January 21, 2026 • 33 mins
Mark takes your calls and is joined by the Sporting News' Mike DeCourcey.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Mark Madden Show eight three three four
one two w xdx the number to call, or you
can call the secret number four one two three three
three wxdx, or you can What else can you do?
I guess you can just follow me on Twitter? Yeah,
it's send me a message on Twitter. Boy, we're moving
(00:21):
the ball like it's like it's a bowling ball. And
that ain't good. Okay, now Dom's got some room any anyway,
more penguin stuff?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Wait, just a threat?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Oh Vertz gets the shot blocked? Flows playing is German? Heine?
I guess they call it off. Last couple games, okay.
Staying with hockey, Peng was at Calgary tonight. Calgary sucks,
but the Peng was lost to at home a couple
of weekends ago.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
No Carlson No, well, I take that back. My notes
have since been amended.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
No Carlson tonight, although he's apparently not far from which
I figured having made the trip, and all Latang, there's
a chance he might play tonight after having missed a
handful of games. But if it's no Carlson and no
Latang tonight, wait, the time played? The time played to
Seattle day to day? Well, it's a couple of days later. Yeah,
(01:15):
if you don't have Carlson and Latang, that could really
slow down the transition game.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I don't know who would be on the top power play.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Well I do know it would be Kulak and he
wouldn't be horrible at that up top.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
But even if if.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Carlson Latang can't play's time to gut out like a
two to one win or something, get a loser point. Well, no,
you are going to get slaughtered, slaughtered, slaughtered at Edmonton
tomorrow night. That's just how it's gonna work. Because McDavid's
on a tear and he always plays his sour puss
off against Crosby, just feels challenged, and that's actually admirable.
(01:52):
He needs to play Crosby in a game six or
seven of a Stanley Cup final, might do better. Uh, listen,
I want it depend was that it is second in
the Metro.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It's not a good division.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
With the Rangers having totally collapsed, I think that's doable.
They're just two points out a second. Right now, you
know who's dead last in the Eastern Conference, Mike Sullivan
and the New York Rangers. You know who's dead last.
In the Western Conference, Gmjr. And the Vancouver Canucks. We
(02:25):
made you too, We made you No, that's obviously not true,
but it's kind of odd. We could keep talking about
the Steeler coaching search right now. It feels like McCarthy.
If they do that, they're running it back. If it's Shula,
they're running it back with the disclaimer. If it's four
(02:46):
is that is just a terrible mistake. Oh, Mike Defabo,
who is on fire with his content at the athletic.
He put together some snats from this past season on
Aaron Rodgers, and every picture does tell a story. The
Steelers played eight games this season. Rogers did against the
(03:08):
top ten defenses, top ten in yards allowed. In those games,
Rogers had a completion percentage of fifty nine point one,
averaged one hundred and seventy one yards per game, threw
seven touchdowns against six interceptions, and had a passer rating
which wasn't good, of seventy five point two. Against all
(03:32):
the other teams, Rogers' completion percentage was sixty nine point two,
way higher, two hundred and thirty three yards per game
considerably higher, seventeen touchdowns against two interceptions way better, and
a passer rating of one hundred and five point two,
which is even better than his career passer rating of
(03:54):
one hundred and three, which is the best in NFL history.
That's great work by the breaking that down, and it
points out what I've kind of been saying on and
off all year. Rogers wasn't all that good. He just
shot the cripple. He just played very good and put
up good numbers against weaker defenses, but he weren't really
(04:22):
no better, weren't really that good. But yet, if they
get McCarthy, I'm sure McCarthy's going to try to bring
him back. Oh God, Joe Gomes, who's never scored for
Liverpool in like the ten years he's been there. He's
a defender, but he just missed a freeheader. Oh Joe, Joe, Joe.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So the point being, I don't want McCarthy to run
it back with Rogers. I would not be outraged by
McCarthy coming in. He's good with quarterbacks, YadA YadA, But
I don't want to running back with Rogers, and I
especially especially don't want to sit around from not till
Mini camp and maybe even after that after that for
(05:07):
him to figure it out. If he's gonna play or not.
That was boring once. It would be even more boring
moving forward. That number to call again for calls on
the fifteens eight three three four one two wxdx. That's
a three to three four one two wxdx. What else
(05:29):
do we got? I already talked about North Phill's winning
last night, already talked about the Baseball Hall of Famers,
the new class Beltron and Andrew Jones, who were kind
of vanilla, nothing really enticing, not really that many memorable
moments about that. Although Beltran is a coach, wasn't he
(05:50):
part of the cheating deal that Houston did banging the
trash can?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I think he was? So keep the steroid guys out,
but keep the guy who who.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Very obviously and by definition cheetd Yeah, let's let's put
him in Andy Widell interview him for the general manager's
job in Atlanta. It would be bad if the Steelers
lost him. Oh, by the way, the gay hockey craze
is over as per heated rivalry, which I'm watching it.
It's great, but in the NHL maybe not so much.
(06:20):
I'll talk about that a little bit later, but right now,
we want calls on the fifteens A three three, four
one two WXDX.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Threed, so be it baby the.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Those stats that the FABO put up at the Athletic
how Rogers just beat up on bad teams. It wasn't
very good against good teams. Then again, well, Cleveland got
a good defense. They have a top ten defense. So yeah,
I can see why Rogers struggled in that game. But
Rogers just beat up on bad defenses. He wasn't as
(07:00):
good as you want to think.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
He was. Just just wasn't.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
He has the big name and everyone's excited of Aaron
Rodgers in the Steeler uniform, but it didn't go that great.
And by way of evidence, he didn't do no more
than Russ did. At the end of the day, Let's
go to Joe. Joe, you're all with Mark.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
What up? What up?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Mine?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Uh? You lost me in the last segment. I have
no clue who a bella Danger is, so you lost
me there. But I want to ask you this. You
talked the other day about Tomin's worst decisions. I'm curious
when I think about trends of Tomin's tenure. Losing to
the Patriots all the time losing to terrible teams, you know,
bad challenge calls. What do you think the worst extended
(07:47):
trend of his tenure was, Well, the.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Most damaging decision he did was drafting Kenny Pickett. That's
not a trend, but that was a faux pas on
the days. That became a trend because it damaged a
team for at least half a decade, probably longer. And
they still haven't solved the quarterback position, have they?
Speaker 4 (08:08):
No? No, I guess that's the trend there itself, right,
getting the wrong quarterback.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
I think, I think, I think something, I think something.
He did that philosophically, I didn't like that he always
settled for three, always laid up for field goals. Very
rarely did he gamble in terms of making sure they
got seven. He always made sure that they got three.
And I I decried that almost from the day he
(08:34):
became the head coach. And then again, I'm not so
sure that that Kyleer wasn't guilty of that, albeit to
a somewhat lesser degree.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
But Kyleer like field goals too, didn't he?
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Yeah, he did, he did. Yeah, Tom Blind the lookal
writers would poke at him about that. Wouldn't they when
they say he'd live in his fears instead of going
for it to maybe get a touchdown there. Yeah, that's
a definite trend too.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I appreciate. I just thought.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
I just thought, I just thought his general preference for
rock fights, for low scoring games. Now, he was good
at winning those, but but he didn't win all of them,
and you know, certainly not Well. Then again, when's the
last time the Steelers had a close playoff game? When's
the last time they were even competitive in the postseason.
Let's go to Chris Chris Nrong with double M.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Hey, what up, Mark?
Speaker 6 (09:19):
I just wanted to get your opinion on what's going
on with the Pens.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
I think they're in a.
Speaker 6 (09:24):
Real tough situation because there's a bad division.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
But we are promised the young guys, and you know,
I know Rutger had some Can we lose them? I
guess we did.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, yeah, I I wish they had stuck with the
game plan of just going younger and developmental. But as
I've been saying repeatedly, they got the taste of a
possible playoff berth in their nostrils early in the season,
and they've become more and more veterany. As the season's
gone on, there's no doubt about that. If it gains
(10:00):
a playoff birth, then that's good for Sid and I
get why you want to make it for Sid. And
this agent with what he said, how Sid deserves to
be in the playoffs and would have to consider a trade.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
You know, the agent bullied the Penguins.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
The Penguins reacted to that, or rather didn't react to it,
because I think they might have traded Raquel or Rust
or both with an eye toward the future. Had Pat
Posawa said that, let's go to Joe and Robinson, Joe
your own double.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
M Hey, Mark, how you doing right thinking about this?
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Mike McCarthy hiring it that happens?
Speaker 6 (10:34):
Is this like more of a win now, the can
of the rebuild.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Down the road a little longer, or what you're feeling
on it?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
It's always win now, It's always win now.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
This team crucifies itself on the on on the cross
of now for the last decade and have paid a
price for it. They want to win now. Art feels
that he has to win a playoff game. I think
Art field His ownership tenure is being discredited by their
failure in the playoffs and he wants to throw himself
a bone, so to speak.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Yeah, I completely agree.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
I just I don't know.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
I just want to rebuild to happen.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Sometimes the best thing that could happen would be for
them to go four and thirteen and get somebody like
Archie Manning, preferably Archie arch Manning in the draft. That
would be the best thing that could happen, better than
when unless they would get to the conference championship game
or something at that level, they would, you know, winning
one playoff game. What would you rather do next year, sir?
Win one playoff game in draft arch Manning? Or would
(11:35):
you rather, excuse me, would you rather win one playoff
game than lose in the division round? Or would you
rather finish four and thirteen in draft arch Manning?
Speaker 4 (11:44):
You tell me, I completely agree with the four and thirteen.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
I'm buve been saying it for two or three.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
You want to know, you want to know what foreign
thirteen can do? Ask Washington they got Jane Daniels. Ask
New England, they got Drake Mayon. Now they're back in
the conference championship game just six years after Tom Brady left.
Thank you for the call I got a little stuttered
there because Liverpool were in defensive trouble, but no harm done.
Neil Neil in the twenty first minute. Okay, we got
(12:13):
Mike the Corsi, also Liverpool fan. That'll be interesting. He
will join me in the next segment to talk about
the Steelers coaching hire and about Indiana winning the college
football playoff.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I'm Mark Matt in one oh five ninety.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
X every weekday at ten am.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
There it's Travis.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
Starting your day Commercial free one nine.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
D X Rob King here for the latest in the
Steelers hunt for a new head coach. Tune into Steelers
Nation Radio. We'll keep you up to date on every
candidate and let you know as soon as the decision
is made. It's all on Steelers Nation Radio, part of
the Steelers Audio Network and available on one O two
point five, w dB HD two and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Here's What's trending now the iHeart Sports Network present by
Draft King's Sports Book.
Speaker 8 (13:01):
The Steelers interviewed former Cowboys and Packers coach Mike McCarthy
for their head coach vacancy today. McCarthy's a Pittsburgh native,
a second stray wins in Reach for the Penguins tonight
they had to Calgary in college hoops. That's pitt visiting
Boston College. West Virginia meets Arizona State and former met
Star Carlos Beltron and X Ray's outfielder Andrew Jones are
the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame Hopscott Davidson.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Draft Kings Sports Book. The number Matt good Mace is
always a component of any nice date. Thank you for
making my day. Yeah what you said?
Speaker 3 (13:35):
The exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Joining me now to talk Steelers coaching search, Indiana title
victory and watch the Liverpool game at the same time
as me from the Sporting News in Pittsburgh. He is
fellow read Mike de Corsi. Mike, who would you pick
to be the next Steelers coach?
Speaker 2 (13:51):
And why?
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Well, I will say that it I I really have
a type more than I have a person, because I mean,
I'm not in those meetings and every assistant coach, I mean,
you don't know until you get a chance to see
them operate, and maybe if you interview them, meet them,
(14:14):
or at least go into a press conference and get
to see how they comport themselves. But absent all that
it's just names on a piece of paper, and so
they might have some track record relative to their work
as assistant coaches, but it's really even hard to judge that.
I mean, even Mike Tomlin when he came in here
didn't have a huge track record. He'd done obviously great
(14:37):
work with Tampa Bay Secondary because they won a Super Bowl,
and then I'm sure he did a fine job in Minnesota,
but he wasn't there for very long before the Steelers
made him their head coach. So it's really more for
me about wanting to see the Steelers hire someone who
is a CEO.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
I don't want to play caller.
Speaker 5 (14:59):
There's a lot of head coaches in the NFL, not
just literally hiding behind their play sheets but figuratively, And
what I mean by that is they really aren't head coaches.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
They're play callers.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
They're great offensive minds, or presumably great offensive minds, and
they try to cover up for everything else that they
don't do by calling enough plays that their teams score
enough points to win. And I think that there are
certain people who are good enough at it. Obviously Sean
Payton would be an example, who's active and who does
(15:31):
a lot of his own play calling and has been
successful that way Andy Reid.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
But a lot of those guys sort of roll.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Through the job, Mike McDaniel being a great example of that.
Speaker 6 (15:43):
It never happened there, he wasn't a head coach.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Well, well, in that description, does Mike McCarthy fit, because
I'm hearing more and more that he's in very serious
consideration at sixty two.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Well, I would say that he fits the description of
semi six somewhat successful retread. I guess that's he doesn't
fit the what I'm talking about because he didn't succeed
in Dallas.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
And I know you're up against ownership who for.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
Some reason thinks he's a football executive, thinks he's.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
A GM and I know that's a problem.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
But they didn't succeed, and that would worry me about
bringing him in here, I understand.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Well, what would worry me, Mike, is that if you
bring him in here, maybe you bring Rogers back because
they work together in Green Bay and you just run
it back.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
You see.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
My big fault with your organization is they think they
can win now, no matter what logic and the roster dictate,
they always think they can win now.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Well, I think they can be competitive now. And if
you brought Rogers back as someone that was in place
because you were planning and knew specifically who you were
going to get in the draft, and you were believing
in him, and the player was worth you believing in.
And I'm not sure that other than Fernando Mendoz, there
is somebody in this draft that is worth believing in,
(17:03):
then I could see that I wrote about this a
while back that I thought that if you had that player,
that he would be worth bringing back. Now, that was
before we saw him against the rush that they had
in Houston and how difficult it was for him to operate.
It's just really hard to be a quarterback in today's
game without having any mobility at all. Well, look, when
(17:25):
Ben was quarterback, his mobility was a huge factor in
why he was as successful as he was in the
first eight to ten.
Speaker 6 (17:34):
Years or so. That was his extension of.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
Plays was a major part, a major component of why
the Stealers were successful. To have none of that is
obviously problematic. I mean, the reason the Bears came as
close as they did to winning on Sunday was Caleb
Williams mobility was a massive factor in that Monday night
(17:58):
in the Miami game, the Indiana's quarterback scored the biggest
play of the game with his legs. I just don't
think that you can be a statue.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Now.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
I agree with that, But one place where we're going
to disagree is I see the value of four and
thirteen and I don't think you do. But you know
saw the value enacted on it four and thirteen is
the Patriots, they totally rebuilt, got a franchise quarterback in
six years after losing Brady, and I feel like the
Steelers should look at what they did and look at
what the Patriots did and ask some hard questions of
(18:30):
the way they think.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
Well, I can give you though, Baltimore, excuse me, Buffalo,
actually Baltimore too. Baltimore, Buffalo, and Kansas City all teams
that were successful prior to the drafting of what have
been the quarterbacks that have won the Unless we've awarded
this year's I don't think we have yet. The last
three MVPs in football were Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson. So
(18:56):
you can't still succeed and get to that position. It
just has to be that player has to be there,
and in the case of Mahomes, it was tenth. In
the case of Allen, it was seventh. In the case
of Lamar, it was thirty first or thirty second. It's
the player has to be there, and I'm not convinced
now that that player's in this draft.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Whodi is going to be the quarterback this coming season?
Speaker 6 (19:21):
Well, right now, if.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
You ask me who I would want, I would say
that I would want to sign Malik Willis on a
contract somewhat similar to what the Jets got.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
Fields for a year ago.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Now, he'd probably have to what was that like, like
two years, twenty million.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
Years, two years, twenty years, something like that. You'd probably
have to amp it up a little bit because Willis
is like the only one out there practically that can play,
and so unless you want to get injured. Daniel Jones,
I think you'd probably have to go in that direction
of maybe.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
Going to three years.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
But I'm not sure that if you went to three
years at a reasonable price, that that is necessarily problematic
because you're you're still not going to pay.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
Much for your rookie.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
Whether it's will Howard, if he is indeed a quality QB,
the obsession with him is something else, Mark, because like
if he had a great exhibition season, I'd totally get
it right.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Oh No, his overrating went up because he didn't play.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
But whether it's him or somebody that you draft, I
think that having Willis in on your team could be
a He could be a useful backup and a useful
play alternate play person, someone like Fields was a year ago,
because he is such a dynamic athlete.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Oh, Willis should mean well.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I would have no problem bringing Willis in, like you said,
on a two even a three year deal, Michael, though
I don't know why he'd particularly want to come to Pittsburgh.
I think more money, more years, and better opportunity will
Beckon elsewhere. But I'd bring him in on the premise
that I'm going to draft the guy I think could
be the long term guy this year, or and then
you have them compete and hopefully one.
Speaker 5 (21:03):
Works out right exactly exactly the way I would approach it.
And look, they see those guys, they see the young
man from Alabama, maybe they believe in him, maybe there's
somebody else that they believe in that, or maybe they
stick around till next year and Leonora's Sellers gets better,
improves his accuracy, and his dynamism is like, not quite Lamar,
(21:27):
but at least you're in the conversation. I mean, certainly
more so than Jalen Hurts, who's been really successful, and
his dynamism is a huge part of why we're.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Talking to Mike the Corsi of the Sporting News. He's
brought to us by South Fields Kia. South Fields Kia
has the ride enterprise.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
You'll love.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
If you made me pick who the coach should be
right now, and again, I'm like you, I kind of
want to type and I would like them to stick
to the unproven method, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
The young coordinator.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
I'd like Shieldhouse, but that seems a bit of a
reach because he's only been a passing game coordinator in LA.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
He's never called plays. I kind of like Shoela.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Shoeley kind of seems the safe and traditional pick, doesn't
he Mike, what does Steelers often do?
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (22:12):
I think that a lot of people are having good
thoughts about him, expressing good feelings about his ability.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
They are still playing, which is a positive.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
In the sense of that means that they are achieving,
and in a year when LA's defense sometimes had problems
because of talent level, and injury.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
They were able to.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Shut down for a large portion of the game against
the Bears a pretty good offense, an offense that features
a one overall quarterback and a good running game. And
so it is.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
Someone who in the biggest pressure.
Speaker 5 (22:49):
Games did a good job, did a quality job, and
so I think you have to look at that.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
As a positive. I think that the idea of him being.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
The head coach and bringing along Shielhouse as the offensive
coordinator has gotten a lot of pot I just.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Don't think Shielhas would do that.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
That would be it would be a little better than
a lateral move for him, but not a ton better.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
Oh no, I mean you get OC.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
That's how you get to where you want to go,
whether it's head coach or whatever. I think, plus the
fact that you get to really you get like a
blank slate kind of with this group. You get some talent,
and you get a good, solid offensive line, and then
you get to design the offense based on the quarterback
that's brought in, whoever that might be.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
I think that that would be a positive.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
I mean, you could stick around and be passing game
coordinator for the Rams, but then you have to wait
for the OC to get a head shop.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
Somewhere for you to get that break.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
And I think he would be tempted if, especially if
he likes Shula and respects him and they have a
good relationship, and that offer were forthcoming, I think that
he would be tempted.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I want to talk a bit about the game Monday night,
the college football Playoff Championship. A lot of people say
Indiana football is the greatest sports story of all time.
I've really seen that said. I disagree. I think I
do think it's a real good story. You think it's
the greatest sports story of all time.
Speaker 6 (24:15):
In the sense of improbability. I think the way I've no.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
No miracle on ice, give me a break, Mike.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
This was more improbable than that.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
No. It was because, yes, because Indiana football was so
awful for so long, and they had to they had
to sustain, over sixteen weeks and over two seasons, a
degree of excellence that they never even hinted that they
hadn't won.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
A bowl game since nineteen ninety one.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
I mean, at the end of the day, as amazing
as the miracle on Ice was, and I'm not diminishing it,
the differentiator for me is the fact that they First
of all, they didn't have to qualify it because the
games were here, so they were in automatically, and then
they had and then they were right into the semis,
so they could focus a lot. Once they got past
(25:05):
Sweden and Czechoslovakia, they were able to focus a lot
on that one game, that Soviet Union game, and they
did a masterful job at that. Two people with great
Penguins connections, Herb Brooks and Craig Patrick, did a great
job with that team of making them ready and making
(25:25):
them believe. And then the players executed that night. But
it only had to be that one night they had
to pull one upset.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
I don't know, Mike. I mean, here's the differentiator for me.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
The US college kids beating the Soviet Pros in nineteen
eighty is the equivalent of this year's Indiana team beating
the Steelers of the seventies.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
I like that analogy. That's a good one.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
I'm you know, it's hard to say because those Soviet Pros,
while they did play exhibition games against.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Great teams of great Canadian.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
Players, in particular, they never had to play a team
like I don't.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
Know who was great. Then the Canadians.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
Let's say whoever was winning Stanley Cups then the Flyers,
the the.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Canadians of that specific era of segueing into the Islanders.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
Yeah, exactly, and so they never had to play really
connected together teams like that, and so how were they
as great as the reputation I think is fair, but
it helps.
Speaker 6 (26:29):
To shine the the.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
New yorklon Ice legend to believe they were the best
team in the world.
Speaker 6 (26:37):
They'd ever had to play Stanley cupp No.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
They were the best team in the world, Mike, they
were the best team in the world.
Speaker 6 (26:43):
They weren't.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
I'm saying they never had to prove it in the
in the same way that other best teams in the world.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Now, the previous year they wiped out the NHL All
Stars two Games.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
All Stars All Stars. That's my point.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Well, moving on, because we're not going to agree on
this one, not as in give legitimate hope to other
lesser programs, or is Indiana gonna be the exception that
proves the rule.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
I think that they will give irrational belief to many
programs that hey, well they could do it, why aren't
we doing it right? And oh then our coach clearly
isn't good enough, even if the coach clearly is good enough,
that a lot of coaches are gonna lose their their
jobs over well.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
All right, this puts major heat on coaches across college football,
no question.
Speaker 5 (27:29):
Yes, And and that's you know, that's gonna be the thing.
It's not gonna be Well, what he did was unique
and special, and he hit a special moment, and he's
exceptional and all of that. It's gonna be why aren't
we doing what they did? And that's gonna be a
problem for a lot of programs, especially those programs that
should be that good, like Alabama, uh and and Ohio State.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
I don't think that.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
Whereas Ohio State often got agitated when they were losing
to Michigan, they lose a few more to Indiana and
they're gonna be unhappy.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
So it is.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
It is that sense it what they did. Some of
it came from his ability to bring a lot of
players with him from James Madison, who were clearly an
outstanding team, and to supplement that with other high quality
players from other places like Fernando Mendoza from California, and
(28:23):
and then be able to take advantage of all that,
and they did that, but it's not Is it replicable? Yeah,
but there's no formula, So how do you replicate it?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
How good will Mendozou be in the NFL?
Speaker 1 (28:36):
He is acclaimed is the obvious number one pick, and
I agree with that. I just don't think he's a
nailed on franchise quarterback. I think the best I can
do is probable.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
What say you?
Speaker 6 (28:46):
Yeah, I think that's a fair assessment.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
And part of it is because we know it's probably
he's probably going to Oakland and Las Vegas, the Raiders.
Speaker 6 (28:54):
The Vegas. Yes, I'll never I'll never break that habit.
Speaker 5 (28:56):
I'll try, but I should just say the Raiders and
never specify where they were because they've literally had like
four locations in my life.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That's true.
Speaker 5 (29:06):
So I will say that I think that he's a
terrific talent, and if he were going to a situation
that I really trusted, I would say that he will
be outstanding. I don't think he's as physically gifted as
say Josh Allen, but I think he's really smart and
I think he's really competitive. You saw that on the run,
(29:27):
the touchdown run. He really wants to be great. But
there's the challenge of being a part of an organization
that has failed over and over and over again. And
I know Tom Brady's there to help try to get
the failure out of the system, but it's not as easy.
Speaker 6 (29:46):
If it were as easy as.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Just bringing in a superstar and all of a sudden
that's gonna be the case that you're gonna start winning games,
then the only people that would have jobs in these leagues,
like Michael Jordan would be the greatest coach in NBA.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
His Oh and he was such a bad executive.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
Yeah, exactly, exactly my point.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
He's not only not a great coach, he's not he
wasn't a good GM slash president either.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Uh here, let me throw this out there to wrap
things up, Mike, cause it's the Steelers are looking for quarterback.
And I'm a big believer that no matter where you draft,
they should do what the Patriots do, which is keep
throwing it at the wall until something stick. Case in point,
they drafted Mac Jones, didn't work out, drafted Drake May
a couple of years later. I think the Steelers should
have gone back to the well after Picket washed out.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
What about taking Drew Aller in the third round or
wherever he drops to.
Speaker 6 (30:38):
Yeah, I don't have a problem with that.
Speaker 5 (30:40):
I think you want to, especially when you consider that
they're probably going to have multiple third round picks. I mean,
they do have thirteen picks, I believe is the number
in this craft. So you can take a flyer on
somebody like that, you probably you probably will have multiple
picks in the third round, even if one of them
is at the very end into the round, you probably
(31:02):
will have multiple picks in that in that spot.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
And if somebody like that falls to you, then why not.
Speaker 5 (31:08):
I mean I thought Tyler Shott had a chance if
the Steelers just didn't have a chance at him unless
they went in R one. They did, they because they
didn't have a second round pick.
Speaker 6 (31:17):
In this past year's draft, if I remember correctly.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
So so you couldn't get to him unless you committed everything.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
And they knew they needed to fix the.
Speaker 5 (31:26):
Run game, and they and and Tyler was a was
not a sure thing. And I'm still I'm still not
positive he is a sure thing. But he had a
nice rookie year on a bad team.
Speaker 6 (31:36):
Oh No.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
But my point is I think they need to, like
I said, pro crap at the wall, I don't think
they can just take one shot in that this year's
draft or next year's draft and say this is the
guy for sure.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Look would that got them with picking?
Speaker 4 (31:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (31:49):
No, I I could not agree with you more whether
or not Aler is the right player.
Speaker 6 (31:54):
Uh, A player like that Kate klub Nick maybe.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
There were moments when I liked what Kate did did
even in the Penn State game, and they started throwing picks,
and then you're like, well, that's why he's not a one.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
But there there could be somebody out there, somebody that began.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
The year as part of what was being considered a
high level draft quarterback class and then ended the year
as someone that people were thinking as a middle to
late round pick that would be worth that.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Okay, Mike, before we wrap this up, Liverpool with a
free kick in a dangerous spot.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
You're watching, correct?
Speaker 3 (32:29):
I am?
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Don't if you might be ahead of me, so don't
say anything. Let me react. I'm the play by play guy.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
You can do color. Are you ready?
Speaker 6 (32:36):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Here we go, Ready, dom Sola stand over it.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
Yes, it's going to be.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Yes, yes, yes, Mike, there you go. What do you
think did did you really did that?
Speaker 6 (32:51):
Is that really what happened?
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Because we still have two guys here on Paramount plus
in Mars, we still have two guys over the ball.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
And keep watching, keep watching, keep watching. Let me know,
let me know. I want you to see it.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Oh yes, I see. Yes, it went right under the right,
under the line.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
There you go, the old.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Under the wall kick sobasly makes it one nil in
the forty fifth minute.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Mike, great stuff. You got us to lead. I value that.
We'll talk again next week.
Speaker 6 (33:20):
Thanks Mark.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
That's that's uh Mike the course, he sobers line with
a great free kick under the wall one nil is
halftime approaches. Mike, brought to us by south Fields Kia.
Southfields Kia has the ride and a price. You love God,
you gotta love that. One oh five nine The ex
This is the Mark Madden Show eight three three four
one two w xdx the number to call, or you
can call the secret number four one two three three
three wxdx, or you can What else can you do?
I guess you can just follow me on Twitter? Yeah,
it's send me a message on Twitter. Boy, we're moving
(00:21):
the ball like it's like it's a bowling ball. And
that ain't good. Okay, now Dom's got some room any anyway,
more penguin stuff?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Wait, just a threat?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Oh Vertz gets the shot blocked? Flows playing is German? Heine?
I guess they call it off. Last couple games, okay.
Staying with hockey, Peng was at Calgary tonight. Calgary sucks,
but the Peng was lost to at home a couple
of weekends ago.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
No Carlson No, well, I take that back. My notes
have since been amended.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
No Carlson tonight, although he's apparently not far from which
I figured having made the trip, and all Latang, there's
a chance he might play tonight after having missed a
handful of games. But if it's no Carlson and no
Latang tonight, wait, the time played? The time played to
Seattle day to day? Well, it's a couple of days later. Yeah,
(01:15):
if you don't have Carlson and Latang, that could really
slow down the transition game.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I don't know who would be on the top power play.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Well I do know it would be Kulak and he
wouldn't be horrible at that up top.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
But even if if.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Carlson Latang can't play's time to gut out like a
two to one win or something, get a loser point. Well, no,
you are going to get slaughtered, slaughtered, slaughtered at Edmonton
tomorrow night. That's just how it's gonna work. Because McDavid's
on a tear and he always plays his sour puss
off against Crosby, just feels challenged, and that's actually admirable.
(01:52):
He needs to play Crosby in a game six or
seven of a Stanley Cup final, might do better. Uh, listen,
I want it depend was that it is second in
the Metro.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It's not a good division.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
With the Rangers having totally collapsed, I think that's doable.
They're just two points out a second. Right now, you
know who's dead last in the Eastern Conference, Mike Sullivan
and the New York Rangers. You know who's dead last.
In the Western Conference, Gmjr. And the Vancouver Canucks. We
(02:25):
made you too, We made you No, that's obviously not true,
but it's kind of odd. We could keep talking about
the Steeler coaching search right now. It feels like McCarthy.
If they do that, they're running it back. If it's Shula,
they're running it back with the disclaimer. If it's four
(02:46):
is that is just a terrible mistake. Oh, Mike Defabo,
who is on fire with his content at the athletic.
He put together some snats from this past season on
Aaron Rodgers, and every picture does tell a story. The
Steelers played eight games this season. Rogers did against the
(03:08):
top ten defenses, top ten in yards allowed. In those games,
Rogers had a completion percentage of fifty nine point one,
averaged one hundred and seventy one yards per game, threw
seven touchdowns against six interceptions, and had a passer rating
which wasn't good, of seventy five point two. Against all
(03:32):
the other teams, Rogers' completion percentage was sixty nine point two,
way higher, two hundred and thirty three yards per game
considerably higher, seventeen touchdowns against two interceptions way better, and
a passer rating of one hundred and five point two,
which is even better than his career passer rating of
(03:54):
one hundred and three, which is the best in NFL history.
That's great work by the breaking that down, and it
points out what I've kind of been saying on and
off all year. Rogers wasn't all that good. He just
shot the cripple. He just played very good and put
up good numbers against weaker defenses, but he weren't really
(04:22):
no better, weren't really that good. But yet, if they
get McCarthy, I'm sure McCarthy's going to try to bring
him back. Oh God, Joe Gomes, who's never scored for
Liverpool in like the ten years he's been there. He's
a defender, but he just missed a freeheader. Oh Joe, Joe, Joe.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So the point being, I don't want McCarthy to run
it back with Rogers. I would not be outraged by
McCarthy coming in. He's good with quarterbacks, YadA YadA, But
I don't want to running back with Rogers, and I
especially especially don't want to sit around from not till
Mini camp and maybe even after that after that for
(05:07):
him to figure it out. If he's gonna play or not.
That was boring once. It would be even more boring
moving forward. That number to call again for calls on
the fifteens eight three three four one two wxdx. That's
a three to three four one two wxdx. What else
(05:29):
do we got? I already talked about North Phill's winning
last night, already talked about the Baseball Hall of Famers,
the new class Beltron and Andrew Jones, who were kind
of vanilla, nothing really enticing, not really that many memorable
moments about that. Although Beltran is a coach, wasn't he
(05:50):
part of the cheating deal that Houston did banging the
trash can?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I think he was? So keep the steroid guys out,
but keep the guy who who.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Very obviously and by definition cheetd Yeah, let's let's put
him in Andy Widell interview him for the general manager's
job in Atlanta. It would be bad if the Steelers
lost him. Oh, by the way, the gay hockey craze
is over as per heated rivalry, which I'm watching it.
It's great, but in the NHL maybe not so much.
(06:20):
I'll talk about that a little bit later, but right now,
we want calls on the fifteens A three three, four
one two WXDX.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Threed, so be it baby the.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Those stats that the FABO put up at the Athletic
how Rogers just beat up on bad teams. It wasn't
very good against good teams. Then again, well, Cleveland got
a good defense. They have a top ten defense. So yeah,
I can see why Rogers struggled in that game. But
Rogers just beat up on bad defenses. He wasn't as
(07:00):
good as you want to think.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
He was. Just just wasn't.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
He has the big name and everyone's excited of Aaron
Rodgers in the Steeler uniform, but it didn't go that great.
And by way of evidence, he didn't do no more
than Russ did. At the end of the day, Let's
go to Joe. Joe, you're all with Mark.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
What up? What up?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Mine?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Uh? You lost me in the last segment. I have
no clue who a bella Danger is, so you lost
me there. But I want to ask you this. You
talked the other day about Tomin's worst decisions. I'm curious
when I think about trends of Tomin's tenure. Losing to
the Patriots all the time losing to terrible teams, you know,
bad challenge calls. What do you think the worst extended
(07:47):
trend of his tenure was, Well, the.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Most damaging decision he did was drafting Kenny Pickett. That's
not a trend, but that was a faux pas on
the days. That became a trend because it damaged a
team for at least half a decade, probably longer. And
they still haven't solved the quarterback position, have they?
Speaker 4 (08:08):
No? No, I guess that's the trend there itself, right,
getting the wrong quarterback.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
I think, I think, I think something, I think something.
He did that philosophically, I didn't like that he always
settled for three, always laid up for field goals. Very
rarely did he gamble in terms of making sure they
got seven. He always made sure that they got three.
And I I decried that almost from the day he
(08:34):
became the head coach. And then again, I'm not so
sure that that Kyleer wasn't guilty of that, albeit to
a somewhat lesser degree.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
But Kyleer like field goals too, didn't he?
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Yeah, he did, he did. Yeah, Tom Blind the lookal
writers would poke at him about that. Wouldn't they when
they say he'd live in his fears instead of going
for it to maybe get a touchdown there. Yeah, that's
a definite trend too.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I appreciate. I just thought.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
I just thought, I just thought his general preference for
rock fights, for low scoring games. Now, he was good
at winning those, but but he didn't win all of them,
and you know, certainly not Well. Then again, when's the
last time the Steelers had a close playoff game? When's
the last time they were even competitive in the postseason.
Let's go to Chris Chris Nrong with double M.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Hey, what up, Mark?
Speaker 6 (09:19):
I just wanted to get your opinion on what's going
on with the Pens.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
I think they're in a.
Speaker 6 (09:24):
Real tough situation because there's a bad division.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
But we are promised the young guys, and you know,
I know Rutger had some Can we lose them? I
guess we did.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, yeah, I I wish they had stuck with the
game plan of just going younger and developmental. But as
I've been saying repeatedly, they got the taste of a
possible playoff berth in their nostrils early in the season,
and they've become more and more veterany. As the season's
gone on, there's no doubt about that. If it gains
(10:00):
a playoff birth, then that's good for Sid and I
get why you want to make it for Sid. And
this agent with what he said, how Sid deserves to
be in the playoffs and would have to consider a trade.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
You know, the agent bullied the Penguins.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
The Penguins reacted to that, or rather didn't react to it,
because I think they might have traded Raquel or Rust
or both with an eye toward the future. Had Pat
Posawa said that, let's go to Joe and Robinson, Joe
your own double.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
M Hey, Mark, how you doing right thinking about this?
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Mike McCarthy hiring it that happens?
Speaker 6 (10:34):
Is this like more of a win now, the can
of the rebuild.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Down the road a little longer, or what you're feeling
on it?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
It's always win now, It's always win now.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
This team crucifies itself on the on on the cross
of now for the last decade and have paid a
price for it. They want to win now. Art feels
that he has to win a playoff game. I think
Art field His ownership tenure is being discredited by their
failure in the playoffs and he wants to throw himself
a bone, so to speak.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Yeah, I completely agree.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
I just I don't know.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
I just want to rebuild to happen.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Sometimes the best thing that could happen would be for
them to go four and thirteen and get somebody like
Archie Manning, preferably Archie arch Manning in the draft. That
would be the best thing that could happen, better than
when unless they would get to the conference championship game
or something at that level, they would, you know, winning
one playoff game. What would you rather do next year, sir?
Win one playoff game in draft arch Manning? Or would
(11:35):
you rather, excuse me, would you rather win one playoff
game than lose in the division round? Or would you
rather finish four and thirteen in draft arch Manning?
Speaker 4 (11:44):
You tell me, I completely agree with the four and thirteen.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
I'm buve been saying it for two or three.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
You want to know, you want to know what foreign
thirteen can do? Ask Washington they got Jane Daniels. Ask
New England, they got Drake Mayon. Now they're back in
the conference championship game just six years after Tom Brady left.
Thank you for the call I got a little stuttered
there because Liverpool were in defensive trouble, but no harm done.
Neil Neil in the twenty first minute. Okay, we got
(12:13):
Mike the Corsi, also Liverpool fan. That'll be interesting. He
will join me in the next segment to talk about
the Steelers coaching hire and about Indiana winning the college
football playoff.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I'm Mark Matt in one oh five ninety.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
X every weekday at ten am.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
There it's Travis.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
Starting your day Commercial free one nine.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
D X Rob King here for the latest in the
Steelers hunt for a new head coach. Tune into Steelers
Nation Radio. We'll keep you up to date on every
candidate and let you know as soon as the decision
is made. It's all on Steelers Nation Radio, part of
the Steelers Audio Network and available on one O two
point five, w dB HD two and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Here's What's trending now the iHeart Sports Network present by
Draft King's Sports Book.
Speaker 8 (13:01):
The Steelers interviewed former Cowboys and Packers coach Mike McCarthy
for their head coach vacancy today. McCarthy's a Pittsburgh native,
a second stray wins in Reach for the Penguins tonight
they had to Calgary in college hoops. That's pitt visiting
Boston College. West Virginia meets Arizona State and former met
Star Carlos Beltron and X Ray's outfielder Andrew Jones are
the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame Hopscott Davidson.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Draft Kings Sports Book. The number Matt good Mace is
always a component of any nice date. Thank you for
making my day. Yeah what you said?
Speaker 3 (13:35):
The exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Joining me now to talk Steelers coaching search, Indiana title
victory and watch the Liverpool game at the same time
as me from the Sporting News in Pittsburgh. He is
fellow read Mike de Corsi. Mike, who would you pick
to be the next Steelers coach?
Speaker 2 (13:51):
And why?
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Well, I will say that it I I really have
a type more than I have a person, because I mean,
I'm not in those meetings and every assistant coach, I mean,
you don't know until you get a chance to see
them operate, and maybe if you interview them, meet them,
(14:14):
or at least go into a press conference and get
to see how they comport themselves. But absent all that
it's just names on a piece of paper, and so
they might have some track record relative to their work
as assistant coaches, but it's really even hard to judge that.
I mean, even Mike Tomlin when he came in here
didn't have a huge track record. He'd done obviously great
(14:37):
work with Tampa Bay Secondary because they won a Super Bowl,
and then I'm sure he did a fine job in Minnesota,
but he wasn't there for very long before the Steelers
made him their head coach. So it's really more for
me about wanting to see the Steelers hire someone who
is a CEO.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
I don't want to play caller.
Speaker 5 (14:59):
There's a lot of head coaches in the NFL, not
just literally hiding behind their play sheets but figuratively, And
what I mean by that is they really aren't head coaches.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
They're play callers.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
They're great offensive minds, or presumably great offensive minds, and
they try to cover up for everything else that they
don't do by calling enough plays that their teams score
enough points to win. And I think that there are
certain people who are good enough at it. Obviously Sean
Payton would be an example, who's active and who does
(15:31):
a lot of his own play calling and has been
successful that way Andy Reid.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
But a lot of those guys sort of roll.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Through the job, Mike McDaniel being a great example of that.
Speaker 6 (15:43):
It never happened there, he wasn't a head coach.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Well, well, in that description, does Mike McCarthy fit, because
I'm hearing more and more that he's in very serious
consideration at sixty two.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Well, I would say that he fits the description of
semi six somewhat successful retread. I guess that's he doesn't
fit the what I'm talking about because he didn't succeed
in Dallas.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
And I know you're up against ownership who for.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
Some reason thinks he's a football executive, thinks he's.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
A GM and I know that's a problem.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
But they didn't succeed, and that would worry me about
bringing him in here, I understand.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Well, what would worry me, Mike, is that if you
bring him in here, maybe you bring Rogers back because
they work together in Green Bay and you just run
it back.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
You see.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
My big fault with your organization is they think they
can win now, no matter what logic and the roster dictate,
they always think they can win now.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Well, I think they can be competitive now. And if
you brought Rogers back as someone that was in place
because you were planning and knew specifically who you were
going to get in the draft, and you were believing
in him, and the player was worth you believing in.
And I'm not sure that other than Fernando Mendoz, there
is somebody in this draft that is worth believing in,
(17:03):
then I could see that I wrote about this a
while back that I thought that if you had that player,
that he would be worth bringing back. Now, that was
before we saw him against the rush that they had
in Houston and how difficult it was for him to operate.
It's just really hard to be a quarterback in today's
game without having any mobility at all. Well, look, when
(17:25):
Ben was quarterback, his mobility was a huge factor in
why he was as successful as he was in the
first eight to ten.
Speaker 6 (17:34):
Years or so. That was his extension of.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
Plays was a major part, a major component of why
the Stealers were successful. To have none of that is
obviously problematic. I mean, the reason the Bears came as
close as they did to winning on Sunday was Caleb
Williams mobility was a massive factor in that Monday night
(17:58):
in the Miami game, the Indiana's quarterback scored the biggest
play of the game with his legs. I just don't
think that you can be a statue.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Now.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
I agree with that, But one place where we're going
to disagree is I see the value of four and
thirteen and I don't think you do. But you know
saw the value enacted on it four and thirteen is
the Patriots, they totally rebuilt, got a franchise quarterback in
six years after losing Brady, and I feel like the
Steelers should look at what they did and look at
what the Patriots did and ask some hard questions of
(18:30):
the way they think.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
Well, I can give you though, Baltimore, excuse me, Buffalo,
actually Baltimore too. Baltimore, Buffalo, and Kansas City all teams
that were successful prior to the drafting of what have
been the quarterbacks that have won the Unless we've awarded
this year's I don't think we have yet. The last
three MVPs in football were Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson. So
(18:56):
you can't still succeed and get to that position. It
just has to be that player has to be there,
and in the case of Mahomes, it was tenth. In
the case of Allen, it was seventh. In the case
of Lamar, it was thirty first or thirty second. It's
the player has to be there, and I'm not convinced
now that that player's in this draft.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Whodi is going to be the quarterback this coming season?
Speaker 6 (19:21):
Well, right now, if.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
You ask me who I would want, I would say
that I would want to sign Malik Willis on a
contract somewhat similar to what the Jets got.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
Fields for a year ago.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Now, he'd probably have to what was that like, like
two years, twenty million.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
Years, two years, twenty years, something like that. You'd probably
have to amp it up a little bit because Willis
is like the only one out there practically that can play,
and so unless you want to get injured. Daniel Jones,
I think you'd probably have to go in that direction
of maybe.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
Going to three years.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
But I'm not sure that if you went to three
years at a reasonable price, that that is necessarily problematic
because you're you're still not going to pay.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
Much for your rookie.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
Whether it's will Howard, if he is indeed a quality QB,
the obsession with him is something else, Mark, because like
if he had a great exhibition season, I'd totally get
it right.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Oh No, his overrating went up because he didn't play.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
But whether it's him or somebody that you draft, I
think that having Willis in on your team could be
a He could be a useful backup and a useful
play alternate play person, someone like Fields was a year ago,
because he is such a dynamic athlete.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Oh, Willis should mean well.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I would have no problem bringing Willis in, like you said,
on a two even a three year deal, Michael, though
I don't know why he'd particularly want to come to Pittsburgh.
I think more money, more years, and better opportunity will
Beckon elsewhere. But I'd bring him in on the premise
that I'm going to draft the guy I think could
be the long term guy this year, or and then
you have them compete and hopefully one.
Speaker 5 (21:03):
Works out right exactly exactly the way I would approach it.
And look, they see those guys, they see the young
man from Alabama, maybe they believe in him, maybe there's
somebody else that they believe in that, or maybe they
stick around till next year and Leonora's Sellers gets better,
improves his accuracy, and his dynamism is like, not quite Lamar,
(21:27):
but at least you're in the conversation. I mean, certainly
more so than Jalen Hurts, who's been really successful, and
his dynamism is a huge part of why we're.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Talking to Mike the Corsi of the Sporting News. He's
brought to us by South Fields Kia. South Fields Kia
has the ride enterprise.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
You'll love.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
If you made me pick who the coach should be
right now, and again, I'm like you, I kind of
want to type and I would like them to stick
to the unproven method, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
The young coordinator.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
I'd like Shieldhouse, but that seems a bit of a
reach because he's only been a passing game coordinator in LA.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
He's never called plays. I kind of like Shoela.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Shoeley kind of seems the safe and traditional pick, doesn't
he Mike, what does Steelers often do?
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (22:12):
I think that a lot of people are having good
thoughts about him, expressing good feelings about his ability.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
They are still playing, which is a positive.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
In the sense of that means that they are achieving,
and in a year when LA's defense sometimes had problems
because of talent level, and injury.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
They were able to.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Shut down for a large portion of the game against
the Bears a pretty good offense, an offense that features
a one overall quarterback and a good running game. And
so it is.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
Someone who in the biggest pressure.
Speaker 5 (22:49):
Games did a good job, did a quality job, and
so I think you have to look at that.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
As a positive. I think that the idea of him being.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
The head coach and bringing along Shielhouse as the offensive
coordinator has gotten a lot of pot I just.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Don't think Shielhas would do that.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
That would be it would be a little better than
a lateral move for him, but not a ton better.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
Oh no, I mean you get OC.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
That's how you get to where you want to go,
whether it's head coach or whatever. I think, plus the
fact that you get to really you get like a
blank slate kind of with this group. You get some talent,
and you get a good, solid offensive line, and then
you get to design the offense based on the quarterback
that's brought in, whoever that might be.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
I think that that would be a positive.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
I mean, you could stick around and be passing game
coordinator for the Rams, but then you have to wait
for the OC to get a head shop.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
Somewhere for you to get that break.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
And I think he would be tempted if, especially if
he likes Shula and respects him and they have a
good relationship, and that offer were forthcoming, I think that
he would be tempted.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I want to talk a bit about the game Monday night,
the college football Playoff Championship. A lot of people say
Indiana football is the greatest sports story of all time.
I've really seen that said. I disagree. I think I
do think it's a real good story. You think it's
the greatest sports story of all time.
Speaker 6 (24:15):
In the sense of improbability. I think the way I've no.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
No miracle on ice, give me a break, Mike.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
This was more improbable than that.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
No. It was because, yes, because Indiana football was so
awful for so long, and they had to they had
to sustain, over sixteen weeks and over two seasons, a
degree of excellence that they never even hinted that they
hadn't won.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
A bowl game since nineteen ninety one.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
I mean, at the end of the day, as amazing
as the miracle on Ice was, and I'm not diminishing it,
the differentiator for me is the fact that they First
of all, they didn't have to qualify it because the
games were here, so they were in automatically, and then
they had and then they were right into the semis,
so they could focus a lot. Once they got past
(25:05):
Sweden and Czechoslovakia, they were able to focus a lot
on that one game, that Soviet Union game, and they
did a masterful job at that. Two people with great
Penguins connections, Herb Brooks and Craig Patrick, did a great
job with that team of making them ready and making
(25:25):
them believe. And then the players executed that night. But
it only had to be that one night they had
to pull one upset.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
I don't know, Mike. I mean, here's the differentiator for me.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
The US college kids beating the Soviet Pros in nineteen
eighty is the equivalent of this year's Indiana team beating
the Steelers of the seventies.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
I like that analogy. That's a good one.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
I'm you know, it's hard to say because those Soviet Pros,
while they did play exhibition games against.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Great teams of great Canadian.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
Players, in particular, they never had to play a team
like I don't.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
Know who was great. Then the Canadians.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
Let's say whoever was winning Stanley Cups then the Flyers,
the the.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Canadians of that specific era of segueing into the Islanders.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
Yeah, exactly, and so they never had to play really
connected together teams like that, and so how were they
as great as the reputation I think is fair, but
it helps.
Speaker 6 (26:29):
To shine the the.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
New yorklon Ice legend to believe they were the best
team in the world.
Speaker 6 (26:37):
They'd ever had to play Stanley cupp No.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
They were the best team in the world, Mike, they
were the best team in the world.
Speaker 6 (26:43):
They weren't.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
I'm saying they never had to prove it in the
in the same way that other best teams in the world.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Now, the previous year they wiped out the NHL All
Stars two Games.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
All Stars All Stars. That's my point.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Well, moving on, because we're not going to agree on
this one, not as in give legitimate hope to other
lesser programs, or is Indiana gonna be the exception that
proves the rule.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
I think that they will give irrational belief to many
programs that hey, well they could do it, why aren't
we doing it right? And oh then our coach clearly
isn't good enough, even if the coach clearly is good enough,
that a lot of coaches are gonna lose their their
jobs over well.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
All right, this puts major heat on coaches across college football,
no question.
Speaker 5 (27:29):
Yes, And and that's you know, that's gonna be the thing.
It's not gonna be Well, what he did was unique
and special, and he hit a special moment, and he's
exceptional and all of that. It's gonna be why aren't
we doing what they did? And that's gonna be a
problem for a lot of programs, especially those programs that
should be that good, like Alabama, uh and and Ohio State.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
I don't think that.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
Whereas Ohio State often got agitated when they were losing
to Michigan, they lose a few more to Indiana and
they're gonna be unhappy.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
So it is.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
It is that sense it what they did. Some of
it came from his ability to bring a lot of
players with him from James Madison, who were clearly an
outstanding team, and to supplement that with other high quality
players from other places like Fernando Mendoza from California, and
(28:23):
and then be able to take advantage of all that,
and they did that, but it's not Is it replicable? Yeah,
but there's no formula, So how do you replicate it?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
How good will Mendozou be in the NFL?
Speaker 1 (28:36):
He is acclaimed is the obvious number one pick, and
I agree with that. I just don't think he's a
nailed on franchise quarterback. I think the best I can
do is probable.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
What say you?
Speaker 6 (28:46):
Yeah, I think that's a fair assessment.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
And part of it is because we know it's probably
he's probably going to Oakland and Las Vegas, the Raiders.
Speaker 6 (28:54):
The Vegas. Yes, I'll never I'll never break that habit.
Speaker 5 (28:56):
I'll try, but I should just say the Raiders and
never specify where they were because they've literally had like
four locations in my life.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That's true.
Speaker 5 (29:06):
So I will say that I think that he's a
terrific talent, and if he were going to a situation
that I really trusted, I would say that he will
be outstanding. I don't think he's as physically gifted as
say Josh Allen, but I think he's really smart and
I think he's really competitive. You saw that on the run,
(29:27):
the touchdown run. He really wants to be great. But
there's the challenge of being a part of an organization
that has failed over and over and over again. And
I know Tom Brady's there to help try to get
the failure out of the system, but it's not as easy.
Speaker 6 (29:46):
If it were as easy as.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Just bringing in a superstar and all of a sudden
that's gonna be the case that you're gonna start winning games,
then the only people that would have jobs in these leagues,
like Michael Jordan would be the greatest coach in NBA.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
His Oh and he was such a bad executive.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
Yeah, exactly, exactly my point.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
He's not only not a great coach, he's not he
wasn't a good GM slash president either.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Uh here, let me throw this out there to wrap
things up, Mike, cause it's the Steelers are looking for quarterback.
And I'm a big believer that no matter where you draft,
they should do what the Patriots do, which is keep
throwing it at the wall until something stick. Case in point,
they drafted Mac Jones, didn't work out, drafted Drake May
a couple of years later. I think the Steelers should
have gone back to the well after Picket washed out.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
What about taking Drew Aller in the third round or
wherever he drops to.
Speaker 6 (30:38):
Yeah, I don't have a problem with that.
Speaker 5 (30:40):
I think you want to, especially when you consider that
they're probably going to have multiple third round picks. I mean,
they do have thirteen picks, I believe is the number
in this craft. So you can take a flyer on
somebody like that, you probably you probably will have multiple
picks in the third round, even if one of them
is at the very end into the round, you probably
(31:02):
will have multiple picks in that in that spot.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
And if somebody like that falls to you, then why not.
Speaker 5 (31:08):
I mean I thought Tyler Shott had a chance if
the Steelers just didn't have a chance at him unless
they went in R one. They did, they because they
didn't have a second round pick.
Speaker 6 (31:17):
In this past year's draft, if I remember correctly.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
So so you couldn't get to him unless you committed everything.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
And they knew they needed to fix the.
Speaker 5 (31:26):
Run game, and they and and Tyler was a was
not a sure thing. And I'm still I'm still not
positive he is a sure thing. But he had a
nice rookie year on a bad team.
Speaker 6 (31:36):
Oh No.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
But my point is I think they need to, like
I said, pro crap at the wall, I don't think
they can just take one shot in that this year's
draft or next year's draft and say this is the
guy for sure.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Look would that got them with picking?
Speaker 4 (31:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (31:49):
No, I I could not agree with you more whether
or not Aler is the right player.
Speaker 6 (31:54):
Uh, A player like that Kate klub Nick maybe.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
There were moments when I liked what Kate did did
even in the Penn State game, and they started throwing picks,
and then you're like, well, that's why he's not a one.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
But there there could be somebody out there, somebody that began.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
The year as part of what was being considered a
high level draft quarterback class and then ended the year
as someone that people were thinking as a middle to
late round pick that would be worth that.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Okay, Mike, before we wrap this up, Liverpool with a
free kick in a dangerous spot.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
You're watching, correct?
Speaker 3 (32:29):
I am?
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Don't if you might be ahead of me, so don't
say anything. Let me react. I'm the play by play guy.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
You can do color. Are you ready?
Speaker 6 (32:36):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Here we go, Ready, dom Sola stand over it.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
Yes, it's going to be.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Yes, yes, yes, Mike, there you go. What do you
think did did you really did that?
Speaker 6 (32:51):
Is that really what happened?
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Because we still have two guys here on Paramount plus
in Mars, we still have two guys over the ball.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
And keep watching, keep watching, keep watching. Let me know,
let me know. I want you to see it.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Oh yes, I see. Yes, it went right under the right,
under the line.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
There you go, the old.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Under the wall kick sobasly makes it one nil in
the forty fifth minute.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Mike, great stuff. You got us to lead. I value that.
We'll talk again next week.
Speaker 6 (33:20):
Thanks Mark.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
That's that's uh Mike the course, he sobers line with
a great free kick under the wall one nil is
halftime approaches. Mike, brought to us by south Fields Kia.
Southfields Kia has the ride and a price. You love God,
you gotta love that. One oh five nine The ex
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