January 20, 2026 • 41 mins
Mark is joined by Mike Defabo to talk about the coaching search and Mike McCarthy's chances. Connor Clifton on the Penguins joins the show. Ask Mark Anything!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Time to talk Steeler coaching search with Mike de Fabo
of The Athletic Mike, I'm told you've been told that
Mike McCarthy isn't just one of a bunch of candidates,
that there's a very realistic chance he gets hired.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Please do expand on that.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Well, I think a.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Lot of people saw Mike McCarthy and they thought, you know,
maybe the Steelers are doing their years or buddy of
favor and just getting his name back in the news cycle.
And that was kind of throwing around a little bit
in the media. But from what I understand, it sounds
like he is a legitimate candidate for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His relationship with Omar kh and Andy Widel goes back
to nineteen ninety nine or two thousand when those two guys.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Were on the Saints' staff and.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
And Mike McCarthy at that time was the offensive coordinator.
And so I think that I'm not saying he's going
to be the guy. That's not what I'm saying at all.
But what I'm saying is I think he's going to
be on the short list and that they're bringing him
to Pittsburgh not just as a court courtesy, but to
hear his thoughts on quarterbacks offense, how to get them
out of their current situation where they're kind of spin
their wheels struggling to find the answer to the successor
(01:03):
after Ben Roethlisberger.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
What would be the pros and cons of McCarthy a's coach.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Well, the biggest prom let's just start there, and it's
the obvious one. He's sixty two years old. I don't
think the Steelers have ever had a coach at least
dating back to Chuck Noll. He retired before his sixtieth birthday,
so they've never had a coach that old. Traditionally, the
Steelers like to bring in a young, up and coming
guy and he's in place for a couple decades and
(01:28):
that provides a stable foundation for this franchise. So I mean,
I think the danger would be you bring him in,
he is a retread, he did get fired recently, and
in a couple of years you're looking for another head
coach once again. The advantage would be just offense, it
would be This is not a particularly strong class of
(01:49):
candidates this year, which is one of the unfortunate things
about Mike Tomlin making the decision to step down versus
the Steelers choosing and kind of having a candidate lined up.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So you know, he has.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Worked with Brett far if he's worked with Aaron Rodgers,
He's worked with.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Many quarterbacks in the past.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
So I think that that would be the main thing,
is that you would be betting that he could fix what's.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Been a broken offense for really the better part of
a decade.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Would he be seen as a way to get Aaron
Rodgers to return, because the Steelers appear to want that.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I know the locker room appears to want that.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
But a story broke today that Rodgers has a long
standing grudge against McCarthy that takes back to San Francisco
when McCarthy was the coordinator passing Rogers in the first
round of the draft to take Alex Smith instead, And
that sounds ridiculous, but Rogers is every bit that petty,
as we know.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Yeah, I think that.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
I think Rodgers' relationship with McCarthy has evolved. I talked
to our Jets writer recently and apparently Rogers was telling
people as recently as a couple of years ago, if
he ever was going to play for another team, he
want to play for McCarthy again, And I don't know
that necessarily the Steelers are thinking thinking that, like Rogers
(03:08):
is so important to them that they have to get
McCarthy so then they can get Rogers.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
But I think that they are also looking at.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
The current landscape the quarterback and I think that they're saying, like,
there's not a great option in the draft. What was
supposed to be a really strong quarterback class in twenty
twenty six now looks a lot weaker than expected, with
either guys dropping out or guys not developing as expected.
To me, I'm almost thinking that maybe twenty twenty seven
could end up being the target for when they land
(03:34):
that rookie quarterback.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
So I guess to summarize it, it's not.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Necessarily like they need Rogers so badly that they need
McCarthy to get him.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
But I also don't think they would see it as
a negative.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
And Art really is desperate to win a playoff game,
isn't he. I mean, you look at the moves he
made the Steelers made in the prior offseason, and I
honestly expect more of the same for the team to
get even more veterany if that's possible.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
As opposed to moving forward.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Yeah, I wouldn't agree with that approach. I've been pretty clear,
and but don't you feel like, unfortunately, if you end
up bringing in a veteran coach and a veteran quarterback,
you are choosing your.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Past, and that's not the past that I would choose.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I think that they're well overdue to turn over this roster,
to get younger, to put themselves in a position. Even
if you're going to draft that rookie quarterback in twenty
twenty seven, surround him with the right pieces, continue to
build up that offensive line, make the defense younger, so
that this quarterback is coming into a good situation instead
of the danger would be if you don't accomplish anything
(04:42):
with veterans, as you haven't done for the last half decade.
You know, this young quarterback comes in and all of
a sudden, the defense ages out. You're trying to rebuild
off a defense and the receiving corps while this quarterback
is still.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
In his rookie contract.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
By the time you pay the quarterback, if he's any good,
you know, then where do you stand.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So I think it's time to start rebuilding.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
And turning over this team. We're talking to Mike Tfabo.
Mike brought to us by Armstrong the Internet. You can
con on the people you can trust, that's Armstrong one
wire dot com if.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
It's not McCarthy. I kind of like Chris Shula.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I mean, I know bubcus about him, but it's a
safe choice, kind of a choice that a lot of
teams would make if they were in a similar situation.
I like Shieldhouse two of those two, which you sense
the Steelers like more? And how much does the Rams
still being alive in the playoffs and them not being
able to interview them in person impede what they're gonna do?
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Well, I'll answer that last part first. I don't think
that the Steelers are going to make this higher within
the coming days. I think that they'll at least give
themselves an opportunity to interview Chris Shula and Nathan Shieldhouse.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
In terms of which one I would.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Choose, you know, I think Shula is a little bit
more experienced because he's thirty nine years old. The problem
the problem with Shieldhouse is he's thirty five and he's
never even been an offensive coordinator at this point, and
really he I think he has the traits and I
think that he has the experience as a former quarterback
at Illinois. He's been in you know, anything McVeigh touches
(06:21):
turns to gold on offense. He has that going for him.
He seems to be a very charismatic young guy. I
just don't know if he's quite ready right now. I
think maybe in two three years it might be time
for him, but maybe not right now. Shula I like
just because I think that it makes more sense for
what the Steelers have done. He would be a defensive guy.
(06:42):
He would be younger than forty thirty nine, has some experience.
The Steelers last year had the NFL's highest paid defense
and didn't get enough out of it. Chris Shula has
the NFL's second lowest paid defenses.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Is getting a lot out of it.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
I mean a lot of the turnovers and takeaways in
the most recent games. I credit those to coaching in coverage,
disguise and things like that. And so I think, in
an ideal world, like if they're seriously considering Mike McCarthy,
what I would love is you bring in Schule as
the head coach, and then you say, Mike McCarthy, you're
the associate head coach. Slash offensive coordinator. I don't think
(07:18):
that that's going to be possible. That seems like a
pipe dream. But that seems like a better circumstance than
some of the.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Others, you know what.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
You know, it's funny, Mike, because that's exactly what they
should do and what both parties should want. But ego
would get in the way in each of the two
men thinking the other ones usurping them.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Exactly. And that's the problem with this.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
It really at the highest levels, there can be a
lot of power struggle, and I've heard of people getting
fired or moving on or other stuff just because they
felt like someone was getting too much credit and they
were really the one that was the builder. I mean,
it's happened within this organization, it's happened within other organizations.
And that's the problem when you bring into guys like that,
(08:02):
how do you make those guys work together?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Who are the top three candidates in your mind right now?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
I think I think Flores is up there. I think
Flores is within the discussion they're meeting with him today,
and I don't think that that's a coincidence that he's
one of the first guys they brought in. I think
that Shula, as we mentioned, is going to be within
the mix. And I think Mike McCarthy, if I were
to name three guys right now, I think that those
are the three leading guys.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
But again, I think that this is I think it's
possible this continues.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
To evolve because right now they aren't able to interview
Shula or the RAMS guys in person if they are interested,
and this is something I don't.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Have the answer to. Mark in Clint.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Kubiak or Dance Joseph. They aren't even allowed to interview
them until this weekend as well, and they missed the
window to virtually interview them, which is why they haven't
been discussed at all. So I think that this will evolve.
But if you were asking me right here, right now
out for three names, those would be the three names
I'd give you.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
See, Flores is the one guy I wouldn't hire, just
would not. He's a head coach who mangled it the
one chance he had, he made a mess up.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Yeah, And I mean I agree with you, Mark, because
here's what I've I've talked with our Vikings writer and
here's his analysis of Flores. Great scheme guy, you know,
kind of like a mad scientist when it comes to
innovating and doing some different things. But in terms of
standing in front of a room, he's a bit of
(09:35):
a challenging personality and not for everybody. And I know
that he butted heads with Menca back in the day,
and I think he's butted heads with other players in
the past, and so I think that would be one
of my concerns with him. As much as I am
in love with the idea of what he could do
to this defense from a schematic standpoint, there's more to
it than that.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
And R. Runey even mentioned that.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
He said in his press conference a week ago that
leadershi is among the biggest things he's looking for. And
that's one of the areas that I questioned floy as
the most.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Should the Steelers be embarrassed by New England?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
They lost Brady in twenty twenty, they lost Belichick in
twenty twenty four, and here they are back to being
a power almost immediately in the AFC Championship Game, and
with a franchise quarterback. How can the Steelers not look
at that and feel ashamed?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I agree with you, Mark, and what they should do
is see the Patriots as a model, and the Patriots
realized that Bill Belichick was too old, realized that it
was time for a divorce, kicked him out the door,
were proven right by Jordan Hudson. They brought in Jared Mayo,
realized very quickly they had made a horrible, horrible mistake,
(10:45):
corrected their mistake, brought in the right guy and Rabel
and more importantly than anything else, they found their quarterback.
And they did so with a young guy who's going
to stabilize the franchise for the.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Next decade and a half. And I'm it's so over.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
I feel like Mark, like you ask your parents you
want a dog, and instead of bringing home a puppy,
they just keep bringing home this this dog from the
pound that's like fourteen years old.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
And you just have to.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Watch this dog die and you have to. You think
it's it's kind of fading, but you just have to
watch it go all the way out and go, yep,
now it's totally done. Now we've got to put this
dog down once and for all. We did it with Ben,
like we watched it happen with Russ. I just don't
want to be sitting here covering the final last gasp
of Aaron Rodgers to say once and for all. Yet
(11:36):
everybody knows officially officially that Aaron Rodgers has done. Can
we at least try something different and try to get
a younger quarterback in here?
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Now?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You make me miss my dog Mike from when I
was a kid.
Speaker 5 (11:48):
What for you?
Speaker 1 (11:50):
I still can't believe Tom with quit, except I do
believe Tom wu quit. Is there any chance he coaches
anywhere in twenty twenty six, I've been told Noah, I've
been told it's very unlikely he works.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
On TV either.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think it's very unlikely that he coaches next year,
very very unlikely. I think, you know, even Christian Koon
said on his podcast that in that final meeting with
Mike Tomlin and his players, he told them he didn't
want to coach with another team. Art Rooney underscored that
point during his press conferencing. You know, let's not talk
(12:25):
about compensation and trade. It seems like Mike isn't interested
in coaching in the near future. So I think that
legitimately Mike is ready to get away for a little bit.
And whether he entertains TV or not maybe depends on
the size of that paycheck. But I even even the
idea of him going and coaching Josh Allen, which would
be awfully enticing. I would do that for any amount
(12:47):
of money. I just don't think that that's in the
cards for Mike Tomlin right now.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Of the coaches who lost their jobs, which one should
feel the most hard done by, who got a raw
deal getting pushed out?
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Oh that's a good question. In a weird way.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
I want to stick up for Mike McDaniel, but I'm
not totally sure because TUA was kind of thrust on
him and Mike mcdan daniel is known as a pretty
good offensive mind, and I think with a different kind
of quarterback that he handpicked, he might have the best
chance of having success.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
At the same time, he's a pretty goofy guy, and
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
He kind of kind of strikes me as one of
those guys that's like good coordinator, not the right head coach.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
But I think that I think he might be my
answer right now.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Yeah, mine might be McDermott, because you know, he did
good in Buffalo and took Josh Allen and he was
a really raw and certainly developed him. Not I mean,
Josh Allen had all the talent, but he wasn't fool proof.
But I got to tell you, I'm worrying. McDaniel goes
to Baltimore and maximizes Lamar. I think he's not a
likely hire there, but he's got a shot. They've interviewed him.
(13:58):
And I laughed too when I got like Rex Ryan
with a friggin foot fetish and those billboard sized team calls.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Mike McDaniel weird. I mean, come on, looked in the mirror.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Very well said by you, Mark. I completely agree. Rex
Ryan is so annoying to me. He just keeps trying
to get his name back in the cycle and keeps
trying to convince people that he could be a good
coach again, all because his dad was once a great coach,
and so he then inherited whatever last name and then
thought that made him entitled to be a head coach forever.
(14:29):
I agree with you with Rex Ryan, and I also
agree with McDermott. You were right on the money there.
I mean this the problem is the roster. The problem
is Josh Allen turned the ball over four times. I
don't think that I'm putting that on on McDermott at all.
And somehow the GM survives through all this with a
bad roster, but the coach is the one that goes.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Mike has always great stuff. Greg work at the Athletic
and we'll talk next week.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
All right, sounds good, Mark, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
That's Mike Defabo from the Athletic. Up next, we want
calls on the fifteens again. Your thoughts that Mike McCarthy
seems a very legitimate candidate. And at the bottom of
the eye will have Connor Clifton, the Penguins defenseman. It's
smart Madden Show one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Then I use a bunch of pillows and I swore.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
The exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
And that McCarthy knews boy that he's a legit candidate.
I mean, I guess we kind of knew that, but
here de Fabo confirm it. Yikes, it'd just be running
it back. Cabali just tweeted that they get McCarthy. They're
running it back. Art thinks this is a good team.
Art thinks that can win in the playoffs. Art's desperate
for playoff win. What they need more than a new
(15:41):
coach is a new owner. Uh, let's go to Jim
in the car. Jim you're on with Mark.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Hey, Mark.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
The only reason I could see that they would be
hiring McCarthy is I'm not sure how Coward's coordinators were
when he was hired, but when Tom Win was hired,
he had a good set of experienced coordinators.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And if you bring a young.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Defensive or offensive minded coaching here with no coordinators, no
franchise quarterback, it's gonna be an awful heart spot for.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
A young guy to succeed.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Where when Tomlin came in, he hit the franchise quarterback.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
And two experienced coordinators.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Well, yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
You got to start somewhere, you know what I mean.
It's not the Steelers should forget about this year. Their
philosophy should no longer be now, but it always will
be and that's what holds them back. Look at what
New England's done to rebuild in the same time the
Steelers have just treaded sewage.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
It's it's embarrassing. Let's go to Chris. Chris, you're on the.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Air, can you hear me?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I can go ahead quick?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
All right?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (16:41):
First off, what an honor it is to be able
to continue to listen to uh Pierre Maguire with his
hockey talk.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
It's truly the best in the business. But the reason
for my call is I've been hearing the idea of.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
The Penguins possibly making a move to trade for Jason
Robertson of the Dallas Stars.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Yeah, they're not going to do that. Goodbye, that's just stupid.
They're not going to trade. What would you have to
give up to get this big score a bunch of
first round picks.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It would be total debt. That's what you want, not
what they're thinking about.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
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Gonna talk to Connor Clifton off the Penguins next on
one oh five nine.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
It's they show weekday mornings at six on one OX.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
From the one oh five nine the ex Weather Center.
This report is sponsored by Horrible Terrible The X at
one oh five nine, Sid Sid How.
Speaker 6 (18:31):
You doing for all your fans out there?
Speaker 8 (18:33):
We're checking in with the bellas you know. It's twentieth
year in the in the league in Nasal Hockey League.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
What are you doing to flight in year twenty?
Speaker 8 (18:41):
I just hang with Cookie. You watch the documentary here? Uh?
You got this football game going?
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Just hang out football game going?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Is there a secret wife?
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Is there a secret WiFi that I haven't gotten yet?
Speaker 1 (18:55):
My guest right now has added some byte on defense
for the Penguins, and he's pretty good with a microphone
interviewing his teammates too. As you just heard we welcome
to the program, Connor Clift and Connor. I saw those
interviews you did on the plane. I couldn't do your job,
but maybe you could do mine.
Speaker 8 (19:13):
Hey, Mark, thank you for having me. I don't I
don't think so, you know, I was just someone got that.
Speaker 9 (19:19):
Idea and I went around it was It was honestly
a tough crowd, but we had some fun with it,
so so it was a good time.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Now it's a tight race for the playoff spots, but
this seems like a loose team that's got to help, Like,
like the guys are together.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, we're in. We try to play out
there as a five man pack. And obviously the standings,
I mean, right now, it's about points.
Speaker 7 (19:42):
It's about winning.
Speaker 8 (19:45):
I think the way the East is gonna shake out,
it's gonna be tight to the end, and we know that.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
So these these points, you know, these.
Speaker 8 (19:52):
Games right now are just as portant as those early
April games where where hopefully we're in the hunt of
that number one metch spot. But right now, yes, it's
about winning, about points.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Stress have the Penguins become a bit more physical lately, Connor,
even sid level of the guy at Seattle yesterday is is.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
That kind of what you're seeing too?
Speaker 7 (20:14):
Yeah, I mean we don't we don't want him doing
that too much. Obviously, we like we like him playing
with the buck. But uh, yeah, we're in it together.
We're playing hard, and we've been all year.
Speaker 8 (20:24):
We've been getting better and better. Obviously we had a little,
uh little losing streak going there, but you know, it's
important to face that adversity together during the year.
Speaker 7 (20:35):
And I think we're in a great.
Speaker 8 (20:36):
Spot right now with whatever thirty something games left to play,
mid thirty games left to play, so we're gonna keep
building and keep trying to get better.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Now.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Obviously playing with a degree of edges part of your game, Connor,
the Penguins aren't historically a physical team. Do you feel
that's your job specifically to add some of that.
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Yeah, I think that's I think that's how I made
it to the end, honestly, kind of out compete. My
whole philosophy is out competing, and I try to bring
that every day, and the physical part of the game
has always been always been there for me. I think
I don't really value how I if I'm playing well,
it's it's not because I'm getting points.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
It's it's because I'm doing the small.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
Details of the game, you know, throwing hits, killing plays,
breaking out puckswell, blocking shots, playing those like part minutes,
you know, PK. That's kind of how I see it,
and I just try to be the best version of
myself out there, and I think that's how it can
help the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
What was that win like at Seattle yesterday?
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Not that it was easy because because the kracking kept coming,
but it seemed like you guys were in control. It
seemed like a relatively solid all sixty minutes.
Speaker 7 (21:48):
I think that's the great assessment. I think.
Speaker 8 (21:50):
Obviously we dealt with some blown leads in the third
and it's it's no secret, we know it, We've talked
about it. But I think that game right there, it's,
you know, we go up, I think it was too nothing,
and they score that goal and there's there's no panic,
like we're okay. And I think earlier in the year
we grip those sticks a little too tight and and
(22:11):
we'd kind of take our foot off the gas and
try to play more defense, and and that's not us.
Speaker 7 (22:15):
We want to go play play with the fuck.
Speaker 8 (22:17):
In their zone. And and yeah, no games eas but
last night it was a good win for us.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
But like you said, a full sixty.
Speaker 8 (22:25):
Yeah, definitely gutsy winning like points are everything right now
for our group.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
We're talking to Connor Clifton live from Calgary Pens at
the Flames tomorrow night. Here all the action right here
on the X. Carlson's out now, the tang's day to day.
That's a lot of quality minutes. Haw's the Defense Corps
gonna deal with that.
Speaker 7 (22:46):
Yeah, I think.
Speaker 8 (22:46):
It's just the next man up mentality. Obviously, Carl goes down,
you know, last week, that's big time situation, end minutes.
And obviously he's.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Carl's going to be call all right, We're obviously gonna
miss him.
Speaker 8 (23:01):
And now our next big dog goes down. I don't
know what hit status is.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
I we'll see, but obviously.
Speaker 8 (23:09):
You know, I think collectively, as as a six that
are in there, we're gonna have to step up. Everyone's
gonna have to pick up a couple of minutes here
and there. I'm definitely a good challenge for our group.
And and like I said, I talked a little bit
about the adversity.
Speaker 7 (23:24):
You gotta face during the year and you gotta you.
Speaker 8 (23:26):
Gotta go through it, you know, and and hopefully we're
we get the two points tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Obviously a big back to back, so starts tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Uh, the right side of the defense, would like yourself
with with Carlson and Matanga, do you feel more pressure
to move the puck more and better? Because that's their
game And I know all you guys want to stay
within yourselves, but still somebody, it seems, would have to
do a bit more of that.
Speaker 8 (23:52):
Yeah, yeah, that's always I mean, you don't you want
to be yourself at the end of the day, I'm
gonna go out there, I'm gonna play. I think for me,
I got a couple of different partners, you know, the year,
but definitely, even in the last couple of games, I'm
I'm just trying to be the best version of myself
and and and obviously I'm now that I'm playing a
little more consistently, I'm I'm building that confidence. I'm making
(24:13):
good clean breakout passes and and and making some plays.
And obviously we got a really good forward group, so
we like when they have the puck and they have
their speed and they're able to you know, create things.
As for you know, missing guys like Carl and Lotang,
it's they're they're pretty special players.
Speaker 7 (24:34):
So like, I'm not gonna go out there and be
either of them.
Speaker 8 (24:37):
But yeah, like what you said, we're just gonna all
be ourselves and and and collectively, we're gonna pick up
those minutes of those situations and and and and we'll
be okay.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Now, you scored against Columbus on Saturday, first goal of
the season, but then right after that you had like
a partial breakaway. I think it was coming out of
the box. I'm I'm not sure that what the way
you wanted.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
No, I didn't, No, it didn't. Me and me and
Geno we got that. It was a little bit of
a two on two.
Speaker 8 (25:05):
I had a little break I don't get too many
like those half breakaways.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
I probably could.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
Have taken it and you know and shoveled one on
net for my backhand, But in my head, I'm thinking
Gino is gonna be wide open on the back door
opening up for a one time or so, like as
soon as I kind of took it to the net
and as soon as I turned and peeled off until
Gino was was pretty much next to me and not
where I thought he was gonna be.
Speaker 10 (25:28):
I said, oh boy, I think he's gonna be a
little mad at me, and then we ended up going
for a change, so we've ended up getting nothing out
of it. So I wish I could go back and
make another play, but that feeling a I didn't want
to shovel one on net and get a whistle and
have Gino be wide open on the back door for
a tapping, and then I prefer what I did than
(25:51):
that and miss that.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
Obviously, I wish I redid it, though, Hey.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You'll get another chance.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
You've been a regular throughout your NHL career Boston Buffalo.
You had to wait a bit and work a bit
to get into the line up here.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Was that a tough adjustment, Connor?
Speaker 1 (26:05):
And what did you feel at the time you had
to show them?
Speaker 7 (26:09):
Yeah, yeah, it's definitely different. I've been scratched here and there.
Speaker 8 (26:13):
I mean the past couple of years a little bit,
you know, two three games something like that. But I
mean it's been I don't know, probably six years since
I've had this extended of of absent playing.
Speaker 7 (26:26):
And yeah, it's you just you just deal with it.
Speaker 8 (26:29):
I mean, I'm I'm a I'm a pretty positive guy
by trade, so I just get you know, kept my
head down, tried to be part of it as much
as I could. Obviously, when the fellows are going out there,
they're playing every night. You know, practice kind of turns
into your game, so you're gonna have to be ready
to play at any given time without getting the game reps.
And yeah, it's an adjustment I think. I mean, I'm
(26:54):
proud of how I dealt with it with a little
reflection here, but yeah, it's obviously hard.
Speaker 7 (27:01):
But again, I'm I'm a positive guy.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
So I'm gonna go out there, I'm gonna I'm gonna
do my job, and I'm gonna try to put my
best foot forward. And yeah, obviously I got in because
a couple of injuries, and and I'm pretty happy with
where my game's at right now. Obviously a lot more
building to go, because I guess I'm probably only about
twenty games in, but yeah, I think I have a
lot more to give and and and I'm excited for it.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
What's it like playing for Dan Mues in his first
year as head coach? It seems like he's implemented a
pretty good structure and foundation.
Speaker 7 (27:33):
He has.
Speaker 8 (27:34):
He's he's he's been on it the whole coaching stuff.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
Has been on it from from really even even the
week before you know, training camp.
Speaker 8 (27:41):
Everyone's there and skating and trying to get ready for
day one a camp. But he was it was funny
he was sending us a he was telling us he
would send us like a different strategy basically, like he'd
send us the four check a video the night before
the day camp, and then that next day we would
kind of implement it and work on some specific drills
in practice, just just a couple of minutes video. And
(28:02):
then you get the first one, it's like twenty one minutes.
You're like, oh wow, that's a little long, Okay, whatever,
we'll watch it. Next one's twenty five minutes, you know.
Speaker 7 (28:10):
So they're so.
Speaker 8 (28:12):
Dialed and detail oriented. So it's been I mean, he's
obviously doing a great job. We're ready to go every night,
and and we put ourselves i mean, I guess we're
forty whatever games in at this point. We put ourselves
in a great spot.
Speaker 7 (28:30):
In the playoff picture.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
Obviously, the East is right now is is pretty unique
and crazy.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I don't think that I've never seen the standings like
this or no kidding, and I've been around forever.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
It's it's it's unbelievable, right, and I mean just comment
on that.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
I mean, it's early to play that game. Oh, if
this team loses, next team loses.
Speaker 8 (28:47):
Every the games are going to play out, whether we
root for someone or not. So we'll check the standings.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
In the morning and not worry about that.
Speaker 8 (28:54):
But obviously right now, you know, we're every point matters
for us, and we just want to continue to kind
of play and battle and steal those points and hopefully.
Speaker 7 (29:07):
There's a little breathing room, you know, when you have.
Speaker 8 (29:09):
Single digit games left. But we're far from that, so
we got a lot of work to do now.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
You played college hockey Atquinnipiac, which is a terrific program.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
What was that like for you? Developmentally?
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I always find the choice that players make in their
youth between say juniors in college to be very intriguing.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Yeah, I think it was the perfect spot for me.
And I mean, I don't think I don't think I'd
be here today talking to you and have the career
that I've had if it wasn't for Quinnipiac.
Speaker 7 (29:41):
I can't.
Speaker 8 (29:43):
I can't talk better about it. I mean, obviously i'd
stay for four years and give I was eighteen freshman,
so obviously that's always a hard to do because it's
it's so much different from like junior hockey, and I
kind of go in and I'm young, and you just
find your way and you keep trying to get better.
And obviously I had a rand pechnalled read cashers.
Speaker 7 (30:07):
Our d coach and Billy Reagan.
Speaker 8 (30:08):
They they work with you individually, like we're we ran
this a little trap in the nutral zone so that
it was highly effective in all four years. So we're
really good at that. But then just just the individual game,
trying to bring you up and and and get you
to the best version of yourself.
Speaker 7 (30:25):
And that was huge part of my development those four years.
So yeah, I couldn't speak high enough about it.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So what do you think about a career in the
media once you're done playing this this little viral moment
you have, people love it.
Speaker 8 (30:39):
I don't know, I'm a little too awkward for the
camera and the mic all the time. Every once in
a while it's good, but uh, yeah, it was.
Speaker 7 (30:45):
It was fun. I mean, it's a lot easier going
going around to your teammates, even though they it was
a tough.
Speaker 8 (30:52):
Crowd in there.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
I won't lie.
Speaker 7 (30:54):
Some guys are.
Speaker 8 (30:55):
Some guys are giving me some meat.
Speaker 7 (30:56):
I don't think they were.
Speaker 8 (30:57):
I knew about it a couple of days before. But
I'm not gonna go around warning them, begging him for
an interview, you know, I'm just gonna throw them on
the spot.
Speaker 7 (31:05):
And see how they respond.
Speaker 8 (31:07):
Yeah, it was a little bit of a tough crowd,
but you know, maybe if there's the next time.
Speaker 7 (31:11):
We'll get some we'll get We'll get some of those
guys on.
Speaker 8 (31:13):
There, especially the tang he he. He gave me the
cold shoulder there.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Well, that makes you feel better.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
He's given us the cold shoulder once in a while
as well. Connor, great stuff. I appreciate you taking the time,
especially on the road. Good job yesterday and good luck tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (31:28):
Thanks Mark, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
That's Connor Clifton defense from the Penguins. Check out that
that thing. It's on Twitter on Pens inside Scoop my
buddy meshes Twitter feed. Connor Clifton talking to the boys,
and might I say, and I should have said this
to him nine out of ten times. That sort of
thing sucks out loud, but Clifton pulled it off, and
good for him. It was very entertaining. All Right, it's time.
(31:51):
Now is the time to ask Mark anything? My God,
how the time flies uh eight three three four one
two w XDX call eight three three four one two
w x D.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
And h ask Mark anything.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Or you can leave a talk back via the microphone
app UH microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app one O
five nine the X and.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
To got oh, got TX and one.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Thanks to Connor Clifton for joining me. Thanks to Emma
on the Road with the Penguins for setting it up.
That's our eleventh Penguin Guest of the Year. TV don't
have eleven Steelers, the B team don't have eleven Pirates.
We cover hockey like nobody else. We cover our team
(32:41):
like nobody else. So if you're a Penguin fan, keep
it right here. And if you're not a Penguin fan,
I got no use for you. Time not to ask
Mark anything. Brought to us by People's Natural Gas People
Safe Reliable Natural Gas Energy, People's Hyphengas dot Com. Let's
go to Dick and Chill Dick your own double m.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Yeah, do you have the same love hate relationship like
I do with Awful Announcing, Because yeah, I hate to
go to.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
It so much.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
With the ads I go to it all the time.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I think seventy five percent of it is useless drivel.
Twenty five percent of it makes a good point. I
haven't even talked about a great column they very briefly.
They posted the other day about poptimism, the concept of
poptimism that what is popular must necessarily also be the best,
which of course isn't true. But that's the way dumbass
(33:36):
America thinks these days. And by the way, just to
speak in general, America has never been dumber. I mean,
it is the dumbest stage of our country's history. It
is indeed headed toward the movie Idiocracy. But yeah, mostly
I hate Awful Announcing. But again, some of it's pretty good.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Call out everyone's mistakes, but every one of their articles
has like ten spelling mistakes.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Very well, put, let's go to Mike and Gibsonia Mike,
you're own with double M.
Speaker 9 (34:06):
Hey, thanks, great interview with Connor. By the way, thanks
and good good shout out about Idiocracy. I agree that
self awareness is an all time low. But my question is,
why do defensive backs have like two mouthpieces dangling from
their face mask and one sticking out of the top
of their helmet and they don't wear any of them.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
I've never seen that? Is that true?
Speaker 9 (34:30):
I think, I mean, you know what, I you know
what I usually do.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
I think they probably dropped the spare of mouth guards
onto the field occasionally to try to trip up the receiver.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I guess I don't know.
Speaker 7 (34:41):
It doesn't make sense.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
They look dumb.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Let's go to Eric and Toledo. Eric, you're own with double.
Speaker 9 (34:46):
M super genius.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
I know you've mentioned this several times.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
I've never actually heard the details, though, But how was
Willie Stargel rude to your mom?
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Okay, it was nineteen seventy one. We took a family vacation.
My family was me, my mom, my grandmother, and my
aunt so three ladies, two of them old. We went
to Toronto for the Hockey Hall of Fame, Cooper's Ton
for the Baseball Hall of Fame, then to Montreal where
(35:15):
we were supposed to see a pirate's double header and
it was the last game of the series.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
The last two games a doubleheader and it got rained out.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So we made that trip all the way up there,
and niked to see any games. Now, we did get
to see the Forum, the Canadians legendary rink, and I
got to meet Rocket Rashard in a restaurant next to
the Forum. We just happened to go into and I
spotted his picture on the wall, you know, among the
Canadians legend. I said, hey, Mom, that guy's sitting right
(35:44):
there and Rocket mister Richard could not have been more
gracious and he signed the menu. But he said to me,
give me your address and I'll send you a picture.
And I did, and he sent me four or five
autographed photos that I still have. I mean that you
could not have a better experience as a hockey kid.
But then because the game got rained out, we went
(36:05):
to the airport. Because I was a big autograph kid.
Got autographs, by the way, not after I was sixteen.
No autographs after that, but we got autographs, and Willie
Stargell was very rude to my mother. My mother said
she was making small talk. We came up here for
our vacation. We came up here to see you guys play,
and it got rained out and she goes and he goes.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
That's bs, lady, you were just up here on your
e fing vacation.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
It was just shocking. Oh, Willie Starts was a piece
of crap.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
He was in debt.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
He was just a scumbag, and I find out about
it earlier. But the lesson to be learned there, Eric
is when you're a prominent person, never be rude to
a young kid's mother because that kid might wind up
having a microphone.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I love it. Thanks to Virginia.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Yeah, that's a true story. I mean, COMMENTE was so
COMMENTE overheard it. COMMENTE gave me a ball and signed up,
which I still have. That's how upset he was. Well
he heard that. I mean, why would I make this up?
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Now?
Speaker 1 (37:04):
How many years later? My god, I've told this story
a bunch of times. Get your calls in now. Still
got some time for ass mark anything. Always a fun
part of the program. A three, three, four one two
w XDX. Really the stories I experienced, you know, even
before I got in this business.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Is it any wonder I got in this business.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 11 (37:30):
You have two questions for you. It's fair to judge
Chris Schula based on his last name because his grandfather.
Shouldn't we also look at his father, Dave Shula, who's
terrible with the Bengals. Second question, what, uh, jumping off
your discussion on soup, what is your opinion at Gumbo?
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Uh, wasn't Mike Tomlin Mike Tomlin Mike Schuler the coach
who was crap?
Speaker 2 (37:52):
The Shula that was a crap coach. I forget.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
But yeah, I mean, I'm not judging Chris Shuler by
anything but his record, uh in his coaching career, and
I don't think it would be fair to do otherwise.
Gumbo's unbelievable. Tom and I should have brought it up
in our soup discussion. Gumbo the kind of spicy New
Orleans kind, Oh God, the two best places to get that.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
There's a place locally, what's it called. I forget.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
It's kind of in Lawrenceville, somewhere in there. It's great,
but I've never gone there. I never had, and I've
been told it's great. But the two places I go
to regularly are Mike's Oyster Bar at the Orleans Casino
in Vegas and god, I forget, oh, just the Oyster Bar.
It's called the Oyster Bar at Palace Station in Vegas.
(38:39):
I go to one of those places every single time
I'm there for their gumbo, and it is just delightful.
Let's go to Antonio, Hey.
Speaker 5 (38:48):
Mark, I lived like an hour and a half away
from Pittsburgh all my life, and I know, like there's
some good place to live in Pittsburgh and bad place
to live in Pittsburgh. Where would you recommend somewhere that's
like cheap enough but like so relatively a good place
to live if somehere were to move there.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Well, not where I live, but but but yeah, I mean,
I I mean, I don't know. I mean, whenever you
answer a question like this, it sounds like you're speaking
out against the places you don't mention. Uh, Lawrenceville seems
to be the up and coming neighborhood. I think it's
getting in the little pricey, but not overly. So you
know what the North Hill School district, Westview, there's where
(39:30):
you want to go Westview. It's it's a nice neighborhood, affordable,
good school district.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
Go to Westview. Let's go to jam and Angahela Jay
your own double.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
M hey Mark, good day, I said, good day.
Speaker 12 (39:44):
So I man, I hate to ask you, but seriously,
why does Adam Shefter break all of the NFL news?
What is?
Speaker 7 (39:51):
What?
Speaker 12 (39:51):
How does that work?
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I'm not sure he breaks much news at all, Brov.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
I think he presents like kind of random stuff because
you know, he's gone from a hardcore reporter to a
gossip monger. And that's not necessarily his fault. Those are
the expectations of his employer because they want him to
fill time and space all the time. But I mean,
you know, he he kind of breaks news that's already
out there a lot of the time, don't you think.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I don't think he's Walter Cronkite by any means.
Speaker 12 (40:19):
No, that's true, but it seems like he's always hey, per,
you know, per Adam Shefter, This team is hiring this coach.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Yeah whatever.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Like, here's the thing with Twitter, it doesn't matter who
gets the information first, because once one person has it
and immediately goes to.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Twitter, and uh, you know, I don't. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
There's no such thing as journalism in my business anymore,
at least not much of it. And I'm an opinion
guy at this point in my career, but at one
point I was somebody who abided you know, did game stories,
you know, did story stories that abided by the rules
of journalism. But but now it's more about opinion, and
it's more about being first than it is about being right.
(41:04):
I'll give you a casion point. Defabo did that great
story about reconstructing what happened in the Steelers' locker room
when Tom Win told the team he was stepping down,
and by all accounts, he got it exactly right. Certainly
no player has come out to say that might cut
it wrong. But what made it stand out is it
was actual breaking news. It was actual journalism. When's the
(41:25):
last time a Steeler reporter broke a big Steeler story
like that? And the answer is they almost never do,
because that's not what they're there for. They're there to
regurgitate and be buddies with the organization.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
At least that's what they want.
Time to talk Steeler coaching search with Mike de Fabo
of The Athletic Mike, I'm told you've been told that
Mike McCarthy isn't just one of a bunch of candidates,
that there's a very realistic chance he gets hired.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Please do expand on that.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Well, I think a.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Lot of people saw Mike McCarthy and they thought, you know,
maybe the Steelers are doing their years or buddy of
favor and just getting his name back in the news cycle.
And that was kind of throwing around a little bit
in the media. But from what I understand, it sounds
like he is a legitimate candidate for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His relationship with Omar kh and Andy Widel goes back
to nineteen ninety nine or two thousand when those two guys.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Were on the Saints' staff and.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
And Mike McCarthy at that time was the offensive coordinator.
And so I think that I'm not saying he's going
to be the guy. That's not what I'm saying at all.
But what I'm saying is I think he's going to
be on the short list and that they're bringing him
to Pittsburgh not just as a court courtesy, but to
hear his thoughts on quarterbacks offense, how to get them
out of their current situation where they're kind of spin
their wheels struggling to find the answer to the successor
(01:03):
after Ben Roethlisberger.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
What would be the pros and cons of McCarthy a's coach.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Well, the biggest prom let's just start there, and it's
the obvious one. He's sixty two years old. I don't
think the Steelers have ever had a coach at least
dating back to Chuck Noll. He retired before his sixtieth birthday,
so they've never had a coach that old. Traditionally, the
Steelers like to bring in a young, up and coming
guy and he's in place for a couple decades and
(01:28):
that provides a stable foundation for this franchise. So I mean,
I think the danger would be you bring him in,
he is a retread, he did get fired recently, and
in a couple of years you're looking for another head
coach once again. The advantage would be just offense, it
would be This is not a particularly strong class of
(01:49):
candidates this year, which is one of the unfortunate things
about Mike Tomlin making the decision to step down versus
the Steelers choosing and kind of having a candidate lined up.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So you know, he has.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Worked with Brett far if he's worked with Aaron Rodgers,
He's worked with.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Many quarterbacks in the past.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
So I think that that would be the main thing,
is that you would be betting that he could fix what's.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Been a broken offense for really the better part of
a decade.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Would he be seen as a way to get Aaron
Rodgers to return, because the Steelers appear to want that.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I know the locker room appears to want that.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
But a story broke today that Rodgers has a long
standing grudge against McCarthy that takes back to San Francisco
when McCarthy was the coordinator passing Rogers in the first
round of the draft to take Alex Smith instead, And
that sounds ridiculous, but Rogers is every bit that petty,
as we know.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Yeah, I think that.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
I think Rodgers' relationship with McCarthy has evolved. I talked
to our Jets writer recently and apparently Rogers was telling
people as recently as a couple of years ago, if
he ever was going to play for another team, he
want to play for McCarthy again, And I don't know
that necessarily the Steelers are thinking thinking that, like Rogers
(03:08):
is so important to them that they have to get
McCarthy so then they can get Rogers.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
But I think that they are also looking at.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
The current landscape the quarterback and I think that they're saying, like,
there's not a great option in the draft. What was
supposed to be a really strong quarterback class in twenty
twenty six now looks a lot weaker than expected, with
either guys dropping out or guys not developing as expected.
To me, I'm almost thinking that maybe twenty twenty seven
could end up being the target for when they land
(03:34):
that rookie quarterback.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
So I guess to summarize it, it's not.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Necessarily like they need Rogers so badly that they need
McCarthy to get him.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
But I also don't think they would see it as
a negative.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
And Art really is desperate to win a playoff game,
isn't he. I mean, you look at the moves he
made the Steelers made in the prior offseason, and I
honestly expect more of the same for the team to
get even more veterany if that's possible.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
As opposed to moving forward.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Yeah, I wouldn't agree with that approach. I've been pretty clear,
and but don't you feel like, unfortunately, if you end
up bringing in a veteran coach and a veteran quarterback,
you are choosing your.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Past, and that's not the past that I would choose.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I think that they're well overdue to turn over this roster,
to get younger, to put themselves in a position. Even
if you're going to draft that rookie quarterback in twenty
twenty seven, surround him with the right pieces, continue to
build up that offensive line, make the defense younger, so
that this quarterback is coming into a good situation instead
of the danger would be if you don't accomplish anything
(04:42):
with veterans, as you haven't done for the last half decade.
You know, this young quarterback comes in and all of
a sudden, the defense ages out. You're trying to rebuild
off a defense and the receiving corps while this quarterback
is still.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
In his rookie contract.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
By the time you pay the quarterback, if he's any good,
you know, then where do you stand.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So I think it's time to start rebuilding.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
And turning over this team. We're talking to Mike Tfabo.
Mike brought to us by Armstrong the Internet. You can
con on the people you can trust, that's Armstrong one
wire dot com if.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
It's not McCarthy. I kind of like Chris Shula.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I mean, I know bubcus about him, but it's a
safe choice, kind of a choice that a lot of
teams would make if they were in a similar situation.
I like Shieldhouse two of those two, which you sense
the Steelers like more? And how much does the Rams
still being alive in the playoffs and them not being
able to interview them in person impede what they're gonna do?
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Well, I'll answer that last part first. I don't think
that the Steelers are going to make this higher within
the coming days. I think that they'll at least give
themselves an opportunity to interview Chris Shula and Nathan Shieldhouse.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
In terms of which one I would.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Choose, you know, I think Shula is a little bit
more experienced because he's thirty nine years old. The problem
the problem with Shieldhouse is he's thirty five and he's
never even been an offensive coordinator at this point, and
really he I think he has the traits and I
think that he has the experience as a former quarterback
at Illinois. He's been in you know, anything McVeigh touches
(06:21):
turns to gold on offense. He has that going for him.
He seems to be a very charismatic young guy. I
just don't know if he's quite ready right now. I
think maybe in two three years it might be time
for him, but maybe not right now. Shula I like
just because I think that it makes more sense for
what the Steelers have done. He would be a defensive guy.
(06:42):
He would be younger than forty thirty nine, has some experience.
The Steelers last year had the NFL's highest paid defense
and didn't get enough out of it. Chris Shula has
the NFL's second lowest paid defenses.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Is getting a lot out of it.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
I mean a lot of the turnovers and takeaways in
the most recent games. I credit those to coaching in coverage,
disguise and things like that. And so I think, in
an ideal world, like if they're seriously considering Mike McCarthy,
what I would love is you bring in Schule as
the head coach, and then you say, Mike McCarthy, you're
the associate head coach. Slash offensive coordinator. I don't think
(07:18):
that that's going to be possible. That seems like a
pipe dream. But that seems like a better circumstance than
some of the.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Others, you know what.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
You know, it's funny, Mike, because that's exactly what they
should do and what both parties should want. But ego
would get in the way in each of the two
men thinking the other ones usurping them.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Exactly. And that's the problem with this.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
It really at the highest levels, there can be a
lot of power struggle, and I've heard of people getting
fired or moving on or other stuff just because they
felt like someone was getting too much credit and they
were really the one that was the builder. I mean,
it's happened within this organization, it's happened within other organizations.
And that's the problem when you bring into guys like that,
(08:02):
how do you make those guys work together?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Who are the top three candidates in your mind right now?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
I think I think Flores is up there. I think
Flores is within the discussion they're meeting with him today,
and I don't think that that's a coincidence that he's
one of the first guys they brought in. I think
that Shula, as we mentioned, is going to be within
the mix. And I think Mike McCarthy, if I were
to name three guys right now, I think that those
are the three leading guys.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
But again, I think that this is I think it's
possible this continues.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
To evolve because right now they aren't able to interview
Shula or the RAMS guys in person if they are interested,
and this is something I don't.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Have the answer to. Mark in Clint.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Kubiak or Dance Joseph. They aren't even allowed to interview
them until this weekend as well, and they missed the
window to virtually interview them, which is why they haven't
been discussed at all. So I think that this will evolve.
But if you were asking me right here, right now
out for three names, those would be the three names
I'd give you.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
See, Flores is the one guy I wouldn't hire, just
would not. He's a head coach who mangled it the
one chance he had, he made a mess up.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Yeah, And I mean I agree with you, Mark, because
here's what I've I've talked with our Vikings writer and
here's his analysis of Flores. Great scheme guy, you know,
kind of like a mad scientist when it comes to
innovating and doing some different things. But in terms of
standing in front of a room, he's a bit of
(09:35):
a challenging personality and not for everybody. And I know
that he butted heads with Menca back in the day,
and I think he's butted heads with other players in
the past, and so I think that would be one
of my concerns with him. As much as I am
in love with the idea of what he could do
to this defense from a schematic standpoint, there's more to
it than that.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
And R. Runey even mentioned that.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
He said in his press conference a week ago that
leadershi is among the biggest things he's looking for. And
that's one of the areas that I questioned floy as
the most.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Should the Steelers be embarrassed by New England?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
They lost Brady in twenty twenty, they lost Belichick in
twenty twenty four, and here they are back to being
a power almost immediately in the AFC Championship Game, and
with a franchise quarterback. How can the Steelers not look
at that and feel ashamed?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I agree with you, Mark, and what they should do
is see the Patriots as a model, and the Patriots
realized that Bill Belichick was too old, realized that it
was time for a divorce, kicked him out the door,
were proven right by Jordan Hudson. They brought in Jared Mayo,
realized very quickly they had made a horrible, horrible mistake,
(10:45):
corrected their mistake, brought in the right guy and Rabel
and more importantly than anything else, they found their quarterback.
And they did so with a young guy who's going
to stabilize the franchise for the.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Next decade and a half. And I'm it's so over.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
I feel like Mark, like you ask your parents you
want a dog, and instead of bringing home a puppy,
they just keep bringing home this this dog from the
pound that's like fourteen years old.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
And you just have to.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Watch this dog die and you have to. You think
it's it's kind of fading, but you just have to
watch it go all the way out and go, yep,
now it's totally done. Now we've got to put this
dog down once and for all. We did it with Ben,
like we watched it happen with Russ. I just don't
want to be sitting here covering the final last gasp
of Aaron Rodgers to say once and for all. Yet
(11:36):
everybody knows officially officially that Aaron Rodgers has done. Can
we at least try something different and try to get
a younger quarterback in here?
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Now?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You make me miss my dog Mike from when I
was a kid.
Speaker 5 (11:48):
What for you?
Speaker 1 (11:50):
I still can't believe Tom with quit, except I do
believe Tom wu quit. Is there any chance he coaches
anywhere in twenty twenty six, I've been told Noah, I've
been told it's very unlikely he works.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
On TV either.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think it's very unlikely that he coaches next year,
very very unlikely. I think, you know, even Christian Koon
said on his podcast that in that final meeting with
Mike Tomlin and his players, he told them he didn't
want to coach with another team. Art Rooney underscored that
point during his press conferencing. You know, let's not talk
(12:25):
about compensation and trade. It seems like Mike isn't interested
in coaching in the near future. So I think that
legitimately Mike is ready to get away for a little bit.
And whether he entertains TV or not maybe depends on
the size of that paycheck. But I even even the
idea of him going and coaching Josh Allen, which would
be awfully enticing. I would do that for any amount
(12:47):
of money. I just don't think that that's in the
cards for Mike Tomlin right now.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Of the coaches who lost their jobs, which one should
feel the most hard done by, who got a raw
deal getting pushed out?
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Oh that's a good question. In a weird way.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
I want to stick up for Mike McDaniel, but I'm
not totally sure because TUA was kind of thrust on
him and Mike mcdan daniel is known as a pretty
good offensive mind, and I think with a different kind
of quarterback that he handpicked, he might have the best
chance of having success.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
At the same time, he's a pretty goofy guy, and
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
He kind of kind of strikes me as one of
those guys that's like good coordinator, not the right head coach.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
But I think that I think he might be my
answer right now.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Yeah, mine might be McDermott, because you know, he did
good in Buffalo and took Josh Allen and he was
a really raw and certainly developed him. Not I mean,
Josh Allen had all the talent, but he wasn't fool proof.
But I got to tell you, I'm worrying. McDaniel goes
to Baltimore and maximizes Lamar. I think he's not a
likely hire there, but he's got a shot. They've interviewed him.
(13:58):
And I laughed too when I got like Rex Ryan
with a friggin foot fetish and those billboard sized team calls.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Mike McDaniel weird. I mean, come on, looked in the mirror.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Very well said by you, Mark. I completely agree. Rex
Ryan is so annoying to me. He just keeps trying
to get his name back in the cycle and keeps
trying to convince people that he could be a good
coach again, all because his dad was once a great coach,
and so he then inherited whatever last name and then
thought that made him entitled to be a head coach forever.
(14:29):
I agree with you with Rex Ryan, and I also
agree with McDermott. You were right on the money there.
I mean this the problem is the roster. The problem
is Josh Allen turned the ball over four times. I
don't think that I'm putting that on on McDermott at all.
And somehow the GM survives through all this with a
bad roster, but the coach is the one that goes.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Mike has always great stuff. Greg work at the Athletic
and we'll talk next week.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
All right, sounds good, Mark, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
That's Mike Defabo from the Athletic. Up next, we want
calls on the fifteens again. Your thoughts that Mike McCarthy
seems a very legitimate candidate. And at the bottom of
the eye will have Connor Clifton, the Penguins defenseman. It's
smart Madden Show one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Then I use a bunch of pillows and I swore.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
The exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
And that McCarthy knews boy that he's a legit candidate.
I mean, I guess we kind of knew that, but
here de Fabo confirm it. Yikes, it'd just be running
it back. Cabali just tweeted that they get McCarthy. They're
running it back. Art thinks this is a good team.
Art thinks that can win in the playoffs. Art's desperate
for playoff win. What they need more than a new
(15:41):
coach is a new owner. Uh, let's go to Jim
in the car. Jim you're on with Mark.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Hey, Mark.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
The only reason I could see that they would be
hiring McCarthy is I'm not sure how Coward's coordinators were
when he was hired, but when Tom Win was hired,
he had a good set of experienced coordinators.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And if you bring a young.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Defensive or offensive minded coaching here with no coordinators, no
franchise quarterback, it's gonna be an awful heart spot for.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
A young guy to succeed.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Where when Tomlin came in, he hit the franchise quarterback.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
And two experienced coordinators.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Well, yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
You got to start somewhere, you know what I mean.
It's not the Steelers should forget about this year. Their
philosophy should no longer be now, but it always will
be and that's what holds them back. Look at what
New England's done to rebuild in the same time the
Steelers have just treaded sewage.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
It's it's embarrassing. Let's go to Chris. Chris, you're on the.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Air, can you hear me?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I can go ahead quick?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
All right?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (16:41):
First off, what an honor it is to be able
to continue to listen to uh Pierre Maguire with his
hockey talk.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
It's truly the best in the business. But the reason
for my call is I've been hearing the idea of.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
The Penguins possibly making a move to trade for Jason
Robertson of the Dallas Stars.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Yeah, they're not going to do that. Goodbye, that's just stupid.
They're not going to trade. What would you have to
give up to get this big score a bunch of
first round picks.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It would be total debt. That's what you want, not
what they're thinking about.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
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Gonna talk to Connor Clifton off the Penguins next on
one oh five nine.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
It's they show weekday mornings at six on one OX.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
From the one oh five nine the ex Weather Center.
This report is sponsored by Horrible Terrible The X at
one oh five nine, Sid Sid How.
Speaker 6 (18:31):
You doing for all your fans out there?
Speaker 8 (18:33):
We're checking in with the bellas you know. It's twentieth
year in the in the league in Nasal Hockey League.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
What are you doing to flight in year twenty?
Speaker 8 (18:41):
I just hang with Cookie. You watch the documentary here? Uh?
You got this football game going?
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Just hang out football game going?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Is there a secret wife?
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Is there a secret WiFi that I haven't gotten yet?
Speaker 1 (18:55):
My guest right now has added some byte on defense
for the Penguins, and he's pretty good with a microphone
interviewing his teammates too. As you just heard we welcome
to the program, Connor Clift and Connor. I saw those
interviews you did on the plane. I couldn't do your job,
but maybe you could do mine.
Speaker 8 (19:13):
Hey, Mark, thank you for having me. I don't I
don't think so, you know, I was just someone got that.
Speaker 9 (19:19):
Idea and I went around it was It was honestly
a tough crowd, but we had some fun with it,
so so it was a good time.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Now it's a tight race for the playoff spots, but
this seems like a loose team that's got to help, Like,
like the guys are together.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, we're in. We try to play out
there as a five man pack. And obviously the standings,
I mean, right now, it's about points.
Speaker 7 (19:42):
It's about winning.
Speaker 8 (19:45):
I think the way the East is gonna shake out,
it's gonna be tight to the end, and we know that.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
So these these points, you know, these.
Speaker 8 (19:52):
Games right now are just as portant as those early
April games where where hopefully we're in the hunt of
that number one metch spot. But right now, yes, it's
about winning, about points.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Stress have the Penguins become a bit more physical lately, Connor,
even sid level of the guy at Seattle yesterday is is.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
That kind of what you're seeing too?
Speaker 7 (20:14):
Yeah, I mean we don't we don't want him doing
that too much. Obviously, we like we like him playing
with the buck. But uh, yeah, we're in it together.
We're playing hard, and we've been all year.
Speaker 8 (20:24):
We've been getting better and better. Obviously we had a little,
uh little losing streak going there, but you know, it's
important to face that adversity together during the year.
Speaker 7 (20:35):
And I think we're in a great.
Speaker 8 (20:36):
Spot right now with whatever thirty something games left to play,
mid thirty games left to play, so we're gonna keep
building and keep trying to get better.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Now.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Obviously playing with a degree of edges part of your game, Connor,
the Penguins aren't historically a physical team. Do you feel
that's your job specifically to add some of that.
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Yeah, I think that's I think that's how I made
it to the end, honestly, kind of out compete. My
whole philosophy is out competing, and I try to bring
that every day, and the physical part of the game
has always been always been there for me. I think
I don't really value how I if I'm playing well,
it's it's not because I'm getting points.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
It's it's because I'm doing the small.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
Details of the game, you know, throwing hits, killing plays,
breaking out puckswell, blocking shots, playing those like part minutes,
you know, PK. That's kind of how I see it,
and I just try to be the best version of
myself out there, and I think that's how it can
help the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
What was that win like at Seattle yesterday?
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Not that it was easy because because the kracking kept coming,
but it seemed like you guys were in control. It
seemed like a relatively solid all sixty minutes.
Speaker 7 (21:48):
I think that's the great assessment. I think.
Speaker 8 (21:50):
Obviously we dealt with some blown leads in the third
and it's it's no secret, we know it, We've talked
about it. But I think that game right there, it's,
you know, we go up, I think it was too nothing,
and they score that goal and there's there's no panic,
like we're okay. And I think earlier in the year
we grip those sticks a little too tight and and
(22:11):
we'd kind of take our foot off the gas and
try to play more defense, and and that's not us.
Speaker 7 (22:15):
We want to go play play with the fuck.
Speaker 8 (22:17):
In their zone. And and yeah, no games eas but
last night it was a good win for us.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
But like you said, a full sixty.
Speaker 8 (22:25):
Yeah, definitely gutsy winning like points are everything right now
for our group.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
We're talking to Connor Clifton live from Calgary Pens at
the Flames tomorrow night. Here all the action right here
on the X. Carlson's out now, the tang's day to day.
That's a lot of quality minutes. Haw's the Defense Corps
gonna deal with that.
Speaker 7 (22:46):
Yeah, I think.
Speaker 8 (22:46):
It's just the next man up mentality. Obviously, Carl goes down,
you know, last week, that's big time situation, end minutes.
And obviously he's.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Carl's going to be call all right, We're obviously gonna
miss him.
Speaker 8 (23:01):
And now our next big dog goes down. I don't
know what hit status is.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
I we'll see, but obviously.
Speaker 8 (23:09):
You know, I think collectively, as as a six that
are in there, we're gonna have to step up. Everyone's
gonna have to pick up a couple of minutes here
and there. I'm definitely a good challenge for our group.
And and like I said, I talked a little bit
about the adversity.
Speaker 7 (23:24):
You gotta face during the year and you gotta you.
Speaker 8 (23:26):
Gotta go through it, you know, and and hopefully we're
we get the two points tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Obviously a big back to back, so starts tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Uh, the right side of the defense, would like yourself
with with Carlson and Matanga, do you feel more pressure
to move the puck more and better? Because that's their
game And I know all you guys want to stay
within yourselves, but still somebody, it seems, would have to
do a bit more of that.
Speaker 8 (23:52):
Yeah, yeah, that's always I mean, you don't you want
to be yourself at the end of the day, I'm
gonna go out there, I'm gonna play. I think for me,
I got a couple of different partners, you know, the year,
but definitely, even in the last couple of games, I'm
I'm just trying to be the best version of myself
and and and obviously I'm now that I'm playing a
little more consistently, I'm I'm building that confidence. I'm making
(24:13):
good clean breakout passes and and and making some plays.
And obviously we got a really good forward group, so
we like when they have the puck and they have
their speed and they're able to you know, create things.
As for you know, missing guys like Carl and Lotang,
it's they're they're pretty special players.
Speaker 7 (24:34):
So like, I'm not gonna go out there and be
either of them.
Speaker 8 (24:37):
But yeah, like what you said, we're just gonna all
be ourselves and and and collectively, we're gonna pick up
those minutes of those situations and and and and we'll
be okay.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Now, you scored against Columbus on Saturday, first goal of
the season, but then right after that you had like
a partial breakaway. I think it was coming out of
the box. I'm I'm not sure that what the way
you wanted.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
No, I didn't, No, it didn't. Me and me and
Geno we got that. It was a little bit of
a two on two.
Speaker 8 (25:05):
I had a little break I don't get too many
like those half breakaways.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
I probably could.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
Have taken it and you know and shoveled one on
net for my backhand, But in my head, I'm thinking
Gino is gonna be wide open on the back door
opening up for a one time or so, like as
soon as I kind of took it to the net
and as soon as I turned and peeled off until
Gino was was pretty much next to me and not
where I thought he was gonna be.
Speaker 10 (25:28):
I said, oh boy, I think he's gonna be a
little mad at me, and then we ended up going
for a change, so we've ended up getting nothing out
of it. So I wish I could go back and
make another play, but that feeling a I didn't want
to shovel one on net and get a whistle and
have Gino be wide open on the back door for
a tapping, and then I prefer what I did than
(25:51):
that and miss that.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
Obviously, I wish I redid it, though, Hey.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You'll get another chance.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
You've been a regular throughout your NHL career Boston Buffalo.
You had to wait a bit and work a bit
to get into the line up here.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Was that a tough adjustment, Connor?
Speaker 1 (26:05):
And what did you feel at the time you had
to show them?
Speaker 7 (26:09):
Yeah, yeah, it's definitely different. I've been scratched here and there.
Speaker 8 (26:13):
I mean the past couple of years a little bit,
you know, two three games something like that. But I
mean it's been I don't know, probably six years since
I've had this extended of of absent playing.
Speaker 7 (26:26):
And yeah, it's you just you just deal with it.
Speaker 8 (26:29):
I mean, I'm I'm a I'm a pretty positive guy
by trade, so I just get you know, kept my
head down, tried to be part of it as much
as I could. Obviously, when the fellows are going out there,
they're playing every night. You know, practice kind of turns
into your game, so you're gonna have to be ready
to play at any given time without getting the game reps.
And yeah, it's an adjustment I think. I mean, I'm
(26:54):
proud of how I dealt with it with a little
reflection here, but yeah, it's obviously hard.
Speaker 7 (27:01):
But again, I'm I'm a positive guy.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
So I'm gonna go out there, I'm gonna I'm gonna
do my job, and I'm gonna try to put my
best foot forward. And yeah, obviously I got in because
a couple of injuries, and and I'm pretty happy with
where my game's at right now. Obviously a lot more
building to go, because I guess I'm probably only about
twenty games in, but yeah, I think I have a
lot more to give and and and I'm excited for it.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
What's it like playing for Dan Mues in his first
year as head coach? It seems like he's implemented a
pretty good structure and foundation.
Speaker 7 (27:33):
He has.
Speaker 8 (27:34):
He's he's he's been on it the whole coaching stuff.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
Has been on it from from really even even the
week before you know, training camp.
Speaker 8 (27:41):
Everyone's there and skating and trying to get ready for
day one a camp. But he was it was funny
he was sending us a he was telling us he
would send us like a different strategy basically, like he'd
send us the four check a video the night before
the day camp, and then that next day we would
kind of implement it and work on some specific drills
in practice, just just a couple of minutes video. And
(28:02):
then you get the first one, it's like twenty one minutes.
You're like, oh wow, that's a little long, Okay, whatever,
we'll watch it. Next one's twenty five minutes, you know.
Speaker 7 (28:10):
So they're so.
Speaker 8 (28:12):
Dialed and detail oriented. So it's been I mean, he's
obviously doing a great job. We're ready to go every night,
and and we put ourselves i mean, I guess we're
forty whatever games in at this point. We put ourselves
in a great spot.
Speaker 7 (28:30):
In the playoff picture.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
Obviously, the East is right now is is pretty unique
and crazy.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I don't think that I've never seen the standings like
this or no kidding, and I've been around forever.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
It's it's it's unbelievable, right, and I mean just comment
on that.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
I mean, it's early to play that game. Oh, if
this team loses, next team loses.
Speaker 8 (28:47):
Every the games are going to play out, whether we
root for someone or not. So we'll check the standings.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
In the morning and not worry about that.
Speaker 8 (28:54):
But obviously right now, you know, we're every point matters
for us, and we just want to continue to kind
of play and battle and steal those points and hopefully.
Speaker 7 (29:07):
There's a little breathing room, you know, when you have.
Speaker 8 (29:09):
Single digit games left. But we're far from that, so
we got a lot of work to do now.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
You played college hockey Atquinnipiac, which is a terrific program.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
What was that like for you? Developmentally?
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I always find the choice that players make in their
youth between say juniors in college to be very intriguing.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Yeah, I think it was the perfect spot for me.
And I mean, I don't think I don't think I'd
be here today talking to you and have the career
that I've had if it wasn't for Quinnipiac.
Speaker 7 (29:41):
I can't.
Speaker 8 (29:43):
I can't talk better about it. I mean, obviously i'd
stay for four years and give I was eighteen freshman,
so obviously that's always a hard to do because it's
it's so much different from like junior hockey, and I
kind of go in and I'm young, and you just
find your way and you keep trying to get better.
And obviously I had a rand pechnalled read cashers.
Speaker 7 (30:07):
Our d coach and Billy Reagan.
Speaker 8 (30:08):
They they work with you individually, like we're we ran
this a little trap in the nutral zone so that
it was highly effective in all four years. So we're
really good at that. But then just just the individual game,
trying to bring you up and and and get you
to the best version of yourself.
Speaker 7 (30:25):
And that was huge part of my development those four years.
So yeah, I couldn't speak high enough about it.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So what do you think about a career in the
media once you're done playing this this little viral moment
you have, people love it.
Speaker 8 (30:39):
I don't know, I'm a little too awkward for the
camera and the mic all the time. Every once in
a while it's good, but uh, yeah, it was.
Speaker 7 (30:45):
It was fun. I mean, it's a lot easier going
going around to your teammates, even though they it was
a tough.
Speaker 8 (30:52):
Crowd in there.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
I won't lie.
Speaker 7 (30:54):
Some guys are.
Speaker 8 (30:55):
Some guys are giving me some meat.
Speaker 7 (30:56):
I don't think they were.
Speaker 8 (30:57):
I knew about it a couple of days before. But
I'm not gonna go around warning them, begging him for
an interview, you know, I'm just gonna throw them on
the spot.
Speaker 7 (31:05):
And see how they respond.
Speaker 8 (31:07):
Yeah, it was a little bit of a tough crowd,
but you know, maybe if there's the next time.
Speaker 7 (31:11):
We'll get some we'll get We'll get some of those
guys on.
Speaker 8 (31:13):
There, especially the tang he he. He gave me the
cold shoulder there.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Well, that makes you feel better.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
He's given us the cold shoulder once in a while
as well. Connor, great stuff. I appreciate you taking the time,
especially on the road. Good job yesterday and good luck tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (31:28):
Thanks Mark, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
That's Connor Clifton defense from the Penguins. Check out that
that thing. It's on Twitter on Pens inside Scoop my
buddy meshes Twitter feed. Connor Clifton talking to the boys,
and might I say, and I should have said this
to him nine out of ten times. That sort of
thing sucks out loud, but Clifton pulled it off, and
good for him. It was very entertaining. All Right, it's time.
(31:51):
Now is the time to ask Mark anything? My God,
how the time flies uh eight three three four one
two w XDX call eight three three four one two
w x D.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
And h ask Mark anything.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Or you can leave a talk back via the microphone
app UH microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app one O
five nine the X and.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
To got oh, got TX and one.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Thanks to Connor Clifton for joining me. Thanks to Emma
on the Road with the Penguins for setting it up.
That's our eleventh Penguin Guest of the Year. TV don't
have eleven Steelers, the B team don't have eleven Pirates.
We cover hockey like nobody else. We cover our team
(32:41):
like nobody else. So if you're a Penguin fan, keep
it right here. And if you're not a Penguin fan,
I got no use for you. Time not to ask
Mark anything. Brought to us by People's Natural Gas People
Safe Reliable Natural Gas Energy, People's Hyphengas dot Com. Let's
go to Dick and Chill Dick your own double m.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Yeah, do you have the same love hate relationship like
I do with Awful Announcing, Because yeah, I hate to
go to.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
It so much.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
With the ads I go to it all the time.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I think seventy five percent of it is useless drivel.
Twenty five percent of it makes a good point. I
haven't even talked about a great column they very briefly.
They posted the other day about poptimism, the concept of
poptimism that what is popular must necessarily also be the best,
which of course isn't true. But that's the way dumbass
(33:36):
America thinks these days. And by the way, just to
speak in general, America has never been dumber. I mean,
it is the dumbest stage of our country's history. It
is indeed headed toward the movie Idiocracy. But yeah, mostly
I hate Awful Announcing. But again, some of it's pretty good.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Call out everyone's mistakes, but every one of their articles
has like ten spelling mistakes.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Very well, put, let's go to Mike and Gibsonia Mike,
you're own with double M.
Speaker 9 (34:06):
Hey, thanks, great interview with Connor. By the way, thanks
and good good shout out about Idiocracy. I agree that
self awareness is an all time low. But my question is,
why do defensive backs have like two mouthpieces dangling from
their face mask and one sticking out of the top
of their helmet and they don't wear any of them.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
I've never seen that? Is that true?
Speaker 9 (34:30):
I think, I mean, you know what, I you know
what I usually do.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
I think they probably dropped the spare of mouth guards
onto the field occasionally to try to trip up the receiver.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I guess I don't know.
Speaker 7 (34:41):
It doesn't make sense.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
They look dumb.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Let's go to Eric and Toledo. Eric, you're own with double.
Speaker 9 (34:46):
M super genius.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
I know you've mentioned this several times.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
I've never actually heard the details, though, But how was
Willie Stargel rude to your mom?
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Okay, it was nineteen seventy one. We took a family vacation.
My family was me, my mom, my grandmother, and my
aunt so three ladies, two of them old. We went
to Toronto for the Hockey Hall of Fame, Cooper's Ton
for the Baseball Hall of Fame, then to Montreal where
(35:15):
we were supposed to see a pirate's double header and
it was the last game of the series.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
The last two games a doubleheader and it got rained out.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So we made that trip all the way up there,
and niked to see any games. Now, we did get
to see the Forum, the Canadians legendary rink, and I
got to meet Rocket Rashard in a restaurant next to
the Forum. We just happened to go into and I
spotted his picture on the wall, you know, among the
Canadians legend. I said, hey, Mom, that guy's sitting right
(35:44):
there and Rocket mister Richard could not have been more
gracious and he signed the menu. But he said to me,
give me your address and I'll send you a picture.
And I did, and he sent me four or five
autographed photos that I still have. I mean that you
could not have a better experience as a hockey kid.
But then because the game got rained out, we went
(36:05):
to the airport. Because I was a big autograph kid.
Got autographs, by the way, not after I was sixteen.
No autographs after that, but we got autographs, and Willie
Stargell was very rude to my mother. My mother said
she was making small talk. We came up here for
our vacation. We came up here to see you guys play,
and it got rained out and she goes and he goes.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
That's bs, lady, you were just up here on your
e fing vacation.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
It was just shocking. Oh, Willie Starts was a piece
of crap.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
He was in debt.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
He was just a scumbag, and I find out about
it earlier. But the lesson to be learned there, Eric
is when you're a prominent person, never be rude to
a young kid's mother because that kid might wind up
having a microphone.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I love it. Thanks to Virginia.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Yeah, that's a true story. I mean, COMMENTE was so
COMMENTE overheard it. COMMENTE gave me a ball and signed up,
which I still have. That's how upset he was. Well
he heard that. I mean, why would I make this up?
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Now?
Speaker 1 (37:04):
How many years later? My god, I've told this story
a bunch of times. Get your calls in now. Still
got some time for ass mark anything. Always a fun
part of the program. A three, three, four one two
w XDX. Really the stories I experienced, you know, even
before I got in this business.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Is it any wonder I got in this business.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 11 (37:30):
You have two questions for you. It's fair to judge
Chris Schula based on his last name because his grandfather.
Shouldn't we also look at his father, Dave Shula, who's
terrible with the Bengals. Second question, what, uh, jumping off
your discussion on soup, what is your opinion at Gumbo?
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Uh, wasn't Mike Tomlin Mike Tomlin Mike Schuler the coach
who was crap?
Speaker 2 (37:52):
The Shula that was a crap coach. I forget.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
But yeah, I mean, I'm not judging Chris Shuler by
anything but his record, uh in his coaching career, and
I don't think it would be fair to do otherwise.
Gumbo's unbelievable. Tom and I should have brought it up
in our soup discussion. Gumbo the kind of spicy New
Orleans kind, Oh God, the two best places to get that.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
There's a place locally, what's it called. I forget.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
It's kind of in Lawrenceville, somewhere in there. It's great,
but I've never gone there. I never had, and I've
been told it's great. But the two places I go
to regularly are Mike's Oyster Bar at the Orleans Casino
in Vegas and god, I forget, oh, just the Oyster Bar.
It's called the Oyster Bar at Palace Station in Vegas.
(38:39):
I go to one of those places every single time
I'm there for their gumbo, and it is just delightful.
Let's go to Antonio, Hey.
Speaker 5 (38:48):
Mark, I lived like an hour and a half away
from Pittsburgh all my life, and I know, like there's
some good place to live in Pittsburgh and bad place
to live in Pittsburgh. Where would you recommend somewhere that's
like cheap enough but like so relatively a good place
to live if somehere were to move there.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Well, not where I live, but but but yeah, I mean,
I I mean, I don't know. I mean, whenever you
answer a question like this, it sounds like you're speaking
out against the places you don't mention. Uh, Lawrenceville seems
to be the up and coming neighborhood. I think it's
getting in the little pricey, but not overly. So you
know what the North Hill School district, Westview, there's where
(39:30):
you want to go Westview. It's it's a nice neighborhood, affordable,
good school district.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
Go to Westview. Let's go to jam and Angahela Jay
your own double.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
M hey Mark, good day, I said, good day.
Speaker 12 (39:44):
So I man, I hate to ask you, but seriously,
why does Adam Shefter break all of the NFL news?
What is?
Speaker 7 (39:51):
What?
Speaker 12 (39:51):
How does that work?
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I'm not sure he breaks much news at all, Brov.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
I think he presents like kind of random stuff because
you know, he's gone from a hardcore reporter to a
gossip monger. And that's not necessarily his fault. Those are
the expectations of his employer because they want him to
fill time and space all the time. But I mean,
you know, he he kind of breaks news that's already
out there a lot of the time, don't you think.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I don't think he's Walter Cronkite by any means.
Speaker 12 (40:19):
No, that's true, but it seems like he's always hey, per,
you know, per Adam Shefter, This team is hiring this coach.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Yeah whatever.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Like, here's the thing with Twitter, it doesn't matter who
gets the information first, because once one person has it
and immediately goes to.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Twitter, and uh, you know, I don't. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
There's no such thing as journalism in my business anymore,
at least not much of it. And I'm an opinion
guy at this point in my career, but at one
point I was somebody who abided you know, did game stories,
you know, did story stories that abided by the rules
of journalism. But but now it's more about opinion, and
it's more about being first than it is about being right.
(41:04):
I'll give you a casion point. Defabo did that great
story about reconstructing what happened in the Steelers' locker room
when Tom Win told the team he was stepping down,
and by all accounts, he got it exactly right. Certainly
no player has come out to say that might cut
it wrong. But what made it stand out is it
was actual breaking news. It was actual journalism. When's the
(41:25):
last time a Steeler reporter broke a big Steeler story
like that? And the answer is they almost never do,
because that's not what they're there for. They're there to
regurgitate and be buddies with the organization.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
At least that's what they want.
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