are stupid, my wife's ugly.
I mean, all the things you're lying to yourself about
should be made very clear.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Right now. I think one nine.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
X it's The Woody Show weekday mornings at six, training
news headlines, redneck news and more.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
On one the X hits Buddy Diver, and I just
love good news. So I'm told got to got the
X at one.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
We got a great show today, Mike the Corse at
the bottom of the hour, Paul's Ice at the top
of the hour, Tyler Kennedy exit the.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Penguin joins me at four thirty.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
And when he k went to Sweden with the Penguins
back in eight he was the first star in one game,
netting two goals in the overtime winner. So tik off
some great memories of Sweden, and I would asson went
to the Abba Museum.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
But you don't know till you know, you know. I
should just do.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
The show the way I've done, like I have my
incredible amounts of notes that I did, and I over prepare,
and sometimes I think the show sounds over prepared as
opposed to spontaneous, which it isn't one day, maybe tomorrow
because I'm off Friday because of the Penguin game. Penguin
game in the afternoon from Sweden. Maybe maybe tomorrow I'll
(09:41):
just do a show with no notes and just babble
like incoherently and see if it's better.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
It might be.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
How about this for the guest list tomorrow though, John
five for Motley Crue joins me at two point fifteen
during the pregame show. Five's got a show coming up
at your Him and Richie cottson X of a lot
of bands, including a brief stint in Poison. Those are
just two great guitars. And Jim Florentine from that Metal Show,
(10:11):
the comedian. He joins me at four o'clock. He's got
some stuff going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, and we'll
give you those exact locations and dates tomorrow. But h
right now, here's here's we've been talking about how Aaron
Rodgers seems a bit wonky.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Here's a NFL insider. Everybody's an insider.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Here's Mike Roffo and NFL Network who says that something
is indeed weird about Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Right now.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Something's bothering me with the Steelers right now, and maybe
somebody's gonna tell me that I'm wrong about this. And
it's just kind of sort of hyperbole. And I don't
remember five, six, seven years ago whatever, But Aaron Rodgers'
reactions to his own teammates, to maybe himself, I don't.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
He's been a a lot of this.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
It's hilarious a lot of them, and I don't love
it right like this is not He's strongly hinted that
this could be his last NFL season, he hasn't really
closed the door or solidified that. And I'm not going
to pretend like I know what's going on in his head,
but like I just this leaves me to believe like
the whole thing's just not on solid ground right now.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Like I agree with that, it doesn't appear to be
on solid ground. And by the way, they were playing
a bunch of Rogers's exasperated facial expressions, which were certainly
not in great force in the loss at LA on
Sunday night. Yo, I feel like Aaron Rodgers had realized
the Stealers aren't very good and the Tomlin isn't a
(11:48):
very good coach. And that Arthur Smith is not a
very good offensive coordinator and that his weaponry sucks, and
that this situation is not what he hoped it would be,
and that the Steelers for sure are nowhere close to
a super Bowl or even a playoff run of some notes.
(12:08):
And then there's a New York Post story about his
mystery wife and that being ratted out by a teammate's
wife or girlfriend, and a lot is kind of crashing
down around him right now, like that loss at LA
on Sunday night where he had such a poor game,
and I feel like Rogers knows it won't get better
(12:29):
because he's no dummy. That ayahuasca it sharpens the senses
and the dark room stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Let's go to Rocky. Rocky, you're on with Double M.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Super g What up man?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
What up? Mine?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Mark?
Speaker 7 (12:44):
It just dawned on me as you were talking about
No Not Novembers that T J. Watt did not hold
the Steelers fanboys accountable for No Not November because he
got a sack against the cold.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I don't get it. Goodbye. Let's go to Corey. Corey,
You're own with Double M. Good day, I said, good.
Speaker 8 (13:02):
Day, Hey, Mark, do you think that the Penguins hot
start was just a tease. And do you think that
your Shaw's play the other day qualifies him to be
the backup opposed to Jari Well.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I don't think they want anybody to be the backup.
First off, They split the goaltending equally via rotation so
far this year. Does that one game indicate Moreschoff should
stay in the NHL?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
I think that's tough to judge from just one game,
and I don't think that's their plan anyway. As far
as the Penguins hot start being a tease, I don't know.
Maybe I didn't expect them to start out that well,
but there are things about them I like unexpectedly. I
think they're systematically much better than last year. I think
Crosby and Malcolm are obviously playing extremely well. Not to
(13:49):
mention the Carlson, this is the best he's played as
a Penguin. He's had more good games this season than
he had in his last two seasons combined as a Penguin.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
So there's certain things that have gone right. Manta.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
You know, coming in and getting red hot after having
had major reconstructive knee surgery.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Is it a tease.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I don't know, but I think things have gone pretty
well so far, and in that conference, which is not
very good, I don't know, maybe they got enough to
make the postseason.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Let's go to John John. You're all with Mark?
Speaker 9 (14:20):
Hey, Mark, I was wondering if you saw that Kyle
Dubas is surprised by how well defensive started, or if
this was just part of his plan, if he knew
that they're.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Bet I don't think he's surprised because I think Kyle,
you know, laid some good groundwork in place, not least
with the young players, although they still haven't made a
decision on Brunic staying or going back to juniors.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I assume he's on the trip to Sweden.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
But I think Kyle knew that his team is roster,
is better and certainly headed in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
And sometimes you arrive early.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
That's what I would characterize what's gone on so far
is the Penguins arriving early, although we can't really say
that either until it happens. Well, I would say at
least till the new year. What's good to Roddington. Roddington,
you're on with double M What up man?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
What mane?
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Hey?
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Mark?
Speaker 9 (15:18):
Is Pat Nardoozy officially the biggest douchebag ever After that
comment he made about this game doesn't matter, it all
gets toted Dame this weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
I can't believe he said it.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I can't believe he like tried to suck the hype
out of the biggest home game, the biggest game of
any kind the pit football's played in years.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I can't believe he did that.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
That is that is a really stupid, arrogant guy that
says that. I totally agree. Who the hell would want
to play for that guy?
Speaker 3 (15:46):
And this is probably the biggest game it's had in
probably about twenty five years.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
I'd say, well, no, I think I can't name any
that that that are bigger off the top of my head.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
But you know, it's a big game. Maybe not to
that maybe not.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
To that length looking back, but it is also the
fiftieth anniversary of Tony Dorset and you know him putting
up three hundred some odd yards rushing against Notre Dame.
And you know, maybe that's when Nardozi's at a reference
instead of saying the game doesn't mean much any game
against Notre Dame when they're ranked and you're ranked means
a ton and he's a klown for having said otherwise.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Thank you for the call up. Next to course, he
one o five to.
Speaker 10 (16:25):
Nine Friday afternoon, the Pen's face off against the Predators.
Game time is two. Our coverage starts at one. Listen
to every game and the best Pens coverage on your
home of the Pittsburgh Penguins What five nine v X.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
If you can't get enough, if you're Pittsburgh Steelers, then
check out the latest podcast from Studious smart Man.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Well, I'm not sure.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Just big and it's soft, and I use a bunch
of pillows and I swore the X at one.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Joining me now to talk Pittsburgh sports. He's a Pittsburgh
guy from the Sporting News. It's Mike de Corsi. Mike
ken Rosenthal, the baseball writer reports that the Pirates want
to spend more in free agency.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Do you believe that for a minute.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Ah, I think that they it's hard to spend less
so more. You know, I'd like to make more money,
But I don't think that means I'm gonna be a trillionaire.
So uh, I don't think it means. I don't think
it necessarily means a ton.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
I think they can.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
They could maybe make some improvements by doing that, but
I don't think that.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Uh, in the in the free agent market, the Pirates
are at.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
A massive disadvantage because it's really this simple. If the
if the unless it's someone that's obscure that they see
some magic in that no one else does, or.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Somebody like Tommy fam that nobody else wants at this point,
yeah yeah, but I.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Mean in terms of trying to make it better, uh
if if you if they see something in a player
that nobody else sees, and then they they've signed the
guy and then he comes what they thought, that's one thing.
But if they see something that others see as well
and they want it, what happens is the teams that
are better capitalized through their television revenue.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Easily outbid them. I mean, people want to hold the.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Dodgers up as this great example of what it means
to spend money. They spend a lower percentage of their
local television revenue then the Pirates do. The Pirates spend
at least a time, you know, seventy five excuse me,
one hundred and fifty percent or so on their payroll
of their local television revenue the Dodgers are about break even,
(18:36):
give or take.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
I mean, they make three hundred some million, they spend.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Three hundred some Yeah, Mike, Mike, you're you're right about that.
But I don't think this is what this is about.
I mean, it's their intent, what they say and what
they do. And another footnote to why free agents don't
come to Pittsburgh as all things being equal, they'd rather
have a chance to win someplace else.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Oh. Absolutely, absolutely, there's no question about that. And the
likelihood of that happening here is not great, especially unless
unless they knew that someone else is coming. Because remember,
for all the strength of the pitching staff, and it
is still potentially formidable if it's at full strength, there's
just not enough in the lineup for that to matter.
(19:18):
I mean, this is not nineteen eighty eight. You've got
to be able. You've got to be.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Able to get some balls out of the park or
you're not going to win.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Skins is going to get the NLCYNGA work tonight. There's
a story at NJ dot com that he has told
pirate teammates he doesn't believe the team is committed to
winning and did he'd like to play for the New
York Yankees.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
How long is he going to be a pirate?
Speaker 4 (19:42):
How long is his is his?
Speaker 6 (19:44):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
I don't remember exactly what the servitude?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
One more cheap?
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Oh year?
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Then he goes to arbitration.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Well, I think they'll I think they look, if they
don't pay the arbitration thing, I think people would actively
start leaving because at that point you're saying that, Okay,
we have a.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Good player and all we have to do is pay
him what you're what the rules say he's worth. And
you're not willing to do that. I think get that.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, but Mike, they're they're not willing to do that.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
If it's like twenty five thirty million, they will for
sure trade him. And then the idiot fans, because the
baseball fans in Pittsburgh are really stupid, at least the
ones still showing up Mike, they'll just reinvest all that,
all that belief in Connor Griffin and and the wheel
rolls off.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I I really think if they did they decline to
keep him in those circumstances, I really think that they will.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
That will set a new precedent.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah, and I hope, I hope you're right. And I
hope I keep him. I think they would sign him
and trade him rather than let him walk.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Though Yeah, I mean, well, I think you can't let
him walk because he still has to play for you know,
you can't. You have to outright reject paying the arbitration figure,
and that would that would just be preposterous. But I
just I just can't see them not paying him whatever
the market says he's gonna have to be paid.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
I it would be I think it would be a
disaster for their futures.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
And don't forget this mark. By the time this happens,
I mean, the system could change. I mean, they could
sign him coming out of arbitration into a lockout or
strike and they wouldn't have to pay him until they
got better capitalized through better revenue share and other teams
got some changes to in terms of how how much
(21:31):
they can do.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
But that costs to reinvest that capital, which he's never done.
Like if there's a cap, Mike, you spend the floor.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Well, but the floor, don't forget the floor is.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Almost the cap.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I mean, there's there's a there's very little difference in
the NFL and the NHL.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
There's very little.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Difference between the floor and the cap it's Almo. It's
it's almost inconsequential. Now. It may be consequential to the
guy that wants to say ten, fifteen to twenty million dollars,
but it's not consequential to being competitive.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
You can be competitive.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
At the floor if you're smart enough, but you can't
be But you can't go under it just because you're cheap.
You either have to stay in the game and spend
the floor, and presumably there would be increased revenue sharing
to do that, where you sell your.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Team and get out of the game.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
We're talking to Mike the course of the Sporting News
here on the X. How nuts is it? The pat Nardoozi,
the pit coach, said it doesn't matter if pitt beats
Notre Dame as long as they win the two ACC games.
After with all this hype, game at Acqua Sure College.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Game day in town.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
It's the fiftieth anniversary of Tony Dorset running rough shot
over Notre Dame, and Ardozzi says something dumb like that.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
You know, Mark, I said something that wasn't And the
funny thing was I wasn't as flowery or emphatic as
he was, but I said something like that this week,
you're not the coach on the air.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
And that's my point.
Speaker 11 (22:59):
I can say that he can't say that because even
though he can say it's right, it's true that that
game doesn't matter as much as the two conference games
that if he win them, I mean, it's not a
guarantee they get to the conference championship game, but it's
hard not to if they do win those two.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
But he's got to.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Have his players invested in winning every week. It doesn't
matter whether the game matters as much or not. You
have to invest in winning every week.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Well, got it?
Speaker 1 (23:31):
The context the Pitts program, there you go sold on crowd.
You know, college game day, both teams raid a Notre
Dame nine pit twenty two. In the context of Pitts
football program, very few games in recent memory have mattered
more than this one.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Well, you know, I look at it from a technical standpoint,
and I think that it would be.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Phenomenal for them to win.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
But I mean, if they lost twenty eight to twenty
seven or something, it's not gonna you know, it's not
gonna change their their future. But if you for him
to say something like then he say something like they
could lose by one hundred.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
And it wouldn't matter or something like that. I mean, yeah,
that would matter.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
That would embarrass you, and you don't want to be
embarrassed in this circumstance.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
You want to fight in this circumstance.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I don't understand why he didn't handle that question better.
I don't love the question mark. I mean, how is
it a must win? If indeed those two games that
follow could get you into a conference championship game and
possibly into the college football playoff.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
How could that be a must win? I don't love
the question, but.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I think there are about a million different ways he
could have handled it better.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I want to talk some steeers. Did Aaron Rodgers have
a bad game in LA or is it maybe worse
than that? Because he looked rattled from the get go.
He just looked shaky.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Yeah he did. I certainly he looked bad and he
made a lot of terriors. But don't forget he made
bad throws on plays where he didn't get pre pressure.
The play against the throw against John who to John who?
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Excuse me? That was too high? Could have been caught,
but it.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Was a much more difficult catch than it needed to
be because John who was so open that there wasn't
a lot of pressure on that he wasn't unpressured. But
there's almost no throws in the NFL that are unpressured.
I mean, you're going to know that there's someone.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Coming at some point.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
It's very rare that you get totally to go cleaning that.
I mean, look at what Look at what was done
by Justin Herbert on a night when he got sacks
five times.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
T J.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Watt was bearing down on him on a lot of
plays and he got it off.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
I mean, how many times have you seen that with
the steel Well.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
That's my point.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Happened.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Rogers looked like he was avoiding hits, like he was
giving up on plays to keep from getting hit.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And it makes me wonder, like I've had.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
The theory that Rogers expected this situation to be a
lot better than it is, and I think now it's
sinking in on him that it's not.
Speaker 8 (25:57):
Well.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
I think that's very possible.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Look, the offensive line is still one vet who was
an who was unavailable on Sunday and.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Basically five rookie ish players.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Or four rookie ish players excuse me, uh and and
that's that's what you've got, so you can't expect perfection
at this at this stage.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
And if you if look, if guys make mental.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Errors to a blatant mental errors and that costs you.
I can understand getting upset, but look, you're gonna line
up against defensive lines that have really good players on it,
and they're gonna sometimes get pushed, and you have to
cope with that, and you have to make place in
spite of that.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
And in some circumstances.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
When you get to push, you have to make the
right move to evade it. He made the wrong move
and walked into a second It's not the first time
that he's done that.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Why does Joe Flacco have such success against the Steelers,
especially recently, more so even in his journeyman fase.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
That's a great question. Well.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
I think a lot of it in the in the
more recent game had to do with who he was
throwing to. But I thought that in the Indie game
and and someone was a carryover to the Cincy game
was that.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
They didn't pressure him.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
They I don't know they in part in the first game,
the the Anthony Richardson.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Colts game where he got hurt, they went in thinking they.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Could confuse Richardson with his own scheme, and and then
they didn't seem to adjust much when Richardson went out
and Flacco came in. But they did the same thing
in this game where they tried to make it they
were they were they were so fearful of what could
happen behind them if Chase or Higgins caught a long
(27:45):
ball that they that they settled for those guys catching
four twenty yard passes that equaled an ad R drive
instead of won eighty yard.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
Pass that equaled an ad R drive. It didn't make.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Any difference really in in how effective of the Bengals
weren't moving down the field.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
They just it just took him a couple more plays.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
But if they've gone after Flacco and really tried to
heat him up and showed that he's not mobile, he
wasn't mobile in his prime and he's really immobile now,
But they never made that an issue.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Who's going to cover Jamar Chase on Sunday because he
towards Ramsey the last time and now Ramsey's in safety.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yes, well, I think I think it'll probably be I
think given the nature of where their secondary stands now,
I think that they will probably just stick to sides.
I don't think they'll they'll follow him because look if
they if they follow him with Joey, for one, there's
that danger of him getting the holding penalty because he
(28:46):
gets more holding penalties and or pi's against the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Bomb though, Mike Well, I think you have to.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Make the business decision at times, sure, but those those holding,
those holding penalties and the pis often happen on fifteen
or twenty yard plays that may or may not be completed,
and then you wind up in the same position.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
So I think that I think you have to stick
to sides.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
And you know, I was very disappointed after Brandon Echols
had done a really nice job as a reserve. He
gets basically starters minutes, as we call it in basketball,
and he looks like like a reserve, and that was
disappointing because Slay is clearly not the answer healthy when
he's healthy, he's not the answer. And so I don't
(29:37):
know if the new signing Sante Samuel Junior is the
answer you I've seen some of the guys who are
there every day suggest that it's not out of the question,
and I think the reason they're doing that is.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
First of all, one they don't know Slay's going to.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Be healthy, and two they just haven't shown themselves to
have two capable corners.
Speaker 11 (30:03):
Get it.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
It'll be fine by me. I think it'd be worth
the risk.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Right now, James Pierre has been there, you know now
that Eckles has shown what he showed last week. Right now,
James Pierre has been their second best corner. But does
he follow the same course as Eckles does?
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Is if you promote him to the starter snaps?
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Does he do all the same things he once did?
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (30:27):
And that Echles did last Sunday?
Speaker 3 (30:29):
I can't pay I mean, but it certainly I wouldn't
go back to Echles this week, especially given the enormity
of the challenge.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
There's a lot wrong with that offense, Mike bit. But
one question I pose is why are the tight Ends
so pedestrian? Why are they getting so little output from
them when that was supposed to be the strength of
the offense That group?
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Well, I think they don't get enough targets.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
And the question is are they not getting enough targets
because they're not open or because Rod isn't looking for them,
or they're not the primaries enough and I think the
only people that totally know the answer to that are
the guys that are calling the plays. But I think
that given what they've shown in individual circumstances. I mean,
(31:17):
I know that John who dropped a big one early
in I think it was the Indie game, and of
course Firemouth Wade way back in the Seattle game dropped
the big one.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
But for the most part, they've been pretty.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Reliable and they've made plays and if, like I said,
if that passed to John who had been on target,
they've got a first down at the eleven yard line
or so.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
And unfortunately they.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Don't throw those to those guys well enough, and in
that case didn't throw it to them effectively enough.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
This game feels really important, doesn't it. I don't want
to say must win, but maybe close to it.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
It feels like.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Ground hog Day from the last seven years is setting in.
Despite all the changes and despite Rogers Mike, it's really
starting to feel like the same old, same old, just
another season in a series of many.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I don't I don't agree with that, and I'll tell
you why, because I don't think that they that they
look like at this stage the team that could get
to ten and seven.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
I have not.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I have not seen enough consistency from them as a
football team. At first, it was the defense was a disaster,
then the offense implodes. We've had some special team issues
going back to the Seattle game. So I don't think
that they've been consistent enough to say, yeah, they'll get
to ten and seven. And that's why I one hundred
percent agree with your statement about this being an enormous game.
(32:40):
I don't see a path to a winning season if
you can't beat this team at home on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
I just it's it.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
Would It would take something miraculous, and miraculous generally doesn't
happen in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Mike, great stuff.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
I'm enjoying the Friday podcast with Tim and you and
I will talk again next week.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
Sounds great, Mark Dane.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
That's Mike.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
The course he brought to us by South Hills KEI Up.
South Hills Kiup has the right
What if the Steelers lose this one? I want you
to ask that question to yourselves. What if the Steelers
lose this one? It buries the season and puts Rogers
in a straight jacket if they lose this one, this
is where Rogers gets injured air quotes? Do you get
what I'm saying? Injured air quotes? I'm making the air quotes.
(00:25):
Sign Say it with me, injured air quotes.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
You know what?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Like this stuff that's not gonna happen makes me nuts
when it comes to Steelers. Like the idea that the
Steelers are going to trade Tom one of the New
York Times, that just is not going to happen. You
want me to talk about that, go down to dial.
That's all they're talking about. And people are also saying
the usual suspects that if Rogers got hurt, now that
(00:51):
Will Howard's activated. Tom, Will would go right to him.
First off, he can't during a game. Both guys would
have to get hurt, Rogers and Rudolph. Second off, if
it comes down to Rogers can't start, Rudolph starts.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Period.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
The only way that wouldn't happen and that Howard would
start is if they were playing meaningless games in week
seventeen and eighteen, which let's not count that out. You
can call the show now. By the way, I'm all
to shoveled today. I wish I was Paul McCarty. I
wish Paul McCartney would have played two shows here so
I could go again tonight. I should have gone to
(01:28):
Chicago and I see Robert Plan a second time. That's
what I should have done. But I'm just exhausted. I'm old,
I'm old. I gotta I gotta just get old and die.
Sante Samuel Junior talked to a lot of teams, but
pick the Steelers. And that's because he figured, no, not
that he wants to play for coach t Now, he
(01:49):
figured that that team and its secondary really suck, and
I might get to play right away. A's right, and
B remember when the Steelers and the media stud just
thought that secondary would be a strength.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, nobody's picked up one thornhill. Yet.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
If Darius Slay got cut, who would pick him up?
Somebody speculated the Steelers could cut him and go back
to the Eagles.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I'm thinking Eagles, They're we got this white guy. We're okay.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I love the notion that Jalen Warren will get more
touches if the Steelers converted more third downs, that that's
the carrot being dangled. I think that converting more third
downs would be its own reward.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Kenneth Gainwell ain't so good.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
That's another guy early in the season I thought was
doing better than he actually is. Never trust guys that
good teams. Let go in that vein canny pick and
cut dunked by Philadelphia and Cleveland within a few months,
both ends of the football Spectrum champion crap team.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
There's a rumor unfounded.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I forget who told me, if it was a Steeler
wife and girlfriend or a member of the pirates. But
somebody told me Kenny Pickett, we'll be selling the Super
Bowl ring he got with Philadelphia to pay for a
hand transplant.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
After all, it is no not November. And now I
know what that means.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Uh, dk Headcuff could use a hands transplant too, but
for different reasons.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Where do you kids come up with that stuff? No
not November? Like he made up a term for that,
and like, I mean, my god, what is wrong with you?
Speaker 4 (03:36):
What is wrong?
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And I didn't know what it meant. I asked like, somebody,
I know what's this mean? And he was like, eee,
you don't know what that means?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Ye, Frankly, I like the idea of the Mexican restaurant
called Oral mex Better because I would eat there, get it.
Yesterday we did the five most overrated Steelers, howmic unhinged
as Aaron Rodgers. Today, let's do the five most underrated Steelers.
(04:09):
Number five is Nick Herbick. The better he plays, the
less he plays, He's second on a team in sacks
in some weeks.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
His snaps are just like minimal. Number four is Jalen.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Warren, underrated by Tomlin. Laren might be the Steelers' best
offensive weapon, and he's playing only fifty two percent of
their offensive snaps, and Gainwell had more snaps than him
at LA. Number three is Mason McCormick at right guard.
Because you never hear he sucks. That's what makes you
(04:46):
a star on these Steelers. If we never hear that
you suck, you're a star. Number two is Kyle Dugger
because he's barely been here. Every time I hear that
name Kyle Duggar, I think of the Hendrick song Allie Dagger.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Kyle h dugger. He drinks his blood off the Jagget edge.
Number one is James.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Pierre, who played good at LA and might be the
only overachiever the Steelers have.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
By the way, A TJ.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Wat is on pace for eleven sacks, which would be
his lowest sack total since his rookie year. His rookie
year when what didn't make forty one million. Hey, this
comes as no surprise to me because I said they
shouldn't give him that deal. I said they should make
him play out the last year of his contract. I
(05:39):
said they should franchise him afterward. But now they wouldn't
because he's in deep decline and, like I said, is
on pace to have his lowest sack total since his
rookie year. What pisses me off the most about what
declining and he is And it's funny and you all
have what jerseys that makes it funnier. But what pisses
me off is that he won't line up in different
(06:00):
spots like Garrett and Parsons, who are both better. And
Wat's always got his knickers in a twist because he
thinks he's better than Garrett and wants more than Garrett. Okay,
then I play Garrett, and if you cannot play Garrett,
at least try some of this stuff Garrett does. Oh
you're not comfortable doing that, well, I'm not comfortable with
you sucking.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah. The Hockey Hall of Fame induction was last night.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Joe Thornton, Sadino, Chara Duncan, Keith ho Hum Hallo very good.
Eddie Johnston, Barry Millers and Don Cherry all deserve it more.
And I hate Thornton's beard. And there's a joke there.
I just shouldn't say, you know what. The Rock Roll
Hall of Fame at it's induction last night too, same
(06:46):
night as the Hockey Hall of Fame, and both were disappointing.
Bad co finally got in and Paul Rodgers was too
ill and couldn't attend, let alone perform. Simon Kirk, the drummer,
was there. They put Joe Perry out there. I think
Brian Adams sang a bad Coach song. Chris Robinson from
Black Crows sang a Black Crow song, and that's good.
(07:06):
But why do you wait till guys are ill or
dead to honor them? I still think one of the
things that made me so mad in Pittsburgh sports recent
Pittsburgh sports history is when the Pirates inducted a whole
bunch of dead guys into their first Hall of Fame
class when Dick Groat was still alive, and then after
mister Groat passed they inducted him then. I mean, how
(07:28):
freaking stupid is that. I'm assuming there was some way
it was cheaper. Maybe they didn't have to give mister
Groat one of the parking spaces they could sell when
he was dead. And I'm saying that flippantly toward a
sucked e organization, not mister Groat, who I revered. All Right,
I get your calls in. I don't care if you
do or don't. I don't care about anything at all.
Any well, I do. I'd like to see McCartney again,
(07:51):
Robert play again. I like music, I like Liverpool. I
liked the Penguins. But this Steelers thing, even you have
to admit that it's coming a part of the seames.
Even you have to admit this is the same season
as the last seven. Even you have to admit that
Tom Win is not a good coach and probably never was.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
How can you not admit that? How can you not.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Say to yourself Lessen, super genius. You were right all along.
I'm not very bright, my kids are stupid, my wife's ugly.
I mean, all the things you're lying to yourself about
should be made very clear.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Right now. I think one nine.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
X it's The Woody Show weekday mornings at six, training
news headlines, redneck news and more.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
On one the X hits Buddy Diver, and I just
love good news. So I'm told got to got the
X at one.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
We got a great show today, Mike the Corse at
the bottom of the hour, Paul's Ice at the top
of the hour, Tyler Kennedy exit the.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Penguin joins me at four thirty.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
And when he k went to Sweden with the Penguins
back in eight he was the first star in one game,
netting two goals in the overtime winner. So tik off
some great memories of Sweden, and I would asson went
to the Abba Museum.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
But you don't know till you know, you know. I
should just do.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
The show the way I've done, like I have my
incredible amounts of notes that I did, and I over prepare,
and sometimes I think the show sounds over prepared as
opposed to spontaneous, which it isn't one day, maybe tomorrow
because I'm off Friday because of the Penguin game. Penguin
game in the afternoon from Sweden. Maybe maybe tomorrow I'll
(09:41):
just do a show with no notes and just babble
like incoherently and see if it's better.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
It might be.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
How about this for the guest list tomorrow though, John
five for Motley Crue joins me at two point fifteen
during the pregame show. Five's got a show coming up
at your Him and Richie cottson X of a lot
of bands, including a brief stint in Poison. Those are
just two great guitars. And Jim Florentine from that Metal Show,
(10:11):
the comedian. He joins me at four o'clock. He's got
some stuff going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, and we'll
give you those exact locations and dates tomorrow. But h
right now, here's here's we've been talking about how Aaron
Rodgers seems a bit wonky.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Here's a NFL insider. Everybody's an insider.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Here's Mike Roffo and NFL Network who says that something
is indeed weird about Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Right now.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Something's bothering me with the Steelers right now, and maybe
somebody's gonna tell me that I'm wrong about this. And
it's just kind of sort of hyperbole. And I don't
remember five, six, seven years ago whatever, But Aaron Rodgers'
reactions to his own teammates, to maybe himself, I don't.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
He's been a a lot of this.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
It's hilarious a lot of them, and I don't love
it right like this is not He's strongly hinted that
this could be his last NFL season, he hasn't really
closed the door or solidified that. And I'm not going
to pretend like I know what's going on in his head,
but like I just this leaves me to believe like
the whole thing's just not on solid ground right now.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Like I agree with that, it doesn't appear to be
on solid ground. And by the way, they were playing
a bunch of Rogers's exasperated facial expressions, which were certainly
not in great force in the loss at LA on
Sunday night. Yo, I feel like Aaron Rodgers had realized
the Stealers aren't very good and the Tomlin isn't a
(11:48):
very good coach. And that Arthur Smith is not a
very good offensive coordinator and that his weaponry sucks, and
that this situation is not what he hoped it would be,
and that the Steelers for sure are nowhere close to
a super Bowl or even a playoff run of some notes.
(12:08):
And then there's a New York Post story about his
mystery wife and that being ratted out by a teammate's
wife or girlfriend, and a lot is kind of crashing
down around him right now, like that loss at LA
on Sunday night where he had such a poor game,
and I feel like Rogers knows it won't get better
(12:29):
because he's no dummy. That ayahuasca it sharpens the senses
and the dark room stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Let's go to Rocky. Rocky, you're on with Double M.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Super g What up man?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
What up? Mine?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Mark?
Speaker 7 (12:44):
It just dawned on me as you were talking about
No Not Novembers that T J. Watt did not hold
the Steelers fanboys accountable for No Not November because he
got a sack against the cold.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I don't get it. Goodbye. Let's go to Corey. Corey,
You're own with Double M. Good day, I said, good.
Speaker 8 (13:02):
Day, Hey, Mark, do you think that the Penguins hot
start was just a tease. And do you think that
your Shaw's play the other day qualifies him to be
the backup opposed to Jari Well.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I don't think they want anybody to be the backup.
First off, They split the goaltending equally via rotation so
far this year. Does that one game indicate Moreschoff should
stay in the NHL?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
I think that's tough to judge from just one game,
and I don't think that's their plan anyway. As far
as the Penguins hot start being a tease, I don't know.
Maybe I didn't expect them to start out that well,
but there are things about them I like unexpectedly. I
think they're systematically much better than last year. I think
Crosby and Malcolm are obviously playing extremely well. Not to
(13:49):
mention the Carlson, this is the best he's played as
a Penguin. He's had more good games this season than
he had in his last two seasons combined as a Penguin.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
So there's certain things that have gone right. Manta.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
You know, coming in and getting red hot after having
had major reconstructive knee surgery.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Is it a tease.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I don't know, but I think things have gone pretty
well so far, and in that conference, which is not
very good, I don't know, maybe they got enough to
make the postseason.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Let's go to John John. You're all with Mark?
Speaker 9 (14:20):
Hey, Mark, I was wondering if you saw that Kyle
Dubas is surprised by how well defensive started, or if
this was just part of his plan, if he knew
that they're.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Bet I don't think he's surprised because I think Kyle,
you know, laid some good groundwork in place, not least
with the young players, although they still haven't made a
decision on Brunic staying or going back to juniors.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I assume he's on the trip to Sweden.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
But I think Kyle knew that his team is roster,
is better and certainly headed in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
And sometimes you arrive early.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
That's what I would characterize what's gone on so far
is the Penguins arriving early, although we can't really say
that either until it happens. Well, I would say at
least till the new year. What's good to Roddington. Roddington,
you're on with double M What up man?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
What mane?
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Hey?
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Mark?
Speaker 9 (15:18):
Is Pat Nardoozy officially the biggest douchebag ever After that
comment he made about this game doesn't matter, it all
gets toted Dame this weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
I can't believe he said it.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I can't believe he like tried to suck the hype
out of the biggest home game, the biggest game of
any kind the pit football's played in years.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I can't believe he did that.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
That is that is a really stupid, arrogant guy that
says that. I totally agree. Who the hell would want
to play for that guy?
Speaker 3 (15:46):
And this is probably the biggest game it's had in
probably about twenty five years.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
I'd say, well, no, I think I can't name any
that that that are bigger off the top of my head.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
But you know, it's a big game. Maybe not to
that maybe not.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
To that length looking back, but it is also the
fiftieth anniversary of Tony Dorset and you know him putting
up three hundred some odd yards rushing against Notre Dame.
And you know, maybe that's when Nardozi's at a reference
instead of saying the game doesn't mean much any game
against Notre Dame when they're ranked and you're ranked means
a ton and he's a klown for having said otherwise.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Thank you for the call up. Next to course, he
one o five to.
Speaker 10 (16:25):
Nine Friday afternoon, the Pen's face off against the Predators.
Game time is two. Our coverage starts at one. Listen
to every game and the best Pens coverage on your
home of the Pittsburgh Penguins What five nine v X.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
If you can't get enough, if you're Pittsburgh Steelers, then
check out the latest podcast from Studious smart Man.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Well, I'm not sure.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Just big and it's soft, and I use a bunch
of pillows and I swore the X at one.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Joining me now to talk Pittsburgh sports. He's a Pittsburgh
guy from the Sporting News. It's Mike de Corsi. Mike
ken Rosenthal, the baseball writer reports that the Pirates want
to spend more in free agency.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Do you believe that for a minute.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Ah, I think that they it's hard to spend less
so more. You know, I'd like to make more money,
But I don't think that means I'm gonna be a trillionaire.
So uh, I don't think it means. I don't think
it necessarily means a ton.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
I think they can.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
They could maybe make some improvements by doing that, but
I don't think that.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Uh, in the in the free agent market, the Pirates
are at.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
A massive disadvantage because it's really this simple. If the
if the unless it's someone that's obscure that they see
some magic in that no one else does, or.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Somebody like Tommy fam that nobody else wants at this point,
yeah yeah, but I.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Mean in terms of trying to make it better, uh
if if you if they see something in a player
that nobody else sees, and then they they've signed the
guy and then he comes what they thought, that's one thing.
But if they see something that others see as well
and they want it, what happens is the teams that
are better capitalized through their television revenue.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Easily outbid them. I mean, people want to hold the.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Dodgers up as this great example of what it means
to spend money. They spend a lower percentage of their
local television revenue then the Pirates do. The Pirates spend
at least a time, you know, seventy five excuse me,
one hundred and fifty percent or so on their payroll
of their local television revenue the Dodgers are about break even,
(18:36):
give or take.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
I mean, they make three hundred some million, they spend.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Three hundred some Yeah, Mike, Mike, you're you're right about that.
But I don't think this is what this is about.
I mean, it's their intent, what they say and what
they do. And another footnote to why free agents don't
come to Pittsburgh as all things being equal, they'd rather
have a chance to win someplace else.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Oh. Absolutely, absolutely, there's no question about that. And the
likelihood of that happening here is not great, especially unless
unless they knew that someone else is coming. Because remember,
for all the strength of the pitching staff, and it
is still potentially formidable if it's at full strength, there's
just not enough in the lineup for that to matter.
(19:18):
I mean, this is not nineteen eighty eight. You've got
to be able. You've got to be.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Able to get some balls out of the park or
you're not going to win.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Skins is going to get the NLCYNGA work tonight. There's
a story at NJ dot com that he has told
pirate teammates he doesn't believe the team is committed to
winning and did he'd like to play for the New
York Yankees.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
How long is he going to be a pirate?
Speaker 4 (19:42):
How long is his is his?
Speaker 6 (19:44):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
I don't remember exactly what the servitude?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
One more cheap?
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Oh year?
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Then he goes to arbitration.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Well, I think they'll I think they look, if they
don't pay the arbitration thing, I think people would actively
start leaving because at that point you're saying that, Okay,
we have a.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Good player and all we have to do is pay
him what you're what the rules say he's worth. And
you're not willing to do that. I think get that.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, but Mike, they're they're not willing to do that.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
If it's like twenty five thirty million, they will for
sure trade him. And then the idiot fans, because the
baseball fans in Pittsburgh are really stupid, at least the
ones still showing up Mike, they'll just reinvest all that,
all that belief in Connor Griffin and and the wheel
rolls off.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I I really think if they did they decline to
keep him in those circumstances, I really think that they will.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
That will set a new precedent.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah, and I hope, I hope you're right. And I
hope I keep him. I think they would sign him
and trade him rather than let him walk.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Though Yeah, I mean, well, I think you can't let
him walk because he still has to play for you know,
you can't. You have to outright reject paying the arbitration figure,
and that would that would just be preposterous. But I
just I just can't see them not paying him whatever
the market says he's gonna have to be paid.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
I it would be I think it would be a
disaster for their futures.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
And don't forget this mark. By the time this happens,
I mean, the system could change. I mean, they could
sign him coming out of arbitration into a lockout or
strike and they wouldn't have to pay him until they
got better capitalized through better revenue share and other teams
got some changes to in terms of how how much
(21:31):
they can do.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
But that costs to reinvest that capital, which he's never done.
Like if there's a cap, Mike, you spend the floor.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Well, but the floor, don't forget the floor is.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Almost the cap.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I mean, there's there's a there's very little difference in
the NFL and the NHL.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
There's very little.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Difference between the floor and the cap it's Almo. It's
it's almost inconsequential. Now. It may be consequential to the
guy that wants to say ten, fifteen to twenty million dollars,
but it's not consequential to being competitive.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
You can be competitive.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
At the floor if you're smart enough, but you can't
be But you can't go under it just because you're cheap.
You either have to stay in the game and spend
the floor, and presumably there would be increased revenue sharing
to do that, where you sell your.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Team and get out of the game.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
We're talking to Mike the course of the Sporting News
here on the X. How nuts is it? The pat Nardoozi,
the pit coach, said it doesn't matter if pitt beats
Notre Dame as long as they win the two ACC games.
After with all this hype, game at Acqua Sure College.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Game day in town.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
It's the fiftieth anniversary of Tony Dorset running rough shot
over Notre Dame, and Ardozzi says something dumb like that.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
You know, Mark, I said something that wasn't And the
funny thing was I wasn't as flowery or emphatic as
he was, but I said something like that this week,
you're not the coach on the air.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
And that's my point.
Speaker 11 (22:59):
I can say that he can't say that because even
though he can say it's right, it's true that that
game doesn't matter as much as the two conference games
that if he win them, I mean, it's not a
guarantee they get to the conference championship game, but it's
hard not to if they do win those two.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
But he's got to.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Have his players invested in winning every week. It doesn't
matter whether the game matters as much or not. You
have to invest in winning every week.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Well, got it?
Speaker 1 (23:31):
The context the Pitts program, there you go sold on crowd.
You know, college game day, both teams raid a Notre
Dame nine pit twenty two. In the context of Pitts
football program, very few games in recent memory have mattered
more than this one.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Well, you know, I look at it from a technical standpoint,
and I think that it would be.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Phenomenal for them to win.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
But I mean, if they lost twenty eight to twenty
seven or something, it's not gonna you know, it's not
gonna change their their future. But if you for him
to say something like then he say something like they
could lose by one hundred.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
And it wouldn't matter or something like that. I mean, yeah,
that would matter.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
That would embarrass you, and you don't want to be
embarrassed in this circumstance.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
You want to fight in this circumstance.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I don't understand why he didn't handle that question better.
I don't love the question mark. I mean, how is
it a must win? If indeed those two games that
follow could get you into a conference championship game and
possibly into the college football playoff.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
How could that be a must win? I don't love
the question, but.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I think there are about a million different ways he
could have handled it better.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I want to talk some steeers. Did Aaron Rodgers have
a bad game in LA or is it maybe worse
than that? Because he looked rattled from the get go.
He just looked shaky.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Yeah he did. I certainly he looked bad and he
made a lot of terriors. But don't forget he made
bad throws on plays where he didn't get pre pressure.
The play against the throw against John who to John who?
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Excuse me? That was too high? Could have been caught,
but it.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Was a much more difficult catch than it needed to
be because John who was so open that there wasn't
a lot of pressure on that he wasn't unpressured. But
there's almost no throws in the NFL that are unpressured.
I mean, you're going to know that there's someone.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Coming at some point.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
It's very rare that you get totally to go cleaning that.
I mean, look at what Look at what was done
by Justin Herbert on a night when he got sacks
five times.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
T J.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Watt was bearing down on him on a lot of
plays and he got it off.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
I mean, how many times have you seen that with
the steel Well.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
That's my point.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Happened.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Rogers looked like he was avoiding hits, like he was
giving up on plays to keep from getting hit.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And it makes me wonder, like I've had.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
The theory that Rogers expected this situation to be a
lot better than it is, and I think now it's
sinking in on him that it's not.
Speaker 8 (25:57):
Well.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
I think that's very possible.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Look, the offensive line is still one vet who was
an who was unavailable on Sunday and.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Basically five rookie ish players.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Or four rookie ish players excuse me, uh and and
that's that's what you've got, so you can't expect perfection
at this at this stage.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
And if you if look, if guys make mental.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Errors to a blatant mental errors and that costs you.
I can understand getting upset, but look, you're gonna line
up against defensive lines that have really good players on it,
and they're gonna sometimes get pushed, and you have to
cope with that, and you have to make place in
spite of that.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
And in some circumstances.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
When you get to push, you have to make the
right move to evade it. He made the wrong move
and walked into a second It's not the first time
that he's done that.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Why does Joe Flacco have such success against the Steelers,
especially recently, more so even in his journeyman fase.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
That's a great question. Well.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
I think a lot of it in the in the
more recent game had to do with who he was
throwing to. But I thought that in the Indie game
and and someone was a carryover to the Cincy game
was that.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
They didn't pressure him.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
They I don't know they in part in the first game,
the the Anthony Richardson.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Colts game where he got hurt, they went in thinking they.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Could confuse Richardson with his own scheme, and and then
they didn't seem to adjust much when Richardson went out
and Flacco came in. But they did the same thing
in this game where they tried to make it they
were they were they were so fearful of what could
happen behind them if Chase or Higgins caught a long
(27:45):
ball that they that they settled for those guys catching
four twenty yard passes that equaled an ad R drive
instead of won eighty yard.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
Pass that equaled an ad R drive. It didn't make.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Any difference really in in how effective of the Bengals
weren't moving down the field.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
They just it just took him a couple more plays.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
But if they've gone after Flacco and really tried to
heat him up and showed that he's not mobile, he
wasn't mobile in his prime and he's really immobile now,
But they never made that an issue.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Who's going to cover Jamar Chase on Sunday because he
towards Ramsey the last time and now Ramsey's in safety.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yes, well, I think I think it'll probably be I
think given the nature of where their secondary stands now,
I think that they will probably just stick to sides.
I don't think they'll they'll follow him because look if
they if they follow him with Joey, for one, there's
that danger of him getting the holding penalty because he
(28:46):
gets more holding penalties and or pi's against the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Bomb though, Mike Well, I think you have to.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Make the business decision at times, sure, but those those holding,
those holding penalties and the pis often happen on fifteen
or twenty yard plays that may or may not be completed,
and then you wind up in the same position.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
So I think that I think you have to stick
to sides.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
And you know, I was very disappointed after Brandon Echols
had done a really nice job as a reserve. He
gets basically starters minutes, as we call it in basketball,
and he looks like like a reserve, and that was
disappointing because Slay is clearly not the answer healthy when
he's healthy, he's not the answer. And so I don't
(29:37):
know if the new signing Sante Samuel Junior is the
answer you I've seen some of the guys who are
there every day suggest that it's not out of the question,
and I think the reason they're doing that is.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
First of all, one they don't know Slay's going to.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Be healthy, and two they just haven't shown themselves to
have two capable corners.
Speaker 11 (30:03):
Get it.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
It'll be fine by me. I think it'd be worth
the risk.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Right now, James Pierre has been there, you know now
that Eckles has shown what he showed last week. Right now,
James Pierre has been their second best corner. But does
he follow the same course as Eckles does?
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Is if you promote him to the starter snaps?
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Does he do all the same things he once did?
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (30:27):
And that Echles did last Sunday?
Speaker 3 (30:29):
I can't pay I mean, but it certainly I wouldn't
go back to Echles this week, especially given the enormity
of the challenge.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
There's a lot wrong with that offense, Mike bit. But
one question I pose is why are the tight Ends
so pedestrian? Why are they getting so little output from
them when that was supposed to be the strength of
the offense That group?
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Well, I think they don't get enough targets.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
And the question is are they not getting enough targets
because they're not open or because Rod isn't looking for them,
or they're not the primaries enough and I think the
only people that totally know the answer to that are
the guys that are calling the plays. But I think
that given what they've shown in individual circumstances. I mean,
(31:17):
I know that John who dropped a big one early
in I think it was the Indie game, and of
course Firemouth Wade way back in the Seattle game dropped
the big one.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
But for the most part, they've been pretty.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Reliable and they've made plays and if, like I said,
if that passed to John who had been on target,
they've got a first down at the eleven yard line
or so.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
And unfortunately they.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Don't throw those to those guys well enough, and in
that case didn't throw it to them effectively enough.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
This game feels really important, doesn't it. I don't want
to say must win, but maybe close to it.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
It feels like.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Ground hog Day from the last seven years is setting in.
Despite all the changes and despite Rogers Mike, it's really
starting to feel like the same old, same old, just
another season in a series of many.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I don't I don't agree with that, and I'll tell
you why, because I don't think that they that they
look like at this stage the team that could get
to ten and seven.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
I have not.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I have not seen enough consistency from them as a
football team. At first, it was the defense was a disaster,
then the offense implodes. We've had some special team issues
going back to the Seattle game. So I don't think
that they've been consistent enough to say, yeah, they'll get
to ten and seven. And that's why I one hundred
percent agree with your statement about this being an enormous game.
(32:40):
I don't see a path to a winning season if
you can't beat this team at home on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
I just it's it.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
Would It would take something miraculous, and miraculous generally doesn't
happen in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Mike, great stuff.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
I'm enjoying the Friday podcast with Tim and you and
I will talk again next week.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
Sounds great, Mark Dane.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
That's Mike.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
The course he brought to us by South Hills KEI Up.
South Hills Kiup has the right
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